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 5/13/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-17 remain pending in the application.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I and Species I, claims 1-7 and 16 in the reply filed on 5/13/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 8-15 and 17 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected groups II-III and species II, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 5/13/2026.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. 18538141, filed on 12/13/2023.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/13/2023 and 1/10/2024 were filed after/on the filing date of the application on 12/13/2023. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner.
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 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(A)(1) as being anticipated by Benton (US 2263158).
Regarding claim 1, Benton teaches a method for processing a sheet metal part (22) using a sheet metal working tool (18) of a sheet metal working device, wherein a sheet metal part (22) to be processed is fixed on an attachment having a blank holder (assembly of 10, 12 and 14) of the sheet metal working device, the method comprising:
wetting a sheet metal contact region of the sheet metal working tool with a fluid (wet via 46 and 48, page 2 col. 1 lines 25-60);
lowering the sheet metal working tool for processing the sheet metal part (page 2 col. 1 lines 8-24), proceeding from an initial position (A), in the direction of the fixed sheet metal part until the sheet metal contact region of the sheet metal working tool impacts the sheet metal part in the sheet metal contact region wetted with the fluid, such that the fluid forms a separation layer between the sheet metal working tool and the sheet metal part (page 2 col. 1 lines 8-24); and
processing the sheet metal part using the sheet metal working tool (see Figure 1, page 3 col. 2 lines 9-29).
Regarding claim 2, Benton teaches processing the sheet metal part using the sheet metal working tool of the sheet metal working device, the sheet metal working tool is moved to the initial position (A), wherein the sheet metal contact region is wetted with the fluid while being moved to the initial position (A) (page 2 col. 1 lines 8-60).
Regarding claim 16, Benton teaches the sheet metal working tool is a cutting blade (18), the attachment is a cutting attachment, and processing the sheet metal part includes cutting the sheet metal part to size using the cutting blade (see Figure 1).
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 3-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Benton (US 2263158) in view of Wingard (US 3550491).
Regarding claim 3, Benton further teaches the sheet metal contact region is wetted with the fluid (see Figure 1 of Benton).
Benton fails to teach the fluid is provided by a fluid allocation reservoir disposed on the blank holder, and the sheet metal contact region is wetted with the fluid from the fluid allocation reservoir.
Wingard teaches a punch device including a fluid, wherein the fluid is provided by a fluid allocation reservoir disposed on the blank holder (fluid in 24, 24 on holder, see Figure 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the device of Benton to add the fluid delivery reservoir arrangement, as taught by Wingard, in order to hold and delivery a fluid near a cutting site (see Figures 1 and 3 of Wingard).
Regarding claim 4, modified Benton further teaches the fluid allocation reservoir is supplied with fluid from a fluid storage unit (as modified by Wingard, 40, see Figures 1 and 3 of Benton).
Regarding claim 5, modified Benton further teaches the fluid allocation reservoir is supplied with fluid in a controlled manner (as modified by Wingard, via 26, see Figures 1 and 3 of Benton)., and wherein a utilization of the sheet metal working tool is taken into account when controlling the fluid supply (as modified by Wingard, see Figures 1 and 3 of Benton).
Regarding claim 6, modified Benton further teaches a pump supplies (as modified by Wingard, 42, see Figures 1 and 3 of Benton) the fluid allocation reservoir with fluid synchronized with a movement of the working tool (as modified by Wingard, see Figures 1 and 3 of Benton).
Regarding claim 7, modified Benton further teaches the fluid allocation reservoir is an elastic absorbent textile element which is impregnated with the fluid and is disposed on the blank holder so as to be preloaded in relation to the sheet metal working tool situated at the same height level (felt, page 2 col. 1 lines 8-60)., and wherein the sheet metal contact region is wetted with the fluid in that the sheet metal contact region contacts the textile element during the movement (page 2 col. 1 lines 8-60).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LIANG DONG whose telephone number is (571)270-0479. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 8 AM-6 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ashley Boyer can be reached at 571-272-4502. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LIANG DONG/Examiner, Art Unit 3724 6/23/2026
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