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, and should be:
“…a plurality of transducer assemblies respectively connected to the output of said plurality of gain control modules, (insert a comma) said plurality of transducer assemblies adapted to pass the pulsed ultrasonic signals…”
Claim 10 is objected to because of the following informalities, and should be:
“The flaw detection system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of gain control modules pass the pulsed ultrasonic signals into a plurality of multi-channel parallel pulses to said plurality of transducer assemblies.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1- and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Applicant Admitted Prior Art (subsequently referred to as “AAPA” – see Figs. 1-3 and pars. [0017]-[0026] of Applicant’s Spec) in view of Fetzer et al. (U.S. Pub. 2007/0137302).
Regarding claims 1 and 18, AAPA discloses (Figs. 1-3) a flaw detection system (see the Spec. at par. [0019]) comprising: a plurality of ultrasonic flaw detectors 3-10 [0019] adapted to pass pulsed ultrasonic signals [0021]/[0024];
a plurality of sequencing multiplexers 12-19 [0019] electrically connected to said plurality of ultrasonic flaw detectors (as shown in Fig. 1) so as to receive the pulsed ultrasonic signals from said plurality of ultrasonic flaw detectors respectively [0019]-[0026]; and
a plurality of transducer assemblies 21-28 [0019] respectively connected to the output of said plurality of multiplexers (as shown in Fig. 1) said plurality of transducer assemblies 21-28 adapted to pass the pulsed ultrasonic signals from said plurality of multiplexers toward an object to be inspected [0019]/[0021], said plurality of transducer assemblies 21-28 receiving signals from the object and passing the received signals back to said plurality of ultrasonic flaw detectors [0019]/[0021].
AAPA does not disclose a plurality of gain control modules connected respectively to said plurality of sequencing multiplexers, each of said plurality of gain control modules having an output that is a multiple of an input from said plurality of sequencing multiplexers.
Fetzer discloses (Fig. 2) a plurality of gain control modules 150/154 (in both boards 124/126: [0018]-[0019]) connected respectively to said plurality of sequencing multiplexers 146/148 [0018]-[0019], each of said plurality of gain control modules 15-154 having an output that is a multiple of an input from said plurality of sequencing multiplexers [0019].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify AAPA’s device to include a plurality of gain control modules connected respectively to said plurality of sequencing multiplexers, each of said plurality of gain control modules having an output that is a multiple of an input from said plurality of sequencing multiplexers, as taught by Fetzer.
Such a modification would improve the level of detail in the flaw detection (i.e. “resolving a high level of detail in a part under inspection” – Fetzer, par. [0021]).
Regarding claim 18, AAPA further discloses a helixing conveyor [0018]/[0020] adapted to rotate the tubular [0018]/[0020], said helixing conveyor having a surface upon which the tubular is removably placed (implicit); a plurality of ultrasonic flaw detectors positioned away from said helixing conveyor (as shown in Figs. 1-3; [0018]-[0022]).
Regarding claim 2, AAPA discloses (Figs. 1-3) a multi-channel strip chart recorder 1 [0019] connected to said plurality of ultrasonic flaw detectors 3-10, said multi-channel strip chart recorder 1 producing a humanly perceivable indication of a flaw in the object to be inspected [0026].
Regarding claim 3, AAPA discloses (Figs. 1-3) each of said plurality of ultrasonic flaw detectors 3-10 has a first alarm gate and a second alarm gate [0026], the first alarm gate reacting to a first condition on the object to be inspected (see pars. [0012] and [0026]), the second alarm gate reacting to a second condition in the object to be inspected (see pars. [0012] and [0026]).
Regarding claim 4, AAPA discloses (Figs. 1-3) the first condition is an external flaw in the object to be inspected [0023], the second condition being an internal flaw in the object to be inspected (see pars. [0021] and [0026]).
Regarding claim 5, AAPA discloses (Figs. 1-3) the first condition is a thickness of the object to be inspected (see pars. [0020] and [0025]), the second condition being another thickness in the object to be inspected (see pars. [0020] and [0025]).
Regarding claim 6, AAPA discloses (Figs. 1-3) the pulsed ultrasonic signals are at least 400 volt pulsed signals [0026].
Regarding claim 7, AAPA discloses (Figs. 1-3) said plurality of ultrasonic flaw detectors comprise at least two detectors 3-10 [0019] (as shown in Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 8, AAPA discloses (Figs. 1-3) said plurality of ultrasonic flaw detectors 3-10 each has a line extending to said multi-channel strip chart recorder 1 (as shown in Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 9, AAPA discloses (Figs. 1-3) said plurality of sequencing multiplexers comprise at least two multiplexers 12-19, each of the at least two multiplexers 12-19 being connected by cable to each of said plurality of ultrasonic flaw detectors 3-10 (as shown in Fig. 1).
Regarding claims 10-12, AAPA’s modified device is applied as above, and further disclose (re. claim 12) that said plurality of transducer assemblies 12-19 comprise at least four transducer assemblies (as shown in Fig. 1).
AAPA does not disclose the plurality of gain control module passes the pulsed ultrasonic signal into a plurality of multi-channel parallel pulses to said plurality of transducer assemblies; the plurality of multi-channel parallel pulses comprise at least four outputs from the each of said plurality of gain control module; each of the at least four transducer assemblies directing the eight outputs from said plurality of gain control modules toward the object to be inspected.
Fetzer discloses (Fig. 2) the plurality of gain control modules 150/154 (in both boards 124/126: [0018]-[0019]) pass the pulsed ultrasonic signal into a plurality of multi-channel parallel pulses to said plurality of transducer assemblies (boards 124/126 being in parallel: see Fig. 2); the plurality of multi-channel parallel pulses comprise at least four outputs from the each of said plurality of gain control modules (i.e. over time, at leave four outputs will be produced); each of the at least four transducer assemblies directing the eight outputs from said plurality of gain control modules toward the object to be inspected (Fig. 2; [0019]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify AAPA’s device so that the plurality of gain control module passes the pulsed ultrasonic signal into a plurality of multi-channel parallel pulses to said plurality of transducer assemblies; the plurality of multi-channel parallel pulses comprise at least four outputs from the each of said plurality of gain control module; each of the at least four transducer assemblies directing the eight outputs from said plurality of gain control modules toward the object to be inspected, as taught by Fetzer.
Such a modification would improve the level of detail in the flaw detection (i.e. “resolving a high level of detail in a part under inspection” – Fetzer, par. [0021]).
Regarding claim 13, AAPA discloses (Figs. 1-3) the plurality of multi-channel parallel pulses are of the same size and have identical incident angles and refraction angles with respect to the object to be inspected (as shown in Fig. 1; [0016], [0019]).
Regarding claim 14, AAPA discloses (Figs. 1-3) the object to be inspected is a tubular 104 [0017], the flaw detection system further comprising: a couplant directed to a surface of the tubular in an area between the plurality of transducer assemblies and the surface of the tubular [0017].
Regarding claim 15, AAPA discloses (Figs. 1-3) a helixing conveyor receiving the tubular therein [0018]/[0020], said helixing conveyor adapted to rotate the tubular as the plurality of transducer assemblies direct the pulsed ultrasonic signals toward the tubular [0018]/[0020].
Regarding claim 16, AAPA discloses (Figs. 1-3) the received signals from the tubular are indicative of a flaw in an external surface of the tubular or a flaw in the internal surface of the tubular [0024].
Regarding claim 17, AAPA discloses (Figs. 1-3) the flaw in the external surface of the tubular or the flaw in the internal surface of the tubular is a transverse flaw or a longitudinal flaw or an oblique flaw in the tubular [0024].
Regarding claim 19, AAPA discloses (Figs. 1-3) a multi-channel strip chart recorder 1 [0019] connected to said plurality of ultrasonic flaw detectors 3-10, said multi-channel strip chart recorder 1 producing a humanly perceivable indication of a flaw in the object to be inspected [0026].
Regarding claim 20, AAPA discloses (Figs. 1-3) said helixing conveyor rotates the tubular as the plurality of transducer assemblies directs the pulsed ultrasonic signals toward the surface of the tubular [0018]/[0020].
Conclusion
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/BENJAMIN R SCHMITT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852