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
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claims 1, 2, 4, 10, 12, 14, 15, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Goble et al. ( L W Goble, J . R.P Angel, J. M Hill, et al. "Spincasting Of A 3.5-m Diameter f/1.75 Mirror Blank In Borosilicate Glass", Proc. SPIE 0966, Advances in Fabrication and Metrology for Optics and Large Optics, null (29 Jan 1989); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.948076, hereinafter Goble-1).
Regarding Claim 1, Goble-1 discloses a method of forming a mirror (Abstract), the method comprising:
locating a phase change material (Page 300, Section 1 and Section 2, borosilicate glass) in a baseplate (Page 300, Section 2, lines 1-10, mold cavity, Page 302, Section 3.1.1., line 3, base);
heating the phase change material (Page 300, Section 2, lines 1-10, glass is heated);
forming the phase change material in a liquid phase into a pre-determined shape (Page 300, Section 2, lines 1-10, glass is heated to a fluid state and trickles into the mold cavity); and
cooling the phase change material (Pages 305 and 307, Section 5.3., cooldown phase) until it reaches a solid phase (Page 300, Section 2, lines 1-10, glass solidifies so as to take the shape of the mold cavity).
Regarding Claim 2, Goble-1 discloses as is set forth above and further discloses wherein the heating of the phase change material comprises applying an alternating or direct electric current (AC or DC) current through heating coils embedded in the baseplate (Page 302, Section 3.1.1., lines 1-2, 42 heater coils in the base, Power is supplied at 277 volts and 28 amps for 7.76 kilowatts per heater circuit).
Regarding Claim 4, Goble-1 discloses as is set forth above and further discloses wherein the heating of the phase change material comprises heating the phase change material above a melting point of the phase change material (Page 300, Section 2, lines 1-10, glass is heated to a fluid state and trickles into the mold cavity and the substance is allowed to solidify so as to take shape of the cavity).
Regarding Claim 10, Goble-1 discloses as is set forth above and further discloses wherein the cooling of the phase change material comprises stopping the heating of the phase change material (Pages 305 and 307, Section 5.3., cooldown phase is produced by lowering the heating settings until ambient room temperature is reached).
Regarding Claim 12, Goble-1 discloses as is set forth above and further discloses wherein forming the phase change material in the liquid phase into the pre-determined shape comprises rotating the baseplate about a central axis while the phase change material is in the liquid phase such that the phase change material reaches the pre-determined shape, wherein the pre-determined shape is an arcuate shape caused by centrifugal force created by rotating the baseplate (Page 300, Abstract, curvature of an f/1.75 mirror was formed by rotating the melted glass at 8.54 RPM, Page 302, section 3.1.2, spinning platform).
Regarding Claim 14, Goble-1 discloses a phase change mirror made by a process (Abstract) comprising:
locating a phase change material (Page 300, Section 1 and Section 2, borosilicate glass) in a baseplate (Page 300, Section 2, lines 1-10, mold cavity, Page 302, Section 3.1.1., line 3, base);
heating the phase change material (Page 300, Section 2, lines 1-10, glass is heated);
forming the phase change material in a liquid phase into a pre-determined shape (Page 300, Section 2, lines 1-10, glass is heated to a fluid state and trickles into the mold cavity); and
cooling the phase change material (Pages 305 and 307, Section 5.3., cooldown phase) until it reaches a solid phase (Page 300, Section 2, lines 1-10, glass solidifies so as to take the shape of the mold cavity).
Regarding Claim 15, Goble-1 discloses as is set forth above and further discloses wherein the phase change material is material with a melting temperature which exceeds a maximum intended use temperature of the phase change mirror (Page 305, section 5.1. Casting Phase, the temperature of the glass increases to 1000 C for the glass to flow, see Fig. 6, 1000 C is well above the intended use temperature of terrestrial telescope mirror, which is approximately room temperature since this specific telescope mirror described will be used at the Apache Point observatory in New Mexico, USA, see abstract).
Regarding Claim 18, Goble-1 discloses as is set forth above and further discloses wherein further comprising a hexapod disposed underneath the baseplate to tip and tilt the baseplate or a rotary motor (Page 302, Section 3.1.2, Spinning Platform, the two 40-horsepower direct-current-server motors power the rotation through independent transmissions and driver pinions) disposed underneath the baseplate to rotate the baseplate about a central axis.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 3, 11, 16, 17, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable Goble-1 in view of Cao et al. (US 2012/0111551).
Regarding Claim 3, Goble-1 discloses as is set forth above but doesn’t specifically disclose wherein the heating of the phase change material comprises passing a fluid through heating tubes embedded in the baseplate.
However, Cao, in the same field of endeavor, teaches wherein the heating of the phase change material comprises passing a fluid through heating tubes embedded in the baseplate (Paragraph 0018, lines 1-12, heating or cooling liquid flowing inside the tube), for the purpose of promoting a phase change on the outside of a tube by heat exchange.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have the method of Goble-1 with the wherein the heating of the phase change material comprises passing a fluid through heating tubes embedded in the baseplate, of Cao, for the purpose of promoting a phase change on the outside of a tube by heat exchange.
Regarding Claim 11, Goble-1 discloses as is set forth above but doesn’t specifically disclose wherein the cooling of the phase change material comprises applying coolant through coolant channels embedded in the baseplate.
However, Cao, in the same field of endeavor, teaches wherein the cooling of the phase change material comprises applying coolant through coolant channels embedded in the baseplate (Paragraph 0018, lines 1-12, heating or cooling liquid flowing inside the tube), for the purpose of promoting a phase change on the outside of a tube by heat exchange.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have the method of Goble-1 with the wherein the cooling of the phase change material comprises applying coolant through coolant channels embedded in the baseplate, of Cao, for the purpose of promoting a phase change on the outside of a tube by heat exchange.
Regarding Claim 16, Goble-1 discloses as is set forth above but doesn’t specifically disclose wherein the baseplate is thermally conductive.
However, Cao, in the same field of endeavor, teaches wherein the baseplate is thermally conductive (Paragraph 0018, lines 1-12, heating or cooling liquid flowing inside the tube, the outer tube being thermally conductive and acting as the baseplate), for the purpose of promoting a phase change on the outside of a tube by heat exchange.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have the phase change mirror of Goble-1 with the wherein the baseplate is thermally conductive, of Cao, for the purpose of promoting a phase change on the outside of a tube by heat exchange.
Regarding Claim 17, Goble-1 discloses as is set forth above but doesn’t specifically disclose wherein coolant channels are disposed within the baseplate.
However, Cao, in the same field of endeavor, teaches wherein coolant channels are disposed within the baseplate (Paragraph 0018, lines 1-12, heating or cooling liquid flowing inside the tube, the outer tube being thermally conductive and acting as the baseplate), for the purpose of promoting a phase change on the outside of a tube by heat exchange.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have the phase change mirror of Goble-1 with the wherein coolant channels are disposed within the baseplate, of Cao, for the purpose of promoting a phase change on the outside of a tube by heat exchange.
Regarding Claim 20, Goble-1 discloses as is set forth above but doesn’t specifically disclose wherein heating channels are disposed within the baseplate.
However, Cao, in the same field of endeavor, teaches wherein heating channels are disposed within the baseplate (Paragraph 0018, lines 1-12, heating or cooling liquid flowing inside the tube, the outer tube being thermally conductive and acting as the baseplate), for the purpose of promoting a phase change on the outside of a tube by heat exchange.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have the phase change mirror of Goble-1 with the wherein heating channels are disposed within the baseplate, of Cao, for the purpose of promoting a phase change on the outside of a tube by heat exchange.
Claims 5 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable Goble-1 in view of Gross et al. (US 10,059,621).
Regarding Claim 5, Goble-1 discloses as is set forth above but doesn’t specifically disclose wherein further comprising dispersing a magnetic substance in the phase change material.
However, Gross, in the same field of endeavor, teaches wherein further comprising dispersing a magnetic substance in the phase change material (Col. 2, glass ceramics compositions containing magnetite crystals that are homogeneously dispersed, Col. 4, lines 25-35), for the purpose of thermally heating the glass by induction coils.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have the method of Goble-1 with the wherein the further comprising dispersing a magnetic substance in the phase change material, of Gross, for the purpose of thermally heating the glass by induction coils.
Regarding Claim 9, Goble-1 discloses as is set forth above but doesn’t specifically disclose wherein dispersing the magnetic substance in the phase change material comprises homogenously disbursing the magnetic substance.
However, Gross, in the same field of endeavor, teaches wherein dispersing the magnetic substance in the phase change material comprises homogenously disbursing the magnetic substance (Col. 2, glass ceramics compositions containing magnetite crystals that are homogeneously dispersed, Col. 4, lines 25-35), for the purpose of thermally heating the glass by induction coils.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have the method of Goble-1 with the wherein dispersing the magnetic substance in the phase change material comprises homogenously disbursing the magnetic substance, of Gross, for the purpose of thermally heating the glass by induction coils.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-8, 13, and 19 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: with respect to the allowable subject matter, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose or teach of the claimed combination of limitations to warrant a rejection under 35 USC 102 or 103.
Specifically, with respect to claim 6, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose or teach a method including, as the distinguishing feature(s) in combination with the other limitations, wherein forming the phase change material in the liquid phase into the pre-determined shape comprises applying a magnetic field to the phase change material while the phase change material is in the liquid phase such that the phase change material reaches the pre-determined shape, wherein the pre-determined shape is an arcuate shape corresponding to the arcuate shape of the magnetic field.
Specifically, with respect to claim 13, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose or teach a method including, as the distinguishing feature(s) in combination with the other limitations, wherein further comprising: determining the mirror is damaged; and in response to determining the mirror is damaged, further comprising: heating the phase change material; forming the phase change material in a liquid phase into a pre-determined shape; and cooling the phase change material until it reaches a solid phase.
Specifically, with respect to claim 19, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose or teach a method including, as the distinguishing feature(s) in combination with the other limitations, wherein further comprising a magnet disposed in baseplate.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Southhard (US 2015/0056415), Kruip (US 2002/0020174), Yamagishi et al. (US 4,977,953), Abramov (US 2022/0044001), and Beall et al. (US 4,140,645), and Goble-2 (L. W Goble, R. M. Ford, K. L. Kenagy "Large Honeycomb Mirror Molding Methods", Proc. SPIE 0966, Advances in Fabrication and Metrology for Optics and Large Optics, null (29 Jan 1989); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.948075) are cited to show similar methods, mirrors, and heat exchanging systems but do not disclose the allowable subject matter as detailed above.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM R ALEXANDER whose telephone number is (571)270-7656. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30 AM- 4:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Pinping Sun can be reached on (571) 270-1284. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WILLIAM R ALEXANDER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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