DETAILED ACTION
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I claims 1-11,19 and 20 in the reply filed on 7-13-2026 is acknowledged. The restriction is made final.
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. The recitation of “quick change” makes the scope of claim 19 indefinite, there is not any changing means claimed and it is not clear that changing anything is part of the claim and the term quick has no relative comparison so it is not possible to tell what quick would refer to in relation to slow or another reference or how any changing would be considered to be quick.
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.
Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Williams et al. (11,413,678). Williams discloses a quick-change cartridge assembly comprising a tooling set (20) and a transfer belt (70) that conveys can shells (3) in a conversion press (10; Fig. 3) which is coupled to a plurality of tooling assemblies (30) in the tooling set (20) comprising upper die shoes (24) and lower die shoes (28) and they all can be swapped out (col. 13, lines 55-57) when forming different types of can ends (5). The tooling set (20) includes a plurality of can shell die sets (32; col. 14, lines 41-53) and a tab die set (35; col. 15, lines 15-25). Claims 19 does not set forth any change means and what “quick-charge” would refer to. The Examiner’s position is that the tool swapping of Williams occurs as quickly as possible to change the conversion press for different types of can ends.
Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by McCarty et al. (2014/0318205). McCarty discloses a quick-change cartridge assembly (300; Fig. 9) for a conversion press (100) comprising one or more forming stations (340) for converting a can shell (104) into a can end with a tab from an inlet end (bottom, Fig. 10) where the can shells (104) are positioned to an outlet end (top, Fig. 10) where the can shells have been converted into a can end with a tab staked, and a transfer belt (332) defining at least one active forming lane for conveying the can shells (104) to the one or more forming stations (340) during use of the conversion press incorporating the quick-change cartridge assembly. Claims 19 does not set forth any change means and what “quick-charge” would refer to. The Examiner’s position is that the cartridge assembly (300) of McCarty occurs as quickly as possible to change the vacuum port for the conversion press.
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) 1-7,9 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Williams et al. (11,413,678) in view of Potts (3,683,834). Regarding claims 1 and 2, Williams discloses a frame (12), a press bolster (14), a press ram (16), and a cartridge assembly comprising a tooling set (20) and a transfer belt (70) for feeding can shell blanks (3) from a downstacker (col. 4, lines 9-11). Williams discloses that the transfer belt (70) conveys the can shells (3) and the press bolster (14) is coupled to a plurality of tooling assemblies (30) in the tooling set (20) by an upper die mounting plate (24; Fig. 3) and a lower die mounting plate (28). The tooling set (20) including the tooling assemblies (30), upper die mounting plate (24) and lower die mounting plate (28) are all configured to be swapped out (col. 13, lines 55-57) when forming different types of can ends (5) comprising the can shell (3) with a tab coupled (staked; col. 1, lines 54-55, col. 3, lines 60-61 and col. 13, lines 26-28). The tooling set (20) includes a plurality of can shell die sets (32; col. 14, lines 41-53) for forming operations on the can shell (3) and a tab die set (35; col. 15, lines 15-25) for coupling the tab to the can shell to form the can end (5). Williams discloses that the cartridge assembly is structured to be coupled to the press bolster and swapped out of the press frame but does not specifically recite that the cartridge assembly is releasably coupled.
Potts teaches a releasably coupled, separable cartridge (13; col. 4, lines 8-13 and 55-61) comprising a tab feeding conveyor channel (16), forming stations and tab stations for progressive tab die forming (col. 3, lines 55-56), the forming stations including punches (col. 4, lines 32-38; positions a and b; Fig. 2) and tab stations for progressive tab die forming (d,e,f,g and h; col. 4, lines 42-47). The releasably coupled cartridge (13) is releasably coupled by screws (125) and pins (20) and once the screws and pins are removed the cartridge (13) is slidable out of the press (col. 8, lines 60-68 and col. 9, lines 1-10). Fig. 6 shows that cartridges (13,14) of die (12) are separable from one another and separable from a ram (39) by mechanical fasteners (20,74,125).
It would have been obvious to the skilled artisan prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to releasably couple the cartridge assembly of Williams to the conversion press as taught by Potts so as to make the tooling set cartridge releasably coupled for easily swapping out the cartridge assembly from the press frame for repair and replacement of the tooling equipment.
Regarding claim 3, Williams discloses an upper die mounting plate (24; Fig. 3) and a lower die mounting plate (28) which are configured to be swapped out and Potts teaches an upper mounting plate (38; col. 8, lines 60-61) and a lower mounting plate (21) releasably coupled to a ram (39).
Regarding claims 4 and 10, Williams discloses that the transfer belt (70) is coupled to the lower plate (28) with Fig. 3 showing that the belt (80) and lower plate (28) are connected by being mounted on the conversion press frame (12). The tooling set (20) including the tooling assemblies (30), upper die mounting plate (24) and lower die mounting plate (28) are all configured to be swapped out (col. 13, lines 55-57)
Regarding claim 5, Williams discloses tab forming (col. 15, lines 15-20) with tab feeding (from roll 2; Fig. 1) for feeding tab stock and tab forming (33’; Fig. 2) in the tab die set (35).
Regarding claim 6, Williams does not disclose a scrap chopper. Potts teaches a scrap chopper assembly (30; col. 7, lines 31-39) with a releasably scrap chute (29; col. 8, lines 31-40). It would have been obvious to the skilled artisan prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to provide the conversion press of Williams with a scrap chopper as taught by Potts in order to grind up excess scrap from the can end manufacturing.
Regarding claim 7, Williams discloses that the cartridge assembly includes a plurality of tooling assemblies (30).
Regarding claim 9, Williams does not disclose fasteners for securing and removing the tooling. Potts teaches an upper mounting plate (38; col. 8, lines 60-61) and a lower mounting plate (21) releasably coupled to a ram (39) by the mechanical fasteners comprising the screws (125) and pins (20). It would have been obvious to the skilled artisan prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to releasably couple the cartridge assembly of Williams as taught by Potts with mechanical fasteners to secure the tooling by screwing and pinning.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Williams et al. (11,413,678) in view of Potts (3,683,834) and further in view of Cook (6,405,853). Williams does not specifically recite that the tooling assemblies (30) include one or more of a primary bubble station, a secondary bubble station, a score and button station, a panel and button restrike station, or a tab wipe down station. Cook teaches a bubble station, a rivet station, a score station, panel forming stations and a stake station (col. 7, lines 30-37). It would have been obvious to the skilled artisan prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to configure at least one of the tooling assemblies of Williams to be a bubble station, a rivet station, a score station, a panel forming station and a stake station as taught by Cook so as to form the can shell with a bubble, panel and tab stake.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Williams et al. (11,413,678) in view of Potts (3,683,834) and further in view of Tsukada et al. (6,524,048). Williams does not disclose a light tester. Tsukada teaches a light tester (45) mounted on an upper holder (13) including a light (47), a lens (50) and a photodiode (52; col. 10, lines 54-67) wherein the light tester applies light to a can end (41). It would have been obvious to the skilled artisan prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to provide the conversion press of Williams with a light tester as taught by Tsukada in order to sense the can shell during processing.
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Williams et al. (11,413,678) in view of Wissman et al. (4,723,882). Williams describes that a downstacker (col. 4, lines 9-10) supplies the can shells discloses tab staking (col. 3, lines 60-61) wherein can shell die sets (32; col. 14, lines 41-53) perform forming operations on the can shell (3) and a tab die set (35; col. 15, lines 15-25) couples the tab to the can shell to form the can end (5) but Williams does not disclose a downstacker assembly. Wissman teaches a downstacker assembly (28; col. 4, lines 46-48), a tab press (26) and tooling (32,34; col. 7, lines 22-24) for staking formed tabs (111) to can ends. It would have been obvious to the skilled artisan prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to modify the conversion press of Williams to include a downstacker as taught by Wissman in order to feed individual can shell blanks to the transfer belt.
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McCarty et al. (2014/0318205) in view of Wissman et al. (4,723,882). McCarty does not disclose a downstacker assembly. Wissman teaches a downstacker assembly (28; col. 4, lines 46-48), a tab press (26) and tooling (32,34; col. 7, lines 22-24) for staking formed tabs (111) to can ends. It would have been obvious to the skilled artisan prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to modify the cartridge of McCarty to include a downstacker as taught by Wissman in order to feed individual can shell blanks to the transfer belt.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Yonezawa (4,348,883) discloses dies (1) mounted on a conveyor (4) wherein the dies and conveyor are a cartridge which is removably connected to a bolster (3) of a press (2).
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.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chris Templeton can be reached at 571-270-1477. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/EDWARD T TOLAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3725
Prosecution Insights