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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 September 8, 2026 has been entered.
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 1, 6-11 and 15 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.
Claims 1 and 15 are replete with antecedent basis clarity issues. The Examiner suggests the following amendments:
1. (Currently Amended) A lip gap adjusting device configured to adjust a lip gap between a movable lip and a mating lip of an extrusion molding die, the lip gap adjusting device comprising:
a plurality of lip gap adjusting mechanisms disposed in a width direction of the extrusion molding die and configured to adjust the lip gap at respective disposition spots,
wherein the lip gap adjusting mechanisms each comprise an actuator, and a coupling member coupling an output shaft of the actuator and the movable lip, a distal end of the coupling member being either threaded into the movable lip or fixed to the movable lip,
wherein the actuator includes an actuator body and the output shaft is extruded or retracted with respect to the actuator body,
wherein the coupling member is a rod member in which one end portion is coupled to the movable lip and another end portion is coupled to the output shaft of the actuator,
wherein the actuator extrudes or retracts the output shaft in order to linearly move the coupling member, and thereby adjust the lip gap,
wherein the lip gap adjusting device is configured to locally adjust the lip gap at each disposition spot based on the lip gap measured by a lip gap measuring device configured to measure the lip gap in each of a plurality of die positions along the width direction of the extrusion molding die corresponding to the disposition spots,
wherein the lip gap adjusting device is configured to locally adjust the lip gap at each disposition spot based on a thickness of a film formed from a molten resin extruded from the lip gap in each of a plurality of film positions corresponding to each of the plurality of die positions along the width direction of the extrusion molding die,
wherein, before extruding the film, when the lip gap measured in at least one of the plurality of positions is outside a predetermined range, a movement amount of the output shaft of the actuator corresponding to the at least one die position is adjusted so that the lip gap between the movable lip and the mating lip becomes uniform, the movement amount of the output shaft being controlled by a control unit connected to the actuator,
wherein, during extruding the film, when the thickness measured in at least one of the plurality of film positions is outside a predetermined range, a movement amount of the output shaft of the actuator corresponding to the at least one film position is adjusted so that the thickness becomes uniform, the movement amount of the output shaft being controlled by the control unit connected to the actuator.
15. (Currently Amended) A method for adjusting a lip gap, comprising:
performing before extruding a film:
a lip gap measuring step of measuring a lip gap between a movable lip and a mating lip of an extrusion molding die in each of a plurality of die positions along a width direction of the extrusion molding die; and
a controlling step of controlling actuators of a plurality of lip gap adjusting mechanisms that are disposed in the width direction of the extrusion molding die and configured to locally adjust the lip gap at respective disposition spots corresponding to the plurality of die positions, so that the lip gap becomes uniform, based on the lip gap measured in each of the plurality of die positions, the lip gap adjusting mechanisms including coupling members coupling output shafts of the actuators and the movable lip, distal ends of the coupling members being either threaded into the movable lip or fixed to the movable lip,
wherein each actuator includes an actuator body and the output shaft of each actuator is extruded or retracted with respect to the actuator body,
wherein each coupling member is a rod member in which one end portion is coupled to the movable lip and another end portion is coupled to the output shaft of the actuator,
wherein each actuator extrudes or retracts the output shaft in order to linearly move the rod member, and thereby adjust the lip gap, and
wherein when the lip gap measured in at least one of the plurality of die positions is outside a predetermined range, a movement amount of the output shaft of the actuator corresponding to the at least one die position is adjusted so that the lip gap between the movable lip and the mating lip becomes uniform, the movement amount of the output shaft being controlled by a control unit connected to the actuator; and
performing during extruding the film:
a thickness measuring step of measuring thickness of [[a]] the film formed from a molten resin extruded from the lip gap between the movable lip and the mating lip of the extrusion molding die in a plurality of film positions corresponding to the plurality of die positions along the width direction of the extrusion molding die; and
a controlling step of controlling the actuators of the plurality of lip gap adjusting mechanisms that are disposed in the width direction of the extrusion molding die and configured to locally adjust the lip gap at the respective disposition spots, so that the thickness becomes uniform, based on the thickness measured in each of the plurality of film positions,
wherein when the thickness measured in at least one of the plurality of film positions is outside a predetermined range, a movement amount of the output shaft of the actuator corresponding to the at least one film position is adjusted so that the thickness becomes uniform, the movement amount of
the output shaft being controlled by the control unit connected to the actuator.
Claims not listed above are rejected as being dependent upon a rejected claim.
For further examination purposes, the scope of the claims are read in light of the suggested Examiner amendments.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1 and 7-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
Hattori et al. (US 5,051,082) in view of Gross (US 6,475,414) and JP 11-183158.
Hattori et al. (US 5,051,082) discloses a lip adjusting device (figs. 1-2; col. 6, line 63, to col. 9, line
17) configured to adjust a lip gap 121 between a movable lip 101a and a mating lip (not labeled but
shown opposite to lip 101a in fig. 1) of an extrusion molding die (fig. 1), the lip gap
adjusting device comprising:
a plurality of lip gap adjusting mechanisms 109, 110, 105 disposed in a width direction of the
extrusion molding die (figs. 1-2) and configured to adjust the lip gap 121 at respective disposition spots
(fig. 2),
wherein the lip gap adjusting mechanisms each comprise an actuator (including adjustment
bolts 109, 110, wherein actuation of the actuator includes manual adjustment by rotating bolt 110; col.
7, lines 30-58; col. 9, lines 10-17), and a coupling member 105 coupling a shaft 109 of the actuator
and the movable lip 101a (fig. 1); and a distal end of the coupling member 105 being either threaded
into the movable lip 101a or fixed to the movable lip 101a (figs. 1-2; col. 6, line 63, to col. 7, line 58; col.
9, lines 10-17; col. 7, lines 13-20, the coupling members (bolts) 105 are threadably engaged with die casing 101 opposite to extrusion passage surface (i.e., with the die lip as shown in fig. 1) and are fixed by
the lock nuts 106),
wherein the actuator includes an actuator body 110 and the output shaft is extruded or
retracted with respect to the actuator body 110 (fig. 1 shows a portion of the bolt (output shaft) 109
within the bolt (actuator body) 110; col. 7, lines 30-58, the bolt (output shaft) 109 is firmly held not to
rotate so that when the bolt (actuator body) 110 is rotated the bolt (output shaft) 109 is extruded (when
a portion of the bolt 109 within the bolt 110 moves outside the bolt 110) or retracted (when a portion of
the bolt 109 outside of the bolt 110 moves inside the bolt 110) with respect to the bolt (actuator body)
110 by differential screw adjustment of the bolts 109, 110),
wherein the coupling member 105 is a rod member 105 (fig. 1) in which one end portion is
coupled to the movable lip (figs. 1-2; col. 7, lines 13-20, the bolts (rod members) 105 are threadably
engaged with die casing 101 opposite to extrusion passage surface (i.e., with the die lip as shown in fig.
1) and are fixed by the lock nuts 106) and another end portion is coupled to the output shaft 109 of the
actuator (fig. 1 shows the another end portion of the rod member 105 coupled to the bolt (output shaft)
109 by structures shown in fig. 1, including springs 108 which enable the rod member 105 and the bolt
(output shaft) 109 to remain in contact during movement thereof; col. 7, line 20, to col. 8, line 38),
wherein the actuator extrudes or retracts the output shaft 109 (i.e., the actuator enables a
movement amount of the output shaft 109) in order to linearly move the coupling member 105, and
thereby adjust the lip gap (fig. 1; col. 7, line 1, to col. 8, line 58; the bolt (output shaft) 109 is firmly held
not to rotate so that when the bolt (actuator body) 110 is rotated the bolt (output shaft) 109 moves
linearly to move the coupling member 105 and thereby adjust the lip gap).
However, Hattori et al. (US 5,051,082) does not disclose a control unit OR the device
wherein the lip gap adjusting device is configured to locally adjust the lip gap at each disposition spot based on the lip gap measured by a lip gap measuring device configured to measure the lip gap in each of a plurality of die positions along the width direction of the extrusion molding die corresponding to the disposition spots,
wherein the lip gap adjusting device is configured to locally adjust the lip gap at each disposition spot based on a thickness of a film formed from a molten resin extruded from the lip gap in each of a plurality of film positions corresponding to each of the plurality of die positions along the width direction of the extrusion molding die,
wherein, before extruding the film, when the lip gap measured in at least one of the plurality of positions is outside a predetermined range, a movement amount of the output shaft of the actuator corresponding to the at least one die position is adjusted so that the lip gap between the movable lip and the mating lip becomes uniform, the movement amount of the output shaft being controlled by a control unit connected to the actuator,
wherein, during extruding the film, when the thickness measured in at least one of the plurality of film positions is outside a predetermined range, a movement amount of the output shaft of the actuator corresponding to the at least one film position is adjusted so that the thickness becomes uniform, the movement amount of the output shaft being controlled by the control unit connected to the actuator.
Gross (US 6,475,414) discloses a lip gap adjusting device (figs. 5-8) configured to adjust a lip gap
between a movable lip (e.g., 31b) and a mating lip of an extrusion molding die (figs. 5-8), the lip gap
adjusting device comprising a plurality of lip gap adjusting mechanisms 7a, 7b disposed in a width
direction of the extrusion molding die (col. 5, lines 9-19, "adjusting screws 7a"; fig. 5 is a sectional view)
and configured to adjust the lip gap at respective disposition spots (i.e., by the plural adjusting screws
7a) (fig. 8 shows a plurality of lip gap adjusting mechanisms disposed in the width direction of the die),
wherein the lip gap adjusting mechanisms each comprise an actuator including an adjusting screw 7a,
7b, wherein the adjusting screws 7a, 7b are rotated by servomotors 11a, 11b and a control unit 19, 20
OR by manual rotation to adjust the lip gap (col. 5, lines 17-19 and lines 31-33; col. 6, lines 36-38).
As mentioned above, Hattori al. US 5,051,082) discloses actuation of the actuator includes
manual adjustment by rotating bolt 110.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was
made, to modify the device of Hattori et al. (US 5,051,082) with servomotors and a control
unit, as disclosed by Gross (US 6,475,414), because such modifications are known in the art and would
provide an alternative configuration for rotating bolts/screws enabling automated control of the
actuators.
JP 11-183158 discloses a lip adjusting device (figs. 6-7; see English translation, [0015]-[0045]) configured to adjust a lip gap 14 between a movable lip 10 and a mating lip 12 of an extrusion molding die 18, the lip gap adjusting device comprising:
a plurality of lip gap adjusting mechanisms 20 disposed in a width direction of the
extrusion molding die and configured to adjust the lip gap at respective disposition spots ([0029] the lip gap 14 can be continuously adjusted in the width direction by adjustment device 20 including a plurality of die bolts (i.e., along the width direction), wherein the lip gap adjusting mechanisms each comprise an actuator having an output shaft 22a (fig. 6);
wherein the lip gap adjusting device is configured to locally adjust the lip gap at each disposition
spot based on the lip gap 14 measured by a lip gap measuring device 16 configured to measure the lip gap in each of a plurality of die positions along the width direction of the extrusion molding die corresponding to the disposition spots (fig. 7; [0030], the sensor 16 is moved in the width direction and measures the lip gap at positions corresponding to the disposition spots in order for adjustment), and
wherein, before extruding the film, when the lip gap measured in at least one of the plurality of positions is outside a predetermined range, a movement amount of the output shaft of the actuator corresponding to the at least one die position is adjusted so that the lip gap 14 between the movable lip and the mating lip becomes uniform, the movement amount of the output shaft being controlled by a control unit connected to the actuator ([0018], [0029]-[0030] before the start of the molding operation (i.e., before extruding a film), a measured lip gap is compared with a set value, and the lip gap is adjusted by the output shaft 22a controlled by control unit 28 so that the lip gap distribution becomes the set value (i.e., so that the lip gap becomes uniform).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was
made, to further modify the device wherein the lip gap adjusting device is configured to locally adjust the lip gap at each disposition spot based on the lip gap measured by a lip gap measuring device configured to measure the lip gap in each of a plurality of die positions along the width direction of the extrusion molding die corresponding to the disposition spots, and wherein, before extruding the film, when the lip gap measured in at least one of the plurality of positions is outside a predetermined range, a movement amount of the output shaft of the actuator corresponding to the at least one die position is adjusted so that the lip gap between the movable lip and the mating lip becomes uniform, the movement amount of the output shaft being controlled by a control unit connected to the actuator, as disclosed by JP 11-183158, because such a modification is known in the art and would provide an alternative configuration for the device capable of controlling the lip gap to become uniform before extruding a film.
Gross (US 6,475,414) further discloses the device
wherein the lip gap adjusting device is configured to locally adjust the lip gap at each disposition spot based on a thickness of a film formed from a molten resin extruded from the lip gap in each of a plurality of film positions corresponding to each of the plurality of die positions along the width direction of the extrusion molding die (a thickness sensor 23 configured to measure thickness of a film formed from a molten resin extruded from the lip gap in each of a plurality of positions along the width direction of the extrusion molding die; fig. 8 shows the thickness measuring unit 23 extending along the width direction),
wherein, during extruding the film, when the thickness measured in at least one of the plurality of film positions is outside a predetermined range, a movement amount of the output shaft of the actuator corresponding to the at least one film position is adjusted so that the thickness becomes uniform, the movement amount of the output shaft being controlled by the control unit connected to the actuator (a control unit 20 configured to control the actuator 22 so that the thickness of the film becomes uniform, based on the thickness of the film measured in each of the plurality of positions; fig. 8; col. 6, lines 10-47, control unit 20 controls the actuators 22 and lip gap adjusting mechanisms 14e disposed in the width direction to correct variances (i.e., to make the film uniform) based on the thickness measurements).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was
made, to further modify the device wherein the lip gap adjusting device is configured to locally adjust the lip gap at each disposition spot based on a thickness of a film formed from a molten resin extruded from the lip gap in each of a plurality of film positions corresponding to each of the plurality of die positions along the width direction of the extrusion molding die, wherein, during extruding the film, when the thickness measured in at least one of the plurality of film positions is outside a predetermined range, a movement amount of the output shaft of the actuator corresponding to the at least one film position is adjusted so that the thickness becomes uniform, the movement amount of the output shaft being controlled by the control unit connected to the actuator, as disclosed by Gross (US 6,475,414), because such a modification is known in the art and would provide an alternative configuration for the extrusion molding apparatus capable of controlling the actuators so that the thickness of the film becomes uniform during extruding a film.
Hattori et al. (US 5,051,082) further discloses the device:
(Claim 7) wherein the mating lip is a fixed lip (as shown in fig. 1);
(Claim 9) fig. 1 shows an extrusion molding die including the lip gap adjusting device, the
movable lip 101a; and the mating lip, as mentioned above; and
(Claim 11) fig. 1 shows an extrusion molding apparatus for extruding resin sheet or film
(abstract) comprising the extrusion molding die as recited by claim 9, as mentioned above.
As to claim 8, Gross (US 6,475,414) further discloses the mating lip being a movable lip different
from the movable lip (figs. 7-8; col. 5, line 39 to col. 6, line 16; sheet stacks 2c, 2d are displaceable and at
least one flexible wall 2e of a flow channel 1e is flexible; if both are displaceable/flexible then the mating
lip is also a movable lip).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was
made, to further modify the mating lip to be a movable lip different from the movable lip, as disclosed
by Gross (US 6,475,414), because such a modification is known in the art and would provide an
alternative configuration (two movable lips) for the device known to be operable in the art.
As to claim 10, Gross (US 6,475,414) further discloses the extrusion molding die, comprising:
a first die block 28d including the movable lip (fig. 7); and
a second die block 29d including the movable mating lip (fig. 7), wherein the lip gap adjusting mechanisms include first lip gap adjusting mechanisms, and second lip gap adjusting mechanisms (fig. 7),
the first lip adjusting mechanisms are a plurality of lip gap adjusting mechanisms disposed in
a width direction of the first die block 28d, and configured to adjust the lip gap at respective disposition
spots (fig. 7 is a sectional view, and there are a plurality of lip adjusting mechanisms similar to fig. 8),
the second lip gap adjusting mechanisms are a plurality of lip gap adjusting mechanisms
disposed in a width direction of the second die block 29d, and configured to adjust the lip gap at
respective disposition spots (fig. 7 is a sectional view, and there are a plurality of lip gap adjusting
mechanisms similar to fig. 8).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was
made, to further modify the extrusion molding die with a first and second die block and with first and
second lip gap adjustment mechanisms, as disclosed by Gross (US 6,475,414), because such a
modification is known in the art and would provide an alternative configuration (die having two movable
lips with respective lip gap adjustment mechanisms) for the die known to be operable in the art. Note
that it would be further obvious to modify the first and second lip gap adjusting mechanisms with the lip gap adjusting mechanisms as recited by Hattori et al. (US 5,051,082), as mentioned above, because such
modifications are known in the art and would provide an alternative configuration for the lip gap adjusting mechanisms known to be operable in the art.
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hattori et al. (US 5,051,082) in view of Gross (US 6,475,414) and JP 11-183158 as applied to claims 1 and 7-11 above,
and further in view of Nakano (US 2012/0024226).
Hattori et al. (US 5,051,082), Gross (US 6,475,414) and JP 11-183158 do not disclose the
limitations as recited by claim 6.
Nakano (US 2012/0024226) discloses a lip gap adjusting device (figs. 1-5; [0045]-[0059])
configured to adjust a lip gap between a movable lip 3 and a mating lip 5 of an extrusion molding die
(fig. 1), the lip gap adjusting device comprising:
a plurality of lip gap adjusting mechanisms disposed in a width direction of the extrusion
molding die and configured to adjust the lip gap at respective disposition spots (fig. 1),
wherein the lip gap adjusting mechanisms each comprise an actuator (bellows, linear actuator)
16, and a coupling member 11, 20, and a distal end of the coupling member being either threaded into
the movable lip or fixed to the movable lip (figs. 1 and 5 show the coupling member 11, 20 fixed to the
movable lip 3),
wherein the lip gap adjusting mechanisms include a first lip gap adjusting mechanism,
and a second lip gap adjusting mechanism,
the first lip gap adjusting mechanism, and the second lip gap adjusting mechanism are alternately disposed in a width direction of the extrusion molding die (as shown fig. 3; the second lip gap
adjusting mechanism includes the output shaft 11 and the actuators 16 having the pointing arrows in fig.
3 actuating that output shaft 11, and the first lip gap adjusting mechanism includes the next (to the right
in fig. 3 output shaft 11 and respective actuators 16; note that they alternate in the width direction as
shown in fig. 3),
the first lip gap adjusting mechanism comprises a first actuator 16, and a first coupling member
coupling 20 an output shaft 11 of the first actuator 16 and the movable lip 3 to each other (figs. 1-5),
the second lip gap adjusting mechanism comprises a second actuator 16, and a second coupling
member 20 coupling an output shaft 11 of the second actuator 16 and the movable lip 3 to each other
(figs. 1-5),
the first actuator is disposed close to the movable lip, and
the second actuator is disposed far from the movable lip not to interfere with the first actuator
(as shown in figs. 2-3, the lowermost actuator 16 of the first lip gap adjusting mechanism is disposed
close to the moveable lip 3 relative to the second actuator 16 of the second lip gap adjusting mechanism
being disposed far from the movable lip 3 to as not the interfere with each other).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was
made, to further modify the device with a first lip gap adjusting mechanism and a second lip gap
adjusting mechanism, as recited by Nakano (US 2012/0024226), because such a modification is known in
the art and would provide an alternative configuration for adjusting the lip gap known to be operable in
the art.
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hattori et al. (US 5,051,082) in view of Gross (US 6,475,414) and JP 11-183158.
Hattori et al. (US 5,051,082) discloses a method for manufacturing a film (abstract; col. 1, lines 7-12; figs. 1-2; col. 6, line 63, to col. 9, line 17) including:
extruding a film formed from a molten resin from a lip gap (abstract) between a movable
lip 101a and a mating lip (not labeled but shown opposite to lip 101a in fig. 1) of an extrusion molding
die (fig. 1); and
adjusting a lip gap 121 using a lip adjusting device (figs. 1-2; col. 6, line 63, to col. 9,
line 17) configured to adjust the lip gap 121 between the movable lip 101a and the mating lip (not
labeled but shown opposite to lip 101a in fig. 1) of the extrusion molding die (fig. 1), the method and the
lip gap adjusting device comprising:
a plurality of lip gap adjusting mechanisms 109, 110, 105 disposed in a width direction of the
extrusion molding die (figs. 1-2) and configured to adjust the lip gap 121 at respective disposition spots
(fig. 2),
wherein the lip gap adjusting mechanisms each comprise an actuator (including adjustment
bolts 109, 110, wherein actuation of the actuator includes manual adjustment by rotating bolt 110; col.
7, lines 30-58; col. 9, lines 10-17), and a coupling member 105 coupling a shaft 109 of the actuator
and the movable lip 101a (fig. 1); and a distal end of the coupling member 105 being either threaded into the movable lip 101a or fixed to the movable lip 101a (figs. 1-2; col. 6, line 63, to col. 7, line 58; col.
9, lines 10-17; col. 7, lines 13-20, the coupling members (bolts) 105 are threadably engaged with die
casing 101 opposite to extrusion passage surface (i.e., with the die lip as shown in fig. 1) and are fixed by
the lock nuts 106),
wherein the actuator includes an actuator body 110 and the output shaft is extruded or
retracted with respect to the actuator body 110 (fig. 1 shows a portion of the bolt (output shaft) 109
within the bolt (actuator body) 110; col. 7, lines 30-58, the bolt (output shaft) 109 is firmly held not to
rotate so that when the bolt (actuator body) 110 is rotated the bolt (output shaft) 109 is extruded (when
a portion of the bolt 109 within the bolt 110 moves outside the bolt 110) or retracted (when a portion of
the bolt 109 outside of the bolt 110 moves inside the bolt 110) with respect to the bolt (actuator body)
110 by differential screw adjustment of the bolts 109, 110),
wherein the coupling member 105 is a rod member 105 (fig. 1) in which one end portion is
coupled to the movable lip (figs. 1-2; col. 7, lines 13-20, the bolts (rod members) 105 are threadably
engaged with die casing 101 opposite to extrusion passage surface (i.e., with the die lip as shown in fig.
1) and are fixed by the lock nuts 106) and another end portion is coupled to the output shaft 109 of the
actuator (fig. 1 shows the another end portion of the rod member 105 coupled to the bolt (output shaft)
109 by structures shown in fig. 1, including springs 108 which enable the rod member 105 and the bolt
(output shaft) 109 to remain in contact during movement thereof; col. 7, line 20, to col. 8, line 38),
wherein the actuator extrudes or retracts the output shaft 109 in order to linearly move the
coupling member 105, and thereby adjust the lip gap (fig. 1; col. 7, line 1, to col. 8, line 58; the bolt
(output shaft) 109 is firmly held not to rotate so that when the bolt (actuator body) 110 is rotated the
bolt (output shaft) 109 moves linearly to move the coupling member 105 and thereby adjust the lip
gap).
However, Hattori et al. (US 5,051,082) does not disclose a control unit, a lip gap measuring step, a controlling step so that the lip gap becomes uniform, a thickness measuring step OR a controlling step so that the thickness becomes uniform.
Gross (US 6,475,414) discloses a method of adjusting a lip gap using a lip gap adjusting device
(figs. 5-8) configured to adjust the lip gap between a movable lip (e.g., 31b) and a mating lip of an
extrusion molding die (figs. 5-8), the lip gap adjusting device comprising a plurality of lip gap adjusting
mechanisms 7a, 7b disposed in a width direction of the extrusion molding die (col. 5, lines 9-19,
"adjusting screws 7a"; fig. 5 is a sectional view) and configured to adjust the lip gap at respective
disposition spots (i.e., by the plural adjusting screws 7a) (fig. 8 shows a plurality of lip gap adjusting
mechanisms disposed in the width direction of the die), wherein the lip gap adjusting mechanisms each
comprise an actuator including an adjusting screw 7a, 7b, wherein the adjusting screws 7a, 7b are
rotated by servomotors 11a, 11b and a control unit 19, 20 OR by manual rotation to adjust the lip gap
(col. 5, lines 17-19 and lines 31-33; col. 6, lines 36-38).
As mentioned above, Hattori al. (US 5,051,082) discloses actuation of the actuator includes
manual adjustment by rotating bolt 110.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was
made, to modify the method of Hattori et al. (US 5,051,082) with a control unit, as disclosed by Gross (US 6,475,414), because such modifications are known in the art and would provide an alternative configuration for rotating bolts/screws enabling automated control of the actuators.
JP 11-183158 discloses a lip adjusting device (figs. 6-7; see English translation, [0015]-[0045]) configured to adjust a lip gap 14 between a movable lip 10 and a mating lip 12 of an extrusion molding die 18, the lip gap adjusting device comprising:
a plurality of lip gap adjusting mechanisms 20 disposed in a width direction of the
extrusion molding die and configured to adjust the lip gap at respective disposition spots ([0029] the lip gap 14 can be continuously adjusted in the width direction by adjustment device 20 including a plurality of die bolts (i.e., along the width direction), wherein the lip gap adjusting mechanisms each comprise an actuator having an output shaft 22a (fig. 6); and
further discloses a method for adjusting the lip gap including
performing before extruding a film:
a lip gap measuring step of measuring a lip gap between a movable lip and a mating lip of an extrusion molding die in each of a plurality of die positions along a width direction of the extrusion molding die (fig. 7; [0030], the sensor 16 is moved in the width direction and measures the lip gap at positions corresponding to the disposition spots in order for adjustment); and
a controlling step of controlling actuators of a plurality of lip gap adjusting mechanisms that are disposed in the width direction of the extrusion molding die and configured to locally adjust the lip gap at respective disposition spots corresponding to the plurality of die positions, so that the lip gap becomes uniform, based on the lip gap measured in each of the plurality of die positions,
wherein when the lip gap measured in at least one of the plurality of die positions is outside a predetermined range, a movement amount of the output shaft of the actuator corresponding to the at least one die position is adjusted so that the lip gap between the movable lip and the mating lip becomes uniform, the movement amount of the output shaft being controlled by a control unit connected to the actuator ([0018], [0029]-[0030] before the start of the molding operation (i.e., before extruding a film), a measured lip gap is compared with a set value, and the lip gap is adjusted by the output shaft 22a controlled by control unit 28 so that the lip gap distribution becomes the set value (i.e., so that the lip gap becomes uniform).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was
made, to further modify the method with a lip gap measuring step and a controlling step so that the lip gap becomes uniform, as recited by JP 11-183158, because a modification is known in the art and would provide an alternative configuration for the method capable of controlling the lip gap to become uniform before extruding a film.
Gross (US 6,475,414) further discloses the method for adjusting a lip gap 1e,
comprising:
performing during extruding of a film:
a thickness measuring step of measuring thickness of the film formed from a molten resin extruded from the lip gap between the movable lip and the mating lip of the extrusion molding die in a plurality of film positions corresponding to the plurality of die positions along the width direction of the extrusion molding die (a thickness measuring step of measuring thickness of the film 16 formed from a molten resin extruded from the lip gap 1e by a thickness measuring unit 23; col. 1, lines 19-22, thermoplastic melts; fig. 8; col. 6, lines 11-16, at least one flexible wall (movable lip) 2e of a flow channel 1e) in a plurality of positions along a width direction of the extrusion molding die; fig. 8 shows the thickness measuring unit 23 extending along the width direction); and
a controlling step of controlling the actuators of the plurality of lip gap adjusting mechanisms that are disposed in the width direction of the extrusion molding die and configured to locally adjust the lip gap at the respective disposition spots, so that the thickness becomes uniform, based on the thickness measured in each of the plurality of film positions,
wherein when the thickness measured in at least one of the plurality of film positions is outside a predetermined range, a movement amount of the output shaft of the actuator corresponding to the at least one film position is adjusted so that the thickness becomes uniform, the movement amount of
the output shaft being controlled by the control unit connected to the actuator (a controlling step of controlling actuators 22 of the plurality of lip gap adjusting mechanisms 14e that are disposed in the width direction of the extrusion molding die (fig. 8) and configured to locally adjust the lip gap 1e at respective disposition spots so that the thickness of the film becomes uniform, based on the thickness of the film measured in each of the plurality of positions; fig. 8; col. 6, lines 10-47, control unit 20 controls the actuators 22 and lip gap adjusting mechanisms 14e disposed in the width direction to correct variances (for example, to make the film uniform) based on the thickness measurements; col. 2, lines 2-7, the adjusters (actuators) can adjust uniformly over the entire width).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was
made, to further modify the method with a thickness measuring step and a controlling step so that the thickness becomes uniform, as recited by Gross (US 6,475,414), because such a modification is known in the art and would provide an alternative configuration for the method capable of controlling the lip gap so that the thickness of the film becomes uniform during extruding a film.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed September 8, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that neither Hattori nor Gross or CN' 819 teaches or suggest adjusting the lip gap prior to molding based on the lip gap measured at a plurality of positions corresponding to the disposition spots of the lip gap adjusting devices in order to have a uniform lip gap, and adjusting the lip gap during molding based on the film thickness measured at the plurality of positions corresponding to the disposition spots of the lip gap adjusting devices in order to have a uniform film thickness.
In response to applicant's arguments against the references individually, one cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejections are based on combinations of references. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091, 231 USPQ 375 (Fed. Cir. 1986). Gross discloses adjusting the lip gap during molding based on the film thickness measured at the plurality of positions corresponding to the disposition spots of the lip gap adjusting devices in order to have a uniform film thickness, as mentioned above. JP 11-183158 discloses adjusting the lip gap prior to molding based on the lip gap measured at a plurality of positions corresponding to the disposition spots of the lip gap adjusting devices in order to have a uniform lip gap, as mentioned above.
Conclusion
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/J.S.L/Examiner, Art Unit 1744
/John J. DeRusso/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1744
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