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
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority (JAPAN 2024-003893) based on an application filed in Japan on 01/15/2024. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the JAPAN 2024-003893 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “flat portion” of claim 1 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. Claim 1 recites in lines 11-12 that “a flat portion” is present between the plurality of recessed parts and the outer peripheral part on the front surface. However, the specification as filed is silent as to any “flat” portion being between the plurality of recessed parts and the outer peripheral part of the front surface. The Examiner also notes that the specification is silent as to any disclosure stating that the drawings are to scale. Thus, the claim has new matter pertinent to the term “flat”.
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) 1-2, 6 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Arvidsson US 6,595,727.
In regards to claim 1, Arvidsson discloses a tool body (1) that is rotated around a central axis (C), with a central part (7) of the tool body being assembled onto an arbor (via 3), the tool body (1) comprising: a rear surface which is an assembly side with respect to the arbor (see Figure 1), a front surface opposite to the rear surface (see Figure 2), and a plurality of recessed parts (12) provided circumferentially between the central part and an outer peripheral part (refer to the part of tool body 1, located at a radially outermost portion), as viewed from the front surface (Figure 2), wherein each of the recessed parts (36) is formed so as to open on the front surface and has a cross-sectional shape that is gradually narrowed in a depth direction from the front surface toward the rear surface (see Figure 1, a depth direction taken from the front surface to the rear surface), and wherein a flat portion is present between the plurality of recessed parts (36) and the outer peripheral part on the front surface (see Figures 2-4 below, and refer to either one flat portion as annotated below).
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In regards to claim 2, Arvidsson discloses the tool body according to claim 1, Arvidsson also discloses that a bottom part of each recessed part (Figure 4), a front side-end of the central part (where shoulder portion of 24 is disposed at in Figure 4), and a front side-end (axially outer most end of outer peripheral part in Figure 4) of the outer peripheral part are arranged, in such order, in an axial direction from the assembly side with respect to the arbor toward the front surface (in the same way as presented by Applicant).
In regards to claim 6, Arvidsson discloses the tool body according to claim 1, Arvidsson also discloses that in a cross-sectional view, the recessed parts each have a V-shaped portion (see Figure 13).
In regards to claim 8, Arvidsson discloses the tool body according to claim 1, Arvidsson also discloses that as viewed from the front side (Figure 2, 6b and 11), the recessed parts each have a tapered part that is gradually tapered toward the outer peripheral part (see column 6, lines 36-42).
In regards to claim 9, Arvidsson discloses the tool body according to claim 1, Arvidsson also discloses a cutting edge provided on the outer peripheral part of the tool body.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 6-8 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by DE 103 54 530 (hereafter—DE’530--).
In regards to claim 1, DE’530 discloses a tool body (2, 202) that is rotated around a central axis, with a central part (14, 214) of the tool body being assembled onto an arbor (via shank portion opposite to machining end), the tool body (2, 202) comprising: a rear surface which is an assembly side with respect to the arbor, a front surface opposite to the rear surface, and a plurality of recessed parts (16, 216) provided circumferentially between the central part and an outer peripheral part (refer to the part of tool body 2, 202, located at a radially outermost portion), as viewed from the front surface (Figures 1 and 4), wherein each of the recessed parts (16, 216) is formed so as to open on the front surface and has a cross-sectional shape (due to the concave overall shape) that is gradually narrowed in a depth direction from the front surface toward the rear surface, and (see Figures 1 and 4, a depth direction taken from the front surface toward the rear surface) wherein a flat portion is present between the plurality of recessed parts and the outer peripheral part on the front surface (see Figures 3 and 4 below, and refer to either one flat portion as annotated below).
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In regards to claim 3, DE’530 discloses the tool body according to claim 1, DE’530 also discloses that the recessed parts (16, 216) each have an outer circumferential-side inclined surface (inclined surface close to 20 in Figure 1 or inclined surface close to 220 in Figure 3) that is inclined so as to gradually approach the front side as it extends outward in a radial direction (in the same way as presented by Applicant, see Figures 1 and 3).
In regards to claim 6, DE’530 discloses the tool body according to claim 1, DE’530 also discloses that in a cross-sectional view, the recessed parts each have a V-shaped portion (see Figure 4).
In regards to claim 8, DE’530 discloses the tool body according to claim 1, DE’530 also discloses that as viewed from the front side (Figure 2 and 3), the recessed parts (16, 216) each have a tapered part that is gradually tapered toward the outer peripheral part.
In regards to claim 9, DE’530 discloses the tool body according to claim 1, DE’530 also discloses a cutting edge provided on the outer peripheral part of the tool body.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 5, and 7 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-3 and 9 and the Semnisky et al. US 2023/0302554 reference have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant's arguments filed 08/19/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues on page 6 of the Remarks, that neither Arvidsson nor DE’530 disclose “a flat portion is present between the plurality of recessed parts and the outer peripheral part on the front surface. The Examiner disagrees and points Applicant to the rejection above.
Regarding the Arvidsson, Arvidsson discloses that each of the recessed parts (36) is formed so as to open on the front surface and has a cross-sectional shape that is gradually narrowed in a depth direction from the front surface toward the rear surface (see Figure 1, a depth direction taken from the front surface to the rear surface), and wherein a flat portion is present between the plurality of recessed parts (36) and the outer peripheral part on the front surface (see Figures 2-4 above, and refer to either one flat portion as annotated in the rejection above). Therefore, the Examiner’s interpretation is not precluded.
Regarding the DE’530, DE’530 discloses that each of the recessed parts (16, 216) is formed so as to open on the front surface and has a cross-sectional shape (due to the concave overall shape) that is gradually narrowed in a depth direction from the front surface toward the rear surface, and (see Figures 1 and 4, a depth direction taken from the front surface toward the rear surface) wherein a flat portion is present between the plurality of recessed parts and the outer peripheral part on the front surface (see Figures 3 and 4 above, and refer to either one flat portion as annotated in the rejection above). Therefore, the Examiner’s interpretation is not precluded.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 NICOLE N RAMOS whose telephone number is (571)272-5134. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thu 7:00 am -5:00 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, 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, Sunil K Singh can be reached at (571) 272-3460. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NICOLE N RAMOS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3722
