DETAILED ACTION
In Application filed 6/6/2023, claims 1-3, 5 and 7-9 are pending. Claims 1-3 and 7-8 are elected in response to restriction requirement filed 5/14/2025 and remain uncancelled and are examined herein. Claims 5 and 9 and withdrawn, but would seem to be applicable to rejoinder should they be amended in a manner consistent with eventual limitations that make similar claims allowable – should such occur. Claims 1-3 and 7-8 are considered in current Office Action.
Further Discussion
Should applicant desire, I invite further discussion via interview for better mutual understanding of interpretations and prior art references.
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
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3 and 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 20100323047 (“Fridley”).
Regarding claim 1, Fridley teaches a cutter blade ([0013] cutter hub system) comprising:
an insert member ([0048] cutting blade 48) comprising a cutting-edge part ([0048] cutting edges) configured to slide along a plate surface ([0048] cutting edges aligns and rotate along the plate surface of die face 26) of a die plate ([0048] die plate 18),
the plate surface having a hole formed therein ([0061] die holes of die plate), and thereby to cut a material extruded from the hole onto the plate surface ([0061] the cutting blade cuts material extruded from the holes onto the die face),
and an insert part (Fig. 2, [0049], blades 48 are inserted into arm 50) having a first surface (Fig. 2, first surface is side surface of blade 48 closer to the center of the cutting hub) and a second surface opposed to the first surface (Fig. 2, second surface is the side surface of blade 48 closer to the circumference of the cutting hub),
the insert part being connected to the cutting-edge part ([0048] cutting blades include cutting edge);
and a main part (Fig. 2, cutter hub 46) configured to support the insert member by sandwiching the first and second surfaces (Fig. 2, [0049], cutting blade is sandwiched within the notch 52 which supports the blade).
Regarding claim 2, Fridley teaches the insert member contains a metal as its material ([0013] cutting blade is made of metal), and the main part contains at least one of a resin, a metal, and ceramic as its material ([0013] components of cutting hub are all made of metal).
Regarding claim 3, Fridley teaches the insert part (blade 48) has an edge surface (Fig. 2, bottom surface of blade 48 that contacts the notch 52) connected to a peripheral edge of the first surface (since blade 48 is a block, the peripheral edge of the side surface necessarily connect to the bottom surface) and a peripheral edge of the second surface (similar to the case of the first surface, the peripheral edge of the second side surface necessarily connect to the bottom surface), and the edge surface, which is opposed to a part of the insert part to which the cutting-edge part is connected (the cutting edge is connected to the top surface of blade because that is the surface that faces the die face), is in contact with the main part (Fig. 2, bottom surface of blade 48 that contacts the notch 52 of hub 46).
Regarding claim 1, Fridley teaches the insert member supported by the main part can be replaced ([0029] the blades can be replaced).
Regarding claim 1, Fridley teaches the cutting-edge part has a sliding surface configured to slide over the plate surface ([0006] the cutting edge slides over the die face), and the main part has a bottom surface that is flush with the sliding surface (Fig. 2, the surface of hub 46 connects with the sliding surface or the opposite of the edge surface of the blade 48).
Regarding claim 7, Fridley teaches the main part (cutter hub 46) comprises: an attaching part (Fig. 2, arm 50) configured to be connected to a cutter blade holder part (Fig. 2, arm 50 is connected to notch 52) configured to transmit power for sliding the cutter blade ([0006] torque is transmitted to the cutting blades) along the plate surface ([0006] the blades are rotating parallel to the die face);
and a ridge part (Fig. 2, outer periphery part of the arm 50) in contact with the cutting-edge part (Fig. 2, notch 52 attaches the blade 48), and a bottom surface of the attaching part is flush with the sliding surface (the surface of the outer periphery part of the arm 50 is connected to the sliding surface that faces the die face).
Regarding claim 8, Fridley teaches the ridge part and the attaching part have a groove in which the insert part is sandwiched (Fig. 2, the arm 50 includes notch 52 which has groove that contains the blade).
Claims 1-3 and 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by DE 102017223708.
Claim 1 is directed to a cutter blade, DE102017223708A1 discloses a granulation device and method for granulating strands of material and specifically reveals the following content (see paragraphs 10 and 24-45 of the description and FIGS. 1-5): a cutter blade comprising a cutter head 22, wherein the cutter head 22 comprises a cutter carrier 29 to which several granulating cutters 30, 31, 32 (i.e., the insert member) are attached, for this purpose, the cutter carrier 29 has a corresponding number of cutter arms 33, 34, 35 (i.e., the main part), which extend radially from a support
section 36 relative to the axis of rotation 27. From FIGS. 3-4, it could be determined that the main part includes a first surface and a second surface, and the insert member includes an insert part and a cutting-edge part; to manufacture the material strands, the material melt S is conveyed through the perforated plate 10 (i.e., the die plate) by means of the extruder 2; the cutter slides along a plate surface having a hole formed therein and thereby cuts the extruded material. Further, the cutter arm 33 is L-shaped in cross section and has a support section 39 and an adjustment section 40; the granulating cutter 30 rests against the support section 39 and is clamped and thus fastened against the support
section 39 by means of an adjusting element 41, which reads on sandwiching. Further taught: the cutter carrier material M1 is an alloy formed of at least two materials from the group; the cutter carrier material M1 is in particular an alloy with at least 80 wt% aluminum, magnesium or copper; the insert member can be replaced quickly; the granulation cutters 30, 31, 32 are formed of a cutter material M2; from FIGS. 3-4, it could be determined that the insert part has an edge surface connected to a peripheral edge of the first surface and a peripheral edge of the second surface, and the edge surface, which is opposed to a part of the insert part to which the cutting-edge part is connected, is in contact with the main part.
Broadly recited and shown in the figures are ridged parts with groove for sandwiching the insert part, and flush surfaces upon which the blade and sliding surface meet (Figures 1-5).
Claims 1-3 and 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by CN 208730060.
The following rejection is adapted as thoroughly as possible with given translation from prior rejections (with additional analysis) as provided in disclosures.
Regarrding claim 1, CN 208730060 teaches a cutter blade (Figs 1 and 3, cutter hub system) comprising:
an insert member comprising a cutting-edge part configured to slide along a plate surface (cutting edges aligns and rotate along the plate surface of die face ) of a die plate (die plate),
the plate surface having a hole formed therein die holes of die plate), and thereby to cut a material extruded from the hole onto the plate surface the cutting blade cuts material extruded from the holes onto the die face),
and an insert part having a first surface nd a second surface opposed to the first surface,
the insert part being connected to the cutting-edge part;
and a main part configured to support the insert member by sandwiching the first and second surfaces.
Regarding claim 2, CN 208730060 teaches the insert member contains a metal as its material, and the main part contains at least one of a resin, a metal, and ceramic as its material components of cutting hub are all made of metal.
Regarding claim 3, CN 208730060 teaches the insert part (blade) has an edge surface connected to a peripheral edge of the first surface and a peripheral edge of the second surface (similar to the case of the first surface, the peripheral edge of the second side surface necessarily connect to the bottom surface), and the edge surface, which is opposed to a part of the insert part to which the cutting-edge part is connected (the cutting edge is connected to the top surface of blade because that is the surface that faces the die face), is in contact with the main part.
Regarding claim 1, CN 208730060 teaches the insert member supported by the main part can be replaced ( the blades can be replaced).
Regarding claim 1, CN 208730060 teaches the cutting-edge part has a sliding surface configured to slide over the plate surface ( the cutting edge slides over the die face), and the main part has a bottom surface that is flush with the sliding surface.
Regarding claim 7, CN 208730060 teaches the main part comprises: an attaching part configured to be connected to a cutter blade holder part configured to transmit power for sliding the cutter blade (torque is transmitted to the cutting blades) along the plate surface (the blades are rotating parallel to the die face);
and a ridge partin contact with the cutting-edge part, and a bottom surface of the attaching part is flush with the sliding surface (the surface of the outer periphery part of the arm is connected to the sliding surface that faces the die face).
Regarding claim 8, CN 208730060 teaches the ridge part and the attaching part have a groove in which the insert part is sandwiched.
Broadly recited and shown in the figures are ridged parts with groove for sandwiching the insert part, and flush surfaces upon which the blade and sliding surface meet (Figures 1-5).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 11/5/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. While the examiner may agree with the applicant that the prior “claim interpretation” section was unnecessary, the examiner notes that the claims are still read on by the previous references. While “flush” is understood from the specification and is a term readily envisaged, it is also broad. The applicant seems to argue that differences in whether particular entire surfaces are flush are cause for the claims to be non-obvious over the art. The breadth of the claim however allows for portions of features claimed being flush or otherwise touching is sufficient to read on the claims and thus the claims would have to be further narrowed for possible differentiation.
As best can be understood from the references provided, the claim limitations are present in the cited prior art in rejections made by other offices, especially noting the lack of specificity of the flush arrangement and the breadth of interpretation.
Applicant and/or representative are invited to reach out to examiner for further discussion if such may provide clarity of the inventive subject matter sought.
Conclusion
Applicant's submission of an information disclosure statement under 37 CFR 1.97(c) with the timing fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(p) on three dates coincident with the time range of their reply and the time after the last Office action prompted the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 609.04(b). 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 Joseph S Del Sole whose telephone number is (571)272-1130. The examiner can normally be reached Generally Monday - Friday, 9-5.
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, Joseph Del Sole can be reached at 5712721130. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOSEPH S DEL SOLE/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1763
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