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 Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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, 2, 5, 7, 11, 13-15 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Taneda et al., U.S. Pre Grant Publication 2016/0257079.
Regarding claims 1, 5, 7, 11 and 13-15, Taneda discloses a composite part having first and second ends and a bent portion [see figure 1] having the shape of a pipe. Paragraph 0007 discloses that the bent portion is formed by a 0 º layer having a carbon fiber orientation direction parallel to an axial direction of the composite. It is disclosed in paragraph 0022 a linear portion 12 and a bent part 14. Also, paragraph 0022 discloses three layers each continuously formed in the circumferential direction. Paragraph 0023 discloses a tow prepreg composed of multiple filaments in which carbon fibers are impregnated with a resin serving as a matrix material. Paragraph 0032 discloses a plurality of carbon fiber reinforced resin materials disposed in a pair of molds 32a and 32b [first and second materials] wherein a pair of halved members are formed. Applicant’s claim 1 does not exclude the first and second materials being the same.
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Paragraph 0010 discloses that the production method includes juxtaposing a plurality of carbon fiber reinforced resin materials parallel to an axial direction of cavities of a pair of molds [includes first and second materials in the molds]. Additionally, paragraph 0010 discloses forming halved members by pressing the plurality of juxtaposed carbon fiber reinforced resin materials against the cavities, winding a +/- 45 º material having a carbon fiber orientation direction obliquely intersecting the axial direction of the composite.
Regarding claim 2, paragraph 0032 discloses a plurality of carbon fiber reinforced resin materials disposed in a pair of molds 32a and 32b [first and second materials] wherein a pair of halved members are formed. Applicant’s claim 1 does exclude the first and second materials being the same [carbon fiber reinforced resin material]. .Taneda discloses a first material including carbon fiber reinforcement. Intrinsically, carbon fiber is conductive.
Claim 3 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Taneda et al., U.S. Pre Grant Publication 2016/0257079, as evidence by Sonelastic, Modulus of elasticity of typical composite materials.
Regarding claim 3, paragraph 0037 of Taneda discloses carbon fiber reinforced resin material 24 and glass fiber reinforced resin material 40 formed in molds 32a and 32b. Paragraph 0023 discloses that the resin material can include epoxy resin. Sonelastic provides evidence that carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites have a higher modulus of elasticity than glass fiber reinforced epoxy composites in the longitudinal direction.
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Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 4, 6, 8-10 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Taneda et al., U.S. Pre Grant Publication 2016/0257079 in view of Sekido et al., U.S. Patent Number 5.960,834.
Taneda, above, remains relied upon for claim 1,
Regarding claims 4 and 8, Taneda is silent to the first and second fiber materials being formed by an automatic fiber placement. Sekido discloses a fiber reinforced plastics curved pipe [abstract, Figure 1 and column 1, lines 5-10]. Figure shows a first end and a second with a linear portion and a bent portion.
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Column 5, lines 1-16, Sekido discloses that the reinforcing fibers can include carbon fibers and glass fibers wherein the reinforcing fiber material is a unidirectional prepreg formed by stacking unidirectional prepregs. Column 5, lines 32-35 discloses an inner layer formed from four reinforcing fiber layer. Also, column 5, lines 17-31 of Sekido discloses that the fiber layers can be braid of reinforcing fibers. Column 5, lines 41-50 discloses a structure including a braid of reinforcing fibers may be applied as the inner layer formed as a multi-layer braid. Column 21, lines 20-25 discloses that the FRP curved pipe can be produced by the resin transfer molding process [RTM]. Sekido discloses that the FRP curved pipe has good resin flowability and dearation at the time of molding, less in surface defects and excellent strength. It is disclosed in column 20, lines 18-20 a mold comprising a lower mold cavity and upper mold cavity used to form the shape of the preform. Column 8, lines 5-6 of Sekido discloses an automatic forming machine to form the preform. Taneda and Sekido are analogous art in that both reference disclose a piping structure having a linear portion and bent portion formed in mold cavities. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would utilize an automated fiber placement to form the first and second fiber reinforcement materials of Taneda for the benefit of enhanced resin flowability and dearation resulting in less surface defects and enhanced strength in the curved composite of Taneda.
Regarding claims 6 and 12, Taneda is silent to the first material being formed by resin transfer molding, using a braided preform for reinforcement. Sekido discloses a fiber reinforced plastics curved pipe [abstract, Figure 1 and column 1, lines 5-10]. Figure shows a first end and a second with a linear portion and a bent portion.
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Column 5, lines 1-16, Sekido discloses that the reinforcing fibers can include carbon fibers and glass fibers wherein the reinforcing fiber material is a unidirectional prepreg formed by stacking unidirectional prepregs. Column 5, lines 32-35 discloses an inner layer formed from four reinforcing fiber layer. Also, column 5, lines 17-31 of Sekido discloses that the fiber layers can be braid of reinforcing fibers. Column 5, lines 41-50 discloses a structure including a braid of reinforcing fibers may be applied as the inner layer formed as a multi-layer braid. Column 21, lines 20-25 discloses that the FRP curved pipe can be produced by the resin transfer molding process [RTM]. Sekido discloses that the FRP curved pipe has good resin flowability and dearation at the time of molding, less in surface defects and excellent strength. It is disclosed in column 20, lines 18-20 a mold comprising a lower mold cavity and upper mold cavity used to form the shape of the preform. Taneda and Sekido are analogous art in that both reference disclose a piping structure having a linear portion and bent portion formed in mold cavities. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would utilize an RTM process using a braided preform in Taneda for the benefit of enhanced resin flowability and dearation resulting in less surface defects and enhanced strength in the curved composite of Taneda.
Regarding claim 9, Taneda is silent to forming the second material by braiding continuous carbon reinforcement so as to achieve one or desired fiber angles. Sekido discloses in column 14, lines 1-29 discloses the preform is formed as a structure with a tubular braid. Also, Sekido discloses the braid is impregnated resin wherein the braiding angle is in the range of 10 degrees to 60 degrees with the angles of the respective layers being the same or different. Sekido discloses that the FRP curved pipe has good resin flowability and dearation at the time of molding, less in surface defects and excellent strength. Taneda and Sekido are analogous art in that both reference disclose a piping structure having a linear portion and bent portion formed in mold cavities. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would form the second material by braiding continuous carbon reinforcement so as to achieve one or desired fiber angles.in Taneda for the benefit of enhanced resin flowability and dearation resulting in less surface defects and enhanced strength in the curved composite of Taneda.
Regarding claim 10, Taneda is silent to interweaving groups of continuous carbon fibers into a triaxially braided tube comprising a first group of continuous carbon fibers extending substantially along the central axis of the pipe, a second group of continuous carbon fibers extending at an angle of + 50-85 degrees relative to the central axis of the pipe, and a third group of continuous carbon fibers extending at an angle of - 50-85 degrees relative to the central axis of the pipe. Sekido discloses in column 14, lines 1-29 discloses the preform is formed as a structure with a tubular braid. Also, Sekido discloses the braid is impregnated resin wherein the braiding angle is in the range of 10 degrees to 60 degrees with the angles of the respective layers being the same or different. Sekido discloses that the FRP curved pipe has good resin flowability and dearation at the time of molding, less in surface defects and excellent strength. Taneda and Sekido are analogous art in that both reference disclose a piping structure having a linear portion and bent portion formed in mold cavities. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would interweave groups of continuous carbon fibers into a triaxially braided tube comprising a first group of continuous carbon fibers extending substantially along the central axis of the pipe, a second group of continuous carbon fibers extending at an angle of + 50-85 degrees relative to the central axis of the pipe, and a third group of continuous carbon fibers extending at an angle of - 50-85 degrees relative to the central axis of the pipe in Taneda for the benefit of enhanced resin flowability and dearation resulting in less surface defects and enhanced strength in the curved composite of Taneda.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CAMIE S THOMPSON whose telephone number is (571)272-1530. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30 am - 5:30 pm.
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/CAMIE S THOMPSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1786