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 1-14 are pending.
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 2, and 13-14 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 2 recites the limitation “a coil wound” in lines 2, 5, and 6, each being listed as being on the internal shaft of the rotating cylinder, and further “a plurality of coils” that are also wound on the rotating cylinder, see line 9. There is ambiguous antecedent basis issue regarding this limitation since it is unclear if it is directed to the same coil, a new coil, or something else.
It is unclear if each of the stated coil are to the same coil, each are of new coils, and which conflicts as it unclear which are being referred with the teaching of the plurality of coils, or these new plurality of coils which are separate from the teaching of the singular coil(s) earlier in the claim.
Examiner will try to interpret and examine the claimed features as seen in the office action below.
JP’887 (JP 03-138887 A, see IDS)
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.
Claim(s) 1-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by EP’540 (EP2559540A1, see IDS).
Re: 1, the EP’540 reference teaches of a heating system (see induction heating roll [0001], see also induction heating roll device 20, see [0034]) for a rotating cylinder (Fig. 4, paragraph 34), such as comprising a roller of a calender or a roller of a stretching unit (see [0006] regarding rolling or kneading), wherein said heating system is an electromagnetic induction system (see induction heating roll 20, [0034, 0035], see Fig. 4, induction heating coil 25, [0036]).
Re: 2 (upon 1), comprising:
a coil wound on an internal shaft of the rotating cylinder, wherein the shaft is rotatable, wherein the coil is electrically powered by a rotating joint;
a coil wound, in a fixed condition, on the internal shaft of the rotating cylinder, pitch of the coil for winding the inductor is determined according to thermal homogeneity or desired thermal gradient strategies;
a plurality of coils wound on the internal shaft of the rotating cylinder, providing for heating of the related rotating cylinder portion.
(See Fig. 4, see rotary transformer 55, stator coil 55a, rotor coil 55b, [0042] of EP’540 reference.)
Re 3 (upon 1), wherein the system comprises cooling means selected from:
cooling fluids flowing in a gap of the rotating cylinder;
convective motions of air, by suction and/or introduction into the rotating
cylinder.
(See Fig. 4, cooling medium supply device 27, cooling medium flow channel 37, and [0009, 0038] of the EP’540 reference.)
Re 4 (upon 1), wherein the system is thermostated and wherein temperature detection is performed by pyrometers in contact with surfaces to be thermostated, and/or JR temperature detectors for reading a surface temperature of the rotating cylinder or the internal shaft, and/or probes for reading a temperature of the air inside the cylinder or close thereto.
(See in EP’540 reference of temperature sensor 29 and the control device 31, see Fig. 4, see [0035, 0045].)
Re 5, a rotating cylinder comprising the heating system as defined in claim 1.
(See Fig. 1 and [0001] of EP’540 reference.)
Re 6 (upon 5), comprising an external cylinder rotatably mounted, to an internal shaft, which is fixed or rotating, wherein a coil is wound onto the internal shaft, the coil being connected to an electric current source for creating the magnetic field by an RF generator.
(See Fig. 4, cooling medium supply device 27, flow channel 37, [0009, 0038] of the EP reference, wherein the RF generator is taught by the coil and induction heating.)
Re 7. (Currently Amended) The rotating cylinder according to claim 5, wherein the external cylinder comprises internal passages connected to a refrigerant fluid source.
(See cooling medium flow channel 37, see cooling medium [0038] in Fig. 5, and [0037-0039] in the EP reference.)
Re 8 (upon 5), wherein the external cylinder comprises lateral sides comprising ball bearings for coupling to the internal shaft, an annular gap being placed between an internal surface of the external cylinder and the internal shaft, and wherein openings are present in the lateral sides, the openings being connected to suction means or a source of air, for extraction or intake of air into the gap, respectively.
(See Fig. 4, and [0037-0039] of the EP reference.)
Re 9, a machine selected from a calender, a rewinding machine, and a plastic film stretching unit comprising one or more rotating cylinders as defined in claim 5.
(See in EP’540 reference of teaching of rolling unit, as set forth in claim 5 above.)
Re 10 (upon 1), wherein the system comprises cooling means selected from:
cooling fluids comprising water or oil flowing in a gap of the rotating cylinder;
convective motions of air, refrigerated or non-refrigerated, by suction and/or
introduction into the rotating cylinder.
(See in EP’540 reference of teaching [0038] of pressurized gas from the air source 27a, and cooling medium from the cooling medium source 27b, preferably water.)
Re 11 (upon 5), wherein the external cylinder comprises internal serpentine passages connected to a refrigerant fluid source.
(See in EP’540 reference of teaching Fig. 4, of the flow channel 37, 39 to the flow from the cooling medium source 27b, see [0038].)
Re 12 (upon 5), comprising an external cylinder rotatably mounted by ball bearings to an internal shaft, which is fixed or rotating, (see in EP’540 reference of Fig. 4, of the bearings to hold the roll) wherein a coil is wound onto the internal shaft, the coil being connected to an electric current source for creating the magnetic field by an RF generator (the teaching of EP’540 reference in induction heating with the coil implies connection to a current source.)
Re 13 (upon 2), wherein the coils are simultaneously rotating.
(See teaching by the EP’540 reference with the coils 25 being fixed to the roller, see Figs. 4 and 5, and thus would be simultaneously rotating with the roll.)
(In review of the instant specification, the coils are read as to be upon the shaft which in turn can be fixed or rotating, see teaching in instant specification on page 8, lines 1-2, in this case the teaching of EP’540 of the fixed shaft for the roller would correspond to the teaching of the simultaneously rotating particularly in relation to the outer cylinder.)
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-6, 9, 12, and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by GERTITSCHKE (US 9422074 B2).
Re: 1, the GERTITSCHKE reference teaches of a heating system (see abstract) for a rotating cylinder (sealing roll 2 and roll jacket 12), such as comprising a roller of a calender or a roller of a stretching unit (see abstract and teaching of a sealing roll, heatable sealing rolls), wherein said heating system is an electromagnetic induction system (see induction coils 22).
Re: 2 (upon 1), comprising:
a coil wound on an internal shaft of the rotating cylinder (see induction rolls 22), wherein the shaft is rotatable, wherein the coil is electrically powered by a rotating joint;
a coil wound, in a fixed condition, on the internal shaft of the rotating cylinder, pitch of the coil for winding the inductor is determined according to thermal homogeneity or desired thermal gradient strategies;
a plurality of coils wound on the internal shaft of the rotating cylinder, providing for heating of the related rotating cylinder portion.
(see GERTITSCHKE teaching induction coils 22, See Fig. 2 that is wound around the shaft 10)
Re 4 (upon 1), wherein the system is thermostated and wherein temperature detection is performed by pyrometers in contact with surfaces to be thermostated, and/or JR temperature detectors for reading a surface temperature of the rotating cylinder or the internal shaft, and/or probes for reading a temperature of the air inside the cylinder or close thereto.
(See GERTITSCHKE teaching of IR temperature sensors 48.)
Re 5, a rotating cylinder comprising the heating system as defined in claim 1.
(See GERTITSCHKE teaching of the rotatable roll jacket 12, particularly see bearings 18.)
Re 6 (upon 5), comprising an external cylinder rotatably mounted, to an internal shaft, which is fixed or rotating, wherein a coil is wound onto the internal shaft, the coil being connected to an electric current source for creating the magnetic field by an RF generator.
(See GERTITSCHKE teaching of forming magnetic field by the induction coils, see Col. 2, lines 24-28.)
Re 9, a machine selected from a calender, a rewinding machine, and a plastic film stretching unit comprising one or more rotating cylinders as defined in claim 5.
(The GERTITSCHKE reference see teaching in Fig. 1 that operates equivalent to a calender.)
Re 12 (upon 5), comprising an external cylinder rotatably mounted by ball bearings to an internal shaft, which is fixed or rotating, wherein a coil is wound onto the internal shaft, the coil being connected to an electric current source for creating the magnetic field by an RF generator.
(See GERTITSCHKE with the external cylinder having roller bearing 18, see Fig. 2.)
Re 14 (upon 2), wherein the coils are independently rotating. (in review of the instant specification, the coils are read as to be upon the shaft which in turn can be fixed or rotating, see teaching in instant specification on page 8, lines 1-2).
(The GERTITSCHKE reference teaches of coils located upon the shaft that would be interpreted as independently rotating, particularly form the outer cylinder.)
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
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.
Claim(s) 3, 7-8, and 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over GERTITSCHKE as applied to claims 1, 5 above, and further in view of KITANO (US 6992272 B2).
Re 3 (upon 1), wherein the system comprises cooling means selected from:
cooling fluids flowing in a gap of the rotating cylinder;
convective motions of air, by suction and/or introduction into the rotating
cylinder.
See GERTITSCHKE teaching of cooling water channel 40 that is arranged through the shaft 10, but does not specifically of the flow in the gaps in the rotating cylinder.
Wherein in analogous art, KITANO, see Fig. 8 in particular of the induction heating 28 located in shaft within the roller, the outer cylinder having gap with cooling process, see the gap with flow via passage 24. Further, see in Fig. 7 of another embodiment wherein the core 27 and having a flow of medium in the roll shell 21.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modify the roller of the GERTITISCHKE with the flow of fluids in the rotating cylinder as taught by KITANO as an alternative known manner of temperature control of the roller assembly, see KSR rationale, MPEP2143, as applying a known technique to a known device (method or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results.
Re 7 (Currently Amended) The rotating cylinder according to claim 5, wherein the external cylinder comprises internal passages connected to a refrigerant fluid source.
(GERTITSCHKE does not teach of the external cylinder with internal passages, however, the KITANO reference as show above teaches of the internal passages.)
Re 8 (upon 5), wherein the external cylinder comprises lateral sides comprising ball bearings for coupling to the internal shaft, an annular gap being placed between an internal surface of the external cylinder and the internal shaft, and wherein openings are present in the lateral sides, the openings being connected to suction means or a source of air, for extraction or intake of air into the gap, respectively.
(See combination of the teaching of GERTITSCHKE with KITANO, in particular, see teaching in KITANO in Fig. 7 that includes flow along the annular gap between the core and the inner surface of the cylinder.)
Re 10 (upon 1), wherein the system comprises cooling means selected from:
cooling fluids comprising water or oil flowing in a gap of the rotating cylinder;
convective motions of air, refrigerated or non-refrigerated, by suction and/or
introduction into the rotating cylinder
(GERTITSCHKE does not teach of the external cylinder with internal passages, however, the KITANO reference teaches of the internal passages in the external cylinder.)
Re 11 (upon 5), wherein the external cylinder comprises internal serpentine passages connected to a refrigerant fluid source.
Whereupon, the teaching of the KITANO reference includes various serpentine passage as seen in Fig. 11, and it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modify the roller of the GERTITISCHKE with the flow of fluids in the rotating cylinder as taught by KITANO as an alternative known manner of temperature control of the roller assembly, see KSR rationale, MPEP2143, as applying a known technique to a known device (method or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See attached PTO-892 form, the references teaching of various roller structure mostly with induction heating, of particular note:
GRAF (US 4005302 A) teaches of the fluids flowing between the gaps, see teaching in GRAF, wherein see in Figs. 1-4, the coolant are taught to flow from supply 15 through the inductor flange and into the gaps, see Figs. 1 and 3, the coolant being removed via duct 16.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EMMANUEL S LUK whose telephone number is (571)272-1134. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9 to 5.
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, Xiao S 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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/EMMANUEL S LUK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1744
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