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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of group I, claims 1-4 in the reply filed on 12/05/2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 5-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Group II to Group X, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 12/05/2025.
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.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 4 recites in lines 2-3 that there is a bracket fixed to the shank portion and supporting the displacement sensor “at a same height position as the pair of contacts in a direction of the axis”. However, the metes and bounds of the claim are unclear. It is unclear in relation to what is this “direction” being taken from. Is it in a direction perpendicular to the axis? In a direction parallel to the axis? Additionally, it is unclear how the height is being measured. Meaning from what feature is the height measured? Further clarification is needed.
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 –
(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.
Claim(s) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP 2007-245241 (hereafter—JP’241--).
In regards to claim 1, JP’241 discloses a centering tool (10 as in Figures 2, 4-6) comprising: a shank portion (12) having a shaft portion (12) for attachment; a rotating member (11) rotatably supported by the shank portion (12) and having a pair of contacts (13) disposed apart from each other in a direction orthogonal to an axis (O) of the shank portion (12); and a displacement sensor (measuring instrument as per Machine Translation) provided integrally with the shank portion (when assembled to the turret, the displacement sensor is integral with the shank portion) and capable of detecting displacement in the direction orthogonal to the axis (O) at an intermediate position between the pair of contacts (13), wherein a circular workpiece (9) is capable of being centered by being pushed toward a rotation center of a rotary table while each of the pair of contacts is caused to abut against a peripheral surface of the circular workpiece disposed on the rotary table (see Figures 1, 3 and 7A-C).
In regards to claim 2, JP’241 discloses the centering tool according to claim 1, JP’241 also discloses that the pair of contacts (13) are rollers (see Figures 2, 4-6 and 7A-C) rotating around axes parallel to the axis (see Figures 2, 4-6 and 7A-C).
In regards to claim 3, JP’241 discloses the centering tool according to claim 1, JP’241 also discloses that the displacement sensor (measurement instrument) is a contact-type displacement sensor (which senses when the contact rollers 13, abut against the workpiece).
Claim(s) 1, 3-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP 1183366 (hereafter—JP’366--).
In regards to claim 1, JP’366 discloses a centering tool (Figure 1) comprising: a shank portion (56) having a shaft portion (56) for attachment; a rotating member (62) rotatably supported by the shank portion (56) and having a pair of contacts (90/92) disposed apart from each other in a direction orthogonal to an axis (L) of the shank portion (56); and a displacement sensor (100) provided integrally with the shank portion (56) and capable of detecting displacement in the direction orthogonal to the axis (L) at an intermediate position (see Figures 2-5) between the pair of contacts (90/92), wherein a circular workpiece (W) is capable of being centered by being pushed toward a rotation center (R) of a rotary table while each of the pair of contacts is caused to abut against a peripheral surface of the circular workpiece disposed on the rotary table (see Figures 2-5).
In regards to claim 3, JP’366 discloses the centering tool according to claim 1, JP’366 also discloses that the displacement sensor (100) is a contact-type displacement sensor (see Figures 2-5).
In regards to claim 4, JP’366 discloses the centering tool according to claim 1, JP’366also discloses a bracket (52) fixed to the shank portion (56) and capable of supporting the displacement sensor (100) at a same height position as the pair of contacts in a direction of the axis (see Figures 3 and 5, and note that since the sensor 100 displaces along its axis, via threaded portion 140 and has a lock nut 106, then it is capable of being supported at a same height position as the pair of contacts in a direction of the axis).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NICOLE N RAMOS whose telephone number is (571)272-5134. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thu 7:00 am -5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sunil K Singh can be reached at (571) 272-3460. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NICOLE N RAMOS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3722
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