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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s reply was received on 23 January 2026. Claims 1-9, 11-19, and 21-24 are pending. All rejections and objections not restated herein are withdrawn.
Claim Interpretation
No claim limitations are interpreted under 112(f).
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, 3, 5-7, 11-13, and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Offer (US 5,994,659) in view of Itou (JP-S5978783).
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Regarding claim 1, Offer discloses:
A welding torch, comprising:
a contact tip (contact tube 38/38’); and
a wire electrode guide extending distal of the contact tip, wherein the wire electrode guide comprises:
a metallic outer sheath (col 8 line 42: “an outer sheath 40 made of stainless steel”); and
a plurality of ring-shaped electrical insulators (col 8 lines 52-54: “spacer beads 42 made of electrically insulating material, e.g., ceramic”) stacked axially within the metallic outer sheath so as to form a central wire electrode receiving bore through the plurality of ring-shaped electrical insulators (col 8 lines 54-56: “Each spacer bead 42 has a circular cylindrical shape and a central cylindrical hole through which the filler wire 14 passes”).
Offer does not disclose:
a touch sensor configured to determine contact between the metallic outer sheath and a workpiece, and generate a corresponding signal when the contact is detected.
Offer relates to welding in a groove (col 1 line 12-14).
Itou teaches:
a device for narrow gap welding comprising:
a touch sensor configured to determine contact between the metallic outer sheath (assembly of welding nozzle 4 and sensor 1, see Figs 1-2) and a workpiece (10), and generate a corresponding signal (p.1 “send an angle correction operation signal to the correction drive device”) when the contact is detected (p.2, near end of ¶2 “forming a detection signal transmission circuit (9→8→7→6→3→10) and allowing current to flow, so that the relay 7 operates and the detection signal A is transmitted from the relay 7 to the controller 12.”).
This arrangement reduces preparatory work (p.1) and can “detect the abnormal nozzle tilt angle during welding in narrow-gap arc welding and send an angle correction operation signal to the correction drive device” (bottom of p.1).
COMBINATION
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the welding torch of Offer by include a contact sensor, as taught by Itou, to reduce preparatory work and correct nozzle tilt to avoid contact between the wire guide and the upper end of the groove wall, and to maintain the wire in the center of the groove width.
Regarding claim 11, Offer modified as described above by the contact sensor of Itou and for the same reasons, teaches:
A welding torch, comprising:
a contact tip (contact tube 38/38’, col 8 lines 49-51); and
a wire electrode guide extending distal of the contact tip, wherein the wire electrode guide comprises:
a metallic outer sheath (col 8 line 42: “an outer sheath 40 made of stainless steel”); and
a plurality of ceramic electrical insulators (col 8 lines 52-54: “spacer beads 42 made of electrically insulating material, e.g., ceramic”) stacked axially within the metallic outer sheath, wherein each ceramic electrical insulator has a central opening (col 8 lines 54-56: “Each spacer bead 42 has a circular cylindrical shape and a central cylindrical hole through which the filler wire 14 passes”) such that the plurality of ceramic electrical insulators stacked axially within the metallic outer sheath form a central wire electrode receiving bore for a wire electrode (14, col 8 lines 61-64) energized by the contact tip; and a touch sensor (Itou: 1) configured to determine contact between the metallic outer sheath (Itou: assembly of welding nozzle 4 and sensor 1, see Figs 1-2) and a workpiece (Itou: 10), and generate a corresponding signal (Itou: p.1 “send an angle correction operation signal to the correction drive device”) when the contact is detected (Itou: p.2, near end of ¶2 “forming a detection signal transmission circuit (9→8→7→6→3→10) and allowing current to flow, so that the relay 7 operates and the detection signal A is transmitted from the relay 7 to the controller 12.”).
Regarding claim 3, Offer as modified by the touch sensor of Itou teaches:
the ring-shaped electrical insulators are formed from a ceramic material (Offer: col 8 lines 52-54: “spacer beads 42 made of electrically insulating material, e.g., ceramic”).
Regarding claims 5 and 16, Offer as modified by the touch sensor of Itou teaches:
the ring-shaped (ceramic) electrical insulators (Offer: 42, see Fig 6A) electrically insulate a wire electrode (Offer: 14, col 8 lines 61-64) extending through the contact tip and the wire electrode guide from the metallic outer sheath (Offer: 40).
Regarding claims 6 and 17, Offer as modified by the touch sensor of Itou teaches:
the metallic outer sheath comprises stainless steel (Offer: col 8 line 42: “an outer sheath 40 made of stainless steel”).
Regarding claims 7 and 13, Offer as modified by the touch sensor of Itou teaches:
a clearance between an outer circumference of each of the ring-shaped (ceramic) electrical insulators and an inner wall of the metallic outer sheath permits relative radial movement between adjacent ring-shaped (ceramic) electrical insulators within the metallic outer sheath (Offer: the arrow in Fig 6A above points to a portion that shows a small clearance, col 8 line 56-col 9 line 2: “loosely arranged end to end with the central holes generally aligned… generally coaxial… relatively movable”).
Regarding claim 12, Offer as modified by the touch sensor of Itou teaches:
each ceramic electrical insulator has an annular shape (Offer: col 8 lines 54-56: “Each spacer bead 42 has a circular cylindrical shape and a central cylindrical hole through which the filler wire 14 passes”).
Claims 8 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Offer (US 5,994,659) in view of Itou (JP-S5978783) and Jaeger (US 2010/0012637).
Regarding claims 8 and 18, Offer and Itou do not disclose:
a captive ball quick disconnect that attaches the wire electrode guide to the welding torch.
Offer does not explicitly disclose a handle nor any connection. The parts apart from the nozzle and guide are shown only schematically.
Jesser teaches:
a welding torch handle for connecting to a welding torch neck by a spring-loaded ball and detent coupling (¶9). The coupling “increases the durability of the interface between the gooseneck and the torch body. The present locking mechanism also facilitates proper alignment of the gooseneck relative to the torch body when the gooseneck is replaced or exchanged for a new or different gooseneck, thereby improving the consistency of the welding torch's performance from one gooseneck to another” (¶7).
COMBINATION
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the welding torch of Offer and Itou by including a handle for an operator to use and a captive ball and detent connection between the various types of nozzles 4 (see Figs 6A-6D) and the handle, as taught by Jaeger for a durable and consistently aligned connection.
Claims 9 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Offer (US 5,994,659) in view of Itou (JP-S5978783) and Jesser (US 2016/0311068).
Regarding claims 9 and 19, Offer does not disclose:
a magnet that attaches the wire electrode guide to the welding torch.
Offer does not explicitly disclose a handle nor any connection. The parts apart from the nozzle and guide are shown only schematically.
Jesser teaches:
a welding torch handle for connecting to a welding torch neck by a magnet (¶1, ¶13). The coupling provides that “the welding tool can be connected to the welding tool coupling as easily as is technically possible, in particular without the involvement of an electrical switching device and preferably by only one operator” (¶4).
COMBINATION
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the welding torch of Offer and Itou by including a handle for an operator to use and a magnetic connection between the various types of nozzles 4 (see Figs 6A-6D) and the handle, as taught by Jesser for an easy and simple connection.
Claims 1, 2, 11, 14, and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Landis (US 2721249) in view of Offer (US 5,994,659) and Itou (JP-S5978783)., and as evidenced by TWI (What is the Effect of Electrode Angle in SA (Submerged Arc) Welding?).
Regarding claim 1, Landis discloses:
A welding torch (see Fig 1), comprising:
a contact tip (20, col 7 lines 30-43); and
a wire electrode guide (washer 50, see Figs 6-8, col 10 lines 31-41) extending distal of the contact tip, wherein the wire electrode guide comprises:
a[n] … outer sheath (material of arm 55/62 seen surrounding washer 50) and
[a] ring-shaped electrical insulator (washer 50, col 10 lines 65-66) [forming]… a central wire electrode receiving bore through the… ring-shaped electrical insulator (see Fig 6).
Landis does not disclose:
a metallic outer sheath and
a plurality of ring-shaped electrical insulators stacked axially within the metallic outer sheath so as to form a central wire electrode receiving bore through the plurality of ring-shaped electrical insulators.
Landis discloses that the position of the washer is adjustable for different stick-out lengths (col 10 lines 48-64). Landis also discloses using washers of different lengths (col 11 lines 38-49). Landis discloses that the welding torch is for partly manual or fully automatic welding (col 6 lines 31-41).
Offer teaches:
a welding torch with a curved or adjustable angle/curvature wire guide. The curvature or adjustability is possible because the wire guide is formed by a stack of electrically insulating ceramic (col 8 lines 51-54) “spacer beads,” i.e., ring-shaped electrical insulators (col 8 line 40 – col 9 line 16). The stack is contained in a stainless steel outer sheath (col 8 lines 40-43). Offer describes desirability of various weld angles (col 3 lines 9-52).
TWI provides evidence that one doing submerged arc welding may choose a variety of angles to achieve a desired result. Based on the partly manual or fully automated welding processes of Landis, one may desire a different angle of the electrode relative to a user-interface such as a handle (for ergonomic reasons), or relative to the wheel of Fig 8.
COMBINATION
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the welding torch of Landis by using the curved or adjustable curvature wire guide of Offer in place of washer 50 of Landis to obtain the benefit of adjusting the wire/electrode angle. Landis has the electrode separate from the wire guide, so the combination only takes the teaching of how to make a curved or adjustable curvature wire guide with a stack of ceramic beads in a metallic sheath. The combination does not take the integrated contact tip of Offer.
Landis and Offer do not disclose:
a touch sensor configured to determine contact between the metallic outer sheath and a workpiece, and generate a corresponding signal when the contact is detected.
Offer relates to welding in a groove (col 1 line 12-14) and Landis relates to automated welding (col 6 lines 30-41). Narrow groove welding is a common need in the welding art for joining thick workpieces.
Itou teaches:
a device for improving automatic welding in the case of narrow gap welding comprising:
a touch sensor configured to determine contact between the metallic outer sheath (assembly of welding nozzle 4 and sensor 1, see Figs 1-2) and a workpiece (10), and generate a corresponding signal (p.1 “send an angle correction operation signal to the correction drive device”) when the contact is detected (p.2, near end of ¶2 “forming a detection signal transmission circuit (9→8→7→6→3→10) and allowing current to flow, so that the relay 7 operates and the detection signal A is transmitted from the relay 7 to the controller 12.”).
This arrangement reduces preparatory work (p.1) and can “detect the abnormal nozzle tilt angle during welding in narrow-gap arc welding and send an angle correction operation signal to the correction drive device” (bottom of p.1).
COMBINATION
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the welding torch of Landis as modified by Offer by include a contact sensor, as taught by Itou, to reduce preparatory work and correct nozzle tilt to avoid contact between the wire guide and the upper end of the groove wall, and to maintain the wire in the center of the groove width.
Regarding claim 11, Landis discloses:
A welding torch (see Fig 1), comprising:
a contact tip (20, col 7 lines 30-43); and
a wire electrode guide (washer 50, see Figs 6-8, col 10 lines 31-41) extending distal of the contact tip, wherein the wire electrode guide comprises:
a[n] … outer sheath (material of arm 55/62 seen surrounding washer 50) and
[an] … electrical insulator (washer 50, col 10 lines 65-66) [having] a central opening… a central wire electrode receiving bore through the… electrical insulator (see Fig 6) for a wire electrode (W) energized by the contact tip.
Landis does not disclose:
[the outer sheath is] metallic
[the electrical insulator is] ceramic
[a] plurality of ceramic electrical insulators stacked axially within the metallic outer sheath
As described above with reference to claim 1, and for the same reasons, it would be obvious to use the curved or adjustable curvature wire guide of Offer in place of washer 50 of Landis, thus providing a stack of ceramic insulators in a stainless steel sheath and by adding the contact sensor of Itou.
Regarding claim 21, Landis discloses:
A welding torch (see Fig 1), comprising:
a contact tip (20, col 7 lines 30-43); and
a wire electrode guide (washer 50, see Figs 6-8, col 10 lines 31-41) mounted beneath the contact tip to receive a wire electrode energized by the contact tip, wherein an air gap (Landis wire W between 20 and 50, see Figs 6-8) exists between the contact tip and the wire electrode guide that exposes the energized wire electrode to ambient air, wherein the wire electrode guide comprises:
a[n] … outer sheath (material of arm 55/62 seen surrounding washer 50) and
[a] ceramic ring-shaped electrical insulator (washer 50, col 10 lines 65-66) [forming]… a central wire electrode receiving bore through the… ring-shaped electrical insulator (see Fig 6).
wherein the … ceramic ring-shaped electrical insulator… electrically insulate[s] the wire electrode from the … outer sheath.
Landis does not disclose:
a metallic outer sheath and
a plurality of ring-shaped electrical insulators stacked axially within the metallic outer sheath so as to form a central wire electrode receiving bore through the plurality of ring-shaped electrical insulators.
As described above with reference to claim 1, and for the same reasons, it would be obvious to use the curved or adjustable curvature wire guide of Offer in place of washer 50, thus providing a stack of ceramic insulators in a stainless steel sheath and to add the contact sensor of Itou.
Regarding claims 2 and 14, Landis as modified by the wire guide of Offer and the contact sensor of Itou teaches:
an air gap (Landis wire W between 20 and 50, see Figs 6-8) exists between the contact tip and the wire electrode guide that exposes a wire electrode extending through the contact tip and the wire electrode guide to ambient air.
Claims 4, 15, and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Landis (US 2721249) in view of Offer (US 5,994,659) and Itou (JP-S5978783) as evidenced by TWI (What is the Effect of Electrode Angle in SA (Submerged Arc) Welding?), as applied to claims 1 and 11, and further in view of Yohn (US 3,582,599).
Regarding claims 4, 15, and 22, Landis as modified by the guide of Offer and the contact sensor of Itou does not explicitly teach:
a flux delivery nozzle located adjacent to the wire electrode guide.
Landis discloses a submerged arc welding apparatus that uses flux (col 8 lines 4-6) but is silent as to how the flux is applied.
Yohn teaches:
a submerged arc welding tool wherein flux is delivered to the surface by a flux delivery nozzle 58 adjacent a wire guide 39 nozzle.
COMBINATION
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the welding torch of Landis as modified by the wire guide of Offer by including a flux delivery nozzle adjacent the wire guide to provide flux to the surface.
Claim 23 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Landis (US 2721249) in view of Offer (US 5,994,659) and Itou (JP-S5978783) as evidenced by TWI (What is the Effect of Electrode Angle in SA (Submerged Arc) Welding?), as applied to claim 21, and further in view of Jaeger (US 2010/0012637).
Regarding claim 23, Landis as modified by the guide of Offer and the contact sensor of Itou does not teach:
a captive ball quick disconnect that attaches the wire electrode guide to the welding torch.
Landis teaches the guide supported on an arm 55/62. Landis suggests that a selection of guides of different lengths may be advantageous (col 11 lines 38-43). Offer and TWI teach that a selection of guides with different angles may be advantageous.
Jaeger teaches:
a welding tool coupling comprising a spring-loaded ball and detent coupling (¶9). When applied to a gooseneck, the coupling “increases the durability of the interface between the gooseneck and the torch body. The present locking mechanism also facilitates proper alignment of the gooseneck relative to the torch body when the gooseneck is replaced or exchanged for a new or different gooseneck, thereby improving the consistency of the welding torch's performance from one gooseneck to another” (¶7).
COMBINATION
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the welding torch of Landis as modified by the guide of Offer and the contact sensor of Itou by including a captive ball and detent connection, as taught by Jaeger, between the various types of nozzles 4 (see Figs 6A-6D) and the mounting arm of Landis, for a durable and consistently aligned connection.
Claim 24 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Landis (US 2721249) in view of Offer (US 5,994,659) and Itou (JP-S5978783) as evidenced by TWI (What is the Effect of Electrode Angle in SA (Submerged Arc) Welding?), as applied to claim 21, and further in view of Jesser (US 2016/0311068).
Regarding claim 24, Landis as modified by the guide of Offer and the contact sensor of Itou does not teach:
a magnet that attaches the wire electrode guide to the welding torch.
Landis teaches the guide supported on an arm 55/62. Landis suggests that a selection of guides of different lengths may be advantageous (col 11 lines 38-43). Offer and TWI teach that a selection of guides with different angles may be advantageous.
Jesser teaches:
a welding tool coupling applicable to various connections in a welding torch (¶1) and comprising a magnet (¶1, ¶13). The coupling provides that “the welding tool can be connected to the welding tool coupling as easily as is technically possible, in particular without the involvement of an electrical switching device and preferably by only one operator” (¶4).
COMBINATION
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the welding torch of Offer and the contact sensor of Itou by including a magnetic connection, as taught by Jesser, between the various types of nozzles 4 (see Figs 6A-6D) and the mounting arm of Landis, for an easy and simple connection.
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 TOPAZ L ELLIOTT whose telephone number is (571)270-5851. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Courtney Heinle can be reached on (571) 270-3508. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TOPAZ L. ELLIOTT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761
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