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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/16/2023, 12/06/2024 The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Status of the Claims
In the amendment dated 11/16/2023, claims 1-14 are pending.
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 language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied.
See MPEP § 608.01(b) for guidelines for the preparation of patent abstracts.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every features of the invention specified in the claims. The limitations:
“a coated layer”, “a base metal”, and “an Fe-based electroplated layer” recited in lines 13-14, claim 1, 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.
Claim Objections
Claims 4, 7, 9-10 and 12-14 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 4, line 2, “the coating weight” should be “a coating weight”.
Claim 7, line 12, “where, in formula (1),” should be “where, in the formula (1),”
Claim 10, line 10, “where, in formula (1),” should be “where, in the formula (1),”.
Claim 9, lines 6-10, “an energization time of 1.0 s or shorter” and “an energization time of 2.0 s or shorter” should be “an energization time of 1.0 second or shorter” and “an energization time of 2.0 seconds or shorter”.
Claims 12-14 recites the same terms “an energization time of 1.0 s or shorter” and they should be amended as be “an energization time of 1.0 second or shorter” and “an energization time of 2.0 seconds or shorter” in the same manner as claim 9.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as failing to set forth 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.
Claim 1, line 17, the term “a base metal zone” is recited. It is unclear the relation between the term “a base metal zone” and the term “base metal” previously recited in line 14. Stated another way, it is not sure if the term “a base metal zone” corresponds to the term “base metal”. For examination purposes, the term “a base metal zone” is construed as the term “base metal”.
Claim 1, lines 18-19, the term “solute Si” and “solute Mn” are recited. It is not sure if the terms “solute Si” and “solute Mn” correspond to “Si” and “Mn” previously recited in lines 6-7. For examination purposes, the terms “solute Si” and “solute Mn” are construed as “Si” and “Mn” (lines 6-7).
Claim 1, line 27, the phase “…in a region extending from in a range of 50 µm to 100µm” recited. It is unclear if the above phase means in a region extending from 50 µm to 100µm”.
Claim 6, line 2, the term “a microstructure” is recited. It is unclear if the term “a microstructure” corresponds to the “steel sheet microstructure” previously recited in claim 1.
Claim 7, last lines, recites the terms “(s)”, “(kN)” and “(kA)” is unclear if they limit to the units of the holding time, welding force and current or they have other meanings. For examination purposes, the terms “(s)”, “(kN)” and “(kA)” are construed as the units of the holding time, welding force and current. Similarly, claim 10 recites the same terms “(s)”, “(kN)” and “(kA)” so that claim 10 is rejected by the same reason(s) as discussed in claim 7.
Claims 2-5, 8-9, 11 are rejected as being dependent on, and failing to cure the deficiencies of, rejected independent claim 1.
Notes: Due to 112 issues presenting in claims 1, 6-7 and 10, a rejection under prior art could not reasonably be made, and that once the 112 issues are absolved/corrected, another comparison with the prior art will again be made, based upon the Examiner's clearer understanding of the claimed invention.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
JP 2021500474 A (cited in 11/16/2023 IDS) discloses a method for producing a coated steel sheet. The present invention is particularly well suited for the manufacture of automobiles.
US 20230103935 A1 discloses a joint component is a joint component including a first steel member, a second steel member, and a spot-welded portion that joins the first steel member and the second steel member, in which the first steel member includes a steel sheet substrate having a predetermined chemical composition and a coating that is formed on a surface of the steel sheet substrate, contains Al and Fe, and has a thickness of 25 μm or more, in a cross section in a thickness direction of the first steel member and the second steel member including the spot-welded portion, a filled metal containing Al and Fe is present in a gap between the first steel member and the second steel member in a periphery of the spot-welded portion, in the cross section, the filled metal has a cross-sectional area of 3.0×10.sup.4 μm.sup.2 or more, and has a filling ratio of 80% or more in the gap in a range of 100 μm from an end portion of a corona bond formed in the periphery of the spot-welded portion, and includes a first region and a second region.
US 20200325554 A1 discloses A steel sheet having a chemical composition of the base metal including, in mass %, C: 0.17 to 0.40%, Si: 0.10 to 2.50%, Mn: 1.00 to 10.00%, P: 0.001 to 0.03%, S: 0.0001 to 0.02%, Al: 0.001 to 2.50%, N: 0.0001 to 0.010%, O: 0.0001 to 0.010%, Ti: 0 to 0.10%, Nb: 0 to 0.10%, V: 0 to 0.10%, B: 0 to 0.010%, Cr: 0 to 2.00%, Ni: 0 to 2.00%, Cu: 0 to 2.00%, Mo: 0 to 2.00%, Ca: 0 to 0.50%, Mg: 0 to 0.50%, REM: 0 to 0.50%, the balance: Fe and impurities, wherein the steel sheet has an internal oxidized layer in which at least one part of a crystal grain boundary is covered by oxides, and in which a grain boundary coverage ratio of oxides is 60% or more in a region from the surface of the base metal to a depth of 5.0 μm.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TIFFANY T TRAN whose telephone number is (571)272-3673. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday, 10am - 6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Edward Landrum can be reached on (571) 272-5567. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TIFFANY T TRAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761
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