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, 11-17, 26-30, and 32 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by US 20110120728 to Lake et al.
Regarding claims 1, 16, and 32, Lake discloses a method and well system (see paragraph 0001) with a downhole device, the device comprising: a member 16 having a first member end and a second opposite member end; a movable element 22 positioned about the member, the movable element having a first movable element end and a second opposite movable element end, the movable element configured to move a stroke distance (D) from a first position (fig. 1) to a second position; a ferromagnet assembly 32 or 40 fixed to one of the member or the movable element; and an electromagnet assembly 32 or 40 fixed to an other of the movable element or the member, the electromagnet assembly operable to receive electric power to produce an electromagnetic field having an electromagnetic polarity (Y), the electromagnetic field configured to actuate the movable element from the first position toward the second position and independently hold the movable element in the second position when the electromagnet assembly receives the electric power (figs. 1 and 3; paragraphs 0010-0022).
Regarding claims 2 and 17, the downhole device as recited in Claims 1 and 16, wherein the ferromagnet assembly is a permanent magnet assembly, the permanent magnet assembly producing an inherent magnetic field having a magnetic polarity (X), the permanent magnet assembly generating a magnetic coupling force that biases the movable element toward the first position (paragraphs 0017, 0032-0034; claim 5).
Regarding claims 11 and 26, the downhole device as recited in Claims 1 and 16, wherein the electromagnet assembly is operable to receive electric power to produce the electromagnetic field having the electromagnetic polarity (Y), the electromagnetic field configured to linearly actuate the movable element from the first position toward the second position (paragraphs 0032-0034).
Regarding claims 12 and 27, the downhole device as recited in Claims 1 and 16, wherein the ferromagnet assembly is fixed to the movable element 22 and the electromagnet assembly is fixed to the member 16 (fig. 1, and paragraph 0017 states that assemblies 32 and 40 can be either ferromagnetic (permanent) or electromagnetic).
Regarding claims 13 and 28, the downhole device as recited in Claims 1 and 16, wherein the member is part of a flow control valve housing 12, the movable element is a movable flow control element, and further including a valve closure mechanism 24 coupled with the flow control valve housing, the movable element configured to actuate between the first position and the second position and thereby move the valve closure mechanism between a closed state and an open state (fig. 1).
Regarding claims 14 and 29, the downhole device as recited in Claims 13 and 28, wherein the movable flow control element is a movable flow control tube (paragraph 0010).
Regarding claims 15 and 30, the downhole device as recited in Claims 14 and 29, wherein the valve closure mechanism is a flapper-type valve configured to rotate between the closed state and the open state as the movable flow control tube moves between the first position and the second position (paragraph 0010).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-10, 18-25, and 31 are 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 20180163657 teaches a magnetic valve mechanism of interest, but it is for a fuel injection valve, not for downhole use. US 20170241246 teaches a downhole device with ferromagnets 26 and electromagnets 21 (figs 3-8), but it is for a pump, not for opening/closing a valve.
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/SHANE BOMAR/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3674
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