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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed on 6/4/2025 has been entered. Applicant has amended claims 1, 4, 6-12, and 15-17. This amendment overcomes the previously set forth objections to claims 1-17. Therefore, these objections have been withdrawn. Applicant’s amendment to claim 1 overcomes the previously set forth 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) rejection of claim 1. Therefore, the respective 35 U.S.C. 102 and 35 U.S.C. 103 rejections of claims 1-17 have been withdrawn.
Claim Objections
Claim 17 is objected to because of the following informalities: “a feed movement as a third movement” in line 19 should be “[[a]]the feed movement as [[a]]the third movement”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
(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.
Claims 1-4 and 7-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Moingeon (US 20230398636 A1).
Regarding claim 1,
Moingeon teaches:
A method for laser machining [para. 0001: “The present disclosure relates to the field of machining workpieces, specifically machining workpieces by turning. In particular, the disclosure relates to turning workpieces with a laser beam coupled into a fluid jet, i.e., with a fluid-jet guided laser beam.”] an elongated workpiece [fig. 1: workpiece #30] that extends along a geometric workpiece longitudinal axis [fig. 1: axis of rotation #31], the method comprising:
producing a predetermined three-dimensional outer workpiece shape [i.e., a target shape] with a workpiece contour [i.e., a contour of the target shape of the workpiece] at the elongated workpiece by removing material through a laser beam [para. 0087: “In particular, FIG. 8(a) shows that the fluid-jet 11 guided laser beam 12 may be moved along a given profile path 70 to machine the workpiece 30 into a product having a target shape, which may be a complex shape, e.g., as shown in FIG. 8(b).”],
wherein the workpiece contour corresponds to an intersection of the predetermined three-dimensional outer workpiece shape with a geometric workpiece plane in which the geometric workpiece longitudinal axis extends [see fig. 8, showing profile path #70 corresponding to a projection of the workpiece shape onto a workpiece plane containing axis of rotation #31],
wherein the workpiece contour extends between a first point A and a second point B, and the first point A and the second point B are offset from one another at least in an axial direction [see fig. 8, showing two end points of the profile path #70];
using a laser machining device [fig. 12: apparatus #10] including
a workpiece fixing device [fig. 12: holder #102] that fixes the elongated workpiece [para. 0105: “During the turning 21, 22, the workpiece 30 may be held by the holder 102.”],
a movement device moving the workpiece fixing device relative to a device base [para. 0105: “The holder 102 may be attached to a rotatable element of the apparatus 10, or may itself be rotatable element of the apparatus 10.”],
a laser [fig. 12: laser source #105] generating a laser beam [fig. 12: laser beam #12] oriented along a beam axis [see fig. 12, showing the laser beam #12 oriented along a beam axis] and including a laser deflection device [para. 0105: “The apparatus 10, in particular the control unit 103, may thereby control movements of the holder 102 in up to three dimensions (e.g. in x-y-z as indicated in FIG. 12, wherein the z-direction is parallel to the fluid jet 11, and the x- and y-directions are perpendicular to the z-direction and to each other).”] guiding the laser beam in a controlled manner [paras. 0020-21: “In an implementation, the method further comprises moving the fluid-jet guided laser beam along a movement direction during turning the workpiece... In particular, the laser beam may be moved by relatively displacing the workpiece and the laser beam against one another. That means, also the workpiece may be moved, or the workpiece and the laser beam may be moved, to realize the effective movement of the laser beam.”];
arranging the elongated workpiece in the workpiece fixing device [see fig. 12, showing the workpiece #30 in holder #102];
performing three movements including
a first movement that is a workpiece rotation movement where the workpiece fixing device is driven by the workpiece movement device to rotate the elongated workpiece arranged in the workpiece fixing device about the geometric workpiece longitudinal axis in a continuous sequence of complete rotations [para. 0009: “The workpiece may be continuously rotated during the turning, in particular during the machining of the workpiece.”],
a second movement guiding the laser beam [para. 0020: “In an implementation, the method further comprises moving the fluid-jet guided laser beam along a movement direction during turning the workpiece.”], so that the laser beam is moved along a predetermined laser path by the laser deflection device, wherein the predetermined laser path corresponds to the workpiece contour between the first point A and the second point B [para. 0089: “A technical effect of the above is that the turning can be performed effectively and in a simple manner by guiding the fluid-jet 11 guided laser beam 12 along a single unchanged profile path 70 perpendicular to the axis of rotation 31, while rotating (turning) the workpiece 30.”],
wherein the laser beam is oriented perpendicular [i.e., 0 degrees relative to a reference vertical direction and an orthogonal of the geometric workpiece plane] relative to the geometric workpiece plane and encloses an angle of 10 degrees at the most with an orthogonal of the geometric workpiece plane [see fig. 5, showing laser beam #12, perpendicular to the axis of rotation #31 (the axis of ration #31 being parallel to the geometric workpiece plane); para. 0082: “FIG. 5 shows in (a) the previously described case that the fluid-jet 11 guided laser beam 12 is provided tangential to the machined surface 32 of the workpiece 30. Here in FIG. 5(a), the propagation direction of the fluid-jet 11 guided laser beam 12 is perpendicular to the axis of rotation 31 (which runs into the plane of FIG. 5). Furthermore, the fluid-jet 11 guided laser beam 12 propagates along the vertical direction (which runs from top to bottom in FIG. 5(a)), i.e., an angle between the propagation direction of the laser beam 12 and the vertical direction ( or generally a reference direction) is 0°.”],
wherein the laser beam is run along the laser path between the first point A and the second point B multiple times during the second movement [para. 0022: “The fluid jet may accordingly move over the workpiece. In an embodiment, the fluid jet may perform a multi-pass motion over the workpiece.”],
a third movement that is a feed movement where the workpiece fixing device and/or the laser beam are advanced so that the surface of the elongated workpiece arranged in the workpiece fixing device contacts the laser beam so that the laser beam is oriented tangential to the surface of the elongated workpiece or encloses an angle of 10 degrees at the most with a tangent to the surface of the elongated workpiece, wherein the laser beam removes material from the surface of the elongated workpiece and generates the predetermined three-dimensional outer workpiece shape with the workpiece contour [Moingeon teaches that during laser machining, as material is removed, the angle at which the laser beam contacts the surface of the workpiece decreases, until ultimately becoming tangential to the surface, and that this allows for advantageous automatic shifting from a high material removal rate to a smoother process that provides a surface finishing (para. 0018). This is related to an offset of the laser beam position relative to the axis of rotation position, i.e., when the laser beam is closer to the axis of rotation, more material is removed. Thus, a machining strategy may be applied to implement this effect such that, while the laser beam is moved along in the second movement of the laser beam along the path, the offset is changed to allow high throughput to an area requiring a large volume of material to be removed, while allowing an area closer to the workpiece outer diameter to be smoother, without any parameter variation (para. 0019). Moingeon also teaches that the angle may be between 90 and 0 degrees (para. 0017).],
wherein the third movement [i.e., the offset of the laser beam relative to the workpiece] includes moving the first point A and the second point B and the laser path between the first point A and the second point B towards the workpiece longitudinal axis in the geometric workpiece plane in which the geometric workpiece longitudinal axis extends or moving the workpiece longitudinal axis towards the laser path between the first point A and the second point B in the geometric workpiece plane in which the geometric workpiece longitudinal axis extends [Moingeon teaches that relative motion of the laser beam with regards to the workpiece (i.e., in the machining process, which includes movement along the desired contour as well as the offset ), may be realized by moving the laser and/or the workpiece; para. 0021: “In particular, the laser beam may be moved by relatively displacing the workpiece and the laser beam against one another. That means, also the workpiece may be moved, or the workpiece and the laser beam may be moved, to realize the effective movement of the laser beam.”],
wherein the first movement, the second movement, and the third movement are performed simultaneously and parallel with one another until the predetermined outer workpiece shape with the workpiece contour is generated at the elongated workpiece [para. 0021: “A rotation of the workpiece around one or more axes of rotation may be synchronized with a linear displacement of the workpiece and/or the laser beam along one or more axes.”].
Regarding claim 2, Moingeon teaches the method according to claim 1.
Moingeon further teaches:
wherein the laser beam is run along the laser path from the first point A to the second point B and subsequently from the second point B to the first point A [para. 0105: “Thereby, multi-pass movement may be performed, i.e. the laser beam 12 may be moved more than once along the same path over the workpiece 30. Further, the movement of the laser beam 12 may be continuous or stepwise, and a speed of the movement of the laser beam 12 may be selected/changed.”].
Regarding claim 3, Moingeon teaches the method according to claim 1.
Moingeon further teaches:
wherein the laser beam is run along the laser path from the first point A to the second point B perpendicular to the beam axis in the second movement [para. 0105: “Thereby, multi-pass movement may be performed, i.e. the laser beam 12 may be moved more than once along the same path over the workpiece 30. Further, the movement of the laser beam 12 may be continuous or stepwise, and a speed of the movement of the laser beam 12 may be selected/changed.”].
Regarding claim 4, Moingeon teaches the method according to claim 1.
Moingeon further teaches:
wherein the first point A and the second point B form boundaries of the predetermined three dimensional outer workpiece shape in the axial direction relative to the geometric workpiece longitudinal axis [see fig. 8, showing profile path #70 coinciding with the machined workpiece shape].
Regarding claim 7, Moingeon teaches the method according to claim 1.
Moingeon further teaches:
wherein the workpiece fixing device is moved in a direction perpendicular to the beam axis of the laser beam in the third movement [Moingeon teaches that the work piece fixing device may be moved to effect the relative movement of the laser beam; para. 0021: “In particular, the laser beam may be moved by relatively displacing the workpiece and the laser beam against one another. That means, also the workpiece may be moved, or the workpiece and the laser beam may be moved, to realize the effective movement of the laser beam.”; para. 0105: “The apparatus 10, in particular the control unit 103, may thereby control movements of the holder 102 in up to three dimensions (e.g. in x-y-z as indicated in FIG. 12, wherein the z-direction is parallel to the fluid jet 11, and the x- and y-directions are perpendicular to the z-direction and to each other).”].
Regarding claim 8, Moingeon teaches the method according to claim 1.
Moingeon further teaches:
wherein the laser beam is moved towards the elongated workpiece in the third movement [In paras. 0017-19, as presented above, Moingeon teaches that the laser beam may be moved towards the rotation axis to achieve high material removal, or be maintained closer to the outer surface so as to provide a smoother surface finish.].
Regarding claim 9, Moingeon teaches the method according to claim 1.
Moingeon further teaches:
wherein the third movement is a linear movement in a radial direction with reference to the geometric workpiece longitudinal axis [In paras. 0017-19, as presented above, Moingeon teaches that the laser beam may be moved towards the rotation axis (this linear movement being combined with the movement of the laser beam along the profile path #70), which is equivalent to the workpiece longitudinal axis, to achieve high material removal, or be maintained closer to the outer surface so as to provide a smoother surface finish.].
Regarding claim 10, Moingeon teaches the method according to claim 1.
Moingeon further teaches:
wherein the third movement includes a linear movement in the axial direction or parallel to the axial direction with reference to the geometric workpiece longitudinal axis [Although Moingeon does not explicitly describe the third movement including a linear movement that is parallel to the axial direction, Moingeon does teach that the workpiece may have an irregular shape, and one having ordinary sill in the art would recognize that depending on the desired outer workpiece shape, the third movement may be performed in a direction that is parallel to the axial direction, e.g., a surface of the desired outer workpiece shape is perpendicular to the axial direction].
Regarding claim 11, Moingeon teaches the method according to claim 1.
Moingeon further teaches:
wherein the beam axis of the laser beam is oriented parallel to a radial direction of the geometric workpiece longitudinal axis when removing material from the surface of the workpiece [see fig. 5, showing laser beam #12 parallel to a vertical radial direction (i.e., perpendicular to the longitudinal axis) of the workpiece during removal of material; para. 0082].
Regarding claim 12, Moingeon teaches the method according to claim 1.
Moingeon further teaches:
wherein the beam axis of the laser beam is inclined relative to a tangent at the surface of the elongated workpiece by an angle α in the axial direction, wherein the angle α is between 1 degree and 10 degrees [Moingeon teaches that the laser beam is provided at an angle onto the machined surface (para. 0016) and that this angle may be between 90 and 0 degrees (para. 0085). Thus, when a desired workpiece outer shape comprises a surface that is perpendicular to the axial direction, the laser beam may be provided at the angle, wherein the angle is in the axial direction, since one having ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the laser beam is angled with respect to the surface being machined, as taught by Moingeon; para. 0084: “This also means that the fluid-jet guided laser beam 12 is provided at an angle onto the machined surface 32, wherein said angle is between 0° and 90°”].
Regarding claim 13, Moingeon teaches the method according to claim 1.
Moingeon further teaches:
wherein the third movement is controlled as a function of the second movement [para. 0021: “A rotation of the workpiece around one or more axes of rotation may be synchronized with a linear displacement of the workpiece and/or the laser beam along one or more axes.”].
Regarding claim 14, Moingeon teaches the method according to claim 1.
Moingeon further teaches:
wherein the third movement is controlled as a function of the first movement [para. 0021: “A rotation of the workpiece around one or more axes of rotation may be synchronized with a linear displacement of the workpiece and/or the laser beam along one or more axes.”].
Regarding claim 15, Moingeon teaches the method according to claim 1.
Moingeon further teaches:
wherein material is removed within an axial section between the first point A and the second point B along an entire circumference of the workpiece [see fig. 8a, showing an example of the blank workpiece #30 with profile path #70, and fig. 8b/8c, showing the removal of material defined by the profile path #70].
Regarding claim 16, Moingeon teaches the method according to claim 1.
Moingeon further teaches:
wherein the workpiece rotation movement is performed with constant speed during an entire material removal [Moingeon teaches that the rotational speed is set so that consecutive pulses of the laser beam overlap by at least 50% (para. 0025).].
Regarding claim 17, Moingeon teaches the method according to claim 1.
Moingeon further teaches:
A laser machining device [fig. 12: apparatus #10] capable of performing the method according to claim 1,
the laser machining device comprising:
the workpiece fixing device [fig. 12: holder #102] that receives the elongated workpiece [fig. 1: workpiece #30];
the movement device that moves the workpiece fixing device relative to the device base [para. 0105] and includes the laser [fig. 12: laser source #105] which generates the laser beam [fig. 12: laser beam #12] oriented along the laser beam axis, and includes the laser deflection device that guides the laser beam in a controlled manner [para. 0105],
wherein the movement device is configured to perform the first movement that is the workpiece rotation movement where the workpiece fixing device rotates the elongated workpiece arranged in the workpiece fixing device about the geometric workpiece longitudinal axis in a continuous sequence of complete rotations [para. 0009],
wherein the laser deflection device is configured to perform the second movement guiding the laser beam, so that the laser beam is moved along the predetermined laser path, wherein the predetermined laser path extends from the first point A to the second point B, and wherein the laser path is defined by the workpiece contour of the three dimensional outer workpiece shape [paras. 0020, 89],
wherein the workpiece movement device and/or the laser are configured to perform a feed movement as a third movement, so that the surface of the elongated workpiece arranged in the workpiece fixing device contacts the laser beam, wherein the laser beam removes material from the surface of the elongated workpiece and generates the predetermined three-dimensional outer workpiece shape with the outer workpiece contour [paras. 0017-19], and
wherein the first movement, the second movement and the third movement are performed simultaneously [para. 0021], and
wherein the laser machining device includes a control device [fig. 12: control unit #103] which controls the first movement, the second movement and the third movement [para. 0100: “The machining unit 101 is configured to provide a laser beam 12 coupled into a pressurized fluid jet 11. The control unit 103 is configured to control the machining unit 101 and the holder 102. In particular, the control unit 103 may control the holder 102 to rotate 21 the workpiece 30 around an axis of rotation 31. Further, the control unit 103 may control the machining unit 101 to provide 22 the fluid-jet 11 guided laser beam 12 to a machined surface 32 of the workpiece 30, particularly while the workpiece 30 is rotated 21.”].
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.
Claims 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moingeon (US 20230398636 A1) in view of Martukanitz (US 20060255019 A1).
Regarding claim 5, Moingeon teaches the method according to claim 1.
However, Moingeon does not disclose:
wherein the laser beam performs an additional fourth movement, where the laser beam is moved about a center in open or closed curves and the fourth movement is superimposed to the second movement.
Martukanitz, in the same field of endeavor [para. 0048: “Examples of the present invention can also be used in laser cutting, laser marking, laser scribing, laser drilling, laser surface treatment processes and the like.”], teaches a fourth movement [i.e., an oscillating movement; paras. 0034-36: “Trepanning Module… An improved laser welding apparatus includes trepanning optics, for example including one or more rotating optical elements that induce a circular motion of the focus point. The term trepanning, in this specification, is used to describe generation of circular, spiral, elliptical, or other curved or linear oscillatory trajectories of the focus point by manipulation of the laser beam.”] superimposed onto a second movement [i.e., a linear motion; para. 0041: “The circular motion can be combined with a linear motion along a weld seam, as described above, to provide a motion of the focus point that is oscillatory and generally tracks the length of the desired weld seam.”], where a laser beam [fig. 6: laser beam #52] is moved in a circular motion [para. 0035: “the expanded beam conditioned using trepanning optics to give circular motion of a focus point derived from the expanded beam”] and that this allows a laser radiation of the laser beam to be expanded [para. 0035: “Trepanning optics can be used to condition a high power laser beam, such as a 6 kW Nd:YAG laser beam, to allow laser welding with beam oscillation. The laser radiation can be expanded, for example to between approximately 2-100 times the original beam diameter, and the expanded beam conditioned using trepanning optics to give circular motion of a focus point derived from the expanded beam.”].
Examiner notes that second movement and third movement of claim 1 are superimposed into one combined movement, and therefore, with regards to the proposed superimposition thereof with the fourth movement of Martukanitz, this combined movement is equivalent to the linear motion of Martukanitz.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to modify the method of Moingeon by including fourth movement of Martukanitz, since this allows a laser radiation of the laser beam to be expanded.
Regarding claim 6, Moingeon in view of Martukanitz discloses the method according to claim 5.
Moingeon as modified by Martukanitz further discloses:
wherein a ratio between a diameter of the open or closed curve and a diameter of the laser beam is between 1.2 and 150 at an impact point of the laser beam at the elongated workpiece.
Specifically, Martukanitz discloses that the laser radiation of the laser beam as a result of the fourth movement is between 2-100 times the original beam diameter [para. 0035; Examiner is interpreting the laser radiation recited by Martukanitz as being equivalent to the claim’s recitation of diameter of the laser beam].
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments, see pp. 9-13, filed 6/4/2025, with respect to the 35 U.S.C. 102 rejection of claim 1 in view of Moingeon (US 20230398636 A1), have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Specifically, Applicant argues: “Thus, Moingeon performs the multi pass motion over the workpiece by keeping the laser beam at one impact point on the workpiece while rotating the workpiece multiple times, and not by a second movement guiding the laser beam, so that the laser beam is moved along a predetermined laser path by the laser deflection device, wherein the predetermined laser path corresponds to the workpiece contour between the first point A and the second point B, wherein the laser beam is run along the laser path between the first point A and the second point B multiple times during the second movement.”
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Moingeon has been presented as teaching moving the laser beam relative to the workpiece along a second movement (i.e., profile path 70) with a deflection device [para. 0105: “The apparatus 10, in particular the control unit 103, may thereby control movements of the holder 102 in up to three dimensions (e.g. in x-y-z as indicated in FIG. 12, wherein the z-direction is parallel to the fluid jet 11, and the x- and y-directions are perpendicular to the z-direction and to each other).”]. Specifically, Moingeon teaches the second movement guiding the laser beam [para. 0020: “In an implementation, the method further comprises moving the fluid-jet guided laser beam along a movement direction during turning the workpiece.”] so that the laser beam is moved along a predetermined laser path by the laser deflection device [para. 0089: “A technical effect of the above is that the turning can be performed effectively and in a simple manner by guiding the fluid-jet 11 guided laser beam 12 along a single unchanged profile path 70 perpendicular to the axis of rotation 31, while rotating (turning) the workpiece 30.”] wherein the predetermined laser path corresponds to the workpiece contour between the first point A and the second point B [see fig. 8, showing two end points of the profile path #70], wherein the laser beam is run along the laser path between the first point A and the second point B multiple times during the second movement [para. 0022: “The fluid jet may accordingly move over the workpiece. In an embodiment, the fluid jet may perform a multi-pass motion over the workpiece.”].
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 THEODORE J EVANGELISTA whose telephone number is (571)272-6093. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm EST.
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/THEODORE J EVANGELISTA/Examiner, Art Unit 3761 /EDWARD F LANDRUM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3761