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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Scott US5348108 in view of WO0188322.
Scott described the adapter (“hard metal jacket” e.g. 63 ) for presenting a diamond composite, the adapter comprising:(a) a body defining a recess; and (b) a diamond composite (“ superabrasive element1 “ e.g. 59) brazed (abstract2) within the recess wherein the adapter body is configured to be directly received within a complimentary mount formed on a wear face of a wear tool 79.
Scott teaches brazing and thus lacks the diamond bonded by a metal matrix composite material .
WO0188322—in the same field of endeavor—describes the advantageous use of metal matrix composite to provide a superior bond when attaching diamond to steel or tungsten carbide bodies (p 5 line 10-20).
It would therefore have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Scott to have diamond bonded by a metal matrix composite material as called for in claim 1.
Regarding claim 2: the proposed modification to use metal matrix in place of braze would have achieved the diamond bonded to a surface via the matrix as claimed.
Regarding claim 3: the proposed modification to use metal matrix in place of braze would have achieved the matrix layer as claimed.
Regarding claim 4: it is apparent that the adapter of Scott—as modified—could be releasably received (e.g. by press fit) in a complimentary mount.
Regarding claim 5: See, e.g. col. 8 line 50 in Scott.
Regarding claim 8: at least i is met by the modified Scott reference because the adapter would plainly be in contact with a complimentary mount.
Regarding independent claim 9:
Scott described a wear tool including tool body (fig 12) comprising mount and adapter comprising body 63 defining a recess and diamond composite 59 within the recess and the adapter directly received within the mount.
Scott teaches brazing and thus lacks the diamond bonded by a metal matrix composite material .
WO0188322—in the same field of endeavor—describes the advantageous use of metal matrix composite to provide a superior bond when attaching diamond to steel or tungsten carbide bodies (p 5 line 10-20).
It would therefore have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Scott to have diamond bonded by a metal matrix composite material as called for in claim 9.
Regarding claim 10: the mount is plainly complimentary—e.g. fig 12 of Scott.
Regarding claim 11: Scott fig 12.
Regarding claim 12: Scott fig 12.
Regarding claim 13: Scott col. 7 line 24-26.
Regarding claim 14: Scott fig 12.
Regarding claim 15: Scott fig 12.
Regarding independent claim 16:
Scott described providing an adapter 63 comprising body with recess and diamond composite 59 bonded within the recess; providing a tool including body 79 with mounts (fig 12) complementary to the adapter body (interference fit col. 7 line 24-26) and locating the adapter directly in the mount.
Scott teaches brazing and thus lacks the diamond bonded by a metal matrix composite material .
WO0188322—in the same field of endeavor—describes the advantageous use of metal matrix composite to provide a superior bond when attaching diamond to steel or tungsten carbide bodies (p 5 line 10-20).
It would therefore have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Scott to have diamond bonded by a metal matrix composite material as called for in claim 16.
Regarding claim 18: Scott col. 7 line 24.
Regarding claim 19-20: See, e.g. col. 8 line 26 - 33 in Scott.
Regarding claim 21: fig 12 of Scott.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sollami US20180202290 in view of WO0188322.
Sollami described the adapter 35 for presenting a diamond composite, the adapter comprising:(a) a body defining a recess; and (b) a diamond composite 31 brazed [0078] within the recess wherein the adapter body is configured to be directly received within a complimentary mount 36 formed on a wear face of a wear tool (fig 3).
Sollami teaches brazing and thus lacks the diamond bonded by a metal matrix composite material .
WO0188322—in the same field of endeavor—describes the advantageous use of metal matrix composite to provide a superior bond when attaching diamond to steel or tungsten carbide bodies (p 5 line 10-20).
It would therefore have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Sollami to have diamond bonded by a metal matrix composite material as called for in claim 1.
Regarding claim 2: the proposed modification to use metal matrix in place of braze would have achieved the diamond bonded to a surface via the matrix as claimed.
Regarding claim 3: the proposed modification to use metal matrix in place of braze would have achieved the matrix layer as claimed.
Regarding claim 4: it is apparent that the adapter of Sollami—as modified—could be releasably received (e.g. by press fit) in a complimentary mount.
Regarding claim 7: Sollami [0078]
Regarding claim 8: at least i is met by the modified Sollami reference because the adapter would plainly be in contact with a complimentary mount.
Regarding independent claim 9: Sollami described tool body with mount (fig 3) and adapter 35 comprising body with recess and diamond 31 bonded within, and the adapter directly received within the mount.
Sollami teaches brazing and thus lacks the diamond bonded by a metal matrix composite material .
WO0188322—in the same field of endeavor—describes the advantageous use of metal matrix composite to provide a superior bond when attaching diamond to steel or tungsten carbide bodies (p 5 line 10-20).
It would therefore have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Sollami to have diamond bonded by a metal matrix composite material as called for in claim 9.
Regarding claim 10: the mount is plainly complimentary—e.g. fig 3 of Sollami.
Regarding claim 12: Sollami fig 3.
Regarding claim 14: Sollami fig 3.
Regarding independent claim 16:
Sollami described providing an adapter 35 defining a recess and diamond composite 31 bonded within; providing a tool (fig 3) including body and mount 36; and locating the adapter directly within the mount.
Sollami teaches brazing and thus lacks the diamond bonded by a metal matrix composite material .
WO0188322—in the same field of endeavor—describes the advantageous use of metal matrix composite to provide a superior bond when attaching diamond to steel or tungsten carbide bodies (p 5 line 10-20).
It would therefore have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Sollami to have diamond bonded by a metal matrix composite material as called for in claim 6.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Janine M KRECK whose telephone number is (571)272-7042. The examiner can normally be reached telework: M-F 0600-1530 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nicole Coy can be reached at 5712725405. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Janine M Kreck/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3672
1 The Scott references discloses polycrystalline diamond, which meets a reasonably broad interpretation of diamond composite because it is a composite of multiple diamond crystals. See also instant application at [0053-0057] discussing multiple embodiments of diamond composites.
2 The superabrasive element then is brazed or infiltrated to the hard metal jacket.
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