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 because Figs 2B, 3B, 8-11A, 12A-18B should be drawn with black and white lines only.
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, “a first fixed blade fixed relative to the bit body with fixed blade cutting elements affixed thereto radially overlapping at least the first central region” in claim 10 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 Objections
Claim 1, lines 2, 7 and 8, “A” should not be capitalized.
Claim 8, lines 2, 6 and 7, “A” should not be capitalized.
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 10-21 and 23 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 10 recites “the first central region”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 10 recites “a first fixed blade fixed relative to the bit body with fixed blade cutting elements affixed thereto radially overlapping at least the first central region” that is unclear what it is referring because no drawing shows the subject matter.
Claims 11-21 and 23 are rented as being dependent on claim 10.
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) 1-23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Buske et al. (9657527 – Buske).
Buske discloses a roller cone, comprising:
Re claim 1:
a body 329 (i.e., fig. 18) having concentrically formed around a cone axis X, the body extending from an outer region to a nose region N (see attached figure below), wherein the nose region is positioned radially outward from a point along the cone axis at a distance such that the nose region has a blunted cross-sectional shape such that the blunted cross-sectional shape is configured to contact a formation with a wider surface area;
a plurality of inserts 335, 335’, 335” disposed on the body of the roller cone; and
a plurality of cutting elements C disposed on the nose region, wherein at least one of the plurality of cutting elements has at least one cutting edge.
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Re claim 2, the plurality of inserts on the body are crushing inserts (i.e., col. 16:28-30, “cutting elements”).
Re claim 3, at least a second of the plurality of cutting elements C having more than one cutting edge (i.e., see attached figure)
Re claim 4, at least a second of the plurality of cutting elements has three cutting edges (see attached figure).
Re claim 5, at least a second of the plurality of cutting elements has four or more cutting edges (i.e., fig. 13).
Re claim 6, the at least one cutting edge is a continuous cutting edge (i.e., multiple cutting edges are connected - continuous cutting edge).
Re claim 7, the blunted cross-sectional shape B is selected from a group consisting of concave, convex, flat, and variable spline (see attached figure).
Buske discloses a drill bit, comprising:
Re claim 8 (pertinent to claims 1 and 6 above):
a body concentrically formed around a cone axis, the body extending from an outer region to a nose region, wherein the nose region is positioned radially outward from a point along the cone axis at a distance such that the nose region has a blunted cross-sectional shape such that the blunted cross-sectional shape is configured to contact a formation with a wide surface area; a plurality of inserts disposed on the body of the roller cone; and a plurality of cutting elements disposed on the nose region, wherein the plurality of cutting elements comprises at least one cutting element with a continuous cutting edge and at least a second cutting element with at least one cutting edge.
Re claim 9, at least a third cutting element C disposed on the nose region, wherein the at least a third cutting element has more than one cutting edge (see attached figure).
Buske discloses a drill bit, comprising:
Re claim 10 (as best understood – 112 issue) :
a bit body 13 (i.e., fig. 2) having a rotational axis (i.e., fig. 18, center in the direction of circular rotation);
a roller cone 329 supported by the bit body, the roller cone including: a nose region, the nose region being positioned radially back from the rotational axis at a distance thereby forming a wide surface area and a blunted design, and wherein the nose region further comprises a plurality of cutting elements arranged thereon, at least one of the plurality of cutting elements has at least one cutting edge (this is pertinent to claim 1 above); and
a first fixed blade 327 fixed relative to the bit body with fixed blade cutting elements 343 affixed thereto radially overlapping at least the first central region (i.e., center part of the blade, fig. 18).
Re claim 11, at least a second roller cone 333 (i.e., fig. 18), the at least second roller cone further being supported by the bit body, the at least second roller cone including: a second cone nose region, the second cone nose region being positioned radially back from the rotational axis thereby forming a wide surface area and a blunted design, and wherein the second cone nose region further comprises at least one cutting element arranged thereon, at least one cutting element having at least one cutting edge (pertinent to attached figure above).
Re claim 12, the roller cone further comprises a plurality of inserts 335-335” on a roller cone body.
Re claim 13, the plurality of inserts are crushing inserts (i.e., col. 16:28-30, “cutting elements”).
Re claim 14, the at least second roller cone comprises a plurality of second cone inserts 337 on a second roller cone body.
Re claim 15, the plurality of second cone inserts are crushing inserts (i.e., col. 16:4-6, “cutting elements”).
Re claim 16, at least a second of the plurality of cutting elements C has more than one cutting edge (see claim 3).
Re claim 17, the at least a second of the plurality of cutting elements C has three cutting edges (see claim 4).
Re claim 18, the at least a second of the plurality of cutting elements C has four or more cutting edges (see claim 5).
Re claims 19, 20, the at least one cutting edge is a continuous cutting edge (see claim 6).
Re claim 21, at least two cutting elements C (see attached figure).
Re claims 22, 23, the distance is at least 10% of a drill bit body diameter (i.e., fig. 18).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The cited prior art all show similar features to those of the claimed invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YONG-SUK (PHILIP) RO whose telephone number is (571)270-5466. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00-4:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tara Schimpf can be reached at 571-270-7741. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YONG-SUK (PHILIP) RO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3676