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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “outer peripheral end” of the cutting edge and the “center of a circumcircle…an outer peripheral end of the cutting edge is aligned with a rotational axis of the body in a front view” as in claim 7, must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claim 1 recites in line 7 the term “rearward”. However, the metes and bounds of where exactly “rearward” is, have not been set forth. In relation to what is this positional term “rearward”, considered as being “rearward”. Further clarification is needed.
Claim 1 recites in line 8 that at least one abutment surface is provided on “each of a front side and a rear side with respect to the fastening part”. However, it is unclear where exactly these positional terms are being considered as “front side” and “rear side”. Front side and rear side of what? Further clarification is needed.
Claim 4 recites in lines 2-3 “a distance therebetween increases from one side toward the other side in the bottom view”. However, it is unclear what these “one side” and “the other side” are. It is also unclear where these “one” and “the other” sides are located at. One side of what? The other side of what? Further clarification is needed.
Claim 7 recites in line 3 “an outer peripheral end of the cutting edge”. However, it is unclear in relation to what is this end, considered as “outer peripheral end”. As best understood, when viewing Applicant’s Figure 16 and paragraph [0028], there is no “outer peripheral end” of the cutting edge 53. Further clarification is needed.
Claim 7 recites in lines 2-4 “a center of a circumcircle that circumscribes the guide parts and an outer peripheral end of the cutting edge is aligned with a rotational axis of the body in a front view”. However, it is unclear in what sense are each of the circumcircle’s center, outer peripheral end of the cutting edge and rotational axis are being “aligned”. Is it that they are coaxial? As best understood, when viewing Applicant’s Figure 16 and paragraph [0028], there is no alignment between circumcircle’s center, outer peripheral end of the cutting edge and rotational axis. Further clarification is needed
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.
Claim(s) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hecht US 2021/0331256.
In regards to claim 1, Hecht discloses a cutting insert (20) mounted to a body (66) when hole machining is performed on a workpiece, the cutting insert (20) comprising: a cutting edge (46/48) that cuts the workpiece; at least two guide parts (42, 56) that are in sliding contact with an inner surface of a machined hole of the workpiece that has been formed by hole machining (see Figures 2 and 10); and a fastening part (84) for fixing the cutting insert to the body (see Figure 7), wherein at least one abutment surface (24) that faces rearward (e.g. machining end) is provided on each of a front side and a rear side with respect to the fastening part (see Figures 3 and 4).
In regards to claim 2, Hecht discloses the cutting insert according to claim 1, Hecht also discloses that the cutting insert (20) is formed in a substantially semicircular shape in a front view (see Figure 2).
In regards to claim 3, Hecht discloses the cutting insert according to claim 1, Hecht also discloses that the abutment surface on the front side (24) and the abutment surface on the rear side (the other one of 24) are non-parallel to each other in a bottom view (see Figure 4).
In regards to claim 4, Hecht discloses the cutting insert according to claim 3, Hecht also discloses that the abutment surface on the front side (24) and the abutment surface on the rear side (the other one of 24) are arranged such that a distance therebetween increases from one side toward the other side in the bottom view (see Figure 4, and note that due to the tapering shape, a distance therebetween increases from one side toward the other side).
In regards to claim 5, Hecht discloses the cutting insert according to claim 1, Hecht also discloses that the abutment surface on the rear side is constituted by at least two abutment surface divisions (see Figure 4, and note that since the abutment surface on the rear side, has an apex which divides the abutment surface into at least two abutment surface division).
In regards to claim 6, Hecht discloses the cutting insert according to claim 1, Hecht also discloses a cutting tool (64), comprising: the cutting insert (50) and a body (66) to which the cutting insert is mounted (see Figures 7 and 8).
In regards to claim 7, Hecht discloses the cutting insert according to claim 6, Hecht also discloses that the cutting insert (50) is mounted to the body (66) in a state in which a center of a circumcircle (C1) that circumscribes the guide parts and an outer peripheral end (in the same way as presented by Applicant) of the cutting edge (46) is aligned with a rotational axis of the body in a front view (see Figure 2).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NICOLE N RAMOS whose telephone number is (571)272-5134. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thu 7:00 am -5:00 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, 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.
/NICOLE N RAMOS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3722
