DETAILED ACTION
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) 1,2,4-6,8,10,12,14,15,17 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Enomoto et al. (5,553,106). Enomoto discloses a cavitation peening method (col. 11, lines 7-29) comprising operating a nozzle (24, col. 11, lines 25-29; Fig. 9) to eject cavitation peening liquid (25) which is angled (θ, 180-90°; col. 11, lines 25-29) relative to an interior target hole (26, inner surface) of a workpiece (34) having a circular cross-section (col. 11, lines 13-14) wherein the cavitation peening liquid is impinged against an interior sidewall of the workpiece (col. 11, lines 17-21). The workpiece is submerged in a tank (11; col. 4, lines 58-59) containing water, the nozzle (24) is submerged in the tank water and a pump (5) pumps water under pressure to the nozzle (col. 4, lines 65-67) for the cavitation peening (col. 6, lines 58-64). A nozzle driving mechanism (col. 7, lines 37-47 and col. 8, lines 20-30) is configured to move the nozzle (24) axially along a centerline (downward arrow; Fig. 9) of the workpiece (34) so that the nozzle ejects the peening liquid (25) at an inclined direction (center spray arrow 25; Fig. 9) with respect to the axial centerline of the tube (along conductor, 17) and wherein the peening liquid (outer spray arrows 25; Fig. 9) is inclined with respect to a normal line (along center spray arrow 25; Fig. 9), perpendicular to the inner sidewall surface of the workpiece (34) so as to peen an area (triangular section of inner wall of workpiece 34; Fig. 9) of the sidewall. Regarding claims 6,15,17 and 18, an inclination angle (θ) of the nozzle (24) with respect to the axial line is between 0 and 90 degrees (180°- θ; Fig. 9) and Fig. 9 illustrates that the nozzle centerline is angle of 45 degrees relative to the centerline (17).
Claim(s) 1,2,4,5,7,8,10,12,14 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Garry et al. (2008/0006301). Garry discloses ([0040], lines 1-8) that a jet nozzle (32) is configured to move axially (along direction E; Fig. 4) and radially (arrow F, Fig. 4; [0052], lines 11-16) in a hole having a sidewall (44) within a workpiece (6) and the workpiece (6) is relatively rotated ([0052], lines 7-8). The jet nozzle is inclined relative to an axial centerline (50; Fig. 4) of the hole and the jet is moved along the axial centerline (50) to peen the sidewall (44). The jet nozzle (32) produces a jet (38) through an ejection port ([0039], lines 12 and 13) to impinge the inner side walls (52) with high press peening fluid ([0039], lines 9-13) at an angle between 0-5 degrees ([0046], lines 1-3) from a normal line between a center of the nozzle and the sidewall (44).
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) 3,9,11,13 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Enomoto et al. (5,553,106) Enomoto I in view of Enomoto et al. (5,305,361) Enomoto II. Enomoto I discloses circumferential movement, radial movement and axial movement (col. 7, lines 38-45) does not specifically recite that the peening nozzle is rotated about an axis parallel to the centerline axis. Enomoto II teaches a driving means (5) for rotating (col. 8, lines 4-5) and extending a peening nozzle support mast (7) along an axial direction of a hole in a workpiece (Fig. 7) to cavitation peen the workpiece sidewall, wherein the driving means (5) is configured to move a peening nozzle (1) in x,y and z axes (col. 4, lines 17-28) for high pressure peening (col. 4, lines 35-43) on the interior surface sidewall of the workpiece (37). The peening nozzle (1) is oriented along an axial centerline (col. 7, lines 10-12) and is configured to be positioned at a deflective position (at an angle, col. 7, lines 12-18) relative to the axial centerline and the peening nozzle support mast (7) is rotated and moved axially (col. 8, lines 3-11) for three-dimensionally peening the interior sidewalls of the workpiece (37). It would have been obvious to the skilled artisan prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to rotate the peening nozzle of Enomoto I about an axis parallel to the axial centerline of the hole as taught by Enomoto II so as to peen the interior sidewall of the workpiece as the nozzle rotates and moves along the axial centerline of the workpiece.
Claim(s) 7 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Enomoto et al. (5,553,106) in view of Yie (4,765,540). Enomoto does not disclose an angle of the spray (25) that is inclined relative to a normal line of the nozzle relative to the sidewall. Yie teaches (Figs. 11 and 12) that ejection ports (C1-C6) are angled from a normal line (C; Fig. 12) of a nozzle (60) at an angle between 5° to 45° (col. 12, lines 39-42). It would have been obvious to the skilled artisan prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to angle the spray of Enomoto which is angled from a normal line of the nozzle to be between 5° and 45° degrees as taught by Yie in order to provide a divergent or convergent fluid flow when working an impingement area on the inner surface of the tube.
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Enomoto et al. (5,553,106) Enomoto I in view of Enomoto et al. (5,305,361) Enomoto II and further in view of Yie (4,765,540). Enomoto I does not disclose an angle of 1-10° of the spray (25) that is inclined relative to a normal line of the nozzle relative to the sidewall. Yie teaches (Figs. 11 and 12) that ejection ports (C1-C6) are angled from a normal line (C; Fig. 12) of a nozzle (60) at an angle between 5° to 45° (col. 12, lines 39-42). It would have been obvious to the skilled artisan prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to angle the spray of Enomoto I which is angled from a normal line of the nozzle to be between 5° and 45° degrees as taught by Yie in order to provide a divergent or convergent fluid flow when working an impingement area on the inner surface of the tube.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Hashish et al. (2002/0034924) teaches a nozzle (30; Fig. 5) that is rotatable (axis, C; [0058], lines 4-8) and comprises at least one ejection port (450) configured to peen an inner sidewall surface (481) of a tube (480). The nozzle (30) is inclined at an angle between an axial centerline of the tube (along supply conduit, 440) and a normal line, perpendicular to the inner sidewall surface (481) at an angle of approximately 45° ([0059], lines 1-6) within a range between 0-90°.
Sanders (2022/0184776) teaches a method for cavitation process of a workpiece (136) that is submerged in a tank (124) wherein a nozzle assembly (122) with a pump (112) and a control valve (120) is configured to control water pressure and flow rate for cavitation peening ([0019], lines 1-6). Sanders teaches that the nozzle assembly (122) includes a cavitation peening nozzle (142,212; [0021], lines 1-5) comprising an ejection port that is configured to move axially (Figs. 1 and 3; [0040]) along a circular cross-section hole (144,222; [0022], lines 5-7 and [0037], lines 1-3) in a workpiece (pipe; 136,224; [0061]) and since the nozzle (144) is configured to straight within the hole (Fig. 1) it moves along an axial line (centerline of hole 144; Fig. 1) within the hole. Sanders discloses lines ([0022], lines 1-3 and 11-15 and [0023], lines 1-10) that the internal surface (hole, 144) in the workpiece (136) is smoothed by impact of cavitation peening particles. Sanders discloses that the nozzle (212) is configured to move flexibly within the hole (Fig. 6) centered axially within the pipe ([0042], lines 2-4) for even peening or a slightly deviated path from axially, at an angle relative to the axial centerline ([0042], lines 11-16; [0072], lines 8-12).
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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