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 .
Claims 12 is withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 8/13/26.
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-11 in the reply filed on 8/13/26 is acknowledged.
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) 1,2,5,7,8, and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP2013-230495 (English machine translation provided).
1.An optical processing apparatus comprising:
a light source (JP2013-230495: short specification; figs 1-6;laser beam generator 4);
an optical element configured to focus light emitted from the tight source toward a workpiece (JP2013-230495: figs 1-6; processing head of laser machine 2 contains a condenser lens to process the laser beam from the generator);
a nozzle configured to let a light beam focused by the optical element pass through (JP2013-230495: figs 1-6; radiation nozzle 6 focuses the laser beam from the processing head 2 towards the workpiece W); and
a placement part having a placement surface for placing the workpiece (JP2013-230495: figs 1-6; table 10 supports workpiece W),
the optical processing apparatus being configured to perform a processing operation on a target surface of the workpiece by irradiating the workpiece with the light beam from the nozzle while moving the nozzle and the workpiece relative to each other in a first direction parallel to the placement surface (JP2013-230495: short specification and figs 1 and 2a-2b teach the laser processing apparatus including the processing head 2 and nozzle 6 being moved towards the workpiece during the processing. This is evident by the compression of the processing head cover 1 when the apparatus is moved closer to the workpiece),
wherein the nozzle includes a diaphragm member provided with an aperture in an end portion facing the placement surface, the aperture being configured to let at least part of the light beam pass through (JP2013-230495: short specification; figs 1-6; processing head cover 1 is elastic and deforms when the apparatus is brought closer to the workpiece; processing head cover 1 also includes an opening 1h/22c that allows passage of the laser beam onto the workpiece), and
wherein the diaphragm member has an arcuate shape convex toward the placement surface in a cross section perpendicular to a second direction when no external forces are applied, and includes an elastic part elastically deformable in a third direction, where the second direction is a direction perpendicular to the first direction and parallel to the placement surface and the third direction is a direction intersecting the placement surface (JP2013-230495: short specification; figs 1-6; head cover 1 is arcuate shaped and convexs towards the workpiece that is on the table; also, processing head cover 1 is elastic and deforms when the apparatus is brought closer to the workpiece).
2. The optical processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, during a processing operation on the workpiece, the nozzle is at a position where a distance in the third direction between the end portion of the nozzle and the placement surface is shorter than a length of the diaphragm member in the third direction in a condition where the elastic part is not elastically deformed, so that the nozzle is moved relative to the workpiece while pressing the workpiece with the elastic force of the elastically deformed elastic part (JP2013-230495: short specification; figs 1-6; processing head cover 1 is elastic and deforms when the apparatus is brought closer to the workpiece).
5. The optical processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elastic part of the diaphragm member includes a first resin layer on a surface facing the placement surface of the placement part (JP2013-230495: short specification; figs 5-7; sliding contact member 23 of a fluororesin is on the surface of the head cover 1 that faces the table).
7. The optical processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first resin layer includes an opening larger than the aperture of the diaphragm member at a position coinciding with the aperture of the diaphragm member, the opening being configured to let the light beam that has passed through the aperture of the diaphragm member pass through (JP2013-230495: short specification; figs 5-7; sliding contact member 23 has a lower opening 23a with beveled edges that span a diameter larger than the diameter of the opening 1h/22c) .
8. The optical processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the diaphragm member includes a second resin layer on a surface on an opposite side of a side on which a surface facing the placement surface is located (JP2013-230495: short specification; figs 5-7; the body of the head cover 20 is made of a resin like acrylic or rubber and constitutes the claimed second resin layer).
10. The optical processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the second resin layer includes a reflection layer that reflects the light beam on a surface on an opposite side of a side on which the diaphragm member is located (JP2013-230495: short specification; figs 5-7; the inner surface of the head cover 20 can be coated with a reflection agent that reflect the laser beam).
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.
Claim(s) 3,4,6,9, and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP2013-230495 as applied to claim 1 above. The above teachings of JP2013-230495 are incorporated hereinafter.
Regarding claim 3, JP2013-230495 does not teach the claimed metal materials of the elastic part. Since metal foils of the claimed metals are well-known in the laser beam processing art for their deformability and reflectiveness, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to design the head cover of JP2013-230495 to include a metal foil of one of the claimed metals in order to ensure deformability and reflectiveness of the head cover.
Regarding claim 4, JP2013-230495 does not teach the claimed metal materials of the elastic part. Since gold and silver are well-known in the laser beam processing art for their reflectiveness, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to design the head cover of JP2013-230495 to include gold or silver in order to ensure high reflectiveness of the head cover.
Regarding claim 6, JP2013-230495 teaches using acrylic, polycarbonate, or a rubber for the head cover (JP2013-230495: short specification), but does not teach the claimed resins of the elastic part. Since the claimed resins are well-known in the laser beam processing art for their deformability, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to design the head cover of JP2013-230495 to include the claimed resins in order to ensure deformability and light weight.
Regarding claim 9, JP2013-230495 teaches using acrylic, polycarbonate, or a rubber for the head cover (JP2013-230495: short specification), but does not teach the claimed resins of the elastic part. Since the PET and polyimide resins are well-known in the laser beam processing art for their deformability, light weight, and durability, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to design the head cover of JP2013-230495 to include the claimed resins in order to ensure deformability and light weight.
Regarding claim 11, JP2013-230495 does teach the inner surface of the head cover 20 can be coated with a reflection agent that reflects the laser beam (JP2013-230495: short specification), but does not teach the claimed metal foils as the reflection layer. Since metal foils of the claimed metals are well-known in the laser beam processing art for their reflectiveness, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to design the head cover of JP2013-230495 to include a metal foil of one of the claimed metals in order to ensure high reflectiveness within the head cover.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The following references teach a laser processing apparatus having a nozzle: JP1-118891**; CN11213661; CN112122807.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDMUND H LEE whose telephone number is (571)272-1204. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 9AM-4PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Xiao (Sam) 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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EHL
/EDMUND H LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1744
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