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 § 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 13-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20150158244 (“Tibbits”) in view of US 20180050486 (“Talgorn”).
Regarding claim 13, Tibbits teaches a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by a processor ([0029] non-transient computer readable medium storing a sequence of instructions), the non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions to:
determine a deformable region ([0114] shape swells and deforms) of a plastically deformable ([0115] a wide variety of thermosetting plastics) three-dimensional (3D) object to be formed ([0112] an object with a first shape which can be turned into a second shape);
and transmit the instructions to an additive manufacturing system ([0120] instruct the processor of 3D printer to execute the instructions) to:
form the plastically deformable 3D object ([0120] instruct to form the object having the first shape).
Tibbits does not teach determine a conductive agent loading to generate a heat channel within the object; generate instructions to form the heat channel in the object; and transmit the instructions to an additive manufacturing system to form the plastically deformable 3D object configured to generate heat internally through the heat channel formed within a body of the plastically deformable 3D object.
Talgorn teaches a computer readable medium encoded with instructions ([0073] a suitably programmed computer implements) to:
determine a conductive agent ([0008] functional material with thermally conductive properties) loading to generate a heat channel ([0008] filling the material in the channels with thermal conductive properties; [0039] channels are used for thermal management) within the object ([0017] channels are printed within the object);
generate instructions to form the heat channel in the object ([0017] channels are printed within the object);
and transmit the instructions to an additive manufacturing system ([0073] & [0074] the computer implements the process through a device; [0059] the device is a 3D printer) to:
form the plastically deformable 3D object ([0013] 3D object made of thermoplastic polymer) configured to generate heat internally through the heat channel ([0039] the heat is generated through the thermal conductive material flowing within the heat channels) formed within a body of the plastically deformable 3D object ([0017] channels are printed within the object).
Tibbits and Talgorn are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of additive manufacturing. It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the non-transitory machine-readable storage medium in Tibbits to incorporate instructions to generate internal heat channels filled with conductive agent as taught by Talgorn as described above, because thermal management close and around the components enables improved morphological design giving the best 3D compromise of the desired shape (Talgorn, [0039]).
The claims have been amended to have added the limitation sequentially depositing a powder thermoplastic build material to form slices of a body of the plastically deformed 3D object and sequentially depositing a conductive agent to portions of one or more slices of the body of the plastically deformable 3D object that correspond to the heat channel. Ex parte Wu, 10 USPQ 2031 (Bd. Pat. App. & Inter. 1989); In re Kuhle, 526 F.2d 553, 188 USPQ 7 (CCPA 1975)
Omission of an Element and its Function Is Obvious if the Function of the Element Is Not Desired or required. The Board affirmed the rejection, holding that it would have been obvious to omit the element or step the function attributed thereto is not desired or required. It is given that in order to print an object, especially a large one, powder and conductive agent would sequentially be deposited until the product is fully printed. If the conductive agent is not sequentially deposited, the material will not have conductive properties after the powdered material is cured. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated sequentially depositing a powder thermoplastic build material to form slices of a body of the plastically deformed 3D object and sequentially depositing a conductive agent to portions of one or more slices of the body of the plastically deformable 3D object that correspond to the heat channel since it has been held that omission of an element and its function in combination where the remaining elements perform the same functions as before involves only routine skill in the art.
Regarding claim 14, Tibbits teaches instructions, executable by a processor ([0029] instructions executed by a processor), to determine characteristics of the deformable region ([0116] the deformation material is determined) and the temperature applied based on a target deformation ([0116] controlling the temperature applied to achieve specific shape).
Modified Tibbits teaches the temperature is applied through heat channels (Talgorn, [0039] the heat is generated through the thermal conductive material flowing within the heat channels).
Regarding claim 15, Tibbits teaches the deformable region comprises a non-uniform cross-sectional area (Fig. 6, (D) the cross-sectional area of the deformed region is not uniform; [0102] high swelling and low swelling material deform differently to form a non-uniform cross-sectional area) to impose a heat gradient across the deformable region ([0089] materials having property gradient; [0116] temperature gradient is created for different materials).
Regarding claim 16, Talgorn further teaches the heat channel ([0035] the channels can be either heat or electrically conductive) are formed in bridges of the body of the plastically deformable 3D object, each bridge of the bridges comprising a reduced cross section between two adjacent areas of the body of the plastically deformable 3D object ([0051] channels are formed in areas of the 3D object with reduced cross section because the printed materials are dissolute).
Regarding claim 17, Tibbits teaches instructions to dope a region adjacent the heat channel with a magnetic agent ([0040] another channel filled with magnetic material) to form a rebound component ([0040] 3D object with transformer).
Regarding claim 18, Tibbits teaches the additive manufacturing system ([0085] 3D printer) comprises: a build material deposition device ([0102] additive manufacturing system deposits build materials) to form the plastically deformable 3D object ([0120] instruct to form the object having the first shape; [0102] object transforms from first shape to second shape) by depositing layers of a thermoplastic build material ([0115] a wide variety of thermosetting plastics) to form the body of the plastically deformable 3D object ([0120] instruct to form the object having the first shape; [0102] object transforms from first shape to second shape).
Modified Tibbits teaches a heat channel forming device to form the heat channel within the plastically deformable 3D object (Talgorn, [0017] channels are printed within the object), wherein the heat channel is responsive to an applied stimulus (Talgorn, [0039] the heat is generated through the thermal conductive material flowing within the heat channels) to soften adjacent regions of the body of the plastically deformable 3D object (Talgorn, [0043] the wall of the channel could dissolve, and the wall of the channel is an adjacent region of the body of the 3D object1), and a fusing system (Talgorn, [0028] using light or heat to execute heating) to selectively harden layers of thermoplastic build material (Talgorn, [0028] cure a portion of the 3D object by applying heat) to form the plastically deformable 3D object (Talgorn, [0028] construct the 3D object).
Regarding claim 19, Talgorn further teaches the heat channel forming device ([0008] 3D printer prints the channels) comprises an agent distribution system ([0009] internal tracks to distribute functional component) to deposit a conductive agent ([0008] functional component has thermal conductive properties) onto regions of a layer of the thermoplastic build material forming the heat channel ([0009] the tracks are within a layer of the 3D object and the distribution of components is at the precise location).
Regarding claim 20, Talgorn further teaches wherein the conductive agent comprises a metallic ink ([0040] thermal conductive material includes a ferro fluid) and a fusing agent ([0037] the functional material that has radiation transmissive properties).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/22/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues the combination of Talgorn and Tibbit fail to properly disclose or suggest sequentially depositing a powder thermoplastic build material to form slices of a body of the plastically deformed 3D object and sequentially depositing a conductive agent to portions of one or more slices of the body of the plastically deformable 3D object that correspond to the heat channel. Ex parte Wu, 10 USPQ 2031 (Bd. Pat. App. & Inter. 1989); In re Kuhle, 526 F.2d 553, 188 USPQ 7 (CCPA 1975)
Omission of an Element and its Function Is Obvious if the Function of the Element Is Not Desired or required. The Board affirmed the rejection, holding that it would have been obvious to omit the element or step the function attributed thereto is not desired or required. It is given that in order to print an object, especially a large one, powder and conductive agent would sequentially be deposited until the product is fully printed. If the conductive agent is not sequentially deposited, the material will not have conductive properties after the powdered material is cured. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated sequentially depositing a powder thermoplastic build material to form slices of a body of the plastically deformed 3D object and sequentially depositing a conductive agent to portions of one or more slices of the body of the plastically deformable 3D object that correspond to the heat channel since it has been held that omission of an element and its function in combination where the remaining elements perform the same functions as before involves only routine skill in the art.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Nauka (US2017/0274593 A1).
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 FARAH N TAUFIQ whose telephone number is (571)272-6765. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 8:00 am-4:30 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Susan Leong can be reached at (571)270-1487. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/FARAH TAUFIQ/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1754
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