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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 1-20 are pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 4-5, 11, 14-15, and 18 have been considered and persuasive, however, a new rejection has been made in light of the latest reference. The applicants have made arguments concerning the prior art references, particularly of the teachings by OTOSHI and NEUSS, specifically of the sensors taught by the references for tension and the argument of how this differs from the claimed film passing sensor.
After reconsideration, the references of OTOSHI and NEUSS does not provide sufficient teaching of how this feature is provided, however, the teaching of the LOEN reference (see below), teaches of winding tension and the use of film speed sensors, and wherein, the speed sensor itself would encompass the claimed film passing sensor. It is noted that the applicants teaching in the instant specification, see [0039-0042], more specifically in [0040] states that “the film passing sensor S1 is not limited to any particular sensor as long as it can detect the passing of the resin film therethrough.” Whereupon, the film speed sensor of LOEN would encompass the claimed teaching, and further any detection of tension in a film is a broad consideration of the detection of a film as any tension detected would imply the presence of the film passing through.
The new rejection below incorporates a new reference in response to the applicant’s latest argument and thus this will be a non-final action.
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, 4-5, 11, 14-15, and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over OTOSHI (US 2010/0022764 A1) in view of NEUSS (US 2018/0133946 A1) and LOEN (US 2008/0061461 A1)
Re: 1, OTOSHI teaches of a resin film manufacturing apparatus comprising:
an extruder 22 configured to melt a resin material charged therein and then extrude the molten resin material;
a die 26 connected to the extruder and configured to shape the molten resin into a film-like shape (see film; abstract and also [0212-0213]);
a casting machine including a cast roll (cooling drum 28, see also Fig. 1), configured to, while cooling the film-like molten resin extruded from the die, convey a resin film, the resin film being formed as the molten resin solidifies (see [0074]);
a winding machine (winder 50) configured to wind up the manufactured resin film;
Further, OTOSHI teaches of a controlling the tension of the resin film that includes the winding, see [0221, 0022], see tension control, and this is performed while detecting the wind-up tension, this correlates to the claimed “a controller configured to control manufacturing of the resin film, wherein when the manufacturing of the resin film is started, the controller starts driving the winding machine after detecting, by the film passing sensor for winding, that the resin film has passed therethrough.”
OTOSHI does not specifically state of “a film passing sensor for winding, provided on an inlet side of the winding machine and configured to detect passing of the conveyed resin film therethrough”, however OTOSHI implies detection of the wind-up tensions which would include some sort of sensing/detecting means.
In addition, the LOEN reference teaches in [0044], of the control of the film tension and speed, and includes a film speed sensor and feedback control loop, and wherein, the winding reel motor 212 that may be on current control to provide a constant tension in the film. The teaching by LOEN for the tension can include a speed sensor, which also would encompass the claimed film passing sensor.
Further, the NEUSS reference teaches of a film forming machine known in the extrusion arts wherein, also teaching of extruder 2, die [0056], and a winder 10, wherein the film sensor can be seen at location 15, inspection space, see Fig. 1. The detection connected to a controller (central controlling unit 20, [0064] which when then controls to the mechanical control actuator 23, [0065], thereby, thereby as seen provides feedback to the controls which similarly would one skilled in the art would correlate to the teaching of the tension controls in OTOSHI).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the sensing and controls of OTOSHI with the incorporation of the film passing sensor via a film speed sensor as taught by LOEN for detecting the tension of the film and a control feedback as taught by NEUSS allowing for comparison between detected values to predefined desired values and with feedback to account for variations, see NEUSS [0066].
Re: 4 (upon 1), wherein the controller: sets, when the driving of the winding machine is started, the control of the winding machine to constant rotation control; and switches, after a tension is detected in the winding machine, the control of the winding machine to constant tension control.
See teaching by OTOSHI of the tension control, see [0221, 0222].
Re: 5 (upon 1), further comprising:
a longitudinal stretching machine provided behind the casting machine and configured to stretch the resin film in a longitudinal direction; and
a film passing sensor for longitudinal stretching, provided on an inlet side of the longitudinal stretching machine and configured to detect passing of the conveyed resin film therethrough, wherein
when the manufacturing of the resin film is started, the controller starts driving the longitudinal stretching machine after detecting, by the film passing sensor for longitudinal stretching, that the resin film has passed therethrough.
(see teaching of the OTOSHI for the controller teaching, and further of the teaching by LOEN for the sensor teaching)
Re: 11, (similar to teaching in claim 1), OTOSHI teaches of a method for controlling a resin film manufacturing apparatus, the resin film manufacturing apparatus comprising:
an extruder 22 configured to melt a resin material charged therein and then extrude the molten resin material (see film; abstract and also [0212-0213]);
a die connected to the extruder and configured to shape the molten resin into a film-like shape;
a casting machine including a cast roll (cooling drum 28, see also Fig. 1) configured to, while cooling the film-like molten resin extruded from the die, convey a resin film, the resin film being formed as the molten resin solidifies (see [0074]);
a winding machine (winder 50) configured to wind up the manufactured resin film, wherein when manufacturing of the resin film is started,
Further, OTOSHI teaches of a controlling the tension of the resin film that includes the winding, see [0221, 0022], see tension control, and this is performed while detecting the wind-up tension, this correlates to the claimed “a computer performs (a) starting driving of the winding machine after detecting”.
OTOSHI does not teach of “by using a film passing sensor for winding, provided on an inlet side of the winding machine, that the resin film has passed therethrough”, however OTOSHI implies detection of the wind-up tensions which would include some sort of sensing/detecting means.
In addition, the LOEN reference teaches in [0044], of the control of the film tension and speed, and includes a film speed sensor and feedback control loop, and wherein, the winding reel motor 212 that may be on current control to provide a constant tension in the film. The teaching by LOEN for the tension can include a speed sensor, which also would encompass the claimed film passing sensor.
Further, the NEUSS reference teaches of a film forming machine known in the extrusion arts wherein, also teaching of extruder 2, die [0056], and a winder 10, wherein the film sensor can be seen at location 15, inspection space, see Fig. 1. The detection connected to a controller (central controlling unit 20, [0064] which when then controls to the mechanical control actuator 23, [0065], thereby, thereby as seen provides feedback to the controls which similarly would one skilled in the art would correlate to the teaching of the tension controls in OTOSHI).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the sensing and controls of OTOSHI with the incorporation of the film passing sensor via a film speed sensor as taught by LOEN for detecting the tension of the film and a control feedback as taught by NEUSS allowing for comparison between detected values to predefined desired values and with feedback to account for variations, see NEUSS [0066].
Re: 14 (upon 11), wherein in (a),
when the driving of the winding machine is started, the control of the winding machine is set to constant rotation control; and
after a tension is detected in the winding machine, the control of the winding machine is switched to constant tension control.
(see teaching by OTOSHI of the winding and the tension control)
Re: 15 (upon 11), wherein the resin film manufacturing apparatus further comprises a longitudinal stretching machine provided behind the casting machine and configured to stretch the resin film in a longitudinal direction, and
when the manufacturing of the resin film is started, the computer performs, before (a),
(b) starting driving of the longitudinal stretching machine after detecting, by using a film passing sensor for longitudinal stretching, provided on an inlet side of the longitudinal stretching machine, that the resin film has passed therethrough.
(see teaching of the OTOSHI for the controller teaching, and further of the teaching by LOEN for the sensor teaching)
Re: 18 (upon 15), wherein the resin film manufacturing apparatus further comprises a transverse stretching machine provided behind the longitudinal stretching machine and configured to stretch the resin film in a width direction, and
when the manufacturing of the resin film is started, the computer performs, after (b) and before (a),
(c) starting holding of the resin film by the transverse stretching machine after detecting, by using a film passing sensor for transverse stretching, provided on an inlet side of the transverse stretching machine, that the resin film has passed therethrough.
(see teaching of the OTOSHI for the controller teaching, and further of the teaching by LOEN for the sensor teaching)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-3, 6-10, 12-13, 16-17, and 19-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
As stated in the previous Office Action, the prior art of record fails to teach the claimed resin film manufacturing apparatus and method of using the apparatus, of the extruder, die, casting machine, winding, and control with the film passing sensor, and more specifically of the dummy film with the resin film, particularly taught in the features of:
Claim 2 (with dependent claim 3)
Claim 6 (with dependent claim 7)
Claim 8 (with dependent claims 9-10)
Claim 12 (with dependent claim 13)
Claim 16 (with dependent claim 17)
Claim 19 (with dependent claim 20)
Conclusion
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
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