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 1-20 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.
Regarding claim 1, the claim recites the cutting machine head has the functional limitation “so as to cut and reset a vertically disposed silicon rod” in the last lines. It is unclear what function “reset a vertically disposed silicon rod” is intended to impart. While it is clear that the cutting machine is intended to cut the silicon rod, it is unclear what resetting the silicon rod would entail. The word “reset” seems to imply the rod is returned to its original state, but it is unclear how this is to occur if the rod has been cut. Applicant’s written description does not appear to describe this functional limitation either. For the purposes of this examination, any cutting mechanism having structure capable of performing the claimed cutting function will be read as being capable of the reset function, as this is examiner’s best understanding of the intended structure.
Claims 2-20 are rejected as indefinite due to their dependency upon rejected claim 1.
Further regarding claims 8 and 19, each of these claims recites “a cutting machine head mechanism” in line 5. However, there already antecedent basis for two cutting machine heads, making it unclear if this is referring to an additional cutting machine head, or one of the two previously recited cutting machine heads. For the purposes of this examination, this limitation will be read as referring to one of the already recited cutting machine heads.
Further regarding claim 9, the claim recites “a first part of cleaning nozzles for cleaning a cutting machine head mechanism disposed at an opposite-side and a cutting machine head mechanism disposed at a present-side, and a second part of cleaning nozzles for cleaning the cutting machine head mechanism disposed at an opposite-side”. This is confusingly worded and unclear. Similarly to claims 8 and 19 discussed above, the claim already has antecedent basis for two cutting machine heads. It is also unclear what is meant by the phrase “a first part of cleaning nozzles” and “a second part of cleaning nozzles”. For the purposes of this examination, these limitations will be read as requiring each of the two cutting machine heads, which are disposed on opposite sides of the cutting device, having the claimed cleaning nozzles.
Claim 10 is rejected as indefinite due to its dependency upon rejected claim 9.
Claim 16 recites the limitation "the edge collection mechanism" in the first two lines. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For the purposes of this examination, this will be interpreted as “the flaw-piece collection mechanism”, as this appears to be applicant’s intent.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 3-6, 8, 11-13, 15, and 18-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Su (WO 2021/254083, see provided machine translation).
Regarding claim 1, Su discloses a cutting device of a silicon rod cutting system, comprising: a support frame (20), installed on a machine base (10) of the silicon rod cutting system (fig 13); two cutting machine head mechanisms (21), wherein each of the two cutting machine head mechanisms is provided with a diamond wire (213; [0262]), a cutting segment of the diamond wire is used for cutting a silicon rod from top to bottom while moving (vertical movement described [0137]); and a feeding mechanism (including elements 22 and 23 described in [0137-0138] and [0219]), wherein the support frame (20) is connected with the two cutting machine head mechanisms by means of the feeding mechanism (as shown in figs 26-28), and the two cutting segments are disposed opposite to each other (fig 27); wherein the feeding mechanism is used for driving the two cutting machine head mechanisms to move towards and away from each other, so as to adjust the distance between the two cutting segments(indicated by arrows in fig 27 and described [0219]), and the feeding mechanism is further used for driving the two cutting machine head mechanisms to move up and down in a vertical direction, so as to cut and reset a vertically disposed silicon rod (movement described [0137-0138]).
Regarding claims 3-6, Su further discloses a silicon rod chuck mechanism, wherein the silicon rod chuck mechanism comprises: a chuck rack (522); an upper floating head (52312), installed at the chuck rack (fig 34), wherein the chuck rack is capable of moving up and down ([0399]), and the upper floating head is used for pressing an upper end face of the silicon rod vertically placed (function described [0399] and [0405]); and a flaw-piece holding rack (523), connected with the chuck rack and capable of extending out downwards and resetting upwards (movement described [0405]), wherein the flaw-piece holding rack is used for extending out downwards and holding a peripheral surface of the silicon rod (fig 36), and the flaw-piece holding rack is further used for resetting upwards to leave the peripheral surface of the silicon rod (movable up and down as described [0405]); wherein the flaw-piece holding rack comprises: a flaw-piece holding rack mounting member (52324), fixed with the chuck rack (fig 35), a holding rod fixing member (52321) and a flaw-piece holding rod (523121), wherein the flaw-piece holding rod is fixed on a side of the holding rod fixing member that is away from the upper floating head and extends out downwards (as shown in fig 36), and a flaw-piece holding driving device (52334), connected with the flaw-piece holding rack mounting member and the holding rod fixing member respectively (fig 36), and used for driving the holding rod fixing member and the flaw-piece holding rod to extend out downwards and reset upwards (extends and retracts as described [0409]); a silicon rod supporting mechanism, wherein the silicon rod supporting mechanism comprises: a silicon rod supporting mounting base (531; fig 32); and a lower floating head (unlabeled central part shown in fig 32), used for supporting a lower end face of the silicon rod vertically placed (function provided by the location of the lower floating head), wherein the lower floating head is installed above the silicon rod supporting mounting base (as shown in fig 32); and wherein the silicon rod supporting mechanism further comprises a flaw-piece supporting assembly, and the flaw-piece supporting assembly comprises: a flaw-piece supporting driving device (upward extending part of element 532), fixed on the silicon rod supporting mounting base and spaced apart from the lower floating head (fig 32); a flaw-piece supporting head (top flat surface of element 532), used for supporting a position where the lower end face of the silicon rod is cut to form flaw-pieces ([0366]), wherein the flaw-piece supporting head is fixed on a top end of the flaw-piece supporting driving device (fig 32); and the flaw-piece supporting driving device is used for locking when the silicon rod is cut into a square rod and flaw-pieces, so that the flaw-piece supporting head keeps the height to support the flaw-pieces ([0366]).
Regarding claim 8, Su further discloses the feeding mechanism comprises: two transverse feeding mechanisms (23; one on each side as shown in fig 16), wherein the two transverse feeding mechanisms and the two cutting machine head mechanisms are disposed in a one-to-one correspondingly manner, wherein a cutting machine head mechanism is fixed with a corresponding transverse feeding mechanism (each disposed on corresponding sides of device as shown in fig 27), the cutting segments of the two cutting machine head mechanisms are disposed opposite to each other (fig 27), and the transverse feeding mechanisms are installed with the support frame (fig 16); and the two transverse feeding mechanisms are used for driving the two cutting machine head mechanisms to move close to and away from each other, and adjusting a distance between the cutting segments of the two cutting machine head mechanisms of the cutting device (as described [0225]); two vertical feeding mechanisms (22, shown in fig 13), wherein the two vertical feeding mechanisms and the two transverse feeding mechanisms are disposed in a one-to-one correspondingly manner (two of each), and the two vertical feeding mechanisms vertically fixed on a same side of the support frame respectively (both on top side of support frame), wherein a transverse feeding mechanisms is fixed on a corresponding vertical feeding mechanism (as shown in fig 17); and the two vertical feeding mechanisms are used for driving the two transverse feeding mechanisms to move in the vertical direction respectively, so as to drive the two cutting machine head mechanisms to move in the vertical direction ([0137-0138]); and a feeding control unit (including lifting motor described [0138] and servo motor described [0225]), used for controlling the two transverse feeding mechanisms so as to adjust the distance between the two cutting segments ([0225]), and also used for controlling the two vertical feeding mechanisms so as to adjust a movement of the two cutting machine head mechanisms in the vertical direction ([0137-0138]).
Regarding claim 11, Su further discloses a flaw-piece clamping mechanism (523), a flaw-piece collection mechanism, wherein the flaw-piece collection mechanism has collection areas (areas described [0362]), and the collection areas and the cutting stations of the silicon rod cutting system are disposed in a one-to-one correspondingly manner (cutting area corresponds to unloading area as described [0362]); and a collection control unit (5232), used for controlling the flaw-piece clamping mechanism to clamp flaw-pieces generated by the cut silicon rod from each cutting station of the silicon rod cutting system (as described [0397]) and to convey and place the flaw-pieces in the flaw-piece collection mechanism (described [0373]), and the flaw- pieces generated by cutting a same silicon rod are placed in a same collection area (function provided by structure of flaw-piece clamping mechanism 51 as described [0378]).
Regarding claims 12-13 Su further discloses the flaw-piece clamping mechanism comprises a flaw-piece clamping frame, and the flaw-piece clamping frame comprises: a flaw-piece clamping jaw mounting column (521); and a top clamping jaw (5231; fig 34) and a bottom clamping jaw (53), installed on the front side of the flaw-piece clamping jaw mounting column and disposed up and down opposite to each other (as shown in fig 30), wherein at least one of the top clamping jaw and the bottom clamping jaw is slidably connected with the flaw-piece clamping jaw mounting column and is capable of moving up and down in the vertical direction ([0399]), and a side of the flaw-piece clamping jaw mounting column on which the top clamping jaw and the bottom clamping jaw are installed is the front side (fig 30); and wherein the bottom clamping jaw (53) is fixed on a bottom end of the flaw-piece clamping jaw mounting column (as shown in fig 30); and the top clamping jaw is slidably connected with the flaw-piece clamping jaw mounting column (fig 30), and the top clamping jaw is capable of moving up and down in the vertical direction ([0399]).
Regarding claim 15, Su further teaches a transfer device, wherein the transfer device comprises: a feeding and blanking clamping jaw frame (31; fig 2a); an upper clamping jaw assembly and a lower clamping jaw assembly (elements 321 and 322 on top and bottom of frame 31), installed on a same side of the feeding and blanking clamping jaw frame in parallel at intervals up and down (fig 2a); and a transfer driving assembly (including racks and gears described in [0072]), used for driving the upper clamping jaw assembly to move relative to the lower clamping jaw assembly up and down in a height direction of the feeding and blanking clamping jaw frame, and is further used for driving the upper clamping jaw assembly and the lower clamping jaw assembly to move up and down synchronously (described [0072]).
Regarding claim 18, Su further discloses a silicon rod chuck mechanism, wherein the silicon rod chuck mechanism comprises: a chuck rack (522); an upper floating head (52312), installed at the chuck rack (fig 34), wherein the chuck rack is capable of moving up and down ([0399]), and the upper floating head is used for pressing an upper end face of the silicon rod vertically placed (function described [0399] and [0405]); and a flaw-piece holding rack (523), connected with the chuck rack and capable of extending out downwards and resetting upwards (movement described [0405]), wherein the flaw-piece holding rack is used for extending out downwards and holding a peripheral surface of the silicon rod (fig 36), and the flaw-piece holding rack is further used for resetting upwards to leave the peripheral surface of the silicon rod (movable up and down as described [0405]).
Regarding claim 19, Su further discloses the feeding mechanism comprises: two transverse feeding mechanisms (23; one on each side as shown in fig 16), wherein the two transverse feeding mechanisms and the two cutting machine head mechanisms are disposed in a one-to-one correspondingly manner, wherein a cutting machine head mechanism is fixed with a corresponding transverse feeding mechanism (each disposed on corresponding sides of device as shown in fig 27), the cutting segments of the two cutting machine head mechanisms are disposed opposite to each other (fig 27), and the transverse feeding mechanisms are installed with the support frame (fig 16); and the two transverse feeding mechanisms are used for driving the two cutting machine head mechanisms to move close to and away from each other, and adjusting a distance between the cutting segments of the two cutting machine head mechanisms of the cutting device (as described [0225]); two vertical feeding mechanisms (22, shown in fig 13), wherein the two vertical feeding mechanisms and the two transverse feeding mechanisms are disposed in a one-to-one correspondingly manner (two of each), and the two vertical feeding mechanisms vertically fixed on a same side of the support frame respectively (both on top side of support frame), wherein a transverse feeding mechanisms is fixed on a corresponding vertical feeding mechanism (as shown in fig 17); and the two vertical feeding mechanisms are used for driving the two transverse feeding mechanisms to move in the vertical direction respectively, so as to drive the two cutting machine head mechanisms to move in the vertical direction ([0137-0138]); and a feeding control unit (including lifting motor described [0138] and servo motor described [0225]), used for controlling the two transverse feeding mechanisms so as to adjust the distance between the two cutting segments ([0225]), and also used for controlling the two vertical feeding mechanisms so as to adjust a movement of the two cutting machine head mechanisms in the vertical direction ([0137-0138]).
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) 2, 9-10, 17, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Su as applied to claims 1 and 11 above, and further in view of Zhu (CN 209381175U see provided machine translation).
Regarding claim 2, Su teaches all the elements of claim 1 as described above. Su further teaches each of the two cutting machine head mechanisms comprises a wire saw assembly, and the wire saw assembly comprises: a wire saw mounting rack (214; fig 23), and the diamond wire (213; fig 27), disposed on a front side of the wire saw mounting rack (as shown in fig 23), wherein the cutting segment and the wire saw mounting rack do not interfere with each other (fig 23). Su does not teach the wire saw mounting rack provided with a machine head through hole which extends in vertically and is used for taking out flaw-pieces formed by cutting the silicon rod (any holes in the mounting rack of Su do not appear capable of performing this function). Zhu teaches a cutting device including a wire saw assembly comprising a wire saw mounting rack (21), provided with a machine head through hole (211) which extends in vertically (fig 3; extending into the mounting rack and in a vertical direction), wherein a cutting segment of a cutting wire and the machine head through hole do not interfere with each other (as shown in fig 3); wherein the machine head through hole is used for taking out flaw-pieces formed by cutting the silicon rod (function described [0048]). It would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a vertically extending through hole in the machine head of Su capable of being used for taking out flaw-pieces formed by cutting, as this provides a convenient and efficient way to retrieve the edge pieces as taught by Zhu ([0040], [0048]).
Regarding claim 9, Su, as modified, teaches all the limitations of claim 2 as described above. Su further teaches the two cutting machine head mechanisms include an opposite side cutting head mechanism and a present-side cutting head mechanism (as shown in fig 27). Su does not teach each of the two cutting machine mechanisms comprising a cleaning assembly provided with a plurality of cleaning nozzles, or a spray assembly provided with a spray head. Zhu further teaches a cutting machine head mechanism comprising a cleaning assembly, fixed on the front side of the wire saw mounting rack, wherein the cleaning assembly is provided with a plurality of cleaning nozzles (fig 3; see nozzles 4 on the top side on front of mounting rack 21), and a spray assembly, fixed on the front side of the wire saw mounting rack, wherein the spray assembly is provided with a spray head (fig 3, unlabeled nozzle 4 in bottom right corner) for spraying cutting fluid to the silicon rod (each cleaning nozzle and spray head 4 is capable of spraying fluid as described [0016], [0046]) and a cutting seam formed by cutting the silicon rod (seam formation is functional limitation achieved by the cutting wire) via an annular diamond wire (25), and performing cooling (function provided by nozzles capable of spraying wire and workpiece). It would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a cleaning assembly and spray assembly on the front side of each of the wire saw mounting racks of Su, resulting in a first part of the cleaning nozzles being on a present side cutting machine head and a second part of the cleaning nozzles being on an opposite side cutting machine head, as these allow the cutting device to remain clean for each cut as taught by Zhu ([0046]).
Regarding claim 10, Su, as modified by Zhu, teaches all the limitations of claim 9 as described above. Zhu further teaches the wire saw assembly (when employing the wire saw mounting rack as described in the rejection of claim 2 above) further comprises a driving wheel assembly (22) and a lower transition wheel (23), respectively disposed on the front side of the wire saw mounting rack and located on two sides of the machine head through hole (as shown in fig 3), and a tension wheel assembly (24) and an upper transition wheel (unlabeled wheel in top right as viewed in fig 3), respectively disposed on the front side of the wire saw mounting rack; wherein the diamond wire is an annular diamond wire (25; fig 3), which is twined on peripheral surfaces of a driving wheel of the driving wheel assembly, the lower transition wheel, a tension wheel of the tension wheel assembly and the upper transition wheel (as shown in fig 3), the cutting segments are formed on bottom ends of the driving wheel and the lower transition wheel (cutting segment at bottom between wheels 22 and 23), and the diamond wire and the machine head through hole do not interfere with each other (as shown in fig 3).
Regarding claim 17, Su teaches all the elements of claim 11 as described above. Su further teaches each of the two cutting machine head mechanisms comprises a wire saw assembly, and the wire saw assembly comprises: a wire saw mounting rack (214; fig 23), and the diamond wire (213; fig 27), disposed on a front side of the wire saw mounting rack (as shown in fig 23), wherein the cutting segment and the wire saw mounting rack do not interfere with each other (fig 23). Su does not teach the wire saw mounting rack provided with a machine head through hole which extends in vertically and is used for taking out flaw-pieces formed by cutting the silicon rod (any holes in the mounting rack of Su do not appear capable of performing this function). Zhu teaches a cutting device including a wire saw assembly comprising a wire saw mounting rack (21), provided with a machine head through hole (211) which extends in vertically (fig 3; extending into the mounting rack and in a vertical direction), wherein a cutting segment of a cutting wire and the machine head through hole do not interfere with each other (as shown in fig 3); wherein the machine head through hole is used for taking out flaw-pieces formed by cutting the silicon rod (function described [0048]). It would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a vertically extending through hole in the machine head of Su capable of being used for taking out flaw-pieces formed by cutting, as this provides a convenient and efficient way to retrieve the edge pieces as taught by Zhu ([0040], [0048]).
Regarding claim 20, Su, as modified, teaches all the limitations of claim 9 as described above. Su further teaches the two cutting machine head mechanisms include an opposite side cutting head mechanism and a present-side cutting head mechanism (as shown in fig 27). Su does not teach each of the two cutting machine mechanisms comprising a cleaning assembly provided with a plurality of cleaning nozzles, or a spray assembly provided with a spray head. Zhu further teaches a cutting machine head mechanism comprising a cleaning assembly, fixed on the front side of the wire saw mounting rack, wherein the cleaning assembly is provided with a plurality of cleaning nozzles (fig 3; see nozzles 4 on the top side on front of mounting rack 21), and a spray assembly, fixed on the front side of the wire saw mounting rack, wherein the spray assembly is provided with a spray head (fig 3, unlabeled nozzle 4 in bottom right corner) for spraying cutting fluid to the silicon rod (each cleaning nozzle and spray head 4 is capable of spraying fluid as described [0016], [0046]) and a cutting seam formed by cutting the silicon rod (seam formation is functional limitation achieved by the cutting wire) via an annular diamond wire (25), and performing cooling (function provided by nozzles capable of spraying wire and workpiece). It would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a cleaning assembly and spray assembly on the front side of each of the wire saw mounting racks of Su, resulting in a first part of the cleaning nozzles being on a present side cutting machine head and a second part of the cleaning nozzles being on an opposite side cutting machine head, as these allow the cutting device to remain clean for each cut as taught by Zhu ([0046]).
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Su as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Pan (CN 111844487A, see provided machine translation).
Regarding claim 7, Su teaches all the elements of claim 6 as described above. Su does not teach a silicon rod rotating assembly comprising a rotating shaft or driving motor. Pan teaches a cutting device including a silicon rod rotating assembly comprising a silicon rod rotating shaft (210; fig 18), wherein a lower floating head (21) is fixed on the silicon rod rotating shaft (as shown in fig 18), and the silicon rod rotating shaft is rotationally connected above the silicon rod supporting mounting base (unlabeled lower base in fig 18); and a silicon rod driving motor (driving device described [0051]), fixed to the silicon rod supporting mounting base, and connected with the silicon rod rotating shaft so as to drive the silicon rod rotating shaft to rotate (function described [0051]). It would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a rotating shaft and driving motor fixed below the silicon rod supporting mounting base (this is the only location with space for a motor) with the silicon rod supporting assembly of Su, in order to provide the cutting device with the ability to rotate the silicon rod to adjust the surface being cut as taught by Pan ([0111]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 14 and 16 would be allowable if rewritten 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 and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Regarding claims 14 and 16, Su appears to be the closest prior art. As detailed in the rejections above, Su teaches many of the elements of the claimed invention. However, Su does not teach or render obvious a feeding processing unit configured to turn the round rod feeding rack to accelerate in turning over before reducing a turnover speed when the round rod feeding rack turns over by a present angle until the round rod feeding rack turns over by 90 degrees; or a synchronous reverse flaw-piece movement assembly configured to drive two groups of flaw-piece boxes to perform a synchronous reverse movement, wherein the synchronous reverse flaw-piece box movement assembly is fixed on the collection underframe, and the two groups of flaw-piece boxes are fixed with the synchronous reverse flaw-piece box movement assembly. There is nothing in the prior art which would make these limitations obvious for a person of ordinary skill in combination with the claimed cutting device.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Other similar cutting devices are cited.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARCEL T DION whose telephone number is (571)272-9091. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 9-5, F 9-3.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Brian Keller can be reached at 571-272-8548. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MARCEL T DION/Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/BRIAN D KELLER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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