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`—————————————
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`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
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`—————————————
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`JOHN CRANE, INC., JOHN CRANE
`PRODUCTION SOLUTIONS, INC. &
`JOHN CRANE GROUP CORP.,
`
`Petitioners,
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`v.
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`FINALROD IP, LLC,
`Patent Owner.
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`—————————————
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`IPR No. IPR2016-00521
`U.S. Patent No. 8,851,162
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`—————————————
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`
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`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW
`UNDER 35 U.S.C. § 311 & 37 C.F.R. 42.101
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`IPR2016-00521 - U.S. Patent No. 8,851,162
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`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................... i
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES ................................................................................... iv
`EXHIBIT LIST ........................................................................................................ vi
`I. MANDATORY NOTICES (37 C.F.R. § 42.8) ................................................. 1
`A. Real Party-In Interest (37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(1) .............................................. 1
`B. Related Matters (37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(2)) ...................................................... 1
`C. Counsel & Service Information (37 C.F.R. §§ 42.8(b)(3)-(4)) ..................... 1
`II. PAYMENT OF FEES (37 C.F.R. § 42.103) ..................................................... 2
`III. STANDING (37 C.F.R. § 42.104(a)) ................................................................ 2
`IV. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 2
`V.
`IDENTIFICATION OF CHALLENGE (37 C.F.R. § 42.104(b)) & RELIEF
`REQUESTED (37 C.F.R. § 42.22(a)(1)) ................................................................... 3
`VI. BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR THE ’162 PATENT ........................ 6
`A. Background of the Field of Art ..................................................................... 6
`B. Overview of the ’162 Patent .......................................................................... 9
`C. Prosecution History of the ’162 Patent ....................................................... 10
`VII. THERE IS A REASONABLE LIKELIHOOD THAT AT LEAST ONE
`CLAIM OF THE ’162 PATENT IS UNPATENTABLE ........................................ 12
`A. Relevant Field of Art and Level of Ordinary Skill ..................................... 12
`B. Claim Constructions .................................................................................... 12
`(a) “the compressive forces create a force differential along the wedge
`system greater at the closed end of the fitting and decreasing toward the open
`end of the fitting” (Claims 1, 11, 20, 31) ......................................................... 13
`(b) “the maximum thickness is substantially constant and the minimum
`thickness is substantially constant” (Claims 9, 18, 27, 31) ............................. 14
`C. Legal Standard for Obviousness ................................................................. 16
`D. Ground 1: Claims 1, 6-11, 16-20, 25-28, 30 & 31 are invalid under 35
`U.S.C. §103 as obvious over the Rutledge ’431 Patent in view of Strandberg ... 17
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`(a) Overview of the Rutledge ’431 & Strandberg Patents ............................. 17
`(b) Reasons and Motivations to Combine ...................................................... 18
`(c) Independent Claims 1, 11, 20 & 31 .......................................................... 19
`(d) Independent Claim 31 ............................................................................... 35
`(e) Dependent Claims 6, 16, and 25 ............................................................... 40
`(f) Dependent Claim 7 ................................................................................... 41
`(g) Dependent Claims 8, 17, and 26 ............................................................... 41
`(h) Dependent Claims 9, 18, and 27 ............................................................... 42
`(i) Dependent Claims 10, 19, and 28 ............................................................. 44
`(j) Dependent Claim 30 ................................................................................. 45
`E. Ground 2: Claims 2-5, 12-15, 21-24, and 32-38 are invalid under 35 U.S.C.
`§103 as obvious over the Rutledge ’431 and Strandberg Patents further in view
`of Morrow ............................................................................................................ 47
`(a) Overview of Morrow ................................................................................ 47
`(b) Reasons and Motivations to Combine ...................................................... 48
`(c) Dependent Claims 2, 12, 21, 32, and 38 .................................................. 48
`(d) Dependent Claim 33 ................................................................................. 50
`(e) Dependent Claims 3, 13, 22, 34, and 35 .................................................. 51
`(f) Dependent Claims 4, 14, 23, and 36 ......................................................... 52
`(g) Dependent Claims 5, 15, 24, and 37 ......................................................... 54
`F. Ground 3: Claims 29 and 39 are invalid under 35 U.S.C. §103 as obvious
`over the Rutledge ’431 and Strandberg Patents further in view of Iwasaki ........ 55
`(a) Overview of Iwasaki ................................................................................. 55
`(b) Reasons and Motivations to Combine ...................................................... 56
`(c) Dependent Claim 29 ................................................................................. 56
`(d) Dependent Claim 39 ................................................................................. 58
`G. Ground 4: Claim 40 is invalid under 35 U.S.C. §103 as obvious over the
`Rutledge ’431 and Strandberg Patents further in view Rutledge ’560 ................ 58
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`(a) Overview of the Rutledge ’560 Patent ..................................................... 58
`(b) Reasons and Motivation to Combine ....................................................... 59
`(c) Dependent Claim 40 ................................................................................. 59
`VIII. CONCLUSION ................................................................................................ 60
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`IPR2016-00521 - U.S. Patent No. 8,851,162
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`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
`
`
`CASES
`Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. v. Schering-Plough Corp.,
`320 F.3d 1339 (Fed. Cir. 2003) .............................................................. 28, 32, 49
`
`Page(s)
`
`In re Cuozzo Speed Techs.,
`793 F.3d 1268 (Fed. Cir. 2015) .......................................................................... 12
`
`In re Paulsen,
`30 F.3d 1475 (Fed. Cir. 1994) ............................................................................ 16
`
`In re Preda,
`401 F.2d 825 (CCPA 1968) ................................................................................ 16
`
`In re Schreiber,
`128 F.3d 1473 (Fed. Cir. 1997) .............................................................. 28, 32, 49
`
`KSR Int’l Co. v. Teleflex Inc.,
`550 U.S. 398 (2007) ............................................................................................ 16
`
`Minton v. Nat’l Ass’n of Securities Dealers, Inc.,
`336 F.3d 1373 (Fed. Cir. 2003) .................................................................... 28, 49
`
`Phillips v. AWH Corp.,
`415 F.3d 1303 (Fed. Cir. 2005) .......................................................................... 12
`
`STATUTES
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`35 U.S.C. § 102(b) ..................................................................................................... 5
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`35 U.S.C. § 103 .................................................................................................passim
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`35 U.S.C. § 112 .................................................................................................. 11, 13
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`35 U.S.C. § 311 .......................................................................................................... 1
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`OTHER AUTHORITIES
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`37 C.F.R. § 42.8 ......................................................................................................... 1
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`37 C.F.R. § 42.15 ....................................................................................................... 2
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`37 C.F.R. § 42.22 ....................................................................................................... 3
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`37 C.F.R. § 42.100 ................................................................................................... 12
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`37 C.F.R. § 42.101 ..................................................................................................... 1
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`37 C.F.R. § 42.103 ..................................................................................................... 2
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`37 C.F.R. § 42.104 ................................................................................................. 2, 3
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`IPR2016-00521 - U.S. Patent No. 8,851,162
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`EXHIBIT LIST
`Case No. IPR2016-00521
`U.S. Patent No. 8,851,162 (“’162 Patent”)
`U.S. Patent No. 8,851,162 File History
`U.S. Patent No. 6,193,431 (“Rutledge ’431 Patent”)
`U.S. Patent No. 4,475,839 (“Strandberg”)
`U.S. Patent No. 4,662,774 (“Morrow”).
`U.S. Patent No. 8,113,277 (“Rutledge ’277 Patent”)
`U.S. Patent No. 4,822,201 (“Iwasaki”)
`U.S. Patent No. 4,919,560 (“Rutledge ’560 Patent”)
`U.S. Patent No. 5,253,946 (“Watkins”)
`Declaration of Gary R. Wooley
`Side-by-Side Comparison of the ’162 Patent claims
`U.S. Patent No. 4,401,396 (“McKay”)
`U.S. Reissue Patent No. RE32,865 (“Rutledge ’865 Patent”)
`U.S. Patent No. 7,730,938 (“Rutledge ’938 Patent”)
`Edward L. Hoffman, Finite Element Analysis of Sucker Rod
`Couplings with Guidelines for Improving Fatigue Life, Sandia
`National Laboratories, (Jul. 11, 1997) (“Hoffman Article”).
`U.S. Patent No. 8,062,463 (“Rutledge ’463 Patent”)
`U.S. Patent No. 6,886,484 (“Thomas”)
`U.S. Patent No. 4,653,953 (“Anderson”)
`Printout of Fiberod History from “https://superod.com/about-us/”
`Press Release for Smith’s purchase of Fiberod (March 19, 2008)
`Asset Purchase Agreement Between Smiths and Fiberod (March
`2008)
`Intellectual Property Disclosure Schedule from Asset Purchase
`Agreement
`
`Exhibit
`1001
`1002
`1003
`1004
`1005
`1006
`1007
`1008
`1009
`1010
`1011
`1012
`1013
`1014
`1015
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`1016
`1017
`1018
`1019
`1020
`1021
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`1022
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`IPR2016-00521 - U.S. Patent No. 8,851,162
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`Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 311 and 37 C.F.R. § 42.101, the undersigned, on
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`behalf of John Crane, Inc., John Crane Production Solutions, Inc., and John Crane
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`Group Corp. (“John Crane” or “Petitioners”), respectfully request inter partes
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`review of claims 1 – 40 of U.S. Patent No. 8,851,162 (“the ’162 Patent”, Exhibit
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`1001), filed on August 9, 2011 and issued October 7, 2014, to Russell P. Rutledge,
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`et al., and currently assigned to Finalrod IP, LLC (“Finalrod” or “Patent Owner”).
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`As demonstrated herein, there is a reasonable likelihood that Petitioner will prevail
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`with respect to at least one challenged claim.
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`I. MANDATORY NOTICES (37 C.F.R. § 42.8)
`A. Real Party-In Interest (37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(1)
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`Petitioners, John Crane, Inc., John Crane Production Solutions, Inc., and
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`John Crane Group Corp., are the real parties-in-interest.
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`B. Related Matters (37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(2))
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`The ’162 Patent is currently the subject of the following litigation: Finalrod
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`IP, LLC v. John Crane, Inc., et al., Case No. 7-15-cv-00097 (W.D. Tex. 2015).
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`C. Counsel & Service Information (37 C.F.R. §§ 42.8(b)(3)-(4))
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`Lead Counsel: Dion M. Bregman (Reg. No. 45,645). Back-up Counsel: Jason C.
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`White (Reg. No. 42,223); Ryan B. McBeth (Reg. No. 69,817); Nicholas A.
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`Restauri (Reg. No. 71,783); Matthew C. Lee (Reg. No. 58,189); Nicholaus E.
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`Floyd (Reg. No. 74,438).
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`IPR2016-00521 - U.S. Patent No. 8,851,162
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`Electronic Service Information: JohnCrane-FinalrodIPRs@morganlewis.com.
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`Mail: Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP, 2 Palo Alto Square, 3000 El Camino Real,
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`Palo Alto, CA 94306. Telephone: 650.843.4000; Facsimile: 650.843.4001
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`II.
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`PAYMENT OF FEES (37 C.F.R. § 42.103)
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`Petitioners authorize the USPTO to charge Deposit Account No. 50-0310 for
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`the fees set in 37 C.F.R. § 42.15(a) for this Petition, and further authorizes payment
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`for any additional fees to be charged to this Deposit Account.
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`III. STANDING (37 C.F.R. § 42.104(a))
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`Petitioners certify that the ’162 Patent is available for inter partes review
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`and that Petitioners are not barred or estopped from requesting an inter partes
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`review challenging the patent claims on the grounds identified in this petition.
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`IV.
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`INTRODUCTION
`In 1978, Russ Rutledge, a named inventor on the ’162 Patent, founded a
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`company called Fiberflex, Inc. In 1985, Mr. Rutledge subsequently founded a
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`second company called Fiberglass Technologies, Inc. Fiberglass Technologies,
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`Inc. later acquired Fiberflex, Inc. and formed a company called The Fiber
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`Composite Company, Inc. or “Fiberod.” See Ex. 1019.
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`In 2008, Petitioners, John Crane, acquired the Fiberod company. See Ex.
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`1021. As part of this acquisition, Petitioners purchased several Rutledge patents
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`from Fiberod including the prior art Rutledge ’431 Patent (Ex. 1003), Rutledge
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`’277 Patent (Ex. 1007), Rutledge ’865 Patent (Ex. 1013), Rutledge ’938 Patent
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`(Ex. 1014), and Rutledge ’463 Patent (Ex. 1016), in addition to others (“the prior
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`Rutledge patents”). See Ex. 1020; Ex; 1021; Ex. 1022. Under the purchase
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`agreement, Mr. Rutledge agreed not to compete with John Crane for three years,
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`i.e., until 2011. See Ex. 1021. On August 9, 2011, shortly after the expiration of
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`the agreement, Mr. Rutledge filed a U.S. patent application which ultimately issued
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`into the ’162 Patent challenged by this petition. Ex. 1001.
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`On June 29, 2015, Finalrod, Mr. Rutledge’s new company, sued John Crane
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`in W.D. Texas alleging infringement of the ’162 Patent. As set forth in detail
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`herein, the ’162 Patent claims a device having similar features as disclosed by the
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`prior Rutledge patents that Mr. Rutledge sold to John Crane in 2008.
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`V.
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`IDENTIFICATION OF CHALLENGE (37 C.F.R. § 42.104(b)) &
`RELIEF REQUESTED (37 C.F.R. § 42.22(a)(1))
`Petitioners request inter partes review of and challenges claims 1 –40 of the
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`’162 Patent under 35 U.S.C. § 103 on the grounds set forth below, and requests
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`that all these claims be cancelled. This petition explains in detail the reasons why
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`claims 1 – 40 are unpatentable under the relevant statutory grounds. Additional
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`explanation and support for each ground of challenge are set forth in the Expert
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`Declaration of Gary R. Wooley (Ex. 1010).
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`Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 42.104(b)(1)-(2), Petitioners identify the following
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`challenges and statutory grounds for each challenge:
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`Ground 1: Claims 1, 6-11, 16-20, 25-28, 30, and 31 are invalid under 35
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`U.S.C. §103 as obvious over U.S. Patent No. 6,193,431 (“Rutledge ’431 Patent,”
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`Ex. 1003) in view of U.S. Patent No. 4,475,839 (“Strandberg”; Ex. 1004);
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`Ground 2: Claims 2-5, 12-15, 21-24, and 32-38 are invalid under 35 U.S.C.
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`§103 as obvious over the Rutledge ’431 Patent and Strandberg Patent, further in
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`view of U.S. Patent No. 4,662,774 (“Morrow,” Ex. 1005);
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`Ground 3: Claims 29 and 39 are invalid under 35 U.S.C. §103 as obvious
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`over the Rutledge ’431 Patent and Strandberg Patent, further in view of U.S.
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`Patent No. 4,822,201 (“Iwasaki”; Ex. 1007); and
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`Ground 4: Claim 40 is invalid under 35 U.S.C. §103 as obvious over the
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`Rutledge ’431 Patent and Strandberg Patent, further in view of U.S. Patent No.
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`4,919,560 (“Rutledge ’560 Patent”; Ex. 1008).
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`The ’162 Patent (Ex. 1001) was filed on August 9, 2011 and does not claim
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`priority benefit of any earlier filed application. As such, the priority date of the
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`’162 Patent is August 9, 2011, and the pre-AIA Act applies.
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`The Rutledge ’431 Patent (Ex. 1003) was filed May 24, 1999 and issued
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`February 27, 2001. Strandberg (Ex. 1004) was filed April 7, 1983 and issued
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`October 9, 1984. Morrow (Ex. 1005) was filed February, 27, 1984 and issued May
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`5, 1987. U.S. Patent No. 8,113,277 (“Rutledge ’277 Patent”; Ex. 1006) was filed
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`on March 5, 2007 and published September 11, 2008. Iwasaki (Ex. 1007) was
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`IPR2016-00521 - U.S. Patent No. 8,851,162
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`filed June 15, 1987 and issued April 18, 1989. The Rutledge ’560 Patent (Ex.
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`1008) was filed April 28, 1989 and issued April 24, 1990. U.S. Patent No.
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`4,401,396 (“McKay”; Ex. 1009) was filed February 23, 1981 and issued August
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`30, 1983. U.S. Patent No. 5,253,946 (“Watkins”; Ex. 1012) was filed May 20,
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`1992 and issued October 19, 1993. U.S. Reissue Patent No. RE 32,865 (“Rutledge
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`’865 Patent”; Ex. 1013) issued February 14, 1989, and is a Reissue of U.S. Patent
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`4,360,288, which was filed September 17, 1979 and issued November 23, 1982.
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`U.S. Patent No. 7,730,938 (“Rutledge ’938 Patent”; Ex. 1014) was filed March 5,
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`2007 and issued June 7, 2010. Edward L. Hoffman, Finite Element Analysis of
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`Sucker Rod Couplings with Guidelines for Improving Fatigue Life, Sandia National
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`Laboratories, (Jul. 11, 1997) (“Hoffman Article”; Ex. 1015) was published
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`September 1997. U.S. Patent No. 8,062,463 (“Rutledge ’463 Patent”; Ex. 1016)
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`was filed March 5, 2007 and published September 11, 2008. U.S. Patent No.
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`6,886,484 (“Thomas”; Ex. 1017) was filed February 12, 2003 and published
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`August 12, 2004. U.S. Patent No. 4,653,953 (“Anderson”; Ex. 1018) was filed
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`January 24, 1986 and issued March 31, 1987. Each of the foregoing exhibits
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`qualifies as prior art under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. § 102 (b), as they issued or were
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`published more than a year prior the ’162 Patent’s priority date of August 9, 2011.
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`VI. BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR THE ’162 PATENT
`A. Background of the Field of Art
`A sucker rod pump is an oil extracting device that operates to bring below-
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`ground oil to the earth’s surface. See Ex. 1015,
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`at 9, Figure 1 (reproduced with coloring added).
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`Generally, in order to recover oil from deep oil
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`wellbores, a bore is drilled into the ground and a
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`casing and tubing (yellow) is inserted into the
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`bore. A reciprocating pump, such as a horse
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`head pump (green), is used to actuate the pump
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`to recover oil from the reservoir. A sucker rod
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`(blue) is connected to the reciprocating pump at
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`one end and is connected at its end to a travelling valve that reciprocates within a
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`standing valve that is secured within the wellbore. “Typically, a series of sucker
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`rods are connected end to end to form a sucker rod string, which extends from the
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`pump drive . . . .” Ex 1006, 1:61 – 2:17. The sucker rod is typically fiberglass.
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`The ’162 Patent is directed to an end fitting designed to be used in
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`connection with oil sucker rod strings. Ex. 1001, Abstract. End fittings, such as
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`those claimed by the ’162 Patent, are commonly used in the oil industry to connect
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`two fiberglass sucker rods to each other end-to-end in order to form a string of
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`sucker rods that may be used for oil extraction. Ex. 1010, ¶¶ 13-16; Ex. 1001, Fig.
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`1. Given that the string of sucker rods can, at times, exceed a thousand feet in
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`length, a well-known and common understanding in the industry is that end fittings
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`must withstand “mechanical forces acting on the rod/adhesive/metal interface, . . .
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`compressive forces, such as during a stroke of the pump either up or down, and
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`negative load forces.” Ex. 1006, 7:51-54; see also Ex. 1010, ¶¶ 13-18.
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`For decades, the industry standard has been to use fiberglass sucker rods to
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`reduce the weight associated with traditional steel sucker rods. Ex. 1008, 1:21-24;
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`Ex. 1010, ¶¶ 16-18. However, one problem to be solved is that “[f]iberglass is just
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`difficult to grab a hold of and hold securely and it is very important that the
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`structure have such integrity as to substantially eliminate fiberglass rod-to-end
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`fitting parting . . . .” Ex. 1012, 1:51-54. In addition, it was well-understood that
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`“[d]amaging stress concentrations in the area of rod entry into a fitting and within
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`the rod end fittings must be minimized . . . .” Id. at 1:56-58; see also Ex. 1010, ¶¶
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`18-35 (providing overview of force concentrations encountered
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`during use). One of the earliest concepts for minimizing stress
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`concentrations was to use a wedge design, wherein wedge-shaped
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`gaps (yellow in the portion of Figure 25 of Ex. 1003 shown to the
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`right) are formed between the inner wall of the steel end fitting
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`(blue) and the fiberglass sucker rod (green). Ex. 1003, Fig. 25
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`(references omitted and coloring added). The wedges are filled with an epoxy,
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`IPR2016-00521 - U.S. Patent No. 8,851,162
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`such that when the epoxy hardens, “the angle of the taper of the respective pockets
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`[] relieve stress on the epoxy . . . filling space between the rod 11 and each fitting
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`12.” Ex. 1012, 2:63 – 3:1 (emphasis added); Ex. 1010, ¶¶ 36-43. Thus, it was
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`well-known in the industry that the angle of the taper of the leading and trailing
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`edges of each wedge, which affects wedge length, as well as many other features
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`of the wedge, could be varied to affect the distribution of force on each wedge-
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`shaped portion. See Ex. 1012, 3:1-14 (describing embodiments having various
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`angles of taper); Ex. 1010, ¶¶ 38-43. A principal motive in wedge design is to vary
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`these wedge features in order to distribute compressive stress and avoid spiking of
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`compressive stresses at any one location, which can lead to premature failure. See
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`Ex. 1010, ¶¶ 40-43 (describing that it was general knowledge to a person of
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`ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention (“POSITA”) to modify various
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`wedge design features to distribute compressive forces). A POSITA would have
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`been aware of these general force considerations and the common types of
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`problems that must be addressed in any end fitting design that utilizes wedges. See
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`Ex. 1010, ¶¶ 36-39 (discussing problems to address during sucker rod use,
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`including “decrease the severity of the stress concentrations”), ¶¶ 40-43 (discussing
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`factors that lead to stress concentration), ¶¶ 44-46 (discussing the naturally uneven
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`distribution of forces on a wedge system), ¶¶ 47-49 (discussing well-known
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`principles of wedge design to alter wedge shape and direct compressive forces).
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`B. Overview of the ’162 Patent
`The ’162 Patent issued from one of a dozen patent applications relating to
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`end fittings and wedge designs filed by members of the Rutledge family over the
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`last 30 years. The ’162 Patent is directed to a wedge design for sucker rod end
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`fittings. Ex. 1001, Abstract. As illustrated in detail in the below claim charts, the
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`’162 Patent claims a combination of well-known and obvious design properties
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`that were previously disclosed in the prior Rutledge patents, as well as other end
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`fitting prior art. See Ex. 1010, ¶¶ 13-49 (discussing background knowledge of a
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`POSITA), ¶¶ 103-201 (discussing each claim in view of prior art).
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`The ’162 Patent has four independent claims, each having similar dependent
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`claim sets. Independent claims 1, 11, and 20 are apparatus claims that recite
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`features of a sucker rod end fitting, while
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`independent claim 31 is a method for constructing
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`a sucker rod end fitting. Regardless of form, the
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`four independent claims sets are all directed to an
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`end fitting design having three wedge cavities
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`(shown in yellow to the right) at the interior
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`surface of the end fitting (blue). Each wedge
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`(yellow) has a longer leading edge (colored
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`purple on middle wedge) facing the open end 106 of the end fitting that receives
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`IPR2016-00521 - U.S. Patent No. 8,851,162
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`the sucker rod, and a shorter trailing edge (colored red on middle wedge) facing the
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`closed end 104 of the end fitting. See Ex. 1001, Fig. 2 (annotated and modified to
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`remove extraneous features) (colorization added by Petitioners throughout). The
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`independent claims recite that the top wedge shape proximate the closed end 104
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`of the end fitting receives greater compressive forces than the second, intermediate
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`wedge, and that the second, intermediate wedge receives greater compressive
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`forces then the third, bottom wedge near the open end 106. Independent claims 1,
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`11, and 20 also recite that each of the three wedges has an “apex forming a
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`perimeter of equal dimension within the cavity that is the narrowest part of the
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`cavity associated with each wedge shaped portion.” In other words, the narrowest
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`parts of each of the wedge portions have “equal [width] dimension”, i.e., all
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`wedges have the same inner diameter at their narrowest point. Independent claim
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`31 is similar, but recites that the epoxy filling the wedge shaped portions has
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`substantially constant maximum and minimum thickness across all three wedges.
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`C.
`Prosecution History of the ’162 Patent
`The ’162 Patent was filed on August 09, 2011, over 32 years after Mr.
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`Rutledge’s first application (Ex. 1013) related to wedge designs for end fittings.
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`Ex. 1002, at 95-99. While Applicant disclosed each of the prior art patents cited
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`herein to the Office, see Ex. 1002, at 72-73, the Examiner issued a single Non-final
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`Office action on April 09, 2014 containing only drawing objections and rejections
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`under 35 U.S.C. § 112, but otherwise indicating that all of the claims were
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`allowable. Id. at 58-63. Applicants cured the objections in a May 19, 2014
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`response and the application was allowed. Id. at 9, 26-39.
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`The Examiner’s reasons for allowance were that:
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`“The prior art of record does not teach or disclose [an] end fitting for a
`sucker rod with [a] first wedge shaped portion for receiving
`compressive forces that are greater than compressive forces at a
`second wedge portion and the second wedge portion receiving
`compressive forces that are greater than compressive forces at a third
`wedge so compressive forces create a force differential along the
`wedge system that is greater at a closed end of the fitting and
`decreases toward an open end of the fitting.”
`Id. at 62 (emphasis added). However, the reasons for allowance are based
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`entirely on functional or intended use language that should have been
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`accorded little to no patentable weight for the apparatus claims. The
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`apparatus by itself does not include this purported force differential. Instead,
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`it purportedly only occurs in use when connected to another sucker rod and
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`when load is applied. Moreover, the claimed force difference is the natural
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`result of any sucker rod end fitting design that has wedges, and was clearly
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`disclosed in prior art patents by the same inventor. Ex. 1010, ¶¶ 44-46, 124.
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`Applicants never corrected the Examiner’s reasons for allowance, and the
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`application issued as the ’162 Patent on May 17, 2014. Ex. 1002, at 1.
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`VII. THERE IS A REASONABLE LIKELIHOOD THAT AT LEAST ONE
`CLAIM OF THE ’162 PATENT IS UNPATENTABLE
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`A. Relevant Field of Art and Level of Ordinary Skill
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`The ’162 Patent is directed to wedge designs for sucker rod end fittings. The
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`relevant field of art therefore relates to the end fitting designs for sucker rods. See
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`Ex. 1010, ¶¶ 67-68, 84. One of ordinary skill in the art for the ’162 Patent would
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`have had at least 4 years of educational training in Mechanical Engineering or
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`other similar fields, such as Civil Engineering or Petroleum Engineering, or
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`equivalent field experience, plus at least two years’ experience in the design,
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`development, or use of sucker rods and end fittings. Ex. 1010, ¶¶ 69-71.
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`B. Claim Constructions
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`A claim of an unexpired patent subject to inter partes review is given its
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`“broadest reasonable construction [BRI] in light of the specification of the patent
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`in which it appears.” 37 C.F.R. § 42.100(b); In re Cuozzo Speed Techs., 793 F.3d
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`1268, 1276-79 (Fed. Cir. 2015). Under the BRI standard, “the claims must be
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`interpreted as broadly as their terms reasonably allow. . . . This means that the
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`words of the claim must be given their plain meaning unless the plain meaning is
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`inconsistent with the specification.” MPEP § 2111.01.
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`The BRI standard is distinct from that applied by District Courts. See
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`Phillips v. AWH Corp., 415 F.3d 1303, 1312 (Fed. Cir. 2005). Consequently, and
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`solely for purposes of this review, Petitioners construe the claim language under
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`the BRI standard. Petitioners reserve the right to argue in litigation a different
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`construction for any term, including all arguments arising under 35 U.S.C. § 112.
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`For terms not specifically construed, Petitioners apply the BRI of those terms.
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`(a) “the compressive forces create a force differential along the
`wedge system greater at the closed end of the fitting and
`decreasing toward the open end of the fitting” (Claims 1, 11,
`20, 31)
`Claims 1, 11, 20, and 31 recite “the compressive forces create a force
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`differential along the wedge system greater at the closed end of the fitting and
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`decreasing toward the open end of the fitting.” As explained in connection with
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`claim portion [1.6] and by Dr. Wooley, see Ex. 1010, ¶¶ 122-32, there are multiple
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`interpretations of this limitation that would be “reasonable” to a POSITA, but the
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`“broadest” reasonable interpretation consistent with the specification would be that
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`“the radial compressive forces are greater toward the closed end of the end fitting
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`and decrease toward the open end of the end fitting.” Ex. 1010, ¶¶ 75-78, 127.
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`The ’162 Patent describes that “[t]he first wedge shaped portion 114A is
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`proximate to the closed end 104 for receiving compressive forces that are greater
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`than the compressive forces associated with the other wedged-shaped portions
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`114B, C, etc.” Ex. 1001, 6:1-4. The ’162 Patent further describes that these
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`“compressive forces” are “decreasing toward the open end 106 of the end fitting
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`100.” Id., 6:14-16. The ’162 Patent does not provide any other detail on the
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`“compressive forces.” A POSITA would understand that the actual forces acting
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`IPR2016-00521 - U.S. Patent No. 8,851,162
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`on a particular wedge will depend upon several factors, including the complex
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`interaction between axial, radial, and circumferential forces encountered during
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`use. Ex. 1010, ¶¶ 22-36, 123. Without more from the ’162 Patent and under the
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`BRI standard, a POSITA would simply understand the term “compressive forces”
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`as referring to radial compressive forces that are applied to the sucker rod when the
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`wedges from the end fitting are squeezed inward by the end fitting when axial
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`tensile load is applied to the sucker rod string during pumping. Id., ¶¶ 76-78, 123.
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`Consistent with this understanding, the term “force differential” would then refer
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`to the difference in radial compressive forces at the top of the wedge system (near
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`the closed end of the end fitting) and at the bottom of the wedge system (near the
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`open end of the end fitting). Id., ¶¶ 76-78, 127.
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`For these reasons, the BRI of this claim limitation to a POSITA is that the
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`“the radial compressive forces are greater toward the closed end of the end fitting
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`and decrease toward the open end of the end fitting.”
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`(b) “the maximum thickness is substantially constant and the
`minimum thickness is substantially constant” (Claims 9, 18,
`27, 31)
`Claims 9, 18, 27, and 31 recite that the epoxy between the wedge shaped
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`portion and the fiber rod is uniform in thickness such that “the maximum thickness
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`is substantially constant and the minimum thickness is substantially constant.” The
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`’162 Patent specification describes the cavity 112 situated between the fiber
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