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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. JP2023-087685, filed on 05/29/2023.
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-3 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujii et al. (US 20230138076 A1, hereinafter Fujii) in view of Hirai et al. (JP 2011031266 A, hereinafter Hirai).
Regarding claim 1, Fujii discloses a solid state welding apparatus (Abstract, “a solid-phase spot-welding device”) comprising:
a pair of compression bars (Para. 0089, “Further, in FIG. 2, although the pressing part 12 is provided inside the welding electrode 8 which is arranged on the surface of the metal plate material 2, the pressing part 12 may be provided only on the welding electrode 10, or the pressing parts 12 may be provided on both the welding electrode 8 and the welding electrode 10.”) that presses a first surface-treated metal workpiece and a second surface-treated metal workpiece on sides opposite in a direction of a thickness of the workpieces (Para. 0090, “The purpose of the pressing force applied from the welding electrode in the welding preparation step is to bring the metal plate material 2 and the metal plate material 4 into close contact with each other,”, where the direction of pressing force in opposite the direction of the thickness of the workpieces);
a pair of electrodes disposed around the pair of compression bars, respectively (Para. 0090, “Further, the material, shape and size of the welding electrode 8 and the welding electrode 10 are not particularly limited, and the same electrodes as the various conventionally known resistance spot-welding electrodes can be used, but when the pressing part 12 is provided inside, it is necessary to form a through hole.”, where Fig. 9 shows that the electrodes 8 and 10 include the compression bars 12 within the electrodes); and
a controller (Para. 0108, “The energization mechanism includes the welding electrode 8 and the welding electrode 10, and is composed of a welding power supply, a bus bar, various control devices, and the like, similarly to a conventional general resistance spot welder. Further, the pressurizing mechanism is a mechanism for moving the pressing part 12 up and down with a servo press machine.”, and Para. 0122, “Next, a current of 3500 to 5000 A was applied from the copper electrode to heat the materials to be welded, and the central pressure shaft was pushed from above and below the welded region at a pressure of 1000 MPa.”, where to control the energization and pressurizing mechanisms to be at specific values, there must be a controller device that controls the mechanisms), the controller: controls the pair of compression bars to cause a first load to act on each of the first and second workpieces (Para. 0100, “FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 are schematic views which show one embodiment of the stress application step when both welding electrodes are provided with the pressing parts in the direct method. When both the welding electrode 8 and the welding electrode 10 are provided with the pressing part 12, mainly, there are a pattern (pattern 1) in which the two pressing parts 12 are simultaneously pressed into the softened region 20 from the surface of the metal plate material, and a pattern (pattern 2) in which, after the other pressing part 12 is pulled into the welding electrode in accordance with the pushing of one pressing part 12, both the pressing parts 12 are moved to the surface of the metal plate material.”, where the compression bars or pressing parts 12 have a first load applied during the first and second images of Fig. 9, where the pressing parts are inserted into the interface to be welded 6);
subsequently controls the pair of compression bars to subject compressive force to load removal to cause a second load smaller than the first load to act on the first and second workpieces (Para. 0100, “FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 are schematic views which show one embodiment of the stress application step when both welding electrodes are provided with the pressing parts in the direct method. When both the welding electrode 8 and the welding electrode 10 are provided with the pressing part 12, mainly, there are a pattern (pattern 1) in which the two pressing parts 12 are simultaneously pressed into the softened region 20 from the surface of the metal plate material, and a pattern (pattern 2) in which, after the other pressing part 12 is pulled into the welding electrode in accordance with the pushing of one pressing part 12, both the pressing parts 12 are moved to the surface of the metal plate material.”, where the compression bars or pressing parts 12 have a second load applied during the second to third images of Fig. 9, where the pressing parts are removed from the interface to be welded, where this load is less than the first load as the first load creates an indent while the second load is removing the pressing part from the indent); and
subsequently passes a current through the pair of electrodes (Para. 0099, “In this case, a recess portion is formed on the surface of the metal plate material 2 into which the pressing part 12 is pushed. Here, it is preferable that the external load on the pressing part 12 is applied before the energization.”, where the indent or recess on the workpiece is created by the pressing part 12 first and then energization of the electrodes occurs after).
Fujii does not disclose:
where current that passes through the pair of electrodes is to remove an impurity on a metal surface.
However, Hirai discloses, in the similar field of solid state welding (Abstract, “a solid phase joining process (C) in which a solid phase joining region 10 is formed in the region where the clean faces are stuck together.”), where a current that passes through electrodes is used to remove an impurity on the metal surface (Page 3, Para. 2 from end, “heat is generated between the electrode 1 and the metal plate 2 on the side close to the electrode 1 by the energization of the electrode 1, and this heat is on the side close to the electrode 1. It is transmitted to the metal plate 3 on the side far from the metal plate 2. Therefore, foreign matters such as scales (oxide films) existing in the contact deformation regions 6 and 7 between the metal plates 2 and 3 and attached to the surfaces of the metal plates 2 and 3 are heated and softened.”, and Page 4, Para. 2 from end, “With respect to the current value, the deformation of the metal plates 2 and 3 due to heat generation occurs effectively, and the foreign matter in the second contact deformation region 7 is softened to such an extent that it can be pushed out to the outer diameter side by pressurization.”). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the current from the electrodes in Fujii to remove impurities from the metal surface as taught by Hirai.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of being able to have a clean surface when bonding the workpieces together, as stated by Hirai, Page 5, Para. 3 from end, “The foreign matter is removed from the portion, and the clean surface contact area 9 is obtained. Further, a new solid phase bonding occurs due to the generation and growth of new crystal grains due to recrystallization or phase transformation in a part of the inner diameter side of the clean surface adhesion region 9, and the solid phase bonding region 10 is moved to the outer diameter side.”.
Regarding claim 2, modified Fujii teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above, discloses wherein the controller passes a current through the pair of electrodes while the pair of compression bars has moved to a position out of contact with the first and second workpieces (Fujii, Para. 0099, “In this case, a recess portion is formed on the surface of the metal plate material 2 into which the pressing part 12 is pushed. Here, it is preferable that the external load on the pressing part 12 is applied before the energization.”, where the indent or recess on the workpiece is created by the pressing part 12 first and then energization of the electrodes occurs after, where Fig. 9 shows in the third image or the bottom image that the pressing parts 12 or compression bars are removed from contact with the workpieces after creating the recess, where the electrodes are energized after the recesses have been created).
Regarding claim 3, modified Fujii teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above, discloses further comprising a driving source that drives the pair of compression bars and the pair of electrodes, wherein the controller moves the pair of electrodes while moving the pair of compression bars by controlling the driving source (Fujii, Para. 0108, “Further, the pressurizing mechanism is a mechanism for moving the pressing part 12 up and down with a servo press machine.”, where the servo press machine is the driving source that drives the compression bars and the electrodes, where the electrodes are attached to the outside of the pressing part 12 and would be moved along with the pressing part 12).
Regarding claim 5, Fujii discloses a method by using a solid state welding apparatus (Abstract, “solid-phase spot-welding method…a solid-phase spot-welding device”) the solid state welding apparatus comprising:
a pair of compression bars (Para. 0089, “Further, in FIG. 2, although the pressing part 12 is provided inside the welding electrode 8 which is arranged on the surface of the metal plate material 2, the pressing part 12 may be provided only on the welding electrode 10, or the pressing parts 12 may be provided on both the welding electrode 8 and the welding electrode 10.”) that presses a first surface-treated metal workpiece and a second surface-treated metal workpiece on sides opposite in a direction of a thickness of the workpieces (Para. 0090, “The purpose of the pressing force applied from the welding electrode in the welding preparation step is to bring the metal plate material 2 and the metal plate material 4 into close contact with each other,”, where the direction of pressing force in opposite the direction of the thickness of the workpieces);
a pair of electrodes disposed around the pair of compression bars, respectively (Para. 0090, “Further, the material, shape and size of the welding electrode 8 and the welding electrode 10 are not particularly limited, and the same electrodes as the various conventionally known resistance spot-welding electrodes can be used, but when the pressing part 12 is provided inside, it is necessary to form a through hole.”, where Fig. 9 shows that the electrodes 8 and 10 include the compression bars 12 within the electrodes); and
a controller (Para. 0108, “The energization mechanism includes the welding electrode 8 and the welding electrode 10, and is composed of a welding power supply, a bus bar, various control devices, and the like, similarly to a conventional general resistance spot welder. Further, the pressurizing mechanism is a mechanism for moving the pressing part 12 up and down with a servo press machine.”, and Para. 0122, “Next, a current of 3500 to 5000 A was applied from the copper electrode to heat the materials to be welded, and the central pressure shaft was pushed from above and below the welded region at a pressure of 1000 MPa.”, where to control the energization and pressurizing mechanisms to be at specific values, there must be a controller device that controls the mechanisms), the method for removing an impurity on the metal surface comprising, by using the controller: controlling the pair of compression bars to cause a first load to act on each of the first and second workpieces (Para. 0100, “FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 are schematic views which show one embodiment of the stress application step when both welding electrodes are provided with the pressing parts in the direct method. When both the welding electrode 8 and the welding electrode 10 are provided with the pressing part 12, mainly, there are a pattern (pattern 1) in which the two pressing parts 12 are simultaneously pressed into the softened region 20 from the surface of the metal plate material, and a pattern (pattern 2) in which, after the other pressing part 12 is pulled into the welding electrode in accordance with the pushing of one pressing part 12, both the pressing parts 12 are moved to the surface of the metal plate material.”, where the compression bars or pressing parts 12 have a first load applied during the first and second images of Fig. 9, where the pressing parts are inserted into the interface to be welded 6);
subsequently controlling the pair of compression bars to subject compressive force to load removal to cause a second load smaller than the first load to act on the first and second workpieces (Para. 0100, “FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 are schematic views which show one embodiment of the stress application step when both welding electrodes are provided with the pressing parts in the direct method. When both the welding electrode 8 and the welding electrode 10 are provided with the pressing part 12, mainly, there are a pattern (pattern 1) in which the two pressing parts 12 are simultaneously pressed into the softened region 20 from the surface of the metal plate material, and a pattern (pattern 2) in which, after the other pressing part 12 is pulled into the welding electrode in accordance with the pushing of one pressing part 12, both the pressing parts 12 are moved to the surface of the metal plate material.”, where the compression bars or pressing parts 12 have a second load applied during the second to third images of Fig. 9, where the pressing parts are removed from the interface to be welded, where this load is less than the first load as the first load creates an indent while the second load is removing the pressing part from the indent), and
subsequently passing a current through the pair of electrodes (Para. 0099, “In this case, a recess portion is formed on the surface of the metal plate material 2 into which the pressing part 12 is pushed. Here, it is preferable that the external load on the pressing part 12 is applied before the energization.”, where the indent or recess on the workpiece is created by the pressing part 12 first and then energization of the electrodes occurs after).
Fujii does not disclose:
a method for removing an impurity on a metal surface by using a solid state welding apparatus;
where current that passes through the pair of electrodes is to remove an impurity on a metal surface.
However, Hirai discloses, in the similar field of solid state welding (Abstract, “a solid phase joining process (C) in which a solid phase joining region 10 is formed in the region where the clean faces are stuck together.”), where a method for removing impurities on a metal surface by using a solid state welding apparatus is present (Abstract, “the welding method includes…a foreign matter discharging process (B) in which foreign matters present in the closely stuck and deformed region 7 are discharged from the region 7 closely stuck and deformed by pressing of the electrodes 1 and in which a region where clean faces having no foreign matters are stuck to each other, is formed; and a solid phase joining process (C)”), where a current that passes through electrodes is used to remove an impurity on the metal surface (Page 3, Para. 2 from end, “heat is generated between the electrode 1 and the metal plate 2 on the side close to the electrode 1 by the energization of the electrode 1, and this heat is on the side close to the electrode 1. It is transmitted to the metal plate 3 on the side far from the metal plate 2. Therefore, foreign matters such as scales (oxide films) existing in the contact deformation regions 6 and 7 between the metal plates 2 and 3 and attached to the surfaces of the metal plates 2 and 3 are heated and softened.”, and Page 4, Para. 2 from end, “With respect to the current value, the deformation of the metal plates 2 and 3 due to heat generation occurs effectively, and the foreign matter in the second contact deformation region 7 is softened to such an extent that it can be pushed out to the outer diameter side by pressurization.”). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the current from the electrodes in Fujii to remove impurities from the metal surface as taught by Hirai.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of being able to have a clean surface when bonding the workpieces together, as stated by Hirai, Page 5, Para. 3 from end, “The foreign matter is removed from the portion, and the clean surface contact area 9 is obtained. Further, a new solid phase bonding occurs due to the generation and growth of new crystal grains due to recrystallization or phase transformation in a part of the inner diameter side of the clean surface adhesion region 9, and the solid phase bonding region 10 is moved to the outer diameter side.”.
Claims 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujii et al. (US 20230138076 A1, hereinafter Fujii) in view of Hirai et al. (JP 2011031266 A, hereinafter Hirai) in further view of Reuter et al. (DE 10243688 A1, hereinafter Reuter).
Regarding claim 4, modified Fujii teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above, discloses wherein after the controller removes an impurity on the metal surface, solid state welding is used to weld to the workpieces together (Teaching from Hirai, Abstract, “a solid phase joining process (C) in which a solid phase joining region 10 is formed in the region where the clean faces are stuck together.”, where clean faces are present after impurities are removed from the metal surface).
Modified Fujii does not disclose:
the controller controls the pair of compression bars to cause a third load larger than the first load to act on each of the first and second workpieces and therewhile passes a current through the pair of electrodes.
However, Reuter discloses, in the similar field of solid state welding (Page 4, Para. 2, “the pressing on the components takes place with a solid phase in the welding area”), where a third load larger than the first load acts on the first and second workpieces and therewhile passes a current through the pair of electrodes (Page 3, Para. 4, “Then the pressure force F is increased and the increased pressure force level is maintained constant over a period of time t .sub.3 . The periods t .sub.1 , t .sub.2 , t .sub.3 are dimensioned such that the material of the components to be welded is selectively liquefied during the welding time t .sub.1 , so that there is a substance-liquid connection, a so-called welding lens. During the melting process, the compressive force F is kept constant in order to keep the melted material in the process space. After the welding current I has been switched off, the pressure force F is kept constant over a period t .sub.2 in which the molten material begins to solidify.”, and Fig. 1 shows that during t1 that the force component is almost double the current value; where the current value from Fujii is 3500 to 5000 A from Para. 0122, “Next, a current of 3500 to 5000 A was applied from the copper electrode to heat the materials to be welded, and the central pressure shaft was pushed from above and below the welded region at a pressure of 1000 MPa.”, where the force component from Reuter would be 7000-10000 MPa). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the controller in modified Fujii to have a third load applied after cleaning the metal surfaces with a current passed through as taught by Reuter.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of being able to weld the two workpieces together, where the consistent compressive force with current would allow for melting and solidification to occur, as stated by Reuter, Page 3, Para. 4, “During the melting process, the compressive force F is kept constant in order to keep the melted material in the process space. After the welding current I has been switched off, the pressure force F is kept constant over a period t .sub.2 in which the molten material begins to solidify. This period t .sub.2 is chosen so that the melt has already solidified, but there is still a reduced strength in the weld”.
Conclusion
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/KEVIN GUANHUA WEN/Examiner, Art Unit 3761
10/02/2026
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