DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . Claims 7-11, 17-33, 36-41, and 43-77 were previously and/or currently cancelled. Claims 1-6, 12-16, 34-35, and 42 are still pending in this Application, wherein claims 1-6, and 12-16 have been restricted and non-elected/withdrawn. Therefore, only Claims 34-35, and 42 are subject to Examination in this Application.
Request for 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 filed on 11/17/2025 has been entered.
Response to Amendments/Arguments
2. The amendments to the claims overcome the objections to the claims.
Applicant’s argument/remarks of 10/24/2025, on pages 6-7, with respect to rejections to claims 34-35, and 42 under 35 USC § 102(a)(1)/(2) and 103(a) have been fully considered and they are respectfully unpersuasive, the rejections to the claims have been withdrawn and changed.
On page 7, the Applicant argues that:
“However, the droplets of Steiner do not form "a continuous filament extrusion" That is, while Steiner discloses that the droplets form a "continuous stream" (see Abstract), the droplets do not constitute a filament extrusion. As explained in para. [0280] of Applicant's specification, droplet-based approaches are a distinct classification from filament-based approaches. Thus, the droplet-based approaches of Steiner do not disclose or suggest any techniques for charging filaments, let alone a continuous filament extrusion, as claimed”. These arguments are respectfully unpersuasive.
The term “a continuous filament extrusion” is not defined in the original disclosure and Steiner teach a “continuous filament extrusion” in Fig. 2 as a fluid jet portion 15 or “continuous stream” as one of ordinary skill in the art understands. For instance, Simon et al (US 10207505) defines a continuous liquid stream as a filament and shows the same characteristics as Steiner. Also, Gelbart et al (US 20050206688) teaches “droplet generator used in a typical continuous apparatus converts a continuous filament of fluid into a continuous stream of droplets. Various methods exist and are employed to change a continuous filament of fluid into continuous stream of droplets. Most often such methods involve the application of an electrical stimulation signal to a suitable transducer in order effect some form of natural oscillation in the liquid, thereby facilitating the breakup of the liquid filament into individual droplets. It is common practice to employ a sinusoidal electrical signal of fixed wavelength for this purpose” which teach the same configuration of the Figs of Steiner. Gelbart teaches a first portion of the fluid and defines the continuous stream of fluid as a “continuous filament”. Thus, Steiner teaches the same continuous stream of fluid as a “continuous filament”. A previously cited NPL reference Liashenko (Ultrafast 3D printing with submicrometer features using electrostatic jet deflection) teaches 3D printing method and apparatus wherein a continuous filament (jet) is deflected. However, claim 34 as recited requires a portion of the continuous filament (in The BRI a droplet is portion) to be deflected. While any of the cited references above or below in the conclusion could have been combined with Steiner to teach a continuous filament, this is not pertinent because Steiner itself teaches or suggest a continuous filament extruded material being charged and controlled to be deflected in different orientations.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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) 34 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Steiner (US 20060055747, cited in an IDS).
As per claim 34, Steiner teaches a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to control electrohydrodynamic material deposition, further execution of the computer-readable instructions causes the processor to (see [0034] “…System controller 38 can comprise a micro-computer, micro-processor, micro-controller or any other known arrangement of electrical, electromechanical and electro-optical circuits and systems that can reliably transmit signals to inkjet printhead 34 and translation unit 36 to allow the pattern-wise disposition of donor fluid 39 onto receiver surface 37. System controller 38 can comprise a single controller or it can comprise a plurality of controllers”; also, see [0046] “During printing, system controller 38 receives a print data stream and determines therefrom which specific droplets within a continuous stream of droplets are to be selected for printing. The print data stream can comprise computer code, instructions and/or print data transmitted to the processor from an data source…”):
control a material delivery nozzle (see [0034] “System controller 38 can comprise a micro-computer, micro-processor, micro-controller or any other known arrangement of electrical, electromechanical and electro-optical circuits and systems that can reliably transmit signals to inkjet printhead 34 and translation unit 36 to allow the pattern-wise disposition of donor fluid 39 onto receiver surface 37. System controller 38 can comprise a single controller or it can comprise a plurality of controllers”; also, see Fig. 2 nozzle 54 and see [0035] “As is illustrated in FIG. 2, inkjet printhead 34 comprises a source of pressurized donor fluid 52 such as a pressurized reservoir or a pump arrangement and a nozzle 54 allowing the pressurized donor fluid 39 to form a fluid jet 10 traveling in a first direction 58 toward receiver surface 37. A droplet generation circuit 64 has a transducer 62 which applies a force to the fluid jet perturbing fluid jet 10 to form a stream of droplets 72 at a break-off point 1…”), wherein the material delivery nozzle is configured to direct a continuous filament extrusion in a first orientation relative to a substrate in response to the processor executing a material delivery nozzle control module (see Fig. 2 nozzle 54 and see [0035] “As is illustrated in FIG. 2, inkjet printhead 34 comprises a source of pressurized donor fluid 52 such as a pressurized reservoir or a pump arrangement and a nozzle 54 allowing the pressurized donor fluid 39 to form a fluid jet 10 traveling in a first direction 58/orientation toward receiver surface 37…”, substrate 37 receives material in a downward direction 58, also a fluid jet is continuous filament extrusion of a material), wherein the material delivery nozzle includes a vertical wire electrode configured to charge a continuous filament extrusion (see Fig. 2 and 3A electrodes 82 and/or 83 are vertical positioned and see 0022-0026, 0044, and 0060; also, see electrodes 84 and/or 86 charge the a continuous filament extrusion 10/fluid jet or continuous stream); and
control, in coordination with the vertical wire electrode, an orientation of an electric field proximate the material delivery nozzle to redirect at least a portion of the at least a portion of the continuous filament extrusion in a second orientation relative to the substrate in response to the processor executing an electric field controlling module (in the broadest reasonable interpretation “a portion of the continuous filament extrusion” is interpreted as shown in Fig. 2 the droplets which are a portion or part of the continuous filament 15; see Fig. 2 the electrodes are proximate the nozzle 54, wherein proximate has been interpreted, in the broadest reasonable interpretation in light of the disclosure, as near or close or adjacent or close enough to have an effect on the liquid as shown in Figs. 1A-B of the original disclosure; also, control the orientation of the field has been interpreted, in the broadest reasonable interpretation in light of the disclosure, as activating on and off an electric field; see Steiner [0046] “During printing, system controller 38 receives a print data stream and determines therefrom which specific droplets within a continuous stream of droplets are to be selected for printing. The print data stream can comprise computer code, instructions and/or print data transmitted to the processor from an data source. A print data stream will have data that varies in accordance with the content and placement requirements of the specific pattern to be printed on receiver surface 37. System controller 38 causes a charge electrode potential signal 56 to be applied at charge electrode 82”; also, see [0027 “The apparatus further comprising at least one electrostatic deflection electrode positioned downstream of the charge electrode and adapted to receive an electrical deflection signal and to generate and electrostatic field for altering trajectory of at least one of a non-print selectable droplet, a print selectable droplet selected not to be a print selected droplet, and a print selectable droplet selected to be a print selected droplet. The apparatus may be a continuous inkjet printing apparatus, or a multi jet continuous inkjet printing apparatus”; also, see [0038] “An electrostatic deflection electrode 84 is used to apply a charge to the stream of droplets separate the print selected droplets from the other droplets based on this charge characterization. Optionally, an additional electrostatic deflection electrode 86 can be used to apply additional electrostatic force to deflect print selectable droplets 40, 41, 42, 43, and 44. Print selectable droplets 40, 41, 42, 43, and 44 are guided by such electrostatic forces onto receiver surface 37 while the remaining droplets travel to a gutter 88”; also, see [0024-0025], Thus, the system controls the droplets using an electric field to charge first the droplets using the vertical wire electrodes 82, and then, the charged droplets will follow as second orientation, while the uncharged droplets will follow another natural orientation as shown in Fig. 2), wherein the second orientation is different that the first orientation (see Fig. 2 and see [0054] “para (0054] " ... print selectable droplet 40 may be deflected from its intended trajectory by electrostatic field effects created by the charging of successively formed print selectable droplet 20").
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) 35 and 42 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Steiner (US 20060055747, cited in an IDS) as applied to claim 34 above, and further in view of Rogers et al (US 20110187798, cited in an IDS).
As per claim 35, Steiner teaches the computer-readable medium as in claim 34, but it does not explicitly teach wherein further execution of the computer-readable instructions causes the processor to control an array of electrodes positioned on an opposite side of the substrate with respect to the material delivery nozzle.
However, Rogers teaches an ink jet system comprising instructions to control an array of electrodes positioned on an opposite side of the substrate with respect to the material delivery nozzle (see Fig. 2-3 electrode positioned an opposite side of the substrate with respect to the material delivery nozzle; also, see [0035]; also, see [0016] “Additional electrodes may be electrically connected to the support to provide further localized control of the electric field generated by supplying a charge to the nozzle, such as for example a plurality of independently addressable electrodes in electrical communication with the substrate surface”; Also, see fig. 23 and [0055] and [0278-0279] “Multiple Substrate Electrodes [0279] Further placement control is achieved by manipulating or varying the electric field between the ejection orifice and surface to-be-printed. FIG. 23 provides a perspective view of a nozzle and a substrate surface having four electrodes. There are two cases corresponding to: (i) 4.sup.th electrode grounded; and (ii) 4.sup.th electrode grounded and 2.sup.nd electrode biased. The top two panels of FIG. 23 show the computed electric field. The bottom left panel shows the positions of the four electrodes and nozzle. The bottom right panel shows the position of the printed droplets. In case (i) the printed droplet is centered beneath the nozzle ejection orifice, whereas in case (ii), under the influence of a second charged electrode, the droplet position is off-center. Additional independently addressable electrodes provides capability to further control placement of printed features”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to which said subject matter pertains to have modified Steiner’s invention to include instructions causes the processor of Steiner to control an array of electrodes positioned on an opposite side of the substrate with respect to the material delivery nozzle as taught by Rogers in order to control substrate electrodes to generate a uniform and highly-confined electric field established between the nozzle and the substrate surface (see [0016]), to improve placement accuracy and fidelity of the printing (see [0028] “In another embodiment, improved printing capability is achieved by providing a substrate assist feature on the surface to be printed, thereby improving placement accuracy and fidelity. Generally, substrate assist feature refers to any process or material connected to the substrate surface that affects printing fluid placemen… such as electrodes connected to a support that in turn provides surface charge pattern on the substrate surface to be printed).
As per claim 42, Steiner teaches the computer-readable medium as in claim 35, Steiner further teaches wherein further execution of the computer-readable instructions causes the processor to control the material delivery nozzle in coordination with(see Steiner [0035] and [0038]; also, see Fig. 2 the nozzle is controlled to deliver fluid and the at least one electrode is controlled to deflect he fluid; also, see [0044] “The trajectories of each of the formed and charged droplets in FIGS. 3A-3E may be subsequently selectively deflected by electrostatic deflection electrode 84 and one or more optional additional deflection electrodes 86 on the basis of the specific charging scheme used to distinguish and separate droplets selected to be printed from droplets selected not to be printed”; also, see [0027 “The apparatus further comprising at least one electrostatic deflection electrode positioned downstream of the charge electrode and adapted to receive an electrical deflection signal and to generate and electrostatic field for altering trajectory of at least one of a non-print selectable droplet, a print selectable droplet selected not to be a print selected droplet, and a print selectable droplet selected to be a print selected droplet. The apparatus may be a continuous inkjet printing apparatus, or a multi jet continuous inkjet printing apparatus”; also, see [0038] “An electrostatic deflection electrode 84 is used to apply a charge to the stream of droplets separate the print selected droplets from the other droplets based on this charge characterization. Optionally, an additional electrostatic deflection electrode 86 can be used to apply additional electrostatic force to deflect print selectable droplets 40, 41, 42, 43, and 44. Print selectable droplets 40, 41, 42, 43, and 44 are guided by such electrostatic forces onto receiver surface 37 while the remaining droplets travel to a gutter 88; also, see Claim 38 above same rationale applies herein). Steiner does not explicitly teach wherein further execution of the computer-readable instructions causes the processor to control the material delivery nozzle in coordination with an array of electrodes.
However, Rogers teaches an ink jet system comprising instructions to control a material delivery nozzle in coordination with an array of electrodes (see [0016] “Additional electrodes may be electrically connected to the support to provide further localized control of the electric field generated by supplying a charge to the nozzle, such as for example a plurality of independently addressable electrodes in electrical communication with the substrate surface”; Also, see fig. 23 and [0055] and [0278-0279] “Multiple Substrate Electrodes [0279] Further placement control is achieved by manipulating or varying the electric field between the ejection orifice and surface to-be-printed. FIG. 23 provides a perspective view of a nozzle and a substrate surface having four electrodes. There are two cases corresponding to: (i) 4.sup.th electrode grounded; and (ii) 4.sup.th electrode grounded and 2.sup.nd electrode biased. The top two panels of FIG. 23 show the computed electric field. The bottom left panel shows the positions of the four electrodes and nozzle. The bottom right panel shows the position of the printed droplets. In case (i) the printed droplet is centered beneath the nozzle ejection orifice, whereas in case (ii), under the influence of a second charged electrode, the droplet position is off-center. Additional independently addressable electrodes provides capability to further control placement of printed features”; also, see [0037], [0085]), and an at least one material dispensing nozzle electrode (see Figs. 2-3 electrode to the nozzle; also, see Fig. 33 nozzle electrode see [0015] “…electric charge to the printing fluid is provided by an electrode having an end that is in electrical communication with the printing fluid in the nozzle”; [0076], [0079]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to which said subject matter pertains to have modified Steiner’s invention to include instructions causes the processor of Steiner to control the material delivery nozzle in coordination with the array of electrodes and the at least one material dispensing nozzle electrode as taught by Rogers in order to control substrate electrodes to generate a uniform and highly-confined electric field established between the nozzle and the substrate surface (see [0016]), to improve placement accuracy and fidelity of the printing (see [0028] “In another embodiment, improved printing capability is achieved by providing a substrate assist feature on the surface to be printed, thereby improving placement accuracy and fidelity. Generally, substrate assist feature refers to any process or material connected to the substrate surface that affects printing fluid placemen… such as electrodes connected to a support that in turn provides surface charge pattern on the substrate surface to be printed).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon, as cited in PTO form 892, is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Katerberg et al (US 20130194330) teaches “a pressurized ink source is used to eject filaments (jets) of fluid through a plurality of nozzles, equivalently called nozzle bores, from which continuous streams of ink drops are formed using drop forming devices associated with each nozzle bore”, thus, filaments or jets of fluid are terms that synonyms of each other (0060).
Marcus et al (US 20140009522) teaches “Alternatively, nozzle plate 49 can be integrally formed with jetting module 48. Liquid, for example, ink, is supplied to the nozzles 50 of the array of nozzles via liquid channel 47 at a pressure sufficient to form continuous liquid streams or filaments 52 from each nozzle. In FIG. 2, the array or plurality of nozzles extends into and out of the figure”.
Salles (FR 3063660 A1) teaches a system and apparatus comprising control a delivery nozzle to direct a continuous filament in first orientation relative to a substrate, an electrode configured to the continuous filament extrusion, and control, in coordination with the vertical wire electrode, an orientation of an electric field proximate the material delivery nozzle to redirect at least a portion of the continuous filament extrusion in a second orientation relative to the substrate in response to the processor executing an electric field controlling module, wherein the second orientation is different that the first orientation (see Fig. 3-4 also, see page 4 “certain particular cases, it relates more precisely to the technical field of spinning under an electric field
a deposition material in the form of discontinuous filaments or, preferably, in the form of a continuous filament , of micron diameter (less than 10 microns), sub-micron (less than 1 micron) or nanometric (less than 100 nanometers); see page 2 “Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Fig- 3, illustrating the deflection of a continuous filament of material created by the device, with application of an additional electric field by the electric
deflector”; also, see page 4 par. 4).
Examiner respectfully requests, in response to this Office action, support be shown for language added to any original claims on amendment and any new claims. That is, indicate support for newly added claim language by specifically pointing to page(s) and line number(s) in the specification and/or drawing figure(s). This will assist Examiner in prosecuting the application.
When responding to this Office Action, Applicant is advised to clearly point out the patentable novelty which he or she thinks the claims present, in view of the state of the art disclosed by the references cited or the objections made. Applicant must also show how the amendments avoid or differentiate from such references or objections. See 37 CFR 1.111 (c).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OLVIN LOPEZ ALVAREZ whose telephone number is (571) 270-7686 and fax (571) 270-8686. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday from 9:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Robert Fennema, can be reached at (571) 272-2748. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/O. L./
Examiner, Art Unit 2117
/Christopher E. Everett/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2117