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.
Claim 14 is 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 14 recites the limitation "the at least two contact surfaces" in Lines 3-4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
Claims 1, 3-4, 6-7 and 9-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kasurin (SU 1349113).
Regarding claim 1, Kasurin discloses a cutting element capable of functioning in a thread milling tool, the cutting element comprising a first and second main surface 1 arranged opposite each other and facing opposite directions. A peripheral surface connects the first and second main surfaces and includes an even number of peripheral sub-surfaces that are pairwise arranged on opposite sides of the cutting element and facing opposite directions (Abstract of Kasurin presented by Applicant with the IDS filed 04/30/2025). For each pair of peripheral sub-surfaces, one sub-surface includes one or more thread cutting teeth 12 having a rake face facing a first direction (e.g. into the page when viewing Figure 1) and the opposite sub-surface including one or more thread cutting teeth 13 having a rake face facing a second direction (e.g. out of the page when viewing Figure 1), wherein the second direction is opposite to the first direction. A number of peripheral sub-surfaces is at least four.
Regarding claim 3, Kasurin discloses each of the peripheral sub-surfaces including one or more non-cutting surfaces (e.g. the trailing surfaces of the teeth) and one or more thread cutting teeth.
Regarding claim 4, Kasurin discloses each of the peripheral sub-surfaces including two or more thread cutting teeth arranged in a row along the peripheral sub-surface (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 6, Kasurin discloses each rake face including a chip groove 4-11.
Regarding claim 7, Kasurin discloses the cutting element being a unitary body.
Regarding claim 9, Kasurin discloses the cutting element further comprising at least two surfaces capable of functioning as contact surfaces (e.g. the angled surfaces of adjacent teeth that abut one another at the base of the teeth) facing different directions and arranged as being capable of abutting respective support surfaces in a slot of a tool body for preventing displacement of the cutting element with respect to the tool body when the cutting element is mounted in the slot.
Regarding claim 10, Kasurin discloses the contact surfaces being formed by the non-cutting surfaces included in the peripheral sub-surfaces.
Regarding claim 11, Kasurin discloses each peripheral sub-surface includes two non-cutting surfaces forming separate contact surfaces.
Regarding claim 12, Kasurin discloses for each peripheral sub-surface, at least one of the contact surfaces has a different length than at least one of the contact surfaces on any of the adjacent peripheral sub-surfaces along the peripheral surface due to the different lengths of the cutting teeth on each sub-surface.
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 2 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kasurin (SU 1349113) in view of Huang (CN 208495998).
Regarding claims 2 and 5, while Kasurin discloses the cutting element comprising an even number of sub-surfaces, Kasurin does not explicitly illustrate or disclose six peripheral sub-surfaces arranged at an angle of 360 degrees divided by the total number of peripheral sub-surfaces with respect to each other.
Huang discloses a similar thread cutting element 1 comprising six peripheral sub-surfaces. The directions that two adjacent peripheral sub-surfaces along the peripheral surface face, when viewed in a plan view of the first or second main surface (e.g. Fig. 1) differ by an angle of 360 degrees divided by the total number of peripheral sub-surfaces.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide the cutting element of Kasurin with six peripheral sub-surfaces arranged at 360 degrees divided by 6 with respect to each other, as taught by Huang, in order to provide the cutting element of Kasurin with more operative cutting edges, increasing the tool life of the cutting element.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kasurin (SU 1349113) in view of Takahashi et al. (WO 2014081010, hereinafter ‘Takahashi’).
Regarding claim 8, Kasurin does not disclose the cutting element including two separate parts detachably arranged to each other.
Takahashi discloses a cutting element wherein each operative side of the cutting element is formed separately and joined together see e.g. Fig. 5).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to form the cutting element of Kasurin from two parts and join them together if desired, as taught by Takahashi, in order to make an easier-to-make mold and/or easier to machine cutting element. See also MPEP 2144.04, V, C.
Claims 13 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kasurin (SU 1349113) in view of Chen (US 20160263686).
Regarding claims 13 and 14, Kasurin discloses the cutting element of claim 1, but does not disclose details of the tool body in which the cutting element is inherently placed in order to be used.
Chen discloses a tool capable of functioning as a thread milling tool, comprising a tool body 10 having a front end in which a slot 13 is formed, a rear end and a central axis extending from the front end to the rear end. When the cutting element 20 of the tool is installed in the slot, the teeth of opposite sub-surfaces of the cutting element are in an operative position. First and second support surfaces 15A are provided, which abut first and second contact surfaces 24A on the cutting element. Each of the first and second contact surfaces and the first and second support surfaces face a direction that is oblique to the central axis of the tool.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to install the cutting element disclosed by Kasurin into a tool body such as the one taught by Chen, in order to machine threads in a workpiece. The cutting element of Kasurin comprises first and second contact surfaces (e.g. the angled surfaces of adjacent teeth that abut one another at the base of the teeth on a given sub-surface) capable of contacting complementary support surfaces in the tool holder as taught by Chen. When combined, the peripheral sub-surfaces of one of the pairs of opposed peripheral sub-surfaces are arranged in an operative position for milling a thread in a workpiece, whereas teeth included in the other peripheral sub-surfaces are arranged at non-operative positions.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Lee (KR 20170030846) discloses a similar thread milling cutter/cutting element wherein the holder is provided with planar surfaces serving as support surfaces abutting complementary contact surfaces in the cutting element. Sjoo (US 20090162151) discloses a similar thread milling cutter/cutting element.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Alan Snyder whose telephone number is (571)272-4603. The examiner can normally be reached M-R 7:00a - 5:00p.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing 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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Alan Snyder/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3722
