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 .
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.
(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.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tatsuda (US20110023655A1).
Claim 1
Tatsuda teaches a machine tool (¶0012-0013 teach the rotary table is a part of an overall machine tool. Alternatively, the term “machine tool” does not convey any specific structure, such that the overall device can be considered a “machine tool”.) comprising a rotary table (5) which rotates a workpiece mounted on a table or pallet by rotating the table or pallet (¶0012), the rotary table comprising: a housing (2) including a cylindrical holding part (28) extending along a first axis direction (Figure 1 shows an axis through the centerline of the device denoted by a hidden/dashed line.), a rotary member comprising a flange part (Figures 4-5, Item 43), which is formed along an outer periphery thereof (Figures 4-5), and which rotates about the first axis with respect to the holding part together with the table or the pallet arranged on the front side in the first axis direction (¶0018 teaches that the sliding disc (43) rotates with the rotating body (65).), a roller bearing (3) which is arranged in the housing and which rotatably supports the rotary member (See Figure 4 and ¶0109), a motor (6, 9, ¶0114) which drives the rotation of the rotary member (¶0109), and a support member (Figure 5, Item 45) which is arranged in the housing on the rear side of the flange part in the first axis direction (See Figure 5), which has a sliding surface at a front end thereof in the first axis direction (Figure 5, Item 60), which is configured to be movable forward and rearward along the first axis direction (Figure 5 shows a piston rod (50) that moves the support member (return disc, 45).), wherein the sliding surface contacts the flange part when the support member is advanced and separates from the flange part when it is retracted (Figure 5 shows the point in the operation of the table where the sliding surface (60) is contacting the flange part (43) via a hidden/dashed line, and the point in the operation where there is no contact (separation) in solid lines. See also ¶0147.); a thin disk member (Item 46 is a member that is wider than it is tall, making it applicable to a “disk”. The claim does not specify what thickness constitutes “thin”.) which is formed along the outer periphery of the rotary member (Figure 4 shows this member (46) is located at an outer periphery of the rotary part of the device.) on the front side of the flange part (Figure 4 shows the member (46) is located above (which is the front direction) the flange part (43).) in the first axis direction and which is affixed to the rotary member (¶0138 teaches the member (46) is connected to the rotating portion of the device using a bolt (47).), and a pressing member (53) which is arranged in the housing (Figure 5 shows that item 53 is located within the housing (28, 29).) on the front side of the disk member in the first axis direction (The head of the bolt (53) is located above (front side) portions of the member (46).), which has a contact surface at a rear end thereof in the first axis direction (Figure 5 shows the bolt (53) has a surface at the rear “end”.), and which is configured to be movable forward and rearward along the first axis direction (The insertion and retraction of the bolt into the hole of the member (46) is done in the forward and rearward direction.), wherein the contact surface contacts the disk member when retracted (When the bolt (53) is removed from the bore, a surface on the rear (lower) portion of the bolt contacts the disk member.) and separates from the disk member when advanced. (When the bolt (53) is fully inserted, the rear (lower) portion is away from the member (46).) a controller (¶0149 “controlling device of the machine tool”.) for controlling the rotary table, wherein the controller is configured so as to be switchable between: a rotation mode in which the support member is operated to retract, whereby the support member is separated from the flange part and the rotary member is rotated at a predetermined rotation speed (¶0149 teaches the controlling device of the machine tool reduces the pressure in fluid pressure chamber (49) which results in the return disc (43) to move away from the sliding surface of the sliding disc (43). ¶0147 teaches that the piston is moved via pressure to move from a starting position (where it is separated) to a pressing position. The separated position is where the support member (45) is not contacting the flange part (43).), and an indexing mode in which the support member is operated to advance, whereby the flange part is supported by the support member and the rotary member is positioned at a predetermined rotation angle. (¶0021 teaches the clamp device (62) maintains a set rotation angle of the rotating body (65).)
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 05/20/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that (a) Tatsuda does not disclose teach or suggest Applicant's recited feature wherein the machine tool (12) comprises a controller (110) that controls the sliding surface (56A) of the support member (56) to be separated from the flange part (52) when a high-speed rotation mode is selected, the sliding surface (56A) of the support member (56) to be brought into contact with the flange part (52) when a low-speed rotation mode is selected, and the contact surface (66A) of the pressing member (66) to be brought into contact with the disk member (64) when an indexing mode is selected; and (b) there are significant differences in Applicant's invention over that disclosed in Tatsuda. The differences result in significant advantages. More specifically, Tatsuda discloses the damping device (10), which applies to the rotating body (65) rotation resistance that allows rotation thereof while the damping surface (32/48) and a sliding surface (33/55), which is provided at a side of or below the rotating body (65) and facing the damping surface (32/48), are pressed against each other as a result of the damping section receiving the pressing force and being flexed (paragraphs [0013] and [0143] to [0145] of Tatsuda). The rotation resistance is provided by means of a low-friction coefficient member (60), which is secured partly to at least one of the damping surfaces (32/48) and the sliding surface (33/55). However, since the damping section of Tatsuda is flexed and accordingly the rotating body can be inclined, in machining with a high load due to cutting force, it is difficult to ensure the mechanical rigidity required during machining.
It is respectfully asserted that the features discussed on Page 4 of the remarks that are allegedly lacking in Tatsuda are not in line with what is claimed. It appears that a modified version of previously presented Claim 5 is being argued as not being taught by Tatsuda. However, there is no specific part of the rejection of previously presented Claim 5 that is indicated as being incorrect in the remarks so it unclear how the reference fails to teach the altered version of the claim as argued.
The differences between Tatsuda and applicant’s invention as discussed on Page 5 of the remarks do not appear to reflect what is being claimed. The claim does not discuss machining at high load due to cutting force or mechanical rigidity.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure can be found on the PTO-892 Notice of References Cited Form. Some references of note include:
US5239892: Figure 1 teaches a machine tool that comprises a rotary table.
US7591620: Figure 1 teaches a machine tool having a rotary table.
US9421651: Figure 1 teaches a machine tool (100) that has a rotary table (20).
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Michael W Hotchkiss whose telephone number is (571)272-3854. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday from 0800-1600.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sunil K Singh can be reached at 571-272-3460. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MICHAEL W HOTCHKISS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3726
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