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 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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4 and 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wakabayashi (US 20190030637 A1) in view of Matsuoka et al. (US 20210268597) and Taniguchi (CN 103889634 A).
Regarding claim 1, Wakabayashi discloses “a resistance spot welding method” (abstract, i.e., by obtaining a spot-welded joint) comprising:
“applying a current to a sheet combination of two or more overlapping steel sheets” (abstract, i.e., a plurality of pieces of steel plates 1A and 1B) including “at least one zinc-coated steel sheet” ([0107] (Plating) [0108] A plating layer may be formed on a surface of the high-strength steel plate. Further, it is also possible that a plating layer is formed on a surface of a steel plate to be overlapped with the high-strength steel plate. As kinds of the plating layer, there can be cited, for example, a Zn base) with “the sheet combination” (1A and 1B) “held and pressed by a pair of welding electrodes” (2A and 2B. [0115], i.e., The overlapped steel plates 1A and 1B are sandwiched by welding electrodes 2A and 2B from up and down directions, and by applying a required pressurizing force, the welding electrodes 2A and 2B are energized) “to join the steel sheets together” ([0116] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating one example of a nugget and a heat-affected zone formed by the spot welding. See fig.2 shows the welded nugget form between workpiece in order to join the steel sheets together),
wherein “the current application includes a first current applying step and a second current applying step” (the current application includes a first current applying step (fig.3, Main Welding) and a second current applying step (fig.3, Post-Energization)),
“the first current applying step includeson pages 18-19, Table 4, number I-37, i.e., main welding current 7.3 (kA) and main welding time 320 msec. Examiner noted that “a current value I1 (kA)” merely refers to a first current value. See para.0053 of instant publication application)
“the second current applying step includes growing the nugget” (fig.3, Post-energization and cooling time ts) by “([0139], i.e., the cooling time after main welding ts has to be set to 300 (msec) or less. Examiner noted that the process can be repeated during a period of time at zero-current state such that every 150ms can be used to represent a cooling step and the cooling step for a time duration is being repeated during a total 300 msec) and “a current applying step for applying a current for in a range of 20 ms or more and less than 200 ms” ([0161], i.e., the post-energization time tp should be set to 200 (msec) or less.) at “a current value I2 (kA) greater than or equal to the current value I1 (kA)” (on pages 18-19, Table 4, number I-37, i.e., main welding current 7.3 (kA) which refers to first current applying step Table 4-continued, number I-37, post energization current 7.8 (kA) which refers to a current applying step of the second applying step. 7.8 (kA) is greater than the 7.3 (kA). Examiner noted that “a current value I1 (kA)” merely refers to a first current value. See para.0053 of instant publication application and “a current value I2 (kA)” merely refers to a first current value. See para.0055 of instant publication application).
Matsuoka et al. teaches “the first current applying step includes forming a nugget having a nugget diameter in a range of 3√t or more and 4.5√t or less by setting a current value I (kA) and a weld time” ([0079], i.e., The nuggets have a thickness of 4 √t or more with respect to the sheet thickness (t). Fig.1A shows setting current value I. [0076] the primary energization (35A×tm 32 ms) was performed (heating step). This paragraph discuss the weld time), “where t is a thickness of a ). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify Wakabayashi with Matsuoka et al., by adding Matsuoka’s welding algorithm to Wakabayashi’s controller, to ensure sufficient welding strength based on a size of a welding nugget (para.0079) as taught by Matsuoka et al.
Matsuoka et al. is silent regarding the thickness is a thinnest sheet.
Taniguchi teaches “the thickness is a thinnest sheet” (3 √tm ≤ d ≤ 6 √t tm (1), tm is the thickness [mm] of the thinnest sheet among the at least two steel sheets.). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify Wakabayashi with Taniguchi, by using thinnest sheet for thickness according to Taniguichi’s, to ensure sufficient nugget diameter (para.0016) as taught by Taniguchi.
Regarding claim 2, Wakabayashi discloses “a number of repetitions of the cooling step and the current applying step in the second current applying step is in a range of 2 or more and 10 or less” (figs.3-4 shows a welding cycle forming a nugget and [0037], i.e., an example of first form of an energization pattern). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to repeat the process of the number of repetitions of cooling step and current applying steps (part of one welding cycle) for create multiple welding nuggets (i.e., 2 welding nuggets implies 2 welding cycle) for purpose of welding workpiece together such as vehicle frame parts would require more than one weld spot. MPEP 2143, item I, (E) "Obvious to try" – choosing from a finite number of identified, predictable solutions, with a reasonable expectation of success.
Regarding claim 4, modified Wakabayashi discloses the zinc-coated steel sheet is “a high strength steel sheet having a Ceq of 0.20% or more and a tensile strength of 780 MPa or more, where Ceq is represented by the following formula (1):
Ceq(%)=C+Si/30+Mn/20+2P+4S (1) where, in formula (1), each element symbol represents an amount (mass %) of the corresponding element” (Wakabayashi, [0107] (Plating) [0108] A plating layer may be formed on a surface of the high-strength steel plate. Further, it is also possible that a plating layer is formed on a surface of a steel plate to be overlapped with the high-strength steel plate. As kinds of the plating layer, there can be cited, for example, a Zn base [0030], i.e., a high-strength steel plate whose tensile strength is 750 MPa to 2500 MPa, in which a carbon equivalent Ceq of the high-strength steel plate represented by the following expression (A) is 0.20 mass % to 0.55 mass % … Ceq=[C]+[Si]/30+[Mn]/20+2[P]+4[S]. [0031] [C], [Si], [Mn], [P], and [S] in the above expression (A) indicate respective contents (mass %) of C, Si, Mn, P, and S, and h in the above expression (B), and the above expression (C) indicates a plate thickness of the steel plate (mm)).
Regarding claim 6, modified Wakabayashi discloses the zinc-coated steel sheet is “a high strength steel sheet having a Ceq of 0.20% or more and a tensile strength of 780 MPa or more, where Ceq is represented by the following formula (1):
Ceq(%)=C+Si/30+Mn/20+2P+4S (1) where, in formula (1), each element symbol represents an amount (mass %) of the corresponding element” (Wakabayashi, [0107] (Plating) [0108] A plating layer may be formed on a surface of the high-strength steel plate. Further, it is also possible that a plating layer is formed on a surface of a steel plate to be overlapped with the high-strength steel plate. As kinds of the plating layer, there can be cited, for example, a Zn base [0030], i.e., a high-strength steel plate whose tensile strength is 750 MPa to 2500 MPa, in which a carbon equivalent Ceq of the high-strength steel plate represented by the following expression (A) is 0.20 mass % to 0.55 mass % … Ceq=[C]+[Si]/30+[Mn]/20+2[P]+4[S]. [0031] [C], [Si], [Mn], [P], and [S] in the above expression (A) indicate respective contents (mass %) of C, Si, Mn, P, and S, and h in the above expression (B), and the above expression (C) indicates a plate thickness of the steel plate (mm)).
Claim(s) 3, 5 and 7-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wakabayashi (US 20190030637 A1) in view of Matsuoka et al. (US 20210268597) and Taniguchi (CN 103889634 A) as applied in claims 1-2, 4 and 6 above, and further in view of Xu (CN 108890110 A).
Regarding claims 3 and 5, modified Wakabayashi discloses “nugget diameter in the second current applying step” (it is inherently and necessarily there is a nugget diameter in the second current applying step).
Modified Wakabayashi is silent regarding an amount of increase in nugget diameter in the second current applying step represented by (N2−N1) is 0.1√t or more, where N1 represents a nugget diameter (mm) formed after completion of the first current applying step, and N2 represents a nugget diameter (mm) formed after completion of the first current applying step and the second current applying step.
Xu teaches “an amount of increase in nugget diameter in the second current applying step represented by (N2−N1) is 0.1√t or more, where N1 represents a nugget diameter (mm) formed after completion of the first current applying step, and N2 represents a nugget diameter (mm) formed after completion of the first current applying step and the second current applying step” (on page 3, i.e., steel, thickness is 1.8 mm. 0.1√t when t is 1.8mm = 0.134 mm. On pg4, i.e., welding joint nugget diameter is about 7.22mm… nugget diameter increases about 17%. N2 = 7.22 mm X .17 = 1.2274+7.22 = 8.44. (N2−N1) is 0.1√t or more = 8.44-7.22= 1.2274 which is 0.134 or more). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify Wakabayashi with Xu, by modifying Wakabayashi’s nugget diameter forming method with XU’s nugget diameter forming method, to generate pull strength, advanced strength and weldability (on page 2 and on pages 6-7) as taught by Xu.
Regarding claims 7-8, modified Wakabayashi discloses the zinc-coated steel sheet is “a high strength steel sheet having a Ceq of 0.20% or more and a tensile strength of 780 MPa or more, where Ceq is represented by the following formula (1):
Ceq(%)=C+Si/30+Mn/20+2P+4S (1) where, in formula (1), each element symbol represents an amount (mass %) of the corresponding element” (Wakabayashi, [0107] (Plating) [0108] A plating layer may be formed on a surface of the high-strength steel plate. Further, it is also possible that a plating layer is formed on a surface of a steel plate to be overlapped with the high-strength steel plate. As kinds of the plating layer, there can be cited, for example, a Zn base [0030], i.e., a high-strength steel plate whose tensile strength is 750 MPa to 2500 MPa, in which a carbon equivalent Ceq of the high-strength steel plate represented by the following expression (A) is 0.20 mass % to 0.55 mass % … Ceq=[C]+[Si]/30+[Mn]/20+2[P]+4[S]. [0031] [C], [Si], [Mn], [P], and [S] in the above expression (A) indicate respective contents (mass %) of C, Si, Mn, P, and S, and h in the above expression (B), and the above expression (C) indicates a plate thickness of the steel plate (mm)).
Conclusion
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/JIMMY CHOU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761
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