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
1. 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.
2. Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by
Airlie (3,100,411). Regarding claim 1, Airlie discloses a press die apparatus (punching tool; Fig. 1) comprising: a die (2) including: die holes (21) into which punches (10) are respectively inserted and withdrawn, the punches (10) being configured to punch out a workpiece (52; Fig. 3); and first partition walls (25), each separating adjacent ones of the die holes (21; Fig. 2) from each other; and a backing plate (1) that is adjacent to the die (2) to support the die, wherein the die (2) includes die hole groups (defined by the two pairs of two or three holes 21 along each row of the holes 21; Fig. 2), each including die holes (21) that are adjacent to each other, the backing plate (1) includes backing holes (21; Fig. 2) respectively connected to the die hole groups (Fig. 1); and second partition walls (24), each separating adjacent ones of the backing holes (21; Fig. 2) from each other; each second partition wall (24) has a widened section (the bottom section of the tapered surface 34 of the second partition wall 24 being widened) that increases in width continuously or in a stepwise manner as the widened section extends away from the die (2); and a maximum width of the widened section is greater than a width of the first partition wall (25). As clearly seen in Fig. 1, the maximum width of the widened section of the second partition wall (24) is greater than the width of the first partition wall (25).
Regarding claim 2, Airlie teaches everything noted above including that a portion of an inner surface of each of the backing holes (21) that defines the widened section has an inclined surface, the inclined surface being sloped to be positioned further inside the backing hole as the inclined surface extends away from the die (2).
Regarding claim 3, Airlie teaches everything noted above including that an end of the widened section where the die is located includes an edge (34) formed by continuously connecting the inclined surfaces of adjacent ones of the backing holes to each other. See Fig. 2 in Airlie.
Regarding claim 4, Airlie teaches everything noted above including a die holder (5; Fig. 3) that is adjacent to the backing plate (1) to support the backing plate, wherein the die holder includes holder holes (9) respectively connected to the backing holes; and a third partition wall separating adjacent ones of the holder holes from each other, and the third partition wall has a larger width than the first partition wall. It should be noted that the wall between the holder holes (90 has a larger width than the width of the first separation wall (25). See Figs. 1-3 in Airlie.
3. Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by
Halamoda et al. (7,121,178 B2), hereinafter Halamoda. Regarding claim 1, Halamoda discloses a press die apparatus (punching tool 1; Fig. 1) comprising: a die (cutting plate 28) including: die holes into which punches are respectively inserted and withdrawn (punched openings 24 in cutting plate 28 aligned with punches/dies 36; Figs. 2-4), the punches being configured to punch out a workpiece (dies 36 punch a green sheet during the punching operation; Figs. 1 and 2); and first partition walls, each separating adjacent ones of the die holes from each other (material of cutting plate 28 between adjacent punched openings 24; Fig. 3); and a backing plate that is adjacent to the die to support the die (vacuum plate 9 positioned immediately beneath and supporting cutting plate 28; Figs. 2-4), wherein the die includes die hole groups, each including the die holes that are adjacent to each other (each group of punched openings 24 disposed above a respective region defined by cross members 21 of vacuum plate 9; Fig. 3); the backing plate includes backing holes respectively connected to the die hole groups (the downwardly extending cavities within vacuum plate 9 beneath each respective region defined by cross members 21 and communicating with the corresponding group of punched openings 24; Figs. 3 and 4). It should be noted, as shown in Fig. 3, the cross members (21) define a plurality of discrete regions on the upper surface of the vacuum plate (9), with each such region being associated with a respective group of punched openings (24). Fig. 4 illustrates the cross-sectional configuration of the vacuum plate (9), showing that each such region extends downwardly as a corresponding cavity having inclined side walls. Because the arrangement of the regions defined by the cross members (21) is repetitive across the vacuum plate (9), one of ordinary skill in the art would understand the cross-sectional geometry shown in Fig. 4 to apply to each of the regions shown in Fig. 3. Accordingly, the cavities beneath the respective regions defined by the cross members (21) correspond to the claimed backing holes, and the material of the vacuum plate (9) between adjacent cavities corresponds to the claimed second partition wall separating adjacent backing holes. Halamoda further discloses a second partition wall separating adjacent ones of the backing holes from each other (the wall portions of vacuum plate 9 between adjacent downwardly extending cavities; Fig. 4); the second partition wall has a widened section that increases in width continuously or in a stepwise manner, as the widened section extends away from the die (the opposing walls of adjacent cavities are inclined downwardly toward the lower-tool operative part 8, thereby causing the partition wall between adjacent cavities to increase continuously in width in the direction away from cutting plate 28 and punched openings 24; Figs. 2 and 4); and a maximum width of the widened section is greater than a width of the first partition wall (the lower portion of the partition wall between adjacent cavities is wider than the material separating adjacent punched openings 24 in cutting plate 28 due to the continuously inclined cavity walls; Figs. 3 and 4).
Regarding claim 2, Halamoda teaches everything noted above including that a portion of an inner surface of each of the backing holes that defines the widened section has an inclined surface, the inclined surface being sloped to be positioned further inside the backing hole as the inclined surface extends away from the die. Halamoda discloses this limitation because the inner surfaces of the downwardly extending cavities within vacuum plate 9 are inclined (Fig. 4). As shown in Fig. 4, each inclined wall slopes inwardly toward the respective cavity as the wall extends away from cutting plate 28 and toward the lower-tool operative part 8, thereby defining the widened section of the adjacent partition wall.
Regarding claim 3, Halamoda teaches everything noted above including that an end of the widened section where the die is located includes an edge formed by continuously connecting the inclined surfaces of adjacent ones of the backing holes to each other. Halamoda discloses this limitation because the inclined inner surfaces of adjacent cavities meet at the upper end of the vacuum plate immediately beneath the cutting plate 28, thereby forming an edge corresponding to the top of the partition wall (Fig. 4). The edge is formed by the continuous connection of the inclined surfaces of adjacent cavities at the upper surface of vacuum plate 9 where the cutting plate 28 is supported.
Regarding claim 4, Halamoda teaches everything noted above including a die holder that is adjacent to the backing plate to support the backing plate, wherein the die holder includes holder holes respectively connected to the backing holes; and a third partition wall separating adjacent ones of the holder holes from each other, and the third partition wall has a larger width than the first partition wall. Halamoda discloses a die holder (lower tool base plate 7) adjacent to and supporting the backing plate (vacuum plate 9; Figs. 2 and 4). Halamoda further discloses holder holes respectively connected to the backing holes (interior 19 and passage 18 within lower tool base plate 7 communicating with the downwardly extending cavities of vacuum plate 9; Figs. 2 and 4). Further, a third partition wall separating adjacent holder holes from each other is disclosed by the material of lower tool base plate 7 between adjacent portions of the communicating openings beneath the vacuum plate 9, which has a greater width than the material separating adjacent punched openings 24 in cutting plate 28 (Figs. 2 and 4). Therefore, the third partition wall has a larger width than the first partition wall, as recited.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
4. 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.64
5. Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Airlie. Regarding claim 5, Airlie does not explicitly teach that the die holes are arranged in an annular pattern. However, Examiner takes an Official Notice that the use of a press die with die holes arranged in an annular pattern is old and well known in the art.
6. Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Halampda. Regarding claim 5, Halamoda does not explicitly teach that the die holes are arranged in an annular pattern. However, Examiner takes an Official Notice that the use of a press die with die holes arranged in an annular pattern is old and well known in the art.
Conclusion
7. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to
applicant’s disclosure.
Oishi et al. (2011/0283852 A1), Tsuji et al. (5,836,226), LaPlante et al. (6,223,636 B1), Schambre (4,685,613), and Fierkens (5,291,814) teaches a press die apparatus.
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/GHASSEM ALIE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3724
July 8, 2026
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