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 § 102
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 and 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zhihong et al. (Patent Pub. No. CN 104062354 A).
Regarding claim 1, Zhihong et al. shows in Figs. 1-6 a surface inspection device (Fig. 1 with [0012]) comprising: a magnetization apparatus that magnetizes an object to be inspected (Fig. 1 (3), "steel pipe magnetizing device"); a magnetic powder adhesion apparatus that applies a magnetic powder liquid and causes magnetic powder to be adhered to the magnetized object (Fig. 1 (4), "magnetic suspension spraying device"); an illumination apparatus that illuminates a space containing the object with ultraviolet light (Fig. 1 (7), "ultraviolet flash lamp"); a first optical filter that transmits a first wavelength that is a wavelength of the ultraviolet light (Fig. 1 (8), "ultraviolet filter"); a second optical filter that transmits a second wavelength that is a wavelength of excitation light of the magnetic powder undergoing excitation by the ultraviolet light (Fig. 1 (11 ), "fluorescent filter"); an image capture apparatus that captures an image of a surface of the object to which the magnetic powder is adhered (Fig. 1 (9), "camera"), in the space illuminated with the ultraviolet light, via the first optical filter and generates a first captured image, and that captures an image of the surface of the object to which the magnetic powder is adhered via the second optical filter and generates a second captured image (Paragraphs [0067]-[0069] for fluorescent image recording while filters (8) and (11) are mounted, [0070]-[0071] for visible light inspection while UV filter (8) is mounted. The camera is adjusted in such way that the image is taken in a spot which may during use be illuminated with UV light. A control apparatus configured to control the UV light source as well as the filters is not claimed, see paragraphs [0054], [0055] of the description of the present application.); and an inspection apparatus (Fig. 1 (14), "monitoring computer" with [0060])) that inspects a first surface property of the surface of the object based on the first captured image, the first surface property being visible ([0080]), and inspects a second surface of the object based on the second surface image, the second surface property being visually identifiable by magnetic particle inspection ([0079]).
Regarding claim 2, Zhihong et al. shows in Figs. 1-6 the surface inspection device according to claim 1, further comprising a rotation mechanism (Fig. 1 (2), “steel pipe driving device” with [0081]) that causes the object to rotate about a rotation axis in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis of the image capture apparatus, wherein, at intervals of a predetermined period of the rotation of the object by the rotation mechanism, the image capture apparatus switches between: processing that captures the image of the object to which the magnetic powder is adhered via the first optical filter and generates the first captured image, and processing that captures the image of the object to which the magnetic powder is adhered via the second optical filter and generates the second captured image.
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) 4 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhihong et al. (Patent Pub. No. CN 104062354 A) I view of Koichi et al. (Patent Pub. No. JP 2003121372 A).
Regarding claim 4, Zhihong et al. shows in Figs. 1-6 a surface inspection method (Fig. 1, 3 and 4 with corresponding text passages) with comprising: magnetizing an object to be inspected ([0052]); a magnetic powder adhesion step of applying a magnetic powder liquid and causing magnetic powder to be adhered to the magnetized object ([0052]); illuminating a space containing the object with ultraviolet light ([0086]); an image capture step of generating a first captured image and a second captured image ([0086], [0087]), including: a second optical filter that transmits a second wavelength that is a wavelength of excitation light of the magnetic powder undergoing excitation by the ultraviolet light ([0086]), and an image capture apparatus ([0086], [0087]), and capturing an image of a surface of the object to which the magnetic powder is adhered, in the space illuminated with the light ([0087]), and capturing an image of the surface of the object to which the magnetic powder is adhered via the second optical filter for generating the second captured image ([0086]); and an inspection step of inspecting a first surface property of the surface of the object based on the first captured image, the first surface property being visible, and inspecting a second surface property of the surface of the object based on the second captured image, the second surface property being visually identifiable by magnetic particle inspection ([0089], [0060], [0102]). Zhihong et al. does not discloses using a first optical filter that transmits a first wavelength that is a wavelength of the ultraviolet light. Koichi et al. teaches that UV light inspection is a very sensitive method for detecting defects (Fig. 1-3 with [0028]-[0031 ]), in particular fine cracks. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide a UV light of Koichi et al. on the device of Zhihong et al. for the purpose of getting high-quality images.
Regarding claim 5, the modified device of Zhihong et al. shows in Figs. 1-6 the surface inspection method according to claim 4, further comprising causing the object to rotate about a rotation axis in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis of the image capture apparatus, wherein the image capture step includes, at intervals of a predetermined period of the rotation of the object by the rotation step, switching between: processing that captures the image of the object to which the magnetic powder is adhered via the first optical filter and generates the first captured image, and processing that captures the image of the object to which the magnetic powder is adhered via the second optical filter and generates the second captured image ((Fig. 1 (2), “steel pipe driving device” with [0081]).
Claim(s) 3 and 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhihong et al. (Patent Pub. No. CN 104062354 A) I view of Koichi et al. (Patent Pub. No. JP 2003121372 A) and Masaki et al. (Patent Pub. No. WO 2009031605 A1).
Regarding claims 3 and 6, the modified device of Zhihong et al. shows in Figs. 1-6 the surface inspection device according to claim 1 and the surface inspection method according to claim 4, but does not disclose the image capture apparatus includes: a first image capture apparatus that generates the first captured image, and a second image capture apparatus that generates the second captured image; and the image capture step includes: using an optical member, causing reflected light from the surface of the object to which the magnetic powder is adhered, in the space illuminated with the ultraviolet light, to be incident on the first image capture apparatus via the first optical filter, causing excitation light from the surface of the object to which the magnetic powder is adhered to be incident on the second image capture apparatus via the second optical filter, and generating the first captured image and the second captured image. Masaki et al. show in Figs. 1-3 the image capture apparatus includes: a first image capture apparatus (15, i.e., UV light imaging system) that generates the first captured image, and a second image capture apparatus (17, i.e., fluorescent imaging system) that generates the second captured image; and the image capture step includes: using an optical member, causing reflected light from the surface of the object to which the magnetic powder is adhered, in the space illuminated with the ultraviolet light, to be incident on the first image capture apparatus via the first optical filter, causing excitation light from the surface of the object to which the magnetic powder is adhered to be incident on the second image capture apparatus via the second optical filter, and generating the first captured image and the second captured image ([0016] – [0019]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide multiple imaging system of Masaki et al. on the modified device of Zhihong et al. for the purpose of getting high-quality images.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Mazel et al. (Patent Pub. No. US 20070181822 A1) discloses fluorescent magnetic particle testing and fluorescent liquid penetrant testing.
Matsui (Patent Pub. No. US 20080013076 A1) discloses a surface inspection method of measuring information on a micro contaminant particle/defect on a semiconductor substrate (semiconductor wafer) and on a surface roughness of the semiconductor substrate.
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/SEUNG C SOHN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2878