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 .
PRODUCT BY PROCESS CLAIM:
“ The subject matter present is regarded as a product by process claim in which a product is introduced by the method in which it is made. It is the general practice of this office to examine the final product described regardless of the method provided by the applicant.”
The above office policy applies to the limitations “ …3D-printed…printing technology…” in claims 1-31.
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) 1-27, 29-31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Meredith et al(2007/0044411) in view of Dubov et al (2021/0277648).
Meredith figures 1-4, 31-35, shows a building element configured to form a portion of an overall building, the building element comprising: a plurality of 3D panels (see product by process policy above) formed by 3D printing technology (see product by process policy above) using a material, wherein each of at least a portion of the plurality of 3D panels is formed and includes an outer frame shell defining a geometric shape having an interior outer surface(, an exterior outer surface, and side edges between the interior and exterior outer surfaces, and an infill structure(figure 31, the space 10 on left and right of 151) within the outer frame shell, the infill structure forming internal cavities(where 8 goes into) within the outer frame shell; a plurality of connectors(30, 14 figure 6) coupled to at least a portion of the plurality of 3D panels and configured to couple one or more of the 3D panels to each other, to one or more separate building components of the overall building, or to any combination thereof; and one or more load transfer components(18, figure 4) coupled to at least a portion of the plurality of 3D panels and configured to transfer loads across one or more of the 3D panels.
Meredith does not show the building element comprising: a plurality of 3D-printed panels formed by 3D printing technology (see product by process policy above) using a photocurable composite material, wherein each of at least a portion of the plurality of 3D-printed panels is integrally formed and includes an outer frame shell defining a geometric shape having an interior outer surface.
Dubov figures 1-7, shows the building element comprising: a plurality of 3D-printed panels(200, 600, 700) formed by 3D printing technology (see product by process policy above) using a photocurable composite material, wherein each of at least a portion of the plurality of 3D-printed (see PBP) panels is integrally formed and includes an outer frame shell defining a geometric shape having an interior outer surface, infill going into the cavities within the cavities within the outer frame shell.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Meredith et al’s structure to show the building element comprising: a plurality of 3D-printed panels formed by 3D printing technology (see product by process policy above) using a photocurable composite material, wherein each of at least a portion of the plurality of 3D-printed (see PBP) panels is integrally formed and includes an outer frame shell defining a geometric shape having an interior outer surface as taught by Dubov with a reasonable expectation of success in order to use 3-D printed insulating panels to fast form insulating walls for buildings.
Per claim 2, Meredith further shows the building element meets construction industry requirements regarding structural performance, thermal efficiency, fire performance, and waterproofing (inherently so as the element is made to building codes).
Per claim 3, Meredith as modified further shows the building element is a 3D-printed integrated wall panel assembly and the overall building is a residential or commercial building.
Per claim 4, Meredith as modified further shows at least one interior outer surface, at least one exterior outer surface, or both are covered by one or more finishing coatings (10).
Per claim 5, Meredith as modified further shows one or more waterproofing components(47) coupled to at least a portion of the plurality of 3D-printed panels.
Per clam 6, Meredith as modified further shows the one or more waterproofing components are installed along one or more horizontal or vertical edges of the coupled 3D-printed panels(see figure 6 shows waterproofing components(47) on the panels along a horizontal edge).
Meredith as modified further shows the shape and the size of a given infill structure determines the stiffness and the ultimate load bearing capacity of its respective 3D-printed panel.
Meredith as modified further shows the shape and the size of a given infill structure determines the thermal efficiency of its respective 3D-printed panel by extending one or more thermal bridging paths within its respective 3D-printed panel(inherently as the panels are insulating).
Per claim 9, Meredith as modified further shows a thermal insulation material(8) disposed within at least some of the internal cavities of at least a portion of the plurality of 3D-printed panels.
Per claim 10, Meredith (figure 8) as modified further shows at least some of the side edges include extrusions that form vertical decorative ledges (14) configured to bridge juncture regions between adjacent 3D-printed panels.
Per claim 11, Meredith as modified further shows the one or more separate building components of the overall building include one or more window frames, door frames, traditional wall segments, foundations, or any combination thereof.
Per claim 12, Meredith as modified further shows the plurality of connectors includes one or more mechanical connectors(34, 38, 22), one or more chemical adhesives, or any combination thereof.
Per claim 13, Meredith as modified further shows at least a portion of the plurality of connectors are coupled directly to at least a portion of the one or more load transfer components(31, figure 24, 105 figure 20).
Per claim 14, Meredith as modified further shows (figure 24) the plurality of connectors includes a rim track with slots(see slots formed for insertions of connecting parts) formed therein configured to couple to a separate floor component or a separate roof component of the overall building.
Per claim 15, Meredith as modified further shows at least a portion of the plurality of 3D-printed panels include an opening(142, figure 34) therethrough configured for a window or a door.
Per claim 16, Meredith as modified further shows the one or more load transfer components include one or more sets of tension transmitting members(figure 24, the inserted parts that connects parts 30a and 14, and providing a means for transmitting tension as needed).
Per claim 17, Meredith as modified further shows the one or more load transfer components include a structural frame coupled to a first panel of the plurality of 3D-printed panels to form an integrated panel assembly, the structural frame including a top frame member(18, figure 4), a bottom frame member (20 figure 4 bottom) spaced apart from the top frame member, and columnar members(14, figure 3) extending between the top and bottom members.
Per claim 18, Meredith(figures 4, 31-33) as modified further shows the first panel includes a plurality of vertically oriented slots(between 16) formed into top and bottom surfaces thereof, and further comprising: one or more insertion plates( 38, 22) inserted into one or more of the plurality of vertically oriented slots, wherein the one or more insertion plates are attached to the structural frame to couple the first panel to the structural frame.
Per claim 19, Meredith as modified further shows one or more base plates (125 figure 25) coupled to one or more of the columnar members and to one or more of the insertion plates(14, 30, figure 25) inserted into one or more vertically oriented slots along the bottom of the first panel, wherein the one or more base plates are configured to couple the integrated panel assembly to a separate building component of the overall building.
Per claim 20, Meredith as modified further shows the integrated panel assembly is an integrated wall panel assembly and the separate building component is a foundation(56, also see figure 21) of the overall building.
Per claim 21, Meredith (see above for similar structural limitation designations) as modified further shows a building panel configured to form a portion of an overall building, the building panel comprising: a 3D-printed(see PBP policy above) structure formed by 3D printing technology(PBP) using a photocurable composite material, wherein the 3D-printed structure is integrally formed and includes: an outer frame shell defining a geometric shape having an interior outer surface, an exterior outer surface, and side edges between the interior outer surface and exterior outer surface, and an infill structure within the outer frame shell, the infill structure forming internal cavities within the outer frame shell; and one or more coupling features formed in the 3D-printed structure, wherein the one or more coupling features are configured to facilitate coupling the 3D-printed structure to one or more separate building components of the overall building.
Per claim 22, Meredith as modified further shows a load transfer system formed from non-3D-printed material and coupled to the 3D- printed structure, the load transfer system configured to transfer loads across the 3D-printed structure, wherein the 3D-printed structure and the load transfer system combine to form a 3D- printed integrated panel.
Per claim 23, Meredith as modified further shows the load transfer system includes a structural frame including a top frame member, a bottom frame member spaced apart from the top frame member, and columnar members extending between the top and bottom members.
Per claim 24, Meredith(see above) as modified further shows the one or more coupling features formed in the 3D-printed structure include a plurality of vertically oriented slots formed into top and bottom surfaces thereof, and further comprising: one or more insertion plates inserted into one or more vertically oriented slots, wherein the one or more insertion plates are attached to the structural frame to couple the 3D-printed structure to the structural frame.
Per claim 25, Meredith as modified further shows one or more base plates coupled to one or more of the columnar members and to one or more of the insertion plates inserted into one or more vertically oriented slots along the bottom of the 3D-printed structure, wherein the one or more base plates are configured to couple the 3D- printed integrated panel to a separate building component of the overall building.
Per claim 26, Meredith as modified further shows the interior outer surface, the exterior outer surface, or both are covered by one or more finishing coatings.
Per claim 27, Meredith as modified further shows a thermal insulation(8) material disposed within at least some of the internal cavities.
Per claim 29, Meredith as modified further shows the outer frame shell of the 3D-printed structure defines a geometric shape that is straight between the side edges to form a straight panel.
Per claim 30, Meredith as modified further shows the outer frame shell of the 3D-printed structure defines a geometric shape that is complex (complexity is subjective) between the side edges to form a complex panel.
Per claim 31, Meredith as modified further shows the complex panel defines a complex geometric shape that is curved, wavy, round-cornered, or square-cornered(figure 8).
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) 28 is is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Meredith et al(2007/0044411) in view of Dubov.
Meredith as modified shows all the claimed limitations except for the 3D-printed structure has a width of about 1 to 12 feet, a height of about 8 to 12 feet, and a thickness of about 1 to 12 inches.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Meredith et als’ as modified structures to show the 3D-printed structure has a width of about 1 to 12 feet, a height of about 8 to 12 feet, and a thickness of about 1 to 12 inches since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the size of a component. A change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of fling of the invention to modify Meredith’s structure to show the claimed sizes in order to satisfy a particular design requirement for a desired building panel size/construction.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The prior art shows different building panel constructions.
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/PHI D A/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3633