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
The Amendment filed on May 9, 2023 has been entered. Claims 10-14 and 17 remain pending. The amended specifications, drawings and claims overcome each and every objection and 112(b) rejection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed February 25, 2026, and thus withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pg. 4-5, filed May 26, 2026, with respect to the rejection of independent Claim 10 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of newly found prior art provided in the 103 rejections below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 10-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Pan et al. (CN 206122930) in view of Sasaki et al. (US 2008/0210675)
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Regarding Claim 10, Pan discloses,
A purging attachment [Fig. 1] for a workpiece having a surface to be processed using a laser radiation, wherein the workpiece includes a workpiece chamber open on at least one side of the workpiece, and wherein the surface to be processed is disposed within the workpiece chamber, (Examiner Note: The preamble of a claim will be treated as a claim limitation to the extent that it limits the structure of the claimed invention (MPEP 2111.02-I). When the body of the claim defines a structurally complete invention, the preamble is considered to be a mere statement of intended use, and not limiting the scope of the claim. Id. Furthermore, The inclusion of the material or article worked upon by a claimed structure is considered intended use, and does not impart patentability to an apparatus claim (MPEP 2115). In this case, Claim 10 is directed to a “purging attachment,” but the preamble of the claim merely recites an intended use of the apparatus with respect to the application (“using laser radiation”) and workpiece parameters (“a workpiece having…”). (Specifications, Claim 10). As these limitations do not impart any additional structure to the apparatus, they are mere statements of intended use, and thus, will not distinguish over prior art. Accordingly, the preamble will not be considered for patentability.)
the purging attachment [Fig. 1] comprising:
a central opening through the purging attachment [Fig. 1 (1), paras. 9-10,14] (Examiner Note: Pan discloses a blowing fixture with a central opening to allow for a laser beam to pass through and contact the workpiece.);
at least one purge gas supply channel [Fig. 2 (3.11, 5)] extending through the purging attachment and including, at a first end, a supply connector [Fig. 1 (3)] configured for a purge gas supply line and, at a second end, an outlet opening [Fig. 2, Paras. 22-23, 29] (Examiner Note: Pan discloses an air channel between the pipe joints (3) and the outlet side of the annular vent groove that is formed by the first vent (3.11) and annular vent groove (5) and thus discloses this limitation.);
and
at least one centering portion [Annotated Fig. 2 (above)] configured to interact with a centering region of the workpiece arranged on the side of the workpiece such that the central opening, the outlet opening, and the inlet opening communicate with the workpiece chamber [Annotated Fig. 2 (2), paras. 22-23] (Examiner Note: The inclusion of the material or article worked upon by a claimed structure is considered intended use, and does not impart patentability to an apparatus claim (MPEP 2115). Accordingly, the centering portion will be construed as any structure that enables fluid communication between the openings and allows the apparatus to be centered with respect to the workpiece. Pan discloses the lower baffle forms an inclined surface (2.1) that makes up a component of the annular vent groove (5) that is in fluid communication with the central opening and all the air channels. As the device is a symmetric, and the workpiece is at the outlet end of the annular vent groove formed by lower baffle (2), the device will necessarily be centered with respect to the workpiece when it is provided inside the annular structure as the annular groove will be equidistant from the workpiece around its entire circumference.),
wherein the central opening of the purging attachment includes a cylindrically symmetrical first portion having a first cross-section [Annotated Fig. 2] and a cylindrically symmetrical second portion [Annotated Fig. 2] arranged coaxially behind the cylindrically symmetrical first portion and having a second cross-section (Examiner Note: As stated in the previous office action, “Coaxially behind” will be interpreted to mean the second cross section is a cylindrical shell of the first cross section, where the inside radius of the shell is defined by the first cross section (refer to Specifications, pg. 10). Accordingly, Pan is construed to disclose a device with a 2nd cylindrically symmetrically cross section (i.e. the upper baffle forming the inclined surface 1.1) arranged coaxially behind a 1st cylindrically symmetrically cross section (i.e. the outlet end of the annular vent groove) as the upper baffle (particularly the upper inclined surface 1.1) forms a cylindrical shell around the central opening.),
wherein a radial shoulder [Annotated Fig. 2] is formed at a transition from the first portion to the second portion, which radial shoulder forms a stop surface configured for the workpiece when the purging attachment is arranged on the workpiece in operation [Annotated Fig. 2] (Examiner Note: The inclusion of the material or article worked upon by a claimed structure is considered intended use, and does not impart patentability to an apparatus claim (MPEP 2115). Accordingly, Pan is construed to disclose a radial shoulder, as the outlet end of the annular vent groove (5), formed by the inclined surface (2.1) of the lower baffle (2), is formed at the transition from the first and second cylindrically symmetrical cross sections, and forms a surface that rests on the workpiece (i.e. a stop surface) and thus discloses this limitation.) and
wherein the inlet opening of the at least one purge gas supply channel are arranged in the radial shoulder [Fig. 2, paras. 22-24] (Examiner Note: Pan discloses the outlets are arranged at the end of the annular vent groove. As the annular vent groove forms the radial shoulder, it is understood to teach this limitation.)
Pan does not disclose at least one purge gas suction channel extending through the purging attachment and including, at a first end, a discharge connector configured for a purge gas discharge line and, at a second end, an inlet opening, wherein the outlet opening of the at least one purge gas supply channel and the inlet opening of the at least one purge gas suction channel are disposed on opposite sides of the central opening (Examiner Note: Pan discloses a plurality of openings evenly arranged about the circumference of the device (i.e. on opposite sides of the central opening) that serve as outlets for supply gas and in communication with the pipe joint (3) in connection with a gas supply. However, the supply gas exits at the workpiece into the environment, so it does not disclose suction provided within a discharge channel. (Fig. 2, Paras. 14-15, 22-24)) and
wherein the outlet opening of the at least one gas suction channel are arranged in the radial shoulder (Examiner Note: Similarly, Pan discloses all of the openings are arranged in the radial shoulder, but does not specifically disclose a suction channel. (Fig. 2, paras. 22-24))
However, Sasaki teaches at least one purge gas suction channel extending through the purging attachment and including, at a first end, a discharge connector configured for a purge gas discharge line and, at a second end, an inlet opening, wherein the outlet opening of the at least one purge gas supply channel and the inlet opening of the at least one purge gas suction channel are disposed on opposite sides of the central opening. [Sasaki: Figs. 8 (17a, 31a) para. 73] (Examiner Note: Sasaki teaches a gas introducing-exhausting device (11a) with 2 exhausting 2 pipes (17a, 31a) disposed opposite to their respective air supply channels (18a, 32a) and connected to the exhausting device (12) with airholes disposed in the aperture (20) that discharges supply gas and debris.) and
wherein the outlet opening of the at least one gas suction channel are arranged in the radial shoulder [Sasaki: Fig. 8 (17a, 31a), para. 73] (Examiner Note: Sasaki teaches the gas introducing-exhausting device (11a) has 2 pairs of pipes (17a, 18a and 31a, 32a) with the respective exhausting and supply airholes disposed opposite to each other and in communication with the aperture (20), and thus, Sasaki is understood to disclose the gas suction channel.)
Sasaki is in the same field of invention as the application because both relate to purging devices adapted for laser processing of a workpiece, and thus qualifies as analogous art. [MPEP 2141.01(a)]
It is obvious to substitute one known element for another to obtain predictable results. [MPEP 2143(B)] The MPEP states the prior art must: (1) teach a device (method) which differs from the claimed device (method) by the substitution of some component or step with another component (step), (2) teach that the substituted components and their functions were known, and (3) show that one of ordinary skill could have substituted one known element for another to yield predictable results. [MPEP 2143(B)]
As discussed above, Sasaki teaches a laser processing device with a gas introducing-exhausting device (11a) with 2 pairs of mutually faced air supply (18a, 32a) and air exhaust (17a, 31a) pipes with the respective supply and exhaust airholes in communication with the central aperture (20), and connected to respective air exhausting (12) and air supply. [Paras. 51, 73] The air exhaust pipes of Sasaki and the supply channels of Pan (Fig. 2 (3.11, 5)) both perform the function of cooling the workpiece. One having ordinary skill in the art could have replaced the 4 mutually faced air supply channels of Pan with the 2 pairs of mutually faced supply-exhaust channels of Sasaki to achieve the predictable result of cooling the workpiece.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the supply channels of Pan with the pairs of mutually faced supply-exhaust channels of Sasaki because the substitution of one known element for another yields predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, Claim 10 is rejected as obvious over with Pan in view of Sasaki.
Regarding Claim 11, Pan in view of Sasaki discloses all of the limitations of Claim 10. Pan as modified per Sasaki further discloses wherein the outlet opening of the at least one purge gas supply channel and the inlet opening of the at least one purge gas suction channel are configured as elongated holes. [Pan: Fig. 2; Sasaki: para. 73] (Examiner Note: Pan discloses the first vent holes (3.11) are cylindrical channels, which can be construed as elongated holes, and thus discloses this limitation. Furthermore, the air supply-exhaust channels taught in Sasaki are pipes with air holes which are elongated holes.)
Regarding Claim 12, Pan in view of Sasaki discloses all of the limitations of Claim 10. Pan as modified per Sasaki further discloses wherein the at least one purge gas supply channel [Pan: Fig. 2 (3.11, 5)] comprises a supply chamber [Pan: Fig. 2 (3.11)] within the purging attachment in communication with the supply connector [Pan: Fig. 2 (3)] and with the outlet opening [Fig. 2 (outlet end of annular groove 5)] (Examiner Note: Pan discloses each of the channels are configured with a pipe joint (3) for providing supply gas and in communication with the outlet end of the annular vent groove via the first vent hole (3.11), and thus discloses this limitation.), and wherein the at least one purge gas suction channel [Sasaki: Fig. 8 (17a, 31a)] comprises a suction chamber [Sasaki: Fig. 8 (17a, 31a)] within the purging attachment in communication with the discharge connector [Sasaki: Fig. 8] and with the inlet opening [Sasaki: Fig. 8 (20), paras. 51, 73] (Examiner Note: Sasaki discloses that the air exhaust channels (17a, 31a) are connected to the exhausting device (12) that provides suction and in communication with the aperture (20). As the air exhaust channels extend through the workpiece and are attached to the air exhausting device, a discharge connector and suction chamber are necessarily disclosed as some kind of connection and communication between the vacuum and central opening must be present in order to provide suction to the central opening. Furthermore, Pan teaches each of the air channels are provided with a pipe joint (3) for air-device connections.)
Regarding Claim 13, Pan in view of Sasaki discloses all of the limitations of Claim 10.
Pan as modified per Sasaki further discloses wherein the at least one purge gas supply channel includes two purge gas supply channels extending through the purging attachment [Pan: Fig. 1], including corresponding supply connectors [Pan: Fig. 1 (3)] and outlet openings [Pan: Fig. 1 (5)] at respective first and second ends [Pan: Fig. 2, para. 15] ] (Examiner Note: Pan discloses the air blowing fixture has 4 evenly distributed vent holes (3.1) connected to pipe joints around the circumference of the upper baffle, that flow into the annular vent groove towards the workpiece, and thus disclose this limitation.); the at least one purge gas suction channel includes two purge gas suction channels [Sasaki: Fig. 8 (17a, 31a)] extending through the purging attachment, including corresponding discharge connectors and inlet openings at respective first and second ends [Sasaki: para. 73] (Examiner Note: Sasaki discloses 2 air exhausting pipes that extend through the device to the aperture (20) to provide inlets (i.e. air holes) for exhaust gas and attached to the air exhausting device (12) and thus discloses this limitation.); wherein the purge gas suction channels are disposed opposite and the purge gas supply channels on opposing sides of the central opening. [Sasaki: para. 73] (Examiner Note: Sasaki discloses 2 pairs of mutually faced air exhaust-supply channels, and thus discloses this limitation.)
Regarding Claim 14, Pan in view of Sasaki discloses all of the limitations of Claim 10.
wherein the centering portion includes a cylindrical surface [Pan: Fig. 2 (5)] that extends around a longitudinal axis of the central opening and is configured to seat against a contact surface of the workpiece as to center the workpiece with respect to the central opening of the purging attachment. [Fig. 2 (5), paras. 6-9, 28] (Examiner Note: Pan discloses an annular vent groove that is disposed at the workpiece, and thus discloses a cylindrical surface as it is an annulus. Pan discloses an annular blowing device designed to evenly distribute supply gas along a circumferential welding seam. Accordingly, when the annular vent is in contact with the circumferential weld seam, it will necessarily center the workpiece with respect to the central opening, as they are co-axial with respect to the central opening of the workpiece. Furthermore, Pan specifically discloses when using the device to “[p]lace this air blowing fixture on the workpiece to be welded, ensuring the circumferential weld seam and the center of the blowing fixture are roughly in the same position,” and thus, centers the device with respect to the workpiece)
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Pan et al. (CN 206122930) in view of Sasaki et al. (US 2008/0210675) as applied to claim 10 above, and further in view of Ochiai et al. (KR 2010/0007949).
Regarding Claim 17, Pan in view of Sasaki discloses all of the limitations of Claim 10. Pan in view of Sasaki further discloses, a method for structuring a surface of a workpiece using a laser [Pan: paras. 28] (Examiner Note: As claims do not define a surface structuring process, any laser operations can be understood to meet this limitation as laser processing inherently alters the structure of the workpiece surface (whether by forming a seam, surface roughening etc.). Accordingly, the method for forming a circumferential weld seam disclosed in Pan is understood to meet this limitation.), the method comprising: positioning a purging attachment according to claim 10 onto the workpiece [Pan: para. 28] (Examiner Note: As discussed above, Pan in view of Sasaki discloses the structure of claim 10. Pan further discloses when using the device to “[p]lace this air blowing fixture on the workpiece to be welded, ensuring the circumferential weld seam and the center of the blowing fixture are roughly in the same position,” and thus, discloses this limitation.),
supplying gas through the outlet opening of the at least one purge gas supply channel [Pan: Fig. 2, paras. 22, 28] (Examiner Note: Pan discloses that after the protective gas is turned on, laser welding is performed, where the protective gas travels through the pipe joint (3) to the first vent hole (3.11) and then out of the annular groove (5) to the workpiece, and thus discloses this limitation.) and suctioning the gas, and particles from the workpiece chamber entrained in the gas, through the inlet opening of the at least one purge gas suction channel [Sasaki: Fig. 8, paras. 51, 73] (Examiner Note: Sasaki discloses that the gas introducing-exhausting device (11a) suctions gas through the airholes of the exhaust pipes (17a, 31a) and thus discloses this limitation.); and
during the supply of gas and during the suction of gas and particles, beaming laser radiation generated by the laser through the central opening of the purging attachment onto the surface as to structure the surface via the laser radiation [Sasaki: Paras. 51, 62] (Examiner Note: It is improper to read a specific order of steps into a method claim, when the claims do not directly or implicitly require a specific order of steps (MPEP 2111.01-II). Claims do not specifically require that suctioning and supply of gas occur simultaneously. Nevertheless, Sasaki discloses that the gas introducing-exhausting device (11a) simultaneously supplies and exhaust the supply gas during the operation of the laser, and thus discloses the supply and suction (simultaneously or otherwise) of supply gas during operation of the laser.).
Pan in view of Sasaki does not disclose wherein the workpiece includes a workpiece chamber open on at least one side of the workpiece, and wherein the surface to be structured is disposed within the workpiece chamber (Examiner Note: While Pan implicitly discloses a workpiece chamber as the process is performed on a circumferential weld seam (necessarily will have some chamber as it’s a annular structure), it does not specifically disclose performing laser processing on an interior of the workpiece chamber.);
supplying gas to the workpiece chamber (Examiner Note: Similarly, while Pan discloses supplying gas to the annular structure, it does not specifically disclose supply to the interior of a workpiece chamber.)
during the supply of gas into the workpiece chamber and during the suction of gas and particles, beaming laser radiation generated by the laser through the central opening of the purging attachment onto the surface within the workpiece chamber to be structured as to structure the surface via the laser radiation. (Examiner Note: As discussed above, while Pan in view of Sasaki discloses the supply and suction of gas during laser radiation to structure the surface of an annular workpiece, it does not disclose structuring of the interior of a workpiece chamber.)
However, Ochiai teaches wherein the workpiece includes a workpiece chamber open on at least one side of the workpiece, and wherein the surface to be structured is disposed within the workpiece chamber [Ochiai: Fig. 5b, paras. 19-20] (Examiner Note: Ochiai teaches a method for processing a through hole in a workpiece charactered by irradiating one side of the workpiece, including the edge (22) of the through hole, that moves the protrusion (burr or the like) to the inner wall of the through hole (wall surface C) to create a taper. As this process changes the structure of the through hole, and through hole can be construed as a workpiece chamber with 2 openings, it is understood to disclose this limitation. Furthermore, Ochiai discloses the spot diameter of the laser is substantial equally with the through hole diameter and that dross attached to the through wall C is melted in this process, so some structuring of the through hole wall (i.e. workpiece chamber) will necessarily occur by the laser.);
supplying gas to the workpiece chamber [Ochiai: Fig. 5b, paras. 19-20] (Examiner Note: Ochiai further teaches that an assist gas (46) is supplied to the workpiece, including the through hole and edge region, and thus discloses this limitation. )
during the supply of gas into the workpiece chamber and during the suction of gas and particles, beaming laser radiation generated by the laser through the central opening of the purging attachment onto the surface within the workpiece chamber to be structured as to structure the surface via the laser radiation. [Ochiai: Fig. 5b, para. 23] (Examiner Note: Ochiai discloses the laser/assist gas diameter is substantially equal to or larger than the through hole diameter, and therefore, the inside surface of the through hole is irradiated and , thus teaching this limitation.)
Ochiai is in the same field of invention as the application because both relate to processes for applying laser irradiation to a workpiece, and thus qualifies as analogous art. [MPEP 2141.01(a)]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Pan in view of Sasaki with the method disclosed in Ochiai in order to enable structuring of the interior of a workpiece chamber and prevent operator injury. One having ordinary skill in the art would recognize that Ochiai could be combined with Pan in view of Sasaki with a reasonable degree of success as they both relate to laser processing methods. One having ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to incorporate the methods taught in Ochiai because it enables creation of a chamfer/tapered workpiece chamber, and prevents operator injury from handling the workpiece by removing burrs/protrusions from outer workpiece surfaces. Accordingly, Claim 17 is rejected as obvious over Pan in view of Sasaki in further view of Ochiai.
Conclusion
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/J.M.C./Examiner, Art Unit 3761
/ELIZABETH M KERR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761
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