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 Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: there is a typo in the phrase “the discarded portion being to be separated from the product portion after forming,” i.e., either “being” or “to be” should be deleted. 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 1-6 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.
Regarding claim 1, the claim recites “the plate material including a product portion and a discarded portion” and “forming an intermediate formed body… wherein the product portion of the intermediate formed body includes [features and]… the discarded portion of the intermediate formed body includes [features]” which renders the claim indefinite because it is not clear if the plate material is being formed into the intermediate formed body and if the product portion and discarded portion of the plate material are the same portions in the intermediate body. For the purposes of examination, these elements will be interpreted as forming the plate material into an intermediate body having a product portion and a discarded portion. Claims 2-6 depend from claim 1 and fail to clarify the indefinite language.
Regarding claim 3, the claim recites “the intermediate formed body includes an adjustment bead at a position between the blank holder and the upper die” which renders the claim indefinite because the intermediate formed body is formed before being positioned between the blank holder and upper die during the forming process of the target formed body. Thus, it is unclear if the intermediate formed body has an adjustment bead that is positioned between the blank holder and upper die during forming of the target formed body or if the intermediate formed body only has an adjustment bead once a portion of the intermediate body is positioned between the blank holder and upper die. For the purposes of examination, this feature will be interpreted as the intermediate formed body includes an adjustment bead in the discarded portion and the adjustment bead is positioned between the blank holder and the upper die during forming of the target formed body. Claims 4-6 depend from claim 3 and fail to clarify the indefinite language.
Regarding claim 5, the claim recites the first and second contact portions are “in line contact with” portions of the upper die which renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear what is required for something to be “in line contact” with another object, e.g., contact along a parallel line or a line portion of each contact portion is in contact with the die. For the purposes of examination, this phrase will be interpreted as the first and second contact portions are configured to contact the recited upper die positions. Claim 6 depends from claim 5 and fails to clarify the indefinite language.
Regarding claim 6, the claim recites the discarded portion is caused to be “in close contact” with the upper die which renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear how close contact is different than contact, i.e., if the components are in contact then they are already close. For the purpose of examination, this phrase will be interpreted as the discarded portion is caused to be in contact with the upper die.
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.
Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2020/0338618 A1 to Akiba.
Regarding claim 1, Akiba teaches a press forming method for forming a plate material into a target formed body (Abstract: Figs. 5-8), the plate material including a product portion and a discarded portion 34c, 36a, 36b located on an outer periphery of the product portion (Figs. 5-7; Paras. [0028] and [0032]; the discard portion includes portions 42a and b and 40c of the target body according to Para. [0032], which corresponds to portions 34c, 36a and 36b of the intermediate body, with the rest of the intermediate body becoming the product portion, and as discussed in the indefiniteness rejection above this phrase is interpreted as the plate material is formed into an intermediate body having the product and discarded portions), the discarded portion being to be separated from the product portion after forming (Figs. 5-8; Para. [0032]), the target formed body 38 including a ridge line portion 41 in the product portion (Figs. 3 and 5; Para. [0031]), the press forming method comprising:
forming an intermediate formed body 32 including an intermediate ridge line portion 35d with an edge radius larger than an edge radius of the ridge line portion 41 (Figs. 3 and 5; Paras. [0023] and [0030]; Fig. 5c shows the intermediate formed body has a ridge line portion with an edge radius larger than that of the target formed body); and
forming the target formed body 38 from the intermediate formed body 32 (Figs. 5-8),
wherein the product portion of the intermediate formed body includes: an inner portion 35a, b deviated inward in an edge radial direction of the ridge line portion from the target formed body 38 (Figs. 3 and 5); and a slack portion 35e deviated outward in the edge radial direction from the target formed body 38 (Figs. 3 and 5; Para. [0023]; the intermediate body includes a slack portion deviated outwardly from the target formed body in the edge radial direction, as best shown in Fig. 3 with the slack portion 12e that corresponds to the portion 35e in the example of forming an automobile part), and
the discarded portion 34c, 36a, 36b of the intermediate formed body (Figs. 5-7; Paras. [0028] and [0032]) includes: a separation portion which is spaced apart from an upper die 44 at an initial stage of the forming of the target formed body to provide an elongation allowance for the discarded portion (Figs. 5-7; Paras. [0028] and [0032]; it is noted that the separation portion is not recited as having any structure or serve any function other than being spaced from the upper die at the initial stage, and therefore this portion is interpreted as a point at the bottom of the bead 37 that is separated from the upper die in Fig. 6 during the initial stage of the forming); and a contact portion configured to come into contact with the upper die 44 to prevent movement of the plate material at the initial stage of the forming of the target formed body (Figs. 5-8; Paras. [0028] and [0032]; the contact portion is only configured to come into contact with the upper die, i.e., it need only be capable of coming into contact with the upper die, and therefore the portions of the 36b on either side of bead 37 as well as 36a and 34c are interpreted as the contact portion).
Regarding claim 2, Akiba teaches the press forming method according to claim 1 (Figs. 5-8), wherein:
a forming die used in the forming of the target formed body includes the upper die 44 having a shape of the target formed body (Figs. 6-8; Paras. [0036]-[0038]), a lower die 50 facing the upper die 44 (Figs. 6-8; Para. [0036]), and a blank holder 54 disposed on an outer peripheral side of the lower die 50 and configured to hold the discarded portion of the intermediate formed body 32 between the blank holder 54 and the upper die 44 (Figs. 6-8; Paras. [0036]-[0038]),
the forming of the target formed body 38 includes: holding the discarded portion between the blank holder 54 and the upper die 44 (Figs. 6-8; Paras. [0036]-[0038]); and
pressing the intermediate formed body with the upper die 44 and the lower die 50 to form the intermediate formed body 32 into the target formed body 38 (Figs. 5-8; Para. [0043]),
the upper die 44 includes an upper die step portion at a boundary portion between the product portion 40a, 40b and the discarded portion 40c, 42a, 42b (Figs. 5-8; Para. [0032]; as shown in Figs. 6-8, the upper die includes a step portion, i.e., a portion with a steeper angle, at the portion that corresponds to shape portion 40C in the target body, and Para. [0032] states that the discard portion includes the peripheral portion 42 and parts of the constant shape portion 40c, i.e., the boundary is in the middle of portion 40C where the step portion of the step portion of the upper die contacts the workpiece), and the separation portion of the intermediate formed body is disposed at a position facing the upper die step portion (Figs. 5-8; Para. [0032]; the separation portion faces the upper step portion in that it is oriented towards the upper die in general, i.e., “facing” is interpreted as oriented in the direction of an object).
Regarding claim 3, Akiba teaches the press forming method according to claim 2 (Figs. 5-8), wherein the intermediate formed body 38 includes an adjustment bead 37 at a position between the blank holder and the upper die (Figs. 5-8; Paras. [0029] and [0037]; as shown in Figs. 5-8, the intermediate body includes a bead 37 in section 36B that is positioned between the upper die and the blank during the forming process), the adjustment bead 37 being spaced apart from the upper die to provide the elongation allowance (Figs. 5-6; it is noted that this claim does not specify when the adjustment bead is spaced apart from the upper die, and Fig. 6 shows the upper die spaced from the adjustment bead during the initial step of the forming of the target body).
Regarding claim 4, Akiba teaches the press forming method according to claim 3 (Figs. 5-8), wherein the blank holder 54 includes an adjustment recess 56a configured to accommodate the adjustment bead 37 to thereby space the intermediate formed body 32 apart from the upper die 44 (Fig. 6; Para. [0037]).
Regarding claim 5, Akiba teaches the press forming method according to claim 3 (Figs. 5-8), wherein the contact portion includes: a first contact portion configured to be in line contact with the upper die at an inner end portion of the adjustment bead 37 (as discussed above in claim 1, the contact portion is interpreted as portions configured to come into contact with the upper die at the initial stage, and, as shown in Fig. 6, the first contact portion is the portion of 36b on the periphery of the intermediate body 32, i.e., the portion farthest from the lower die 50); and a second contact portion configured to be in line contact with the upper die step portion (Fig. 6 shows the second contact portion is the rest of the discard portion on the other side of the bead, i.e., the remainder of 36b, 36a and 34C, including the portions configured to contact the upper die step portion), and the separation portion is located between the first contact portion and the second contact portion (Fig. 6; as the separation portion is at the bottom of bead 37, the first and second contact portions are on either side of it).
Regarding claim 6, Akiba teaches that the press forming method according to claim 5 (Figs. 5-8), wherein in the pressing of the intermediate formed body 32, the separation portion and the adjustment bead of the intermediate formed body elongate to thereby deform the discarded portion into a shape that causes the discarded portion to be in close contact with the upper die (Figs. 5-8; Para. [0043]; Fig. 5C shows the bead and the separation portion, i.e., a point at the bottom of the bead, being elongated in the downward and outward directions that causes portions of the discard portion to come into close contact with the upper die, as shown in Fig. 8).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2008/0184764 A1 (Figs. 3-4) and US 2010/0201031 A1 (Figs. 2-4) teach press forming a sheet includes an adjustment bead between a blank holder and the upper die with spacing between the bead and/or areas around the bead and the upper die. DE 10 2014 017 920 B4 (Figs. 1-2) teaches a method of press forming a plate material into an intermediate body which has a ridge line with a larger radius of curvature than the target body as well as slack portions that extend more radially outward than the target body.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW STEPHENS whose telephone number is (571)272-6722. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 930-630.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chris Templeton can be reached at (571)270-1477. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MATTHEW STEPHENS/Examiner, Art Unit 3725
/Christopher L Templeton/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3725