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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed on May 11th, 2026 has been entered. Claims 1-20 remain pending in the application. Applicant’s amendments to the claims, specifically Claim 7, render the 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed on February 25th, 2026 moot. Applicant’s amendments to the claims, specifically Claim 17, overcome the 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed on February 25th, 2026.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 6-9 of the Applicant Arguments/Remarks filed on May 11th, 2026, with respect to the rejections of claims 1-20 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejections have been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground of rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 is made in view of newly-found prior art as explained below. This new ground of rejection was necessitated by the claim amendments.
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. Therefore, the “second tool is configured to translate along the longitudinal axis via an actuator” (Claim 14, Lines 1-2) must be shown or the feature canceled from the claim. 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.
In addition to Replacement Sheets containing the corrected drawing figure(s), applicant is required to submit a marked-up copy of each Replacement Sheet including annotations indicating the changes made to the previous version. The marked-up copy must be clearly labeled as “Annotated Sheets” and must be presented in the amendment or remarks section that explains the change(s) to the drawings. See 37 CFR 1.121(d)(1). Failure to timely submit the proposed drawing and marked-up copy will result in the abandonment of the application.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Beltran et al. (US9221091B2), hereinafter “Beltran”, in view of Lu et al. (CN214685458U), hereinafter “Lu”, and Li et al. (CN211052600U), hereinafter “Li”. For text citation of Lu and Li refer to the machine translations provided by the Examiner.
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), the first unit 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 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); 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), the second unit 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); and 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).
Beltran fails to disclose a gear arranged axially along an external portion of the first shaft; a drive mechanism coupled to the first motor and operably coupled with the gear; a tool platform coupled to the second portion of the frame; gear teeth arranged radially around the tool platform.
Nonetheless, Lu teaches a gear (Fig. 3, Element 420 and Element 230) arranged axially along an external portion of the first shaft (Fig. 3, Element 410 and Element 130); a drive mechanism (Fig. 3, Element 430 and 220) coupled to the first motor (Fig. 3, Element 310 and 210) and operably coupled with the gear (Fig. 3).
Beltran and Lu are considered analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of endeavor of material working apparatus. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claim invention to incorporate the teachings of Lu of using a gear assembly wherein a gear is arranged axially along an external portion of the first shaft into the apparatus disclosed by Beltran so that under the driving action of the first motor, the feed speed of the first shaft can be kept relatively stable, which improves the machining accuracy (¶n0042, Lines 7-12).
The prior art combination of Beltran and Lu fails to teach a tool platform coupled to the second portion of the frame; gear teeth arranged radially around the tool platform.
Nonetheless, Li teaches a tool platform (see annotated Fig. 2 of Li reproduced below) coupled to a second portion (see annotated Fig. 1 of Li reproduced below) of the frame (see annotated Fig. 1 of Li reproduced below); gear teeth (see annotated Fig. 2 of Li reproduced below) arranged radially around the tool platform (Fig. 2).
Beltran, Lu, and Li are considered analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of endeavor of material working apparatus. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claim invention to incorporate the teachings of Li of using a tool platform with gear teeth arranged radially around the tool platform into the apparatus disclosed by Beltran and modified by Lu to provide a mechanism that makes it easier to adjust the positioning of the workpiece when processing it (¶0028).
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Annotated Fig. 3 of Beltran
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Annotated Fig. 2 of Li
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Annotated Fig. 1 of Li
Regarding Claim 2, the prior art combination of Lu, Beltran and Li renders the apparatus of Claim 1 unpatentable as explained above.
The prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li further teaches wherein the first shaft (see annotated Fig. 3 of Beltran reproduced above; Lu - Fig. 3, Element 410 and Element 130) is configured to translate along (Lu - ¶n0041) and rotate about the longitudinal axis (Lu - ¶n0041) with respect to the frame (Beltran - Fig. 2, Element 306; Lu - Fig. 1, Element 100).
Regarding Claim 3, the prior art combination of Lu, Beltran and Li renders the apparatus of Claim 2 unpatentable as explained above.
The prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li further teaches wherein the first shaft (see annotated Fig. 3 of Beltran reproduced above; Lu - Fig. 3, Element 410 and Element 130) is configured to externally actuated via the drive mechanism (Lu - Fig. 3, Element 430) coupled to the first motor (Lu -Fig. 3, Element 310) and the gear (Lu - Fig. 3, Element 420).
Regarding Claim 4, the prior art combination of Lu, Beltran and Li renders the apparatus of Claim 3 unpatentable as explained above.
The prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li further teaches wherein the first shaft (see annotated Fig. 3 of Beltran reproduced above; Lu - Fig. 3, Element 410 and Element 130) is configured to translate along and rotate about the longitudinal axis at the same time (Lu - ¶n0041 and ¶n0045).
Regarding Claim 5, the prior art combination of Lu, Beltran and Li renders the apparatus of Claim 2 unpatentable as explained above.
The prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li further teaches wherein the first shaft (see annotated Fig. 3 of Beltran reproduced above; Lu - Fig. 3, Element 410 and Element 130) is comprises an internal shaft (Lu - Fig. 3, Element 130) and an external shaft (Lu - Fig. 3, Element 410), the internal shaft is configured to translate along and rotate about the longitudinal axis (Lu - ¶n0041) with respect to the external shaft (Lu - Fig. 3; Lu - ¶n0041 and ¶n0045).
Regarding Claim 6, the prior art combination of Lu, Beltran and Li renders the apparatus of Claim 5 unpatentable as explained above.
The prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li further teaches wherein the internal shaft (Lu - Fig. 3, Element 130) is configured to be internally actuated via the drive mechanism (Lu -Fig. 3, Element 220) coupled to the first motor (Lu - Fig. 3, Element 210) and the gear (Lu - Fig. 3, Element 230).
Regarding Claim 7, the prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li renders the apparatus of Claim 1 unpatentable as explained above.
The prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li further teaches wherein the tool platform (see annotated Fig. 2 of Li reproduced above) is configured to rotate (Li - ¶0011) about the longitudinal axis (see annotated Fig. 1 of Li reproduced above) with respect to the frame via the gear teeth (see annotated Fig. 2 of Li reproduced above).
Regarding Claim 8, the prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li renders the apparatus of Claim 1 unpatentable as explained above.
The prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li further teaches wherein a position of the first tool (Beltran - Fig. 2, Element 403) and a position of the second tool (Beltran - Fig. 3, Element 403; Beltran - Column 4, Lines 64-67) are continuously and simultaneously maintained by the first and second motors (Beltran - Column 16, Lines 36-42 and Lines 52-67 and Column 17, Lines 1-8) so that the first tool (Beltran - Fig. 2, Element 403) and the second tool (Beltran - Fig. 3, Element 403; Beltran - Column 4, Lines 64-67) remain tangent to a path of the workpiece within the common interface (Beltran - Column 16, Lines 36-42 and Lines 52-67 and Column 17, Lines 1-8).
Regarding Claim 9, the prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li renders the apparatus of Claim 1 unpatentable as explained above.
The prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li further teaches wherein the first unit (Beltran - Fig. 2, Element 302) and the second unit (Beltran - Fig. 2, Element 304) are configured to receive identical electrical inputs to maintain consistent motion of the first and second units (Beltran - Fig. 2, Elements 302 and 304; Beltran - Column 17, Lines 9-15).
Regarding Claim 10, the prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li renders the apparatus of Claim 1 unpatentable as explained above.
The prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li further teaches wherein the first tool (Beltran - Fig. 2, Element 403) and the second tool (Beltran - Fig. 2, Element 403; Beltran -Column 4, Lines 64-67) are asymmetric (Beltran - Column 8, Lines 8-14).
Regarding Claim 11, the prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li renders the apparatus of Claim 1 unpatentable as explained above.
The prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li further teaches wherein the first tool (Beltran - Fig. 2, Element 403) and the second tool (Beltran - Fig. 2, Element 403; Beltran - Column 4, Lines 64-67) are symmetric (Beltran - Column 8, Lines 4-8).
Regarding Claim 12, the prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li renders the apparatus of Claim 1 unpatentable as explained above.
The prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li further teaches wherein the first tool (Beltran - 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 (Beltran - Fig. 2, Element 403; Beltran - 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 unit (Fig. 2, Element 302) coupled to the first portion (Fig. 2, Element 804), the first unit 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 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); a first shaft (see annotated Fig. 3 of Beltran reproduced above) coupled to the first portion of the frame (Fig.3, Element 2500; Fig. 2, Elements 804 and 306) and the first tool (Fig. 3, Element 403); and a second unit (Fig. 2, Element 304) coupled to the second portion (Fig. 2, Element 806), the second unit comprising: a second tool (Fig. 3, Element 403; Column 4, Lines 64-67) coupled to the second portion (Fig. 3, Element 806) and configured to rotate (Column 8, Lines 19-22) along the longitudinal axis (Figs. 2-3, Z direction).
Beltran fails to disclose a gear arranged axially along an external portion of the first shaft; a tool platform coupled to the second portion of the frame; and gear teeth arranged radially around the tool platform.
Nonetheless, Lu teaches a gear (Fig. 3, Element 420 and Element 230) arranged axially along an external portion of the first shaft (Fig. 3, Element 410 and Element 130).
Beltran and Lu are considered analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of endeavor of material working apparatus. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claim invention to incorporate the teachings of Lu of using a gear assembly wherein a gear is arranged axially along an external portion of the first shaft into the apparatus disclosed by Beltran so that under the driving action of the first motor, the feed speed of the first shaft can be kept relatively stable, which improves the machining accuracy (¶n0042, Lines 7-12).
The prior art combination of Beltran and Lu fails to teach a tool platform coupled to the second portion of the frame; and gear teeth arranged radially around the tool platform.
Nonetheless, Li teaches a tool platform (see annotated Fig. 2 of Li reproduced above) coupled to a second portion (see annotated Fig. 1 of Li reproduced above) of the frame (see annotated Fig. 1 of Li reproduced above) and gear teeth (see annotated Fig. 2 of Li reproduced above) arranged radially around the tool platform (Fig. 2).
Beltran, Lu, and Li are considered analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of endeavor of material working apparatus. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claim invention to incorporate the teachings of Li of using a tool platform with gear teeth arranged radially around the tool platform into the apparatus disclosed by Beltran and modified by Lu to provide a mechanism that makes it easier to adjust the positioning of the workpiece when processing it (¶0028).
Regarding Claim 14, the prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li renders the apparatus of Claim 13 unpatentable as explained above.
The prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li further teaches wherein the second tool (Beltran - Fig. 2, Element 403; Beltran - Column 4, Lines 64-67) is configured to translate (Beltran - Fig. 3, Element 460; Beltran - Column 6, Lines 20-27) along a longitudinal axis (Beltran - Figs. 2-3, Z direction) via an actuator (Beltran - Column 15, Lines 15-19).
Regarding Claim 15, the prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li renders the apparatus of Claim 14 unpatentable as explained above.
The prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li further teaches wherein the first tool (Beltran - Fig. 2, Element 403) and the second tool (Beltran - Fig. 2, Element 403; Beltran - Column 4, Lines 64-67) are configured to rotate (Beltran - Column 8, Lines 19-22) about and translate (Beltran - Fig. 3, Element 460; Beltran - Column 6, Lines 20-27) along a longitudinal axis (Beltran - Figs. 2-3, Z direction) continuously and simultaneously (Beltran - Column 16, Lines 36-42).
Regarding Claim 16, the prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li renders the apparatus of Claim 13 unpatentable as explained above.
The prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li further teaches further including a common interface (Beltran - Fig. 2, Element 2100) arranged axially between the first tool (Beltran - Fig. 2, Element 403) and the second tool (Beltran - Fig. 2, Element 403; Beltran - Column 4, Lines 64-67) (Beltran - Column 16, Lines 36-42 and Lines 52-67; Beltran - Column 17, Lines 1-8).
Regarding Claim 17, the prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li renders the apparatus of Claim 16 unpatentable as explained above.
The prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li further teaches wherein a workpiece is capable of being guided along a path within the common interface (Beltran - Fig. 2, Element 2100) and contacted by the first tool (Beltran - Fig. 2, Element 403) and the second tool (Beltran - Fig. 2, Element 403; Beltran - Column 4, Lines 64-67) (Beltran - Column 16, Lines 43-67).
Regarding Claim 18, the prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li renders the apparatus of Claim 17 unpatentable as explained above.
The prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li further teaches wherein a portion of the first tool (Beltran - Fig. 2, Element 403) and the second tool (Beltran - Fig. 2, Element 403; Beltran - Column 4, Lines 64-67) contact the workpiece and remain tangent to the path within the common interface (Beltran - Fig. 2, Element 2100) (Beltran - Column 16, Lines 43-67).
Regarding Claim 19, the prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li renders the apparatus of Claim 18 unpatentable as explained above.
The prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li further teaches wherein the first tool (Beltran - Fig. 2, Element 403) and the second tool (Beltran - Fig. 2, Element 403; Beltran - Column 4, Lines 64-67) are controlled with a computer (Beltran - Column 11, Lines 39-67; Beltran - Column 12, Lines 1-10).
Regarding Claim 20, the prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li renders the apparatus of Claim 18 unpatentable as explained above.
The prior art combination of Beltran, Lu, and Li further teaches wherein the first tool (Beltran - Fig. 2, Element 403) and the second tool (Beltran - Fig. 2, Element 403; Column 4, Lines 64-67) are controlled with a manual analogue input (Beltran - Column 11, Lines 39-67; Beltran - Column 12, Lines 1-10).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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
/BOBBY YEONJIN KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3725
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