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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 02/06/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Claims 11, 14, 33-39, 41-43, 45-46, 48-56, and 114 are pending. Claims 51-56 remain withdrawn. Claims 40, 44, and 47 are canceled.
In view of the amendment, filed 02/06/2026, claim rejections under 35 U.S.C. 103 are withdrawn from the previous Office Action mailed 08/08/2025.
New grounds of rejection are made in response to claim amendments.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 11, 14, 33-39, 41-43, 45-46, 48-50, and 114 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 11 recites the limitation "the supplemental build material" in the last two clauses. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
The indicated dependent claims are rejected for the reasons provided above.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 11, 33-38, and 41-42 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kato et al., US 20160339602 A1 (of record).
Regarding claim 11, Kato discloses a method for making a three-dimensional object (method of manufacturing a three-dimensional structure, Abstract, [0075]), comprising:
Depositing a layer of a build material (forming a layer 1 of a paste composition 11, [0078], Fig. 1A) on a build platform (on stage 41, Fig. 1A, [0092]), the build material including a blend of a powder material (paste composition 11 includes particles 111, [0078]) and a carrier fluid (an aqueous solvent, [0078], other solvents, [0249]);
Densifying the layer of the build material (performing a first heating treatment to evaporate aqueous solvent from the layer near its outer surface, [0104], thereby increasing its powder density);
Selectively processing the layer of the build material (selectively applying a binding liquid 12 to the layer 1, [0136]-[0139]; curing applied binding agent, [0141]); and
Repeating said depositing, said densifying, and said selectively processing of one or more layers of the build material stacked on the layer (sequentially repeating these steps, [0076]) to form the three-dimensional object (Figs. 3A-B, see object 10’), wherein:
[A] supplemental build material includes a backbone resin (binding liquid/agent including a curable resin, [0143]), and the carrier fluid includes a polymerization initiator (the paste composition 11 including a polymerization initiator, [0249]).
Kato does not explicitly state that the polymerization initiator is for initiating polymerization of the backbone resin. However, the backbone resin (the curable resin of the binding agent being the material that can be polymerized/cured, [0143], [0253]) is the material that is intended to be polymerized/cured in the manufacturing method (curing the binding agent, [0075]). As such, in the case it was not necessarily present, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify the polymerization initiator was for initiating polymerization of the backbone resin in order to facilitate the curing of the binding agent during the manufacturing method as intended by Kato.
Regarding claim 33, Kato discloses the method of claim 11, and Kato discloses said selectively processing includes depositing a supplemental build material on at least one target area of the build material (selectively applying binding liquid 12 to the layer 1, [0136]-[0139]).
Regarding claim 34, Kato discloses the method of claim 33, and Kato discloses said densifying includes densifying the build material such that the build material remains wet after densification (in the first heating treatment, aqueous solvent present deeper in the layer remains and is moved towards the outer surface, [0104], i.e., the build material still contains aqueous solvent and thus remains substantially wet; see also that the surface of the particles can remain wet by a solution of the aqueous solvent and resin, [0233]).
Regarding claim 35, Kato discloses the method of claim 34, and Kato discloses said densifying includes densifying the build material such that the build material defines a plurality of voids therein (see pores 1111 present in build material 11, Fig. 8, [0233]) and the powder material remains wet after densification (in the first heating treatment, aqueous solvent present deeper in the layer remains and is moved towards the outer surface, [0104], i.e., the build material still contains aqueous solvent and thus remains substantially wet; see also that the surface of the particles 111 can remain wet by a solution of the aqueous solvent and resin, [0233]).
Regarding claim 36, Kato discloses the method of claim 34, and Kato discloses the supplemental build material is adapted to enable a curing reaction, solidification reaction, or a combination thereof, for binding the powder material at the target area (the binding agent in the binding liquid 12 is cured to form a cured portion, [0141], [0143]).
Regarding claim 37, Kato discloses the method of claim 36, and Kato discloses the target area is in accordance with a two-dimensional slice (the discharge pattern and the amount of the binding liquid 12 discharged are determined based on the slice data, [0204]) of a digital model of the three-dimensional object (the slice data being from a digital model of the three-dimensional structure, [0180]).
Regarding claim 38, Kato discloses the method of claim 36, and Kato discloses the supplemental build material is adapted to enable a photocuring reaction for binding the powder material at the target area (the binding agent 121 being a photocurable resin to be cured by irradiation with the corresponding light, [0143]).
Regarding claim 41, Kato discloses the method of claim 38, and Kato discloses the supplemental build material and the carrier fluid collectively provide a photocurable resin including the backbone resin (photocurable resin, [0143], photocurable resin such as ultraviolet curable resin/polymerizable compound, [0253]) and the polymerization initiator (polymerization initiator, [0249]). In the applied embodiment Kato does not specifically disclose the polymerization initiator in the paste includes a photoinitiator.
However, Kato additionally describes, for a photocurable resin ([0253]-[0254]), the polymerization being initiated by a photo initiator (photopolymerization initiator, [0254]). Since Kato discloses the photocurable resin, and curing is described by Kato as being performed by light irradiation ([0143]), it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify the polymerization initiator in the paste was a photo initiator in order to predictably initiate the curing by light exposure, as taught by Kato.
Regarding claim 42, Kato discloses the method of claim 36, and Kato discloses the supplemental build material is adapted to enable a thermal curing reaction for binding the powder material at the target area (the binding agent 121 being cured by heating, [0143]).
Claim(s) 14, 39, and 43 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kato et al., US 20160339602 A1, as applied to claims 11, 38, and 42 above, in view of Anthony et al., WO 2019083515 A1 (of record).
Regarding claim 14, Kato discloses the method of claim 11. Kato does not disclose said depositing includes depositing the build material via slot die coating.
In the analogous art of 3D printing ([0009]), Anthony teaches slot die coating as a suitable technique for the deposition of a build material slurry over a build platform with a substantially uniform thickness ([0059]-[0060], [0078]). Anthony discloses that slot die coating was a known suitable alternative for coating the build material with a blade or other spreading device distributing the material from a container ([0059]) and that a continuous delivery of the build material in this manner can reduce the settling time of the particles and prevent premature drying of the material ([0060]) .
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to substitute the slot die coating taught by Anthony for the blade spreading disclosed by Kato (Kato: [0183], [0190], Fig. 7), as a substitution of one known element for another yielding predictable results of depositing the build material layer. MPEP 2143 (I)(B). Furthermore, Anthony teaches the slot die coating is advantageous for providing a continuous delivery of the material so as to reduce the particle settling time and prevent premature drying of the material.
Regarding claim 39, Kato discloses the method of claim 38. Kato discloses said selectively processing includes irradiating the build material (curing including irradiating with light, [0143], [0205]-[0206]).
Kato discloses the application of the binding liquid defines the pattern with good accuracy according to the slice data of the three-dimensional object ([0139], [0204]), and the curing means then cures the binding liquid that was selectively applied ([0205]). Kato discloses the curing being performed by light irradiation with ultraviolet rays for curing a photocurable resin ([0143], [0206]). Ultraviolet light sources alone, e.g., a UV lamp, are typically considered a relatively non-selective manner of irradiation, as opposed to, e.g., lasers. As such, Kato at least suggested non-selective irradiation to one of ordinary skill in the art and there was no specific requirement for a selective irradiation of the build material, since the intended pattern is defined by the applied binder, not the specific location of a focused energy beam.
Kato does not explicitly disclose the irradiating is in a non-selective manner. Applicant associates a “non-selective manner” with irradiating an entire layer (filed specification, [0244], [0251])
In the analogous art ([0009]), Anthony further teaches irradiating an entire build area with a substantially uniform amount of energy when an activatable binder has been selectively applied to a patterned area in order to promote curing of the patterned area ([0067], [0069]).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify in the method of Kato that the irradiating is in a non-selective manner in order to provide a substantially uniform amount of energy capable of selectively activating the previously applied binder, as suggested by Kato and taught by Anthony.
Regarding claim 43, Kato discloses the method of claim 42. Kato discloses heating the build material when using a heat-curable binding agent (curing by heating, [0143]). Kato at least suggests non-selective irradiation as set forth above but is silent as to the heating being in a non-selective manner. Applicant associates a “non-selective manner” with irradiating an entire layer (filed specification, [0244], [0251]).
In the analogous art ([0009]), Anthony further teaches heating an entire build area with a substantially uniform amount of energy when an activatable binder has been selectively applied to a patterned area in order to promote curing of the patterned area ([0067], [0069]).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify in the method of Kato that the selectively processing includes heating the build material in a non-selective manner in order to provide a substantially uniform amount of energy capable of selectively activating the previously applied binder, as taught by Anthony.
Claim(s) 45 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kato et al., US 20160339602 A1, as applied to claim 42 above, in view of Hull et al., US 20020195747 A1 (of record).
Regarding claim 45, Kato discloses the method of claim 42. Kato discloses the supplemental build material and the carrier fluid collectively provide a thermally curable resin including the backbone resin (curable thermosetting resin in the binding liquid that can be cured by heating, [0143], [0253]) and the polymerization initiator as set forth above (polymerization initiator in the paste/carrier fluid, [0249]). Kato is silent as to the initiator being a thermal initiator.
In the analogous art of forming three-dimensional objects (Abstract), Hull teaches the use of a build material including a thermally curable resin including a backbone resin (e.g., multi-functional acrylate monomer liquid, [0037], epoxy, [0038]) and an appropriate thermal initiator in order to facilitate thermal polymerization upon exposure to heat ([0037]-[0039]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify the polymerization initiator was a thermal initiator in the case of using a thermally curable resin, in order to facilitate the intended curing reaction upon exposure to heat, as desired by Kato and taught by Hull. Hull shows that the claimed materials were known for the same purpose, and the selection of a known material based on its suitability for its intended use has been shown to support a prima facie obviousness determination. See MPEP 2144.07.
Claim(s) 46 and 48 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kato et al., US 20160339602 A1, as applied to claim 36 above, in view of Kasperchik et al., WO 2018156207 A1 (of record).
Regarding claim 46, Kato discloses the method of claim 36. Kato discloses the binding agent of the supplemental build material can be cured by heating ([0143]) and can be any agent having a function of binding the particles ([0252]). Kato is silent as to the supplemental build material being adapted to enable a passive curing reaction for binding the powder material at the target area.
In the analogous art, Kasperchik discloses a method of 3D printing wherein a binder fluid is similarly utilized to pattern build material layers, with the binder fluid including a binder that is capable of being activated/cured to hold the build material particles together in the patterned area ([0013], [0100]). Kasperchik teaches the binder particles being activated by allowing them to reach an activation temperature, where a patterned binder may be passively allowed to reach the activation temperature in the surrounding environment without the application of additional heat ([0104], [0106]), i.e., enables a passive curing reaction.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the supplemental build material of Kato to adopt the materials adapted to enable a passive curing reaction for binding the powder material at the target area, as taught by Kasperchik. Kasperchik teaches that curing in the presence of heat could be achieved passively without another step of additional heat application with the use of such materials, and doing so would have been expected to improve efficiency in the process of Kato by obviating an additional heating step for the curing and/or reducing energy requirements.
Regarding claim 48, modified Kato discloses the method of claim 46. The combination discloses the supplemental build material and the carrier fluid collectively provide a passively curable resin including the backbone resin (Kato: binding liquid includes curable resin [0143]; per combination with Kasperchik the curable resin is passively curable, [0104], [0106], polymerizable monomers, [0109]-[0114]), and the polymerization initiator (Kato: paste includes polymerization initiator, [0249]).
Claim(s) 49-50 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kato et al., US 20160339602 A1, as applied to claim 36 above, in view of Sun et al., US 20090148813 A1 (of record).
Regarding claim 49, Kato discloses the method of claim 36. Kato does not disclose the supplemental build material includes a wax that is molten during deposition and solidifies upon cooling at least via heat absorption by the carrier fluid.
In the analogous art of three-dimensional printing (Abstract), Sun discloses a printing method involving the dispensing of a liquid binder material onto a powder layer ([0040], [0114]). Sun discloses using a binder which is a wax-like polymerizable material ([0023], [0042]) which results in a product with good integrity and mechanical strength and which can be subsequently cured ([0042]). Sun discloses the material is molten during deposition (made flowable by heating, [0023]) and is able to rapidly solidify upon cooling ([0023]-[0024], [0044], [0114]). Absent another specific definition of “wax,” Sun’s “wax-like” binder material that is viscous yet flowable at elevated temperatures and that readily solidifies around room temperature is considered to meet a wax.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Kato such that the supplemental build material included a wax that is molten during deposition and solidifies upon cooling in order to use a material type imparting good integrity and mechanical strength to the product and which achieves rapid initial binding, as taught by Sun. Since Kato discloses the particles are wetted by the carrier fluid (by the surface being wetted with the solvent/resin solution, [0233]; or by performing binder application prior to layer heating/evaporation, [0327]), it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to further specify that the cooling is achieved at least via heat absorption by the carrier fluid since it would have been expected that the molten material deposited to the layer would have been cooled at least to some extent by the wetting solution or aqueous solvent present in the layer.
Regarding claim 50, Kato discloses the method of claim 36, wherein the supplemental build material includes a monomer (polymerizable compound, [0253]-[0254], examples of monomers, [0255]-[0284]) that cures upon deposition via photocuring, thermal curing, passive curing, or a combination thereof (e.g., is photocurable, [0253], is cured upon deposition, [0141]). Kato is silent as to the monomer being molten during deposition.
In the analogous art of three-dimensional printing (Abstract), Sun discloses a printing method involving the dispensing of a liquid binder material onto a powder layer ([0040], [0114]). Sun similarly discloses the binder includes monomers and light-curing initiators ([0025]-[0027], [0114]). Sun teaches the liquid phase monomer-containing binder being melted for dispensing, or made flowable by heating at elevated temperature ([0044], [0114]). Sun teaches that heating can contribute to reduced viscosity of the resin binder and better wetting of the powder bed ([0044]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify in the method of Kato that the monomer was molten during deposition in order to optimize its viscosity for dispensing and wetting of the powder bed, as taught by Sun.
Claim(s) 114 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kato et al., US 20160339602 A1, as applied to claim 11 above, and further in view of Opschoor et al., US 20180200946 A1 (of record).
Regarding claim 114, modified Kato discloses the method of claim 11. Kato does not disclose before said selectively processing, settling the powder material via applying ultrasound to the build platform.
In the analogous art of additive manufacturing (Abstract), Opschoor discloses agitating a slurry layer by ultrasonic vibration via the support plate or substrate (Fig. 2, [0032]) in order to achieve a desired change, e.g., reduction, in viscosity of the resin ([0029], [0032]) and thereby enable a more homogenous flow and distribution of the material ([0029]-[0030]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Kato to include before said selectively processing, settling the powder material via applying ultrasound to the build platform, in order to provide a reduced viscosity to the composition that would facilitate the material distribution for even layering, as taught by Opschoor.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pp. 6-8, filed 02/06/2026, with respect to claim rejections under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and are partially persuasive. Therefore, the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 103 over Anthony have been withdrawn.
Applicant argues (pp. 7-8) that the prior art of record does not teach or suggest the newly amended limitation in claim 11. Applicant argues that even if Kato discloses any sort of binder or patterning fluid, and even if such binder or patterning fluid includes some sort of backbone and initiator, the backbone resin and initiator are limited to being deposited in mixed form.
This argument is not found persuasive. Kato discloses a binder including a backbone resin (including curable resin, [0143], [0253]), and an initiator included in the paste composition 11 (composition 11 including polymerization initiator, [0249]). The paste composition 11 forming the layer 1 and the binding liquid 12 are deposited separately (Figs. 1A-1C, [0075]); accordingly, these materials are not limited to being deposited in mixed form.
The examiner notes that the prior art of record has shown that inclusion of a curable resin and a corresponding initiator was known in relevant additive manufacturing methods. The prior art of record shows adding these materials to a build area in the same or different carrier materials. The present specification does not disclose any unexpected results from providing the backbone resin and the initiator in separate materials and to the contrary describes that the materials can alternatively be provided together (e.g., filed specification [0244]-[0246]). Any order of mixing ingredients has generally been held as prima facie obvious absent new or unexpected results (MPEP 2144.04(IV)(C)). As such, whether the backbone resin and initiator are provided in the supplemental build material and the carrier fluid, respectively, or vice versa, or together in the supplemental build material, the materials are ultimately combined to achieve the curing, as intended, and thus their sequence of delivery would not amount to a patentable distinction.
Conclusion
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/J.L.G./Examiner, Art Unit 1754
/SUSAN D LEONG/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1754