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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 9-11 have been canceled. Claims 1-8 have been examined on the merits.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see page 8, filed 06/09/2026, with respect to the previous drawing and 35 U.S.C. § 112(a) rejections, are persuasive. The previous drawing and 35 U.S.C. § 112(a) rejections have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, see Pages 9-15, filed 06/09/2026, with respect to the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been considered but are moot because the claims have been amended and the new grounds of rejection do not rely on the reference or combination of references applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
Claims 1, 2, 4, and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shimoda (JP 2019155525 A) and JP2020 (JP6754272B2).
Referring to claim 1: Shimoda teaches a processing device (1 Fig. 1) that performs rough grinding, medium grinding and fine grinding on a work in order [0023], the processing device comprising: an index table (21 Fig. 1) that includes a plurality of chucks (22 Fig. 1) for adsorbing and holding the work [0022, 0024], and transports [0024] the work in order of a rough grinding stage [0023] provided with a rough grinding means (4 Fig. 2; [0028]) for rough grinding the work,
a medium grinding stage [0023] provided with a medium grinding means (5 Fig. 2; [0028]) for medium grinding the work, and a fine grinding stage [0023] provided with a fine grinding means (6 Fig. 2; [0028]) for fine grinding the work;
a first column (32 Figs. 1 and 2) provided to extend over the index table (21 Fig. 1) and in which one of the rough grinding means (4 Fig. 2; [0028]) or the fine grinding means is installed;
said first column (32 Figs. 1 and 2) having a first rear surface (32-R Fig. 1-A inserted below);
a second column (3 Figs. 1 and 2) provided to extend over the index table (21 Fig. 1) independent apart (shown independent apart in Fig. 1-A inserted below) from the first column (32 Figs. 1 and 2) separately, and in which the medium grinding means (5 Fig. 2; [0028]) is installed and the other one of the rough grinding means or the fine grinding means (6 Fig. 2; [0028]) is arranged parallel (shown parallel in Figs. 1 and 2) to the medium grinding means,
said second column (3 Figs. 1 and 2) having a second rear surface (3-R Fig. 1-A inserted below);
the first column (32 Figs. 1 and 2) and the second column (3 Figs. 1 and 2) are provided back- to-back (shown in Fig. 1-A inserted below);
the first rear surface (32-R Fig. 1-A inserted below) of the first column and the second rear surface (3-R Fig. 1-A inserted below)of the second column placed opposite each other (shown in Fig. 1-A inserted below).
But is silent on the second column specifically provided with a gap independent apart from the first column separately and the gap separating the first rear surface of the first column from the second rear surface of the second column.
JP2020 in an analogous processing device (1 Fig. 1) teaches wherein the
similar configuration second column (25 Figs. 1 and 3) specifically provided with a gap (gap between 25 and 35 shown in Figs. 1 and 3) independent apart from the similar configuration first column (35 Figs. 1 and 3) separately
and the gap (gap between 25 and 35 shown in Figs. 1 and 3) separating the similar configuration first rear surface (surface of 35 facing 25 shown in Fig. 3) of the first column from the similar configuration second rear surface (surface of 25 facing 35 shown in Fig. 3) of the second column.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the first and second columns of Shimoda with the gap as taught by JP2020 for the purpose of mitigating vibrations between the columns.
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Referring to claim 2: Shimoda as modified teaches the processing device according to claim 1,wherein the rough grinding means (4 Fig. 2; [0028]) is provided on the first column (32 Figs. 1 and 2); the fine grinding means (6 Fig. 2; [0028]) is provided on the second column (3 Figs. 1 and 2): and the work is subjected to fine grinding in a state where the index table (21 Fig. 1) is displaced substantially equally (shown displaced substantially equally in Figs. 1 and 2) in the fine grinding stage.
Referring to claim 4: Shimoda as modified teaches the processing device according to claim 1, wherein the index table is configured to be rotatable in a clockwise direction [0021] and a counterclockwise direction when viewed in a plane (when the processing device is viewed from below or opposite perspective plane, it will rotate in the opposite direction).
Referring to claim 5: Shimoda as modified teaches the processing device according to claim 2, wherein the index table is configured to be rotatable in a clockwise direction [0021] and a counterclockwise direction when viewed in a plane (when the processing device is viewed from below or opposite perspective plane, it will rotate in the opposite direction).
Claims 3, 6-8, 10, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shimoda (JP 2019155525 A), JP2020 (JP6754272B2), and Kanazawa (WO 2017094646 A1).
Referring to claim 3: Shimoda as modified teaches the processing device according to claim 1, but is silent on wherein the fine grinding means is specifically provided on the first column; the rough grinding means is specifically provided on the second column; and the work is subjected to fine grinding in a state where propagated vibration from the medium grinding means to the fine grinding means is reduced.
Kanazawa in an analogous processing device teaches the work is subjected to fine grinding in a state where propagated vibration [0015] from the medium grinding means to the fine grinding means is reduced.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the processing device of Shimoda as modified with the vibration reduction as taught by Kanazawa for the purpose of, as it is known in the art, reducing vibrations to increase the accuracy of the desired effect.
It also would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fine grinding means and rough grinding means specifically provided on the first column and second column, respectively for the purpose of having an alternate configuration for accomplishing the same process, and since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. MPEP 2144.04(VI)(C)
Referring to claim 6: Shimoda as modified teaches the processing device according to claim 3, wherein the index table is configured to be rotatable in a clockwise direction [0021 of Shimoda] and a counterclockwise direction when viewed in a plane (when the processing device is viewed from below or opposite perspective plane, it will rotate in the opposite direction of Shimoda).
Referring to claim 7: Shimoda teaches a processing device (1 Fig. 1) that performs rough grinding, medium grinding and fine grinding on a
work in order [0023]; the processing device comprising: an index table (21 Fig. 1) that includes a plurality of chucks (22 Fig. 1) for adsorbing and holding the work [0022, 0024], and transports [0024] the work in order of a rough grinding stage [0023] provided with a rough grinding stone (41 ;[0072]), a medium grinding stage [0023] provided with a medium grinding stone (51 ;[0072]), and a fine grinding stage [0023] provided with a fine grinding stone (61 ;[0072]);
a first column (32 Figs. 1 and 2) provided to extend over the index table (21 Fig. 1) and in which one of the rough grinding stone (4/41 Fig. 2; [0028]) or the fine grinding stone is installed,
said first column (32 Figs. 1 and 2) having a first rear surface (32-R Fig. 1-A inserted above);
a second column (3 Figs. 1 and 2) provided to extend over the index table (21 Fig. 1) and independent apart (shown independent apart in Fig. 1-A inserted below) from the first column (32 Figs. 1 and 2) separately, and in which the medium grinding stone (5/ 51 Fig. 2; [0028]) is installed and the other one of the rough grinding stone or the fine grinding stone (6/ 61 Fig. 2; [0028]) is arranged parallel (shown parallel in Figs. 1 and 2) to the medium grinding stone,
said second column (3 Figs. 1 and 2) having a second rear surface (3-R Fig. 1-A inserted above); said first column (32 Figs. 1 and 2) and said second column (3 Figs. 1 and 2) placed adjacent each other (shown adjacent in Fig. 1-A inserted above) and back-to-back (shown in Fig. 1-A inserted above);
the first rear surface (32-R Fig. 1-A inserted above) and the second rear surface (3-R Fig. 1-A inserted above) are placed opposite each other (shown in Fig. 1-A inserted above).
But is silent on wherein vibration is prevented from propagating from the second column to the one of the rough grinding stone and the fine grinding stone installed on the first column;
a second column specifically provided to extend over the index table and provided with a gap independent apart from the first column separately and the gap separating the first rear surface from the second rear surface.
Kanazawa in an analogous processing device teaches wherein vibration is prevented from propagating [0015] from the second column to the one of the similar configuration rough grinding stone and the similar configuration fine grinding stone installed on the first column.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the processing device of Shimoda with the vibration reduction as taught by Kanazawa for the purpose of, as it is known in the art, reducing vibrations to increase the accuracy of the desired effect.
JP2020 in an analogous processing device (1 Fig. 1) teaches wherein the
similar configuration second column (25 Figs. 1 and 3) specifically provided with a gap (gap between 25 and 35 shown in Figs. 1 and 3) independent apart from the similar configuration first column (35 Figs. 1 and 3) separately
and the gap (gap between 25 and 35 shown in Figs. 1 and 3) separating the similar configuration first rear surface (surface of 35 facing 25 shown in Fig. 3) of the first column from the similar configuration second rear surface (surface of 25 facing 35 shown in Fig. 3) of the second column.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the first and second columns of Shimoda with the gap as taught by JP2020 for the purpose of mitigating vibrations between the columns.
Referring to claim 8: Shimoda teaches a processing device (1 Fig. 1) that performs rough grinding, medium grinding and fine grinding (“three grindstones” [0020]) on a work in order [0023]; the processing device comprising: an index table (21 Fig. 1) that includes a plurality of chucks (22 Fig. 1) for holding the work [0022, 0024], and transports the work [0024] in order of a rough grinding stage [0023] provided with a rough grinding stone (4 Fig. 2; [0028]),
a medium grinding stage [0023] provided with a medium grinding stone (5 Fig. 2; [0028]), and a fine grinding stage [0023] provided with a fine grinding stone (6 Fig. 2; [0028]);
a first column (32 Figs. 1 and 2) extending over the index table (21 Fig. 1), one of the rough grinding stone (4 Fig. 2; [0028]) or the fine grinding stone installed on the first column, said first column (32 Figs. 1 and 2) having a first rear surface (32-R Fig. 1-A inserted above);
a second column (3 Figs. 1 and 2) extending over the index table (21 Fig. 1) and in which the medium grinding stone (5 Fig. 2; [0028]) is installed and the other one of the rough grinding stone or the fine grinding stone (6 Fig. 2; [0028]) is arranged parallel (shown parallel in Figs. 1 and 2) to the medium grinding stone (5 Fig. 2; [0028]),
said second column (3 Figs. 1 and 2) having a second rear surface (3-R Fig. 1-A inserted above);
said first column (32 Figs. 1 and 2) and said second column (3 Figs. 1 and 2) placed adjacent each other and back-to-back (shown in Fig. 1-A inserted above);
the first rear surface (32-R Fig. 1-A inserted above) and the second rear surface (3-R Fig. 1-A inserted above) are placed opposite each other (shown in Fig. 1-A inserted above).
But is silent on wherein vibration is prevented from propagating from the second column to the one of the rough grinding stone and the fine grinding stone installed on the first column; and a gap separating the first rear surface of the first column from the second rear surface of the second column.
Kanazawa in an analogous processing device teaches wherein vibration is prevented from propagating [0015] from the second column to the one of the similar configuration rough grinding stone and the similar configuration fine grinding stone installed on the first column.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the processing device of Shimoda with the vibration reduction as taught by Kanazawa for the purpose of, as it is known in the art, reducing vibrations to increase the accuracy of the desired effect.
JP2020 in an analogous processing device (1 Fig. 1) teaches a gap (gap between 25 and 35 shown in Figs. 1 and 3) separating the similar configuration first rear surface (surface of 35 facing 25 shown in Fig. 3) of the first column (35 Figs. 1 and 3) from the similar configuration second rear surface (surface of 25 facing 35 shown in Fig. 3) of the second column (25 Figs. 1 and 3).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the first and second columns of Shimoda with the gap as taught by JP2020 for the purpose of mitigating vibrations between the columns.
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 CHRISTOPHER SOTO whose telephone number is (571)272-8172. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8a.m. - 5 p.m..
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CHRISTOPHER SOTO
Examiner
Art Unit 3723
/CHRISTOPHER SOTO/Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/MONICA S CARTER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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