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 7 and 10-18 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.
The term “low” in claim 7 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “low” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. The metes and bounds of “low” are unclear.
In claim 10 it is unclear how an AM metal member can be sized and shaped to correspond to a coupon opening in a body, when the claim is merely drawn to a metal coupon and does not positively require an undefined opening in a body. For purposes of examination the broadest reasonable interpretation has been applied.
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.
(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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5, 7, 11-12, 14, and 16-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Sercombe et al. (US2021/0114110A1) (hereafter Sercombe).
With respect to claim 1, Sercombe teaches a metal coupon for repairing a component (merely intended use) the metal coupon comprising: an additive manufactured (AM) metal member (additively fabricated metal member) having at least two porous regions and a braze material (infiltrate melt) infiltration barrier (infiltration barrier 402/504) positioned between the at least two porous regions, wherein the braze material infiltration barrier has a lower porosity than the at least two porous regions (figures 4B-4C and 5; and paragraphs 54-61). Note that paragraph 61 of Sercombe explicitly teaches that the infiltration barrier is sintered to a density >80%.
With respect to claims 2 and 11, Sercombe teaches wherein the at least two porous regions (501/502) each have a different porosity (figure 5; and paragraph 54). Note the regions have a different porosity after infiltration.
With respect to claims 3 and 12, Sercombe teaches wherein the at least two porous regions each include a different material (figure 5; and paragraph 54). Note the regions have a different material after infiltration.
With respect to claims 5 and 14, Sercombe teaches wherein the braze material infiltration barrier includes a different material than at least one of the at least two porous regions (paragraph 54).
With respect to claims 7 and 17, Sercombe teaches wherein the braze material infiltration barrier includes a low (broadest reasonable interpretation) porosity material (figures 4B-4C and 5; and paragraphs 54-61).
With respect to claim 10, Sercombe teaches a metal coupon configured for repair of a component (underlined portions are merely intended use), the metal coupon comprising: an additively manufactured (AM) metal member (additively fabricated metal member) sized and shaped to correspond to a coupon opening in a body (figures 4B-4C and 5; and paragraphs 54-61); at least two porous regions of the AM metal member, wherein at least one of the at least two porous regions is configured to be infiltrated by a braze material for coupling the AM metal coupon in the coupon opening (figures 4B-4C and 5; and paragraphs 54-61); and a braze material (infiltrate melt) infiltration barrier (infiltration barrier 402/504) positioned between two porous regions of the at least two porous regions, wherein the braze material infiltration barrier has a lower porosity than the two porous regions of the at least two porous regions, and wherein the braze material infiltration barrier separates the braze material in the at least one of the at least two porous regions from at least one other of the at least two porous regions (figures 4B-4C and 5; and paragraphs 54-61).
With respect to claim 16, Sercombe teaches wherein the braze material (infiltrate melt) is not in the braze material infiltration barrier (figures 4B-4C and 5; and paragraphs 54-61).
Claim(s) 1, 4, 6, 10, 13, and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Gibson et al. (US2018/0305266A1) (hereafter Gibson).
With respect to claim 1, Gibson teaches a metal coupon for repairing a component (merely intended use) the metal coupon comprising: an additive manufactured (AM) metal member (metal member additively manufactured) having at least two porous regions and a braze material (melted metal) infiltration barrier (infiltration/infiltrant barrier) positioned between the at least two porous regions, wherein the braze material infiltration barrier has a lower porosity than the at least two porous regions (figure 7; and paragraphs 40-41, 44, 71, 167, 172, 183, 191, 210, 225, 254, 321, 325, 331, 334, and 337-338).
With respect to claim 10, Gibson teaches a metal coupon configured for repair of a component (underlined portions are merely intended use), the metal coupon comprising: an additively manufactured (AM) metal member (metal member additively manufactured) sized and shaped to correspond to a coupon opening in a body (figure 7, paragraphs 40-41, 44, 71, 167, 172, 183, 191, 210, 225, 254, 321, 325, 331, 334, and 337-338); at least two porous regions of the AM metal member, wherein at least one of the at least two porous regions is configured to be infiltrated by a braze material for coupling the AM metal coupon in the coupon opening (figure 7, paragraphs 40-41, 44, 71, 167, 172, 183, 191, 210, 225, 254, 321, 325, 331, 334, and 337-338); and a braze material (melted metal) infiltration barrier (infiltration/infiltrant barrier) positioned between two porous regions of the at least two porous regions, wherein the braze material infiltration barrier has a lower porosity than the two porous regions of the at least two porous regions, and wherein the braze material infiltration barrier separates the braze material in the at least one of the at least two porous regions from at least one other of the at least two porous regions (figure 7; and paragraphs 40-41, 44, 71, 167, 172, 183, 191, 210, 225, 254, 321, 325, 331, 334, and 337-338).
With respect to claims 4 and 13, Gibson teaches wherein the braze material infiltration barrier includes an alloy of the different materials (paragraph 183).
With respect to claims 6 and 15, Gibson teaches wherein the braze material infiltration barrier includes a same material as at least one of the at least two porous regions.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-9 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.
Claim 18 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KILEY SHAWN STONER whose telephone number is (571)272-1183. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday.
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, Keith Walker can be reached on 571-272-3458. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KILEY S STONER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1735
