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 Group I, claims 1-19 in the reply filed on 05/14/2026 is acknowledged. Claim 20 is withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
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 insert coupling part must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). 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.
Figures 1, 2A and 2B should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. See MPEP § 608.02(g). Corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. 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.
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it is not written in a narrative form (i.e., multiple short sentences in a single paragraph). A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: CUTTING INSERT.
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: In specification, paragraphs [0004] and [0004] discloses “FIG. 2” and “FIGS. 1 and 2.” However, there is no Fig. 2 in the drawings while there FIGs 2A and 2B.
Appropriate correction is required.
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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 1-19 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.
In claim 1, the preamble in line 1 is directed to a cutting insert. However, line 2 recites the limitation of “a coupling part coupled to a tool” which is unclear if the claims are directed to a cutting insert or a combination of a cutting insert with a cutting tool. In addition, it is unclear if the tool is being positively recited or not. Furthermore, it is unclear if the coupling part is a portion of the cutting insert or a portion of the cutting tool that is being coupled to a tool. Paragraph [0058] of the specification, as filed, in describing Figure 3 discloses that there is a body coupling part 91 and an insert coupling part 93 to which a cutting insert) is coupled. However, in Figure 3 the reference numeral 93 points to a part of the tool and not the insert. As such, it is unclear what exactly is the coupling part claimed in line 2 of claim 1. If the preamble of the claim is directed to an insert, then any element the insert is comprised of needs to be of the insert and not the tool.
Claim 1, lines 4 and 5 recite the limitation “configured to” which makes it vague and unclear as if the claim positively recites the connection part and clamping part and their relationships with respect to the rest of the insert element or in a configured to/capable of language that can connect and pass through but not necessarily positively recited. As such, it is very confusing and difficult to understand what is the scope of claims 1-19. For examination purposes, the elected claims are considered to be directed to a cutting insert that is mounted on a cutting tool.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the other end" in lines 19-20. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 4, recites limitations for establishing the structures and positions of the main cutting edge, the corner cutting edge and the minor cutting edge with respect to one another. However, in lines 10 and 12-13, the limitation of “configured to connect” implies as if the inclined cutting edge is not being positively recited and is only capable of connecting the respective minor cutting edges to the respective main cutting edges. Phrase it differently, it is unclear why the claim recites the relationship between the main cutting edge, the corner cutting edge and the minor cutting edge in a positive form while is reciting the inclined cutting edge limitation in a configured to/capable of language.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the center" in lines 13-4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-4 and 8-9, as best understood, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Aso (US 20220258258A1).
As applied to claim 1, Aso teaches (abstract, Figs. 1-11) a tool (20) having a cutting insert (10) with cutting insert comprising a coupling part coupled to a tool (the bottom surface of insert 10 seating inside the tool 20 is considered as coupling part of the insert); a cutting part (upper surface 50) spaced apart from the coupling part to cut a workpiece; a connection part (side surfaces 52) configured to connect the cutting part and the coupling part; a clamping part (53, Figs. 2-3) configured to pass through the coupling part, the cutting part, and the connection part (52); and a recess part (130, paragraphs [0006] and [0039], Fig. 2) extending from an outer circumferential surface of the cutting part to an outer circumferential surface of the coupling part along an outer circumferential surface of the connection part and recessed toward the clamping part, wherein the cutting part comprises: a cutting body part through which the clamping part passes; and a cutting edge (100, Figs. 1-6) disposed along an outer circumference of the cutting body part, wherein the cutting edge comprises: a main cutting edge (major cutting edge 102) provided in plurality to cut the workpiece; a corner cutting edge (100) provided in number corresponding to that of the main cutting edge and extending curvedly from the main cutting edge; a minor cutting edge (101) provided in number corresponding to that of the corner cutting edge and extending from the corner cutting edge (100) to cut the workpiece; and an inclined cutting edge (flanks 120, 121, 122, paragraph [0038]) having one end connected to the minor cutting edge and the other end connected to the main cutting edge, wherein the recess part extends from the inclined cutting edge to the coupling part along the connection part (abstract, paragraph [0035]-[0041]).
As applied to claims 2-3, Aso teaches the invention cited including wherein the recess part (130) is curved (paragraphs [0014], [0040], [0058]) and extends continuously to the coupling part along the connection part and has a radius of curvature. However, Aso does not explicitly teach the radius of curvature is 05 to 3 (as in claim 2) and 1.5 to 2.5 (as in claim 3).
However, one of ordinary skill in the art of cutting tools and inserts would have been privy to the fact that a cutting insert with a side recess having a proper radius of curvature is designed to improve the structural integrity, positioning in the tool holder, maintain consistent clearance angles, and prevent grinding near the cutting edge, leading to better chip control and extended tool life. In addition, the particular value of radius of curvature is not limited to the claimed ranges, and artisan having ordinary skill in the art would recognize that any reasonable radius of curvature for the insert recess of Aso would perform the functions of Aso reasonably as well as any other radius of curvature. Thus, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have provided for the radius of curvature of Aso’s recess a range of 05 to 3 and 1.5 to 2.5 depending on the desired amount of improvement since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
As applied to claim 4, Aso teaches the invention cited including wherein the main cutting edge comprises a first main cutting edge, a second main cutting edge, and a third main cutting edge, the corner cutting edge comprises a first corner cutting edge connected to the first main cutting edge, a second corner cutting edge connected to the second main cutting edge, and a third corner cutting edge connected to the third main cutting edge, the minor cutting edge comprises a first minor cutting edge extending from the first corner cutting edge to the second main cutting edge, a second minor cutting edge extending from the second corner cutting edge to the third main cutting edge, and a third minor cutting edge extending from the third corner cutting edge to the first main cutting edge, and the inclined cutting edge comprises a first inclined cutting edge configured to connect the first minor cutting edge and the second main cutting edge, a second inclined cutting edge configured to connect the second minor cutting edge and the third main cutting edge, and a third inclined cutting edge configured to connect the third minor cutting edge and the first main cutting edge (see Figs. 2-6 showing the triangular shaped insert having three sets of main/major cutting edges, minor cutting edges, corner cutting edges and inclined cutting edges).
As applied to claim 8, Aso teaches the invention cited including wherein the cutting part has an area greater than that of the coupling part (Figs. 2-3 show the upper surface 50 with greater area than side surface 52), and the connection part (52) extends obliquely (not perpendicular) from the cutting part to the coupling part toward the center of the clamping part (see Fig. 2).
As applied to claim 9, Aso teaches the invention cited including wherein the connection part comprises a main cutting connection part connected to the main cutting edge; an inclined cutting connection part connected to the inclined cutting edge; and a minor cutting connection part connected to the minor cutting edge (see Figs. 2, 5-6 showing the connection parts going from bottom to top surfaces).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5 (and 6-7), 10 (and 11-16) and 17 (and 18-19) would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 5, the prior art fails to teach or fairly suggest wherein the recess part comprises a first recess part defined in the first inclined cutting edge, a second recess part defined in the second inclined cutting edge, and a third recess part defined in the third inclined cutting edge and in combination with the rest of limitations of claims 1-4.
Regarding claim 10, the prior art fails to teach or fairly suggest wherein an angle between an extension line of the main cutting connection part and an extension line of the minor cutting connection part is an obtuse angle, and the inclined cutting connection part is recessed inward toward the clamping part to form the recess part and in combination with the rest of limitations of claims 1, 8 and 9.
Regarding claim 17, the prior art fails to teach or fairly suggest wherein the main cutting edge comprises: a corner connection main cutting edge connected to the corner cutting edge; and an inclined connection main cutting edge extending from the corner connection main cutting edge to the inclined cutting edge and having an inclination greater than that of the corner connection main cutting edge and in combination with the rest of limitations of claim 1.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Mura et al. (US 10,512,976) teaches a cutting insert and indexable rotary cutting tool wherein a detachable cutting insert for an indexable rotary cutting tool, has a cutting edge portion that includes a major cutting edge continuous with a first end of a first corner edge near a short-side-direction side surface, which is formed into a straight line. The cutting insert has a first minor cutting edge that is continuous with a second end of the major cutting edge, which is formed into a circular arc. The cutting insert has a second minor cutting edge that is continuous with a third end of the first minor cutting edge, which is formed into a straight line. In a cross-sectional view of a rake face of the second minor cutting edge, perpendicular to the second minor cutting edge, a cross-sectional ridgeline of the rake face of the second minor cutting edge is formed into a convex shape protruding above a cross-sectional ridgeline of a reference plane (abstract, Figs. 1-20).
Hansson et al. (US 5,246,315) teaches a cutting tool and a multi-cornered cutting insert which includes a corner cutting edge at each corner, and a chipbreaking recess spaced inwardly of each corner cutting edge. The recess is curved as the insert is viewed in plan. A clearance face for each corner cutting edge has a clearance angle which progressively increases toward the respective corner (abstract, Figs. 1-6).
Stefansson et al. (US 20200230715A1) teaches a milling insert for a side and face milling tool includes an upper side defining an upper extension plane, a lower side defining a lower extension plane, and a side surface extending between the upper and the lower sides around a periphery of the insert that includes a main radial clearance surface, two opposite axial clearance surfaces and two corner clearance surfaces. At least one cutting edge is formed in a transition between the upper and the side surfaces, wherein each cutting edge includes a main cutting edge extending above the main radial clearance surface and two corner cutting edges extending above the corner clearance surfaces on opposite sides of the main cutting edge. The main cutting edge slopes downward toward a midpoint of the main cutting edge and the main cutting edge and the main radial clearance surface slope outward from the corner cutting edges toward the midpoint (abstract, Figs. 1-12).
Saji (US 20120009029A1) teaches a cutting insert includes two end surfaces each having a main surface usable as an attachment surface to a tool body, a peripheral side surface extending between the two end surfaces and a plurality of cutting edge portions each formed at an intersection between each end surface and the peripheral side surface. Each cutting edge portion includes a corner edge formed at a corner of a related end surface, a major cutting edge extending from one end of the corner edge and extending so as to depart from an intermediate plane defined to be perpendicular to the first axis and to include the second axis, and a minor cutting edge extending from the other end of the corner edge and extending in a direction to approach the intermediate plane (abstract, Figs. 1-18).
Oh Men Seok et al. (KR 101788264B1) teaches a one-sided three-corner cutting insert capable of improving rigidity while preventing interference with a workpiece. To this end, the one-sided three corner cutting insert of the present invention comprises: a top surface; if; And three side surfaces connecting the upper surface and the lower surface and including a main side surface and a side surface portion, respectively, which are obtuse at an obtuse angle with respect to the upper surface; A main thread forming a boundary portion between the main side surface and the upper surface; A bottom portion constituting a boundary portion between the side surface portion and the top surface; A corner having a corner cut at which the main cutting edge and the sub cutting edge meet with each other at adjacent portions of the three sides; And an inclined cutting edge where the main cutting edge and the sub cutting edge meet with each other in the respective side surfaces, wherein the main cutting edge has a gradually decreasing height from the corner cutting edge to the inclined cutting edge as viewed from each side surface Wherein the main side surface portion has a first end circumference side surface abutting the main shaft and perpendicular to the lower surface; A second end circumference side clearance surface abutting the first end circumference clearance surface and forming a first obtuse angle with the lower surface; And a third end circumference side clearance surface provided between the second end circumference clearance surface and the lower surface and having a second obtuse angle with the lower surface (abstract, Figs. 1-11).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SARANG AFZALI whose telephone number is (571)272-8412. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7 am - 4 pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas Hong can be reached at 571-272-0993. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SARANG AFZALI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3726 08/08/2026
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