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 .
Claims 1-20 are pending and under consideration for this Office Action.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4-10, 12, 14-17, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang (CN 114737243 A, Espacenet translation used for citations).
Claim 1: Wang discloses an assembly (see e.g. Fig 3) for movably retaining a component (see e.g. abstract), the assembly comprising:
a tooling assembly having:
a tooling base, the tooling base including a frame (see e.g. #7 on Fig 3) and a guide (see e.g. #3 on Fig 3), the frame configured to retain the component (see e.g. [0013]), the guide associated with a multi-axis pathway (helical shape, see e.g. #3 on Fig 3); and
a carrier (see e.g. #6 on Fig 3) movably coupled to the guide (see e.g. [0018]); and
a device coupled to the carrier and movable with the carrier along the multi-axis pathway (see e.g. #8 on Fig 3).
Claim 2: Wang discloses the multi-axis pathway is a helical pathway (see e.g. #3 on Fig 3) and the device is an electrode (although not explicitly discloses, the device would inherently include an electrode component so that the component can be electroplated, see e.g. [0001]; [0011]), wherein the device facilitates processing of the component (see e.g. [0018].
Claim 4: Wang discloses that the carrier has a collar (see e.g. #6 on Fig 3) and a curved flange (see e.g. #12 on Fig 3).
Claim 5: Wang discloses that the collar is configured to extend about the guide (see e.g. #6 on Fig 3).
Claim 6: Wang discloses that the guide includes a shaft (see e.g. #4 on Fig 3) and a helical key associated with the multi-axis pathway (see e.g. #5 on Fig 3) and the carrier includes a collar that is configured to extend about the guide (see e.g. #6 on Fig 3) and the carrier includes a keyway that receives the helical key (see e.g. portion of #9 that #5 passes through).
Claim 7: Wang discloses that the frame includes a stop configured to restrict movement of the carrier along the guide (see e.g. #14 on Fig 3).
Claim 8: The limitation claiming “component includes at least one tab” is limiting the structure of the work that the assembly is designed to be used with. MPEP § 2115 states “Thus, "[i]nclusion of the material or article worked upon by a structure being claimed does not impart patentability to the claims." In re Otto, 312 F.2d 937, 136 USPQ 458, 459 (CCPA 1963); see also In re Young, 75 F.2d 996, 25 USPQ 69 (CCPA 1935).”
Claim 9: The limitation claiming that “the at least one tab is removably attached to the tooling base” is limiting the structure of the work that the assembly is designed to be used with. MPEP § 2115 states “Thus, "[i]nclusion of the material or article worked upon by a structure being claimed does not impart patentability to the claims." In re Otto, 312 F.2d 937, 136 USPQ 458, 459 (CCPA 1963); see also In re Young, 75 F.2d 996, 25 USPQ 69 (CCPA 1935).”
Claim 10: Wang discloses that the carrier includes a clamp configured to be movably secured to the guide (see e.g. [0016].
Claim 12: Wang discloses an assembly (see e.g. Fig 3) for movably retaining a component (see e.g. abstract), the assembly comprising:
a tooling assembly having:
a tooling base, the tooling base including a guide (see e.g. #3 on Fig 3), the tooling base configured to retain the component (see e.g. [0013]), the guide including a shaft (see e.g. #4 on Fig 3) and a helical key (see e.g. #5 on Fig 3) associated with a helical pathway (helical shape, see e.g. #3 on Fig 3); and
a carrier (see e.g. #6 on Fig 3) movably coupled to the guide (see e.g. [0018]), the carrier including a collar configured to extend about the guide (see e.g. #6 on Fig 3), the collar including a keyway that receives the helical key (see e.g. #6 on Fig 3); and
an electrode coupled to the carrier and movable with the carrier along the helical pathway (although not explicitly discloses, the device would inherently include an electrode component so that the component can be electroplated, see e.g. [0001]; [0011]).
Claim 14: Wang discloses that the carrier has a curved flange (see e.g. #12 on Fig 3).
Claim 15: Wang discloses that the tooling base includes a stop configured to restrict sliding of the carrier along the guide (see e.g. #14 on Fig 3).
Claim 16: The limitation claiming “component includes at least one tab” is limiting the structure of the work that the assembly is designed to be used with. MPEP § 2115 states “Thus, "[i]nclusion of the material or article worked upon by a structure being claimed does not impart patentability to the claims." In re Otto, 312 F.2d 937, 136 USPQ 458, 459 (CCPA 1963); see also In re Young, 75 F.2d 996, 25 USPQ 69 (CCPA 1935).”
Claim 17: The limitation claiming that “the at least one tab is removably attached to the tooling base” is limiting the structure of the work that the assembly is designed to be used with. MPEP § 2115 states “Thus, "[i]nclusion of the material or article worked upon by a structure being claimed does not impart patentability to the claims." In re Otto, 312 F.2d 937, 136 USPQ 458, 459 (CCPA 1963); see also In re Young, 75 F.2d 996, 25 USPQ 69 (CCPA 1935).”
Claim 19: Wang discloses a method of positioning a component relative to an electrode for an electrically driven plating process (see e.g. abstract), the method comprising:
retaining the component with a tooling base (see e.g. [0013]);
coupling a carrier (see e.g. #6 on Fig 3) to a guide of the tooling base (see e.g. #3 on Fig 3), the guide being associated with a multi-axis pathway (helical shape, see e.g. #3 on Fig 3);
coupling the electrode to the carrier (although not explicitly discloses, the device would inherently include an electrode component so that the component can be electroplated, see e.g. [0001]; [0011]); and
moving the carrier and electrode relative to the component along the multi-axis pathway to position the electrode adjacent the component (see e.g. [0029]).
Relevant Prior Art
Whitton et al (US 20210388522 A1) – This reference discloses an assembly for retaining turbine pieces to be plated (see e.g. abstract).
Rao et al (US 7854830 B2) – This reference discloses an assembly for retaining turbine pieces to be plated (see e.g. abstract).
Allowable Claims
Claims 3, 11, 13, 18, and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including 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:
Claim 3: The prior art does not disclose nor render obvious all of the cumulative
limitations of claim(s) 3 claiming “the device includes an electrode with a plurality of plates; and at least one of the plurality of plates is positionable adjacent at least one of the plurality of vanes along the multi-axis pathway”. The closest prior art is Wang. However, Wang does not describe the form the electrodes and there is not teaching or motivation that makes these limitations obvious in view of Wang.
Claim 11: The prior art does not disclose nor render obvious all of the cumulative
limitations of claim(s) 11 claiming “the device is an anode and the component forms at least part of a cathode when the assembly is used for electroplating of the component”. The closest prior art is Wang. Wang does not explicitly disclose the electrodes of the invention but the component would have to be connected as cathode in order for it to be plated. However, there is no suggestion in the reference to have the anode connected at the device and there is no teaching or motivation that makes the limitation obvious.
Claim 13: The prior art does not disclose nor render obvious all of the cumulative
limitations of claim(s) 13 claiming “the electrode has a plurality of plates; and at least one of the plurality of plates is positionable adjacent at least one of the plurality of vanes along the helical pathway”. The closest prior art is Wang. However, Wang does not describe the form the electrodes and there is not teaching or motivation that makes these limitations obvious in view of Wang.
Claim 18: The prior art does not disclose nor render obvious all of the cumulative
limitations of claim(s) 18 claiming “the electrode is an anode and the component forms at least part of a cathode when the assembly is used to electroplate the component”. The closest prior art is Wang. Wang does not explicitly disclose the electrodes of the invention but the component would have to be connected as cathode in order for it to be plated. However, there is no suggestion in the reference to have the anode connected at the device and there is no teaching or motivation that makes the limitation obvious.
Claim 20: The prior art does not disclose nor render obvious all of the cumulative
limitations of claim(s) 18 claiming “the component is a vane segment having a plurality of vanes and the electrode has a plurality of plates, the plurality of plates being moved relative to the plurality of vanes along the multi-axis pathway to position at least one of the plurality of plates adjacent at least one of the plurality of vanes”. The closest prior art is Wang. However, Wang does not describe the form the electrodes or the part being plated and there is not teaching or motivation that makes these limitations obvious in view of Wang.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEXANDER W KEELING whose telephone number is (571)272-9961. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Luan Van can be reached at 571-272-8521. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ALEXANDER W KEELING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1795
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