Appeal 2006-2795
Application 10/689,392
1 Claim 1 under appeal reads as follows:
2
3 1. A seal retainer for an undersea female hydraulic coupling member,
4 comprising:
5 a. a first metal seal integral with the seal retainer for creating a
6 pressure-energized seal between the seal retainer and a probe of a
7 male coupling member inserted in a female hydraulic coupling
8 member containing the seal retainer; and,
9 b. a second metal seal integral with the seal retainer for creating a
10 pressure-energized seal between the seal retainer and a female
11 hydraulic coupling member containing the seal retainer.
12
13 The Examiner rejected claims 1 to 4, 6 to 8 and 11 to 16 under
14 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Smith in view of Press.
15 The prior art relied upon by the Examiner in rejecting the claims on
16 appeal is:
17 Smith,III (“Smith) 5,015,016 May 14, 1991
18 Press 3,142,498 Jul. 28, 1964
19
20 Appellant contends that there is no motivation or reason to combine
21 the teachings of Smith and Press.
22 The Examiner contends that Press teaches that making a pressure-
23 energized seal integral with the body of the retainer is an art equivalent to
24 providing them separately. The Examiner concludes that it would have been
25 obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made
26 to modify the retainer of Smith by making the first and second seals integral
27 with the retainer as such is an art equivalent construction as taught by Press.
28
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