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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of group I, claims 1-9 in the reply filed on 5/4/2026 is acknowledged.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: In claim 1, lines 7-8, reference is made to "the basis of the difference between the receiving capacity of the cavity and the volume of the first object". Although this phrase might appears to have inherent antecedent basis due to the language earlier in the claim introducing the element, this is the first usage of this phrase and the examiner suggests amending the claim to recite “a basis of a difference between the receiving capacity of the cavity and the volume of the first object”. Alternatively, applicant could recited language such as “based on a difference between the receiving capacity of the cavity and the volume of the first object”
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 4 objected to because of the following informalities: In claim 4, lines 4-5, reference is made to "the supplied liquid adhesive’s liquid level”. Although this phrase might appears to have inherent antecedent basis due to the language earlier in the claim introducing the element, this is the first usage of this phrase and the examiner suggests amending the claim to recite “a liquid level of the supplied liquid adhesive”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
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.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Grose (US 20080057305 A1) and Sutter (DE 102014218337 A1).
As to claim 1, Grose discloses a method for bonding a first object (second structure 54) with a second object (joint element 54), the first object being elongated, the second object being defined with a cavity (“slot 68”) configured to receive at least a length of the first object, the cavity having a receiving capacity which is slightly greater than a volume of the first object to be inserted into the cavity, and the cavity being configured to include a closed end and an opposite open end, the method comprising:
placing the second object in such a way that the closed end is on bottom and the open end is on top (see, for example, Figures 4, 5A-F, 6A-E, 7A-D); supplying the determined amount of liquid adhesive into the cavity in such a way that the supplied liquid adhesive is collected at the closed end (“the joint element 56 is filled at least part way with adhesive 58”);
inserting at least a part of the first object into the cavity via the open end in such a way that one end of the first object approaches or contacts the closed end (paragraph 0023, disclosing “the second structure 54 is plunged into the slot 68, as shown in FIGS. 5B and 5C”); and curing the liquid adhesive (see paragraph 0023, reciting that “the adhesive 58 cures”).
See paragraph 0022-24, disclosing:
[0022] A variety of materials can be used as the adhesive 58 and the joint element 56, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. Although other adhesives 58 may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention, in one embodiment the adhesive is EA 9394, available from Loctite of Rocky Hill, Conn. In one embodiment, the adhesive 58 used has a coefficient of thermal expansion of between about 20.times.10.sup.-6 in./in.-.degree. F. and about 45.times.10.sup.-6 in./in.-.degree. F. Although the joint element 56 may comprise other materials without departing from the scope of the present invention, in one embodiment the joint element comprises steel. Other possible joint element 56 materials include other metals, ceramics, cement, and composites, such as a fiberglass epoxy. The joint element 56 may also include a laminate.
[0023] FIGS. 5A-5F show an embodiment in which the adhesive 58 is injected into the slot 68 of the joint element 56 before the second structure 54 is introduced into the slot. The adhesive 58 may be injected into the slot 68 through a top opening 80 of the slot, as shown in FIG. 5A. Adhesive 58 may also be injected into the slot 68 adjacent the bottom 72 of the slot. For example, adhesive 58 can be injected into the slot 68 by way of a feed hole (not shown) formed in one or more of the joint element legs 66. After the joint element 56 is filled at least part way with adhesive 58, the second structure 54 is plunged into the slot 68, as shown in FIGS. 5B and 5C. Any excess adhesive 58 overflowing above the top opening 80 of the slot 68 as a result of being displaced by the second structure 54 may be wiped away or otherwise removed. The second structure 54 is spaced from the bottom 72 of the slot 68 by a predetermined distance 82. Presence of the desired distance 82 can be ensured in a variety of ways. In one embodiment, presence of the predetermined distance 82 is ensured by fastening a second structure 84 to a joint element 86. For example, a fastener 88 can be placed through an index hole 90 in the joint element 86 and an index hole 92 in the second structure 84, as shown in FIG. 5D. In another embodiment (not shown), index holes in the legs of the joint element are not required. For example, it is envisioned that the fastener 88 may be positioned within the second structure 84 so the fastener rests on a top 94 of the joint legs 66 when the second structure is in the desired position. As another example, it is envisioned that the second structure 54 may include one or more protrusions (not shown) that sit on the top 94 of the joint legs 66 when the second structure is lowered into place. In one embodiment, a machine 96 lowers the second structure 54 to a desired position and suspends it there until the adhesive 58 cures sufficiently to hold the second structure in the desired position, as shown in FIG. 5E. In this embodiment, no index holes 90, 92 are needed.
[0024] After the second structure 54 has been positioned as desired, the adhesive 58 positioned within the cavity 74 is removed so the cavity is substantially free of adhesive, as shown in FIG. 5F. The adhesive may be removed in a variety of ways. For example, the adhesive 58 may be drilled or suctioned out. In one embodiment a brush (not shown) is pushed through the cavity while or soon after the adhesive 58 is injected. The drilling, suctioning, and brushing may be performed before the adhesive 58 is fully cured, which is especially helpful when the adhesive has a long curing time. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, each removal method may require the presence of a vent (not shown) to allow air to enter or leave the cavity 74 to avoid a vacuum or high pressure condition, as the case may be. For example, a vent can include a small hole (not shown) drilled through one of the joint element legs 66.
See, for example; the method of Figures 6A-F, below:
PNG
media_image1.png
1050
790
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Grose does not disclose the full limitations of determining an amount of liquid adhesive to be supplied into the cavity on the basis of the difference between the receiving capacity of the cavity and the volume of the first object to be inserted into the cavity in place;
However, Sutter (DE 102014218337 A1) discloses and makes obvious determining an amount of liquid adhesive to be supplied into the cavity on the basis of the difference between the receiving capacity of the cavity and the volume of the first object to be inserted into the cavity in place. See the translation, which discloses:
The basic idea of the present invention is to provide an indicator tube with a defined length and a defined inner diameter, which can be inserted or inserted into an indicator hole in the region of the adhesive cavity. The indicator tube according to the invention has a riser, which serves as an indicator of the current level in accordance with the specified geometry dimensions. By introducing an indicator tube into the indicator hole, the adhesive rises in the riser during the injection process. Upon reaching a certain level or alternatively at the exit of the adhesive from the riser end of the injection process can be considered complete and the adhesive injection is terminated. Accordingly, the indicator tube extends the filling time during the adhesive injection, as intended, in such a way that it is ensured that only adhesive exits from the indicator tube when the entire cavity is filled. The geometric dimensions of the pipe are directly related to the detected cavity. So it is possible to make typical repairs to vehicle frames with a reproducible method.
….
A further aspect of the present invention relates to an injection adhesive method with a filling level monitoring when injecting an adhesive into an adhesive cavity of a hollow profile arrangement comprising two hollow profiles by means of an indicator device as described above having at least the following steps: a. Introducing an indicator opening into an upwardly pointing profile section of the externally arranged hollow profile of the hollow profile arrangement to be repaired in the region of the adhesive cavity; b. Inserting the indicator device with its plug-side end in the indicator opening; c. Injecting an adhesive into the adhesive cavity through an injection opening until the adhesive in the riser tube of the indicator device has reached a predetermined height or exits the riser end.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to have utilized determining an amount of liquid adhesive to be supplied into the cavity on the basis of the difference between the receiving capacity of the cavity and the volume of the first object to be inserted into the cavity in place as suggested by Sutter in order to enable upon reaching a certain level or alternatively at the exit of the adhesive from the riser end of the injection process can be considered complete and the adhesive injection is terminated.
Claim(s) 2-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Grose (US 20080057305 A1) and Sutter (DE 102014218337 A1). as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Ogawa (US 20130183530 A1).
As to claim 2, Grose does not discloses wherein inserting an injection pipe into the cavity to supply the liquid adhesive into the cavity; and removing the injection pipe from the cavity before the first object is inserted into the cavity.
However, Ogawa discloses wherein inserting an injection pipe into the cavity to supply the liquid adhesive into the cavity; and removing the injection pipe from the cavity before the first object is inserted into the cavity. See especially paragraph 0007-0008 and 0031, disclosing:
[0007] Further, the so-called gap dispense method is a known bonding method of disk substrates such as DVDs. In the gap dispense method, as shown in FIG. 9, each of a pair of substrates 110, 111 to be bonded is held to face each other at a specified clearance (FIG. 9A) and a dispensing nozzle 112 is inserted between the substrates 110, 111 (FIG. 9B). An adhesive 113 is then injected from the dispensing nozzle 112 between both substrates while contacting these substrates (FIG. 9C) whereupon the adhesive 113 is dispersed over the entire clearance between both substrates by rotating both substrates 110, 111 (FIG. 9D).
[0008] According to this gap dispense method, it is possible to effectively prevent mixing of air bubbles at the time of bonding the substrates by supplying the adhesive 113 while making the adhesive contact the adhesive surfaces of both substrates that are held to face each other. Moreover, the gap dispense method is capable of dispersing, after injection of the adhesive, the adhesive over the entire surfaces of both substrates due to rotation of the substrates, of shaking off excess adhesive to the periphery, and of eliminating air bubbles.
…
[0031] A bonding device 1 for bonding the polarizing plate 5 and the cover glass 6 by means of the transparent resin 7 comprises, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, a mounting portion 10 on which the polarizing plate 5 is mounted, a cover glass supporting portion 11 for supporting the cover glass 6 while making the cover glass face the polarizing plate 5 that is supported by the mounting portion 10, a dispensing nozzle 12 for injecting the transparent resin 7 between the polarizing plate 5 and the cover glass 6 that are held to face each other by means of the mounting portion 10 and the cover glass supporting portion 11, and laminating rollers 13 that are rolled on the cover glass 6 to make the transparent resin 7 fit and spread between the polarizing plate 5 and the cover glass 6.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to have utilized wherein inserting an injection pipe into the cavity to supply the liquid adhesive into the cavity; and removing the injection pipe from the cavity before the first object is inserted into the cavity as suggested by Ogawa’s use of an dispensing nozzle that injects adhesive in order to effectively prevent mixing of air bubbles at the time of bonding the substrates.
As to claim 3, Ogawa as incorporated makes obvious wherein at the start of supplying the liquid adhesive into the cavity, a liquid injecting front end of the injection pipe is placed adjacent the closed end in such a way that a minor amount of liquid adhesive is first supplied into the cavity. See Figure 5, below:
PNG
media_image2.png
428
644
media_image2.png
Greyscale
As to claim 4, Ogawa as incrpoorated discloses wherein with continuously supplying the liquid adhesive, a relative movement between the second object and the injection pipe is carried out in such a way that the closed end becomes far away from the liquid injecting front end and the liquid injecting front end is immersed always under the supplied liquid adhesive's liquid level. See Figure 9C.
As to claim 5, Grose discloses wherein after the determined amount of liquid adhesive has been supplied into the cavity, no liquid adhesive exists on an inner wall of the cavity above the liquid level. See Figures 6A-F, such as especially Figure 5B, showing the adhesive below the adhesive line.
As to claim 6, Grose, Sutter and Ogawa do not disclose wherein the first object is inserted into the cavity in such a way that a longitudinal central axis of the first object is coaxial with a longitudinal central axis of the cavity. However, changes in size and shape, and rearrangement of parts, is often obvious. MPEP 2144.04.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to have utilized wherein the first object is inserted into the cavity in such a way that a longitudinal central axis of the first object is coaxial with a longitudinal central axis of the cavity.
As to claim 7, Grose, Sutter and Ogawa do not disclose wherein the first object is a metal core of a stylus, the closed end of the receiving cavity is defined by a pencil tip of the stylus, and the second object is a sleeve of the stylus. However, changes in size and shape, and rearrangement of parts, is often obvious. MPEP 2144.04.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to have utilized wherein the first object is a metal core of a stylus, the closed end of the receiving cavity is defined by a pencil tip of the stylus, and the second object is a sleeve of the stylus.
As to claim 8, Grose, Sutter and Ogawa do not disclose the cavity has a length and an internal diameter, the length is within a range of 100 to 170 mm and the internal diameter is within a range of 6 to 12 mm, and the injection pipe comprises an injection needle sized 16G and 6 inch; preferably, wherein the length of the cavity is 150 mm and the internal diameter of the cavity is 7.1 mm. However, changes in size and shape, and rearrangement of parts, is often obvious. MPEP 2144.04.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to have utilized wherein disclose the cavity has a length and an internal diameter, the length is within a range of 100 to 170 mm and the internal diameter is within a range of 6 to 12 mm, and the injection pipe comprises an injection needle sized 16G and 6 inch; preferably, wherein the length of the cavity is 150 mm and the internal diameter of the cavity is 7.1 mm.
As to claim 9, Grose, Sutter and Ogawa do not disclose the second object is a hollow cylinder, which hollow cylinder is configured to include an open end portion, which is enclosed by another object to define the closed end, and an opposing open end portion to define the open end. . However, changes in size and shape, and rearrangement of parts, is often obvious. MPEP 2144.04.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to have utilized wherein the second object is a hollow cylinder, which hollow cylinder is configured to include an open end portion, which is enclosed by another object to define the closed end, and an opposing open end portion to define the open end. .
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GEORGE R KOCH whose telephone number is (571)272-5807. The examiner can also be reached by E-mail at george.koch@uspto.gov if the applicant grants written authorization for e-mails. Authorization can be granted by filling out the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) Form.The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10-6:30.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, PHILIP C TUCKER can be reached at (571)272-1095. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/GEORGE R KOCH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1745
GRK
Prosecution Insights