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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding the discussion of the manufacturing process for the coil in the Specification (Paras. 35-38), no definition is provided for element “P” of Fig. 8.
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.
Claims 2 and 3 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential structural cooperative relationships of elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the necessary structural connections. See MPEP § 2172.01. The omitted structural cooperative relationships are: the discharge and injection ports position relative to the grounding portion and heating unit.
Claim 2 recites that the grounding portion is provided with, “an injection port … and a discharge port,” for providing cooling medium to the flow down path. However, as disclosed, the grounding portion does not have any injection port, but rather has 2 discharge ports. It is unclear whether the discharge port can be also used as an injection port, or additional structure is being claimed.
Claim 3 recites that the heating unit is provided with, “an injection port … and a discharge port,” for providing cooling medium to the flow down path. However, as disclosed, the heating unit does not have any discharge port, but rather has 2 injection ports. It is unclear whether the injection port can be also used as a discharge port, or additional structure is being claimed.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1-3 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over Claim 4 of copending Application No. US 2025/0159768 in view of Yamamoto (JP 2020181828) and Prest (US 2020/0118741). Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because of the following (limitations not taught by copending Application are NOT bolded):
This is a provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection.
Instant Application (18/570,857)
Reference Application 1 (US 20250159768 A1)
Claim 1:
A heating coil used for a high-frequency heater configured to heat a material to be worked using electromagnetic induction by a high-frequency current, wherein the heating coil for a high-frequency heater is integrally formed by a modeling method of repeating laying, melting, solidifying, and laminating of a powder containing a conductive material based on three-dimensional data, or a modeling method of laminating a melted conductive material based on three-dimensional data, and the heating coil comprises:
a pair of plate-shaped grounding portions for contact with an electrode through which a high-frequency current is flowed;
a pair of plate-shaped supporting portions disposed to be perpendicular to the respective grounding portions;
and an annular heating unit disposed to connect distal ends of the supporting portions to one another,
wherein a sequence of a cooling medium flow-down path for flowing down a cooling medium is formed inside each of the grounding portions, each of the supporting portions, and the heating unit.
Claim 1:
A heating coil used for a high-frequency heater configured to heat a material to be worked using electromagnetic induction by a high-frequency current, wherein the heating coil for a high-frequency heater is integrally formed by a modeling method of repeating laying, melting, solidifying, and laminating of a powder containing a conductive material based on three-dimensional data, or a modeling method of laminating a melted conductive material based on three-dimensional data, and the heating coil comprises:
a pair of plate-shaped grounding portions for contact with an electrode through which a high-frequency current is flowed;
a pair of plate-shaped supporting portions disposed to be perpendicular to the respective grounding portions;
and a sequence of circumferential heating unit disposed to connect distal ends of the supporting portions to one another,
wherein at least one or more sinking portions are formed in an inner peripheral edge of the heating unit so as to lie along a radiation direction from a center of the heating unit.
Claim 4:
The heating coil for a high-frequency heater according to claim 1, wherein a sequence of cooling medium flow-down path for flowing down a medium for cooling is formed inside the respective grounding portions, the respective supporting portions, and the heating unit.
Claim 2:
The heating coil for a high-frequency heater according to claim 1, wherein the grounding portion is provided with an injection port for injecting the cooling medium into the cooling medium flow-down path and/or a discharge port for discharging the cooling medium from the cooling medium flow-down path.
[Taught by Yamamoto]
Claim 3:
The heating coil for a high-frequency heater according to claim 1, wherein the heating unit is provided with an injection port for injecting the cooling medium into the cooling medium flow-down path and/or a discharge port for discharging the cooling medium from the cooling medium flow-down path.
[Taught by Prest]
Claim 1 of the instant application is anticipated by Dependent claim 4 of the ‘768 Application (Reference Application 1).
Claim 4 of Reference Application 1 teaches substantially the device of Claim 2 of the instant application except for wherein the grounding portion is provided with an injection port for injecting the cooling medium into the cooling medium flow-down path and/or a discharge port for discharging the cooling medium from the cooling medium flow-down path.
However, Yamamoto teaches, wherein the grounding portion [Rear Walls 7, Fig. 1] is provided with an injection port [Port 10 of Cooling Channel 21aR, Fig. 3] for injecting the cooling medium into the cooling medium flow-down path and/or a discharge port [Port 10 of Cooling Channel 21aL, Fig. 3] for discharging the cooling medium from the cooling medium flow-down path.
Yamamoto is in the same field of invention as the application because they both relate to induction hardening coil apparatuses, and thus qualifies as analogous art. [MPEP 2141.01(a)]
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date to modify the invention of Reference Application 1 with the discharging and injection ports in the grounding portion taught in Yamamoto because it allows for continuous flow of cooling medium through the device, improving the cooling efficiency. Accordingly, Claim 2 is provisionally rejected as obvious over Reference Application 1 in view of Yamamoto.
Claim 4 of Reference Application 1 teaches substantially the device of Claim 3 of the instant application except for wherein the heating unit is provided with an injection port for injecting the cooling medium into the cooling medium flow-down path and/or a discharge port for discharging the cooling medium from the cooling medium flow-down path.
However, Prest teaches wherein the heating unit [Induction coil 18, Fig. 1] is provided with an injection port [Coupling member 20, Fig. 1] for injecting the cooling medium into the cooling medium flow-down path and/or a discharge port for discharging the cooling medium from the cooling medium flow-down path.
Prest is in the same field of invention as the application because they both relate to induction hardening coil apparatuses, and thus qualifies as analogous art. [MPEP 2141.01(a)]
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date to modify the invention of Reference Application 1 with the injection port in the heating unit taught in Prest because it allows for continuous flow of cooling medium through the device, improving the cooling efficiency. Accordingly, Claim 3 is provisionally rejected as obvious over Reference Application 1 in view of Prest.
Claims 1-3 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over Claim 4 of copending Application No. US 20250168941 in view of Yamamoto (JP 2020181828) and Prest (US 2020/0118741). Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because of the following (limitations not taught by copending Application are NOT bolded):
This is a provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection.
Instant Application (18/570,857)
Reference Application 2 (US 20250168941 A1)
Claim 1:
A heating coil used for a high-frequency heater configured to heat a material to be worked using electromagnetic induction by a high-frequency current, wherein the heating coil for a high-frequency heater is integrally formed by a modeling method of repeating laying, melting, solidifying, and laminating of a powder containing a conductive material based on three-dimensional data, or a modeling method of laminating a melted conductive material based on three-dimensional data, and the heating coil comprises:
a pair of plate-shaped grounding portions for contact with an electrode through which a high-frequency current is flowed;
a pair of plate-shaped supporting portions disposed to be perpendicular to the respective grounding portions;
and an annular heating unit disposed to connect distal ends of the supporting portions to one another,
wherein a sequence of a cooling medium flow-down path for flowing down a cooling medium is formed inside each of the grounding portions, each of the supporting portions, and the heating unit.
Claim 1:
A heating coil used for a high-frequency heater configured to heat a material to be worked using electromagnetic induction by a high-frequency current, wherein the heating coil for a high-frequency heater is integrally formed by a modeling method of repeating laying, melting, solidifying, and laminating of a powder containing a conductive material based on three-dimensional data, or a modeling method of laminating a melted conductive material based on three-dimensional data, and the heating coil comprises:
a pair of plate-shaped grounding portions for contact with an electrode through which a high-frequency current is flowed;
a pair of plate-shaped supporting portions disposed to be perpendicular to the respective grounding portions;
and a sequence of circumferential heating unit disposed to connect distal ends of the supporting portions to one another,
wherein a cooling medium flow-down path for flowing down a medium for cooling is formed inside each of the supporting portions, and the cooling medium flow-down path is communicated with a cooling medium flow-down path formed inside the heating unit, and a portion other than a forming portion of the cooling medium flow-down path in each of the supporting portion is thinner than the forming portion of the cooling medium flow-down path.
Claim 4:
The heating coil for a high-frequency heater according to claim 1, wherein a cooling medium flow-down path for flowing down a medium for cooling is formed inside each of the grounding portions, and the cooling medium flow-down path is communicated with the cooling medium flow-down path formed inside the supporting portion.
Claim 2:
The heating coil for a high-frequency heater according to claim 1, wherein the grounding portion is provided with an injection port for injecting the cooling medium into the cooling medium flow-down path and/or a discharge port for discharging the cooling medium from the cooling medium flow-down path.
[Taught by Yamamoto]
Claim 3:
The heating coil for a high-frequency heater according to claim 1, wherein the heating unit is provided with an injection port for injecting the cooling medium into the cooling medium flow-down path and/or a discharge port for discharging the cooling medium from the cooling medium flow-down path.
[Taught by Prest]
Claim 1 of the instant application is anticipated by Dependent claim 4 of the ‘941 Application (Reference Application 2).
Claim 4 of Reference Application 2 teaches substantially the device of Claim 2 of the instant application except for wherein the grounding portion is provided with an injection port for injecting the cooling medium into the cooling medium flow-down path and/or a discharge port for discharging the cooling medium from the cooling medium flow-down path.
However, Yamamoto teaches, wherein the grounding portion [Rear Walls 7, Fig. 1] is provided with an injection port [Port 10 of Cooling Channel 21aR, Fig. 3] for injecting the cooling medium into the cooling medium flow-down path and/or a discharge port [Port 10 of Cooling Channel 21aL, Fig. 3] for discharging the cooling medium from the cooling medium flow-down path.
Yamamoto is in the same field of invention as the application because they both relate to induction hardening coil apparatuses, and thus qualifies as analogous art. [MPEP 2141.01(a)]
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date to modify the invention of Reference Application 2 with the discharging and injection ports in the grounding portion taught in Yamamoto because it allows for continuous flow of cooling medium through the device, improving the cooling efficiency. Accordingly, Claim 2 is provisionally rejected as obvious over Reference Application 2 in view of Yamamoto.
Claim 4 of Reference Application 2 teaches substantially the device of Claim 3 of the instant application except for wherein the heating unit is provided with an injection port for injecting the cooling medium into the cooling medium flow-down path and/or a discharge port for discharging the cooling medium from the cooling medium flow-down path.
However, Prest teaches wherein the heating unit [Induction coil 18, Fig. 1] is provided with an injection port [Coupling member 20, Fig. 1] for injecting the cooling medium into the cooling medium flow-down path and/or a discharge port for discharging the cooling medium from the cooling medium flow-down path.
Prest is in the same field of invention as the application because they both relate to induction hardening coil apparatuses, and thus qualifies as analogous art. [MPEP 2141.01(a)]
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date to modify the invention of Reference Application 2 with the injection port in the heating unit taught in Prest because it allows for continuous flow of cooling medium through the device, improving the cooling efficiency. Accordingly, Claim 3 is provisionally rejected as obvious over Reference Application 2 in view of Prest.
Claims 1-3 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over Claim 3 of copending Application No. US 2026/0082456 in view of Yamamoto (JP 2020181828) and Prest (US 2020/0118741). Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because of the following (limitations not taught by copending Application are NOT bolded):
This is a provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection.
Instant Application (18/570,857)
Reference Application 3 (US 20260082456 A1)
Claim 1:
A heating coil used for a high-frequency heater configured to heat a material to be worked using electromagnetic induction by a high-frequency current, wherein the heating coil for a high-frequency heater is integrally formed by a modeling method of repeating laying, melting, solidifying, and laminating of a powder containing a conductive material based on three-dimensional data, or a modeling method of laminating a melted conductive material based on three-dimensional data, and the heating coil comprises:
a pair of plate-shaped grounding portions for contact with an electrode through which a high-frequency current is flowed;
a pair of plate-shaped supporting portions disposed to be perpendicular to the respective grounding portions;
and an annular heating unit disposed to connect distal ends of the supporting portions to one another,
wherein a sequence of a cooling medium flow-down path for flowing down a cooling medium is formed inside each of the grounding portions, each of the supporting portions, and the heating unit.
Claim 1:
A heating coil used for a high-frequency heater configured to heat a material to be worked using electromagnetic induction by a high-frequency current, wherein the heating coil for a high-frequency heater is integrally formed by a modeling method of repeating laying, melting, solidifying, and laminating of a powder containing a conductive material based on three-dimensional data, or a modeling method of laminating a melted conductive material based on three-dimensional data, and the heating coil comprises:
a pair of plate-shaped grounding portions for contact with an electrode through which a high-frequency current is flowed;
a pair of plate-shaped supporting portions disposed to be perpendicular to the respective grounding portions;
and a sequence of circumferential heating unit disposed to connect distal ends of the supporting portions to one another,
wherein the annular heating unit has a shape in which a plurality of circumferential heating bodies horizontally disposed at different height positions are coupled by a plurality of vertically disposed columnar heating bodies.
Claim 3:
The heating coil for a high-frequency heater according to claim 1, wherein a sequence of cooling medium flow-down path for flowing down a medium for cooling is formed inside the respective grounding portions, the respective supporting portions, and the heating unit.
Claim 2:
The heating coil for a high-frequency heater according to claim 1, wherein the grounding portion is provided with an injection port for injecting the cooling medium into the cooling medium flow-down path and/or a discharge port for discharging the cooling medium from the cooling medium flow-down path.
[Taught by Yamamoto]
Claim 3:
The heating coil for a high-frequency heater according to claim 1, wherein the heating unit is provided with an injection port for injecting the cooling medium into the cooling medium flow-down path and/or a discharge port for discharging the cooling medium from the cooling medium flow-down path.
[Taught by Prest]
Claim 1 of the instant application is anticipated by Dependent claim 3 of the ‘456 Application (Reference Application 3).
Claim 3 of Reference Application 3 teaches substantially the device of Claim 2 of the instant application except for wherein the grounding portion is provided with an injection port for injecting the cooling medium into the cooling medium flow-down path and/or a discharge port for discharging the cooling medium from the cooling medium flow-down path.
However, Yamamoto teaches, wherein the grounding portion [Rear Walls 7, Fig. 1] is provided with an injection port [Port 10 of Cooling Channel 21aR, Fig. 3] for injecting the cooling medium into the cooling medium flow-down path and/or a discharge port [Port 10 of Cooling Channel 21aL, Fig. 3] for discharging the cooling medium from the cooling medium flow-down path.
Yamamoto is in the same field of invention as the application because they both relate to induction hardening coil apparatuses, and thus qualifies as analogous art. [MPEP 2141.01(a)]
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date to modify the invention of Reference Application 3 with the discharging and injection ports in the grounding portion taught in Yamamoto because it allows for continuous flow of cooling medium through the device, improving the cooling efficiency. Accordingly, Claim 2 is provisionally rejected as obvious over Reference Application 3 in view of Yamamoto.
Claim 3 of Reference Application 3 teaches substantially the device of Claim 3 of the instant application except for wherein the heating unit is provided with an injection port for injecting the cooling medium into the cooling medium flow-down path and/or a discharge port for discharging the cooling medium from the cooling medium flow-down path.
However, Prest teaches wherein the heating unit [Induction coil 18, Fig. 1] is provided with an injection port [Coupling member 20, Fig. 1] for injecting the cooling medium into the cooling medium flow-down path and/or a discharge port for discharging the cooling medium from the cooling medium flow-down path.
Prest is in the same field of invention as the application because they both relate to induction hardening coil apparatuses, and thus qualifies as analogous art. [MPEP 2141.01(a)]
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date to modify the invention of Reference Application 3 with the injection port in the heating unit taught in Prest because it allows for continuous flow of cooling medium through the device, improving the cooling efficiency. Accordingly, Claim 3 is provisionally rejected as obvious over Reference Application 3 in view of Prest.
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.
(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.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yamamoto et al. (JP 2020181828).
Regarding Claim 1, Yamamoto discloses A heating coil used for a high-frequency heater configured to heat a material to be worked using electromagnetic induction by a high-frequency current (Examiner Note: The preamble of a claim will be treated as a claim limitation to the extent that it limits the structure of the claimed invention (MPEP 2111.02-I). When the body of the claim defines a structurally complete invention, the preamble is considered to be a mere statement of intended use and not limiting the scope of the claim. Id. As the claims provide a structurally complete heating coil, this portion of the preamble is considered intended use, and thus no limiting the scope of the claim.), wherein the heating coil is integrally formed by a modeling method repeating laying, melting, solidifying and laminating of a powder containing a conductive material based on three-dimensional data, or a modeling method laminating a melted conductive material based on three-dimensional data, or a modeling method laminating a melted conductive material based on three-dimensional data [Paras. 61, 103-112] (Examiner Note: This limitation is construed to require the heating coil is integrally formed by additive manufacturing. Yamamoto discloses a heating coil integrally formed by additive manufacturing process employing repetitive sintering and laminating of metal based on a CAD model, and thus discloses this limitation.), and the heating coil [Heating Coil 1, Fig. 1] comprises:
a pair of plate-shaped grounding portions [Rear walls 7 of First and Second divided bodies 6R and 6L, Fig. 1] [“The first divided body 6R and the second divided body 6L are formed in a bilaterally symmetrical shape. Each of the divided body side walls 6R 6L has a rear wall 7, a main body 8, and a rib 9.” Para. 53] for contact with an electrode [Power source (not shown), paras. 50-54] (Examiner Note: The limitation, “contact with the electrode,” is construed to mean that it is configured for a connection with the power supply. Yamamoto discloses the rear walls (7) are part of the power supply unit (2) that provides power to the coil portion (3) and thus discloses this limitation.) through which a high-frequency current is flowed;
a pair of plate-shaped supporting portions [Main body 8 of First and Second divided bodies 6R and 6L, Figs. 1,3, “… a main body 8….” Para. 53] disposed to be perpendicular to the respective grounding portions [Paras. 56-7, 62]; and
an annular heating unit [Coil portion 3, Fig. 1] disposed to connect distal ends [Connection portion 13, Fig. 1, para. 66] of the supporting portions to one another (Examiner Note: Yamamoto discloses a connection portion (13), “between the distal end portion of the lower wall portion 12,12 and the coil portion 3,” where the lower wall portions are a part of the main body 8, and thus discloses a connection with the supporting portions. (Para. 66)),
wherein a sequence of a cooling medium flow-down path [Cooling Water Passage 5, Fig. 1, paras. 66-77] (Examiner Note: A sequence of a cooling path is understood to mean a portion of the cooling path is formed inside of the respective portions of the coil.) for flowing down a cooling medium is formed inside each of the grounding portions [Water passages 21aR and 21aL in Rear wall 7, Fig. 3 paras. 72-75], each of the supporting portions [Water passages 21R and 21L in main body portion 8 of 6R and 6L, Fig. 3, paras. 72-75], and the heating unit [Coil portion water passage 16, Fig. 3] [Paras. 66, 71-79].
Regarding Claim 2, Yamamoto discloses all the limitations of Claim 1, Yamamoto further discloses wherein the grounding portion [Rear walls 7 of Divided bodies 6R and 6L, Fig. 3] is provided with an injection port [Port 10 of Cooling Channel 21aR, Fig. 3] for injecting the cooling medium into the cooling medium flow-down path and/or a discharge port [Port 10 of Cooling Channel 21aL, Fig. 3] for discharging the cooling medium from the cooling medium flow-down path. [Paras. 72-76] (Examiner Note: Noting the 112(b) rejection above, Yamamoto discloses a pair of ports (10) in communication with the water passages (21R and 21L) of each divided body (6R and 6L) where the cooling medium is injected (Right port 10) and discharged (Left port 10) into the water passages to cool the apparatus and thus discloses this limitation.)
Regarding Claim 3, Yamamoto discloses all the limitations of Claim 1, Yamamoto further discloses wherein the heating unit [Coil portion 3, Fig. 7] is provided with an injection port [Inlet 31 in Coil Portion 3, Fig. 7] for injecting the cooling medium into the cooling medium flow-down path and/or a discharge port [Outlet 36 in Coil Portion 3, Fig. 7] for discharging the cooling medium from the cooling medium flow-down path. [Paras. 77-79] (Examiner Note: Noting the 112(b) rejection above, Yamamoto discloses the coil portion (3) has an inlet (31) and outlet (36) in communication with the cooling water passage (5) provided in main body (8) through the first and second water passages. Specifically, cooling medium is injected from the first water passage (21R) into inlet (31) of the coil (3) and discharged from the outlet (36) into the second water passage (21L) and out of the port (10) in the rear walls (7). As a fluid port can be construed as an opening that permits fluid flow, the inlet/outlet of the coil portion reads onto this limitation as they provide fluid openings for cooling medium to travel into cooling path of the coil body.)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Nam et al. (KR 101359218) also discloses an integrally formed induction hardening coil with a supporting structure perpendicular to the grounding structure, and further comprising a discharger and injection port disposed on the heating coil to provide coolant inside the coil.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to John Michael Chambers whose telephone number is (571)272-2614. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7 am - 4 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven Crabb can be reached at (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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/J.M.C./Examiner, Art Unit 3761
/STEVEN W CRABB/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3761
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