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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on November 11, 2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 7 and 17 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.
Claim 7 (Line 2) recites the limitation “second portion”, it is unclear if this refers to the second portion or a second portion. For purpose of examination, “second portion” is interpreted as “the second portion” in Claim 1.
Claim 17 (Line 1) recites the limitation “wherein a workpiece is guided along a path”, it is unclear what structure is being claimed. For purpose of examination, the workpiece is not positively claimed. Applicant should claim --wherein a workpiece is capable of being guided along a path--.
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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Beltran et al. (US9221091), hereinafter “Beltran”.
Regarding Claim 1, Beltran discloses an apparatus (Fig. 2), comprising a frame (Fig. 2, Element 306) comprising a first portion (Fig. 2, Element 804) and a second portion (Fig. 2, Element 806) spaced axially from the first portion along a longitudinal axis (Figs. 2-3, Z direction); a first unit (Fig. 2, Element 302) coupled to the first portion (Fig. 2, Element 804), comprising: a first tool (Fig. 3, Element 403) coupled to the first portion (Column 4, Lines 64-67 and Column 5, Lines 1-6; Column 8, Lines 2-4) and arranged along the longitudinal axis (Figs. 2-3, Z direction); a first motor (Column 8, Lines 9-22) coupled to the first portion (Fig. 2, Element 804) for actuating the first tool (Fig. 3, Element 403) about the longitudinal axis (Figs. 2-3, Z direction) and with respect to the first portion (Fig. 2, Element 804) (Column 15, Lines 15-19); a second unit (Fig. 2, Element 304) coupled to the second portion (Fig. 2, Element 806), comprising: a second tool (Fig. 3, Element 403; Column 4, Lines 64-67) coupled to the second portion (Fig. 3, Element 806) and arranged along the longitudinal axis (Figs. 2-3, Z direction), a second motor (Column 8, Lines 19-22) coupled to the second portion (Fig. 3, Element 806) for actuating the second tool (Fig. 3, Element 403; Column 4, Lines 64-67) about the longitudinal axis (Figs. 2-3, Z direction) and with respect to the second portion (Fig. 2, Element 806) (Column 19, Lines 15-18); and a common interface (Fig. 2, Element 2100) for modifying a workpiece arranged axially between the first tool and the second tool (Column 4, Lines 46-51).
Regarding Claim 2, Beltran anticipates the apparatus of Claim 1 as explained above.
Beltran further discloses wherein the first unit (Fig. 2, Element 302) further comprises a first shaft (see annotated Fig. 3 of Beltran reproduced below) coupled to the first portion of the frame (Fig.3, Element 2500; Fig. 2, Elements 804 and 306) at a first end (see distinction between first and second end in the annotated Fig. 3 of Beltran reproduced below) and to the first tool (Fig. 3, Element 403) at a second end (see distinction between first and second end in the annotated Fig. 3 of Beltran reproduced below), the first shaft (see annotated Fig. 3 of Beltran reproduced below) is configured to translate along (Fig. 3, Element 460; Column 6, Lines 20-27) and rotate about the longitudinal axis (Figs. 2-3, Z direction) (Column 8; Lines 19-22; Column 15, Lines 15-19) with respect to the frame (Fig. 2, Element 306).
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Annotated Fig. 3 of Beltran
Regarding Claim 3, Beltran anticipates the apparatus of Claim 2 as explained above.
Beltran further discloses wherein the first shaft (see annotated Fig. 3 of Beltran reproduced above) is configured to be externally actuated via a drive mechanism (Fig. 4, Element 400) coupled to the first motor (Column 15, Lines 15-19).
Regarding Claim 4, Beltran anticipates the apparatus of Claim 3 as explained above.
Beltran further discloses wherein the first shaft (see annotated Fig. 3 of Beltran reproduced above) is configured to translate (Fig. 3, Element 460; Column 6, Lines 20-27) along and rotate about the longitudinal axis (Figs. 2-3, Z direction) (Column 8; Lines 19-22; Column 15, Lines 15-19) at the same time (Column 16, Lines 36-42).
Regarding Claim 5, Beltran anticipates the apparatus of Claim 2 as explained above.
Beltran further discloses wherein the first shaft (see annotated Fig. 3 of Beltran reproduced above) comprises an internal shaft (see distinction between the internal and external shaft in the annotated Fig. 3 of Beltran reproduced above) and an external shaft (see distinction between the internal and external shaft in the annotated Fig. 3 of Beltran reproduced above), is configured to translate (Fig. 3, Element 460; Column 6, Lines 20-27) along and rotate about the longitudinal axis (Figs. 2-3, Z direction) (Column 8; Lines 19-22; Column 15, Lines 15-19) with respect to the external shaft (see annotated Fig. 3 of Beltran reproduced above).
Regarding Claim 6, Beltran anticipates the apparatus of Claim 5 as explained above.
Beltran further discloses wherein the internal shaft (see annotated Fig. 3 of Beltran reproduced above) is configured to be internally actuated via a drive mechanism coupled to a first motor (Column 8; Lines 19-22; Column 15, Lines 15-19).Regarding Claim 7, as best understood based on the 35 U.S.C 112(b) issues identified above, Beltran anticipates the apparatus of Claim 1 as explained above.
Regarding claim 7, Beltran further discloses wherein the second unit (Fig. 2, Element 304) further comprises a tool platform (Fig. 3, Element 402) coupled to second portion (Fig. 2, Element 806) of the frame (Fig. 2, Element 306), the tool platform (Fig. 3, Element 402) is configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis (Figs. 2-3, Z direction) with respect to the frame (Column 8, Lines 19-22).
Regarding Claim 8, Beltran anticipates the apparatus of Claim 1 as explained above.
Beltran further discloses wherein a position of the first tool (Fig. 2, Element 403) and a position of the second tool (Fig. 3, Element 403; Column 4, Lines 64-67) are continuously and simultaneously maintained by the first and second motors (Column 16, Lines 36-42 and Lines 52-67 and Column 17, Lines 1-8) so that the first tool (Fig. 2, Element 403) and the second tool (Fig. 3, Element 403; Column 4, Lines 64-67) remain tangent to a path of the workpiece within the common interface (Column 16, Lines 36-42 and Lines 52-67 and Column 17, Lines 1-8).
Regarding Claim 9, Beltran anticipates the apparatus of Claim 1 as explained above.
Beltran further discloses wherein the first unit (Fig. 2, Element 302) and the second unit (Fig. 2, Element 304) are configured to receive identical electrical inputs to maintain consistent motion of the first and second units (Fig. 2, Elements 302 and 304; Column 17, Lines 9-15).
Regarding Claim 10, Beltran anticipates the apparatus of Claim 1 as explained above.
Beltran further discloses wherein the first tool (Fig. 2, Element 403) and the second tool (Fig. 2, Element 403; Column 4, Lines 64-67) are asymmetric (Column 8, Lines 8-14).
Regarding Claim 11, Beltran anticipates the apparatus of Claim 1 as explained above.
Beltran further discloses wherein the first tool (Fig. 2, Element 403) and the second tool (Fig. 2, Element 403; Column 4, Lines 64-67) are symmetric (Column 8, Lines 4-8).
Regarding Claim 12, Beltran anticipates the apparatus of Claim 1 as explained above.
Beltran further discloses wherein the first tool (Fig. 2, Element 403) is arranged along a first plane (see distinction between first and second plane in the annotated Fig. 2 of Beltran reproduced below) and the second tool (Fig. 2, Element 403; Column 4, Lines 64-67) is arranged along a second plane (see distinction between first and second plane in the annotated Fig. 2 of Beltran reproduced below).
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Annotated Fig. 2 of Beltran
Regarding Claim 13, Beltran discloses an apparatus (Fig. 2), comprising a frame (Fig. 2, Element 306) comprising a first portion (Fig. 2, Element 804) and a second portion (Fig. 2, Element 806) spaced axially from the first portion along a longitudinal axis (Figs. 2-3, Z direction); a first tool (Fig. 3, Element 403) coupled to the first portion (Column 4, Lines 64-67 and Column 5, Lines 1-6; Column 8, Lines 2-4) and configured to rotate (Column 8, Lines 19-22) about and translate (Fig. 3, Element 460; Column 6, Lines 20-27) along a longitudinal axis (Figs. 2-3, Z direction); and a second tool (Fig. 2, Element 403; Column 4, Lines 64-67) coupled to the second portion (Fig. 2, Element 806) and configured to rotate (Column 8, Lines 19-22) along the longitudinal axis (Figs. 2-3, Z direction).
Regarding Claim 14, Beltran anticipates the apparatus of Claim 13 as explained above.
Beltran further discloses wherein the second tool (Fig. 2, Element 403; Column 4, Lines 64-67) is configured to translate (Fig. 3, Element 460; Column 6, Lines 20-27) along a longitudinal axis (Figs. 2-3, Z direction) via an actuator (Column 15, Lines 15-19).
Regarding Claim 15, Beltran anticipates the apparatus of Claim 14 as explained above.
Beltran further discloses wherein the first tool (Fig. 2, Element 403) and the second tool (Fig. 2, Element 403; Column 4, Lines 64-67) are configured to rotate (Column 8, Lines 19-22) about and translate (Fig. 3, Element 460; Column 6, Lines 20-27) along a longitudinal axis (Figs. 2-3, Z direction) continuously and simultaneously (Column 16, Lines 36-42).
Regarding Claim 16, Beltran anticipates the apparatus of Claim 13 as explained above.
Beltran further discloses wherein a common interface (Fig. 2, Element 2100) is arranged axially between the first tool (Fig. 2, Element 403) and the second tool (Fig. 2, Element 403; Column 4, Lines 64-67) (Column 16, Lines 36-42 and Lines 52-67; Column 17, Lines 1-8).
Regarding Claim 17, Beltran anticipates the apparatus of Claim 16 as explained above.
Beltran further discloses wherein a workpiece is guided along a path within the common interface (Fig. 2, Element 2100) and contacted by the first tool (Fig. 2, Element 403) and the second tool (Fig. 2, Element 403; Column 4, Lines 64-67) (Column 16, Lines 43-67).
Regarding Claim 18, Beltran anticipates the apparatus of Claim 17 as explained above.
Beltran further discloses wherein a portion of the first tool (Fig. 2, Element 403) and the second tool (Fig. 2, Element 403; Column 4, Lines 64-67) contact the workpiece and remain tangent to the path within the common interface (Fig. 2, Element 2100) (Column 16, Lines 43-67).
Regarding Claim 19, Beltran anticipates the apparatus of Claim 18 as explained above.
Beltran further discloses wherein the first tool (Fig. 2, Element 403) and the second tool (Fig. 2, Element 403; Column 4, Lines 64-67) are controlled with a computer (Column 11, Lines 39-67; Column 12, Lines 1-10).
Regarding Claim 20, Beltran anticipates the apparatus of Claim 18 as explained above.
Beltran further discloses wherein the first tool (Fig. 2, Element 403) and the second tool (Fig. 2, Element 403; Column 4, Lines 64-67) are controlled with a manual analogue input (Column 11, Lines 39-67; Column 12, Lines 1-10).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US20170028458A1 & US20130103177A1 – systems and methods for forming a workpiece
EP2505279A1 – two-sided incremental sheet forming
WO2015102515A1 – machining of asymmetrical workpieces
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALONDRA MICHELLE ORTIZ-ORTIZ whose telephone number is (571)272-9539. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 7-5PM ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher 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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/A.M.O./ Examiner, Art Unit 3725
/Christopher L Templeton/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3725