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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 4, 8-9, 16, 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 4, the phrase "for example" and/or “e.g.” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Claims 4, 8-9, 16, 22 includes the limitation “generally”. The term “generally” in the claim is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “generally” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. For example, claim 4 includes the limitation(s) “generally aligned with (e.g. parallel to)” it is unclear what constitutes ‘generally aligned’. It is unclear if the components are required to be parallel, as stated in the example in the claim, or if some deviation from parallel is considered ‘generally aligned’. It is unclear if any of the following offsets are considered generally aligned or not generally aligned: 1 deg; 5 deg; 15 deg; 30 deg; 44 deg; 45 deg; 46 deg; 60 deg; etc. Claims 8-9, 16, 22 include similar limitations and are similarly rejected.
Clarification and/or correction are required. No new matter may be entered. The claims will be read and examined as best understood.
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) 1-3, 11-15 is/are, as best understood, rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Folk (US 20050269072).
Regarding claim 1, Folk teaches: An apparatus for a top-drive drilling system, the apparatus comprising:
a tubular gripping system (Folk comprising 280) comprising a main body (Folk near 292), and
a compression assembly comprising an actuator (Folk comprising 281); wherein the main body is shaped to define a cavity (Folk near 292) for receiving the actuator and the actuator is removably mountable (Folk [0070-0072]) to the main body inside the cavity for generation of compressive force applicable to a tubular.
Regarding claim 2, Folk teaches: The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a top drive (Folk 10) wherein the tubular gripping system is connected (Folk Fig. 8A) to the top drive and wherein the actuator is detachable from the main body and removable (Folk [0070-0072]) from the cavity while tubular gripping system is connected to the top drive.
Regarding claim 3, Folk teaches: The apparatus of claim 2 wherein: the top drive comprises a post (Folk near 283; 8T) which projects through a post-receiving opening (Folk near 283 Fig. 8C) defined in the main body and wherein a connection between the tubular gripping system and the top drive comprises a connection (Folk [0070-0072]) of the main body to the post;
the cavity is shaped (Folk near 292; [0070-0072]) to provide a cavity opening through which the actuator is insertable into, and removable from, the cavity; and
the cavity opening is spaced apart (Folk Fig. 8B-8G) from the post-receiving opening on the main body to facilitate insertion of the actuator into the cavity, and removal of the actuator from the cavity, through the cavity opening while the tubular gripping system is connected to the top drive.
Regarding claim 11, Folk teaches: An apparatus for a top drive drilling system, the system comprising:
(Folk comprising 280) comprising a main body (Folk near 292), and
a compression assembly comprising an actuator (Folk comprising 281); wherein the actuator is removably mountable (Folk [0070-0072]) to the main body for generation of compressive force applicable to a tubular.
Regarding claim 12, Folk teaches: The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a top drive (Folk 10) wherein the tubular gripping system is connected (Folk Fig. 8A) to the top drive and wherein the actuator is detachable from the main body and removable (Folk [0070-0072]) from the main body while tubular gripping system is connected to the top drive.
Regarding claim 13, Folk teaches: The apparatus of claim 12 wherein: the top drive comprises a post (Folk near 283; 8T) which projects through a post-receiving opening (Folk near 283 Fig. 8C) defined in the main body and wherein a connection between the tubular gripping system and the top drive comprises a connection (Folk [0070-0072]) of the main body to the post; and the actuator is removably mountable (Folk [0070-0072]) to the main body at a location that is spaced apart (Folk Fig. 8B-8G) from the post to facilitate removably mounting the actuator to the main body without interference from the post.
Regarding claim 14, Folk teaches: The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the main body is shaped (Folk [0070-0072]) to define a cavity (Folk near 292; [0070-0072]) for receiving the actuator and the actuator is removably mountable to the main body inside the cavity.
Regarding claim 15, Folk teaches: The apparatus of claim 14 wherein: the cavity is shaped to provide a cavity opening (Folk near 292) through which the actuator is (Folk [0070-0072]) insertable into, and removable from, the cavity; and the cavity opening is spaced apart (Folk Fig. 8B-8G) from the post-receiving opening on the main body to facilitate insertion of the actuator into the cavity, and removal of the actuator from the cavity, through the cavity opening while the tubular gripping system is connected to the top drive.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 5, 17 is/are, as best understood, rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Folk in view of Wells (US 20080135228).
Regarding claim 5, Folk teaches: The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the actuator comprises a hydraulic actuator (Folk [0071-0073]) comprising: a cylinder-defining member (Folk near 292) shaped to define a bore-defining surface (Folk near 292) that defines a cylinder bore (Folk inside 292); a piston (Folk 281) shaped for reciprocal movement in an axial direction within the cylinder bore; but does not expressly state: one or more seals located for slidable engagement between an outer surface of the piston and the bore-defining surface.
Wells teaches a gripping assembly for a top drive comprising seals (Wells 662/664) between the pistons (Wells 652) and piston interfaces (Wells near 668/652).
It would have been considered obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date (AIA ) or at the time the invention was made (Pre-AIA ), to have modified Folk to include seals on the piston in order to prevent hydraulic fluid from leaking around the piston.
Regarding claim 17, Folk teaches: The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the actuator comprises a hydraulic actuator (Folk [0071-0073]) comprising: a cylinder-defining member (Folk near 292) shaped to define a bore-defining surface (Folk near 292) that defines a cylinder bore (Folk inside 292); a piston (Folk 281) shaped for reciprocal movement in an axial direction within the cylinder bore; but does not expressly state: one or more seals located for slidable engagement between an outer surface of the piston and the bore-defining surface.
Wells teaches a gripping assembly for a top drive comprising seals (Wells 662/664) between the pistons (Wells 652) and piston interfaces (Wells near 668/652).
It would have been considered obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date (AIA ) or at the time the invention was made (Pre-AIA ), to have modified Folk to include seals on the piston in order to prevent hydraulic fluid from leaking around the piston.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 19-21, 23 are allowed.
Claims 6-7, 10, 18 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.
Claims 4, 8-9, 16, 22 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Prior Art
The following prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to Applicant's disclosure.
Berge (US 20250059835) teaches a hydraulic oilfield gripping assembly comprising releasable grippers.
Angelle (US 20100101805) teaches a gripping assembly for an oilrig comprising a top drive, wherein the gripping assembly comprises multiple actuators configured to actuate slips.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to David Carroll whose telephone number is (571)272-4808. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 2:00-10:00 PM EDT.
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/David Carroll/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3674
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