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 .
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) 1-11, 13-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dovrat et al (U.S. Pub 2011/0279544)
Regarding claim 1, a device for parallel dispensing a print medium onto a substrate (Figure 2; Paragraph 0023), the device comprising:
A printing unit (201-205), which comprises a plurality of dispenser nozzles (210-213; 215-217; Figure 2; Paragraphs 0022-0023) for simultaneous discharge of the print medium (Figures 2, 5; Paragraphs 0022, 0031, 0034) wherein the printing unit further comprises a center region and a peripheral region adjacent to the center region (refer to figure below), and a drive configured to generate a relative movement between the printing unit and the substrate in a movement direction (scan direction X; Figures 2, 5; Paragraphs 0021, 0032, 0035)
Wherein at least a first one of the dispenser nozzles (first nozzle on unit 202) and a second one of the dispenser nozzles (first nozzle on unit 203), both located in the center region, are arranged spaced apart from one another transversely in relation to the movement direction (X) (Figure 2)
Dovrat discloses a printing unit may include any applicable number of nozzles, e.g., hundreds of nozzles (Paragraph 0022). Further Dovrat discloses “as shown by Fig. 5, a system 500 may include a first plurality of print units 510 that may be arranged as described herein with respect to Fig. 2” (Paragraph 0034; Figure 5). Element 510 discloses a printing unit with a plurality of arrays, therefore the claim limitation regarding a printing unit which comprises a plurality of dispenser nozzles which are spaced apart from one another transversely to the direction of movement, has been met
The first dispenser nozzle (first nozzle on unit 202) and a third one of the dispenser nozzles (any nozzle below the first nozzle on unit 202), also located in the center region of the printing unit are arranged spaced apart from one another along a common first longitudinal axis at a first nozzle spacing and the first longitudinal axis runs parallel to the movement direction (X) (Figure 2)
Wherein the peripheral region of the printing unit comprises at least a fourth dispenser nozzle (210) and a fifth dispenser nozzle (any nozzle below the first nozzle on unit 201) arranged along a common second longitudinal axis, which runs parallel to the movement direction (X) (Figure 2)
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Regarding claim 2, the first dispenser nozzle and the second dispenser nozzle are arranged along a common first transverse axis, wherein the first transverse axis runs orthogonally in relation to the movement direction and the first transverse axis delimits the printing unit such that the printing unit is free of further dispenser nozzles on one side of the first transverse axis (Figure 2)
Regarding claim 3, the printing unit has a center region, in which a multiplicity of the dispenser nozzles, comprising the first (first nozzle on unit 202), second (first nozzle on unit 203) and third (any nozzle below the first nozzle on unit 202) dispenser nozzles, are arranged along multiple rows that run parallel to one another, the first nozzle and the third dispenser nozzle are arranged in a common first row and the second dispenser nozzle is arranged in another row, and all of the dispenser nozzles of one said row in the center region are evenly spaced apart from one another at the first spacing (plurality of rows of nozzles are shown within Figure 2; further Figure 5 clearly discloses a single printing unit 510 with a plurality of nozzles rows running parallel to one another; Paragraph 0022 describes an array of nozzles fitted on a single print unit)
Regarding claim 4, the number of rows in the center region is at least 60 (Paragraph 0022; the printing unit may include any applicable number of nozzles)
Regarding claim 5, each row in the center region comprises a total of two of the dispenser nozzles, which are spaced apart from one another at the first nozzle spacing (Figure 2)
Regarding claim 6, wherein the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis run spaced apart from and parallel to one another, and the first (first nozzle on unit 202) and fourth (210) dispenser nozzle are arranged along a common oblique axis, wherein the oblique axis runs at an angle (angle equal to zero; Figure 2) between zero degrees and ninety degrees in relation to the movement direction and the oblique axis delimits the printing unit such that the printing unit is free of further dispenser nozzles on one side of the oblique axis (Figures 2-4)
Regarding claim 7, the fifth dispenser nozzle (any nozzle below the first nozzle on unit 201) arranged on the second longitudinal axis at a second nozzle spacing in relation to the fourth dispenser nozzle (Figure 2), and the second longitudinal axis delimits the printing unit such that the printing unit is free of further dispenser nozzle on one side of the second longitudinal axis (Figures 2-4)
Regarding claim 8, the printing unit has a peripheral region in which a multiplicity of the dispenser nozzles, comprising the fourth nozzle (210) and the fifth dispenser nozzle (any nozzle below the first nozzle on unit 201), are arranged along at least a first peripheral row, the first peripheral row comprises at least the fourth nozzle and the fifth dispenser nozzle, and all of the dispenser nozzles of the peripheral rows arranged in the peripheral region are evenly spaced apart from one another at the second nozzle spacing (Figure 2)
Regarding claim 9, the peripheral rows each comprise a total of two of the dispenser nozzles, which are spaced apart from one another at the second nozzle spacing and the first nozzle spacing is larger than the second nozzle spacing (Figure 2; the first nozzle spacing of the first nozzle and the last nozzle on unit 202 will be larger then the second nozzle spacing of the first nozzle and the third nozzle on unit 201)
Regarding claim 10, the printing unit has at least one of a first axis of symmetry or a second axis of symmetry, the first axis of symmetry runs parallel to the movement direction and the second axis of symmetry runs orthogonally in relation to the movement direction, and the dispenser nozzles are arranged on the printing unit axially symmetrically at least in terms of the first or the second axis of symmetry (Figure 2)
Regarding claim 11, the dispenser unit comprises at least two subunits, wherein a first one of the subunits and a second one of the subunits each comprise some of the dispenser nozzles of the dispenser unit, and the drive is configured to move the first subunit and the second subunit independently of one another to generate the relative movement (Figure 2; Paragraphs 0022-0024)
Regarding claim 13, A method for parallel dispensing of a print medium onto a substrate (260) (Figure 2; Paragraph 0021), the method comprising:
Providing a printing unit and a drive; the drive generating a relative movement between the printing unit (201-205; Paragraph 0022) and the substrate with a movement direction (scan direction X; Figures 2, 5; Paragraphs 0021, 0032, 0035)
Simultaneously discharging the print medium through a first dispenser (first nozzle on unit 202) nozzle and a second dispenser nozzle (first nozzle on unit 203) and a third dispenser nozzle (any nozzle below the first nozzle on unit 202), which are arranged on the printing unit, and as a result reaches the substrate (Figure 2; Paragraphs 0022-0024)
The first dispenser nozzle creating a first printed line with a first starting point and a first end point, and the second dispenser nozzle creating a second printed line with a second starting point and a second end point, wherein the first and the second printed line are applied to the substrate spaced apart and parallel to one another (Figure 2; Paragraphs 0022-0024)
The third dispenser nozzle creating a third printed line with a third starting point and a third end point, wherein the first printed line runs coaxially with the third printed line (Figure 2; Paragraphs 0022-0024)
Spacing apart the first starting point for the third starting point at a first nozzle spacing (Figure 2)
Wherein the printing unit further comprises a center region and a peripheral region adjacent to the center region, the first, second, and third dispenser nozzles are located in the center region, and the peripheral region of the printing unit comprises at least a fourth dispenser nozzle (210) and a fifth dispenser nozzle (any nozzle below the first nozzle on unit 201) arranged along a common second longitudinal axis, which runs parallel to the movement direction (X) (Figure 2)
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Regarding claim 14, to perform the relative movement, a relative displacement travel, which is smaller than the first nozzle spacing, is set and a gap is formed between eh first and third printed line (Figures 2, 5; Paragraphs 0021, 0032, 0035; the movement process will be dependent on printing pattern to be printed)
Regarding claim 15, wherein to perform the relative movement, a relative displacement travel, which corresponds to at least the first nozzle spacing is set and the first printed line and the third printed line are formed with a common contact region (Figure 2; Paragraphs 0021-0024, 0032, 0035)
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) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dovrat et al (U.S. Pub. 2011/0279544) in view of Cobb et al (U.S. 2013/0206220)
Regarding claim 12, Dovrat discloses a printing unit comprising dispenser nozzles of the printing unit (Figure 2; Paragraphs 0022-0024)
Cobb discloses a controller generating print start and print stop commands transmitted to two or more flow control valves, which are disposed in a supply flow path between a material feed system and inlet ports of the print head (Abstract; Paragraph 0012)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Cobb into the device of Dovrat, for the purpose of controlling the flow of print material to the print head
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON S UHLENHAKE whose telephone number is (571)272-5916. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Douglas X. Rodriguez can be reached at (571) 431-0716. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JASON S UHLENHAKE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853 March 24, 2026