www.uspto.gov
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and TrademarkOffice
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`16/326,390
`
`02/19/2019
`
`JUNJI FUJIWARA
`
`2019-0873T
`
`1058
`
`wo
`
`o
`
`ACKL.
`
`WENDEROTH, LIND & PONACK L.L.P.
`1025 Connecticut Avenue, NW
`Suite 500
`Washington, DC 20036
`
`MAYE, AYUB A
`
`3761
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`05/11/2023
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`Thetime period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above-indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e-mail address(es):
`eoa@ wenderoth.com
`kmiller@wenderoth.com
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`Office Action Summary
`
`Application No.
`16/326,390
`Examiner
`AYUB A MAYE
`
`Applicant(s)
`FUJIWARAetal.
`Art Unit
`AIA (FITF) Status
`3761
`Yes
`
`-- The MAILING DATEof this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLYIS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available underthe provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply betimely filed after SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing
`date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, evenif timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`
`
`1) Responsive to communication(s) filed on 01/13/2023.
`C} A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
`2a)[¥) This action is FINAL.
`2b) (J This action is non-final.
`3)02 An election was madeby the applicant in responseto a restriction requirement set forth during the interview
`on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`4)\0) Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quayle, 1935 C.D. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`1,3-4,6-7,9-10 and 12-13 is/are pending in the application.
`)
`Claim(s)
`5a) Of the above claim(s) ___ is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`C) Claim(s)__ is/are allowed.
`Claim(s) 1,3-4,6-7,9-10 and 12-13 is/are rejected.
`1) Claim(s)__is/are objectedto.
`Cj} Claim(s)
`are subjectto restriction and/or election requirement
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you maybeeligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`http://Awww.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPHfeedback@uspto.gov.
`
`) ) ) )
`
`Application Papers
`10) The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)0) The drawing(s) filedon__ is/are: a)(J accepted or b)( objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12)[VM. Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d)or (f).
`Certified copies:
`c)Z None ofthe:
`b)() Some**
`a) All
`1... Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.1) Certified copies of the priority documents have beenreceived in Application No.
`3.4% Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been receivedin this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`* See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`1) ([] Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`2) (J Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3)
`
`(LJ Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`4) (J Other:
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20230422
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/326,390
`Art Unit: 3761
`
`Page 2
`
`Notice of Pre-AlA 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.
`
`This office action is responsive to the amendmentfiled on 07/29/2022. As directed
`
`by the amendment: Claims 1, 7 and 13 are amended andclaims 2, 5, 8 and 11. Thus,
`
`claims 1, 3-4, 6-7, 9-10 and 12-13 are presently under consideration in this application.
`
`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-AlA), 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, 9-10 and 12-13 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-AlA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
`
`Claim 7 recites the limitation "a peak current and a peak current period
`
`associated with a short circuit frequency"in lines 9-10. There is insufficient antecedent
`
`basis for this limitation in the claim. It is unclear if the limitation “determining a peak
`
`current and a peak current period associated with a short circuit frequency”in line 9-10
`
`is the same “a peak current and a peak current period associated with a shortcircuit
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/326,390
`Art Unit: 3761
`
`Page 3
`
`frequency”in line 8-9. Such “a peak current and a peak current period associated with a
`
`short circuit frequency” should be clearly defined. Furthermore, claim 7 recites the
`
`limitation "an object" in lines 17. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation
`
`in the claim. It is unclearif the limitation “an object’in line 17 is the same “an object” in
`
`line 1. Such “an object” should be clearly defined.
`
`Claim 13 recites the limitation " a short circuit frequency"in lines 11. There is
`
`insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is unclear if the limitation “a
`
`short circuit frequency”in line 11 is the same “a short circuit frequency”in line 7. Such
`
`“a short circuit frequency” should be clearly defined. Furthermore, claim 7 recites the
`
`limitation "an object" in lines 18. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation
`
`in the claim. It is unclearif the limitation “an object’in line 18 is the same “an object” in
`
`line 1. Such “an object” should be clearly defined.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`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 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 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all
`
`obviousnessrejections setforth 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
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/326,390
`Art Unit: 3761
`
`Page 4
`
`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.
`
`The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness
`
`under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized asfollows:
`
`1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
`
`2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
`
`3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
`
`4. Considering objective evidence presentin the application indicating
`
`obviousness or nonobviousness.
`
`Claims 1-4, 6-10 and 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being
`
`unpatentable over Fujiwara et al (2015/0096966) in views of Kawamotoetal
`
`(2014/0202993) and Hu etal (2004/00099648).
`
`For claim 1, Fujiwara teaches an arc welding device that welds an object (26 as
`
`shownin fig.1) to be welded by alternately repeating a short-circuit period in which a
`
`welding wire is short-circuited with the object to be welded and an arc period in which
`
`the shortcircuit is released and arc occurs (abstract, lines 1-5), the object (26 as shown
`
`in fig.1) to be welded being a surface-treated steel plate (par.16, lines 1-2), the arc
`
`welding device comprising:
`
`a welding output part (2,3,4,5,6 represent welding output part as shownin fig.1)
`
`that performs welding output (par.38, lines 5-8);
`
`a memory storing (15 as shownin fig.1), before welding (predetermined
`
`parameters that stored in the memory 15 as shownin fig.1), a combinations of
`
`associations between peakcurrent (IP as shownin fig.2), a peak current period (TP as
`
`shownin fig.2) and short circuit (examiner notes that the memory storage is capable of
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/326,390
`Art Unit: 3761
`
`Page 5
`
`storing combination of plurality waveforms paraments as shownin figure 2 that includes
`
`short circuit period, arc period, the current period) (par.19, lines 3-10 and par.42, lines
`
`1-6) which is a number of times (P1 to P5 number of period of times that are run as
`
`shownin fig.2) of the short circuit per predetermined time so that discharge of gas (30
`
`as shownin fig.4A-4C) generated from the object (26 as shownin fig. 4A-4C) to be
`
`welded during welding is prompted (par.19, lines 5-10, par.47, lines 1-4 and par.56,
`
`lines 1-4); and
`
`a determinator (14 as shownin fig.1) that determines the peak current (IP as
`
`shownin fig.2) and the peak current period (TP as shownin fig.2) associated with the
`
`short circuit set by a short circuit setter (17 as shownin fig.1) based on the short circuit
`
`set by the short circuit setter and the one or more combinations (the determinator
`
`determine the waveform parameters based on setting section and the plurality of
`
`combinations of waveform parametersthat includes peak current and peak current
`
`period and shortcircuit in the waveform) stored in the memory (15 as shownin fig.1)
`
`(fig.8-9, showsthe correlations between the parameters of current and short circuit in
`
`period of times) (par.41, lines 1-5 and par.43, lines 1-5),
`
`wherein the welding output part (2,3,4,5,6 represent welding output part as
`
`shownin fig.1) performs the welding output based on the peak current and the peak
`
`current period determined (fig.8 shows of performing waveform that determine
`
`combination of waveform parametersthat includes the peak current, peak current
`
`period, short circuit period during waveform duration) by the determinator (14 as shown
`
`in fig.1), the welding output prompting discharge of gas (30 as shownin fig.4A-4C)
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/326,390
`Art Unit: 3761
`
`Page 6
`
`generated from the object (26 as shownin fig.4A-4C) to be welded during welding
`
`(par.19, lines 3-10, par.42, lines 1-5 and par.43, lines 1-4).
`
`Fujiwara fails to teach memory storing combination of associations between a
`
`peak current, a peak current period and a shortcircuit frequency, wherein the peak
`
`current increases asthe short circuit frequency increases, and the peak current period
`
`decreases as the short circuit frequency increases and wherein the short circuit
`
`frequency is determined in accordance with a welding speed so that short circuit occurs
`
`at intervals of a welding line at intervals of equal to or less than 0.5 mm, and a hole
`
`opening including burn-through of an object to be welded and occurrence of a gas
`
`pocket including a blowhole and a spatter are suppressed.
`
`Kawamoto teaches, similar arc welding, a peak current period (element 13 as
`
`shownin fig.2c) and a short circuit frequency (from beginning of short circuit period to
`
`the end of arc period as shownin fig.2C), wherein the peak current increases (at the top
`
`of element 13 as shownin fig.2C) as the short circuit frequency increases(the short
`
`circuit frequency increase, whichis from the start of short circuit period to the end of arc
`
`period, when the peakcurrent reachesthe top of element 13 as shownin fig.2C), and
`
`the peak current period (at the end of element 14 as shownin fig.2C) decreases as the
`
`short circuit frequency increases (still the short circuit frequency increase, which is from
`
`the start of short circuit period to the end of arc period, when the peakcurrent period
`
`start decreasing from element 14 as shownin fig.2C), wherein the shortcircuit
`
`frequency(the frequency period is combination of short circuit period and arc period as
`
`shownin fig.2c) is determined in accordance with a welding speed so that short circuit
`
`occurs atintervals of a welding line (the correlation of short circuit frequency and the
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/326,390
`Art Unit: 3761
`
`Page 7
`
`speed) (21 as shownin fig.3) at intervals (par.54, lines 1-3 and par.57, lines 1-2), anda
`
`hole opening including burn-through of an object to be welded and occurrenceof a gas
`
`pocketincluding a blowhole and a spatter are suppressed (par.10, lines 1-2, par.32,
`
`lines 6-8 and par.33, lines 3-4). Fujiwara in views of Kawamotofails to teach intervals of
`
`equal to or less than 0.5 mm on a welding line.
`
`Therefore, t would have been obvious before the effective date af the claimed
`
`invention to one of orcinary skillin the art to modify the waveform welding parameters in
`
`the Fujiwara’s reference, ta include a hole opening such as burn-through of an object
`
`suppressed 4s taught anci suggested by Kawamoto for the purpose of reducing or
`
`suppressing number of pores in weld bead thereby improving the periodicity and the
`
`stability of the arc and improving welding performance (Kawamoto, par.57).
`
`Furthermore, the prior art, Fujiwara in views of Kawamoto teaches short circuit occurs at
`
`intervals of a welding line, but is not specific less than 0.5 mm, therefore, it would have
`
`been obvious before the effective date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in
`
`the art to modify short circuit occurs at intervals of a welding line of Fujiwara to include
`
`less than 0.5 mm as matter of routine optimization since it has been held that “where
`
`the general conditions of a claim are disciosed in the prior art (Kawamoto, par.57 and
`
`fig.2A and 3), it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine
`
`experimentation, such that one would have been motivated to short circuit occurs at
`
`intervals to be less than 0.5 mm for purpose of suppressing that occurrence of a
`
`blowhole and pit and occurrence of spatter " (MPEP 2144.05),
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/326,390
`Art Unit: 3761
`
`Page 8
`
`Hu teaches, similar arc welding, memorystoring (24 as shownin fig.1),
`
`(predefined welding parameters that already stored in the memorystorage for
`
`processing system for further analyzing and processing of data therefrom), combination
`
`of associations between a peak current, a peak current period and a short circuit
`
`frequency(par.37, lines 5-15, par.71, lines 6-10 and par.72, lines 1-5).
`
`Therefore, i would have been obvious before the effective date of the claimed
`
`invention to one of ordinary skillin the art to modify the shart circuit welding in the
`
`Fujiwara's reference, to include short circuit frequency as taught and suggested fy Hu
`
`for the puroose af monitoring every welding process and record the quality information
`
`into a quality management databasefor statistical analysis and process control,
`
`particularly, a graphical user interface (hereinafter "GUI") can display welding signals,
`
`signal processing results, stability analysis results, weld-quality information to detect
`
`signal welding problems, monitor weld quality, improve weld quality, and thereby,
`
`increase productivity (Hu, par.6, lines 1-5).
`
`For claim 3, Fujiwara in views of Hu teaches all the limitation as discussed above
`
`and Fujiwara further teaches wherein the peak current is equal to or higher than 300 A
`
`and equal to or lower than 700 A (par.69, lines 1-4).
`
`For claim 4, Fujiwara in views of Hu teaches all the limitation as discussed above
`
`and Fujiwara further teaches wherein a wire feed speed is periodically changed in a
`
`predetermined cycle and a predetermined amplitude (par.46, lines 1-8) (fig.8-9, shows
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/326,390
`Art Unit: 3761
`
`the wire feed speed in period of times).
`
`Page 9
`
`For claim 6, Fujiwara in views of Hu teaches all the limitation as discussed above
`
`and Fujiwara further teaches wherein the object to be weldedis a zinc-plated steel plate
`
`(par.53, lines 1-2).
`
`For claim 7, Fujiwara teaches arc welding control method for welding an object
`
`(26 as shownin fig.1) to be welded by alternately repeating a short-circuit period in
`
`which a welding wire is short-circuited with the object to be welded and anarcperiod in
`
`which the shortcircuit is released and arc occurs (abstract), the object (26 as shownin
`
`fig.1) to be welded being a surface-treated steel plate (par.16, lines 1-2), the arc
`
`welding control method comprising:
`
`setting a short circuit that is a number of times of the short circuit per
`
`predetermined time (P1 to P5 number of period of times that are run as shownin fig.2)
`
`(par.19, lines 3-10 and par.42, lines 1-6);
`
`determining (14 as shownin fig.1) a peak current and a peak current period
`
`associated with the short circuit set based on one or more combinations (the
`
`determinator determine the waveform parameters based on setting section and the
`
`plurality of combinations of waveform parameters that includes peak current and peak
`
`current period and short circuit in the waveform) associating so that discharge of gas
`
`generated from the object to be welded during welding is prompted(fig.8-9, shows the
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/326,390
`Art Unit: 3761
`
`Page 10
`
`correlations between the parameters of current and short circuit in period of times)
`
`(par.41, lines 1-5 and par.43, lines 1-5); and
`
`controlling welding output based on the peakcurrent (IP as shownin fig.2) and
`
`the peak current period (TP as shownin fig.2) which are determined, the welding output
`
`prompting discharge of gas generated from the object to be welded during welding
`
`(par.19, lines 3-10, par.42, lines 1-5 and par.43, lines 1-4).
`
`Fujiwara fails to teach setting a peak current period and a shortcircuit frequency,
`
`wherein the peak current increases as the short circuit frequency increases, and the
`
`peak current period decreases asthe short circuit frequency increases, a shortcircuit
`
`frequency combination of associations before welding between a peakcurrent, a peak
`
`current period and a shortcircuit frequency and wherein the short circuit frequency is
`
`determined in accordance with a welding speed so that short circuit occurs at intervals
`
`of a welding line at intervals of equal to or less than 0.5 mm, and a hole opening
`
`including burn-through of an object to be welded and occurrence of a gas pocket
`
`including a blowhole and a spatter are suppressed.
`
`Kawamoto teaches, similar arc welding, a peak current period (element 13 as
`
`shownin fig.2c) and a short circuit frequency (from beginning of short circuit period to
`
`the end of arc period as shownin fig.2C), wherein the peak current increases (at the top
`
`of element 13 as shownin fig.2C) as the short circuit frequency increases(the short
`
`circuit frequency increase, which is from the start of short circuit period to the end of arc
`
`period, when the peakcurrent reachesthe top of element 13 as shownin fig.2C), and
`
`the peak current period (at the end of element 14 as shownin fig.2C) decreases as the
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/326,390
`Art Unit: 3761
`
`Page 11
`
`short circuit frequency increases (still the short circuit frequency increase, which is from
`
`the start of short circuit period to the end of arc period, when the peakcurrent period
`
`start decreasing from element 14 as shownin fig.2C), wherein the shortcircuit
`
`frequency(the frequency period of short circuit period and arc period as shownin fig.2c)
`
`is determined in accordance with a welding speed so that short circuit occurs at
`
`intervals of a welding line (21 as shownin fig.3) at intervals (par.54, lines 1-3 and
`
`par.57, lines 1-2), and a hole opening including burn-through of an object to be welded
`
`and occurrence of a gas pocketincluding a blowhole and a spatter are suppressed
`
`(par.10, lines 1-2, par.32, lines 6-8 and par.33, lines 3-4). Fujiwara in views of
`
`Kawamoto fails to teach intervals of equal to or less than 0.5 mm on a welding line.
`
`Therefore, tf would have been obvious before the effective date of the claimed
`
`invention to one of orcinary skillin the ari ta modify the wavefarm welding parameters in
`
`the Fujiwara’s reference, to inclide a hole opening such as burn-through of an object
`
`suppressed 4s taught ancl suggested by Kawamoto for the purpose of reducing or
`
`suppressing number of pores in weld bead thereby improving the periodicity and the
`
`stability of the arc and improving welding performance (Kawamoto, par.57).
`
`Furthermore, the prior art, Fujiwara in views of Kawamoto teaches short circuit occurs at
`
`intervals of a welding line, but is not specific less than 0.5 mm, therefore, it would have
`
`been obvious before the effective date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in
`
`the art to modify short circuit occurs at intervals of a welding line of Fujiwara to include
`
`less than 0.5 mm as matter of routine optimization since it has been held that “where
`
`the general conditions of a claim are disciosed in the prior art (Kawamoto, par.57 and
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/326,390
`Art Unit: 3761
`
`Page 12
`
`fig.2A and 3), if is net inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine
`
`experimentation, such that one would have been motivated io short circuit occurs at
`
`intervals to be less than 0.5 mm for purpose of suppressing that occurrence of a
`
`blowhole and pit and occurrence of spatter “ (MPEP 2744.05).
`
`Hu teaches, similar arc welding, setting a short circuit frequency combination of
`
`associations before welding between a peakcurrent, a peak current period and a short
`
`circuit frequency (predefined welding parametersthat already stored in the memory
`
`storage for processing system for further analyzing and processing of data therefrom)
`
`(par.37, lines 5-15, par.71, lines 6-10 and par.72, lines 1-5).
`
`Therefore, ti would have been obvicus before the effective date of the clamed
`
`invention to one of ordinary skillin the art to modify the short circuit welding in the
`
`Fujiwara’s reference, ta include short circuit frequency as taught and suggested by Hu
`
`for the purpose af monitoring every welding process and record the quality information
`
`into a quality management databasefor statistical analysis and processcontrol,
`
`particularly, a graphical user interface (hereinafter "GUI") can display welding signals,
`
`signal processing results, stability analysis results, weld-quality information to detect
`
`signal welding problems, monitor weld quality, improve weld quality, and thereby,
`
`increase productivity (Hu, par.6, lines 1-5).
`
`For claim 9, Fujiwara in views of Hu teaches all the limitation as discussed above
`
`and Fujiwara further teaches wherein the peak current is equal to or higher than 300 A
`
`and equal to or lower than 700 A (par.69, lines 1-4).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/326,390
`Art Unit: 3761
`
`Page 13
`
`For claim 10, Fujiwara in views of Hu teaches all the limitation as discussed
`
`above and Fujiwara further teaches wherein a wire feed speedis periodically changed
`
`in a predetermined cycle and a predetermined amplitude (par.46) (fig.8-9, shows the
`
`wire feed speed in period of times).
`
`For claim 12, Fujiwara in views of Hu teaches all the limitation as discussed
`
`above and Fujiwara further teaches wherein the object to be weldedis a zinc-plated
`
`steel plate (par.53).
`
`For claim 13, Fujiwara teaches an arc welding device that welds an object to be
`
`welded by alternately repeating a short-circuit period in which a welding wire is short-
`
`circuited with the object to be welded and an arc period in which the shortcircuit is
`
`released and arc occurs (abstract), the object to be welded being a surface-treated steel
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`plate (par.16, lines 1-2), the arc welding device comprising:
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`a welding output part (2,3,4,5,6 represent welding output part as shownin fig.1)
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`that performs welding output (par.38, lines 5-8);
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`a memory storing (15 as shownin fig.1), before welding (predetermined
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`parameters that stored in the memory 15 as shownin fig.1), a combinations of
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`associations between peak current (IP as shownin fig.2), a peak current period (TP as
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`shownin fig.2) and short circuit (examiner notes that the memory storage is capable of
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`storing combination of plurality waveforms paraments as shownin figure 2 that includes
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`Application/Control Number: 16/326,390
`Art Unit: 3761
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`Page 14
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`short circuit period, arc period, the current period) (par.19, lines 3-10 and par.42, lines
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`1-6) which is a number of times (P1 to P5 number of period of times that are run as
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`shownin fig.2) of the short circuit per predetermined time so that discharge of gas (30
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`as shownin fig.4A-4C) generated from the object (26 as shownin fig. 4A-4C) to be
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`welded during welding is prompted (par.19, lines 5-10, par.47, lines 1-4 and par.56,
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`lines 1-4); and
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`a waveform parameter determinator (14 as shownin fig.1) that determines a
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`waveform parameter (such as IP as shownin fig.2) based on the short circuit set by the
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`short circuit setter (17 as shownin fig.1) and the one or more combinations (the
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`determinator determine the waveform parameters based on setting section and the
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`plurality of combinations of waveform parameters that includes peak current and peak
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`current period and short circuit in the waveform) stored in the memory (15 as shownin
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`fig.1) (fig.8-9, shows the correlations between the parameters of current and short
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`circuit in period of times) (par.41, lines 1-5 and par.43, lines 1-5),
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`wherein the welding output part (2,3,4,5,6 represent welding output part as
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`shownin fig.1) performs the welding output based on the peak current and the peak
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`current period determined (fig.8 shows of performing waveform that determine
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`combination of waveform parametersthat includes the peak current, peak current
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`period, short circuit period during waveform duration) by the determinator (14 as shown
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`in fig.1), the welding output prompting discharge of gas (80 as shownin fig.4A-4C)
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`generated from the object (26 as shownin fig.4A-4C) to be welded during welding
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`(par.19, lines 3-10, par.42, lines 1-5 and par.43, lines 1-4).
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`Application/Control Number: 16/326,390
`Art Unit: 3761
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`Page 15
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`Fujiwara fails to teach memory storing combination of associations between a
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`peak current, a peak current period and a shortcircuit frequency, wherein the peak
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`current increases asthe short circuit frequency increases, and the peak current period
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`decreases as the short circuit frequency increases, and wherein the shortcircuit
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`frequency is determined in accordance with a welding speed so that short circuit occurs
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`at intervals of a welding line at intervals of equal to or less than 0.5 mm, and a hole
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`opening including burn-through of an object to be welded and occurrence of a gas
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`pocket including a blowhole and a spatter are suppressed.
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`Kawamoto teaches, similar arc welding, a peak current period (element 13 as
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`shownin fig.2c) and a shortcircuit frequency (from beginning of short circuit period to
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`the end of arc period as shownin fig.2C), wherein the peak current increases(at the top
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`of element 13 as shownin fig.2C) as the short circuit frequency increases(the short
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`circuit frequency increase, which is from the start of short circuit period to the end of arc
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`period, when the peak current reachesthe top of element 13 as shownin fig.2C), and
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`the peak current period (at the end of element 14 as shownin fig.2C) decreases as the
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`short circuit frequency increases (still the short circuit frequency increase, which is from
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`the start of short circuit period to the end of arc period, when the peakcurrent period
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`start decreasing from element 14 as shownin fig.2C), wherein the shortcircuit
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`frequency(the frequency period of short circuit period and arc period as shownin fig.2c)
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`is determined in accordance with a welding speed so that short circuit occurs at
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`intervals of a welding line (21 as shownin fig.3) at intervals (par.54, lines 1-3 and
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`par.57, lines 1-2), and a hole opening such as burn-through of an object to be welded
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`and occurrence of a gas pocket such as a blowhole and a spatter are suppressed
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`Application/Control Number: 16/326,390
`Art Unit: 3761
`
`Page 16
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`(par.10, lines 1-2, par.32, lines 6-8 and par.33, lines 3-4). Fujiwara in views of
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`Kawamoto fails to teach intervals of equal to or less than 0.5 mm on a welding line.
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`Therefore, tf would have been obvious before the effective date of the claimed
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`invention to one of orcinary skill in the ari to modify the waveform welding parameters in
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`the Fujiwara’s reference, to inclide a hole opening such as burn-through of an object
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`suppressed 4s taught ancl suggested by Kawamotofor the purpose of reducing or
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`suppressing number of pores in weld bead thereby improving the periodicity and the
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`stability of the arc and improving welding performance (Kawamoto, par.57).
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`Furthermore, the prior art, Fujiwara in views of Kawamoto teaches short circuit occurs at
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`intervals of a welding line, but is not specific less than 0.5 mm, therefore, it would have
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`been obvious before the effective date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in
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`the art to modify short circuit occurs at intervals of a welding line of Fujiwara to include
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`less than 0.5 mm as matter of routine optimization since it has been held that “where
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`the general conditions of a claim are disciosed in the prior art (Kawamoto, par.57 and
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`fig.2A and 3), if is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine
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`experimentation, such that one would have been motivaied ta short circuit occurs at
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`intervals to be less than 0.5 mm for purpose of suppressing that occurrence of a
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`blowhole and pit and occurrence of spatter " (MPEP 2144.05),
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`Hu teaches, similar arc welding, memorystoring (24 as shownin fig.1),
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`(predefined welding parameters that already stored in the memorystorage for
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`processing system for further analyzing and processing of data therefrom), combination
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`Application/Control Number: 16/326,390
`Art Unit: 3761
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`Page 17
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`of associations between a peak current, a peak current period and a short circuit
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`frequency(par.37, lines 5-15, par.71, lines 6-10 and par.72, lines 1-5).
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`Therefore, ti would have been obvicus before the effective date of the claimed
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`invention to one of ordinary skillin the art to modify the short circuit welding in the
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`Fujiwara’s reference, ta include short circuit frequency as taught and suggested by Hu
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`for the purpose af monitoring every welding process and record the quality information
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`into a quality management databasefor statistical analysis and process control,
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`particularly, a graphical user interface (hereinafter "GUI") can display welding signals,
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`signal processing results, stability analysis results, weld-quality information to detect
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`signal welding problems, monitor weld quality, improve weld quality, and thereby,
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`increase productivity (Hu, par.6, lines 1-5).
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`Response to Amendmentd/Arguments
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`Applicant's argumentsfiled 01/13/2023 have been fully considered but they are
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`not persuasive.
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`Applicant argues that the combination of