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 Objections
Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 6 should be corrected as follows, “wherein the pressing unit is configured to [[be]] make force that presses the plate body with the pressing plate constantly.” Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1, 3, 6-7, 9-14 and 16-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al (CN 205219454), herein referred to as Li, in view of Kimmel et al (US Patent 6,968,766), herein referred to as Kimmel, and Payzant et al (US Patent 1,977,971), herein referred to as Payzant. Regarding claim 1, Li discloses a cutting apparatus (fig. 1) for cutting a plate body (gypsum board 9), the cutting apparatus comprising:
a cutting blade (annotated fig. 2) that cuts the plate body in a direction parallel to a direction to which the plate body (i.e., rotation axis of cutting blade is perpendicular to conveying direction of gypsum board 9) is conveyed as a conveying direction; and
a pressing unit (10) comprising, at a side position of the cutting blade (fig. 1), the pressing unit (10) configured to move between a pressing position (fig. 1) where the pressing device (10) presses the plate body (9) downwardly and a retracted position where the pressing plate is retracted from the pressing position upwardly (described as “capable of lifting” in translation, page 3, line 26; and claim 1 states, “the pressing device (10) is set on one side of the gypsum board conveying device, when the gypsum board conveying to the lower cutting device (7), the pressing device (10) presses the gypsum board”), and
the cutting apparatus cuts the plate body with the cutting blade while pressing the plate body with the pressing plate (fig. 1).
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• Li fails to disclose the pressing unit includes a pressing plate. However, the following references provide teaching pertinent to the aforementioned limitation: A. Kimmel (US Patent 6,968,766) teaches it is known in the art of cutting board-like workpieces to provide a compliant workholder for machinery including a vertical workholder (190) provided with a pressing plate (featherboard 108) movable between a pressing position in which pressing plate (108) contacts the workpiece (col. 2, lines 31-34) and a retracted position where pressing plate (108) is retracted from the pressing position (col. 5, lines 14-17). Kimmel teaches in col. 9, lines 25-29, “[w]hile feature boards offer certain advantages in adjusting to small variations in the workpiece, it is not essential to the present invention. It could be replaced as a workpiece contact by one or more rollers; a leaf spring arrangement; a low drag skid (such as UHDPE plastic) optionally back by a resilient layer such as high density foam rubber; or any other of a variety of contact means. These contact elements could be made interchangeable to allow the operator to adapt the workholder to the specific type of workpiece being handled” [emphasis added]. While Examiner interprets featherboard (108) as corresponding to the claimed “pressing plate,” the teaching of Kimmel specifically suggests “one or more rollers” (such as those disclosed by Li) and “a low drag skid” (another kind of pressing plate) are known alternatives to those having an ordinary skill in the art. B. Payzant teaches it is known in the art of cutting elongated, board-like workpieces to provide a pressing unit pressing unit (page 3, lines 18-25) comprising, at a side position (fig. 9) of a cutting blade (12), a pressing plate (67) provided to be movable between a pressing position (fig. 10) where the pressing plate presses the plate body and a retracted position (page 3, lines 29-33) where the pressing plate is retracted from the pressing position (Id.), wherein the cutting apparatus cuts the plate body (10) with the cutting blade (12, 13) while pressing the plate body (10) with the pressing plate (67). It would have been obvious to one having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the invention to modify the cutting apparatus of Li with the teaching of Kimmel and Payzant such that the pressing wheels of Li are replaced with at least one pressing plate positioned proximately to the cutting blade in order to increase the surface area of the pressing unit for improving the hold-down effect thereof and to improve the amount of control on the movement of the workpiece as the workpiece is conveyed past the cutting blade during a cutting operation. Additionally, this modification would have been obvious to one having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the invention because the substitution of one known element for another would have yielded predictable results and all claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective function and the combination would have yielded predictable results. • The modified cutting apparatus of Li substantially disclosed above fails to include the pressing unit further comprises an air cylinder that moves the pressing plate between the pressing position and the retracted position. However, Kimmel teaches it is known in the art of pressing units to provide an air cylinder (double acting piston 120 and actuating rod 124) that moves the pressing plate between the pressing position and the retracted position (col. 5, lines 14-17). Kimmel describes “double acting piston” (120) as being part of an air powered actuating system (col. 5, lines 43-56). Kimmel discloses separate air cylinders are provided for actuating horizontal and vertical pressing plates (fig. 12). The aforementioned description relates to the horizontal pressing plate, but the teaching is applicable to vertical pressing unit (190) as well. It would have been obvious to one having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the invention to modify the cutting apparatus of Li with the teaching of Kimmel such that the pressing unit further comprises an air cylinder that moves the pressing plate between the pressing position and the retracted position in order to maintain sufficient control over the position of the workpiece despite variations in the size of the workpiece (Kimmel, col. 4, lines ⁓28-33). • The modified cutting apparatus of Li substantially disclosed above includes when the end part of the plate body is conveyed to a predetermined position below the pressing plate (Kimmel, figs. 6-7), the pressing unit drives the air cylinder downward to move the pressing plate to the pressing position to press the plate body with the pressing plate (as taught by Kimmel). Kimmel teaches the bleed valves in the pneumatic system can be adjusted such that actuation of the pressing plate into the pressing position occurs either immediately upon releasing control button (152) or after a delay of up to a minute, depending upon the intended mode of operation (col. 8, lines 31-46).
• The modified cutting apparatus of Li substantially disclosed above includes discloses the pressing unit drives the air cylinder upward to move the pressing plate to the retracted position (Kimmel, col. 5, line 66 – col. 6, line 4) immediately before cutting of the plate body is finished [emphasis added]. Kimmel teaches extension rod (124) of air cylinder (120) is configured to retract when button (152) is depressed (col. 5, line 66 – col. 6, line 4). As such, the operator can choose to press button (152) at any reasonable time to retract the pressing plate, including at a time immediately before cutting of the plate body is finished. • The modified cutting apparatus of Li substantially disclosed above includes wherein the pressing plate (Kimmel, featherboard) comprises a pressing surface part (i.e., the flat surface formed across the distal tips of the individual “feathers”) parallel to a surface of the plate body being conveyed by the conveyor (Kimmel, fig. 7), and an inclined surface part (the broad leading face of the first “feather”) having an upstream end part in the conveying direction rising and having a predetermined angle with respect to the surface of the plate body (Kimmel, fig. 7). Regarding claim 3, the modified cutting apparatus of Li substantially disclosed above includes the pressing unit drives the air cylinder in accordance with a position of the plate body (Kimmel, col. 8, lines 31-46).
Regarding claim 6, the modified cutting apparatus of Li substantially disclosed above includes the pressing unit is configured to make force that presses the plate body with the pressing plate constantly (Kimmel, col. 2, lines 31-34).
Regarding claim 7, the modified cutting apparatus of Li substantially disclosed above includes the pressing unit is configured to adjust the force pressing the plate body with the pressing plate (Kimmel, col. 5, lines 44-46) in accordance with at least one state selected from the group consisting of a thickness of the plate body and a warp thereof (Kimmel, col. 4, lines 23-26).
Regarding claim 9, the modified cutting apparatus of Li substantially disclosed above includes wherein the cutting blade (Li, annotated fig. 2) is a disc-shaped rotary blade (i.e., circular saw blade). Regarding claim 10, the modified cutting apparatus of Li substantially disclosed above includes wherein the plate body is a semi-finished product for a gypsum board (as described in translation, “Background technology”). Regarding claim 11, the modified cutting apparatus of Li substantially disclosed above includes an apparatus for manufacturing a gypsum board (i.e., “gypsum board production line equipment,” translation, page 1, line 16), comprising the cutting apparatus according to claim 1. Regarding claim 12, the modified cutting apparatus of Li substantially disclosed above includes a cutting method for cutting the plate body (Li, translation, page 2, lines 5-7) with the cutting apparatus according to claim 1. Regarding claim 13, the modified cutting apparatus of Li substantially disclosed above includes the plate body has a long belt shape (i.e., a length of processed gypsum board), and the plate body in the long belt shape is conveyed in a direction parallel to a width direction thereof and is cut (Li, fig. 1).
Regarding claim 14, the modified cutting apparatus of Li substantially disclosed above includes the end part of the plate body including a side surface thereof along the width direction of the plate body in the long belt shape is cut (Li, fig. 1) and separated with the cutting blade while being pressed by the pressing plate (Id.). Regarding claim 16, the modified cutting apparatus of Li substantially disclosed above includes wherein the predetermined position of the end part of the plate body is in a range from 0 to 110 mm (Kimmel, figs. 5-6).
Regarding claim 17, the modified cutting apparatus of Li substantially disclosed above fails to specifically disclose wherein a distance between the cutting blade and the pressing plate is in a range from 1 mm to 30 mm. However, Payzant teaches the pressure plate (shoe 67) is positioned very close to the saw blade (Payzant figs. 9 and 12). It would have been obvious to one having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the invention to modify the cutting apparatus of Li substantially disclosed above with the teaching of Payzant such that a distance between the cutting blade and the pressing plate is in a range from 1 mm to 30 mm in order to, at one end of the range, make sure there is no contact between the cutting blade and the pressure plate, and at the other end of the range, make sure the pressure plate is close enough to the workpiece to provide sufficient control of the workpiece as the cutting blade moves through the material.
Regarding claim 18, the modified cutting apparatus of Li substantially disclosed above includes wherein the pressing surface part and the inclined surface part of the pressing plate are made of one piece of plate (Payzant, fig. 10).
Regarding claim 19, the modified cutting apparatus of Li substantially disclosed above fails to specifically disclose wherein a distance between the cutting blade and the pressing plate is in a range from 1 mm to 5 mm. However, Payzant teaches the pressure plate (shoe 67) is positioned very close to the saw blade (Payzant figs. 9 and 12).
It would have been obvious to one having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the invention to modify the cutting apparatus of Li substantially disclosed above with the teaching of Payzant such that a distance between the cutting blade and the pressing plate is in a range from 1 mm to 5 mm in order to, at one end of the range, make sure there is no contact between the cutting blade and the pressure plate, and at the other end of the range, make sure the pressure plate is close enough to the workpiece to provide sufficient control of the workpiece as the cutting blade moves through the material.
Regarding claim 20, the modified cutting apparatus of Li substantially disclosed above includes wherein the predetermined angle of the inclined surface part of the pressing plate is in a range from 10° to 30° (a tangent along at least a portion of the inclined surface taught by Payzant is in the claimed range).
Regarding claim 21, the modified cutting apparatus of Li substantially disclosed above includes wherein the predetermined angle of the inclined surface part of the pressing plate is in a range from 12° to 17° (a tangent along at least a portion of the inclined surface taught by Payzant is in the claimed range).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li (CN 205219454), Kimmel (US Patent 6,968,766) and Payzant (US Patent 1,977,971) in view of Jenkner (US Patent 5,205,705). Regarding claim 15, the modified cutting method of Li substantially disclosed above fails to specifically disclose cutting with the cutting blade is performed in a state where two long belt-like plate bodies are stacked. However, Jenkner teaches it is known in the art of cutting plate shaped workpieces to create partial stacks (57) of a workpiece for cutting. It would have been obvious to one having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the invention to modify the cutting method of Li substantially disclosed above with the teaching of Jenkner such that cutting with the cutting blade is performed in a state where two long belt-like plate bodies are stacked in order to processing more material in a shorter period of time.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed July 2, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. On page 8, lines 13-16 of the Remarks Applicant argues, “Kimmel does not disclose or suggest the cutter that that cuts the workpiece in a direction parallel to a direction in which the workpiece is conveyed, as claim 1 recites.” Examiner respectfully disagrees. This argument is not persuasive because the workpiece contacting surfaces of the featherboard are positioned parallel to the workpiece guiding surface of fence (204) and to the cutting plane of saw blade (206). In fig. 5, Kimmel teaches the cutter (saw blade 206) cuts a workpiece in a direction parallel to the direction in which the workpiece is conveyed (i.e., guided) along fence (204). Additionally, Examiner notes Payzant is included in the rejection to show it is known to include a pressure plate positioned so as to press down on the workpiece next to the cutting blade. On page 8, lines 16-20 of the Remarks, Applicant argues, “Kimmel further does not disclose or suggest that a pressing plate at a pressing position where the pressing plate presses the plate body downwardly, as claim 1 further recites. Further, Kimmel discloses the featherboard having plural plates (see, e.g., FIG. 1). Kimmel does not disclose or suggest that among the plates, those at an upstream end part in the conveying direction are shorter than those at the downstream.” Examiner respectfully disagrees. As noted on pages 8-9 of the previous Office Action, and on page 4 of the current Office Action, Kimmel teaches the featherboard pressing plate (108) could be replaced by “any other of a variety of contact means,” including a roller (like that of Li) or a low drag skid (i.e., a pressure plate). Moreover, the rejection has been updated to include the teaching of Payzant in order to provide a specific example of a pressure plate that is known in the art.
Conclusion
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 SAMUEL ALLEN DAVIES whose telephone number is (571)270-1511. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday; 9am-5pm EST.
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/SAMUEL A DAVIES/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3724 September 27, 2026
/BOYER D ASHLEY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3724
