Fusion System: Rebirth in a Courtyard - Bird Fighting Chronicles

Chapter 124 Patent Application Faces Challenges, Ingenuity Overcomes Difficulties

As the morning sun peeked over the blue brick walls of the courtyard house, Lin Chen was awakened by the sound of bicycle bells outside. He rubbed his eyes, put on his clothes, and pushed open the door. He saw Yi Zhonghai standing in the middle of the courtyard, pushing a worn-out Forever brand bicycle with a bulging blue cloth bag strapped to the back seat. Yan Bugui was carrying an abacus and clutching a yellowed account book. The two of them were looking up at his window.

"Xiao Lin, you're awake?" Yi Zhonghai's voice was filled with undisguised excitement. His usually furrowed brows were now relaxed, and even the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were filled with smiles. "Old Yan and I were thinking of going to the workshop early to go over the patent application materials again. This is the first time our factory has applied for a patent, so we can't afford to make any mistakes."

Yan Bugui also came over and handed the ledger to Lin Chen. The ledger was densely covered with red and black writing. The red marked various expenses for the patent application, while the black recorded cost comparisons of different processes. "Look, Lin, I calculated the patent application costs overnight. The official fee plus the agency fee totaled 238.5 yuan. I asked Old Li in the finance department, and the factory can reimburse 70%. In addition, I calculated that if the patent is approved, we can collect 5,000 yuan in technology transfer fees alone every year, enough to buy two new machine tools for the workshop." As he spoke, his fingers flew across the abacus, and the crisp sound of the beads colliding was particularly pleasant in the courtyard in the early morning.

Lin Chen took the ledger and flipped through it. He saw that every item was clearly marked, even the few cents for photocopying materials were recorded, and the finance department's approval comments were attached at the end. He couldn't help but praise, "Uncle Yan, your accounting is even more precise than a bank's abacus! With you in charge of costs, our project is already halfway secure."

As they were talking, Qin Huairu came out of the west wing carrying a steaming enamel basin filled with freshly steamed cornbread, which still carried a faint aroma of dates. "Xiao Lin, Uncle Yi, Lao Yan, have some breakfast before you go." She placed the basin on the stone table in the middle courtyard and then took out three rough porcelain bowls and a small dish of pickled vegetables from inside the house. "I heard from Jia Dang that you're going to apply for a patent. That's great news! Our courtyard will have an inventor in the future."

Jia Dang followed him out, holding several drawings filled with lines, a hint of shyness on his face: "Brother Lin, last night I drew a few sketches of sewing machine presser foot molds based on the drafting basics book you gave me. See if you can use them. I was thinking that if I could make my own molds, I could make more intricate patterns of clothes in the future."

Lin Chen took the drawings and examined them carefully. He saw that the presser foot mold on the drawings was ingeniously designed, with dimensions marked and an assembly diagram drawn. Although the lines were a bit immature, it was clear that a lot of effort had been put into it. "Well done!" Lin Chen exclaimed sincerely. "If you adjust the chamfer angle a little more, you can take it directly to trial production. Once our workshop equipment is debugged, I'll make a sample set for you."

Yi Zhonghai also came over to look at the drawings, nodded and said, "This kid has talent, just like I did when I was learning a craft. You should come to the technical exchange meeting this afternoon too. I'll teach you how to hand-polish molds, and Xiao Lin will teach you how to draw. It won't be long before you're able to work on your own."

As everyone was talking, Sha Zhu rode a brand-new bicycle into the courtyard, two oilcloth bags hanging from the handlebars. He shouted, "Good news! Good news!" He stopped, placed the oilcloth bags on the stone table, and opened them. Inside were two jin of steamed buns and a packet of braised beef. "The guesthouse manager heard we'd succeeded in our technological innovation and specially approved these things for me so everyone could have a special meal! He also said that once our patent is approved, he'll treat the entire workshop to a big meal at the guesthouse!"

Hearing the commotion, the neighbors in the courtyard all came out and gathered around the stone table, chatting and laughing. Liu Guangtian, holding a newly made locator, excitedly said, "Brother Lin, Uncle Yi, I tested this locator last night. The gear chamfering I used to grind the gears had an error of less than 0.005 millimeters, even more precise than we expected!" Liu Guangfu chimed in, "I've sorted all the scrap steel in the warehouse and made registration cards according to Uncle Yan's method. Now it's much easier to find materials; I don't have to spend half a day searching like before."

Looking at the lively scene before him, Lin Chen felt a surge of warmth in his heart. The courtyard, once filled with scheming and conflict, had now become a united and supportive family. He picked up a cornbread bun, took a bite, and the sweet aroma of dates filled his mouth. This was the most satisfying breakfast he had eaten since his rebirth.

After breakfast, Lin Chen, Yi Zhonghai, and Yan Bugui rode their bicycles to the steel rolling mill. As soon as they arrived at the workshop entrance, they saw the factory director and technical staff waiting for them. The director, holding a document and smiling, said, "Lin, Yi, Yan, I have good news for you! Our technological innovation project has been listed as a key support project by the city. This is the approval document for the project funding—a total of 50,000 yuan!"

Yi Zhonghai received the approval document, his hands trembling slightly. He had worked in the workshop for thirty years, and this was the first time he had received such a large special allocation. Yan Bugui quickly came over, pulled out his abacus, and started calculating rapidly: "Fifty thousand yuan! Enough to buy a new smelting furnace, and two more CNC machine tools! If we're careful with the money, we can even get a new set of tools for each of the apprentices in the workshop!"

The factory manager patted Lin Chen on the shoulder: "Xiao Lin, the city leaders attach great importance to this project and want us to get the patent application approved as soon as possible. They also recommended an expert from the patent office who will come over this morning to guide us in preparing the materials. This expert is a well-known patent attorney in North China. With his help, our patent application will definitely go smoothly."

As everyone entered the workshop, they saw the workers already busy at work. In the quenching area, several of Yi Zhonghai's old apprentices were performing quenching operations according to the methods he had taught them, each holding a small notebook and carefully recording the temperature and sounds during quenching; next to the scrap pile, Yan Bugui's cost accounting team was methodically sorting and stacking scrap steel, with each scrap steel registration card neatly inserted; in the drafting area, Liu Guangtian and Jia Geng were discussing a drawing, occasionally making annotations on it with a pencil.

Around 10 a.m., Professor Wang, an expert from the Patent Office, arrived as scheduled. Professor Wang was an elderly man in his sixties, wearing thick reading glasses and carrying a briefcase full of documents. As soon as he entered the workshop, he went straight to the trial production area, picked up the newly produced gears and examined them carefully, repeatedly observing the surface texture of the gears with a magnifying glass he carried with him.

"Not bad, not bad," Professor Wang put down his magnifying glass and nodded in satisfaction. "The precision of this gear has reached the international advanced level, especially the chamfering. It is rare to achieve this level of precision by hand grinding." He turned to Yi Zhonghai, "Master, you must have decades of forging experience, right? This kind of 'listening to the sound to determine the temperature' technique is now rarely mastered by anyone."

Yi Zhonghai quickly stepped forward and said respectfully, "Professor Wang, I have been in the forging business for thirty years. This skill was passed down from my master. I used to think about keeping it for myself, but thanks to Xiao Lin, I realized that a good skill must be passed down and combined with new technologies to be carried forward."

Professor Wang then looked at Lin Chen: "Master Lin, the waste heat recovery system you designed is very creative, combining traditional craftsmanship and modern technology perfectly. This innovation is not a simple addition, but an organic fusion, possessing both the essence of traditional craftsmanship and the advantages of modern technology, which is very competitive in patent applications."

Afterwards, everyone went to the workshop office, where Professor Wang began guiding them in preparing patent application materials. He took out a patent application template from his briefcase and explained it word by word: "The most important part of a patent application is the claims. It must clearly state where our innovation lies and which technical features are protected. For example, for this waste heat recovery system, we need to clearly describe its structure, working principle, and the differences between it and traditional processes."

Lin Chen took out the technical diagrams generated by the system and, combined with Professor Wang's explanation, began drafting the claims. He combined the optimized technical parameters of the system with Yi Zhonghai's traditional process experience, describing in detail the design scheme of the gear mold, the improvement method of the quenching process, and the working principle of the waste heat recovery system. Professor Wang watched from the side, nodding in praise from time to time: "Very well written, clear logic, and well-defined technical features. The success rate of such applications is very high."

Yan Bugui was responsible for compiling cost accounting reports and market analysis data. He took out the cost sheet he had calculated overnight and introduced it to Professor Wang: "Professor Wang, as you can see, after the implementation of our technological innovation project, the production cost of gears has decreased by 30%, and the pass rate has increased by 10%. Based on our factory's annual production of 10,000 sets of gears, we can save 120,000 yuan in costs and increase profits by 150,000 yuan annually. Moreover, our products have high precision and long service life, making them very competitive in the market. We already have three factories from other places consulting us about purchasing the technology."

Professor Wang took the cost sheet and market analysis report, and after carefully reviewing them, said, "This data is very important; it fully demonstrates the practicality and market value of our patent. Practicality is a crucial aspect of patent examination, and with this data, our patent application will be even more convincing."

Just as everyone was busy, the office door opened, and Zhao Dahai, the deputy director of the workshop, walked in. Zhao Dahai was a veteran in the factory, always in charge of production management in the workshop. He had previously been skeptical of Lin Chen's technological innovation project, considering it "a waste of time." Seeing Professor Wang present, he gave an unnatural smile: "Professor Wang, you've arrived. The factory manager asked me to inquire about the progress of the patent application materials."

Lin Chen looked up and said, "Director Zhao, we're preparing under Professor Wang's guidance, and we expect to finish the first draft today." Zhao Dahai walked to the table, picked up the claims document Lin Chen had written, looked at it, and frowned: "Lin, isn't your claims document a bit too detailed? If we include all the technical parameters, what if our competitors see it? Wouldn't that be leaking our core technology?"

Lin Chen explained, "Director Zhao, a patent application must disclose the technical solution in order to obtain legal protection. Moreover, the technical parameters we wrote have been optimized. Even if competitors see them, without Grandpa Yi's traditional process experience and our waste heat recovery system design, it will be very difficult for them to replicate it."

Zhao Dahai clearly disagreed with Lin Chen's statement. He turned to Professor Wang: "Professor Wang, what do you think? I think we should be more conservative. Core technologies shouldn't be disclosed casually. Our factory has done several technological innovation projects before, but because we disclosed the technical solutions, our competitors copied them, and in the end, we worked for nothing."

Professor Wang smiled and said, "Director Zhao, I understand your concerns, but the core of the patent system is 'exchanging disclosure for protection.' If we don't disclose our technical solutions, we can't obtain patent authorization, and then anyone can use our technology, which will put us at a greater disadvantage. Moreover, after the patent is authorized, we have exclusive implementation rights, and if someone copies it, we can protect our rights through legal channels."

Yi Zhonghai also stood up and said, "Director Zhao, I think Xiao Lin is right. Our technology combines traditional craftsmanship with modern technology. The core lies in the combination of skill and experience. It can't be learned just by looking at the technical parameters. I've been in forging for thirty years and have seen many technical solutions, but I've never seen anyone like Xiao Lin who can integrate traditional craftsmanship and new technology so well."

Zhao Dahai's face was somewhat grim, but since Professor Wang and Yi Zhonghai had both said so, he couldn't object any further. He could only say, "Since Professor Wang and Master Yi have both said so, then I won't interfere. However, you must prepare the materials properly and avoid any mistakes. If we can't get the patent, I won't be able to explain it to the factory manager." After saying that, he turned and walked out of the office.

Watching Zhao Dahai's departing figure, Yan Bugui whispered, "That old Zhao is just jealous of our project's success. He even secretly hindered our purchase of new equipment before." Lin Chen smiled and said, "It's alright. As long as our patent application is approved, the facts will speak for themselves, and he'll have nothing to say. Let's keep working and try to prepare the materials today and submit them tomorrow."

In the following days, everyone worked diligently and systematically, each fulfilling their assigned tasks. Lin Chen was responsible for drafting the core parts of the patent application, Yi Zhonghai supplemented the technical details of the traditional process, Yan Bugui compiled cost and market data, and Professor Wang provided guidance and revisions. At lunchtime, everyone simply ate some steamed buns and pickled vegetables before returning to their work.

By evening, the first draft of the patent application materials was finally completed. Professor Wang, holding a thick stack of documents, said with satisfaction, "Very good. This material is very well prepared, the technical solution is clear, the data is detailed, and the logic is rigorous. I think the pass rate is over 90%. I'll go back and polish it a bit more, and it can be officially submitted to the patent office tomorrow."

Upon learning that the materials were ready, the factory manager came to the workshop to congratulate them: "Great! Thank you all for your hard work! Once the patent is approved, we'll hold a commendation meeting to recognize Lin Chen, Master Yi, and Master Yan's outstanding contributions and award them generously! In addition, we will make this technological innovation project a key project for the factory, promoting it in all workshops to further elevate the technical level of our steel rolling mill!"

When the news reached the courtyard, the neighbors were in an uproar. Qin Huairu specially killed a chicken to prepare a sumptuous dinner to celebrate; Sha Zhu borrowed a large iron pot from the guesthouse to make his best dish, chicken stew with mushrooms; and the Liu brothers brought back the successfully trial-produced gear samples from the workshop to show everyone this "treasure" that embodied everyone's hard work.

As the sunset painted the gray bricks and tiles of the courtyard house red, two large tables were already set up in the central courtyard, laden with a sumptuous feast. There was braised pork and chicken soup made by Qin Huairu, stewed chicken with mushrooms and braised beef by Shazhu, and side dishes like peanuts and pickled cucumbers bought by Yan Bugui. Neighbors gathered around, their own bowls and chopsticks in hand, their faces beaming with joy.

Yi Zhonghai raised his glass, stood up, and said in a loud voice, "Today, we celebrate two great things! First, our workshop's technological innovation project has been a complete success; second, our patent application materials are ready and will be submitted tomorrow! All of this is thanks to Xiao Lin. He led us in technological innovation, combining traditional craftsmanship with new technologies, allowing us old craftsmen to keep up with the times! I propose a toast to Xiao Lin!"

"Cheers!" Everyone raised their glasses and shouted in unison. The crisp sound of clinking glasses echoed in the night air of the courtyard. Lin Chen stood up and said emotionally, "Thank you everyone! The success of this project is inseparable from Grandpa Yi's traditional craftsmanship and experience, Grandpa Yan's cost accounting, the hard work of every worker in the workshop, and most importantly, the support of our neighbors in the courtyard. This is a collective achievement!"

Sha Zhu also raised his glass and said loudly, "I'd like to toast everyone too! I used to think that cooking in the cafeteria was a dead-end job, but now that I see how accomplished we are in technological innovation, I want to learn a trade from everyone! Uncle Yi, you have to take me on as your apprentice and teach me how to forge iron pots!"

Yi Zhonghai smiled and said, "Great! As long as you're willing to learn, I'll teach you everything I know! Once our patent is approved, we'll open a skills training class to pass on our forging techniques and let more people learn real skills!"

Yan Bugui, holding an abacus, explained to everyone: "Once the patent is approved, we'll earn a considerable amount of money annually just from technology transfer fees. I plan to use this money to establish a 'Craftsman Fund' to provide scholarships for apprentices in the workshop, rewarding young people who are willing to delve into research and have innovative ideas. I'll also buy some books and stationery for the children in the courtyard so they can study hard and become capable people in the future."

"Great! That's a good idea!" the neighbors all agreed. Qin Huairu said, "I'm also willing to do my part. If any of the students in the craft training class have torn clothes, I'll mend them for free. Jia Dang has also learned drawing, so he can help draw blueprints in the future."

Under the moonlight, everyone ate their meal and chatted about their future plans. Jia Geng excitedly said, "Brother Lin, when our skills training class starts, I'll be the first to sign up! I want to master the forging craft and become a skilled innovator like you!" Liu Guangtian also said, "I want to follow Brother Lin and Uncle Yi to improve our skills and sell our steel mill's products all over the country!"

Looking at the vibrant faces before him, Lin Chen was filled with emotion. Since his rebirth, he had gone from initially only wanting to protect himself to leading everyone in technological innovation, changing not only his own destiny but also that of his neighbors in the courtyard. He understood that true success was not the glory of one person, but the collective growth of a group; true wealth was not money and status, but the trust and legacy between people.

Late at night, Lin Chen returned to his side room. Suddenly, a notification popped up on the system panel: [The host has successfully led the preparation of patent application materials, strengthened team cohesion, deepened the inheritance of craftsmanship spirit, and unlocked the "Team Leader" skill, increasing team cohesion by 60%. 8000 points have been earned, bringing the total points to 33100. New feature unlocked: Technology Transfer Assistance.]

On the light blue screen, a detailed plan for the transformation of technological achievements appeared, including a technology promotion plan, an operation plan for craft training courses, and management rules for the "Craftsman Fund".