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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant amendment filed 11/20/2025 has been entered and is currently under consideration. Claims 1-12 and 21-27 remain pending in the application.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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) 1-4 and 21-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takada et al. (US 5468443 of record) hereinafter Takada in view of Deau (US2015/0321412 of record), Kodaira et al. (US2022/0193963 of record) hereinafter Kodaira, Menassa et al. (US2006/0190131 of record) hereinafter Menassa, and Senn et al. (US2011/0236517) hereinafter Senn.
Regarding claim 1, Takada teaches:
A molding system for forming plastic articles (Fig 9; col 10, ln 50-64), the molding system comprising:
a plurality of process stations each operable to receive an input unit and produce an output unit (Fig 9, 11: injection units 202, first injection molding stations 10, second injection molding station 12, temperature regulating stations 14, blow molding stations 16; col 10, ln 50-64; col 14, ln 56-57), the plurality of process stations comprising:
at least one melt dispensing station for dispensing molten molding material (Fig 9, 11: injection units 202; col 14, ln 56-57); and
a plurality of shaping stations each for forming molding material into a molded shape (Fig 9: first injection molding stations 10, second injection molding station 12, temperature regulating stations 14, blow molding stations 16);
wherein output units from said at least one melt dispensing station are input units for said plurality of shaping stations (Fig 9; col 7, ln 6-40);
a plurality of possible paths between at least one upstream process station and a plurality of downstream process stations operable to receive an input unit from the at least one upstream process station (Fig 9; col 6, ln 58-col 7, ln 5);
a transport system for selectively moving input and output units between ones of said plurality of process stations (Fig 9; col 6, ln 58-col 7, ln 5);
Takada does not teach wherein the plurality of shaping stations are configured to produce output units of different types,
a controller for each of said plurality of process stations, operating respective process stations according to a plurality of operating conditions, the plurality of operating conditions comprising the respective process stations as ready to receive an input unit, performing a process on an input unit, or ready to release an output unit; and
a supervisory controller operable to track a current operating condition of each process station, select paths from the plurality of possible paths between upstream process stations ready to release an output unit, and downstream process stations ready to receive an input unit, and provide instructions for said transport system to move said input and output units along said selected paths.
In the same field of endeavor regarding processing apparatus, Deau teaches a controller for each of a plurality of process stations, operating the respective process stations according to a plurality of operating conditions (slave controllers 37: [0066-0079]) and a supervisory controller operable to track a current operating condition of each process station (master control unit 36; [0060-0065]) for the motivation of automating molding machines ([0005]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the system as taught by Takada with the master and slave controllers as taught by Deau in order to automate molding machines.
Takada in view of Deau does not teach the operating conditions defining the stations as ready to receive an input unit, performing a process on an input unit, or ready to release an output unit.
In the same field of endeavor regarding molding, Kodaira teaches a controller that defines a molding station as ready to receive an input unit, performing a process on an input unit, or ready to release an output unit for the motivation of monitoring and controlling a molding process (Fig 12b; [0157-0164]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the controllers as taught by Takada in view of Deau to define the operating state of the molding stations as taught by Kodaira in order to monitor and control a molding process.
Takada in view of Deau and Kodaira does not teach a supervisory controller operable to select paths from the plurality of possible paths between upstream process stations ready to release an output unit, and downstream process stations ready to receive an input unit, and provide instructions for said transport system to move said input and output units along said selected paths.
In the same field of endeavor regarding molding, Menassa teaches a supervisory controller operable to define a plurality of possible paths between at least one upstream process station and a plurality of downstream process stations operable to receive an input unit from the at least one upstream process station, select paths from the plurality of possible paths between upstream process stations ready to release an output unit, and downstream process stations ready to receive an input unit, and provide instructions for said transport system to move said input and output units along said selected paths (Fig 2; [0026, 0029]) for the motivation of automatically balancing workloads ([0006]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the supervisory controller as taught by Takada in view of Deau and Kodaira with the controller operations as taught by Menassa in order to automatically balance workloads.
Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, and Menassa does not teach wherein the plurality of shaping stations are configured to produce output units of different types.
In the same field of endeavor regarding molding, Senn teaches a plurality of shaping stations that are configured to produce output units of different types for the motivation of allowing different types of products to be produced in the same production cycle ([0102-0104]; abstract).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the shaping stations as taught by Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, and Menassa to produce different types of output for as taught by Senn in order to allow different types of products to be produced in the same production cycle.
Regarding claim 2, Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, and Senn teaches the apparatus of claim 1.
Takada further teaches wherein said plurality of shaping stations are a plurality of primary shaping stations (Fig 9, 11: first injection molding stations 10, second injection molding station 12, injection molding stations 110), and said molded shape is an intermediate molded shape (preforms 130; col 10, ln 50-64) and said plurality of process stations further comprise at least one secondary shaping station, wherein output units from said plurality of primary shaping stations are input units for said at least one secondary shaping station (col 10, ln 50-64; col 14, ln 56-col 15, ln 14; col 15, ln 36-57), said at least one secondary shaping station operable to re-shape articles in said intermediate molded shape into a final molded shape (Fig 9, 11: blow molding stations 16, blow molding station 114; col 10, ln 50-64; col 15, ln 36-57).
Regarding claim 3, Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, and Senn teaches the apparatus of claim 1.
Takada further teaches wherein said plurality of shaping stations comprise injection molds (Fig 9, 11: first injection molding stations 10, second injection molding station 12, injection molding stations 110).
Regarding claim 4, Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, and Senn teaches the apparatus of claim 2.
Takada further teaches wherein said plurality of primary shaping stations comprise injection molds (Fig 9, 11: first injection molding stations 10, second injection molding station 12, injection molding stations 110) and said at least one secondary shaping station comprises a blow mold (Fig 9, 11: blow molding stations 16, blow molding station 114; col 10, ln 50-64; col 15, ln 36-57).
Regarding claim 21, Takada teaches:
A molding system for forming plastic articles (Fig 9; col 10, ln 50-64), the system comprising:
a plurality of process stations each operable to receive an input unit and produce an output unit (Fig 9: first injection molding stations 10, second injection molding station 12, temperature regulating stations 14, blow molding stations 16; col 10, ln 50-64), the process stations comprising:
a plurality of melt dispensing stations for dispensing molten molding material (Fig 9: first injection molding stations 10, second injection molding station 12); and
a plurality of shaping stations each for forming molding material into a molded shape (Fig 9: temperature regulating stations 14, blow molding stations 16);
wherein output units from said plurality of melt dispensing stations are input units for said plurality of shaping stations (Fig 9; col 7, ln 6-40);
a plurality of possible paths between a plurality of upstream process stations and at least one of the plurality of downstream process stations operable to receive an input unit from the plurality of upstream process stations (Fig 9; col 6, ln 58-col 7, ln 5);
a transport system for selectively moving input and output units between ones of said process stations (Fig 9; col 6, ln 58-col 7, ln 5).
Takada does not teach wherein the plurality of melt dispensing stations and/or the plurality of shaping stations are configured to produce output units of different types,
a controller for each of said process stations, operating the respective process stations according to a plurality of operating conditions, the operating conditions defining comprising the stations as ready to receive an input unit, performing a process on an input unit, or ready to release an output unit;
a supervisory controller operable to track a current operating condition of each process station, select paths from the plurality of possible paths between upstream process stations ready to release an output unit, and downstream process stations ready to receive an input unit, and provide instructions for said transport system to move said input and output units along said selected paths, wherein the selection of paths from the plurality of possible paths is at least partially based on an allocation factor assigned to each type of output units.
In the same field of endeavor regarding processing apparatus, Deau teaches a controller for each of a plurality of process stations, operating the respective process stations according to a plurality of operating conditions (slave controllers 37: [0066-0079]) and a supervisory controller operable to track a current operating condition of each process station (master control unit 36; [0060-0065]) for the motivation of automating molding machines ([0005]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the system as taught by Takada with the master and slave controllers as taught by Deau in order to automate molding machines.
Takada in view of Deau does not teach the operating conditions defining the stations as ready to receive an input unit, performing a process on an input unit, or ready to release an output unit.
In the same field of endeavor regarding molding, Kodaira teaches a controller that defines a molding station as ready to receive an input unit, performing a process on an input unit, or ready to release an output unit for the motivation of monitoring and controlling a molding process (Fig 12b; [0157-0164]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the controllers as taught by Takada in view of Deau to define the operating state of the molding stations as taught by Kodaira in order to monitor and control a molding process.
Takada in view of Deau and Kodaira does not teach a supervisory controller operable to select paths from the plurality of possible paths between upstream process stations ready to release an output unit, and downstream process stations ready to receive an input unit, and provide instructions for said transport system to move said input and output units along said selected paths.
In the same field of endeavor regarding molding, Menassa teaches a supervisory controller operable to define a plurality of possible paths between at least one upstream process station and a plurality of downstream process stations operable to receive an input unit from the at least one upstream process station, select paths from the plurality of possible paths between upstream process stations ready to release an output unit, and downstream process stations ready to receive an input unit, and provide instructions for said transport system to move said input and output units along said selected paths (Fig 2; [0026, 0029]) for the motivation of automatically balancing workloads ([0006]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the supervisory controller as taught by Takada in view of Deau and Kodaira with the controller operations as taught by Menassa in order to automatically balance workloads.
Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, and Menassa does not teach wherein the plurality of melt dispensing stations and/or the plurality of shaping stations are configured to produce output units of different types,
In the same field of endeavor regarding molding, Senn teaches a plurality of melt dispensing stations and/or a plurality of shaping stations that are configured to produce output units of different types wherein the selection of paths from the plurality of possible paths is at least partially based on an allocation factor assigned to each type of output units for the motivation of allowing different types of products to be produced in the same production cycle ([0037, 0102-0104]; abstract).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the shaping stations and controller as taught by Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, and Menassa to produce different types of output and to allocate preforms based on the desired treatment of the preforms as taught by Senn in order to allow different types of products to be produced in the same production cycle.
Regarding claim 22, Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, and Senn teaches the apparatus of claim 21.
Takada further teaches wherein said plurality of shaping stations are a plurality of primary shaping stations (Fig 9, 11: first injection molding stations 10, second injection molding station 12, injection molding stations 110), and said molded shape is an intermediate molded shape (preforms 130; col 10, ln 50-64) and said plurality of process stations further comprise at least one secondary shaping station, wherein output units from said plurality of primary shaping stations are input units for said at least one secondary shaping station (col 10, ln 50-64; col 14, ln 56-col 15, ln 14; col 15, ln 36-57), said at least one secondary shaping station operable to re-shape articles in said intermediate molded shape into a final molded shape (Fig 9, 11: blow molding stations 16, blow molding station 114; col 10, ln 50-64; col 15, ln 36-57).
Regarding claim 23, Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, and Senn teaches the apparatus of claim 21.
Takada further teaches wherein said plurality of shaping stations comprise injection molds (Fig 9, 11: first injection molding stations 10, second injection molding station 12, injection molding stations 110).
Regarding claim 24, Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, and Senn teaches the apparatus of claim 22.
Takada further teaches wherein said plurality of primary shaping stations comprise injection molds (Fig 9, 11: first injection molding stations 10, second injection molding station 12, injection molding stations 110) and said at least one secondary shaping station comprises a blow mold (Fig 9, 11: blow molding stations 16, blow molding station 114; col 10, ln 50-64; col 15, ln 36-57).
Claim(s) 5-10 and 25-26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, and Senn as applied to claims 1 and 21 above, and further in view of Brown et al. (US5830390 of record) hereinafter Brown.
Regarding claim 5, Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, and Senn teaches the apparatus of claim 1.
Takada further teaches plastic articles (col 1, ln 30-34).
Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, and Senn does not teach wherein said molding system is operable to concurrently produce articles of a plurality of types.
In the same field of endeavor regarding molding, Brown teaches molding system that is operable to concurrently produce plastic articles of a plurality of types for the motivation of enabling concurrent molding of different parts (col 2, ln 25-28).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the molding system as taught by Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, and Senn to concurrently mold different articles as taught by Brown in order to enable concurrent molding of different parts.
Regarding claim 6, Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, Senn, and Brown teaches the apparatus of claim 5.
Brown further teaches wherein the molding system is configured to be controlled by at least one state model, wherein said plurality of operating conditions are associated with a state of a station state model (col 5, ln 17-24).
Regarding claim 7, Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, Senn, and Brown teaches the apparatus of claim 6.
Brown further teaches wherein said supervisory controller is configured to assign an operating state to each of a plurality of types of plastic articles, according to a job state model (col 5, ln 17-24).
Regarding claim 8, Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, Senn, and Brown teaches the apparatus of claim 6.
Brown further teaches wherein said supervisory controller is configured to cause said plurality of operating conditions to transition between states of said station state model based on a transition between states of a job state model (col 5, ln 17-24).
Regarding claim 9, Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, Senn, and Brown teaches the apparatus of claim 6.
Deau further teaches said controllers and said supervisory controller.
Brown further teaches wherein said at least one state model is associated with a production operating mode, and wherein a controller is configured with further state models for automated execution of additional operating modes (col 5, ln 17-24).
Regarding claim 10, Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, Senn, and Brown teaches the apparatus of claim 9.
Brown further teaches wherein said additional operating modes comprise a tooling change mode (col 5, ln 17-24).
Regarding claim 25, Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, and Senn teaches the apparatus of claim 21.
Takada further teaches plastic articles (col 1, ln 30-34).
Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, and Senn does not teach wherein said molding system is operable to concurrently produce articles of a plurality of types.
In the same field of endeavor regarding molding, Brown teaches molding system that is operable to concurrently produce plastic articles of a plurality of types for the motivation of enabling concurrent molding of different parts (col 2, ln 25-28).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the molding system as taught by Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, and Senn to concurrently mold different articles as taught by Brown in order to enable concurrent molding of different parts.
Regarding claim 26, Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, Senn, and Brown teaches the apparatus of claim 25.
Brown further teaches wherein the molding system is configured to be controlled by at least one state model, wherein said plurality of operating conditions are associated with a state of a station state model (col 5, ln 17-24).
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, Senn, and Brown as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Schmitt et al. (US2021/0081181 of record) hereinafter Schmitt.
Regarding claim 11, Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, Senn, and Brown teaches the apparatus of claim 6.
Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, Senn, and Brown does not teach wherein at least one said state model is implemented according to a packaging machine language standard.
Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, Senn, and Brown does not teach how the controllers implement the states.
In analogous art for controlling industrial apparatus, Schmitt teaches using PackML as an aspect of industrial automation ([0075]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have tried PackML as taught by Schmitt to define the states for the controllers as taught by Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, Senn, and Brown and there would be a reasonable expectation of success since the references teach using controllers to control industrial processes.
Claim(s) 12 and 27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, and Senn as applied to claims 1 and 21 above, and further in view of Schmitt.
Regarding claim 12, Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, and Senn teaches the apparatus of claim 1.
Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, and Senn does not teach an enterprise control platform, said enterprise control platform operable to receive production instructions over the internet and to direct operation of said supervisory controller in accordance with said production instructions.
In the same field of endeavor regarding apparatus control, Schmitt teaches an enterprise control platform, said enterprise control platform operable to receive production instructions over the internet and to direct operation of a supervisory controller in accordance with said production instructions for the motivation of interconnecting the components of the system with a user ([0119-0121]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the system as taught by Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, and Senn with the enterprise control platform as taught by Schmitt in order to interconnect the components of the system with a user.
Regarding claim 27, Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, and Senn teaches the apparatus of claim 21.
Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, and Senn does not teach an enterprise control platform, said enterprise control platform operable to receive production instructions over the internet and to direct operation of said supervisory controller in accordance with said production instructions.
In the same field of endeavor regarding apparatus control, Schmitt teaches an enterprise control platform, said enterprise control platform operable to receive production instructions over the internet and to direct operation of a supervisory controller in accordance with said production instructions for the motivation of interconnecting the components of the system with a user ([0119-0121]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the system as taught by Takada in view of Deau, Kodaira, Menassa, and Senn with the enterprise control platform as taught by Schmitt in order to interconnect the components of the system with a user.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 10/20/2025 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
For at least the above reasons, the application is not in condition for allowance.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
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 ALEXANDER A WANG whose telephone number is (571)272-5361. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 8 am-4 pm EST.
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/ALEXANDER A WANG/ Examiner, Art Unit 1741
/ALISON L HINDENLANG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1741