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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. EP20020622.5, filed on 12/16/2020.
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-3, 5, 7-9, and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pernodet et al. (US 20170014936 A1, hereinafter Pernodet) in view of Schnick et al. (WO 2018073293 A2, hereinafter Schnick).
Regarding claim 1, Pernodet discloses a gas for a welding torch (Para. 0005, “inert gas is fed by the welding head”, and Para. 0004, “a TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding or plasma arc welding method”, where TIG welding uses a welding torch within the head), comprising:
- an elongated body comprising an internal space for receiving a trailing gas (Para. 0050, “A tubular braid 32 extends the duct 24 of the head element 20 towards the other elements 26, 28. This tubular braid 32 is permeable to the inert gas, which enables a better gas distribution in the housings of the elements 26, 28.”), and an elongated discharge area on a bottom side of the body for discharging the trailing gas onto a weld seam (Fig. 1, where the duct 24 of the head element 20 extends into the head with the electrode, where the opening at the bottom of the electrode includes an elongated hole that would allow trailing gas to enter into the weld seam in order to prevent quick oxidization, Para. 0004, “TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding or plasma arc welding method, the molten material is protected by an inert gas preventing its quick oxidization.”; where each segment of the body includes downward openings to discharge gas, Para. 0046, “The housing 30 of an element 20, 26, 28 is consequently open downwards, towards the weld bead 12.”, and Claim 1, “each element including a housing open downwards and towards each other adjacent element, all the housings forming a gas diffusion chamber”), wherein
for adjusting a curvature of the elongated discharge area to a desired curvature, the elongated body comprises a plurality of segments rigidly connected to one another, wherein each two neighbouring segments contact each other via a contact surface of the respective segment (Para. 0052-0054, “The protecting device 10 is made so as to adapt to the geometry of the weld to be made, that is to the shape of the edges of the pieces to be welded. [0053] To do so, each element 20, 26, 28 of the protecting device 10 is hinged relative to each element 20, 26, 28 adjacent thereto. [0054] The hinge of two adjacent elements 20, 26, 28 comprises or consists of a swivel connection, enabling both elements to be relatively moved in every direction.”, where two neighboring segments contact each other through the hinge connection),
wherein an angle of each contact surface with respect to a center axis of the corresponding segment is selected such that the discharge area comprises said desired curvature (Para. 0052-0053, “The protecting device 10 is made so as to adapt to the geometry of the weld to be made, that is to the shape of the edges of the pieces to be welded. [0053] To do so, each element 20, 26, 28 of the protecting device 10 is hinged relative to each element 20, 26, 28 adjacent thereto.”, where the angle of the hinge between neighboring elements is selected so that the protecting device segments following the curvature of the weld bead so that gas can be discharge over the weld bead, Para. 0040, “The protecting device 10 is intended to be implemented to protect weld beads having any geometry, that is a rectilinear or curved weld bead 12, that is a circular or variably curved weld bead.”).
Pernodet does not disclose:
explicitly stating that the gas for the welding torch is supplied through a gas nozzle, and explicitly stating that an elongated discharge area is located on the bottom side of the body discharges gas.
However, Schnick discloses, in the similar field of supplying gas to welding devices (Page 2, Para. 4, “applying a welding area with a gas”), where the gas for the welding torch is supplied through a gas nozzle (Page 2, Para. 5 from end, “For the purposes of this document, gas is to be understood as any gas which a welding nozzle or the welding area, which is processed by this welding nozzle, is supplied.”), and where there is also an elongated discharge area at the bottom side of the body to discharge gas (Page 5, Para. 5 from end, “Gas distribution body 7 may be provided from an open-cell metal foam, which extends over an entire length of the tow chamber 2. The gas distribution body 7 ensures a desired flow of individual gas channels 9 and thus a defined flow of the weld area.”). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the welding torch and discharge area in Pernodet to have explicitly stated the gas nozzle and discharge area openings for gas as taught by Schnick.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of being able to supply gas to protect a weld bead from oxidation for weld beads of different geometries, as stated by Schnick, Page 4, Para. 5, “Thus, a functionality of the entrainment gas nozzle is increased and the entrainment gas nozzle can be adapted specifically to different applications, in particular to the geometry of the component and the required burner positioning and alignment.”.
Regarding claim 2, modified Pernodet teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above, discloses wherein a segment of said plurality of segments comprises a gas inlet for feeding the trailing gas into the internal space of the body (Pernodet, Para. 0050, “A tubular braid 32 extends the duct 24 of the head element 20 towards the other elements 26, 28. This tubular braid 32 is permeable to the inert gas, which enables a better gas distribution in the housings of the elements 26, 28.”, where the tubular braid 32 includes a gas inlet and outlet for each segment).
Regarding claim 3, modified Pernodet teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above, discloses wherein the gas nozzle comprises a first segment configured to be arranged adjacent the welding torch and to be connected to the welding torch (Pernodet, Par. 0045, “The protecting device 10 also includes intermediate elements 26 which are mounted one following the other and following the head elements 20 and a rear back element 28 which is mounted following the last intermediate element 26.”, where the first segment is the first intermediate element 26 that follows the head elements 20).
Regarding claim 5, modified Pernodet teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above, discloses wherein the plurality of segments comprises a last segment being arranged at an opposite end of the body with respect to the first segment (Pernodet, Par. 0045, “The protecting device 10 also includes intermediate elements 26 which are mounted one following the other and following the head elements 20 and a rear back element 28 which is mounted following the last intermediate element 26.”, where the last segment is the last intermediate element 26 that is followed by a rear back element 28).
Regarding claim 7, modified Pernodet teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above, discloses wherein at least one segment of said plurality of segments is a middle segment, the middle segment comprising two opposing contact surfaces for contacting contact surfaces of neighbouring segments, wherein the contact surfaces of the middle segment extend parallel to one another (Pernodet, Fig. 3, where there are multiple intermediate elements 26 that are construed to be segments, where one of the segments that is not the first or last intermediate element 26 is a middle segment, where the configuration of Fig. 3 shows that all the segments are linearly arranged and this would mean that the opposing contact surfaces of the middle segments are parallel to each other as both contact surfaces extend vertically).
Regarding claim 8, modified Pernodet teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above, discloses wherein at least one segment of said plurality of segments comprises a gas distributor;
or wherein several of said plurality of segments comprise a gas distributor, particularly a first segment, a middle segment, and a last segment of said plurality of segments; or
wherein all segments of said plurality of segments comprise a gas distributor (Pernodet, where each segment of the body includes downward openings to discharge gas, Para. 0046, “The housing 30 of an element 20, 26, 28 is consequently open downwards, towards the weld bead 12.”, and Claim 1, “each element including a housing open downwards and towards each other adjacent element, all the housings forming a gas diffusion chamber”; teaching from Schnick, Page 5, Para. 5 from end, “Gas distribution body 7 may be provided from an open-cell metal foam, which extends over an entire length of the tow chamber 2. The gas distribution body 7 ensures a desired flow of individual gas channels 9 and thus a defined flow of the weld area.”).
Regarding claim 9, modified Pernodet teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above, discloses wherein each segment of said plurality of segments comprises a top wall and two opposing lateral walls (Pernodet, modified Fig. 3, where the top wall and two opposing lateral walls are shown for each segment) and an outflow area arranged between the lateral walls and facing the top wall (Pernodet, where each segment of the body includes downward openings to discharge gas, Para. 0046, “The housing 30 of an element 20, 26, 28 is consequently open downwards, towards the weld bead 12.”, and Claim 1, “each element including a housing open downwards and towards each other adjacent element, all the housings forming a gas diffusion chamber”, where the outflow area is located between the lateral walls, exits through the bottom opening, and faces the top wall as the bottom opening faces the top wall), so that the trailing gas can be discharged through the outflow area in the direction of a workpiece to be welded, wherein the outflow areas together form said discharge area of the body of the gas nozzle (Pernodet, Claim 1, “each element including a housing open downwards and towards each other adjacent element, all the housings forming a gas diffusion chamber”, where all the segments have bottom openings that create a discharge area or diffusion chamber for the workpiece to be welded as the gas is directed towards the workpiece, Para. 0036, “A weld protecting device 10 is illustrated, which is intended to protect a weld bead 12”).
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Modified Figure 3, Pernodet
Regarding claim 13, modified Pernodet teaches the apparatus according to claim 9, as set forth above.
Modified Pernodet does not disclose:
wherein each outflow area is covered by a flexible sheet comprising a plurality of discharge openings for discharging the trailing gas, or wherein the discharge area is covered by a single flexible sheet comprising a plurality of discharge openings for discharging the trailing gas.
However, Schnick discloses where the outflow area is covered by a flexible sheet comprising a plurality of discharge openings for discharging the trailing gas (Page 5, Para .7 from end, “Covering element 6, typically a cover plate, covered. The cover member 6 is provided with openings through which a gas can reach a welding area, which is located on the workpiece in the application of the Schleppgasdüse the elongated opening.”, where the cover can be made from a metal fabric, Page 4, Para. 1, “The cover element may be designed as a cover plate, a component made of a sintered material such as a sintered plate, preferably with honeycomb structure, and / or as a single-layer or multi-layer fabric layer, preferably a metal fabric.”, where metal fabrics can be flexible such as with Fabricoil, https://web.archive.org/web/20201109034232/https:/architizer.com/blog/practice/materials/fabricoil-steel-fabric/). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the outflow area in modified Pernodet to be covered by a flexible metal sheet as taught by Schnick.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of being able to prevent soiling and wear of the gas outflow channels, as stated by Schnick, Page 3, Para. 6 from end, “The gas channels are typically protected by the cover from soiling and wear.”.
Claims 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pernodet et al. (US 20170014936 A1, hereinafter Pernodet) in view of Schnick et al. (WO 2018073293 A2, hereinafter Schnick) in further view of Azuma (JP 2019198510 A).
Regarding claim 4, modified Pernodet teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above.
Modified Pernodet does not disclose:
wherein the first segment comprises a clamp for connecting the gas nozzle to the welding torch, the clamp surrounding an opening of the first segment and comprises a lever, the lever being pivotable between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the open position said opening comprises an inner diameter being larger than an outer diameter of an end portion of the welding torch allowing insertion of said end portion of the welding torch into the opening of the first segment, and wherein in the second position of the lever, the inner diameter of said opening is reduced to clamp said end portion of the welding torch and to therewith fasten the first segment to the welding torch.
However, Schnick discloses where components are connected via a clamp to allow for the components to be fastened together (Page 2, last Para., “As an alternative or in addition to the gas distributor, at least one, typically removable, gas distributor body can be arranged in the drag chamber, which distributes the gas in a desired manner by its shape and configuration or directs it in the direction of the elongate opening. By being removable and attachable, this gas distributor can be changed quickly and the entire entrainment gas nozzle adapted to various desired internal gas distributions. Typically, the gas distribution body is screwed into the drag chamber, screwed to the drag chamber and / or clamped in the drag chamber.”). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the first segment and welding torch connection in modified Pernodet to be connected via a clamp as taught by Schnick.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of being able to make the first segment removable and attachable through a clamp configuration, as stated by Schnick, Page 2, last Para., “As an alternative or in addition to the gas distributor, at least one, typically removable, gas distributor body can be arranged in the drag chamber, which distributes the gas in a desired manner by its shape and configuration or directs it in the direction of the elongate opening. By being removable and attachable, this gas distributor can be changed quickly and the entire entrainment gas nozzle adapted to various desired internal gas distributions”.
Further, Azuma discloses, in the similar field of clamps (Page 1, last Para., “a rubber elastic clamping ring having a through hole for passing the catheter”), where the clamp structure can include a lever that moves between an open and closed position and where the diameter of an opening that connects two structures can be increased or reduced (Page 1, last Para., “It consists of a clamp lever that can be moved, a catheter is passed through the through hole of the tightening ring, and the clamp ring sandwiched between the clamp body and the clamp cap is crushed from both ends by operating the clamp lever to compress the through hole of the tightening ring.”, where the catheter includes an outer diameter that is smaller than the inner diameter of the through hole of the tightening ring). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the clamp between a welding torch head and first segment in modified Pernodet to include the lever that in an open position allows for the diameters of the structures being connected to be interconnected and where the lever in a closed position can reduce that diameter as taught by Azuma.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of being able to use a lever for a clamp to control the operation of the clamp, where this configuration provides a user with more control over the clamp’s functions, as stated by Azuma, Page 2, Para. 6 from end, “By the clamp lever 3 which is a slide operation unit for pressing and releasing the clamping ring 4 It constructed basically.”.
Claims 6 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pernodet et al. (US 20170014936 A1, hereinafter Pernodet) in view of Schnick et al. (WO 2018073293 A2, hereinafter Schnick) in further view of Lorincz (WO 2008090393 A1).
Regarding claim 6, modified Pernodet teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above.
Modified Pernodet does not disclose:
wherein at least one segment of said plurality of segments is a wedge segment comprising two opposing contact surfaces being arranged at an angle with respect to one another.
However, Lorincz discloses, in the similar field of ducts that carry gas (Page 1, lines 10-11, “producing ductwork connecting components for air-handling systems”), where a plurality of segments can include a wedge segment with two opposing contact surfaces arranged at an angle with respect to one another (Page 3, lines 11-15, “Fig. 3 shows in lateral view a duct element coupled with a connecting component according to the invention being bent in an angle of 45° in relation to the axis of the duct element, Fig. 4 shows in lateral view a connecting component according to the invention being bent in an angle of go0 in relation to the axis of the duct element”, where Fig. 3 and 4 show that a connecting element 1 is located between two duct portions D, where the connecting element 1 is a wedge that includes opposing contact surfaces arranged at an angle with respect to one another). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the elongated body segments in modified Pernodet to include wedge shapes between linear segments as taught by Lorincz.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of being able to achieve different shape configurations for a duct structure through the use of different connecting elements, as stated by Lorincz, Page 1, liens 19-21, “The ductwork components may include ducts (straight or bent), boots, registers, tees, reducers, etc., hereafter referred as connecting components.”, where reducers or wedges allow for different angles to be created, as stated by Lorincz, Page 3, lines 9-10, “a reducer and arranged in an angle of 45" in relation to the axis of the duct element”.
Regarding claim 14, modified Pernodet teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above, discloses a kit for providing a gas nozzle for a welding torch (Pernodet, Para. 0003, “The disclosure herein more particularly relates to a device for diffusing a gas stream on a weld bead having a non rectilinear shape.”, where the entire device that diffuses a gas stream extends from a welding torch and would be construed to be a kit or a group of separate parts), particularly according to claim 1, comprising:
- a plurality of segments comprising a first segment, a last segment, a plurality of middle segments (Pernodet, Par. 0045, “The protecting device 10 also includes intermediate elements 26 which are mounted one following the other and following the head elements 20 and a rear back element 28 which is mounted following the last intermediate element 26.”, where there are multiple segments 26 that include a first, multiple middle, and last segments), the segments being configured to be connected to one another to form an elongated body of the gas nozzle, so that the body comprises an internal space for receiving a trailing gas (Pernodet, Para. 0050, “A tubular braid 32 extends the duct 24 of the head element 20 towards the other elements 26, 28. This tubular braid 32 is permeable to the inert gas, which enables a better gas distribution in the housings of the elements 26, 28.”, where all the segments connect to form an elongated body that include a channel for gas flow to the gas nozzle from the teaching from Schnick), and an elongated discharge area on a bottom side of the body for discharging the trailing gas onto a weld seam (Pernodet, Fig. 1, where the duct 24 of the head element 20 extends into the head with the electrode, where the opening at the bottom of the electrode includes an elongated hole that would allow trailing gas to enter into the weld seam in order to prevent quick oxidization, Para. 0004, “TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding or plasma arc welding method, the molten material is protected by an inert gas preventing its quick oxidization.”; where each segment of the body includes downward openings to discharge gas, Para. 0046, “The housing 30 of an element 20, 26, 28 is consequently open downwards, towards the weld bead 12.”, and Claim 1, “each element including a housing open downwards and towards each other adjacent element, all the housings forming a gas diffusion chamber”)
Modified Pernodet does not disclose:
a plurality of wedge segments,
each middle segment being configured to be arranged between two wedge segments, each wedge segment comprising at least one contact surface configured to contact a contact surface of a neighbouring segment, wherein the at least one contact surface is arranged at an angle with respect to a center axis of the respective wedge segment,
- wherein for adjusting a curvature of the discharge area to a curvature of a weld seam, the kit comprises wedge segments having different angles.
However, Lorincz discloses, in the similar field of ducts that carry gas (Page 1, lines 10-11, “producing ductwork connecting components for air-handling systems”), where a plurality of segments can include a wedge segment with two opposing contact surfaces arranged at an angle with respect to one another (Page 3, lines 11-15, “Fig. 3 shows in lateral view a duct element coupled with a connecting component according to the invention being bent in an angle of 45° in relation to the axis of the duct element, Fig. 4 shows in lateral view a connecting component according to the invention being bent in an angle of go0 in relation to the axis of the duct element”, where Fig. 3 and 4 show that a connecting element 1 is located between two duct portions D, where the connecting element 1 is a wedge that includes opposing contact surfaces arranged at an angle with respect to one another), where wedge segments can have different angles to adjust the curvature of the discharge area (Fig. 3 and 6 show that wedges can create different angles of curvature, being a 45 and 90 degree bend; making the wedges from Fig. 3 and 6 be singular components would be a mere matter of making integral which has been held as an obvious modification to make. In re Larson, 340 F.2d 965, 968, 144 USPQ 347, 349 (CCPA 1965). The end function of the wedges would still remain the same in changing the angle of the segments). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the elongated body segments in modified Pernodet to include wedge shapes between linear segments as taught by Lorincz, where a user could position wedges on either side of an individual segment in order to change the angle of the entire body.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of being able to achieve different shape configurations for a duct structure through the use of different connecting elements, as stated by Lorincz, Page 1, liens 19-21, “The ductwork components may include ducts (straight or bent), boots, registers, tees, reducers, etc., hereafter referred as connecting components.”, where reducers or wedges allow for different angles to be created, as stated by Lorincz, Page 3, lines 9-10, “a reducer and arranged in an angle of 45" in relation to the axis of the duct element”.
Claims 10-12 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pernodet et al. (US 20170014936 A1, hereinafter Pernodet) in view of Schnick et al. (WO 2018073293 A2, hereinafter Schnick) in further view of Laymon (US 20070284354 A1).
Regarding claim 10, modified Pernodet teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above.
Modified Pernodet does not disclose:
wherein several segments of said plurality of segments each comprise a protrusion on one of the contact surfaces of the respective segment and a corresponding recess on the other opposing contact surface of the respective segment, wherein the respective segment comprises a channel extending from the protrusion to the recess of the respective segment, and wherein the protrusion of the respective segment is configured to be arranged in a form-fitting manner in a corresponding recess of the contact surface of a neighbouring segment for providing proper alignment between the respective segment and the neighbouring segment.
However, Laymon discloses, in the similar field of welding torches (Abstract, “A conductor tube for use in a welding gun”), where segments can include a protrusion on one of the contact surfaces of a respective segment and a corresponding recess on the other opposing contact surface of the respective segment (Para. 0036, “Referring now to FIGS. 5-8, the flex joints 22 comprise a body 40 defining a proximal end portion 42 and a distal end portion 44, and an extension 46 rotatably secured within the distal end portion 44 of the body 40.”, where Fig. 10 shows that a segment includes a protrusion 46 that is inserted into a recess created by the proximal end portion of another segment, where a singular segment includes a protrusion 46 on one side and a recess on the other side), where the segment includes a channel that extends from the protrusion to the recess (Fig. 10 shows that a channel is within the segment that extends between the protrusion to the recess, where the channel carries gas, Para. 0004, “a conductor tube is secured to the end of a welding gun handle and generally functions to conduct gas and provide a conduit for feeding welding wire from a supply device (e.g., wire feeder) to the end of the conductor tube.”), where the protrusion of the segment is arranged in a form-fitting manner in a corresponding recess of the contact surface of a neighboring segment for providing proper alignment (Para. 0007, “end portion and a distal end portion, an extension rotatably secured within the distal end portion of the body, the extension defining a head portion, a cup disposed proximate the extension, the cup defining a concave inner surface adapted for engagement with the head portion of the extension, at least one spring element disposed around at least a portion of the cup, and a cap releasably secured to the proximal end portion of the body and adapted for engagement with the spring element.”, and Fig. 12 where a segment 22 is shown to include a recess towards the bottom and a protrusion towards the top, where the protrusion of the segment enters into the recess of the next segment in a form fitting manner as the segments are connected together and allow for gas to be carried to the welding head). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the segments in modified Pernodet to include the features as taught by Laymon.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of being able to use the flex joints to achieve different angles for the welding head, where these joints can allow for different angles other than a constant curve to be achieved, which provides a user with more flexibility in moving the welding head, as stated by Laymon, Para. 0042, “the flex joints 22 are illustrated in a rotated condition, both rotated down (FIGS. 12, 14) and rotated up (FIGS. 13, 15). Although not shown, the flex joints 22 may also be rotated to the side or to any other appropriate angle that an operator desires in order to reach a welding area. Additionally, the flex joints 22 may be rotated at different angles relative to one another to define an overall shape that is not necessarily a constant curve as illustrated herein.”.
Regarding claim 11, modified Pernodet teaches the apparatus according to claim 3, as set forth above.
Modified Pernodet does not disclose:
wherein the last segment comprises a protrusion protruding from a contact surface of the last segment, the protrusion being configured to be received by a corresponding recess of the contact surface of a neighbouring segment for providing proper alignment between the last segment and the neighbouring segment;
and/or wherein the first segment comprises a recess on the contact surface of the first segment, the recess being configured to receive a protrusion of the contact surface of a neighbouring segment for providing proper alignment between the first segment and the neighbouring segment.
However, Laymon discloses, in the similar field of welding torches (Abstract, “A conductor tube for use in a welding gun”), where segments can include a protrusion on one of the contact surfaces of a respective segment and a corresponding recess on the other opposing contact surface of the respective segment (Para. 0036, “Referring now to FIGS. 5-8, the flex joints 22 comprise a body 40 defining a proximal end portion 42 and a distal end portion 44, and an extension 46 rotatably secured within the distal end portion 44 of the body 40.”, where Fig. 10 shows that a segment includes a protrusion 46 that is inserted into a recess created by the proximal end portion of another segment, where a singular segment includes a protrusion 46 on one side and a recess on the other side), where the segment includes a channel that extends from the protrusion to the recess (Fig. 10 shows that a channel is within the segment that extends between the protrusion to the recess, where the channel carries gas, Para. 0004, “a conductor tube is secured to the end of a welding gun handle and generally functions to conduct gas and provide a conduit for feeding welding wire from a supply device (e.g., wire feeder) to the end of the conductor tube.”), where the protrusion of the segment is arranged in a form-fitting manner in a corresponding recess of the contact surface of a neighboring segment for providing proper alignment (Para. 0007, “end portion and a distal end portion, an extension rotatably secured within the distal end portion of the body, the extension defining a head portion, a cup disposed proximate the extension, the cup defining a concave inner surface adapted for engagement with the head portion of the extension, at least one spring element disposed around at least a portion of the cup, and a cap releasably secured to the proximal end portion of the body and adapted for engagement with the spring element.”, and Fig. 12 where a segment 22 is shown to include a recess towards the bottom and a protrusion towards the top, where the protrusion of the segment enters into the recess of the next segment in a form fitting manner as the segments are connected together and allow for gas to be carried to the welding head). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the segments that include the first and last segments in modified Pernodet to include the features as taught by Laymon.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of being able to use the flex joints to achieve different angles for the welding head, where these joints can allow for different angles other than a constant curve to be achieved, which provides a user with more flexibility in moving the welding head, as stated by Laymon, Para. 0042, “the flex joints 22 are illustrated in a rotated condition, both rotated down (FIGS. 12, 14) and rotated up (FIGS. 13, 15). Although not shown, the flex joints 22 may also be rotated to the side or to any other appropriate angle that an operator desires in order to reach a welding area. Additionally, the flex joints 22 may be rotated at different angles relative to one another to define an overall shape that is not necessarily a constant curve as illustrated herein.”.
Regarding claim 12, modified Pernodet teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above.
Modified Pernodet does not disclose:
wherein each two neighbouring segments are connected to one another via a threaded bolt that extends through one of the neighbouring segments and is screwed into an inner thread of a hole of the other neighbouring segment so that the contact surfaces of the two neighbouring segments that face one another contact one another and a sealed flow connection between the channels of the two neighbouring segments is established by pressing the protrusion of one of the neighbouring segments into the recess of the other neighbouring segment, wherein particularly the threaded bolts and corresponding holes are arranged in an alternating fashion on the right side of the channels and on the left side of the channels.
However, Laymon discloses, in the similar field of welding torches (Abstract, “A conductor tube for use in a welding gun”), where segments can include a protrusion on one of the contact surfaces of a respective segment and a corresponding recess on the other opposing contact surface of the respective segment (Para. 0036, “Referring now to FIGS. 5-8, the flex joints 22 comprise a body 40 defining a proximal end portion 42 and a distal end portion 44, and an extension 46 rotatably secured within the distal end portion 44 of the body 40.”, where Fig. 10 shows that a segment includes a protrusion 46 that is inserted into a recess created by the proximal end portion of another segment, where a singular segment includes a protrusion 46 on one side and a recess on the other side), where the segment includes a channel that extends from the protrusion to the recess (Fig. 10 shows that a channel is within the segment that extends between the protrusion to the recess, where the channel carries gas, Para. 0004, “a conductor tube is secured to the end of a welding gun handle and generally functions to conduct gas and provide a conduit for feeding welding wire from a supply device (e.g., wire feeder) to the end of the conductor tube.”), where protrusion is threaded and inserted into a corresponding hole so that the segments are contacting one another (Para. 0038, “The extension 46 also comprises a distal projection 80, which is adapted for attachment to the cap 62 of an adjacent flex joint 22 and to the diffuser end element 29 (FIG. 4). The distal projection 80 preferably defines external threads 82 that are adapted for engagement with corresponding internal threads 84 of the cap 62 of an adjacent flex joint 22.”, and Fig. 9, where each segment’s protrusion is shown with threads for connecting the protrusion to the recess of the next segment), where the connection of threaded protrusion and recess are create a sealed flow and are alternating on the left and right side of the channels (Para. 0004, “conductor tube is secured to the end of a welding gun handle and generally functions to conduct gas”, where each of the segments connected to the next segment must be sealed in order to conduct gas throughout the conductor tube, where Fig. 9 shows that the threaded protrusion and recess alternate along the channel of gas flow). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the segments that include the first and last segments in modified Pernodet to include the features as taught by Laymon.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of being able to use the flex joints to achieve different angles for the welding head, where these joints can allow for different angles other than a constant curve to be achieved, which provides a user with more flexibility in moving the welding head, as stated by Laymon, Para. 0042, “the flex joints 22 are illustrated in a rotated condition, both rotated down (FIGS. 12, 14) and rotated up (FIGS. 13, 15). Although not shown, the flex joints 22 may also be rotated to the side or to any other appropriate angle that an operator desires in order to reach a welding area. Additionally, the flex joints 22 may be rotated at different angles relative to one another to define an overall shape that is not necessarily a constant curve as illustrated herein.”.
Regarding claim 15, modified Pernodet teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above, discloses a method for welding (Pernodet, Para. 0004, “a TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding or plasma arc welding method”), wherein a gas nozzle according to claim 1 is connected to a welding torch (Teaching from Schnick, Page 2, Para. 5 from end, “For the purposes of this document, gas is to be understood as any gas which a welding nozzle or the welding area, which is processed by this welding nozzle, is supplied.”), wherein a curvature of the discharge area of the gas nozzle is adjusted to a desired curvature corresponding to a curvature of a weld seam that is to be welded (Pernodet, Para. 0052, “The protecting device 10 is made so as to adapt to the geometry of the weld to be made, that is to the shape of the edges of the pieces to be welded.”), by
wherein each two neighbouring segments contact each other via a contact surface of the respective segment, and angle of each contact surface with respect to a center axis of the corresponding segment being selected such that the discharge area comprises the desired curvature (Pernodet, Para. 0052-0054, “The protecting device 10 is made so as to adapt to the geometry of the weld to be made, that is to the shape of the edges of the pieces to be welded.
[0053] To do so, each element 20, 26, 28 of the protecting device 10 is hinged relative to each element 20, 26, 28 adjacent thereto. [0054] The hinge of two adjacent elements 20, 26, 28 comprises or consists of a swivel connection, enabling both elements to be relatively moved in every direction.”, where the hinge connection allows each segment 26 to contact each other and allow the segments to move to conform to the curvature of the weld).
Modified Pernodet does not disclose:
-releasably connecting segments to one another.
However, Laymon discloses where segments can be connected to each other releasably through a threaded connection that still allows for each segment to be bent to a curvature (Para. 0038, “The distal projection 80 preferably defines external threads 82 that are adapted for engagement with corresponding internal threads 84 of the cap 62 of an adjacent flex joint 22.”, and where the segments can be bent, Para. 0042, “the flex joints 22 are illustrated in a rotated condition, both rotated down (FIGS. 12, 14) and rotated up (FIGS. 13, 15). Although not shown, the flex joints 22 may also be rotated to the side or to any other appropriate angle that an operator desires in order to reach a welding area. Additionally, the flex joints 22 may be rotated at different angles relative to one another to define an overall shape that is not necessarily a constant curve as illustrated herein.”). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the segments in modified Pernodet to include a threaded connection as taught by Laymon.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of being able to use different mechanical connections known in the prior art, where threaded removable connections can be used in replacement of a hinge connection as both connections achieve the same end result of allowing segments to have their curvature altered, as stated by Laymon, Para. 0041, “It should be understood that the threaded interfaces as illustrated and described herein are merely exemplary and that other types of mechanical connections, which also provide the requisite electrical connection, may also be employed while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure.”.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Bernuchon et al. (US 5084603 A1, hereinafter Bernuchon) discloses a similar gas nozzle for a welding torch.
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/KEVIN GUANHUA WEN/Examiner, Art Unit 3761
03/11/2026