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 1-7 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.
Regarding claim 1, the claim recites “a downstream side in a direction in a plan view” twice in the claim limitation that starts “in any planes parallel to the plate members” which renders the claim indefinite because it is not clear if these are supposed to be two different downstream sides or if these are referring to the same side to describe the orientation of the inner and outer sides. For the purpose of examination, the second recitation of “a downstream side” will be interpreted as “the downstream side,” i.e., they are the same downstream sides. It is noted that it appears “downstream side” is referring to a physical side of the sheets and not simply a direction, and the claims would be clearer if written to make clear what physical object is being discussed, e.g., an inner side is positioned downstream from the first vertical wall corresponding portion and the second vertical wall corresponding portion toward the first top plate corresponding portion and the second top plate corresponding portion. Claims 2-7 depend from claim 1 and fail to clarify the indefinite language.
Regarding claim 2, the claim recites “a downstream side” which was previously recited in claim 1, thus it is unclear if this is a new downstream side or if it is referring to the previously recited downstream side. For the purpose of examination, this phrase will be interpreted as said downstream side.
Regarding claim 3, the claim recites the mold includes “surfaces substantially parallel to” other portions, which renders the claim indefinite because it is not clear what is required for something to be “substantially” parallel, e.g., it is parallel or the portions are simply not orthogonal to each other. For the purpose of examination, this phrase will be interpreted as the portions are not orthogonal to each other.
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)(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 and 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 2026/0233283 A1 to Sumikawa (it is noted that this application has a priority date of February 10, 2023, which is earlier than the May 1, 2024 filing date of the present application).
Regarding claim 1, Sumikawa teaches a method of manufacturing a formed product having a top plate portion and a vertical wall portion by pressing plate members placed on each other (Abstract; Fig. 9), the method comprising:
joining a first member and a second member to each other by welding a first top plate corresponding portion and a second top plate corresponding portion to each other in a state where the first member 3 is placed on the second member 4 to include an extending portion (Fig. 9; Para. [0047]);
curving a first vertical wall corresponding portion, a second vertical wall corresponding portion, and the extending portion of the plate members toward a moving direction by moving a metal press mold D in the moving direction in a state where the first top plate corresponding portion and the second top plate corresponding portion after the joining are clamped to thereby make the metal press mold contact the extending portion (Figs. 9A-B; Para. [0069]; as shown in Fig. 9A the die would contact the extending portion of sheet 3, and Para. [0069] states that the cold forming is performed by moving the die downward, which would result initially in curving the vertical wall portions as the die moves down into the position shown in Fig. 9B); and
forming the top plate portion and the vertical wall portion by further moving the metal press mold D in the moving direction in a state where the first vertical wall corresponding portion, the second vertical wall corresponding portion, and the extending portion are curved by the metal press mold to thereby press the first vertical wall corresponding portion and the second vertical wall corresponding portion of the plate members by the metal press mold (Figs. 9A-B; Para. [0069]; the shape shown in Fig. 9B is formed when the die moves downward to the position where the workpieces are sandwiched between the die and punch, and as shown in Fig. 9 the product includes a top plate portion and vertical wall portions);
the plate members comprising the first member 3 and the second member 4 (Fig. 9A),
the first member comprising the first top plate corresponding portion that corresponds to one part of the top plate portion of the formed product, the first vertical wall corresponding portion that corresponds to at least one part of the vertical wall portion of the formed product, and the extending portion (Figs. 9A-C show the first member 3 includes portions corresponding to the top sheet and vertical wall portions which are shown in Fig. 9B, and the extending portion is the portions of sheet 3 that extend beyond the sheet 4),
the second member 4 being placed on the first member and comprising the second top plate corresponding portion that corresponds to an other part of the top plate portion of the formed product, and the second vertical wall corresponding portion that corresponds to at least an other part of the vertical wall portion of the formed product (Figs. 9A-C show the second member 4 includes portions corresponding to the top sheet and vertical wall portions which are shown in Fig. 9B),
in any planes parallel to the plate members, a downstream side in a direction in a plan view from the first vertical wall corresponding portion and the second vertical wall corresponding portion toward the first top plate corresponding portion and the second top plate corresponding portion being an inner side, and a downstream side in a direction in a plan view from the first vertical wall corresponding portion and the second vertical wall corresponding portion toward a side opposite to the first top plate corresponding portion and the second top plate corresponding portion being an outer side (Figs. 9A-C show the plates are oriented such that there is a downstream direction in which the vertical wall portions are formed relative to the top portion and the plates include inner and outer sides relative to the downstream side, e.g., an inner side towards the center of the blanks in Fig. 9A and an outer side at the lateral sides of the blanks in Fig. 9A),
an end portion of the first member on the outer side being a first end, and an end portion of the second member on the outer side being a second end (Figs. 9A-B show the ends of the first and second members),
the first end being located on the outer side with respect to the second end (Figs. 9A-C show that the first end, i.e., the end of sheet 3, is located farther out than the second end, i.e., the end of the sheet 4),
the extending portion being a region of the first member from the first end to a portion of the first member on which the second end is placed (Figs. 9A-C show that the extending portion is the portion between the end of sheet 4 and the end of sheet 3), and
the moving direction being a direction from the first member 3 toward the second member 4 (Figs. 9A-C show that the dies move such that it contacts sheet 3 first and then moves towards sheet 4, i.e., the movement direction is going from sheet 3 to sheet 4).
Regarding claim 5, Sumikawa teaches the method of manufacturing a formed product according to claim 1 (Fig. 4), wherein a plate thickness of the second member is equal to or greater than a plate thickness of the first member (Table 1 shows the thickness of the sheets in some examples, and Inventive Examples 2, 4 and 5 include a second member with greater thickness than the first member).
Regarding claim 6, Sumikawa teaches the method of manufacturing a formed product according to claim 1 (Fig. 4), further comprising: welding the first member 3 and the second member 4 to each other in the vertical wall portion after the top plate portion and the vertical wall portion are formed (Fig. 4; Para. [0049]; after the vertical wall portion and top plate portions have been formed, the sheets are welded together).
Regarding claim 7, Sumikawa teaches the method of manufacturing a formed product according to claim 1 (Figs. 4 and 9), wherein the formed product is an automobile part (Para. [0002]; a part for an automobile is formed).
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 2-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sumikawa in view of US 2015/0190860 A1 to Terazawa.
Regarding claim 2, Sumikawa teaches the method of manufacturing a formed product according to claim 1 (Figs. 4 and 9).
Sumikawa fails to explicitly teach wherein the metal press mold comprises: a vertical wall-forming portion for forming the vertical wall portion; and a shoulder portion that is located on a downstream side in the moving direction with respect to an end of the vertical wall-forming portion on the downstream side in the moving direction and includes a surface on the outer side with respect to the vertical wall-forming portion whose angle to the moving direction is greater than an angle of the vertical wall portion to the moving direction; wherein, in the curving, the second end is disposed on the inner side with respect to the shoulder portion, and wherein, in the curving, the first vertical wall corresponding portion, the second vertical wall corresponding portion, and the extending portion of the plate members are curved toward the moving direction by the shoulder portion contacting the extending portion. While Sumikawa teaches using a mold to form the workpieces (Fig. 9), the mold is for a hat-shaped cross-section that does not include stepped features.
Terazawa teaches a method for manufacturing a formed product for automobiles (Abstract; Para. [0001]) including a metal press mold that comprises:
a vertical wall-forming portion for forming the vertical wall portion (Examiner Annotated Fig. 1 is provided below and shows the vertical wall forming portion); and
a shoulder portion that is located on a downstream side in the moving direction with respect to an end of the vertical wall-forming portion on the downstream side in the moving direction (Examiner Annotated Fig. 1 shows the shoulder is downstream of the vertical wall forming portion) and includes a surface on the outer side with respect to the vertical wall-forming portion whose angle to the moving direction is greater than an angle of the vertical wall portion to the moving direction (Examiner Annotated Fig. 1 shows that the shoulder portion includes a steeper angle relative to the movement direction than the vertical wall forming portion which includes a curved surface with a smaller angle near the bottom of the portion).
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It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the shape of the die in Sumikawa to include the shape taught by Terazawa so that automobile parts such as the ABS cover may be manufactured (Terazawa, Para. [0001]). Further, using the mold shape of Terazawa results in wherein, in the curving, the second end is disposed on the inner side with respect to the shoulder portion (Terazawa, Figs. 1a-b; the shoulder portion of Terazawa is positioned to contact the ends of the sheet beyond where the two vertical wall portions are formed, and Sumikawa teaches that the second end is disposed within the vertical wall, as shown in Figs. 4 and 8, thus the shoulder in Terazawa would contact the extending portion of the sheet beyond the second end), and wherein, in the curving, the first vertical wall corresponding portion, the second vertical wall corresponding portion, and the extending portion of the plate members are curved toward the moving direction by the shoulder portion contacting the extending portion (Terazawa, Figs. 1A-B; the movement of the mold would result in the first and second vertical wall portion and the extending portion of the plate members being curved due to the movement of the molds).
Regarding claim 3, modified Sumikawa teaches the method of manufacturing a formed product according to claim 1 (Fig. 1).
Sumikawa fails to explicitly teach wherein the metal press mold has a step shape having surfaces substantially parallel to the top plate portion, wherein the surfaces comprise a first surface on an upstream side in the moving direction, and a second surface on a downstream side of the moving direction, wherein, in the curving, the first vertical wall corresponding portion, the second vertical wall corresponding portion, and the extending portion of the plate members are curved toward the moving direction by the second surface contacting the extending portion, and wherein, in the forming of the top plate portion and the vertical wall portion, a flange portion that extends toward the outer side from the vertical wall portion is formed by the first surface contacting the extending portion.
Terazawa teaches a method for manufacturing a formed product for automobiles (Abstract; Para. [0001]) including a metal press mold that has a step shape having surfaces substantially parallel to the top plate portion (Examiner Annotated Fig. 1 shows the first surface is substantially parallel to the surface that forms the top plate portion, i.e., the flat surface at the top of the mold), wherein the surfaces comprise a first surface on an upstream side in the moving direction (Examiner Annotated Fig. 1), and a second surface on a downstream side of the moving direction (Examiner Annotated Fig. 1).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the shape of the die in Sumikawa to include the shape taught by Terazawa so that automobile parts such as the ABS cover may be manufactured (Terazawa, Para. [0001]). Using the mold shape of Terazawa results in wherein, in the curving, the first vertical wall corresponding portion, the second vertical wall corresponding portion, and the extending portion of the plate members are curved toward the moving direction by the second surface contacting the extending portion (Terazawa, Figs. 1a-b; the shoulder portion of Terazawa is positioned to contact the ends of the sheet beyond where the two vertical wall portions are formed, and Sumikawa teaches that the second end is disposed within the vertical wall, as shown in Figs. 4 and 8, thus the shoulder in Terazawa would contact the extending portion of the sheet beyond the second end when curving the sheets at the beginning of the forming process), and wherein, in the forming of the top plate portion and the vertical wall portion, a flange portion that extends toward the outer side from the vertical wall portion is formed by the first surface contacting the extending portion (Examiner Annotated Fig. 1 shows that first surface that creates a flange portion that extends toward the outer side form one of the vertical wall portions).
Regarding claim 4, modified Sumikawa teaches the method of manufacturing a formed product according to claim 2 (Figs. 4 and 8), wherein, in the forming of the top plate portion and the vertical wall portion, a forming of a flange portion that extends toward the outer side from the vertical wall portion is completed on the inner side with respect to the shoulder portion (Terazawa, Examiner Annotated Fig. 1; modified Sumikawa uses the mold shape of Terazawa, which teaches a flange portion is formed that extends toward the outer side form the vertical wall portion and is on the inner side of the shoulder portion, e.g., the flange formed by first surface would be on the inner side of the shoulder and extend out from the vertical wall portion).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2026/0192348 A1 (it is noted that this application has a priority date of December 5, 2022, which is earlier than the May 1, 2024 filing date of the present application) teaches a method of forming a product using a mold to bend two blanks connected to each other such that one blank extends past the end of the other blank (Fig. 5; Paras. [0047]-[0049]). US 2002/0041050 A1 (Figs. 1-3; Paras. [0024]-[0027]) teaches a method for forming a product including joining two blanks together and then bending the blanks in a mold.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW STEPHENS whose telephone number is (571)272-6722. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 930-630.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chris Templeton can be reached at (571)270-1477. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MATTHEW STEPHENS/Examiner, Art Unit 3725
/Christopher L Templeton/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3725
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