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 Status:
Claims 1, 4-7 and 9-11 are pending.
Claims 10-11 are withdrawn from consideration.
Claims 2-3 and 8 are cancelled.
Claims 1, 4-7 and 9 are examined as follow:
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1, 4-7 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peter (US2018/0214966A1 previously cited) herein set forth as Peter, in view of JP2011088209A (newly cited) herein set forth as JP8209A.
Regarding claim 1, Peter discloses an arc welding method (refer to fig.1, 6 and 17-18) in which a welding wire (refer to “E” in fig.1) serving as a consumable electrode (refer to fig.6 for “E” is consumable) is fed toward a base material (refer to “w” in fig.1), and a welding current (refer to “I” in fig.17-18) in a pulse (refer to the pulse form of “I” in fig.17-18) form alternately including a peak current (refer to any peak in “I” in fig.17-18) and a base current (refer to any lower “I” in fig.17-18) smaller than the peak current (refer to any peak in “I” in fig.17-18) is caused to flow through the welding wire (refer to “E” in fig.1) and the base material (refer to “w” in fig.1) to generate an arc between the welding wire (refer to “E” in fig.1) and the base material (refer to “w” in fig.1) to weld the base material (refer to “w” in fig.1), the arc welding method comprising (refer to fig.1, 6 and 17-18) the steps of:
a) detecting a short-circuit between the welding wire and the base material (refer to “A” in fig.17-18 and Paragraph 0089 cited: “…the short is confirmed at the point the pinch pulse current reaches its peak (point A)…”); and
b) changing a feeding speed (refer to “WFS” in fig.17-18) of the welding wire (refer to “E” in fig.1) from a first feeding speed (refer to “WFS” before the point “A” in fig.17-18) to a second feeding speed (refer to “WFS” between “A” and “B” in fig.17-18) on a negative side from the first feeding speed (refer to “WFS” before the point “A” in fig.17-18) when a speed in a direction (refer to “WFS” from “A” reduce to “B” in the negative values in fig.17-18) in which the welding wire (refer to “E” in fig.1) is fed toward the base material (refer to “w” in fig.1) is defined as positive after the short-circuit (refer to “A” in fig.17-18 and Paragraph 0089 cited: “…the short is confirmed at the point the pinch pulse current reaches its peak (point A)…”) between the welding wire (refer to “E” in fig.1) and the base material (refer to “w” in fig.1) is detected in the step a) (refer to “A” in fig.17-18 and Paragraph 0089 cited: “…the short is confirmed at the point the pinch pulse current reaches its peak (point A)…”).
c) increasing the welding current (refer to “I” in fig.17-18) after a predetermined short-circuit standby time elapses (refer to period #1722 in fig.17) from a time point (the time point “A” in fig.17-18) at which the short-circuit (refer to “A” in fig.17-18 and Paragraph 0089 cited: “…the short is confirmed at the point the pinch pulse current reaches its peak (point A)…”) between the welding wire (refer to “E” in fig.1) and the base material (refer to “W” in fig.1) is detected in the step a) (refer to “A” in fig.17-18 and Paragraph 0089 cited: “…the short is confirmed at the point the pinch pulse current reaches its peak (point A)…”), wherein the step b) (refer to point “A” is before the increase of “I” after period #1722 in fig.17) is performed after the step c) (refer to the “I” increase after period #1722 in fig.17 and compare to “WFS” is start before period #1722 in fig.18) is started.
k) detecting opening of the short-circuit (refer to #1724 in fig.17) between the welding wire (refer to “E” in fig.1) and the base material (refer to “W” in fig.1); and
l) returning the feeding speed of the welding wire (refer to “E” in fig.1) from the second feeding speed to the first feeding speed (refer to “C” and “D” in fig.18) after the opening of the short-circuit (refer to #1724 in fig.17) between the welding wire (refer to “E” in fig.1) and the base material (refer to “W” in fig.1) is detected in the step k).
d) increasing the welding current (refer to “I” in fig. 17-18) first at a first rate of current increase (refer to “I” increased after period #1722 in fig.17), being predetermined, after the short-circuit standby time (refer to period #1722, fig.17) elapses from a time point (refer the time of “A” in fig.17-18) when the short-circuit (refer to “A” in fig.17-18 and Paragraph 0089 cited: “…the short is confirmed at the point the pinch pulse current reaches its peak (point A)…”) between the welding wire (refer to “E” in fig.1) and the base material (refer to “W” in fig.1) is detected in the step a) (refer to “A” in fig.17-18 and Paragraph 0089 cited: “…the short is confirmed at the point the pinch pulse current reaches its peak (point A)…”); and
e) increasing the welding current second at a second rate of current increase (refer to “I” in fig.17 on period from “I” remain flat at period #1723), being lower than the first rate of current increase (refer to period #1723 rate of current increase is 0 and period from “I” after period #1724 rate of current increase), after the step d), and the step b) is performed after the step e) (refer to fig.17 and 18).
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Peter does not disclose the exact procedural steps of: e) increase the welding current second at a second rate of current increase, being lower than the first of current increase, after step d).
In the similar field of arc welding method, JP8209A discloses the exact procedural steps of: e) increase the welding current second at a second rate of current increase, being lower than the first of current increase (refer to annotated “step e)” in fig.1 below), after step d) (refer to annotated “step d)” in fig.1 below).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Peter’s method with the exact procedural steps of: e) increase the welding current second at a second rate of current increase, being lower than the first of current increase, after step d) as thought by JP8209A, in order to provide a more efficient short-circuit control, reduce splattering and improve welding quality (refer to abstract).
Regarding claim 4, the modification of Peter and JP8209A discloses substantially all features set forth in claim 1, Peter further discloses further comprising the steps of:
f) detecting a constriction having occurred in a droplet formed between the welding wire and the base material (refer to Paragraph 0044 cited: “…FIG. 6 illustrates the exploding spatter process that was discovered using high speed video technology in a free-flight transfer process having a tethered connection. A high peak pulse (e.g., 510) causes a ball of molten metal 610 to push out towards the workpiece W creating a narrow tether 620 between the ball 610 and the electrode E. As the ball 610 flies toward the workpiece W across the arc, the tether 620 narrows and, eventually, a short occurs between the electrode E and the workpiece W through the tether 620. This condition tends to occur for almost every pulse period in an operation where the welding electrode operates very close to the workpiece. In particular, it was discovered that for a free-flight transfer pulse welding process, the tether 620 creates an incipient short and a large amount of current can begin to flow through the narrow tether 620 …”); and
g) reducing and controlling the welding current after the step c) is started and the constriction is then detected in the step f) (refer to Paragraph 0085 cited: “…After the low current level 1722 the current is increased to a pinch peak current level 1723, which can be in the range of 300 to 500 amps, and is maintained for a duration until droplet separation is predicted or detected. At separation the current level is dropped quickly to a level 1724 similar to that of the background current 1721 …”).
Regarding claim 5, the modification of Peter and JP8209A discloses substantially all features set forth in claim 2, Peter further discloses further comprising the steps of: h) detecting an integrated power value obtained by integrating power (refer to “power” in Paragraph 0073 cited below) supplied to the welding wire (refer to “E” in fig.1) and the base material (refer to “W” in fig.1) from a time point (refer to “A” in fig.17-18) at which the short-circuit between the welding wire (refer to “E” in fig.1) and the base material (refer to “W” in fig.1) is detected in the step a) (refer to “A” in fig.17-18 and Paragraph 0089 cited: “…the short is confirmed at the point the pinch pulse current reaches its peak (point A)…”); and i) reducing and controlling the welding current (refer to “I” dropped from #1723 to #1724 in fig.17) after the step c) is started and then the integrated power value (refer to “power” in Paragraph 0073 cited below) derived in the step h) reaches a predetermined integrated power threshold (refer to Paragraph 0073 cited: “…a threshold value for voltage and/or power can be set so that when the detected voltage or power surpasses the voltage and/or power threshold the change in polarity is initiated…” and “…By detecting and utilizing the instantaneous power and/or voltage and comparing that to a threshold value…”).
Regarding claim 6, the modification of Peter and JP8209A discloses substantially all features set forth in claim 1, Peter further discloses comprising the step of: j) determining whether the integrated power value is greater than the predetermined threshold (refer to Paragraph 0073 cited: “…a threshold value for voltage and/or power can be set so that when the detected voltage or power surpasses the voltage and/or power threshold the change in polarity is initiated…” and “…By detecting and utilizing the instantaneous power and/or voltage and comparing that to a threshold value…”).
Peter does not explicitly discloses wherein the predetermined threshold is a fix value.
However, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have set the threshold to a fix value, for that is well known within one of ordinary skill in the art as the matter of design choice or desired application, refer to MPEP 716.02(f).
Regarding claim 7, the modification of Peter and JP8209A discloses substantially all features set forth in claim 1, Peter further discloses further comprising wherein the step b) is performed after a predetermined short-circuit standby time (refer to #1722 and refer to Paragraph 0085 cited: “…the low level 1722 is maintained for a duration in the range of 0.2 to 8 ms…”) elapses from a time point (refer as “A” in fig.17-18) at which the short-circuit between the welding wire (refer to “E” in fig.1) and the base material (refer to “W” in fig.1) is detected in the step a) (refer to Paragraph 0089 cited: “…the short is confirmed at the point the pinch pulse current reaches its peak (point A). After this point, the wire direction is reversed to a retraction speed B …”).
Regarding claim 9, the modification of Peter and JP8209A discloses substantially all features set forth in claim 1, Peter already discloses in Claim 1 rejection, wherein the second feeding speed increases negatively as the first feeding speed increases positively (refer to 112d rejection and claim 1 rejection above).
Response to Amendment
With respect to the Rejection 112d: the applicant’s amendment/argument filed on August 8th 2025 that overcame the Rejection 112d in the previous office action.
Response to Argument
Applicant's arguments filed August 8th 2025 have been fully considered but moot in view of the new grounds of rejection with the newly cited secondary Prior JP2011088209A.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YEONG JUEN THONG whose telephone number is (571)272-6930. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Helena Kosanovic can be reached at (571) 272-9059. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YEONG JUEN THONG/Examiner, Art Unit 3761 November 27th 2025
/HELENA KOSANOVIC/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3761
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