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 § 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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Miyaji (JP-2020080015), view of, Sawaoka (US-11550290-B2).
Miyaji teaches:
In regards to claim 1, Miyaji teaches a vibration characteristic estimation system in a machine tool for machining by relatively moving a tool and a workpiece, comprising: (abstract; 1, 2, 4, H, J, W fig. 1, ‘monitoring apparatus’, ‘acceleration sensor’, ‘control device’, ‘spindle head’, ‘NC milling machine (numerical control), ‘workpiece’)
a first vibration characteristic acquisition unit that acquires a first vibration characteristic based on an output of a sensor attached to the machine tool when excitation force is applied to a machining point as a contact point between the tool and the workpiece during machining; (abstract:, ‘To provide a monitoring apparatus and so on which can easily estimate vibration characteristics’; ‘a compliance transmission function for the vibration characteristics is calculated by the frequency component, and an error as an evaluation value for the error is calculated from a calculated estimation value of the function.’; para(s) [0009-0014])
a machine information acquisition unit that acquires machine information including at least one of a name, an axis configuration, and component part information of the machine tool, and attaching position information of the sensor; (1, 2, J fig. 1, ‘monitoring apparatus’, ‘acceleration sensor’, ‘NC milling tool’; ‘The monitoring device 1 is electrically connected to the acceleration sensor 2 attached to the work table Q (adjacent to the processing point, the work side) and the acceleration sensor 2 and is capable of performing various calculations and commands. Control means, computer.’; para(s) [0009-0014])
a gripping tool information acquisition unit that acquires gripping tool information including at least one of a name, a dimension, and a material of a gripping tool that grips the tool or the workpiece, and a gripping method of the tool or the workpiece; (1, 2, V, W fig. 1, ‘end mill’, ‘workpiece’, ‘monitoring apparatus’, ‘acceleration sensor’, ‘NC milling tool’; ‘The monitoring device 1 is electrically connected to the acceleration sensor 2 attached to the work table Q (adjacent to the processing point, the work side) and the acceleration sensor 2 and is capable of performing various calculations and commands. Control means, computer.’; para(s) [0009-0014])
a machined portion information acquisition unit that acquires at least one of tool information and workpiece information, the tool information including at least one of a name, a dimension, and a material of the tool, the workpiece information including at least one of a name, a dimension, and a material of the workpiece; (1 fig. 1, ‘monitoring device’; ‘The monitoring device 1 is electrically connected to the acceleration sensor 2 attached to the work table Q (adjacent to the processing point, the work side) and the acceleration sensor 2 and is capable of performing various calculations and commands. Control means, computer.’; para(s) [0009-0014])
a compensation factor storage unit that stores a compensation factor representing a proportion between the first vibration characteristic and a second vibration characteristic in association with at least one of the machine information, the gripping tool information, the tool information, and the workpiece information, the second vibration characteristic being based on an amount of vibration at the machining point when excitation force is applied to the machining point; (claim 3, ‘each frequency component of the transfer function is calculated for multiple orders at each frequency, and the average value thereof is adopted.’; para(s) [0009-0014]), ‘In this embodiment of the invention it is configured where a compliance transmission function for the vibration characteristics is calculated by the frequency component, and an error as an evaluation valued for the error is calculated from a calculated estimation value of the function.)
a compensation factor acquisition unit that acquires the compensation factor based on at least one of the machine information, the gripping tool information, the tool information, and the workpiece information from the compensation factor storage unit; and (1, 2, V, W fig. 1, ‘end mill’, ‘workpiece’, ‘monitoring apparatus’, ‘acceleration sensor’, ‘NC milling tool’; ‘The monitoring device 1 is electrically connected to the acceleration sensor 2 attached to the work table Q (adjacent to the processing point, the work side) and the acceleration sensor 2 and is capable of performing various calculations and commands. Control means, computer.’; para(s) [0009-0014])
a second vibration characteristic estimation unit that estimates the second vibration characteristic by compensating the first vibration characteristic acquired by the first vibration characteristic acquisition unit using the compensation factor acquired by the compensation factor acquisition unit, wherein (abstract:, ‘To provide a monitoring apparatus and so on which can easily estimate vibration characteristics’; ‘a compliance transmission function for the vibration characteristics is calculated by the frequency component, and an error as an evaluation value for the error is calculated from a calculated estimation value of the function.’)
the compensation factor is configured as a function based on the machine information and a frequency linked to the machine information, and (para(s) [0009-0014]), ‘In this embodiment of the invention it is configured where a compliance transmission function for the vibration characteristics is calculated by the frequency component, and an error as an evaluation valued for the error is calculated from a calculated estimation value of the function.)
the frequency is obtained from the sensor. (2 fig. 1, ‘acceleration sensor’; ‘the vibration amplitude of the fundamental wave at each rotation speed of the spindle P is extracted and plotted by frequency analysis’)
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention for Miyaji to provide a numerical control device for alleviating shake/vibration in a machining system.
Miyaji discloses implementing a numerical control device (NC) determining with sensor on a machining machine the vibrational modes of a machine of interest to improve operational capability of the device of interest where the monitory device 1 is synonymous with the compensation factor acquisition unit (1). However, not all of the structural components of the device is disclosed.
Miyaji does not teach:
a compensation factor storage unit
Sawaoka teaches:
a compensation factor storage unit (‘Sawaoka teaches the structure of such a device 10 fig. 1, numerical control device which comprises a compensation parameter calculation units with storage capacity.’; 10, 100 fig. 1, ‘numerical control device’, ‘storage unit’)
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention for Sawaoka to provide a compensation factor storage unit for a numerical control device for alleviating shake/vibration in a machining system.
In regards to claim 2, Miyaji & Sawaoka teach a vibration characteristic estimation system in a machine tool according to claim 1, wherein the compensation factor includes a constant linked to at least the tool information. (Miyaji abstract; 1, 2, 4, H, J, W fig. 1, ‘monitoring apparatus’, ‘acceleration sensor’, ‘control device’, ‘spindle head’, ‘NC milling machine (numerical control), ‘workpiece’; para(s) [0009-0014]; ‘In this embodiment of the invention it is configured where a compliance transmission function for the vibration characteristics is calculated by the frequency component, and an error as an evaluation valued for the error is calculated from a calculated estimation value of the function.)
In regards to claim 3, Miyaji & Sawaoka teach a vibration characteristic estimation system in a machine tool according to claim 1, wherein the compensation factor is a frequency function linked to at least the machine information. (Miyaji abstract; 1, 2, 4, H, J, W fig. 1, ‘monitoring apparatus’, ‘acceleration sensor’, ‘control device’, ‘spindle head’, ‘NC milling machine (numerical control), ‘workpiece’; para(s) [0009-0014]; ‘In this embodiment of the invention it is configured where a compliance transmission function for the vibration characteristics is calculated by the frequency component, and an error as an evaluation valued for the error is calculated from a calculated estimation value of the function.)
In regards to claim 4, Miyaji & Sawaoka teach a machine tool comprising the vibration characteristic estimation system according to claim 1. (Miyaji abstract; 1, 2, 4, H, J, W fig. 1, ‘monitoring apparatus’, ‘acceleration sensor’, ‘control device’, ‘spindle head’, ‘NC milling machine (numerical control), ‘workpiece’; para(s) [0009-0014]; ‘In this embodiment of the invention it is configured where a compliance transmission function for the vibration characteristics is calculated by the frequency component, and an error as an evaluation valued for the error is calculated from a calculated estimation value of the function.)
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)(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) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) & 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Miyaji (JP-2020080015).
In regards to claim 5, Miyaji teaches a vibration characteristic estimation method in a machine tool for machining by relatively moving a tool and a workpiece, comprising: : (abstract; 1, 2, 4, H, J, W fig. 1, ‘monitoring apparatus’, ‘acceleration sensor’, ‘control device’, ‘spindle head’, ‘NC milling machine (numerical control), ‘workpiece’)
acquiring a first vibration characteristic based on an output of a sensor attached to the machine tool when excitation force is applied to a machining point of the tool or the workpiece as a contact point between the tool and the workpiece during machining; ; (abstract:, ‘To provide a monitoring apparatus and so on which can easily estimate vibration characteristics’; ‘a compliance transmission function for the vibration characteristics is calculated by the frequency component, and an error as an evaluation value for the error is calculated from a calculated estimation value of the function.’; para(s) [0009-0014])
acquiring machine information including at least one of a name, an axis configuration, and component part information of the machine tool, and attaching position information of the sensor; (1, 2, J fig. 1, ‘monitoring apparatus’, ‘acceleration sensor’, ‘NC milling tool’; ‘The monitoring device 1 is electrically connected to the acceleration sensor 2 attached to the work table Q (adjacent to the processing point, the work side) and the acceleration sensor 2 and is capable of performing various calculations and commands. Control means, computer.’; para(s) [0009-0014])
acquiring gripping tool information including at least one of a name, a dimension, and a material of a gripping tool that grips the tool or the workpiece, and a gripping method of the tool or the workpiece; acquiring at least one of tool information and workpiece information which are included in machined portion information, the tool information including at least one of a name, a dimension, and a material of the tool, the workpiece information including at least one of a name, a dimension, and a material of the workpiece; (1, 2, V, W fig. 1, ‘end mill’, ‘workpiece’, ‘monitoring apparatus’, ‘acceleration sensor’, ‘NC milling tool’; ‘The monitoring device 1 is electrically connected to the acceleration sensor 2 attached to the work table Q (adjacent to the processing point, the work side) and the acceleration sensor 2 and is capable of performing various calculations and commands. Control means, computer.’; para(s) [0009-0014])
acquiring a compensation factor representing a proportion between the first vibration characteristic and a second vibration characteristic based on at least one of the machine information, the gripping tool information, the tool information, and the workpiece information, the second vibration characteristic being based on an amount of vibration at the machining point when excitation force is applied to the machining point; and (1, 2, V, W fig. 1, ‘end mill’, ‘workpiece’, ‘monitoring apparatus’, ‘acceleration sensor’, ‘NC milling tool’; ‘The monitoring device 1 is electrically connected to the acceleration sensor 2 attached to the work table Q (adjacent to the processing point, the work side) and the acceleration sensor 2 and is capable of performing various calculations and commands. Control means, computer.’; para(s) [0009-0014])
estimating the second vibration characteristic by compensating the first vibration characteristic acquired in the acquiring of the first vibration characteristic using the compensation factor acquired in the acquiring of the compensation factor, wherein (abstract:, ‘To provide a monitoring apparatus and so on which can easily estimate vibration characteristics’; ‘a compliance transmission function for the vibration characteristics is calculated by the frequency component, and an error as an evaluation value for the error is calculated from a calculated estimation value of the function.’)
the compensation factor is configured based on the machine information and a frequency linked to the machine information, and (para(s) [0009-0014]), ‘In this embodiment of the invention it is configured where a compliance transmission function for the vibration characteristics is calculated by the frequency component, and an error as an evaluation valued for the error is calculated from a calculated estimation value of the function.)
the frequency is obtained from the sensor. (2 fig. 1, ‘acceleration sensor’; ‘the vibration amplitude of the fundamental wave at each rotation speed of the spindle P is extracted and plotted by frequency analysis’)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The references cited Nakashima (WO-2026038473-A1), Hoshino (JP-2025073665-A), and Oikawa (US-11782414-B2) references further describe a vibration determination device as described by the claims.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEVIN C BUTLER whose telephone number is (571)270-3973. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5.
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, Stephanie E Bloss can be reached at (571)272-3555. 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.
/K.C.B/Examiner, Art Unit 2852
/STEPHANIE E BLOSS/Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
Prosecution Insights