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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 9, 10, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 9 recites, “a second side surface… facing the first side surface”. It is unclear as to how surfaces on opposing sides of the same member can be facing each; i.e. surfaces (214_3) and (214-5) in figure 3 appear to be facing away from each other. For the purposes of this examination, this limitation will be interpreted as surfaces arranged similar to surfaces (214_3) and (214-5) in figure 3 will meet this limitation.
Claim 17 recites “the tip portion is positioned to fit with the first corner portion”. It is unclear as to how or in which manner these are to fit. For the purposes of this examination, this limitation will be interpreted as noted in the rejection.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 2, 9, 11, 13-15, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Wu et al. (CN 119864580 A).
Regarding claim 1, Wu discloses:
A welding horn [welding head (400); figure 16] comprising:
a body portion [cylindrical component in figure 16] extending in a first direction; and
an extension portion [the portion/working end of the welding head (400) shown in figure 14] extending in a second direction crossing the first direction from an end of the body portion, and is configured to pressurize a welding object connected to an electrode assembly, the extension portion comprising:
a lower surface [second surface (92), the total width of the welding face of the working end which includes first surface/protrusion (91); figure 15] facing the welding object;
a first corner portion [right corner in figure 14] connected to one end of the lower surface and facing the electrode assembly;
a first side surface [right vertical side in figure 14] extending from the first corner portion to the body portion [see figure 16]; and
a tip portion [the right first surface (91)] protruding from the lower surface and contacting the welding object, the tip portion being offset from a center of the lower surface toward the first corner portion [see figure 14].
Regarding claim 14, Wu discloses:
A welding device [ultrasonic welding device (2000); figure 14] comprising:
an anvil [welding seat (500); figure 14] on which a lead tab and a strip terminal are arranged to overlap each other; and
a welding horn [welding head (400); figures 14-16] configured to apply ultrasonic waves while pressurizing an overlapping surface of the lead tab and the strip terminal arranged on the anvil, the welding horn comprising:
a body portion [cylindrical component in figure 16] extending in a first direction; and
an extension portion [the portion the portion/working end of the welding head (400) shown in figure 14] extending in a second direction crossing the first direction from an end of the body portion, and is configured to pressurize a welding object connected to an electrode assembly, the extension portion comprising:
a lower surface [second surface (92), the total width of the welding face of the working end which includes first surface/protrusion (91); figure 15] facing the overlapping surface;
a first corner portion [right corner in figure 14] connected to one end of the lower surface and facing the lead tab;
a first side surface [right vertical side in figure 14] extending from the first corner portion to the body portion [see figure 16]; and
a tip portion [the right first surface (91)] protruding from the lower surface and contacting the overlapping surface, the tip portion being offset from a center of the lower surface toward the first corner portion [see figure 14].
Regarding claims 2 and 15, Wu discloses:
wherein the first corner portion is in a form of a curved surface having a curvature [see figure 14].
Regarding claim 9, Wu teaches:
wherein the extension portion further comprises:
a second corner portion [left corner in figure 14] connected to another end of the lower surface; and
a second side surface [left vertical side in figure 14] extending from the second corner portion to the body portion [see figure 16], and facing the first side surface [see figure 14], and
wherein the second corner portion is in a form of a curved surface having a curvature [see figure 14].
Regarding claim 11, Wu discloses:
wherein the tip portion comprises a plurality of protrusions arranged in at least one row [other first surface shapes such as a diamond shaped reticulated surface may be used; pg. 27 and figure 17].
Regarding claim 13, Wu discloses:
wherein a height of each of the plurality of protrusions along the second direction is 0.15 mm to 0.4 mm [0.05-0.2 mm; pg. 27].
Regarding claim 17, Wu discloses:
wherein the tip portion is positioned to fit with the first corner portion [the first surface and right corner fit together in that they are parts of the portion of the welding head (400) shown in figure 14].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 3, 4, 6-8, and 10, 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. (CN 119864580 A) as applied to claim 1, 2, 14, and 15 above.
Regarding claims 3, 10, and 16, Wu does not teach:
wherein a radius of the curvature of the first/second corner portion is 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm.
However, Wu teaches radii R1 and R2 are 0.2-0.5 mm and this prevents cracking of the workpiece; pg. 26, and figures 13 and 14 depict the left and right corners having a radius similar to that of the radii of the first surface.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to make the left and right corners with a similar radius in order to prevent cracking in the workpiece, due to aesthetics, or because the figures suggest they are about the same size.
Regarding claim 4, Wu teaches:
wherein the tip portion is positioned to be in contact with the first corner portion [first surface (91) is in contact with the right corner via second surface (92)].
Regarding claims 6 and 19, Wu does not teach:
wherein a width of the lower surface along the first direction is 0.9 mm to 1.6 mm.
However, figures 14-17 suggest the width of the second surface is about 4-5 times that of the right first surface, wherein the first surface can have a radius and height of 0.2 mm, and thus suggests a second surface width of 1.6 mm or less since the width of the first surface can be less. Even so, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to make the width of second surface of the working end the claimed width in order to weld the workpieces at hand.
Regarding claim 7, Wu teaches:
wherein a width of the tip portion along the first direction is 0.3 mm to 0.8 mm [0.2-0.5 mm; pg. 26].
Wu and the claims differ in that Wu does not teach the exact same ranges as recited in the instant claims.
However, one of ordinary skill in the art at the time/before the effective filing date of the invention would have considered the invention to have been obvious because the ranges taught by Wu overlap the instantly claimed ranges and therefore are considered to establish a prima facie case of obviousness. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to select any portion of the disclosed ranges including the instantly claimed ranges from the ranges disclosed in the prior art reference, particularly in view of In re Peterson 65 USPQ2d 1379 (CAFC 2003); In re Geisler 43 USPQ2d 1365 (Fed. Cir. 1997); In re Woodruff, 16 USPQ2d 1934 (CCPA 1976); In re Malagari, 182 USPQ 549, 553 (CCPA 1974), and MPEP 2144.05. This reasoning applies to any claim and limitation in this action where a range is being claimed.
Regarding claims 8 and 20, Wu does not teach:
wherein a width of the lower surface along the first direction is 1.125 to 5.34 times a width of the tip portion.
However, figures 14-17 suggest the width of the second surface is about 4-5 times that of the right first surface, wherein the first surface can have a radius and height of 0.2 mm. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to make the second surface width 4-5 times that of the right first surface since this is a suggested option.
Claims 5 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. (CN 119864580 A) or Wu et al. (CN 119864580 A) in view of Zhong et al. (US 2024/0100622 A1) as applied to claims 1, 3, and 9 above, where applicable, and further in view of Hyun et al. (KR 2024166308 A).
Regarding claims 5 and 18, Wu does not teach:
wherein the tip portion is spaced from the first side surface by 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, based on the first direction.
However, this range is equal to radius of the curvature of the first corner as recited in claim 3 and as noted above in the rejection of claim 3 this range is obvious.
Hyun teaches placing welding portion (100) at the end of the curvature of the left corner; see figure.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to place the right first surface in the same manner as taught by Hyun since this a known option, to reduce the size of the second surface, or to increase the space between the first surfaces. Thus, one placing first surface as noted above at a corner as noted in the rejection of claim 3 would meet this claim.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. (CN 119864580 A) as applied to claim 11 above, in view of Zhong et al. (US 2024/0100622 A1).
Regarding claim 12, Wu does not teach:
wherein each of the plurality of protrusions has a convexly curved shape.
However, Wu is open to other first surface/protrusion shapes such as a diamond shaped reticulated surface; pg. 27.
Zhong teaches an ultrasonic machine wherein welding head (30) comprises opposing bodies (32) and second action portions (34) and the portion has spherical teeth (141), which are wear reducing when compared to pointed teeth; 0047-0048
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate any known protrusion shape into Wu, including that of Zhong, minus any unexpected results. One would have been motivated to incorporate the spherical protrusion in order to concentrate the welding energy into smaller areas, reduce wear, and/or for aesthetics.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure; see PTO 892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CARLOS J GAMINO whose telephone number is (571)270-5826. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-6.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Keith Walker can be reached at 5712723458. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CARLOS J GAMINO/Examiner, Art Unit 1735
/KEITH WALKER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1735