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`Evidence
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`Non-limiting. To the extent the preamble of claim 1 is found to be limiting,
`all rights to identify any such structure as limited in the reference are
`reserved.
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`U.S. Patent No.
`10,591,070
`Claim 1.
`[1 preamble]
`A method of
`manufacturing the
`fluid end assembly,
`comprising:
`
`[1a]
`providing a housing
`having a first conduit
`extending
`therethrough and a
`second conduit
`extending
`therethrough that
`intersects the first
`conduit;
`[1b]
`forming an endless
`groove in the housing
`such that the groove
`surrounds the second
`conduit;
`[1c]
`positioning a seal
`within the groove;
`[1d]
`installing a tubular
`sleeve within the
`second conduit such
`that at least a portion
`of the sleeve engages
`with the seal;
`[1e]
`installing a plurality
`of packing seals
`within the sleeve; and
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`Page 1 of 8
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`CLAIM CHART: U.S. 7,845,413
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`[1f]
`installing a
`reciprocating plunger
`at least partially
`within the sleeve and
`the plurality of
`packing seals.
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`Claim 2. The method
`of claim 1, further
`comprising:
`forming the groove
`such that it has a pair
`of parallel side walls
`joined by a base.
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`Claim 3. The method
`of claim 1, further
`comprising:
`forming the groove
`such that it opens
`towards a centerline
`of the second
`conduit.
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`Claim 4. The method
`of claim 1, further
`comprising:
`installing a plug into
`the first conduit in
`which the plug is
`sized to fully block
`fluid flow within the
`first conduit.
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`Claim 5. The method
`of claim 1 in which
`the endless groove is
`characterized as the
`first groove, further
`comprising
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`forming a second
`endless groove in the
`housing such that the
`groove surrounds the
`first conduit.
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`Claim 6.
`[6 preamble]
`A fluid end assembly,
`comprising:
`[6a]
`a housing having a
`first conduit
`extending
`therethrough, and a
`second conduit
`extending
`therethrough that
`intersects the first
`conduit;
`[6b]
`an endless groove
`formed in the
`housing such that the
`groove surrounds the
`second conduit;
`[6c]
`a seal positioned
`within the groove;
`[6d]
`a tubular sleeve
`installed within the
`second conduit such
`that at least a portion
`of the sleeve engages
`with the seal;
`[6e]
`a plurality of packing
`seals disposed within
`the sleeve; and
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`[6f]
`a reciprocating
`plunger disposed at
`least partially within
`the sleeve and the
`plurality of packing
`seals.
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`Claim 7. The fluid
`end assembly of
`claim 6, further
`comprising:
`a closure element
`installed within the
`first conduit.
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`Claim 8. The fluid
`end assembly of
`claim 7 in which the
`closure element is a
`plug sized to fully
`block fluid flow
`within the first
`conduit.
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`Claim 9. The fluid
`end assembly of
`claim 6 in which the
`first conduit is
`orthogonal to the
`second conduit.
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`Claim 10. The fluid
`end assembly of
`claim 6 in which the
`groove is
`characterized by a
`pair of parallel side
`walls joined by a
`base.
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`Page 4 of 8
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`CLAIM CHART: U.S. 7,845,413
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`See Claim 6.
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`See also, e.g.:
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`1:31-34:
`To create such fractures, the fracturing fluid is pumped at extremely high
`pressures, sometimes in the range of 10,000 to 15,000 psi or more.
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`See Claim 6.
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`See also, e.g.:
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`4:9-14:
`In one embodiment, the prime mover 106 in each plunger pump 201 is an
`engine with a maximum rating of 2250 brake horsepower, which, when
`accounting for losses (typically about 3% for plunger pumps in hydraulic
`fracturing operations), allows each plunger pump 201 to supply a
`maximum of about 2182 hydraulic horsepower to the fracturing fluid.
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`Claim 11. The fluid
`end assembly of
`claim 10 in which the
`seal engages the side
`walls and the base of
`the groove.
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`Claim 12. The fluid
`end assembly of
`claim 6 in which the
`groove opens towards
`a centerline of the
`second conduit.
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`Claim 13. The fluid
`end assembly of
`claim 6 in which at
`least a portion of the
`housing is configured
`to contain a fluid
`having a pressure of
`at least 8,000 pounds
`per square inch.
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`Claim 14. The fluid
`end assembly of
`claim 6 in which the
`plunger is configured
`to engage with an
`engine having a
`power output of at
`least 2,250
`horsepower.
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`Claim 15. The fluid
`end assembly of
`claim 6 in which the
`endless groove is
`characterized as the
`first groove, and
`further comprising:
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`CLAIM CHART: U.S. 7,845,413
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`a second endless
`groove formed in the
`housing such that the
`second groove
`surrounds the first
`conduit.
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`Claim 16. The fluid
`end assembly of
`claim 15 in which the
`seal is characterized
`as the first seal, and
`further comprising:
`a second seal
`positioned with the
`second groove.
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`Claim 17. The fluid
`end assembly of
`claim 6, further
`comprising:
`a valve positioned
`with the first conduit.
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`Claim 18. The fluid
`end assembly of
`claim 6 in which the
`second conduit has a
`first and second
`section, and in which
`the endless groove is
`characterized as the
`first groove and is
`formed in the first
`section of the second
`conduit, and further
`comprising:
`a second endless
`groove formed in the
`housing such that the
`second groove
`surrounds the second
`section of the second
`conduit.
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`Page 6 of 8
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`CLAIM CHART: U.S. 7,845,413
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`See Claim 6.
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`See Claim 13.
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`See Claim 6.
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`See Claim 14.
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`Claim 19. The fluid
`end assembly of
`claim 18 in which the
`seal is characterized
`as the first seal, and
`further comprising:
`a second seal
`positioned within the
`second groove.
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`Claim 20. A system,
`comprising:
`the fluid end
`assembly of claim 6;
`and
`a fluid having a
`pressure of at least
`8,000 pounds per
`square inch within at
`least a portion of the
`internal chamber.
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`Claim 21. A system,
`comprising:
`the fluid end
`assembly of claim 6;
`and
`an engine engaged
`with the plunger and
`having a power
`output of at least
`2,250 horsepower.
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`Claim 22. The fluid
`end assembly of
`claim 6 in which the
`sleeve has an inner
`surface and an
`opposed outer
`surface, in which the
`plurality of packing
`seals are engaged
`with the inner surface
`of the sleeve.
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`CLAIM CHART: U.S. 7,845,413
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`Claim 23. The fluid
`end assembly of
`claim 22 in which the
`seal is engaged with
`the outer surface of
`the sleeve.
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`Claim 24. The fluid
`end assembly of
`claim 6 in which the
`sleeve is of single
`piece construction.
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`Page 8 of 8
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