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 12/09/2023 and 06/27/2025. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it should avoid using phases which can be implied, such as, “This disclosure concerns”, “The disclosure defined by this invention”, “This disclosure describes”, “is disclosed”, “are disclosed”, “the invention relates to” etc. Correction is required. See MPEP 608.01 (b).
In this case, the present abstract filed on 01/08/2024 should avoid using phrase “The invention relates to”
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.
In claim 1: the limitation "the apparatus has suitable means for feeding a carrier frame…"
In claim 9: the limitation “a shuttle system”
The limitations 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 1-15 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 10: “a”, “b”, “c”, “e”, “f”, “g”, “h”, and “I”, should be removed,
In claim 14: the phrase: "…movement of the lifting units and/or the procedure at at least one processing station is synchronized with the movement and/or the angular position…", should be changed to --… movement of the lifting units or the procedure at least one processing station is synchronized with the movement or the angular position …--, and
In claim 15: the limitation: "an apparatus" should be changed to --the apparatus--.
Correction is required.
Notification regarding 35 USC § 112f
The following is a quotation of AIA 35 U.S.C. 112f:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
Claim limitation “means for feeding a carrier frame” in claim 1 has been interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f), because it uses/they use a generic placeholder “means” coupled with functional language “for feeding a carrier frame” without reciting sufficient structure to achieve the function. Furthermore, the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier.
Since the claim limitation(s) invokes 35 U.S.C. 112(f), claim 1 has been interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification that achieves the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
A review of the specification shows that, although it is not clear, the following appears to be the corresponding structure described in the specification for the 35 U.S.C. 112(f) limitation: “…Another optional processing station is constituted by a lettering station, at which individual blades or carrier frames or the cutting unit can be provided with lettering or writing by suitable means …” has been described in the present Specification, Par.0051.
If applicant wishes to provide further explanation or dispute the examiner’s interpretation of the corresponding structure, applicant must identify the corresponding structure with reference to the specification by page and line number, and to the drawing, if any, by reference characters in response to this Office action.
If applicant does not intend to have the claim limitation(s) treated under 35 U.S.C. 112(f), applicant may amend the claim(s) so that it/they will clearly not invoke 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or present a sufficient showing that the claim recites/recite sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function to preclude application of 35 U.S.C. 112(f).
For more information, see MPEP § 2173 et seq. and Supplementary Examination Guidelines for Determining Compliance With 35 U.S.C. 112 and for Treatment of Related Issues in Patent Applications, 76 FR 7162, 7167 (Feb. 9, 2011).
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.
Claims 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b), as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which applicant regards as the invention.
In claim 1:
“a cutting unit” as cited in line 12, is indefinite because it is unclear that “a cutting unit” in line 12 is the same “a cutting unit” in line 4 or not?
“a turntable” as cited in line 7, is indefinite because it is unclear that “a turntable” is the same “a rotary indexing table” in line 6 or not? For the purpose of examination, it is assumed “a turntable” is a part of “a rotary indexing table”
In claim 15, the phrase “The method of claim 10 wherein an apparatus of claim 1 is used”, is indefinite because it is unclear claim 15 is depended on claim 10 or claim 1?
Correction is required.
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 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Luo (CN109396648A).
Regarding claim 1, Luo discloses
An apparatus (apparatus, figs.1-2) for welding blades (single-sided blade 12, fig.4) comprising:
a blade-supply device (blade loading mechanism 5, fig.2) for supplying blades (single-sided blade 12, fig.4);
a welding apparatus (laser welding mechanism 6, fig.2) for welding one or more blades (single-sided blade 12, fig.4) to a carrier frame (blade frame 10, fig.4) to form a cutting unit (blade cutting mechanism 4, fig.2); and
at least one holder device (blade clamping module 26, fig.4) for holding at least one carrier frame (blade frame 10),
the apparatus (apparatus, figs.1-2) further comprises a rotary indexing table (turntable 1, fig.3) with a plurality of processing stations around a turntable (top surface of turntable 1),
wherein the blade-supply device (blade loading mechanism 5) is a constituent part of a blade-feeding station (blade loading mechanism 5), and the welding apparatus (laser welding mechanism 6) is a constituent part of a welding station (laser welding mechanism 6) of the rotary indexing table (turntable 1) and wherein the apparatus (apparatus, figs.1-2) has suitable means (blade feeding mechanism 3, fig.2) for feeding a carrier frame (blade frame 10) into the operating region of the welding station (laser welding mechanism 6), for orienting the carrier frame (blade frame 10) in the welding station (laser welding mechanism 6) and for removing a cutting unit produced from the carrier frame (blade frame 10) and one or more blades (single-sided blade 12).
Regarding claim 2, Luo discloses
the rotary indexing table (turntable 1, fig.3) is designed in the form of a torque rotary table [turntable 1, fig.3, is a torque rotary table].
Regarding claim 3, Luo discloses
the turntable (turntable 1, fig.3) is configured with mounts (welding fixture 2, fig.3) designed in the form of positioning wings [welding fixture 2, is formed of positioning wings], wherein the positioning wings (welding fixture 2) are arranged on the turntable (turntable 1) such that the cutting edge of a blade held in a positioning wing is oriented tangentially in relation to the turntable (turntable 1).
Regarding claim 4, Luo discloses
the positioning wings (welding fixture 2, fig.3) are movable perpendicularly in relation to the surface of the turntable (turntable 1, fig.3) with the aid of a lifting unit [Par.0073 cited: “…robot lifts and lifts the material to transfer it to the welding fixture, and then lowers it to insert it into the corresponding five positions…”].
Regarding claim 5, Luo discloses
the movement of the positioning wings (welding fixture 2, fig.3) is synchronized with the rotary movement of the turntable (turntable 1, fig.3) with the aid of the lifting unit [Par.0073 cited: “…robot lifts and lifts the material to transfer it to the welding fixture, and then lowers it to insert it into the corresponding five positions…”].
Regarding claim 6, Luo discloses
at least one holder device (blade clamping module 26, fig.4) for holding a carrier frame (blade frame 10, fig.4), wherein the holder device (blade clamping module 26) is assigned at least one axial handling unit (blade feeding robot 33, fig.6) for moving and orienting the holder device (blade clamping module 26).
Regarding claim 7, Luo discloses
a respective holder device (blade clamping module 26, fig.4) is assigned two axial handling units (blade feeding robot 33, fig.6).
Regarding claim 8, Luo discloses
the holder device (blade clamping module 26, fig.4) is designed in the form of a double holder device for simultaneously receiving two carrier frames (blade frame 10, fig.4) one beside the other, wherein the double holder device (blade clamping module 26) is assigned a single axial handling unit (blade feeding robot 33, fig.6).
Regarding claim 9, Luo discloses
a shuttle system (fixing seat 21, fig.4) for feeding carrier frames (blade frame 10, fig.4) into the operating region of the welding station (laser welding mechanism 6, fig.2) and for removing the cutting units (blade cutting mechanism 4, fig.2) from the operating region of the welding station (laser welding mechanism 6).
Regarding claim 10, Luo discloses
A method for welding blades (single-sided blade 12, fig.4), comprising following method steps:
providing a carrier frame (blade frame 10, fig.4) [Par.0054 cited: “…blade feeding mechanism 5 is used to transport the single-sided blade 12 to the welding fixture 2 and to stack the single-sided blade 12 on the blade frame 10…”];
transferring the carrier frame (blade frame 10) into a holder device (blade clamping module 26, fig.4) with the aid of a handling apparatus (apparatus, figs.1-2) [Par.0059 cited: “…One end of the blade clamping module 26 is in contact with the first fixed seat 21 and the third fixed seat 25, and the other end of the blade clamping module 26 is used to place the blade 10 between the second fixed seat 22 and the third fixed seat 25…”];
displacing the holder device (blade clamping module 26) with the carrier frame (blade frame 10) into the operating region of a processing station of a rotary indexing table (turntable 1, fig.3) [Par.0059 cited: “…One end of the blade clamping module 26 is in contact with the first fixed seat 21 and the third fixed seat 25, and the other end of the blade clamping module 26 is used to place the blade 10 between the second fixed seat 22 and the third fixed seat 25…”];
providing a blade (single-sided blade 12) by a blade-supply device (blade loading mechanism 5, fig.2) at a blade-feeding station (blade loading mechanism 5) of the rotary indexing table (turntable 1) [Par.0064 cited: “…blade feeding mechanism 5 includes a blade feeding robot 51, on which a blade suction mechanism 52 is provided, and the blade suction mechanism 52 is located above the slide rail 46…”];
receiving the blade (single-sided blade 12) by a positioning wing on the turntable of the rotary indexing table (turntable 1) at the blade-feeding station (blade loading mechanism 5) [Par.0054 cited: “…blade feeding mechanism 5 is used to transport the single-sided blade 12 to the welding fixture 2…”];
moving the rotary indexing table (turntable 1) at regular intervals until the blade (turntable 1) held in the positioning wing has reached the processing station in the operating region of which the carrier frame (blade frame 10) is held in the holder device (blade clamping module 26) [Par.0059 cited: “…blade clamping module 26 is provided between the first fixed seat 21 and the third fixed seat 25, between two adjacent third fixed seats 25, and between the second fixed seat 22 and the third fixed seat 25…”];
orienting the carrier frame (blade frame 10) in the holder device (blade clamping module 26) in relation to the blade with the aid of an axial handling unit [Par.0070 cited: “…welding spot of the product and the corresponding position of the blade 10 and the single-sided blade 12 are detected by the CCD vision inspection mechanism 9 to see if they are qualified…”];
placing the blade (single-sided blade 12) in the envisaged position on the carrier frame (blade frame 10) with the aid of the positioning wing [Par.0070 cited: “…welding spot of the product and the corresponding position of the blade 10 and the single-sided blade 12 are detected by the CCD vision inspection mechanism 9 to see if they are qualified…”]; and
welding the blade (single-sided blade 12) to the carrier frame (blade frame 10) with the aid of a welding device (apparatus, figs.1-2) [Par.0087 cited: “…single-sided blades 12 are welded to the blade 10 by the laser welding mechanism 6…”].
Regarding claim 11, Luo discloses
wherein steps are re-peated until such time as the cutting unit (blade cutting mechanism 4, fig.2) has an envisaged number of blades (single-sided blade 12, fig.4).
Regarding claim 12, Luo discloses
the holder device (blade clamping module 26, fig.4) is moved with the aid of a first axial handling unit and a second axial handling unit (blade feeding robot 33, fig.6), wherein the first axial handling unit (blade feeding robot 33), in cooperation with the rotary indexing table (turntable 1, fig.3), repositions the carrier frame (blade frame 10, fig.4) when the blades are being welded and the second axial handling unit (blade feeding robot 33), in cooperation with the handling device for the carrier frames (blade frame 10), positions the holder device (blade clamping module 26, fig.4) for the purposes of transferring the finish-welded cutting units to the interface apparatus and of equipping the holder device (blade clamping module 26) with a new carrier frame (blade frame 10), wherein the holder device (blade clamping module 26) remains rigidly positioned.
Regarding claim 13, Luo discloses
the positioning wings (welding fixture 2, fig.3) are moved by a respective lifting unit [Par.0073 cited: “…robot lifts and lifts the material to transfer it to the welding fixture, and then lowers it to insert it into the corresponding five positions…”] so that the distance of a blade held in the positioning wing, or of the receiving device of the positioning wing, from the turntable (turntable 1, fig.3) is adapted in dependence on the requirements of the respective processing station.
Regarding claim 14, Luo discloses
the movement of the lifting units [Par.0073 cited: “…robot lifts and lifts the material to transfer it to the welding fixture, and then lowers it to insert it into the corresponding five positions…”] or the procedure at least one processing station is synchronized with the movement or the angular position of the turntable of the rotary indexing table (turntable 1, fig.3).
Regarding claim 15, Luo discloses
the apparatus (apparatus, figs.1-2) is used.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Jaeger et al. (US 20050211684 A1) is considered as the relevant prior art in field of an apparatus and method for a welding as shown in fig.2, with a welding support, a welding apparatus, a welding station, and a frame, but does not explicitly disclose a welding blade and a rotary table…
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHUONG T NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-1834. The examiner can normally be reached 9.00am-5.00pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven Crabb can be reached on 571-270-5095. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PHUONG T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761
06/22/2026
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