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 .
Claims 1-20 are pending.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because Fig. 5 discloses process associated with stimulating a physical transformation during a four-dimensional printing process, however, steps 510-540 each recites 5D which is wrong abbreviation for four-dimensional. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: paragraph [0105] recites “a particular 5D material for a printing process to generate a 4D printed material for the 4D object” appears to be a typographical error, wherein the “5D material” should be replaced with “4D material”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-4, 6, 8-16, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. (hereinafter “Park”) (US 20200282649 A1) in view of TSUJI et al. (hereinafter “TSUJI”) (US 20200164574 A1), and further in view of Gupta et al. (hereinafter “Gupta”) (US 20170057170 A1).
As to claims 1, 9, and 15, Park teaches a method and system for performing 4D printing, comprising:
obtaining thermal parameters associated with a target measure of physical transformation of a four-dimensional (4D) object ([0007-0008, 0049, 0057-0060] a 4D printing method using thermal anisotropy and thermal transformation and the resulting product…causing thermal transformation of the 3D printed product in a specific direction through a thermal process such as heat treatment to produce a 4D printed product with a desired final shape…when the 3D printed product is heated, the heating may be performed at a temperature equal to or higher than the glass transition temperature of the polymer of the 3D printed product for a certain period of time. For example, the heating can be carried out at a temperature of 150° C. for 15 minutes…according to the results of an experiment, it took about 15 minutes for a 3D printed product to transform as desired when heat treatment is performed with a conventional heating furnace, whereas it took about 80 seconds (i.e., 1 minute and 20 seconds) for the 3D printed product to experience similar thermal transformation when heat treatment is performed with the infrared light irradiating device);
selecting, based on the thermal parameters, a particular 4D material for a printing process to generate a 4D printed material for the 4D object ([0008-0011, 0021-0022, 0053] there is provided a 4D printing method using thermal anisotropy and thermal transformation, the method including: (a) artificially planning transverse printing paths and longitudinal printing paths on a specimen to impose a desired thermal anisotropy to the specimen ; (b) printing a thermoplastic polymer in a transverse direction and a longitudinal direction to form multiple transversely printed layers and multiple longitudinally printed layers to build a 3D printed product…In the (b), the thermoplastic polymer may be a form of a filament)… In addition, in the (b), in the printing of the thermoplastic polymer in the transverse direction and the longitudinal direction on the specimen, at least one anisotropic printing region may be set within isotropic printing regions to cause local thermal transformation, and anisotropic printing may be performed for the anisotropic region);
applying, during the printed process for the 4D object and using one or more thermal devices, heat to the 4D printed material, to obtain a 4D printed product having a desired final shape formed through the transformation of the 3D printed product ([0008, 0015-0016, 0058-0060] (c) heating the 3D printed product to cause thermal transformation of the 3D printed product in a specific direction; and (d) controlling heating time to obtain a 4D printed product having a desired final shape formed through the transformation of the 3D printed product… in the (c), in the heating of the 3D printed product, the heating may be performed at a temperature equal to or higher than a glass transition temperature of the polymer for a predetermined period of time… in the (c), in the heating of the 3D printed product, a light irradiating device may be used to heat the 3D printed product using light energy);
Park teaches a four-dimensional (4D) printing method using thermal anisotropy and transformation of three-dimensionally (3D) printed product in a specific direction through a thermal process such as heat treatment to produce a 4D printed product with a desired final shape [0008, 0015-0016, 0058-0060]. Park does not explicitly teach applying air by using thermal device during the printed process, and determining, using one or more camera devices, an actual measure of physical transformation of the 4D printed material resulting from applying the air to the 4D printed material; determining that the actual measure of physical transformation is different than the target measure of physical transformation; and providing an option to terminate the printing process based on determining that the actual measure of physical transformation is different than the target measure of physical transformation.
However, TSUJI teaches a system and method for performing 3D printing and monitoring process. Especially, TSUJI teaches using a hot air source blows hot air, to replace a laser light source, that selectively heat the modeled object during the printed process, and measures, as diameters, widths between edges of the filament in two directions along the X-axis and the Y-axis from an image of the filament captured by an imaging module, and if detecting a diameter out of standard, outputs error information [0073, 0088, 0179, 0235-0236, 0258-0259].
Park and TSUJI are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of material extrusion 3D printing process using additional heat generating device during the 3D printing process. At the time before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to use different types of heat generating devices such as hot air blower and laser light source to selectively heat the printed object. Therefore, it would have been obvious to an ordinary person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of TSUJI with the teachings of Park for the purpose of providing a hot air blower to supply air to the printed material as specified in the claim 1.
Park teaches using heat treatment to produce a 4D printed product with a desired final shape [0008, 0015-0016, 0058-0060]. Park does not explicitly teach using one or more camera devices, determining an actual measure of physical transformation of the 4D printed material resulting from applying the air to the 4D printed material; determining that the actual measure of physical transformation is different than the target measure of physical transformation; and providing an option to terminate the printing process based on determining that the actual measure of physical transformation is different than the target measure of physical transformation.
However, Gupta teaches a system and method for monitoring three-dimensional (3D) printing process. Especially, Gupta teaches using one or more camera devices, determining an actual measure of the 3D printed object, determining that the actual measure of the 3D printed object is different than the target measure, and providing an option to terminate the printing process based on determining that the actual measure of the 3D printed object is different than the target measure [0037, 0042-0043, 0050-0052, 0060, 0065-0066].
Park and TSUJI and Gupta are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of material extrusion 3D printing process. At the time before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to use a camera to conduct visual monitoring of the printing process at 3D printer to determine how the printing process continue. Therefore, it would have been obvious to an ordinary person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Gupta with the teachings of Park and TSUJI for the purpose of terminating the printing process based on the comparison of the obtained actual measurements and the expected measurements as specified in the claim 1.
As to claim 3, Park teaches using heat treatment to produce a 4D printed product with a desired final shape [0008, 0015-0016, 0058-0060]. Gupta teaches determining whether the actual measure is different than the target comprises: determining whether the actual measure is different than the target measure during printing of each layer of the printed material [0037, 0042-0043, 0050-0052, 0060, 0065-0066].
As to claim 4, TSUJI teaches applying the air to the 4D printed material comprises: applying at least one hot air or cold air using one or more wind generating devices [0073, 0088, 0179, 0235-0236, 0258-0259].
As to claim 6, Park teaches applying the air to the 4D printed material comprises: applying hot air using one or more laser devices to produce a 4D printed product with a desired final shape [0008, 0015-0016, 0058-0060].
As to claim 8, TSUJI teaches determining, using one or more sensor devices, a temperature of the at least one of the hot air or the cold air; and adjusting an operation of the one or more thermal devices based on the thermal parameters and based on determining the temperature of the at least one of the hot air or the cold air [0073, 0088, 0179, 0235-0236, 0258-0259].
As to claim 10, Park teaches the one or more devices are further configured to: select, based on the thermal parameters, a particular 4D material for the printing process to generate the 4D printed material [0008-0011, 0021-0022, 0053].
As to claim 11, Gupta teaches the one or more devices are further configured to: determine that the actual measure of physical transformation is different than the target measure of physical transformation; and select another particular 4D material for the printing process based on determining that the actual measure of physical transformation is different than the target measure of physical transformation [0037, 0042-0043, 0050-0052, 0060, 0065-0066].
As to claim 12, TSUJI teaches the one or more devices are further configured to: determine, using one or more sensor devices, a temperature of the at least one of the hot air or the cold air; and adjust an operation of the one or more thermal devices to adjust the temperature, wherein the operation of the one or more thermal is adjusted based on the thermal parameters and the temperature of the at least one of the hot air or the cold air [0073, 0088, 0179, 0235-0236, 0258-0259].
As to claim 13, TSUJI teaches apply the air to the 4D printed, the one or more devices are further configured to: apply at least one hot air or cold air using one or more wind generating devices [0073, 0088, 0179, 0235-0236, 0258-0259].
As to claim 14, TSUJI teaches apply the at least one of the hot air or the cold air to the 4D printed, the one or more devices are further configured to: determine a particular direction of airflow based on the thermal parameters; and apply the at least one of the hot air or the cold air to stimulate the airflow in the particular direction [0073, 0088, 0179, 0235-0236, 0258-0259].
As to claim 16, Park teaches using heat treatment to produce a 4D printed product with a desired final shape [0008, 0015-0016, 0058-0060]. Gupta teaches provide an option to terminate the printing process if the actual measure is different than the target [0037, 0042-0043, 0050-0052, 0060, 0065-0066].
As to claim 20, Park teaches select, based on the thermal parameters, a particular 4D material for the printing process to generate the 4D printed material [0008-0011, 0021-0022, 0053]; Gupta teaches the one or more devices are further configured to: determine that the actual measure of physical transformation is different than the target measure of physical transformation; and select another particular 4D material for the printing process based on determining that the actual measure of physical transformation is different than the target measure of physical transformation [0037, 0042-0043, 0050-0052, 0060, 0065-0066].
Claim(s) 2, 5, 7, 17-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park in view of TSUJI and Gupta, and further in view of Valero Navazo et al. (hereinafter “Valero”) (US 20190176389 A1).
As to claims 2 and 17, Park teaches the thermal parameter identify temperature for the 4D object [0007-0008, 0049, 0057-0060]. Park and TSUJI and Gupta do not explicitly teach monitoring different respective temperatures for different portions of the 4D object, and wherein obtaining the thermal parameters comprises at least one of: obtaining a thermography image of the 4D object; or obtaining heatpoints of the 4D object.
However, Valero teaches a system and method for forming a three-dimensional object includes detecting, with a thermographic camera, a temperature of a control point within at least one zone of the build material bed, and adjusting a power level supplied to at least one of the lamps of the array of lamps if the detected temperature of the control point of the at least one zone of the build material bed is not equal to a set temperature [Figs. 4-5] [0016-0017, 0058-0067].
It would have been obvious to an ordinary person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Valero with the teachings of Park and TSUJI and Gupta for the purpose of using a thermographic camera to detect temperature of control point within zones of build material bed during forming a 3D object to determine whether the detected temperatures of the zones are outside a desired temperature value.
As to claims 5 and 18, Valero teaches the thermal parameters identify different temperatures for different portions of the 4D object [Figs. 4-5] [0016-0017, 0058-0067]. TSUJI teaches applying the at least one of the hot air or the cold air comprises: determining a particular direction of airflow based on the different temperatures for the different portions of the object; and applying the at least one of the hot air or the cold air to stimulate the airflow in the particular direction [0073, 0088, 0179, 0235-0236, 0258-0259].
As to claims 7 and 19, Valero teaches the thermal parameters identify different temperatures for different portions of the 4D object [Figs. 4-5] [0016-0017, 0058-0067]. Park teaches determining a particular portion of the 4D printed material based the different temperatures for the different portions of the 4D object; and applying the hot air, using the one or more laser devices, to the particular portion of the 4D printed material [0008, 0015-0016, 0058-0060].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZHIPENG WANG whose telephone number is (571)272-5437. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10-7.
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/ZHIPENG WANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2115
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