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 including remarks and amendments received by the office 26 May 2026. Claims 1-8 and 16-23 are pending. Claims 9-15 are newly cancelled. Claims 1-8 are amended. Claims 16-23 are newly presented.
Response to Amendment
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) 1-8 and 16-23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication 2017/0284206 to Roberts et al. (‘206 hereafter).
Regarding claim 1, ‘206 teaches a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, encoded with instructions executable by a processor (paragraph 0017), comprising: receiving a three-dimensional (3D) object model defining a boundary geometry of a 3D object to be generated by an additive manufacturing apparatus from a specified build material; , receiving user input of a specified intrinsic thermal property that the 3D object is to have when generated (paragraph 0029) and causing the additive manufacturing apparatus to generate the 3D object in accordance with the 3D object model and from the specified build material, including adjusting a degree of fusion of the specified sub-portion of the 3D object so that the generated 3D object has the specified intrinsic thermal property, without having to change the specified build material from which the 3D Object is generated and without having to change the boundary geometry of the 3D object (paragraph 0030).
Regarding claim 2 ‘206 teaches the non-transitory machine readable medium wherein the specified intrinsic thermal property comprises one or more than one of: a thermal conductivity; a heat capacity; and a specific heat capacity (paragraph 0029 – using porosity to increase cooling efficiency means that the altering the porosity also necessarily alters at least the intrinsic heat capacity of the object being manufactured).
Regarding claim 3, ‘206 teaches the non-transitory machine readable medium wherein adjusting the degree of fusion of the specified sub-portion of the 3D object comprises either or both of: not fusing the specified build material; and less than full fusing the specified build material within the specified sub-portion of the 3Dobject (paragraphs 0020 and 0030).
Regarding claim 4, ‘206 teaches the non-transitory machine readable medium wherein the specified sub portion of the 3D object the 3D object having one or more other sub-portions that the degree of fusion is not adjusted so that the generated 3D object has the specified intrinsic thermal property (paragraphs 0027-0030).
Regarding claim 5, ‘206 teaches the non-transitory machine readable medium of wherein the specified sub- portion comprises an interior portion of the 3D object (paragraphs 0027-0030).
Regarding claim 6, ‘206 teaches the non-transitory machine readable medium wherein the specified sub-portion of the 3D object exhibits an anisotropic profile of the intrinsic thermal property within the 3D object (paragraphs 0027-0032).
Regarding claim 7, ‘206 teaches the non-transitory machine readable medium wherein the specified sub-portion is a first specified sub-portion, wherein the processing further comprises receiving user input of a second specified sub-portion of the 3D object that is also to be adjusted so that the 3D object has the specified intrinsic thermal property when generated, and wherein causing the additive manufacturing apparatus to generate the 3D object further includes adjusting the degree of fusion of the second specified sub-portion differently than the first specified sub-portion so that the generated 3D object has the specified intrinsic thermal property (paragraphs 0027-0032).
Regarding claim 8, ‘206 teaches the non-transitory machine readable medium wherein the second specified sub-portion has a different volume, shape or location than the first specified sub-portion (paragraphs 0027-0032, and 0036).
Regarding claim 16, ‘206 teaches a method comprising receiving, by a processor, receiving a three-dimensional (3D) object model defining a boundary geometry of a 3D object to be generated by an additive manufacturing apparatus from a specified build material; , receiving user input of a specified intrinsic thermal property that the 3D object is to have when generated (paragraph 0029) and causing the additive manufacturing apparatus to generate the 3D object in accordance with the 3D object model and from the specified build material, including adjusting a degree of fusion of the specified sub-portion of the 3D object so that the generated 3D object has the specified intrinsic thermal property, without having to change the specified build material from which the 3D Object is generated and without having to change the boundary geometry of the 3D object(paragraph 0030
Regarding claim 17 ‘206 teaches the method wherein the specified intrinsic thermal property comprises one or more than one of: a thermal conductivity; a heat capacity; and a specific heat capacity (paragraph 0029 – using porosity to increase cooling efficiency means that the altering the porosity also necessarily alters at least the intrinsic heat capacity of the object being manufactured).
Regarding claim 18, ‘206 teaches the method wherein adjusting the degree of fusion of the specified sub-portion of the 3D object comprises either or both of: not fusing the specified build material; and less than full fusing the specified build material within the specified sub-portion of the 3Dobject (paragraphs 0020 and 0030).
Regarding claim 19, ‘206 teaches the method wherein the specified sub portion of the 3D object the 3D object having one or more other sub-portions that the degree of fusion is not adjusted so that the generated 3D object has the specified intrinsic thermal property (paragraphs 0027-0030).
Regarding claim 20, ‘206 teaches the method wherein the specified sub- portion comprises an interior portion of the 3D object (paragraphs 0027-0030).
Regarding claim 21, ‘206 teaches the method wherein the specified sub-portion of the 3D object exhibits an anisotropic profile of the intrinsic thermal property within the 3D object (paragraphs 0027-0032).
Regarding claim 22, ‘206 teaches the method wherein the specified sub-portion is a first specified sub-portion, wherein the processing further comprises receiving user input of a second specified sub-portion of the 3D object that is also to be adjusted so that the 3D object has the specified intrinsic thermal property when generated, and wherein causing the additive manufacturing apparatus to generate the 3D object further includes adjusting the degree of fusion of the second specified sub-portion differently than the first specified sub-portion so that the generated 3D object has the specified intrinsic thermal property (paragraphs 0027-0032).
Regarding claim 23, ‘206 teaches the method wherein the second specified sub-portion has a different volume, shape or location than the first specified sub-portion (paragraphs 0027-0032, and 0036).
Response to Arguments
In support of the patentability of the instant application applicant argues:
That the 35 USC 101 should be withdrawn because applicant has discovered that the thermal properties of an object can be modified by modifying the porosity of the object and that the porosity of an object can be modified by altering the degree of fusion of the material of the object. Further this principle can be used during the design stage to design an object with desired thermal properties. Thus, conferring a practical application to the claimed machine readable medium and method.
The previous prior art rejection under 35 USC 103 is overcome because the ‘206 teaches that the boundary geometry is necessarily and inescapably changed in modifying the porosity.
The transpiration cooling relied upon by ‘206 is not an ‘intrinsic thermal property’ of the object made as defined by applicant.
Regarding the first argument, the rejection under 101 has been withdrawn in light of applicant’s amendment.
Regarding the second argument, examiner disagrees. Applicant’s arguments regarding the claimed limitation of a ‘boundary geometry’ are far more specific and detailed than is supported by the original disclosure. The broadest reasonable interpretation of the term ‘boundary geometry’ refers to the bulk perimeter of the object made.
Regarding the third argument, examiner disagrees. One of the specified ‘intrinsic thermal properties’ as disclosed by applicant’s specification is heat capacity. Since ‘206 discloses that using the prior art method may allow an object to be made lighter (i.e. with less material) the prior art discloses at least altering the heat capacity of the object made. Also, as applicant has defined the term, ‘specific heat capacity’ (see paragraph 0023 of original disclosure), the ‘206 reference also teaches that one of the prior art intrinsic thermal properties is modified and controlled. Furthermore, according to applicant’s definition of intrinsic thermal property, the ‘206 reference also controls thermal conductivity by mixing air (in the form of open pores) with metal, metal alloy or ceramic material.
Conclusion
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to John P Robitaille whose telephone number is (571)270-7006. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30AM-6:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Galen Hauth can be reached at (571) 270-5516. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JPR/Examiner, Art Unit 1743
/GALEN H HAUTH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1743
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