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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 1 objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 6, lines 1-2: amend “A method of manufacturing an extremely thick steel material, comprising” to “A method for manufacturing the extremely thick steel material of claim 1, comprising”
Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 1, 5, 8, and 9 are objected to because of the following informalities: the use of parentheses in the claim language gives the appearance that the enclosed language is optional. It is advised that the parentheses are removed. Specifically, claim 1 includes: “(where t is a steel material thickness (mm))”, claim 5 includes: “(including 0)”, claim 8 includes: “(including 0)”, and claim 9: “(PWHT).” Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1, 3-5, and 9 are 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.
The term “extremely thick steel material” in claim 1 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “extremely thick steel material” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. Specifically, claim 1 recites that the steel material is extremely thick, but does not set out the parameters of what is considered “extremely thick.”
Regarding dependent claims 3-5, these claims do not remedy the deficiencies of parent claim 1 noted above, and are rejected for the same rationale.
Claim 9 recites the limitation of “performing additional heat treatment (PWHT).” Claim 1 recites that PWHT is the abbreviation for post-weld heat treatment. Therefore, it is unclear is the additional heat treatment of claim 9 is a post-weld heat treatment or some other heat treatment. Clarification is required.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-9 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the objections and rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Specifically, claims 1-9 would be allowable over the closest prior art JP 2010106298A (hereinafter “JP298”) and KR101253890B1 (hereinafter “KR890”).
JP298 teaches a method for manufacturing thick steel plates having a plate thickness of 60mm or more and comprising the following composition (JP298, [0001] and [0018]):
Element
Present Invention, wt.%
JP298, mass%
Overlap
C
0.2-0.3
0.01-0.2
0.2
Si
0.05-0.5
0.05-0.5
Same
Mn
1.0-2.0
0.3-3.0
Encompass
Al
0.005-0.1
0.1 or less
Encompass
P
0.01 or less
0.03 or less
Encompass
S
0.015 or less
0.005 or less
Within
Nb
0.001-0.02
0.1 or less
Encompass
V
0.001-0.03
0.1 or less
Encompass
Ti
0.001-0.03
0.05 or less
Encompass
Cr
0.01-0.3
0.01-3.0
Encompass
Mo
0.01-0.12
0.01-3.0
Encompass
Cu
0.01-0.4
0.01-2.0
Encompass
Ni
0.05-0.4
0.01-3.0
Encompass
Ca
0.0005-0.004
0.005 or less
Encompass
Balance
Fe and impurities
Fe and impurities
Same
JP298 further teaches the extra-thick steel plates are made by hot working the slab by heating to a temperature of 1000°C or higher with a strain rate of 0.05-3/s and a cumulative reduction of 15% or more (JP298, [0018]). JP298 teaches the microstructure of the steel sheet obtained by hot rolling after hot working can be any of ferrite, pearlite, bainite, martensite, or a mixed structure of multiple phases, depending on the heat treatment performed according to the desired mechanical properties (JP298, [0061]). However, JP298 does not disclose or suggest that the microstructure of ferrite and pearlite has an average grain size of 20 µm or less, a porosity in a central portion is 0.1 mm3/g or less, or a post-weld heat treatment, in which precipitates of fine VC with a diameter of 5-15 nm are 5 or more per 1µm2 as presently claimed.
KR890 teaches an extremely thick steel plate for pressure vessels comprising the following composition (KR890, [0010-0013]):
Element
Present Invention, wt.%
KR890, wt.%
Overlap
C
0.2-0.3
0.05-0.25
0.2-0.25
Si
0.05-0.5
0.05-0.5
Same
Mn
1.0-2.0
0.5-1.5
1.0-1.5
Al
0.005-0.1
0.005-0.1
Same
P
0.01 or less
0.012 or less
Encompass
S
0.015 or less
0.0015 or less
Within
Nb
0.001-0.02
0.005-0.03
0.005-0.02
V
0.001-0.03
0.005-0.035
0.005-0.03
Ti
0.001-0.03
0.005-0.02
Within
Cr
0.01-0.3
0.05-0.4
0.05-0.3
Mo
0.01-0.12
0.02-0.2
0.02-0.12
Cu
0.01-0.4
0.05-0.3
Within
Ni
0.05-0.4
0.05-0.4
Same
Ca
0.0005-0.004
0.0005-0.003
Within
Balance
Fe and impurities
Fe and impurities
Same
KR890 further teaches the steel sheet has a thickness of 100-200 mm, has a microstructure of 70% or more ferrite and the remainder pearlite in terms of area fraction and a crystal grain size of the ferrite being 25 µm or less (KR890, [0010-0015]). While KR890 teaches the slab is forged to form the steel sheet with the above thickness (KR890, [0022]), KR890 does not disclose or suggest a porosity in a central portion is 0.1 mm3/g or less, or a post-weld heat treatment, in which precipitates of fine VC with a diameter of 5-15 nm are 5 or more per 1µm2 as presently claimed.
Therefore, if Applicants correct the remaining formal matters, claims 1-9 can be passed to issue.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIELLE CARDA whose telephone number is (571)270-1240. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30-4:00 EST.
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/DANIELLE M. CARDA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1738