DETAILED ACTION
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) 1-9,11-16 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Eckert (308,348) in view of Yokoo et al. (JP 07-100576). Regarding claim 1 and 13, Eckert discloses a method of forming a bar pin (Figs. 6 and 11) by deforming a metal slug (rod workpiece, A) to have spaced apart legs (B,C; Fig. 2) at an end of the rod (A) and a cavity (slot) existing between the legs (B,C) when the legs are spaced apart (a,b, Fig. 2; page 1, col. 2, lines 52-53). The bar (A) has a thickness which is a sidewall of the cavity (slot) as it is formed to become a semi-cylindrical eye between the spaced legs (B,C; Figs. 2 and 3) when the legs are bent (page 1, col. 2, lines 54-60) to overlap each other (a’,e’; Fig. 3) to close the eye by radially inwardly deforming or wherein the first and second legs are bent to define an end shape (Figs. 4 and 6) where the first and second legs meet (F; Fig. 4) for welding the seam. Eckert discloses that the spaced legs are radially inwardly deformed by a forging die (Fig. 9). Eckert discloses that the ends of bars are formed (page 1, col. 1, lines 10-15) but does not specifically recite a third and fourth leg on an opposite bar end. Yokoo teaches deforming a bar shaped connector (48; Fig. 4) by extrusion (Fig. 3) and forging (Fig. 5) to have a deformed center section (48; Fig. 4) and spaced apart first and second legs (46) on a first end (A; Fig. 4) and spaced apart third and fourth legs (B; Fig. 4) on a second opposite end ([0023], lines 1-3). Regarding claims 12 and 20, Yokoo teaches that the bar pin blank (48) is symmetrical with spaced legs (46) at opposite ends.
It would have been obvious to the skilled artisan prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to form a center section of the bar of Eckert to have a bar pin shape as taught by Yokoo so as to shape the bar into a desired center cross-sectional shape with spaced apart legs at opposite ends.
Regarding claims 2 and 3, Eckert discloses a cavity (slot) existing between the legs (B,C) when the legs are spaced apart (a,b, Fig. 2; page 1, col. 2, lines 52-53).
Regarding claims 4 and 14, the forging of Eckert is conducted (Fig. 9) without the slot (f) between sidewalls of the spaced apart legs being acted on by a tool.
Regarding claims 5 and 15, the closed aperture (eye) of Eckert is not modified geometrically after forging (Fig. 9).
Regarding claims 6 and 16, Eckert discloses that the first and second end faces of the legs (B,C) meet at the seam (F; Fig. 4) for welding.
Regarding claims 7 and 8, it is an obvious duplication of leg defining and radially inwardly deforming bending steps as disclosed by Eckert to radially inwardly deform an opposite end of the bar.
Regarding claim 9, the bar of Eckert (A; Fig. 1) has a longitudinal axis (A’; Fig. 1) through the middle and the legs extend parallel (Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 11, Eckert discloses that the legs are bent (page 1, col. 2, lines 54-60) to overlap each other (a’,e’; Fig. 3) to close the eye by radially inwardly deforming.
Claim(s) 10 and 17-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Eckert (308,348) in view of Yokoo et al. (JP 07-100576) and further in view of Abe (3,644,973). Eckert does not disclose cold forming the rod to create a cylindrical central portion. Abe teaches (Fig. 4) cold forming a metal slug (1) in a die (3,13,23) to form a cylindrical central region (4) and an end (47; Fig. 4) which is cold formed (col. 2, lines 19-20) into a closed shape by radially inwardly deforming the end of the workpiece with a die (52; Fig. 5). It would have been obvious to the skilled artisan prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to cold form the rod of Eckert as taught by Abe in order to create a rod end that is configured to be closed by a cold forming die.
Regarding claim 18, Eckert discloses that the bar (A; Fig. 1) has a longitudinal axis (A’; Fig. 1) through the middle and the legs extend parallel (Fig. 7).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDWARD THOMAS TOLAN whose telephone number is (571)272-4525. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-5.
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/EDWARD T TOLAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3725
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