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 § 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) 12, 15-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Copperthite et al. (2021/0379690A1).
Regarding claim 12, Copperthite discloses a method of ultrasonically welding a conductive pin to a workpiece, the method comprising the steps of:(a) moving a conductive pin from a conductive pin supply 200a to a sonotrode 202a using a pin feeding system (the vacuum 204, 204a), the pin feeding system including a pin singulator (the opening in the sonotrode for holding only one pin) for providing the conductive pin in a predetermined orientation; and(b) ultrasonically welding the conductive pin to the workpiece using the sonotrode (figures 2A-C, paragraphs 0028-0029).
Regarding claim 15, Copperthite discloses a method of ultrasonically welding a conductive pin to a workpiece, the method comprising the steps of:(a) moving a conductive pin 200a1 from a conductive pin supply 200a to a sonotrode 202a using a pin feeding system, the pin feeding system including a pin transfer structure (vacuum 204 and pipe 204a) for transferring the conductive pin from a conductive pin supply to the sonotrode (the vacuum sucks the pin from the supply to the sonotrode); and(b) ultrasonically welding the conductive pin to the workpiece using the sonotrode (figures 2A-C, paragraphs 0028-0029).
Regarding claim 16, Copperthite discloses that the pin transfer structure (vacuum 204 and pipe 204a) includes a moveable assembly (moves with the weld head assembly 112, figure 2A) for moving the conductive pin to a position adjacent a working end of the sonotrode (figure 2A, paragraphs 0028-0029).
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.
Claim(s) 1, 5, 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Copperthite et al. (2021/0379690A1) in view of Mauer (WO2006/008123A1).
Regarding claim 1, Copperthite discloses a method of ultrasonically welding a conductive pin 200a1 to a workpiece 102a2, the method comprising the steps of:(a) moving a conductive pin 200a1 from a conductive pin supply 200a to a sonotrode 202a; and(b) ultrasonically welding the conductive pin to the workpiece using the sonotrode (paragraphs 0022-0029, figures 1-2).
Copperthite does not specifically disclose that the pin feeding system including a pin supply tube. However, Mauer discloses an apparatus that uses a tube 16 for feeding pins/components 5 instead of a tray as taught in Copperthite to the welding tool in order to weld the pin/component to the workpiece (figure 1). To one skilled in the art at the time of the invention it would have been obvious to use a tube for supplying the component/pin to the welding tool instead of a tray because it would cut out the separate pin holding apparatus and cut down on the movement of the tool before each welding operation. This would cut down on time if the tool isn’t required to constantly move back and forth to pick up a pin each time.
Regarding claim 5, Mauer discloses a pin transfer structure (opening of 12) for transferring the conductive pin from the pin supply tube to the sonotrode (figures 1, 4).
Regarding claim 7, Mauer discloses that the pin transfer structure includes a moveable assembly for moving the conductive pin to a position adjacent a working end of the sonotrode (figures 1, 4).
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Copperthite et al. (2021/0379690A1) in view of Mauer (WO2006/008123A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Thompson (4,988,240).
Regarding claim 2, Mauer discloses moving the conductive pin through the pin supply tube, but is silent to how it happens. Thompson discloses that it is known to move materials through a tube using pneumatic pressure (column 2 lines 24-32). While Thompson is used for a different application, one skilled in the art would know to use a known method for moving materials through a pipe/tube. To one skilled in the art at the time of the invention it would have been obvious to use a known pressure such as pneumatic pressure because it allows the user to control the movement of the pin through the tube.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-4, 6, 8-11, 13-14 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Prior art was not found that taught or suggested a step of providing the conductive pin in a predetermined orientation to the pin supply tube using a pin singulator prior to step (a). Prior art was not found that taught or suggested wherein the pin transfer structure includes a pin buffer for staging the conductive pin prior to transfer to the sonotrode. Prior art was not found that taught or suggested wherein the pin transfer structure includes (i) a pin buffer for staging the conductive pin prior to transfer to the sonotrode, and (ii) a moveable assembly for receiving the conductive pin from the pin buffer and for moving the conductive pin to a position adjacent a working end of the sonotrode. Prior art was not found that taught or suggested wherein step (a) includes moving the conductive pin from the pin singulator towards the sonotrode using a pin supply tube, wherein the pin singulator provides the conductive pin in the predetermined orientation to the pin supply tube.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIN B SAAD whose telephone number is (571)270-3634. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 7:30a-6p.
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/ERIN B SAAD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1735
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