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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 01/29/2026 have been fully considered as follows.
Applicant’s arguments and amendments with respect to claims 4, 12 and associated dependents.
Applicant’s arguments/amendments with respect to claim 1 and associated dependents are not persuasive.
Applicant has amended claim 1 to state that the second conical mirror surface “[is] arranged to receive the laser beam as propagating radially outwards from the first conical mirror surface”. Klimowych teaches that the laser beam travels from the first conical mirror surface a path that is firstly radial and then subsequently axial to reach the second conical mirror surface (Fig. 4). It is not believed that the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim term “as propagating radially outwards from the first conical mirror surface” requires ONLY radial propagation of the laser.
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Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 –
Claim(s) 1-3 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2016/0070064 to Klimowych.
Klimowych teaches:
An apparatus for radial laser processing of a workpiece located on a center axis (Fig. 4), comprising: a laser beam scanner for directing a laser beam along but offset from the center axis (Fig. 4, see offset shown also ¶ [0027]) ; and a bi-conical reflector system including: a first conical mirror surface (see cone on 2) arranged to receive the laser beam from the laser beam scanner (1), wherein the first conical mirror surface surrounds the center axis (Fig. 4), is non-cylindrical and rotationally symmetric about the center axis (Fig. 4), and faces away from the center axis to reflect the laser beam radially outwards therefrom (see reflection off of cone portion of 2), and a second conical mirror surface (4) arranged to receive the laser beam as propagating radially outwards (beam travels first radially and then axially) from the first conical mirror surface, wherein the second conical mirror surface surrounds the center axis (Fig. 4), is rotationally symmetric about the center axis, and faces the center axis so as to reflect the laser beam radially inwards toward the center axis (Fig. 4, see portion of 4 that redirects the beam radially inward); wherein the laser beam scanner is configured to azimuthally, with respect to the center axis, scan a location of incidence of the laser beam on the first conical mirror surface to scan an azimuthal angle of propagation of the laser beam from the second conical mirror surface toward the center axis (through reflections, follow arrows starting with first reflection of conical surface of 2). wherein the laser beam scanner is configured to direct the laser beam to the first conical mirror surface at any one of a range of offsets from the center axis (any one of a range offsets could be a single offset; a single offset is shown in Fig. 4 and this is considered sufficient for this limitation). further comprising a controller (¶ [0027], passive control) for controlling the azimuthal scanning by the laser beam scanner (¶ [0027]; passive control is read as sufficient to meet this limitation as claimed.). The laser beam scanner is configured to direct the laser beam along, but offset from, the center axis in a first axial direction (see offset of 2 and ¶[0027]), and the first and second conical mirror surfaces are configured such that the bi-conical reflector system directs the laser beam toward the center axis along a propagation direction intersecting the center axis at a first location (see radially inward portion of laser path in Fig. 4) that has a negative offset in the first axial direction with respect to a reflector forming the first conical mirror surface (Fig. 4,showing the offset, negative vs. positive is dependent on a selected orientation and thus the direction is reasonably interpreted as “negative”).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-10 and 12-15 are allowed. Reasons why these claims are not anticipated or made obvious by the prior art may be found in the OA issued 10/29/2025
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 WOODY A LEE JR whose telephone number is (571)272-1051. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 0800-1630.
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/WOODY A LEE JR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761