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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-5 in the reply filed on 6/08/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 6-10 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 6/08/2026.
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) 1-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by WO 2022/020417 A1 to Malpica et al (cited by applicant in IDS).
Regarding claim 1, Malpica discloses a process for heat treating portions of a metal article, comprising the steps: providing a roll of metal; unreeling a continuous sheet of the metal; positioning at least one heating element proximate the sheet prior to a first of a succession of roll pass operations; heating the sheet prior to passing through the first roll pass operation; and bending a cross section of the sheet to exhibit a tighter bend radii (Malpica, figures 1, 5 and 6, para [0050-0052, 0071-0074, 0076-0078]).
Malpica anticipates instant claim 1 because Malpica discloses all of the limitations of instant claim 1.
Regarding claim 2, Malpica discloses advancing the sheet through a second roll pass operation following the first roll pass operation to conduct a further bending operation (Malpica, figures 1, 5, 6).
Regarding claim 3, Malpica discloses positioning at least one additional heating element prior to a downstream located roll pass operation performed on the sheet in order to conduct a further bending operation (Malpica, figures 1, 5, 6).
Regarding claim 4, Malpica discloses locating the heating elements along bend axes of the roll formed article (Malpica, figure 5, para [0071-0074]).
Regarding claim 5, Malpica discloses that the metal product can be used in a variety of automotive and transportation applications as well as electronics applications (Malpica, para [0082-0083]). The formation of the metal product into these applications would necessarily entail each of a trimming and final fabricating step employed to complete the article.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN 202447440 U to Han et al (cited by applicant in IDS, the English language translation provided by applicant has been relied upon for examination purposes).
Regarding claim 1, Han discloses a process for heat treating portions of a metal article, comprising the steps: providing a roll of metal; unreeling a continuous sheet of the metal; positioning at least one heating element proximate the sheet prior to a first of a succession of roll pass operations; heating the sheet prior to passing through the first roll pass operation; and bending a cross section of the sheet to exhibit a tighter bend radii (Han, figures 1 and 2).
Han anticipates instant claim 1 because Han discloses all of the limitations of instant claim 1.
Regarding claim 2, Han discloses advancing the sheet through a second roll pass operation following the first roll pass operation to conduct a further bending operation (Han, figures 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 3, Han discloses positioning at least one additional heating element prior to a downstream located roll pass operation performed on the sheet in order to conduct a further bending operation (Han, figures 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 5, Han discloses each of a trimming and final fabricating step employed to complete the article (Han, lines 3-5 of translation page 2).
Claim(s) 1-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP H0399725A to Nakajima et al (cited by applicant in IDS, the English language translation provided by applicant has been relied upon for examination purposes).
Regarding claim 1, Nakajima discloses a process for heat treating portions of a metal article, comprising the steps: providing a roll of metal; unreeling a continuous sheet of the metal; positioning at least one heating element proximate the sheet prior to a first of a succession of roll pass operations; heating the sheet prior to passing through the first roll pass operation; and bending a cross section of the sheet to exhibit a tighter bend radii (Nakajima, figures 3-10).
Nakajima anticipates instant claim 1 because Nakajima discloses all of the limitations of instant claim 1.
Regarding claim 2, Nakajima discloses advancing the sheet through a second roll pass operation following the first roll pass operation to conduct a further bending operation (Nakajima, figures 3-5).
Regarding claim 3, Nakajima discloses positioning at least one additional heating element prior to a downstream located roll pass operation performed on the sheet in order to conduct a further bending operation (Nakajima, figures 3-5).
Regarding claim 4, Nakajima discloses locating the heating elements along bend axes of the roll formed article (Nakajima, figures 3-5).
Regarding claim 5, Nakajima discloses each of a trimming and final fabricating step employed to complete the article (Nakajima, bottom paragraph of page 4 of translation).
Claim(s) 1, 4 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP S63188426 A to Uchida et al (cited by applicant in IDS, the English language translation provided by applicant has been relied upon for examination purposes).
Regarding claim 1, Uchida discloses a process for heat treating portions of a metal article, comprising the steps: providing a roll of metal; unreeling a continuous sheet of the metal; positioning at least one heating element proximate the sheet prior to a first of a succession of roll pass operations; heating the sheet prior to passing through the first roll pass operation; and bending a cross section of the sheet to exhibit a tighter bend radii (Uchida, figures 1-4).
Uchida anticipates instant claim 1 because Uchida discloses all of the limitations of instant claim 1.
Regarding claim 4, Uchida discloses locating the heating elements along bend axes of the roll formed article (Uchida, figures 1-2).
Regarding claim 5, Uchida discloses each of a trimming and final fabricating step employed to complete the article (Uchida, figures 1-2).
Conclusion
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/BRIAN D WALCK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1738
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