DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CA 3114138 A1 to Nowell Marks et al. (Marks)
In Reference to Claim 1
Marks discloses:
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A high-pressure pump, comprising:
a fluid end, comprising:
a first section defining a first internal flow bore 81 circumscribed by a threaded inwardly-facing surface;
a second section 72defining a second internal flow bore 81, the second section comprising:
a terminal end having a front-facing nose surface 50; and
a threaded outer surface, wherein the threaded outer surface is complementary to the threaded inwardly-facing surface of the first section such that, when the first and second sections are threadedly connected, the first and second internal flow bores are aligned to form a continuous flow path about a central longitudinal axis;
a fluid routing plug 78 interposed along the central longitudinal axis such that the fluid routing plug defines a boundary 60 between the first internal flow bore and the second internal flow bore;
a suction valve 89 disposed within the second section and configured to seat against the fluid routing plug; and
a discharge valve 88 disposed within the first section and configured to seat against the fluid routing plug; and
a plunger 60, configured to reciprocate within the second internal flow bore.
In Reference to Claim 2
Marks discloses:
a suction valve guide 89 disposed within the second internal flow bore.
In Reference to Claim 13
Mark discloses, see Fig.19:
wherein the fluid routing plug comprises a discharge valve guide extending along the central longitudinal axis within the first internal flow bore.
Reasons for Allowance
Claim 3-12, 14-20 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims; primarily because the prior art of record cannot anticipate Applicant’s claimed invention by a single reference nor render Applicant’s claimed invention obvious by the combination of more than one reference.
Furthermore, the prior art of record does not teach “wherein the suction valve guide comprises a suction valve guide body and a wear member, the wear member formed about the suction valve guide body.” as within the context of the claimed invention as disclosed and within the context of the other limitations present in claim 3;
Therefore, the prior art of record cannot anticipate Applicant’s claimed invention by a single reference nor render Applicant’s claimed invention obvious by the combination of more than one reference.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANTHONY AYALA DELGADO whose telephone number is (571)270-3452. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Mark III Laurenzi can be reached on (571) 270-7878. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANTHONY AYALA DELGADO/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746