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
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 1-15 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.
Claim 1, line 11 recites “the basis”; claim 4, line 5 recites “the opposite”; claim 9, line 17 recites “the basis”; claim 12, line 7 recites “the opposite”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Regarding claims 4, 8, 12 and 15 recites the phrase "preferably", which renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Claims 2, 3, 5-7, 10, 11, 13 and 14 are also rejected because they are dependent upon claims 1 and 9.
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 and 2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being Artelsmair (US 2007/0056944).
With respect to the limitations of claim 1, Artelsmair teaches a method for carrying out a multiple welding method with at least two consumable electrodes on a parent material (Fig 1, 0031, double-wire/tandem welding, 0031), a welding process being carried out at each electrode after an arc is ignited between the electrode (0031, double-wire/tandem welding) and the parent material (workpiece 16, 0035), and the welding processes of the at least two electrodes being synchronized in time, a welding process having a short-circuit welding phase (Figs 2-5, cold-metal transfer phase 28, 0044, 0046, starting from workpiece 16 until contacting the workpiece 16 at time 31. After having created a short circuit) and a hot-welding phase (pulse current phase 27, 0044), which has a higher heat input into the parent material relative to the short-circuit welding phase (0049, this is realized in that the pulse energy, in particular the welding current I, is lower during the cold-metal-transfer phase 28 than the pulse energy, in particular the welding current I, during the pulse current phase 27), is carried out at the at least two electrodes, the short-circuit welding phase and the hot-welding phase alternating periodically (see figures 2-5, shows alternating phases 27, 28), and at least the short-circuit welding phases of the welding processes of the at least two electrodes are synchronized in time on the basis of at least one defined first synchronization event (initial pulse current phase 27) per short-circuit welding phase (Figs 2-5 shows second phase 28 occurring at a set / synchronized time after first phase 28, 0045, carry out the at least one further welding process phase, for instance the cold-metal-transfer phase 28, once, or several consecutive times, only at a pregiven time).
With respect to the limitations of claim 2, Artelsmair teaches the short-circuit welding phases are synchronized in time by providing a first phase shift (Figs 2-5, first phase shift defined by time between initial pulse current phase 27 and initial cold-metal-transfer phase 28) between the first synchronization events;
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 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Artelsmair (US 2007/0056944) in view of Henry (US 2015/0343549).
With respect to the limitations of claim 1, Artelsmair teaches a method for carrying out a multiple welding method with at least two consumable electrodes on a parent material (Fig 1, 0031, double-wire/tandem welding, 0031), a welding process being carried out at each electrode after an arc is ignited between the electrode (0031, double-wire/tandem welding) and the parent material (workpiece 16, 0035), and the welding processes of the at least two electrodes being synchronized in time, a welding process having a short-circuit welding phase (Figs 2-5, cold-metal transfer phase 28, 0044, 0046, starting from workpiece 16 until contacting the workpiece 16 at time 31. After having created a short circuit) and a hot-welding phase (pulse current phase 27, 0044), which has a higher heat input into the parent material relative to the short-circuit welding phase (0049, this is realized in that the pulse energy, in particular the welding current I, is lower during the cold-metal-transfer phase 28 than the pulse energy, in particular the welding current I, during the pulse current phase 27), is carried out at the at least two electrodes, the short-circuit welding phase and the hot-welding phase alternating periodically (see figures 2-5, shows alternating phases 27, 28). Artelsmair discloses the claimed invention except for explicitly showing and at least the short-circuit welding phases of the welding processes of the at least two electrodes are synchronized in time on the basis of at least one defined first synchronization event per short-circuit welding phase.
However, Henry discloses at least the short-circuit welding phases of the welding processes of the at least two electrodes (Figs 8A-8C, electrodes E1, E2, 0021) are synchronized in time on the basis of at least one defined first synchronization event per short-circuit welding phase (Figs 1, 2, 5, synchronizing controller 300, 0020, 0028, 0040) is known in the art. It would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to adapt the method for carrying out a multiple welding method with at least two consumable electrodes on a parent material having a short-circuit welding phase and hot-welding phase of Artelsmair silent to the recited synchronization with at least the short-circuit welding phases of the welding processes of the at least two electrodes are synchronized in time on the basis of at least one defined first synchronization event per short-circuit welding phase of Henry the purpose of providing a known synchronization configuration that allows the electrodes to be placed in closer proximity to each other and reduces spatter (0020).
With respect to the limitations of claims 2 and 3, Artelsmair in view of Henry discloses the short-circuit welding phases are synchronized in time by providing a first phase shift between the first synchronization events (Henry, 0020, welds are provided at staggered times or a controllable phase relationship to each other);
a point in time at which a short circuit is formed in the short-circuit welding phase or a point in time at which a feed rate is increased to form a short circuit or a point in time at which a welding current is reduced to form a short circuit is used as the first synchronization event (Henry, Fig 5, short interval 540a, 540b, switch signal 172, 272, 0039, 0040);
With respect to the limitations of claims 4 and 5, Artelsmair teaches in the short-circuit welding phase at least one short-circuit cycle is carried out, in which the relevant electrode is moved towards the parent material until a short circuit is formed and, after the short circuit is formed, is moved away from the parent material in the opposite direction (Figs 2-5, cold-metal-transfer phase 28, 0044, 0066) with preferably two to ten short-circuit cycles being carried out in the short-circuit welding phase;
a pulse welding phase or a spray are welding phase is used as the hot-welding phase, multiple pulse cycles which follow one another with a pulse frequency being carried out in the pulse welding phase, in each of which cycles a base current phase having a base current and a pulse current phase having a pulse current that is higher relative to the base current alternate (Figs 2-5, pulse current phase 27, 0044, 0048), and a constant welding current is used in the spray arc welding phase.
With respect to the limitations of claims 6, 7 and 8, Artelsmair discloses the claimed invention except for the pulse welding phases of the welding processes of the at least two electrodes are synchronized in time on the basis of at least one defined second synchronization event per pulse welding phase; the pulse welding phases are synchronized in time by providing a second phase shift between the second synchronization events; a characteristic point in time in the pulse welding phase is used as the second synchronization event, preferably a point in time of a change in a welding parameter or a point in time of a droplet detachment from the electrode.
However, the pulse welding phases of the welding processes of the at least two electrodes are synchronized in time on the basis of at least one defined second synchronization event per pulse welding phase; the pulse welding phases are synchronized in time by providing a second phase shift between the second synchronization events; a characteristic point in time in the pulse welding phase is used as the second synchronization event, preferably a point in time of a change in a welding parameter or a point in time of a droplet detachment from the electrode is known in the art. Henry, for example, discloses the welding phases of the welding processes of the at least two electrodes (Figs 8A-8C, electrodes E1, E2, 0021) are synchronized in time on the basis of at least one defined second synchronization event per welding phase (Figs 1, 2, 5, synchronizing controller 300, 0020, 0028, 0040); the welding phases are synchronized in time by providing a second phase shift between the second synchronization events (0020, welds are provided at staggered times or a controllable phase relationship to each other); a characteristic point in time in the welding phase is used as the second synchronization event, preferably a point in time of a change in a welding parameter or a point in time of a droplet detachment from the electrode (Fig 5, short interval 540a, 540b, switch signal 172, 272, 0039, 0040). It would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to adapt the method for carrying out a multiple welding method with at least two consumable electrodes on a parent material having a short-circuit welding phase and hot-welding phase of Artelsmair silent to the recited synchronization with the pulse welding phases of the welding processes of the at least two electrodes are synchronized in time on the basis of at least one defined second synchronization event per pulse welding phase; the pulse welding phases are synchronized in time by providing a second phase shift between the second synchronization events; a characteristic point in time in the pulse welding phase is used as the second synchronization event, preferably a point in time of a change in a welding parameter or a point in time of a droplet detachment from the electrode of Henry for the purpose of providing a known synchronization configuration that allows the electrodes to be placed in closer proximity to each other and reduces spatter (0020).
With respect to the limitations of claim 9, Artelsmair teaches an apparatus (Fig 1, welding apparatus 1, 0031, 0032) for carrying out a multiple welding (double-wire/tandem welding, 0031) method, the control unit (control device 4, 0032) is designed to each carry out a welding process having a short-circuit welding phase (Figs 2-5, cold-metal transfer phase 28, 0044, 0046, starting from workpiece 16 until contacting the workpiece 16 at time 31. After having created a short circuit) and a hot-welding phase (pulse current phase 27, 0044) with a higher heat input into the parent material relative to the short-circuit welding phase (0049, this is realized in that the pulse energy, in particular the welding current I, is lower during the cold-metal-transfer phase 28 than the pulse energy, in particular the welding current I, during the pulse current phase 27), which alternate periodically (see figures 2-5, shows alternating phases 27, 28).
Artelsmair discloses the claimed invention except for the welding apparatus comprising at least two welding tools for carrying out a welding process with a consumable electrode on a parent material are provided in the apparatus, each welding tool having a control unit for controlling the welding process, and the control units of the at least two welding tools being connected via a communication link in order to synchronize the welding processes in time, and wherein at least the control unit of a first welding tool is designed to transmit at least one piece of synchronization information about a defined first synchronization event of the short-circuit welding phase of the welding process carried out with the first welding tool via the communication link to the control unit of the at least one second welding tool, the control unit of the at least one second welding tool being designed to synchronize the welding process carried out with the second welding tool in time with the welding process of the first welding tool by the obtained synchronization information on the basis of a defined first synchronization event of the short-circuit welding phase of the welding process carried out with the second welding tool.
However, Henry discloses the welding apparatus (Figs 1-3, 8, dual welding apparatus 10, 0021) comprising at least two welding tools (first welding machine 20, second welding machine 30, 0021) for carrying out a welding process with a consumable electrode (electrodes E1, E2, 0021) on a parent material (workpieces P1, P2, 0021) are provided in the apparatus, each welding tool having a control unit for controlling (high-speed controller 170, 270, 0024) the welding process, and the control units of the at least two welding tools being connected via a communication link (Figs 1, 2, synchronizing controller 40, 300, connected to welder 20, 30 and high-speed controller 170, 270, 0021, 0024, 0027) in order to synchronize the welding processes in time (0020, 0028, 0040), and at least the control unit of a first welding tool is designed to transmit at least one piece of synchronization information about a defined first synchronization event of the short-circuit welding phase of the welding process carried out with the first welding tool via the communication link to the control unit of the at least one second welding tool, the control unit of the at least one second welding tool being designed to synchronize the welding process carried out with the second welding tool in time with the welding process of the first welding tool by the obtained synchronization information (0026-0028) on the basis of a defined first synchronization event of the short-circuit welding phase of the welding process (0020, 0028, 0040) carried out with the second welding tool is known in the art. It would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to multiple welding apparatus with at least two consumable electrodes on a parent material having a short-circuit welding phase and hot-welding phase of Artelsmair silent to the recited at least two welding tools and phase synchronization the welding apparatus comprising at least two welding tools for carrying out a welding process with a consumable electrode on a parent material are provided in the apparatus, each welding tool having a control unit for controlling the welding process, and the control units of the at least two welding tools being connected via a communication link in order to synchronize the welding processes in time, and wherein at least the control unit of a first welding tool is designed to transmit at least one piece of synchronization information about a defined first synchronization event of the short-circuit welding phase of the welding process carried out with the first welding tool via the communication link to the control unit of the at least one second welding tool, the control unit of the at least one second welding tool being designed to synchronize the welding process carried out with the second welding tool in time with the welding process of the first welding tool by the obtained synchronization information on the basis of a defined first synchronization event of the short-circuit welding phase of the welding process carried out with the second welding tool of Henry for the purpose of providing a known tandem welding and synchronization configuration that allows the electrodes to be placed in closer proximity to each other and reduces spatter (0020).
Claim 10 is similarly rejected as set forth in the rejection of claim 2 above.
Claim 11 is similarly rejected as set forth in the rejection of claim 3 above.
Claim 12 is similarly rejected as set forth in the rejection of claim 4 above.
Claim 13 is similarly rejected as set forth in the rejection of claim 5 above.
Claims 14 and 15 are similarly rejected as set forth in the rejection of claims 6, 7 and 8 above.
Conclusion
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/THIEN S TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761 2/18/2026