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 .
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.
Claim 5 requires wherein the second bead is formed under a condition in which only an upper sheet is melted and a lower sheet is not melted. This feature is not shown in the drawings.
Claim 6 requires molten metal from the second irradiation process flows toward a finishing end region of the first bead. This feature is not shown in the drawings.
Therefore, the abovementioned features 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 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.
The term “substantially” in claims 3, 4 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “substantially” 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fujikura (WIPO Publication WO 2018/169033 A1).
As per claim 1, Fujikura (WIPO Publication WO 2018/169033 A1) discloses a laser welding joint comprising: a first bead formed along a first path (Loc1; figure 1); and a second bead formed along a second path (Loc 2), wherein a side portion or a starting end portion of the second bead is formed so as to overlap with a finishing end region of the first bead (the side portion of the bead formed by Loc2 would overlap with the finishing end region between P21 and P3; figure 1), and a starting point of the second path is at a position different to a finishing point of the first path (starting point P5 of Loc2 is different from the finishing point P3 of Loc1; figure 1).
As per claim 3, Fujikura discloses the laser welding joint of claim 1, wherein: the second bead (Loc2) extends in a direction substantially parallel to the finishing end region of the first bead (as shown; figure 1); and
the side portion of the second bead overlaps with the finishing end region of the first bead (as shown; figure 1).
As per claim 4, Fujikura discloses the laser welding joint of claim 3, wherein: wherein a scanning direction of the second path is a direction toward a side of the finishing point of the first path (as shown; figure 1).
As per claim 5, Fujikura discloses the laser welding joint of claim 1, wherein: wherein the second bead is formed under a condition in which only an upper sheet is melted and a lower sheet is not melted (Loc2 makes a non-penetrating bead 20a which does not melt second workpiece 14 as shown; figure 2).
As per claim 6, Fujikura discloses a laser welding method comprising: a first irradiation process in which a laser is irradiated along a first path to form a first bead (Loc1; figure 1); a movement process in which a laser sight is moved from a finishing point of the first path to a starting point of a second path without laser irradiation (from P1 to P3; figure 1); and a second irradiation process in which a laser is irradiated along the second path to form a second bead (the side portion of the bead formed by Loc2 would overlap with the finishing end region between P21 and P3; figure 1), wherein the second irradiation process is performed such that molten metal from the second irradiation process flows toward a finishing end region of the first bead (as shown; figures 6, 7).
Claim(s) 1, 3-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Umeyama (U.S. Patent No. 10,493,563)).
As per claim 1, Umeyama (U.S. Patent No. 10,493,563) discloses a laser welding joint comprising: a first bead formed along a first path (see annotated figure 24 below); and a second bead formed along a second path, wherein a side portion or a starting end portion of the second bead is formed so as to overlap with a finishing end region of the first bead (see annotated figure 24 below), and a starting point of the second path is at a position different to a finishing point of the first path (starting point P5 of Loc2 is different from the finishing point P3 of Loc1; figure 1).
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As per claim 2, Umeyama discloses the laser welding joint of claim 1, wherein: the second bead extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the finishing end region of the first bead; and the starting end portion of the second bead overlaps with the finishing end region of the first bead (see annotated figure 24 above).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hagihara (U.S. Patent No. 8,575,512) teaches laser lap welding method having two beads wherein the first bead crosses the second bead.
Kaiser (U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2022/0152737) teaches a method of laser welding having perpendicular segments.
Nishi (U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2020/0384574) teaches a welding method by overlapping adjacent welds.
Hayashimoto (U.S. Patent No. 9,308,602) teaches a laser lap welding method that overlaps at the end of the weld.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SANG K KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-1324. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Courtney Heinle can be reached at (571)270-3508. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SANG K KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3745