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 .
The Applicant’s amendment filed on August 6, 2025 was received. Claims 10-16 were amended.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S.C. code not included in this action can be found in the prior Office action issued February 6, 2025.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The claim rejections under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as anticipated by Kostecki (US 4,514,443) on claims 10-18 are withdrawn because Applicant amended independent claims 10 and 16 to require the oscillation occur continuously during the linear movement.
Claims 10-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Okuya et al. (US 5,539,177).
Regarding claim 10: Okuya et al. discloses a welding apparatus which includes a welding torch (9) which is a thermal spray deposition torch that creates a jet of material to be deposited on the surface of a tube workpiece (10), the welding torch (9) being a spray head that has a nozzle opening mounted on a torch pipe (6), slider (8), and rotational head (7) which form an elongated main body that are coupled to a boom (1)- which can be considered a robot arm- by way of a frame (2) and head (5) which form a coupling system, where the rotational head (7) includes a motor for rotating the torch pipe (6) and the torch (9) along with it, while the head (5) and vertical screw shaft (4) move the rotational head (7) vertically such that the linear movement of the torch (9) occurs while it is continuously rotated by way of the rotational head (7) motor in order to move in a spiral fashion (col. 3 lines 35+, col. 4 lines 1-11, 65+, figure 1).
Regarding claim 11: Okuya et al. discloses that the rotational head (7) rotates the pipe (6) with respect to the head (5) which is part of the coupling system (col. 3 lines 51-55, figure 1).
Regarding claim 12: Okuya et al. discloses that the motor drives the rotational head (7) which is part of the main body, such that it is connected to the main body (col. 3 lines 51-55, col. 4 lines 32-39, figure 1).
Regarding claim 13: Okuya et al. discloses that the rotational head (7) only rotates the pipe (6) with respect to the head (5), vertical screw shaft (4) and frame (2), which form the coupling system (col. 3 lines 51-55, figure 1).
Regarding claim 14: Okuya et al. discloses that the rotational head (7) rotates the pipe (6) as well as the torch (9) having a nozzle (col. 3 lines 51-55, figure 1).
Regarding claim 15: Okuya et al. shows that the main body including the pipe (6), slider (8) and rotation head (7) has a cylindrical shape (see figure 1).
Regarding claim 16: Okuya et al. discloses a welding apparatus which can be considered a robot that includes a welding torch (9) which is a thermal spray deposition torch that creates a jet of material to be deposited on the surface of a tube workpiece (10), the welding torch (9) being a spray head that has a nozzle opening mounted on a torch pipe (6), slider (8), and rotational head (7) which form an elongated main body that are coupled to a boom (1)- which can be considered a support of the robot- by way of a frame (2) and head (5) which form a coupling system, where the rotational head (7) includes a motor for rotating the torch pipe (6) and the torch (9) along with it, while the head (5) and vertical screw shaft (4) move the rotational head (7) vertically such that the linear movement of the torch (9) occurs while it is continuously rotated by way of the rotational head (7) motor in order to move in a spiral fashion (col. 3 lines 35+, col. 4 lines 1-11, 65+, figure 1).
Regarding claim 17: Okuya et al. discloses that the boom (1) connects to the motor of the rotation head (7) via the frame (2) and head (5) (col. 3 lines 51-55, figure 1).
Regarding claim 18: Okuya et al. shows that the main body including the pipe (6), slider (8) and rotation head (7) has a cylindrical shape (see figure 1).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed August 6, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant primarily argues that the Kostecki reference fails to teach continuously oscillating the head during linear advancement.
In response:
Applicant’s arguments are moot because they do not refer to the newly cited Okuya et al. reference which does teach this feature.
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.
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/S.A.K/
Stephen KittExaminer, Art Unit 1717
10/3/2025
/Dah-Wei D. Yuan/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1717