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 .
Claims 1-3 are pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 3/2/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicants have amended claim 1 with the additional teaching of straight regarding the formed molded article, in this case that the molded article is to be a straight tubular shape. Further, the applicants have made arguments concerning the straight tubular molded article, and particularly of the straight cylindrical member of Fig. 2 of the instant application.
The arguments concerning the slider is noted but unpersuasive as clearly seen in Figures 3-7 which have been cited in the rejection includes actuators that drives the cores to slide along with the slot and key. Further, the arguments concerning the teaching of the insert sleeves of Evans are noted but unpersuasive. The claimed structure does not preclude from the additional features of the direction of the core inserts as it slides out in Evans. The interpretation by the applicant of the claimed direction and angle is disagreed, as the Evans teaching would encompass the claimed sliding direction, particularly relation between the movement of the primary actuator with slide core 26 in relation to slide core 28, see Fig. 3.
Here, while the features are noted from the EVANS teaching, this arrangement does not distinguish from the teachings further from the MURPHY reference. Wherein, the combination of EVANS in view of MURPHY as presented below would teach the claimed invention and wherein, the rejection of the claims remain.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 7153125 B2 (EVANS) in view of GB 2570537 A (BRAY) and US 2019/0001533 A1 (MURPHY).
Re: 1, EVANS teaches of an injection molding device (see abstract) that injection-molds a molded article in a tubular shape (see end portions of the elbows that are tubular in shape) with a constant inner diameter (see Figs. 1 and 2) , the injection molding device comprising:
a first mold and a second mold (see 18, 20) that form a cavity (22) in a clamped state (see Figs. 3-6);
a first core and a second core (see 26, 28) that are formed by splitting a core in a columnar shape disposed inside the cavity and have split surfaces inclined with respect to an axial center direction of the core and split from one end to the other end of the cavity in the axial center direction (see Figs. 4-7; and
a slider that causes the first core or the second core to move in a sliding manner and be inserted into and pulled out of the cavity (see the slot 55 and key 53), wherein the slider causes the first core or the second core to slide in a direction in which an angle formed with the axial center direction is within a range of greater than 0 degrees and less than an inclination angle of the split surfaces in a sectional view including the axial center and perpendicularly intersecting the split surfaces (see Figs. 4-7).
EVANS does not teach of forming a product that is a straight tubular. It is noted that EVANS teachings includes tubular portions of each of the legs of the formed elbow.
Further, as seen in MURPHY, it is known of the use of collapsible tool structure for a tubular structure (body 100), see Figs. 1 and 2, which are cylindrical or straight tubular body in structure. The molding apparatus as seen in Fig. 3 having core inserts 240, 242 that are located with sliding manner that forms the straight tubular body, see also Figs. 6-8.
Further, MURPHY teaches of an engagement feature 245 which includes an angle located between the two core inserts 240, 242. This would correspond to the equivalent in EVANS of engagement 53 and 55 between the two core inserts 26, 28.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the mold of EVANS in forming straight tubular articles as taught by MURPHY in order to form the desired preferred shaped article. This is seen as KSR rationale, see MPEP2143, as combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results.
Claim(s) 2-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over EVANS in view of MURPHY as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of BOSKOVIC (US 5368468 A).
Re: 2 (upon 1), further comprising: an air supplier that supplies air to the split surfaces.
Re: 3 (upon 2), wherein at least either the first core or the second core includes a groove in the axial center direction of the split surface, and the air supplier supplies air to the groove.
The EVANS references fails to teach of an air supplier to supply air to the split surfaces, and of a groove along the split surface.
Wherein, the BOSKOVIC reference teaches of an air supply (see Col. 4, lines 43-46) that is provided for air that is used for knockouts in a mold (see abstract, and knockouts 10, and also Col. 1, lines 24-29), and further, the use of longitudinal grooves 34 (or channels) in the axial center direction of the split surface. The air pressure allows for both mechanical action and for relieving any vacuum that occurs as the molded part begins to separate from the core (see Col. 3, lines 61-68) and also for allowing for both air and mechanical action force that allows for making it more easily for ejection and vacuum is avoided (see Col. 1, lines 25-29). The BOSKOVIC reference is applicable to the EVANS reference as both pertain to removal of the molded part from a mold surface. Here, the mold surface of EVANS include the core which are to be removed from the molded part and the actuation of the core is applicable with the teachings of BOSKOVIC reference.
Wherein, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the split surface of EVANS with the air supply and groove as taught by BOSKOVIC as it would allows for readily removal of the core and decreasing the creation of a vacuum thereby lessening opportunity for damage to the freshly molded part (Col. 1, lines 24-29).
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 EMMANUEL S LUK whose telephone number is (571)272-1134. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9 to 5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Xiao S Zhao can be reached at 571-270-5343. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EMMANUEL S LUK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1744