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 Objections
Claim 5 is objected to because of the following informalities: “the mixing chamber formed adjacent to” should read “the mixing chamber is formed adjacent to”. Appropriate correction is required.
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)(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) 1-5 and 7-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Matsubara (US 2016/0151883, cited by applicant).
Regarding claim 1, Matsubara discloses a modular flat wetblast nozzle, comprising: a slurry inlet chamber (1; [0041]) coupled to a slurry plate (16; fig 2); an air inlet chamber (19; [0040]) coupled to an air plate (15); a mixing chamber (3) formed between the slurry plate and air plate (fig 3); and an air jet manifold (7) removably mountable between the slurry plate and the air plate (figs 2, 3) and configured to receive slurry from the slurry inlet chamber via the slurry plate ([0043]) and to receive air from the air inlet chamber via the air plate ([0040]), and further configured to force the slurry and air into the mixing chamber to create a flattened mixture that is expelled between the slurry plate and air plate (as shown in fig 1 and described [0025]).
Regarding claims 2-5 and 7-9, Matsubara further discloses a blast path side fitting (24) positioned around the air jet manifold between the slurry plate and the air plate (fig 3), wherein the blast path side fitting includes sidewalls configured to direct the flattened mixture out a blast path outlet (9; as shown in fig 3); wherein the air jet manifold (7) includes a lateral wall (wall forming interior surfaces on lower side off air jet manifold; see annotated fig 3 below) having a plurality of mini-nozzles (formed by exits of holes 30) for expelling air received from the air inlet chamber (19) into the mixing chamber ([0033]); wherein the air jet manifold further includes a partially enclosed surface region (outer side surface; see annotated fig below) with an opening (6) along the lateral wall for forcing slurry received from the slurry inlet chamber (1) to the mixing chamber ([0025]); wherein the mixing chamber (3) is formed adjacent to the lateral wall (as shown in annotated fig 3 below); wherein the air jet manifold (7) further includes an internal air feed (holes 2; fig 2) that receives air flow from an air channel (27) in the air plate ([0036], [0040]; fig 3); wherein the partially enclosed surface region includes a lip (at bottom edge as shown in fig 2) that mates with the slurry plate (16) about a slurry channel (33) to form a slurry feed (fig 2; [0039]); and wherein the slurry inlet chamber (1) includes a bypass fitting having (fig 4; unlabeled element forming passage 33) a relief gap (gap with width D1).
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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) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsubara as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of Kojima (JP 2001-121424, see provided machine translation).
Regarding claim 6, Matsubara teaches all the elements of claim 5 as described above. Matsubara further teaches beveled edges within the mixing chamber (fig 3; beveled edges at bottom 12 of mixing chamber). Matsubara does not teach the beveled edges are included in the slurry plate and air plate. Kojima teaches a modular flat wetblast nozzle including a slurry plate and air plate (elements 16 and 16’) including beveled edges within a mixing chamber (beveled edges at bottom of mixing chamber 8 formed by interior walls of plates 16 and 16’ as shown in fig 3). It is obvious to use a known technique to improve similar devices in the same way (MPEP 2143 I. C). Therefore, 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 beveled edges on the slurry plate and air plate within the mixing chamber of Matsubara, achieving the predictable result of forming a tapered lower surface in the mixing chamber which focuses the flow of slurry as taught by Kojima ([0007]).
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsubara as applied to claim 3 above, and further in view of McKenna (US 2022/0297264).
Regarding claim 10, Matsubara teaches all the elements of claim 3 as described above. Matsubara further teaches a second air jet manifold (7) including different shaped mini-nozzles (30) than the air jet manifold and is swappable with the air jet manifold (as detailed in [0068]). Matsubara does not explicitly teach the mini-nozzles of the second air jet manifold being different sizes from the mini-nozzles in the air jet manifold, but does discloses selecting different configurations may be selected based on the desired pressure or abrasive slurry ([0068]). McKenna teaches a modular wetblast nozzle including a swappable air jet manifold (24) which may have differently sized holes to accommodate different pressures ([0044]). 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 differently sized mini-holes in the second air jet manifold of Matsubara, achieving the predictable result of accommodating different air pressures as taught by McKenna ([0044]).
Claim(s) 11-15, and 17-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsubara (US 2016/0151883, cited by applicant) in view of Tong (US 2024/0042496).
Regarding claim 11, Matsubara teaches a wetblast robot comprising a chamber (40) for holding a workpiece (29; fig 1), and a flat wetblast nozzle, comprising: a slurry inlet chamber (1; [0041]) coupled to a slurry supply hose (44; fig 1), an air inlet chamber (19; [0040]) coupled to an air supply hose (45B; fig 1), and an air jet manifold (7) configured to receive slurry from the slurry inlet chamber via a slurry plate (16; [0043]) and to receive air from the air inlet chamber via an air plate (15; [0040]), and to force the slurry and air into a mixing chamber (3) to create a flattened mixture that is expelled between the slurry plate and air plate (as shown in fig 1 and described [0025]).
Matsubara does not teach a robotic arm that moves within the chamber, the flat wetblast nozzle connected to the robotic arm. Trimmer teaches a wetblast robot including a robotic arm (219) that moves within a chamber (210), wherein a wetblast nozzle (222) is connected to the robotic arm (fig 1). It would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to connect the flat wetblast nozzle of Matsubara to a robotic arm that moves within the chamber, as robotic arms allow the wetblast nozzle to be manipulated to automatically access different surfaces of the workpiece as taught by Tong ([0053]).
Regarding claims 12-15 and 17-19, Matsubara, as modified, teaches all the limitations of claim 11 as described above. Matsubara further teaches a blast path side fitting (24) positioned around the air jet manifold between the slurry plate and the air plate (fig 3), wherein the blast path side fitting includes sidewalls configured to direct the flattened mixture out a blast path outlet (9; as shown in fig 3); wherein the air jet manifold (7) includes a lateral wall (wall forming interior surfaces on lower side off air jet manifold; see annotated fig 3 below) having a plurality of mini-nozzles (formed by exits of holes 30) for expelling air received from the air inlet chamber (19) into the mixing chamber ([0033]); wherein the air jet manifold further includes a partially enclosed surface region (outer side surface; see annotated fig below) with an opening (6) along the lateral wall for forcing slurry received from the slurry inlet chamber (1) to the mixing chamber ([0025]); wherein the slurry plate and air plate form the mixing chamber (chamber 3 formed in interior space between slurry plate and air plate; fig 3) adjacent to the lateral wall (as shown in annotated fig 3 below); wherein the air jet manifold (7) further includes an internal air feed (holes 2; fig 2) that directs air flow from an air channel (27) in the air plate to the mini-nozzles (directed to outlet of elements 30 [0036], [0040]; fig 3); wherein the partially enclosed surface region includes a lip (at bottom edge as shown in fig 2) that mates with the slurry plate (16) about a slurry channel (33) to form a slurry feed (fig 2; [0039]); and wherein the slurry inlet chamber (1) includes a bypass fitting having (fig 4; unlabeled element forming passage 33) a relief gap (gap with width D1).
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsubara and Tong as applied to claim 15 above, and further in view of Kojima (JP 2001-121424, see provided machine translation).
Regarding claim 16, Matsubara, as modified, teaches all the elements of claim 15 as described above. Matsubara further teaches beveled edges within the mixing chamber (fig 3; beveled edges at bottom 12 of mixing chamber). Matsubara does not teach the beveled edges are included in the slurry plate and air plate. Kojima teaches a modular flat wetblast nozzle including a slurry plate and air plate (elements 16 and 16’) including beveled edges within a mixing chamber (beveled edges at bottom of mixing chamber 8 formed by interior walls of plates 16 and 16’ as shown in fig 3). It is obvious to use a known technique to improve similar devices in the same way (MPEP 2143 I. C). Therefore, 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 beveled edges on the slurry plate and air plate within the mixing chamber of Matsubara, achieving the predictable result of forming a tapered lower surface in the mixing chamber which focuses the flow of slurry as taught by Kojima ([0007]).
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsubara and Tong as applied to claim 13 above, and further in view of McKenna (US 2022/0297264).
Regarding claim 20, Matsubara, as modified, teaches all the elements of claim 13 as described above. Matsubara further teaches a second air jet manifold (7) including different shaped mini-nozzles (30) than the air jet manifold and is swappable with the air jet manifold (as detailed in [0068]). Matsubara does not explicitly teach the mini-nozzles of the second air jet manifold being different sizes from the mini-nozzles in the air jet manifold, but does discloses selecting different configurations may be selected based on the desired pressure or abrasive slurry ([0068]). McKenna teaches a modular wetblast nozzle including a swappable air jet manifold (24) which may have differently sized holes to accommodate different pressures ([0044]). 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 differently sized mini-holes in the second air jet manifold of Matsubara, achieving the predictable result of accommodating different air pressures as taught by McKenna ([0044]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Other similar wetblast nozzles 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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