DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Status of Claims
This action is in reply to the communications filed on 10/9/2025.
The Examiner notes claims 1-2, 8-9, 12-13, & 16, & 18 are currently pending and have been examined; claim(s) 1 is/are currently amended, claim(s) 18 is newly added, all other claims are original or previously presented. Please see the Response to Amendments and Response to Arguments sections below for more details.
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) 1, 8, 12, 16, & 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gallant et al. (US 4893440) in view of Shibuya et al. (JP 2007176701 A) further in view of Clifford et al. (Michael Clifford, et al. An Introduction to Mechanical Engineering: Part 1. CRC Press, 2009. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=361781&site=ehost-live&scope=site.), hereinafter Gallant, Shibuya, & Clifford, respectively.
Regarding claim 1 (Claim statuses are listed above). Gallant discloses a blasting apparatus configured to project an abrasive [Fig 1], the blasting apparatus comprising:
a storage container [20] configured to define a storage chamber storing the abrasive in the storage chamber [Fig 1; Col3:line62 – Col4:line10; the inside of 20 is a storage chamber that stores abrasive];
a volumetric feeder [16] configured to supply the abrasive to an outside of the storage container from the storage chamber [Fig 1; Col4:line18-32; 16 supplies abrasive to outside of 20]; and
a nozzle [Fig 1; Col5:line14-21; 26, 27 & 28 forms a nozzle] configured to project, together with compressed air, the abrasive supplied from the volumetric feeder [Col5:line14-21; the end of 28 directs abrasive and pressurized gas (i.e. compressed air)], wherein:
the nozzle includes:
a body coupled to a path through which the abrasive is transferred toward the nozzle from the volumetric feeder [Fig 1 & 1b; 26 is coupled to a path from 25 by 26a, 26b, & 26c which are considered the connection pipe (claimed below) through which abrasive is transferred toward the nozzle from the feeder];
an air nozzle configured to introduce the compressed air into the body [Fig 1 & 1b; the top opening of 26 allows the compressed air inside of 8 & 9 to enter the body of the nozzle] and configured to generate an air flow sucking the abrasive into the body [Fig 1 & 1b; as the compressed air is being sucked out of the end of the nozzle due to the pressure differential between the pressurized interior of 8 & 9 and the outside environment the abrasives are sucked into the body by the air flow]; and
an injection nozzle configured to project, together with the compressed air, the abrasive transferred into the body [Fig 1; Col5:line14-21; the end of 28 is an injection nozzle projecting the compressed air and abrasives]; and
the volumetric feeder includes:
a casing extending along a horizontal direction [Fig 1; 16, 19, 23, & 25 comprise a casing that extends along a horizontal direction (25 extends horizontally)], configured to define a space on an inside [Fig 1 & 1b], and including an introduction port [Fig 1; 23 is an introduction port] and a supply port [Fig 1 & 1b; the end of 25 above 26 is the supply port], the introduction port configured to cause the space and the storage chamber to communicate with each other [Fig 1], and the supply port opened toward a lower side in a position separated from the introduction port in the horizontal direction [Fig 1; 25 is opened toward a lower side portion of 9 and is separated from 23 in a horizontal direction]; and
…;
the blasting apparatus further comprising a connection pipe [26a & 26b] connecting the nozzle and the supply port of the casing to each other [Fig 1b], wherein:
the nozzle is connected to the supply port by the connection pipe made of metal or the nozzle and the volumetric feeder are fixed to a frame member [Fig 1; Col2:line16-20; the connection pipe is metal and ], so that the nozzle is provided in such a way as to cause a relative positional relationship with the casing to be fixed when the nozzle is moved relatively in the horizontal direction with respect to an object to be processed [Fig 1; the casing and the nozzle are positionally fixed relative to each other when the nozzle is moved relatively to the object to be processed; when the object is moved by a movement mechanism, the nozzle is moved horizontally relative to the object];
…; and
the relative positional relationship with the casing is fixed when the nozzle is moved relatively with respect to the object to be processed in the horizontal direction or in a vertical direction [Fig 1; whether the nozzle moves relative to the object to be processed in a horizontal direction (when the object is moved) or in a vertical direction (the nozzle is moved up or down) the positional relationship of the nozzle to the casing remains fixed; The Examiner notes that even if the object moved horizontally and vertically the nozzle would mover relative to the object and would be in a fixed positional relationship with the casing].
Gallant may not explicitly disclose a screw including a rotational shaft housed in the casing and extending along the horizontal direction, the screw configured to carry the abrasive in the space toward the supply port from the introduction port by rotating about the rotational shaft;
wherein the screw is housed in the casing in such a way as not to overlap the supply port in a vertical direction; or the nozzle is disposed in such a way as to cause a pressure loss generated in accordance with the generation of the air flow to be 0.1 kPa or less.
However Shibuya discloses a blasting apparatus configured to project an abrasive [Fig 1 & 6], the blasting apparatus comprising: a storage container [1] configured to define a storage chamber storing the abrasive in the storage chamber [Pg3:¶2 of the translation; the granular material can be abrasives]; a volumetric feeder configured to supply the abrasive to an outside of the storage container from the storage chamber [Fig 6]; and the volumetric feeder includes: a casing [3] extending along a horizontal direction [Fig 1-2], configured to define a space on an inside [Fig 1-2], and including an introduction port [7] and a supply port [8], the introduction port configured to cause the space and the storage chamber to communicate with each other [Fig 1], and the supply port opened toward a lower side in a position separated from the introduction port in the horizontal direction [Fig 1-2]; and a screw [4] including a rotational shaft [5] housed in the casing and extending along the horizontal direction [Fig 1-2], the screw configured to carry the abrasive in the space toward the supply port from the introduction port by rotating about the rotational shaft [Fig 1-2; Pg2:¶4 of the translation]; wherein the screw is housed in the casing in such a way as not to overlap the supply port in a vertical direction [Fig 2; Pg2:¶5 of the translation; per the specification, Fig 2 is a zoomed in view of claim 1 that shows more detail than claim 1 and it discloses that both 4 & 5 do not overlap 8 in a vertical direction].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the abrasive feeding system as disclosed by Gallant to use a screw including a rotational shaft housed in the casing and extending along the horizontal direction, the screw configured to carry the abrasive in the space toward the supply port from the introduction port by rotating about the rotational shaft wherein the screw is housed in the casing in such a way as not to overlap the supply port in a vertical direction as taught by Shibuya for the purpose of removing the vibration feeding system to reduce/remove vibrations that can be introduced into the entire system and therefore vibrate the nozzle reducing the blasting accuracy and efficiency.
However Clifford teaches the pressure loss in a pipe with fluid flow through it can be designed to have minimum fiction losses (i.e. pressure loss) in a pipe based the Bernoulli equations which uses factors such as flow rate, pipe roughness, pipe diameter, changes in pipe diameter, and the type and number of bends or elbows [Pg 194-200].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the nozzle and associated piping as disclosed by Gallant as modified to have the nozzle be disposed in such a way as to cause a pressure loss generated in accordance with the generation of the air flow to be 0.1 kPa or less as taught by Clifford for the purpose of reducing energy loss in the system and using less energy or power to produce the same results which reduces the cost to run the blasting apparatus.
Regarding claim 8. Gallant as modified teaches the blasting apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a restriction plate [Shibuya: 10] in which an opening passing through the restriction plate in a thickness direction is formed [Shibuya: Fig 2-4; 11], the restriction plate being disposed between a distal end of the screw and the supply port in such a way as to partition an inside of the casing [Shibuya: Fig 2].
Regarding claim 12. Gallant as modified teaches the blasting apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a restriction plate fixed to a distal end of the screw in such a way as to form a gap between the restriction plate and an inner wall of the casing [Shibuya: Fig 2 & 4; Type B in Fig 4 of 10 has a gap between 10 and 3].
Regarding claim 16. Shibuya as modified teaches the blasting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the storage container, the volumetric feeder, and the nozzle configure a unit [Gallant: Fig 1; the storage container, nozzle, and volumetric feeder are all a unit], the blasting apparatus comprising a movement mechanism [Gallant: Fig 1, 2, & 5; Col8:line55-68; a movement mechanism comprises 73-76] relatively moving the unit in the horizontal direction with respect to an object to be processed [Gallant: Fig 1 & 5; the unit is moved relatively to the object to be processed by 73-76].
Regarding claim 18. Gallant as modified teaches the blasting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle is disposed such that the pressure loss is 0.1 kPa or less [Clifford: Pg 194-200] when an injection pressure from the injection nozzle is in a range of 50 kPa to 600 kPa [Col2:line23-26; the system can use pressure up to 100 psi (100 psi = 689 kPa) and can have a pressure of less than 600 kPa that utilizes metal piping for the abrasive delivery duct].
Claim(s) 2, 9, & 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gallant in view of Shibuya further in view of Clifford further in view of Mishima (US 5423713), hereinafter Mishima.
Regarding claim 2. Gallant as modified teaches the blasting apparatus according to claim 1, but is silent in regards to further comprising an air supplying member housed in the storage chamber, connected to an air source, and including a plurality of air holes configured to supply air from the air source provided therein, wherein the plurality of air holes configured to fluidize the abrasive stored in the storage container by air provided to the air supplying member.
However Mishima further teaches further comprising an air supplying member [9-10] housed in the storage chamber [Fig 2; 3], connected to an air source [1], and including a plurality of air holes [Fig 2; there are more than one 9 & 10] configured to supply air from the air source provided therein [Fig 2; Col2:line59 – Col3:line4], wherein the plurality of air holes configured to fluidize the abrasive stored in the storage container by air provided to the air supplying member [Fig 2; Col2:line59 – Col3:line4; supplying air to the abrasive agitates them (i.e. fluidizes them)].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the storage chamber as disclosed by Shibuya to have an air supplying member housed in the storage chamber, connected to an air source, and including a plurality of air holes configured to supply air from the air source provided therein, wherein the plurality of air holes configured to fluidize the abrasive stored in the storage container by air provided to the air supplying member as taught by Mishima for the purpose of maintaining the abrasives in an agitated state to maintain a constant supply of abrasive to the nozzle [Mishima: Col2:line59 – Col3:line4 & Col3:line20-30].
Regarding claim 9. Claim 9 has the same limitations as claim 8 but depends from claim 2. Therefore claim 8 is rejected for the same reasons as claim 8.
Regarding claim 13. Claim13 has the same limitations as claim 12 but depends from claim 2. Therefore claim 13 is rejected for the same reasons as claim 12.
Response to Arguments
35 U.S.C. 103 Rejections
Applicant's arguments, see Pages 5-7, filed 10/9/2025 have been fully considered but are moot in light of the new grounds of rejection. The arguments pertaining to Shibuya are drawn to the connection pipe limitations in claim 1 but as Shibuya is not relied upon to teach these limitations the arguments are considered moot and not addressed.
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 AARON R MCCONNELL whose telephone number is (303)297-4608. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 0700-1600 MST [0900-1800 EST] 2nd Friday 0700-1500 MST [0900-1700 EST].
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/AARON R MCCONNELL/Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/BRIAN D KELLER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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