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 .
Applicants have canceled the previously examined claims in the latest amendment.
Claims 56-75 were newly added by the applicants in the latest amendment.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 3/19/2025 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 3/19/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The arguments are based upon the latest amendment with the new claim sets provided and examined below.
The applicants have made arguments concerning the Lemelson (US 4342549) reference that was used in the rejections in the previous Office Action. The arguments include arguments of continuously variable adjustment of the parts for claim 56. This is noted but not persuasive as the claimed feature is directed for operations but does not claim for a structure to differentiate from the pins of Lemelson. As when the pins are moved can be seen as continuously variable as the claims do not provide when the continuously variable is operated, the term has a broader interpretation than what the applicants are arguing, as the pins can be adjusted after molding to provide the desired shape and size for the next mold operation, and in which case can be seen as being continuously variable, this can be seen in the applicant’s new claim 63 regarding adjustable between successive production cycles. Thus, the arguments for this has been considered but is unpersuasive. Further, the applicants have argued that the Lemelson does not adjust the size or shape of the cavity and that the pins do not do this. The Examiner disagrees with this assessment as the any particular adjustment of the pins would change the size/shape of the cavity as any particular changes of any proportion to the cavity such as the movement of the pins is considered to have changed both size and shape. Further specific claimed structure would be needed to differentiate from the teachings of the Lemelson reference. Further, see the additional references of Esch and Matsumura provided in the rejections below in regard to the new claims set that the applicants have added.
Whereby, the claims remain rejected and arguments by the persuasive are now moot in light of the rejections as shown below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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) 56, 58-59, 63, 69-71, and 73-74 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by LEMELSON (US 4342549 A).
Re: 56, Lemelson teaches of a mould for producing one or more injection-moulded products, the mould comprising:
a front mould (mold 11) and a rear mould (mold 16) forming at least one mould cavity (cavity portion 14, 17) for forming therein an injection-moulded product, wherein the rear mould comprises a plurality of movable parts (see pins/shafts 23) which are movable and adjustable along the longitudinal axis of the mould within said at least one mould cavity (see Figs. 1-4) such that a size and/or shape of said mould cavity is adjustable, wherein the movable parts of the rear mould are adjustable independently of each other from an outer side of the mould such as to provide for a continuously variable adjustment of the movable parts (see operation of the pins/shafts 23 via actuators 22 via the microprocessor 31, see Figs. 1-5, see Col. 4, line 33 to Col. 8, line 67, and see teaching of the cavities or holes that can be varied).
Re: 58 (upon 56), wherein the rear mould comprises at least three movable parts that are adjustable independently of each other. (see Figs. 1-4)
Re: 59 (upon 56), wherein a plurality of the movable parts is each adjustable by means of an adjusting screw and/or adjusting means. (see teaching taught by Lemelson regarding adjusting means)
Re: 63 (upon 56), wherein the movable parts are adjustable between two successive production cycles without disassembling the mould, a production cycle being either the production of one product or a plurality of products simultaneously, wherein at least one of the plurality of movable parts of the mould is adjusted to adjust the operating characteristics of the moulded product. (intended use of the operation of the mold)
Re: 69, A method for producing one or more injection-moulded products, comprising:
manufacturing an injection-moulded product in a mould cavity of a mould for producing one or more injection-moulded products, wherein said mould comprises a front mould and a rear mould forming the mould cavity for forming therein an injection-moulded product, wherein the rear mould comprises a plurality of movable parts which are movable and adjustable along the longitudinal axis of the mould within said mould cavity such that a size and/or shape of said mould cavity is adjustable, wherein the movable parts of the rear mould are adjustable independently of each other from an outer side of the mould such as to provide for a continuously variable adjustment of the movable parts.
(See teaching by Lemelson as seen above for the teaching of claim 56, and that includes operation of the shafts into the material that are soft enough, or if the shaft having enough force to penetrate the material, see Col. 4, lines 50-63.)
Re: 70 (upon 69), wherein between manufacture of two injection-moulded products in said mould cavity at least one of the plurality of movable parts of the mould is moved from the outer side of the mould such that the size and/or shape of the mould cavity is adjusted without disassembling the mould. (See operation of the shaft via the actuators which does not need to disassembly, see Figs. 1-4.)
Re: 71 (upon 69), wherein the injection moulded product forms a component of a device comprising at least another component, wherein the at least one of the plurality of movable mould parts is adjusted to adjust the operating characteristics of the moulded product at least partially on the basis of a characteristic of the other component. (see in the teaching of adjustment in LEMELSON)
Re: 73 (upon 70), wherein the size and/or shape of the mould cavity is adjusted without the mould having to cool. (see teaching of the references regarding adjustment, which can be seen in Lemelson above for the teaching of claim 38, and that includes operation of the shafts into the material that are soft enough, or if the shaft having enough force to penetrate the material, see Col. 4, lines 50-63.)
Re: 74, see teaching by Lemelson in claims 56 and 69 which would also encompass the claimed method.
Claim(s) 56, 58-59, 63, 69-70, and 73-74 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by ESCH (US 2005/0264756 A1).
Re: 56, ESCH teaches of a mould for producing one or more injection-moulded products, the mould comprising:
a front mould and a rear mould (see mold 100) forming at least one mould cavity (105) for forming therein an injection-moulded product, wherein the rear mould comprises a plurality of movable parts (see actuators 101) which are movable and adjustable along the longitudinal axis of the mould within said at least one mould cavity (see Figs. 1-5) such that a size and/or shape of said mould cavity is adjustable, wherein the movable parts of the rear mould are adjustable independently of each other from an outer side of the mould such as to provide for a continuously variable adjustment of the movable parts (see abstract, and [0023-0027]).
Re: 58 (upon 56), wherein the rear mould comprises at least three movable parts that are adjustable independently of each other. (see Figs. 1, 2, and 5)
Re: 59 (upon 56), wherein a plurality of the movable parts is each adjustable by means of an adjusting screw and/or adjusting means. (see teaching taught by actuators as actuating means)
Re: 63 (upon 56), wherein the movable parts are adjustable between two successive production cycles without disassembling the mould, a production cycle being either the production of one product or a plurality of products simultaneously, wherein at least one of the plurality of movable parts of the mould is adjusted to adjust the operating characteristics of the moulded product. (intended use of the operation of the mold, see also abstract)
Re: 74, a method for producing one or more injection-moulded products, comprising:
manufacturing an injection-moulded product in a mould cavity of a mould for producing one or more injection-moulded products, wherein said mould comprises a front mould and a rear mould forming the mould cavity for forming therein an injection-moulded product, wherein the rear mould comprises a plurality of movable parts which are movable and adjustable along the longitudinal axis of the mould within said mould cavity such that a size and/or shape of said mould cavity is adjustable, wherein the movable parts of the rear mould are adjustable independently of each other from an outer side of the mould such as to provide for a continuously variable adjustment of the movable parts, wherein between manufacture of two injection-moulded products in said mould cavity at least one of the plurality of movable parts of the mould is moved from the outer side of the mould such that the size and/or shape of the mould cavity is adjusted without disassembling the mould, wherein at least one of the plurality of movable parts of the mould is adjusted to adjust the operating characteristics of the moulded product.
See teaching by ESCH which includes the operation of the mold, see also abstract.
Re: 69, the teaching for claims 56 and 74 by ESCH above is also applicable to this claimed method. (see abstract, and [0023-0027]).
Re: 70 (upon 69), see teaching by ESCH (abstract, and [0023-0027]).
Re: 73 (upon 70), wherein the size and/or shape of the mould cavity is adjusted without the mould having to cool. See teaching by ESCH, abstract.
Claim(s) 56, 58-59, 63, 67, and 69-74 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by MATSUMURA (US 8668862 B2).
Re: 56, MATSUMURA teaches of a mould for producing one or more injection-moulded products, the mould comprising:
a front mould and a rear mould (see molds 1, 2) forming at least one mould cavity (9) for forming therein an injection-moulded product, wherein the rear mould comprises a plurality of movable parts (see 5, 6,8A-8D) which are movable and adjustable along the longitudinal axis of the mould within said at least one mould cavity (see Figs. 1-5) such that a size and/or shape of said mould cavity is adjustable, wherein the movable parts of the rear mould are adjustable independently of each other from an outer side of the mould such as to provide for a continuously variable adjustment of the movable parts (see claims that includes teaching of protruding or retracting into/from cavity that also influences the resin flow. See also teaching of prior art knowledge in Figs. 15-16.)
Re: 58 (upon 56), wherein the rear mould comprises at least three movable parts that are adjustable independently of each other. (see Figs. 1 and 5, see also Col. 7, line 43 to Col. 8, line 41, Col. 9, line 65 to Col. 11, line 53)
Re: 59 (upon 56), wherein a plurality of the movable parts is each adjustable by means of an adjusting screw and/or adjusting means. (see teaching of adjustment of the parts by MATSUMARA as shown above that inherently which would encompass the claimed actuating means)
Re: 63 (upon 56), wherein the movable parts are adjustable between two successive production cycles without disassembling the mould, a production cycle being either the production of one product or a plurality of products simultaneously, wherein at least one of the plurality of movable parts of the mould is adjusted to adjust the operating characteristics of the moulded product. (intended use of the operation of the mold, teaching of the operation of the parts during injection in MATSUMARA)
Re: 67 (upon 56), wherein at least one movable part moves beyond a wall of the mould cavity to produce a protrusion on the injection- moulded product. See Figures of MATSUMURA.
Re: 74, a method for producing one or more injection-moulded products, comprising:
manufacturing an injection-moulded product in a mould cavity of a mould for producing one or more injection-moulded products, wherein said mould comprises a front mould and a rear mould forming the mould cavity for forming therein an injection-moulded product, wherein the rear mould comprises a plurality of movable parts which are movable and adjustable along the longitudinal axis of the mould within said mould cavity such that a size and/or shape of said mould cavity is adjustable, wherein the movable parts of the rear mould are adjustable independently of each other from an outer side of the mould such as to provide for a continuously variable adjustment of the movable parts, wherein between manufacture of two injection-moulded products in said mould cavity at least one of the plurality of movable parts of the mould is moved from the outer side of the mould such that the size and/or shape of the mould cavity is adjusted without disassembling the mould, wherein at least one of the plurality of movable parts of the mould is adjusted to adjust the operating characteristics of the moulded product.
See teaching by MATSUMURA which includes the operation of the mold, see also abstract.
Re: 69, the teaching for claims 56 and 74 by MATSUMURA above is also applicable to this claimed method. (see abstract).
Re: 70 (upon 69), see teaching by MATSUMURA (abstract).
Re: 71 (upon 69), wherein the injection moulded product forms a component of a device comprising at least another component, wherein the at least one of the plurality of movable mould parts is adjusted to adjust the operating characteristics of the moulded product at least partially on the basis of a characteristic of the other component. (see in the teaching of adjustment in MATSUMARA regarding control of flow)
Re: 72 (upon 70), additionally comprising a step of performing a test on the injection moulded product after manufacture of said product, wherein the at least one of the plurality of movable parts is adjusted based on a result of said test. (see teaching by MATSUMURA regarding the adjustment of the parts based upon the controller)
Re: 73 (upon 70), wherein the size and/or shape of the mould cavity is adjusted without the mould having to cool. See teaching by MATSUMURA of operation during the mold operation that includes resin still flowing.
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) 57 and 75 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LEMELSON, ESCH, MATSUMURA, as applied to claim 56 above.
Re: 57 (upon 56), wherein the front mould comprises a movable part which is movable and adjustable along the longitudinal axis of the mould within said mould cavity such that the size and/or shape of said mould cavity is adjustable.
Regarding the teaching of the references, the additional teaching of the movable parts being in the front mold can be seen as a modification of the teachings in the prior art references as a duplication of the part for a plural effect, see MPEP2144.04 VI B.
Re: 75 (upon 57), wherein the rear mould comprises at least three movable parts that are adjustable independently of each other. (See teaching of the references regarding the independent operation, see teaching by said references for claim 58 above.)
Claim(s) 60-62, and 64-66 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LEMELSON, ESCH, or MATSUMURA as applied to claims 56 and 59 above, and further in view of JP2003127181 (JP’181, from IDS).
Re: 60 (upon 59), wherein the adjusting screw and/or adjusting means tapers and pushes against the movable part.
Re: 61 (upon 59), wherein a resilient element is provided for the purpose of pushing the movable part outward relative to the mould cavity during movement of the adjusting screw and/or the adjusting means to the outer side of the adjustable mould.
Re: 62 (upon 59), further comprising a plurality of adjusting screws for moving a plurality of movable parts.
Regarding claims 60-62, the reference fails to teach of the adjusting screw(s) and of the resilient element.
The JP ‘181 reference teaches of adjustment of the features 32 that extend into the mold cavity C with adjustment screw 36, resilient elements 34, 35, and adjustment plate 33 that are manually adjusted from the outside of the mold, see Figs. 1-3. See tapered portion 33 attached to the screw 36. In MPEP2144.04 III, there is obviousness reasoning for automating a manual activity. This would be seen as making an automated activity into a manual activity.
Wherein, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the Lemelson, Esch, or Matsumura references in which the adjustment of the pins/shafts can be done via manual activity utilizing the adjusting screws and elements taught by the JP’181 reference as an alternate known design as a substitution of one known element/design for another to obtain predictable results.
Further regarding the plurality of adjusting screws, this is seen as a duplication of parts, particularly in regards to the teaching of the combination of Lemelson, Esch, or Matsumura in view of JP’181.
Re: 64 (upon 56), wherein the mould comprises a front plate and a rear plate holding together at least one shaping plate having a cavity which defines the dimensions and shape of the injection-moulded product and at least one adjusting plate for adjusting one or more of the plurality of movable parts of the mould cavity.
Re: 65 (upon 64), wherein the front mould comprises an injection nozzle and a shaping plate which comprises a cavity which defines the dimensions and shape of the injection-moulded product, wherein the rear mould comprises a shaping plate, the adjusting plate and an ejector mechanism.
Re: 66 (upon 64), wherein the size and/or shape of the mould cavity is adjustable by adjusting parts movable in the mould by means of respective adjusting screws which are located in the adjusting plate and can be operated through openings in a cover plate of the mould.
Regarding claims 64-66, Lemelson, Esch, or Matsumura do not teach of the plates in holding the adjusting plate. However, it can also be further interpreted in Lemelson as seen Figs. 1-3 of a rear plate (back plate 19) in relation to the mold section 16 (which can correspond to the claimed shaping plate or front plate, depending upon interpretation), wherein, the actuators 22 would correspond to the placement of the adjustment means. The rear mold taught by Lemelson, Esch, or Matsumura can be seen also as the shaping plate with cavity, see in Lemelson Figs. 1-4.
See teaching above in the JP’181 for claims 40-42 regarding adjusting screws, and further, with the teaching also in claim 44 above would also teach the features of claim 46. Regarding the plates, see teaching of the JP reference which can be applicable. The adjusting plate can be seen in Figs. 1-3 of the JP reference with the base of 32 being the plate and the front plate 31, while the base being the portion under element 33. Wherein, for example, these can be seen as being replacing the actuators in a modification of the spacing of Lemelson and thereby be held in place by the back plate.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to recognize in the modification of the Lemelson, Esch, or Matsumura in view of the JP’181 reference as shown above for claims 39-42 encompasses the claimed arrangement of the front and rear plates for the adjusting plates.
Regarding the nozzle, see teaching in JP’181 of front mold 2 with injection channel 2b which would be equivalent to the claimed injection nozzle.
Regarding the opening, see opening in JP’181 in the mold portion 31 that allows for the movable part 32 that can be moved through.
Claim(s) 68 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LEMELSON, ESCH, or MATSUMURA as applied to claim 56 above.
Re: 68 (upon 56), wherein the mould comprises a plurality of mould cavities and is arranged for producing a plurality of injection- moulded products simultaneously, wherein the dimensions of injection- moulded products can be changed independently of each other.
Wherein the mould comprises a plurality of mould cavities and is arranged for producing a plurality of injection-moulded products simultaneously, wherein the dimensions of injection-moulded products can be changed independently of each other.
Wherein, this is a duplication of parts to form a plurality of molded products simultaneously, wherein, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the mold cavity of Lemelson, ESCH, MATSUMURA with duplication of the elements thereby allowing for the operation of forming multiple products simultaneously. See MPEP 2144.04 (VI) (B), regarding of duplication of parts. Further, the teaching of the operation of the pins/shafts as seen in Lemelson, ESCH, or MATSUMURA as shown is capable of operation that are independent of each other.
For example, see teaching by Lemelson which includes the operation of the mold as shown in the claims 56 and 69 above, but does not specifically teach of manufacturing two products in the cavity.
Wherein the mould comprises a plurality of mould cavities and is arranged for producing a plurality of injection-moulded products simultaneously, wherein the dimensions of injection-moulded products can be changed independently of each other.
Wherein, this is a duplication of parts to form a plurality of molded products simultaneously, wherein, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the mold cavity of Lemelson, Esch, Matsumura with duplication of the elements thereby allowing for the operation of forming multiple products simultaneously. See MPEP 2144.04 (VI) (B), regarding of duplication of parts. Further, the teaching of the operation of the pins/shafts as seen in Lemelson, Esch, or Matsumura as shown is capable of operation that are independent of each other.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 2015/0367550 – teaches of an open face molding apparatus with a conformal tool face with plurality of actuators, see Figs. 1 and 3.
US 2007/0243277 – teaches of molding assembly, with various screws 32a, 33a, that provided for actuation of the mold.
US 2005/0264756 – teaches of plurality of actuators 101 that deforms the surface 102 for the mold 100 and having actuator controller 104, see [0023, 0024], and Figs 1-5.
US 6830712 – teaches of plurality of actuators 18 for the mold 10, see Figs. 1 and 2.
US 2004/0115303 – teaches of support for mold with adjustable frame and consists of threaded pins 25, see Figs. 1-3.
US 6354561 – teaches adjustable casting mold and having the dispclaceable molding pins with threaded mechanism, see Fig. 1.
US 5975869 – teaches of mold with adjustable pins 4, Figs. 1A, 1B, 3.
US 5851563 – teaches of modular tooling that allows for reconfiguring via vertical pins, see Figs. 1, 2A, 3A, 3B, 4.
US 5546313 – teaches of plurality of pin elements for adjustment of the mold shape, see abstract, see Figs. 2-3.
US 5513972 – teaches of mold with surface contour that is adjusted with threadable engagement, see abstract, see Figs. 1-11.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EMMANUEL S LUK whose telephone number is (571)272-1134. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9 to 5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Xiao S Zhao can be reached on 571-270-5343. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EMMANUEL S LUK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1744