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 .
Status of Claims and Application
This non-final action on the merits is in response to the request for continued examination received by the office 09 October 2025 and incorporating remarks and amendments received by the office on 12 September 2025. Claims 1, 3, 5-20 are pending. Claims 1, 3, & 13 are amended. Claims 2 and 4 are cancelled. No claims are added.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. Claim 3, which depends from claim 1 (now amended to include the subject matter of claim 4) requires an axle and through-hole arrangement which simultaneously is free from engagement with the second meshing gear (as required by claim 1) and which is profiled to engage the second meshing gear and transfer rotational energy (as set forth by claim 3). The specification as originally filed only supports these circumstances in the alternate not that they both be simultaneously arranged.
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 3 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.
With regards to claim 3, the claim depends upon claim 1. Claim 1 establishes “a second meshing gear of the two meshing gears”, “a second through hole” and “a second actuator axle”. Claim 3 then recites “a second meshing gear of the two meshing gears”, “a second through hole” and “a second actuator axle” rendering the claim indefinite as it is not clear whether the recitations in claim 3 are to the same “second meshing gear”, “second through hole” and “second actuator axle” due to improper antecedent basis practice. See MPEP 2173.05.e. For the purposes of examination they are interpreted to be the same elements.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Claim 1 has been amended to require a second meshing gear of the two meshing gears comprises a second through hole, wherein the second through hole is profiled to allow a second actuator axle to extend there through and is rotatable free from engagement. Claim 3 then recites “a second meshing gear of the two meshing gears comprises a second through hole, wherein the second through hole is profiled for cooperating with a second actuator axle for transferring rotational energy from the second actuator axle to the second meshing gear”. Thus in claim 3 the second actuator axle is not free from engagement. These two alternatives are incongruent and mutually exclusive. They are also described in the alternatives in applicant’s specification. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 4, 5, 9, 13, 15, 16, 17-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent 6,296,463 to Martin A Allen.
Regarding claim 1, ‘463 teaches a print head module, the module being arranged for cooperating with at least one further module in a stackable arrangement forming an extrusion print head, the module comprising: a casing comprising: a first outlet channel defining a first nozzle for printing a first material (Fig 4 item 76), and a first inlet for receiving the first material (Fig 4 item 75), wherein the casing defines a first pump chamber connected to the first outlet channel and the first inlet (Fig 4 item 73); and a first gear pump comprising two meshing gears arranged within the first pump chamber, wherein a first meshing gear of the two meshing gears of the first pump is arranged for being actuated by a first actuator axle that extends through the stackable arrangement (Fig 4 items 80 and 85), wherein the first meshing gear comprises a first through hole extending axially through the first meshing gear, wherein the first through hole is profiled for cooperating with the first actuator axle for
Regarding claim 5, ‘463 teaches the print head module wherein the first inlet comprises a first inlet valve arranged to assume either one of: an open position, wherein the first material, is allowed to pass to the first gear pump; and a closed position, wherein the first material, is prevented from passing to the first gear pump (Fig 4 item 75).
Regarding claim 9, ‘463 teaches the print head module comprising an actuatable first diversion valve, wherein the casing comprises a first diversion channel connecting the first outlet channel via the actuatable first diversion valve (Fig 4. item 64), wherein the first diversion valve is arranged to assume, in response to a control signal either one of: a printing position, wherein the first material, is allowed to pass through the first nozzle for printing; and a diverting position, wherein the first material is diverted from the first nozzle to the first diversion channel (Fig 1 item 55).
Regarding claim 13, ‘463 teaches a print head module, the module being arranged for cooperating with at least one further module in a stackable arrangement forming an extrusion print head, the module comprising: a casing comprising: a first outlet channel for printing a first material (Fig 4 item 77), and a first inlet for receiving the first material (Fig 4 item 75), wherein the casing defines a first pump chamber connected to the first outlet channel and the first inlet (Fig 4 item 73); and a first gear pump comprising two meshing gears arranged within the first pump chamber, wherein a first meshing gear of the two meshing gears of the first pump is arranged for being actuated by a first actuator axle that extends through the stackable arrangement (Fig 4 items 85, 82) wherein the first meshing gear comprises a first through hole extending axially through the first meshing gear, wherein the first through hole is profiled for cooperating with the first actuator axle formeshing gear of the two meshing gears comprises a second through hole, wherein the second through hole is profiled to allow a second actuator axle to extend there through and is rotatable free from engagement (Fig. 4 items 80 and 83).
Regarding claim 15, ‘463 teaches the print head module wherein the module is configured for, in the stackable arrangement in cooperation with the at least one further module, cooperating with a nozzle plate comprising a plurality of nozzles, for printing the first material via the first outlet (Fig 3 items 11a-11d).
Regarding claim 16, ‘463 teaches the print head module wherein the first outlet channel includes or is configured for cooperating with at least one nozzle for printing of the first material (Fig 4 item 77).
Regarding claim 17, ‘463 teaches an extrusion printer for printing at least a first material, comprising: a stack of modules, wherein each of the modules is a module according to claim13 (Fig 3 items 11a-11d); the first actuator axle (Fig 4 item 85); the first material supply (Fig 4 item 75); the first material supply line for providing the first material to the first inlet, wherein the first material supply line optionally comprises a first material supply pump (Fig 4 item73); and a controller for controlling at least the first actuator axle (C7L52-C7L61).
Regarding claim 18, ‘463 teaches the extrusion printer wherein, for each one of the stack of modules, the first meshing gear comprises a first through hole extending axially through the first meshing gear, wherein the first through hole is profiled for cooperating with the first actuator axle for transferring rotational energy from the first actuator axle to the first meshing gear (Fig 4 items 82 and 85), and wherein the controlling is further arranged for controlling at least the first inlet valve (C7L52-C7L61).
Regarding claim 19, ‘463 teaches the extrusion printer wherein, each module of the stack of modules comprises an actuatable first diversion valve, wherein the casing comprises a first diversion channel connecting the first outlet channel via the actuatable first diversion valve, wherein the first diversion valve is arranged to assume, in response to a control signal, either one of: a printing position, wherein the first material, is allowed to pass through the first nozzle for printing; and a diverting position, wherein the first material is diverted from the first nozzle to the first diversion channel, and wherein the controller is further arranged for controlling at least the actuatable first diversion valve (Fig 1 item 55).
Regarding claim 20, ‘463 teaches the module wherein the module is configured for, in the stackable arrangement in cooperation with the at least one further module, cooperating with a nozzle plate comprising a plurality of nozzles, for printing the first or second material via the first or second outlet through one or more of the nozzles of the nozzle plate (Fig 3 items 11a-11d and 12a-12d).
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) 6-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ‘463 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of U.S. Patent 3,204,290 to Thomas E Crompton (‘290 hereafter).
Regarding claim 6, ‘463 is silent with respect to the thickness of the casing. In the related art of extrusion, ‘290 teaches the print head module wherein the casing is designed as a stackable slat, with the casing having a thickness in the range of 0.5-10 mm (C7L20), defining a first stacking face and a second stacking face opposite the first stacking face, for stacking with the at least one further module (C7L20) for the benefit of producing the desired configuration of extrudate. It would have been obvious to one possessed of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to combine the teachings of ‘463 with those of ‘290 for the benefit of producing extrudates with the desired configuration.
Regarding claim 7, ‘463 does not teach through hole supply lines. In the same field of endeavor, extrusion, ‘290 teaches the print head module comprising a first through hole extending from the first stacking face to the second stacking face and defining a supply line extension for the first material to the at least one further module (Fig 2 item 33) for the benefit of producing the desired configuration of extrudate. It would have been obvious to one possessed of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to combine the teachings of ‘463 with those of ‘290 for the benefit of producing extrudates with the desired configuration.
Regarding claim 8, ‘463 does not teach a second material feed. In the same field of endeavor, extrusion, ‘290 teaches the print head module according to comprising a second through hole extending from the first stacking face to the second stacking face and defining a supply line extension for .
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 10 and its dependents and claim 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.
Regarding claim 10 and its dependents and claim 14, the best available prior art does not teach or properly suggest the claimed arrangement of gears and axels. The ‘463 reference teaches an apparatus where the stackable modules’ first gears are driven by one transmission axel. Relevant reference U.S. Patent Application Publication 2018/0093406 to De Bruijn et al. (‘406 hereafter) teaches a module with two gear pumps for extruding two materials as claimed, but lacks the power transmission arrangement claimed.
Response to Arguments
In support of the patentability of the instant claims, applicant has argued in the remarks received by the office on 12 September 2025 that the applied prior art (U.S. Patent 6,296,463 to Martin A Allen) does not teach all of the limitations of the apparatus described in independent claims 1 and 13. Specifically, applicant argues that the ‘463 reference does not teach an arrangement where both axles are “arranged to be actuated.” (REMARKS Pg 11).
Examiner is unpersuaded by this argument. Although the first actuator axle is and second actuator axle are named as “actuator axles” in the rejected claims, no actuation means for either is claimed. The ‘463 reference teaches two gears and two axles as claimed where one gear and axle pair is arranged for power transmission and the other is arranged for idling as claimed.
Conclusion
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/JPR/Examiner, Art Unit 1743
/GALEN H HAUTH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1743