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 .
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 1-7 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 term “high-speed impact resistance” in claims 1-7 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “high-speed impact resistance” is not defined by the claims, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. This renders the nature of the property being improved indefinite which renders the scope of the claims indefinite.
Additionally, the terms “special bulletproof armor for special vehicles” in claim 2 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “special bulletproof armor for special vehicles” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. This renders the nature of the armor and vehicles indefinite which renders the scope of the claim indefinite.
Additionally, the term “high-low temperature upsetting-drawing” in claim 2 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “high-low temperature upsetting-drawing” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. This renders the nature of the temperature of the upsetting drawing indefinite which renders the scope of the claim indefinite.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-7 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Instant claims 1-7 are directed to a thermal processing method as set forth in the instant claims. The closest prior art of record is CB 112275798 A to Yang et al (an English language machine translation has been relied upon for examination purposes). Yang discloses a thermal processing method of a two-phase titanium alloy, comprising steps of:
a. heating a two-phase titanium alloy slab blank, and a temperature and a heat preservation time of each section meeting the following conditions: performing heat preservation for 10-20 minutes at a temperature less than 800 °C (within the claimed range of less than 850° C) in a preheating section, performing heat preservation for 10-20 minutes at a temperature of 920-940 °C (outside the claimed range of 1050-1070° C) in a heating section, and performing heat preservation for 60-90 minutes at a temperature of 940-960 °C (outside the claimed range of 1040-1060° C) in a soaking section;
b. by means of a reversing rolling mode, firstly performing transverse rough rolling on the slab blank with a rough rolling temperature of 880-920 °C (outside the instantly claimed 990-1030° C) and a reduction rate of 25-30% (overlapping the instantly claimed reduction rate of 15-25%), and then reversing the slab blank for longitudinal rolling with a rolling temperature of 750-820 °C (within the claimed range of less than 990° C) and a reduction rate of 10-20%.
(Yang, para [0007-0008])
Yang differs from the instant claims at least in that heating, soaking, and rough rolling temperatures are outside of the instantly claimed ranges and Yang fails to disclose the limitation of “c. water-cooling the rolled blank to a temperature less than 200° C., and then performing solution heat treatment and aging treatment on the cooled blank.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2005/0051245 A1 to Fukai and CN 111346920 A to Zhang both disclose methods for thermal processing of titanium alloys relevant to the instant claims.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRIAN D WALCK whose telephone number is (571)270-5905. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10 AM - 6:30 PM.
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/BRIAN D WALCK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1738
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