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 .
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.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on April, 29, 2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendments have not resoled the drawing objections. While Applicant suggests element (299) is the heat sink, this is not what Applicant’s originally filed specification states in para. [0029]: The absorbed heat may be carried away to a heat sink by a liquid coolant pumped through coolant channels 299.
Applicant’s amendments do not appear to have overcome the art of Grapov in view of Huber under USC 103. Specifically, Grapov’s optical aperture is a cone reflector and reflects light at an acute angle and across the optical path (Grapov Fig. 5 - 234, 233, 232). Similarly, Huber teaches the collimating lens downstream of the/an optical aperture (Huber Fig. 3A - 5, 20, 21).
Applicant’s amendments have overcome the USC 102 over Ding.
Applicant’s amendments have resolved the USC 112(b) issues, unless otherwise noted below.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “heat sink” (claim 10) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 (line 7), Examiner suggests -- the first optical aperture[[s]] --
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, 3-10, 11, 13-20 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.
As to claims 1, 11, the claim recites “reflects…the laser light…an acute angle” which is a relative term (MPEP 2173.05(b)). Specifically, what angle is the acute angle? Between the reflected beam and the normal of the reflecting/cone surface? An angle between the reflective/cone surface and the reflected beam? Other? For purposes of compact prosecution, so long as the art teaches the cone reflector, such limitation is necessarily present since and acute angle can be established between any arbitrary lines/planes.
Claims 3-10, 13-20 are rejected as dependent upon claims 1 or 11.
As to claim 16, the claim recites “the receptacle” which lacks antecedent basis.
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 1, 3-7, 9-11, 13-17, 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (CN 206349624 - Yang; text references made to the accompanying machine translation) in view of Huber et al. (US 202/0124806 - Huber; of record).
As to claim 1, Yang teaches an optical assembly to process laser light output from a laser source (Yang Figs. 1-6), the optical assembly comprising
a housing to receive a distal end of an optical fiber that outputs the laser light (Yang Fig. 2 - 1, 2, 3, 4; para. [0004], [0022]);
one or more actively cooled or passively cooled beam traps contained within the housing or coupled to the housing (Yang Fig. 2 - 4; para. [0022]);
a first optical aperture located inside the housing (Yang Fig. 2 - 3; Fig. 4; para. [0022], [0024]), wherein the first optical aperture is disposed along an optical path and defines a first numerical aperture of a first portion of the laser light based on a radial dimension of the first optical aperture (Yang Fig. 4 - 35; Fig. 6), and wherein the first optical aperture is arranged to pass the first portion of light (Yang Fig. 4 - 35; Fig. 6) and to reflect a second different portion of the laser light to the one or more actively cooled or passively cooled beam traps (Yang Fig. 2 - 3, 4; Fig. 4 - 34; Fig. 6; para. [0026]);
a lens positioned downstream from the first optical aperture (Yang Fig. 6 - 30);
wherein the first optical aperture is defined by a cone reflector (Yang Fig. 4 - 34) that reflects the second different portion of the laser light at an acute angle across the optical path (Yang Fig. 4 - 34; Fig. 6).
Yang doesn’t specify the lens is a collimating lens.
In the same field of endeavor Huber teaches providing a collimating lens downstream of an aperture (Huber Fig. 3A - 5, 20; para. [0053]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide a collimating lens since, as taught by Huber, such lenses are well known in the art for collimating light output from the fiber laser (Huber Fig. 3A - 20; para. [0053]).
As to claim 3, Yang in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 1, and Yang further teaches the first portion of the laser light passes through the collimating lens (Yang Fig. 6 - 30).
As to claim 4, Yang in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 1, and Yang further teaches the second different portion of the laser light does not pass through the collimating lens (Yang Fig. 6; para. [0026]).
As to claim 5, Yang in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 1, and Yang further teaches a receptacle for coupling the distal end of the optical fiber to the housing (Yang Fig. 2 - 2, 4).
As to claim 6, Yang in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 5, and Yang further teaches the one or more actively or passively cooled beam traps is enclosed by the receptacle at the distal end of the optical fiber (Yang Fig. 2 - 2, 3, 4; Fig. 3 - 41, 42, 43; Fig. 6).
As to claim 7, Yang in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 1, and Yang further teaches the first optical aperture is defined by a convergent cone reflector (Yang Fig. 4 - 34).
As to claim 9, Yang in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 1, and Yang further teaches the one or more actively cooled or passively cooled beam traps are located in a chamber having an interior surface plated to selectively reflect or absorb the redirected second portion of the laser light (Yang Fig. 4 - 34, 33; Fig. 6; para. [0026]).
As to claim 10, Yang in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 9, and Yang further teaches a heat sink thermally coupled to the interior surface of the chamber (Yang Fig. 3 - 42, 43; para. [0023], [0027]), wherein the heat sink is air-cooled or liquid-cooled (Yang Fig. 3 - 42, 43; para. [0023], [0027]).
As to claim 11, Yang teaches an optical assembly to process laser light output from a laser source (Yang Figs. 1-6), the optical assembly comprising
a housing to receive a distal end of an optical fiber that outputs the laser light (Yang Fig. 2 - 1, 2, 3, 4; para. [0004], [0022]);
one or more beam traps contained within the housing or coupled to the housing (Yang Fig. 2 - 3, 4; para. [0022]), the one or more beam traps configured to receive laser light and convert the received laser light to heat (Yang para. [0007], [0026], [0027]);
means for removing the heat from the housing (Yang Fig. 2 - 4; para. [0007], [0026], [0027]), the heat removal means thermally coupled to the one or more beam traps (Yang Fig. 2 - 4; Fig. 3 - 41, 42, 43; para. [0023], [0026], [0027]);
a first optical aperture located inside the housing (Yang Fig. 2 - 3; Fig. 4; para. [0022], [0024]), wherein the first optical aperture is disposed along an optical path and defines a first numerical aperture of a first portion of the laser light based on a radial dimension of the first optical aperture (Yang Fig. 4 - 35; Fig. 6), and wherein the first optical aperture is arranged to pass the first portion of light (Yang Fig. 4 - 35; Fig. 6) and to reflect a second different portion of the laser light to the one or more beam traps (Yang Fig. 2 - 3, 4; Fig. 4 - 34; Fig. 6; para. [0026]);
a lens positioned downstream from the first optical aperture (Yang Fig. 6 - 30);
wherein laser light received by the one or more beam traps for conversion to heat comprises the second different portion of the laser light (Yang Fig. 6; para. [0026]);
wherein the first optical aperture is defined by a cone reflector (Yang Fig. 4 - 34) that reflects the second different portion of the laser light at an acute angle across the optical path (Yang Fig. 4 - 34; Fig. 6).
Yang doesn’t specify the lens is a collimating lens.
In the same field of endeavor Huber teaches providing a collimating lens downstream of an aperture (Huber Fig. 3A - 5, 20; para. [0053]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide a collimating lens since, as taught by Huber, such lenses are well known in the art for collimating light output from the fiber laser (Huber Fig. 3A - 20; para. [0053])
As to claim 13, Yang in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 11, and Yang further teaches the first portion of the laser light passes through the collimating lens (Yang Fig. 6 - 30).
As to claim 14, Yang in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 11, and Yang further teaches the second different portion of the laser light does not pass through the collimating lens (Yang Fig. 6; para. [0026]).
As to claim 15, Yang in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 11, and Yang further teaches means for coupling the distal end of the optical fiber to the housing (Yang Fig. 2 - 2, 4).
As to claim 16, Yang in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 15, and Yang further teaches the one or more beam traps is enclosed by the receptacle at the distal end of the optical fiber (Yang Fig. 2 - 2, 3, 4; Fig. 3 - 41, 42, 43; Fig. 6).
As to claim 17, Yang in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 11, and Yang further teaches the first optical aperture is defined by a convergent cone reflector (Yang Fig. 4 - 34).
As to claim 19, Yang in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 11, and Yang further teaches the one or more beam traps are located in a chamber having an interior surface plated to selectively reflect or absorb the redirected second portion of the laser light (Yang Fig. 4 - 34, 33; Fig. 6; para. [0026]).
As to claim 20, Yang in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 9, and Yang further teaches the heat removal means is thermally coupled to the interior surface of the chamber (Yang Fig. 1 - 3, 4; para. [0007], [0026], [0027]).
Claims 8, 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang in view of Huber as applied to claim 1 and 11 above, and further in view of Ding et al. (CN 210334786 - Ding; of record).
As to claims 8, 18, Yang in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claims 1, 11, but doesn’t specify a second optical aperture located inside the housing and downstream from the first optical aperture, the second optical aperture defines a second NA of part of the first portion of the laser light based on a radial dimension of the second optical aperture, the second optical aperture is arranged to pass a part of the first portion of the light and redirect a third different part of the first portion of the laser light to the one or more actively cooled or passively cooled beam traps.
In the same field of endeavor Ding teaches an optical assembly for laser processing comprising a first optical aperture (Ding Fig. 2 - 32) and a second optical aperture inside a housing and downstream from the first optical aperture (Ding Fig. 2 - 32, 33; para. [0025]),
the second optical aperture defines a second NA of part of the first portion of the laser light based on a radial dimension of the second optical aperture (Ding Fig. 2 - 33; Fig. 4 - 33; para. [0020], [0024]),
the second optical aperture is arranged to pass a part of the first portion of the light and redirect a third different part of the first portion of the laser light to the one or more actively cooled or passively cooled beam traps (Ding Fig. 2 - 33, 31).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to provide such second aperture since, as taught by Ding, such aperture allows for defining the laser light cone and creating the laser light cavity to trap stray light in the heat dissipation cavity (Ding Fig. 2 - 32, 33; para. [0024], [0026], [0027]).
Claims are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Grapov (US 2019/0039172; of record) in view of Huber et al. (US 2020/0124806 - Huber; of record).
As to claim 1, Grapov teaches an optical assembly to process laser light output from a laser source (Grapov Fig. 5 - 210, 208; para. [0018]), the optical assembly comprising
a housing to receive a distal end of an optical fiber that outputs the laser light (Grapov Fig. 5 - 220, 221)
one or more actively or passively cooled beam traps contained within the housing or coupled to the housing (Grapov Fig. 5 - 232, 233; para. [0023], [0025] - beam trap (232, 233) within housing actively cooled by water passages between (220, 221));
a first optical aperture located inside the housing (Grapov Fig. 5 - 234, 235; para. [0025]), wherein the first optical aperture is disposed along an optical path and defines a first numerical aperture (NA) of a first portion of the laser light based on a radial dimension of the first optical aperture (Grapov Fig. 5 - 2, 234, 235; para. [0030]), wherein first optical aperture is arranged to pass the first portion of the light and to reflect a second different portion of the laser light to the one or more actively cooled or passively cooled beam traps (Grapov Fig. 5 - 2, 4, 234, 235);
the first optical aperture is defined by a cone reflector that reflects the second different portion of the laser light at an acute angle across the optical path (Grapov Fig. 5 - 4, 234, 233; para. [0040]).
Grapov doesn’t specify a collimating lens positioned downstream from the first optical aperture.
In the same field of endeavor Huber teaches providing a collimating lens downstream of an aperture (Huber Fig. 3A - 5, 20; para. [0053]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide a collimating lens since, as taught by Huber, such lenses are well known in the art for collimating light output from the fiber laser (Huber Fig. 3A - 20; para. [0053]).
As to claim 3, Grapov in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 1, and Grapov/Huber further teaches the first portion of the laser light passes through the collimating lens (Grapov Fig. 5 - 2; Huber Fig. 1A - 5, 6; Fig. 3A - 5, 20).
As to claim 4, Grapov in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 1, and Grapov/Huber further the second different portion of the laser light does not pass through the collimating lens (Huber Figs. 1A, 2A; Grapov Fig. 5 - 4).
As to claim 5, Grapov in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 1, and Grapov further teaches a receptacle for coupling the distal end of the optical fiber (Grapov Fig. 5 - 226; para. [0022]).
As to claim 6, Grapov in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 5, and Grapov further teaches one or more actively cooled or passively cooled beam traps is enclosed by the receptacle at the distal end of the optical fiber (Grapov Fig. 5 - 208, 4, 232, 233).
As to claim 7, Grapov in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 1, and Grapov further teaches the first optical aperture is defined by a convergent cone reflector (Grapov Fig. 5 - 2, 4, 234, 235).
As to claim 9, Grapov in view of Huber eaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 1, and Grapov further teaches the one or more actively cooled or passively cooled beam traps are located in a chamber having an interior surface plated to selectively reflect or absorb the redirected second portion of the laser light (Grapov Fig. 5 - 232, 234, 233).
As to claim 10, Grapov in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 9, and Grapov further teaches a heat sink thermally coupled to the interior surface of the chamber, wherein the heat sink is air-cooled or liquid-cooled (Grapov Fig. 4 - 228; Fig. 5 - 220, 221; para. [0023], [0024]).
As to claim 11, Grapov teaches an optical assembly to process laser light output from a laser source (Grapov Fig. 5), the optical assembly comprising
a housing to receive a distal end of an optical fiber that outputs the laser light (Grapov Fig. 5 - 220, 221)
one or more beam traps contained within the housing or coupled to the housing (Grapov Fig. 5 - 232, 233; para. [0023], [0025]), the one or more beam traps configured to receive laser light and convert the received laser light to heat (Grapov Fig. 5 - 232, 233; para. [0023], [0025]);
means for removing the heat from the housing (Grapov Fig. 4 - 228; Fig. 5 - 220, 221; para. [0023], [0024]), the heat removal means thermally coupled to the one or more beam traps (Grapov Fig. 4 - 228; Fig. 5 - 220, 221, 232; para. [0023], [0024]);
a first optical aperture located inside the housing (Grapov Fig. 5 - 234, 235; para. [0025]), wherein the first optical aperture is disposed along an optical path and defines a first numerical aperture (NA) of a first portion of the laser light based on a radial dimension of the first optical aperture (Grapov Fig. 5 - 2, 234, 235; para. [0030]), wherein first optical aperture is arranged to pass the first portion of the light and to reflect a second different portion of the laser light to the one or more actively cooled or passively cooled beam traps (Grapov Fig. 5 - 2, 4, 234, 235);
wherein the laser light received by the one or more beam traps for conversion to heat comprises the second different portion of the laser light (Grapov Fig. 5 - 4; para. [0030]);
the first optical aperture is defined by a cone reflector that reflects the second different portion of the laser light at an acute angle across the optical path (Grapov Fig. 5 - 4, 234, 233; para. [0040]).
Grapov doesn’t specify a collimating lens positioned downstream from the first optical aperture.
In the same field of endeavor Huber teaches providing a collimating lens downstream of an aperture (Huber Fig. 3A - 5, 20; para. [0053]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide a collimating lens since, as taught by Huber, such lenses are well known in the art for collimating light output from the fiber laser (Huber Fig. 3A - 20; para. [0053]).
As to claim 13, Grapov in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 11, and Grapov/Huber further teaches the first portion of the laser light passes through the collimating lens (Grapov Fig. 5 - 2; Huber Fig. 1A - 5, 6; Fig. 3A - 5, 20).
As to claim 14, Grapov in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 11, and Grapov/Huber further the second different portion of the laser light does not pass through the collimating lens (Huber Figs. 1A, 2A; Grapov Fig. 5 - 4).
As to claim 15, Grapov in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 11, and Grapov further teaches means for coupling the distal end of the optical fiber to the housing (Grapov Fig. 5 - 226; para. [0022]).
As to claim 16, Grapov in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 15, and Grapov further teaches one or more beam traps is enclosed by the receptacle at the distal end of the optical fiber (Grapov Fig. 5 - 208, 4, 232, 233).
As to claim 17, Grapov in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 11, and Grapov further teaches the at least one optical aperture is defined by a convergent cone reflector (Grapov Fig. 5 - 2, 4, 234, 235).
As to claim 19, Grapov in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 11, and Grapov further teaches the one or more beam traps are located in a chamber having an interior surface plated to selectively reflect or absorb the second portion of the laser light (Grapov Fig. 5 - 232; para. [0025]).
As to claim 20, Grapov in view of Huber teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 19, and Grapov further teaches the heat removal means is thermally coupled to the interior surface of the chamber (Grapov Fig. 4 - 228; Fig. 5 - 220, 221; para. [0023], [0024]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Suzuki et al. (JP 2000-254792); Hayashi et al. (JP H05-212571) are cited as additional examples of laser processing systems with cone reflectors and/or apertures.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZACHARY W WILKES whose telephone number is (571)270-7540. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4 (Pacific).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ricky Mack can be reached at 571-272-2333. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ZACHARY W WILKES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872 May 14, 2026
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