DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE
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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments have been fully considered.
“removable”
Applicant argues
PNG
media_image1.png
324
950
media_image1.png
Greyscale
(Remarks, Pg. 9)
PNG
media_image2.png
190
978
media_image2.png
Greyscale
(Remarks, Pg. 10)
Examiner does not find this persuasive. Both Ruff and Applicant use clips to attach the surface to the printer. It is unclear why Ruff’s surface is not considered removable and the claimed surface is removable.
Ruff indicates that their “The print bed 6 is then attached to the 3D printer using clips, tape, tabs, and other well-known mechanical or physical fasteners” (P0010). Ruff’s print bed is the removable surface. Why does the present surface have support for being removable because it is attached by clips, but Ruff’s surface is not removable despite being attachable by clips?
“tacky”
Applicant argues that
PNG
media_image3.png
208
950
media_image3.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image4.png
482
954
media_image4.png
Greyscale
(Remarks, Pg. 10)
Examiner does not find this persuasive. This is not a different mechanism. Ruff uses the term “tacky” in context of holding the printed material when the print bed is warm. This is the same as the invention. The mechanism is also not relevant since both Applicant and Ruff perform the same steps on the same materials:
Ruff performs 3D printing on a mutlimaterial build bed and then cools the bed down to release the part (e.g., P00211). Ruff’s print bed is the same material as claimed. This is the same as the invention, the differences between Ruff and claim are obvious as addressed below.
“configured to bond”
Applicant argues that
PNG
media_image5.png
534
984
media_image5.png
Greyscale
Examiner does not find this persuasive because it is unclear what structure a “print surface [that] is configured to bond to the deposited printing material by way of a molten portion of the deposited printing material wetting to the print surface when the print surface is heated above a threshold temperature” (Claim 1 first paragraph) is intended to encompass.
The specification parrots the claim language, but does not provide clarification as to what material structures result are encompassed by the configured limitation.
This is a purely functional description of materials. Functional claiming of a material is not improper per se, but it must be reasonably certain what is meant. In this case, it is unclear what materials are referenced in claim.
The specification does not provide a description of what materials are “configured to bond…” thus an person in the art would be unable to resolve which materials are or are not encompassed by the claim.
For the purpose of examination the claim will be read as referencing the material disclosed in the specification (e.g., “The material used for the print surface may be a glass-reinforced epoxy laminate material”).
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.
Claim(s) 7 and 9-14 is/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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
In reference to claim 7, it is unclear what structure a “print surface [that] is configured to bond to the deposited printing material by way of a molten portion of the deposited printing material wetting to the print surface when the print surface is heated above a threshold temperature” (Claim 1 first paragraph) is intended to encompass.
This is a functional description of a material. Functional claiming of a material is not improper per se, but it must be reasonably certain what is actually claimed. In this case, it is unclear what materials are included in claim.
The specification does not provide a description of materials “configured to bond…”. Thus, the interested person in the art would read claim 7 and would be unable to resolve which materials are or are not encompassed by the claim with reasonable certainty.
It is also unclear if Applicant intends for this to be 112(f) call to the specification for an epoxy build bed (e.g., paragraph 103 of published application). See MPEP regarding 35 USC 112(f).
For the purpose of examination the claim will be read as referencing the material disclosed in the specification (e.g., “The material used for the print surface may be a glass-reinforced epoxy laminate material”).
Note: Claims 9-14 are also rejected by virtue of their dependence on claim 1.
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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
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 present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 7 and 9-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ruff (US20170036403A1) in view of Pax (US20120046779A1).
In reference to claim 7, 14, Ruff discloses “a coated print bed for a 3D printer, comprising a print-surface coating that is permanently secured to a print bed substrate plate that provides an adhesive interface layer between the first layer of the applied plastic print material and the coated print bed (coated print bed corresponds to the claimed “print surface”). The print bed substrate can be any sufficiently flat and rigid material, and non-limiting examples are metal, wood, plastic, or rubber. The substrate can be detachable (corresponding to “removable”), and flexible to aid in the part removal process without the use of tools or scrapers. The coating has such properties that when the first layer of hot plastic is deposited on the surface, it becomes temporarily bonded to ensure that it remains stationary during the printing process (corresponding to “configured to bond” and “maintaining”). Upon cooling of the plastic and/or print bed, the printed part is easily removed (corresponding to “configured to lose its bond” and “cooling… releasing”)” (paragraph 21) in
a method of facilitating automated removal of a printed part formed from a deposited printing material, from a print bed of a 3D printer, comprising: (“providing a 3D printer configured for Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) printing” [Claim 10])
applying to the print bed a print bed surface to facilitate release of the printed part from the print bed, wherein the print bed surface comprises a material with controllable surface energy, wherein by controlling the surface energy the print bed surface is configured to transition between a first state wherein the print bed surface provides sufficient adhesion to bond to the deposited printing material when the printed surface material is heated, and a second state wherein the print bed surface, loses its bond to the deposited printing material when the print bed surface material is cooled; (“preparing a print surface for the FFF printing by attaching a coated print bed including a permanent print surface coating to the 3D printer, and” [Claim 10] and
“coating has such properties that when the first layer of hot plastic is deposited on the surface, it becomes temporarily bonded to ensure that it remains stationary during the printing process. Upon cooling of the plastic and/or print bed, the printed part is easily removed” [P0021]
The materials disclosed by Ruff for the build bed surface is the same as the materials disclosed by instant applicant.)
performing, by a printer, a print job by depositing the printing material onto the printed surface in the first state; after completion of the print job, initiating a controlled change in the surface energy of the print bed surface to the second state through one or more heating and/or cooling mechanisms to enable passive or assisted release of the printed part from the print bed surface; (“coating using for adhering a printed filament material at an elevated temperature (above room temperature) using a heated print bed, and to which the printed object will lose adhesion or loosen after the print plate has cooled, for example, toward room temperature, allowing the object to be removed with very little or no external force” [P0059])
cycling the temperature of the print surface print bed to change the surface energy properties of the print bed surface material to enable adhesion of the part to the print bed during printing and automatic release of the part from the print bed upon completion of the print and (“coating has such properties that when the first layer of hot plastic is deposited on the surface, it becomes temporarily bonded to ensure that it remains stationary during the printing process. Upon cooling of the plastic and/or print bed, the printed part is easily removed” [P0021] and see P0059, as cited above).
Ruff discloses the invention except for the step of monitoring and controlling the printing process for failures using a computer as claimed including
scheduling and transmitting, by a processor executing a software process, the print job to the 3D printer, monitoring for completion of the print job, regulating the temperature of the print bed surface to induce transitions between the first and second state, and in response to a detected failure to release the printed part, initiating one or more of: pausing the print job, aborting the print job, issuing a part removal sequence, or restarting the print job.
In the same field of endeavor or reasonably pertinent to the particular problem faced by the inventor, 3d printing, Pax discloses the use of a computer with cameras to monitor and automate the control of a 3d printer. See paragraph 31 (e.g., “imaging device and image processing circuitry to capture an image of the working volume and analyze the image to evaluate a position of the object… sensor may be used for example to ensure that the object 112 is removed from the conveyor … feedback from this sensor may be used by the controller 110 to issue processing interrupts or otherwise control operation of the printer 100.”). See abstract and figures.
Pax similarly discloses that “conveyor may be heated/cooled, coated, or otherwise treated to assist in adhesion during a build, as well as removal of objects after a build” (abstract). Pax explains that cooling can be used on the build bed before automated object removal (P0047). This is the same as the claimed idea of cooling the bed and then automatically removing a part.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art with a reasonable expectation of success before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the method such that the process included the step of monitoring and controlling the printing process for failures using a computer as claimed.
A person having ordinary skill in the art would have been specifically motivated to automate the control and monitoring by computer in order to reduce manpower. This is explicitly stated by Pax at P0055; and to combine prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results; achieve the simple substitution of one known element for another to obtain predictable results; use of known technique to improve similar devices (methods, or products) in the same way; or apply a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results.
Ruff explains that the removable print surface is a “coated print bed” and “can be any sufficiently flat and rigid material, and non-limiting examples are metal, wood, plastic, or rubber. The substrate can be detachable, and flexible” (P0021). Ruff does not indicate that it is 0.5-3 mm thick, however, Ruff indicates that it should be flexible and thus it would be obvious to use material with the claimed thickness to enable flexibility.
In reference to claim 9, examiner takes notice that inclined print bed are known in the art of 3d printing to improve part morphology with respect to gravity.
In reference to claim 10, examiner takes notice that Peltier devices are known means for heating and cooling 3d printer build beds.
In reference to claim 11-12, examiner takes notice that using a sweep or vibration are known means for release of parts from build beds.
In reference to claim 13, Ruff discloses the use of antistatic compounds in the build bed (P0045).
Conclusion
“Such removal by air conveyance can be further facilitated by tilting surface 212 to a non-horizontal position (such as is further described below), thereby allowing the sheet substrate 208, assisted by the air bearing provided through holes 214 and pressurized air source 222, to slide at an inclined angle off platen 114, further assisting with the otherwise burdensome and manual removal of the large and/or bulky printed part.”
US 20200070405 A1
“vibrate the printing surface for part removal… vibrate a blade to facilitate part removal… compressed air to remove a released part”
US 20140220168 A1
“temperature control system 328, or any of the temperature control systems described herein (e.g., a temperature control system of the heating system 306 or a temperature control system of the build plate 314) may include one or more active devices such as resistive elements that convert electrical current into heat, Peltier effect devices that heat or cool in response to an applied current”
US 20170297104 A1
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NICHOLAS KRASNOW whose telephone number is (571)270-1154. The examiner can normally be reached M-R: 8am-5pm.
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, Xiao Zhao can be reached at 571-270-5343. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/NICHOLAS KRASNOW/Examiner, Art Unit 1744
1 “The coating has such properties that when the first layer of hot plastic is deposited on the surface, it becomes temporarily bonded to ensure that it remains stationary during the printing process. Upon cooling of the plastic and/or print bed, the printed part is easily removed, leaving the coating and print bed”
Prosecution Insights