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) 1,6-7 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ide et al. (JP 2020-95775) in view of Matsen et al. (6,528,771). Regarding claims 1 and 11, Ide discloses an expansion forming device (Fig. 1) and forming method including an upper die (12), a lower die (11) for forming a metal pipe (14) and an electric heating device (50,55) comprising a heating unit (50,17,18) which includes a power supply (55) and control device (70) that energizes and heats the pipe (14) by passing current to the metal pipe for joule heating the pipe [0026]. Ide discloses that the heating device control unit (70) controls the power supply (55; [0035]) wherein an electrical characteristic value (actual voltage value, Vr) is measured by a measurement unit (voltmeter, 53) in the metal pipe, the voltage value corresponds to the temperature of the metal pipe material ([0036], lines 7-8) and the temperature is controlled ([0037], lines 1-5). Ide performs constant voltage control to set the voltage command value to a target voltage value (Vt) which corresponds to a target temperature for forming, the current value flowing through the metal pipe (14) is therefore set according to the target temperature for forming ([0038], lines 10-14). Ide does not disclose detecting a decrease in the rate of change of the electrical characteristic.
Matsen teaches (col. 6, lines 36-46) that a sensor (53) detects an increase in the voltage of the power supply (51) which rises at a rate of change which is related a temperature of a part (60) being formed until a certain temperature (Curie temperature) is reached wherein the voltage readings (101) flatten out (decrease) and the part (60) is formed (col. 9, lines 36-38). Regarding claims 6 and 7, Matsen teaches that the voltage value during electrical heating is obtained by the sensor (53) from the power supply (col. 8, lines 55-56) and a controller (52) detects a change in voltage without thermocouples (col. 8, lines 65-67). It would have been obvious to the skilled artisan prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to detect a decrease in the rate of change of the electrical characteristic voltage in the expansion forming device of Ide as taught by Matsen so as to indicate that a global temperature of the workpiece being manufactured has stabilized and workpiece expansion forming should be initiated.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ide et al. (JP 2020-95775) in view of Matsen et al. (6,528,771) and further in view of Sawa et al. (4,407,682). Ide discloses an expansion forming device (Fig. 1) and forming method including an upper die (12), a lower die (11) for forming a metal pipe (14) and an electric heating device (50,55) comprising a heating unit (50,17,18) which includes a power supply (55) and control device (70) that energizes and heats the pipe (14) by passing current to the metal pipe for joule heating the pipe [0026]. Ide discloses that the heating device control unit (70) controls the power supply (55; [0035]) wherein an electrical characteristic value (actual voltage value, Vr) is measured by a measurement unit (voltmeter, 53) in the metal pipe, the voltage value corresponds to the temperature of the metal pipe material ([0036], lines 7-8) and the temperature is controlled ([0037], lines 1-5). Ide performs constant voltage control to set the voltage command value to a target voltage value (Vt) which corresponds to a target temperature for forming, the current value flowing through the metal pipe (14) is therefore set according to the target temperature for forming ([0038], lines 10-14). Ide does not disclose detecting a decrease in the rate of change of the electrical characteristic.
Matsen teaches (col. 6, lines 36-46) that a sensor (53) detects an increase in the voltage of the power supply (51) which rises at a rate of change which is related a temperature of a part (60) being formed until a certain temperature (Curie temperature) is reached wherein the voltage readings (101) flatten out (decrease) and the part (60) is formed (col. 9, lines 36-38). It would have been obvious to the skilled artisan prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to detect a decrease in the rate of change of the electrical characteristic voltage in the expansion forming device of Ide as taught by Matsen so as to indicate that a global temperature of the workpiece being manufactured has stabilized and workpiece expansion forming should be initiated. Ide in view of Matsen does not disclose stopping energizing of the heater after a certain time has elapse after the change point detection.
Sawa teaches chucks (2,4) that are configured to apply an electric current to a metal material (1; col. 4, lines 51-53) and the chucks (2,4) are connected to and controlled by an electrical power source (8; col. 4, lines 57-63) having a controller (9). Sawa teaches that when a rate of change (sudden change; col. 5, lines 7-12) is detected the controller (9) is operated to turn off the power supply (8) to stop heating the material and the material is formed. Sawa teaches that a certain time period after the change is detected is elapsed before forming (col. 5, lines 29-33). It would have been obvious to the skilled artisan prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to let a certain time period pass after the change point detection as taught by Sawa in the heating control of Ide in view of Matsen so that the temperature increases a predetermined amount before stopping the heater.
Claim(s) 8 and 9 is is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ide et al. (JP 2020-95775) in view of Matsen et al. (6,528,771) and further in view of Behrens et al. (DE 102017104494). Regarding claims 8 and 9, Ide discloses that the measurement unit includes a measurement instrument (voltmeter, 53) which measures a voltage value (Vr) applied to the metal pipe (14) and the voltmeter is arranged to measure a voltage between the electrodes (17,18; [0025], lines 4-5). The voltmeter (53) includes lines (Fig. 1) which connect to a bus bar (52) which is connected to the bottom electrodes (17,18) at a position close to the lower electrode (17) and the lower electrode (18; [0025], lines 9-12) but Ide does not disclose that the voltmeter is in (directly contacts) the electrodes. Behrens teaches [0047] that a voltage measurement unit (23,24) includes a voltage measurement device (23) which is directly connected to two electrodes (20), the voltage measurement device (23) is configured to generate a control signal. It would have been obvious to the skilled artisan prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to directly connect the voltmeter measurement instrument directly to the electrodes as taught by Behrens so as to measure the voltage of the electrodes through direct contact.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6-24-2026 have been fully considered. The references to Matsen and Sawa have been used to respond to Applicant’s amendment directed to detection of an electrical characteristic at a change point which represents a point at which a rate of change of the electrical characteristic value decreases relative to a rate of change before the change point. Applicant’s claim scope is directed to electrical heating since no structure of the forming device including a die and an expansion device are claimed but Matsen teaches an upper die (11), a lower die (12) and a die cavity (22) in which a workpiece (60) is expanded against the dies (11,12).
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 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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