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) 11 and 13-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Takehara et al. (JP 2002-178037). Takehara discloses a method of forming a sheet metal material (W) comprising providing to a press apparatus (3,5) a sheet metal blank (41) comprising blanks (A, B) as a base material which is formed into a bent sheet metal component by press forming in a press brake (5) of the press apparatus (3,5). Takehara discloses sensing at least one characterizing parameter comprising at least a thickness measurement [0066] and a springback measurement [0068] with a measurement unit (43) comprising a sensor plate (49) and position sensor (59) configured to test a sample part (samples A,B) of the workpiece (W) for the at least thickness characterizing parameter ([0051], lines 5-7) before a forming process for the sheet metal component takes place in the press brake (5), wherein the characterizing parameter data ([0062], lines 5-7 and [0070], lines 4-7) is incorporated into a control algorithm of the press brake (5) as an adapted process parameter comprising at least a ram control value ([0064], line 2) in the electronic computer device (CPU, 81) of a control device (9) of the press brake.
Regarding claim 13, the characterizing parameter is a thickness ([0051], lines 5-7).
Regarding claim 14, Takehara discloses labeling of the sheet metal component [0071] by a labeling device comprising an inkjet printer or a label printer.
Regarding claim 15, the labeling device is a laser processing machine or a punch-laser combination machine ([0044], lines 6-8).
Regarding claim 16, the electronic computing device (CPU, 81) [0062] stores the characterizing parameter in a memory (87) and a serial number (barcode or QR code, [0071], lines 2-3) is stored ([0072], lines 1-3) and read.
Regarding claim 17, the electronic computing device (CPU, 81) adapts a process parameter (ram control value, [0064], line 2) of the forming process in the press brake (5) to the at least one characterizing parameter ([0064], lines 1-5).
Claim(s) 11-13 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Thoms et al. (5,450,347). Thoms discloses a method for forming a sheet-metal component (12) in a press apparatus (1), comprising providing to the press apparatus a sheet-metal blank (11) as a base material for the sheet-metal component (12); sensing at least one characterizing parameter comprising (thickness; col. 8, lines 40-42) and reoiling (lubrication; col. 9, lines 18-20) of the sheet-metal blank (11) by a sensing device (14,15,16,17) of the press apparatus (1) before a forming process (calculation in advance, col. 9, lines 21-23) for the sheet-metal component takes place, transmitting (24,25,26,27) the at least one characterizing parameter (thickness and lubrication reoiling) to an electronic computing device (29) of the press apparatus; adapting at least one process parameter (drawing force and blank holding force; col. 9, lines 23-25) of the forming process based on the at least one characterizing parameter (thickness and reoiling lubrication); and forming the sheet-metal component (12) from the sheet-metal blank (11) via the forming process according to the adapted at least one process parameter (col. 9, lines 35-45).
Regarding claim 12, no oiling step is claimed and reoiling is read as the lubrication thickness and viscosity present on the sheet blank (11) and sensed by the sensors (17,18) of Thoms before pressing, wherein the lubrication thickness on the sheet blank is a characterizing parameter which is supplied by the data processor (27,28) to the electronic computing device (29) that adapts (col. 9, lines 8-12) the drawing force and blank holding force according to the reoiling lubrication.
Regarding claims 13 and 17, Thoms discloses that a sheet blank thickness (col. 8, lines 40-42) is a characterizing parameter and the electronic computer device (29) adapts a process parameter (drawing force and blank holding force; col. 9, lines 23-25) to the characterizing parameter.
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) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takehara et al. (JP 2002-178037) in view of Thoms et al. (5,450,347). Takehara discloses a plurality of process parameters ([0062], lines 4-5) in a processing program for the workpiece blank (W) but does not disclose that the process parameter is a reoiling. Thoms teaches reoiling lubrication (col. 9, lines 4-17) as a characterizing parameter that is sensed by sensos (17,18). The lubrication thickness and viscosity are a reoiling present on a sheet blank (11) and sensed by the sensors (17,18) of Thoms before pressing, wherein the lubrication thickness on the sheet blank is a characterizing parameter which is supplied by the data processor (27,28) to the electronic computing device (29) that adapts (col. 9, lines 8-12) the drawing force and blank holding force according to the reoiling lubrication. It would have been obvious to the skilled artisan prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to sense a lubrication thickness present on the workpiece of Takehara as taught by Thoms as a characterizing parameter that is adapted during the processing of the sheet metal workpiece during forming.
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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