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 . 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 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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 06/03/2026 and 08/13/2025 have been considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (U.S. Patent No. 2003/0145699) in view of Weber (US 2012/0089244).
Regarding claim 1, Kim teaches a system, comprising: a scanning device (204) configured to: scan a first object (200) (Figure 2);
a computer (210) communicatively coupled to the scanning device and a cutting device (Paragraph 0014, 0043-0052; the computer configured to:
receive data from the scanning device (Paragraphs 0043 and 0045);
compare the first object with a tolerance range and calculate a first set of offset values (Figure 1; Paragraph 0036);
transmit the first set of offset values to the cutting device (Paragraphs 0043-0046):
the cutting device (234) configured to
Regarding claim 1, Kim does not provide a holder configured to secure the first object in place.
Weber teaches it is known in the art of cutting to provide a cutter (9) wherein a workpiece is secured via a holding mechanism (Paragraphs 0037-0039; Figure 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified the device of Kim to incorporate the teachings of Weber to provide a holder to secure a workpiece. In doing so, it allows for the workpiece to be properly positioned to be cut.
Regarding claim 2, Kim teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the scanning device is further configured to: rescan the first object after the cutting device cuts the first object (Figure 1 and Paragraph 0036); and wherein the computer system is further configured to determine whether the cut first object is within a tolerance range and calculate a second set of offset values if the cut first object is not within the tolerance range (Figure 1; Paragraph 0036, 0055).
Regarding claim 3, Kim teaches the system of claim 2, wherein the computer system is further configured to transmit the second set of offset values to the cutting device, and wherein the cutting device is further configured to adjust and wherein the cutting device is further configured to receive the second set of offset values and adjust the cutting device based on the second set of offset values (Figures 1, 2 and 5; Paragraphs 0055-0056).
Regarding claim 4, Kim teaches the system of claim 3, where the cutting device cuts the first object after adjusting based on the second set of offset values (Figure 1; Paragraph 0036).
Regarding claim 5, Kim teaches the system of claim 4, wherein the cutting device receives a second object and cuts the second object based on the second set of offset values (Figure 1 and Paragraphs 0036-0037; Note multiple workpieces may be cut by the cutting system received by the conveyor using the process as shown in Figure 1).
Regarding claim 6, Kim teaches the system of claim 2, wherein the cutting device (234) receives a second object (Figures 1-2; Note the conveyor belt 202 providing multiple workpieces) and cuts the second object based on the first set of offset values if the cut first object is within the tolerance range (Figure 1; Paragraph 0037 noting multiple workpieces may be cut by the cutting system received by the conveyor).
Regarding claim 7, Kim teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the first object is a tube (Figures 2-4; Examiner notes the workpiece is not positively claimed, and the object to be cut may be a variety of shapes, including a tube shape).
Regarding claim 8, Kim teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the cutting device is configured to cut the first object around an axis to adjust an angle of a cut (Figures 2-4; Paragraph 0052).
Regarding claim 9, Kim teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the cutting device etches a shape onto a surface of the first object (Figures 2-4; Paragraphs 0051 and 0064; Examiner notes the cutting to be etching as the cutting devices are the same as provided in the specification (Paragraph 0015 of Applicant’s specification) and the cutting device is capable of removing multiple portions from the workpiece (Figures 6-11))
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on the current combination of references applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 RICHARD D CROSBY JR whose telephone number is (571)272-8034. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00-4:00.
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/RICHARD D CROSBY JR/ 08/12/2026Examiner, Art Unit 3724
/GHASSEM ALIE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3724
08/13/2025
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