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 .
Claims 7 and 21-55 are presented for examination. Claims 1-6 and 8-20 are canceled. Claims 21-55 are newly added.
Applicant’s election without traverse of group I now includes claims 7 and 21-55 in the reply filed on 12/17/25 is acknowledged.
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly
indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 7/17/25, 3/25/24 and 3/8/23 were considered by the examiner. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
The term “about” in claims 32-35, 50 and 51 a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “about” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
8. The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
9. Claims 7, 21-49 and 52-55 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lv et al. (Lv), CN 110744303 A1.
As per claim 7, Lv discloses a computer numerical control (CNC) machining center [figure 1] comprising:
a workholding element [21, figure 1] configured to secure a workpiece [20, figure 1; English translation, page 3, lines 12-15]; a toolholding element [19, figure 1] having at least one axis of motion control configured to perform a subtractive machining [3, figure 1] operation on a working section of the workpiece using a machining tool [English translation, page 4, lines 38-43]; and a heating element [8, figure 1; English translation, page 4, line 40] configured to perform a heating operation on the heat-a workpiece [English translation, page 3, lines 35-36];
wherein the subtractive machining operation comprises a first heating operation in which the heating element is configured to heat a first working section of the workpiece to a first working temperature range suitable for hot machining the material of the workpiece [English translation, page 3, lines 19-22, 35-36];
wherein the first working temperature range is above 60% of the absolute recrystallization temperature of the workpiece material and below the melting temperature of the workpiece material [proper temperature for heat-radiating treatment of the parent metal (21), English translation, page 3, lines 19-22, 35-36; page 6, lines 1-4; claim 6];
wherein the toolholding element is configured to initiate the subtractive machining
operation while the first working section of the workpiece is within the first working temperature range [English translation, page 3, lines 35-36; page 4, lines 3-8; claim 5];
wherein the heating element comprises an induction heating element [heat-radiating; English translation, page 4, lines 9-10; page 6, lines 31-32]; wherein the workpiece comprises a metallic material [abstract all; claim 2, claim 6];
wherein the workholding element is configured to secure the workpiece during the heating and subtractive machining operations [English translation, page 3, lines 1-11]; and wherein the workholding element, the toolholding element, and the heating element are configured to perform the heating and subtractive machining operations under machine control in a spatially coherent manner [figures 1, 2; English translation, page 4, lines 38-43; page 5, lines 13-32, page 6, lines 6-9],
Lv teaches:
In the picture: 1 mechanical hand arc material manufacturing unit, 2 stroke-limiting high frequency forging modification unit; 3 milling finish machining unit, 4 mechanical hand, 5 plate, 6 cylindrical clamp, 7 insulating block, 8 welding gun, 9 wire feeding pipe, 10 wire feeding clamp; 11 gas protector device, tool magazine 12, 13 handle, 14 fixed cover, cylinder device 15, the 16 pneumatic impact head; 17 forging block; the push device 18, 19 spindle, 20 piece, 21 base, 22 insulating sleeve; 23 cooling device.
Claim 6. by the method according to claim 2 or 3 or 5, the mentioned one kind of electric arc additive and forging and milling composite processing and forming device, wherein, comprising the following steps: step one: set manipulator (4) relative to the position of the machine tool working table, the robot tool coordinate system with the processing centre machine tool coordinate for calibration, ensuring and forging and milling composite processing for arc additive manufacturing under the same spatial
coordinate system, step two: The additive forming process requires the parent metal (21) for preheating the parent metal (21) at the lower part of the cooling device (23) filling circulating cooling liquid of different temperatures; gas protection environment in step three, starting nitrogen protective device and exhaust gas protector device (11) parent metal (21) around the air, forming additional material and cooling process; step four: opening the welding machine and wire feeding machine and setting the
corresponding process parameters for manufacturing a filler arc additive; step five: when finishing one layer or several layer additive adopts procedure to control the wire feeding stops, closing machine, a mechanical arm drives the welding gun to far away from the work piece, the forging device adjusted to the tool spindle from the tool magazine by changing instruction, (17) forged block material by increasing temperature, forging the surface of the forming piece modifying treatment, when the stroke limiting
high frequency forging modification process is finished, then the forging device is adjusted in the tool magazine by changing instruction; step six: by the optical sensor for real-time monitoring, judging whether to carry through milling processing process, if the need is for a milling operation, calling the proper cutter for finish machining according to the processing requirements, if not need milling process, the machine tool spindle away from the workpiece, starting mechanical hand (4); opening the welding machine and wire feeding machine, then carrying out arc additive manufacturing P7 process; step seven: selecting cooling to proper temperature for heat-radiating treatment of the parent
metal (21), step eight, repeatedly performing the step five and step six cycle working.
As per claim 21, Lv discloses a forging element configured to perform a forging operation on a working section of the workpiece using a forging die [figure 1]; wherein the forging operation comprises a second heating operation in which the heating
element is configured to heat a second working section of the workpiece to a second working temperature range suitable for hot forging the material of the workpiece using the forging die [English translation, page 6, lines 18-24; claim 6]; wherein the forging operation comprises an upset forging operation; wherein the forging element is configured to initiate the forging operation while the second working section of the workpiece is within the second working temperature range [English translation, page 5, lines 13-20; claim 6]; wherein the second working temperature range is above 60% of the absolute recrystallization temperature of the workpiece material and below the melting temperature of the workpiece material [proper temperature (such as the working temperature range is above 60%) for heat-radiating treatment of the parent metal (21), English translation, page 3, lines 19-22, 35-36; page 6, lines 1-4; claim 6];
wherein the workholding element is configured to secure the workpiece during the heating, forging, and subtractive machining operations [English translation, page 3, lines 1-11]; and wherein the workholding element, the toolholding element, the heating element, and the forging element are configured to perform the heating, forging, and subtractive machining operations under machine control in a spatially coherent manner [all operations are performed under machine control (18) such that the forming and subtractive machining operations are performed in a spatially coherent manner, see figure 1] [figures 1, 2; English translation, page 4, lines 38-43; page 5, lines 13-32].
As per claim 22, Lv discloses a material treatment element configured to perform a treatment operation in which a treatment substance is applied to the workpiece [figure 1; English translation, page 3, lines 2-15, 35-47], wherein the workholding element, the toolholding element, the heating element, and the material treatment element are configured to perform the heating, subtractive machining, and treatment operations under machine control in a spatially coherent manner [figures 1, 2; English translation, page 4, lines 38-43; page 5, lines 13-32].
As per claim 23, Lv discloses a material treatment element configured to perform a treatment operation in which a treatment substance is applied to the workpiece [figure 1; English translation, page 3, lines 2-15, 35-47], wherein the workholding element, the toolholding element, the heating element, and the material treatment element are configured to perform the heating, subtractive machining, and treatment operations under machine control in a spatially coherent manner [figures 1, 2; English translation, page 4, lines 38-43; page 5, lines 13-32].
As to claims 24-27, Lv discloses the working temperature range is above the absolute recrystallization temperature of the workpiece material [proper temperature (such as the working temperature range is above the absolute recrystallization temperature) for heat-radiating treatment of the parent metal (21), English translation, page 3, lines 19-22, 35-36; page 6, lines 1-4; claim 6].
As to claims 28-31, Lv discloses the forging operation is a closed-die forging operation [figure 1; English translation, page 6, lines 18-24; claim 6].
As to claims 32-33, Lv discloses an interval between an end of the forging operation and a start of the subtractive machining operation is in the range of about 0.1 seconds to about 10 seconds [English translation, page 3, lines 2-11]. In summary, Lv teaches an interval between forming and machining operation ( "after the forging is completed ... milling tools are milled'') in the range of about 0.1 second to about 10 seconds.
As to claims 34-35, Lv discloses the drop in absolute temperature of a workpiece between a start of the forging operation and a start of the subtractive machining operation subsequent to the forging operation is in the range of about 1% to about 50% [English translation, claim 6]. In summary, Lv teaches a drop in absolute temperature between forming and machining ( "select a proper temperature of the cooling liquid to
dissipate the base material'') in the range of about 1% to about 50%.
As to claims 36-37, Lv discloses the toolholding element and the forging element share a common axis and are driven by a common motion actuator [figures 1, 2; English translation, page 5, lines 13-20] .
As per claim 38-39, Lv discloses the forging operation forms a head of a fastener [figures 1-3; English translation, page 4, lines 13-16; page 5, lines 13-20].
As to claims 40-43, Lv discloses the subtractive machining operation comprises a threading operation [figures 1-3; English translation, page 5, lines 4-6; claim 4].
As to claims 44-47, Lv discloses the metallic material is an alloy of titanium [English translation, page 3, lines 2-6; claim 2; titanium is well known in the art].
As to claims 48-49, Lv discloses the treatment substance comprises an oil [English translation, page 4, lines 9-10, claim 6; oil is well known in the art].
As per claim 52, Lv discloses the first working section and the second working section are spaced apart [figure 1; English translation, page 4, lines 38-43; claim 6].
As per claim 53, Lv discloses the first working section and the second working section are partially or entirely overlapping [figure 1; English translation, page 4, lines 38-43; claim 6].
As per claim 54, Lv discloses the first heating operation and the second heating operation are performed concurrently [figure 1; English translation, page 3, lines 35-36, page 4, lines 9-10; claim 6].
As per claim 55, Lv discloses the first heating operation and the second heating operation are performed sequentially [figure 1; English translation, page 3, lines 35-36, page 4, lines 9-10; claim 6].
Allowable Subject Matter
10. Claims 50-51 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
11. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: in claims 50 and 51, the prior art of records do not teach the treatment substance comprises a naturally occurring oil mixture being largely composed of triacylglycerols comprising oleic acid, linoleic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, and linolenic acid; the major prevalence of triacyl combinations being ordinally OOO, POO, OOL, POL, SOO and SOL; and having optional additional components comprising polyphenols including hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol; and having physical properties including a specific gravity of about 0.90-0.93 kg/m3 at 15.5 °C, a viscosity of about 78-88 mPa· sat 20 °C, a specific heat of about 1.75-2.05 J/g·°C at 20 °C, a thermal conductivity of about 0.165-0.180 W/mK at 20 °C, a dielectric constant of about 3.0-3 .2 at 20 °C, a density of about 900-930 kg/m3 at 20 °C, a thermal diffusivity of about 4-12 x 10-8 m2/s at 20 °C, a boiling point of about 298-300 °C at sea level, and a smoke point of about 190-215 °C.
12. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
Sanders et al., US publication no. 2022/0379380, discloses a hybrid additive and subtractive manufacturing system.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHUN CAO whose telephone number is (571)272-3664. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 7:00 am-3:30 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kamini Shah can be reached on 571-272-2279. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHUN CAO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2115
1 Lv is cited by applicant.