DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on April 27, 2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant has amended claims 1, 4, 6, 8-12, 21 and 22 to add the limitations of the bare wire being retained in wire form in a part being fabricated to independent claims 1, 8 and 21. Applicant has added an additional feature in that the cutting system in claims 1, 8 and 21 is configured to cut the bare wire after the bare wire has been dispensed onto the part being fabricated. Claim 8, as a method claim further recites that “after the length of the bare wire has been dispensed onto the part being fabricated, wherein the bare wire is retained in wire form in the part being fabricated.”
The applicant argues that these two features, the dispensing of the bare wire that is retained in wire form in the part being fabricated and the cutting taking place after the bare wire has been dispensed onto the part, are not disclosed by either of the references used in the rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 103, Bilas (US 11,302,460 B2), as primary reference and Tran (US 6,945,447 B2) as secondary reference, both of record. (Applicant Arguments/Remarks 04/27/2026 pp.8-10).
The examiner answers that, with these new amendments, new grounds of rejection are provided.
Moreover, the Applicant argues that the combination of Bilas and Tran which support the rejection for obviousness under 35 U.S.C. § 103 is legally improper because it would destroy the principle of operation upon which Bilas is based. Since Bilas is dispensed through an orifice already embedded within its substrate, the simultaneous extrusion and wire feeding are inextricably linked in Bilas’s architecture. Likewise, Bilas’s encased-wire is cut as an encased wire structure, not bare wire. Therefore, replacing Bilas’s encased-wire dispensing with bare wire dispensing would eliminate the fundamental operating principle that defines Bilas’s invention. The other secondary references, Lang (KR 10-1346050 B1) with machine translation, of record and Farmer (WO 2019/086854 A2), of record, do not supply the elements of independent claim 8 from the dependent claims of 11-12 and 13-14 and are cited to meet the limitations of other elements. (Applicant Arguments/Remarks 04/27/2026 pp.10-12).
The examiner counter-argues that the test for obviousness is not whether the features of a secondary reference may be bodily incorporated into the structure of the primary reference; nor is it that the claimed invention must be expressly suggested in any one or all of the references. Rather, the test is what the combined teachings of the references would have suggested to those of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981).
In this case, the examiner maintains that the limitation of a bare wire that is retained in wire form in a part that is being fabricated and that is cut after it has been dispensed on to the part being fabricated, are limitations that would be obvious to combine with Bilas, the primary reference, because it discloses a system and/or method having the features of a wire dispensing tool, a motion system, a spool for holding wire, a feed mechanism, a cutting system and a control system operatively connected to the motion system. The examiner maintains that, from a broadest reasonable interpretation, it would be obvious to modify all of these above prior art features as well as their accompanying manufacturing steps, and to be motivated to make an electronics part by including:
a bare wire that is retained in wire form on the part being fabricated and that has been dispensed onto the part being fabricated and which has been cut after it has been dispensed onto the part being fabricated.
However, new grounds of rejection are provided as necessitated by these amendments.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION. —The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 24 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 24 recites the limitation "the bare wire" in the 3rd line - "dispense bare wire" and the 5th (last) line - "over the bare wire. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim because it is unclear which “bare wire” is being referred to: whether the “bare wire” of claim 21 or a different one from it being recited in claim 24 and, also, it is unclear what “the bare wire” recited in the 5th (last) line refers to: the bare wire of claim 21 or the one previously recited in claim 24.
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) 1-9, 12, 15 and 21-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bilas (US 11,302,460 B2), of record in view of Burr (US 4,450,623).
Regarding Claim 1, Bilas discloses a system for manufacturing electronics (Fig. 10 Col. 2 ll. 56-57, Col. 5 ll. 52-53 adding electronic modules to the assembly – 100; presented in an apparatus used to manufacture an assembly – 100) comprising:
a wire dispensing tool head (Fig. 10 Col. 5 l. 64 apparatus – 200 wire feed device – 208);
a motion system for positioning a dispensing head around a part being fabricated (Fig. 10 Col. 6 ll. 4-5, 7-8 electromechanical device – 212 configured to move the extruding device – 202 and wire feed device – 208);
a spool for holding spooled wire (while not explicitly stated, this is apparent at the top of Fig. 10);
a feed mechanism operatively connected between the spool and the wire dispensing tool head for feeding the wire from the spool to the wire dispensing tool head (Fig. 10 Col. 5 ll. 63-65 wire feed device – 208 that selectively feeds an electrically conductive wire, hereinafter referred to as the wire – 102, through the orifice – 206);
a cutting system configured to cut the wire after dispensement from the wire dispensing tool head (Fig. 10 Col. 5 l. 66-Co. 6 l. 1 a cutting device- 210 to selectively sever the wire – 102 after it passes through the orifice – 206 included in the apparatus – 200); and
a control system operatively connected to the motion system (Fig. 1- Col. 6 ll. 10-13 electronic controller – 214 in communication with electromechanical device – 212).
However, Bilas does not disclose that the spool holds bare wire, that the feed mechanism feeds bare wire, that the cutting system is configured to cut bare wire after the bare wires have been dispensed onto a part being fabricated and instead Bilas discloses that the wire dispensing tool is configured to dispense electrically conductive wire encased within a substrate formed of a dielectric material (abs), and not bare wire and that its cutting system severs the wire as it passes through an orifice and not after the wire has been dispensed onto a part being fabricated (Fig. 4 Col. 6 ll. 30-33).
In the same field of endeavor, Burr teaches a process and system for manufacturing circuit boards for electronics applications (Fig. 1A, Col. 1, ll. 5-8 where conductors or wires – C are affixed at their ends to selected metal pads – B). Burr further discloses a wire dispensing tool head (Figs 4B ,6 Col. 7 ll. 18-20 Col 8 ll. 27-29 conductor feed assembly – 204 mounted on support – 200 conductor – 154 and a cap – 156 through which conductor – 154 passes and is mounted over a slip ring assembly – 72 forming closure over an end of tube – 51;) configured to dispense bare wire (Fig. 2A Col. 3 ll. 4-8, Col. 6 ll. 22 wire might be uninsulated; Conductor – C may be bare wire) that is retained in wire form in a part being fabricated (Fig. 1A Col. 5 ll. 65-68 conductors or wires – C are affixed at either ends to selected of the metal pads – B and affixed intermediately to intermediate pads – B).
Additionally, Burr teaches a cutting system configured to cut the bare wire after the bare wire has been dispensed from the wire dispensing tool head onto the part being fabricated (Figs. 4B, 12 Col. 11 ll. 1-4; Col. 11 l. 65-Col. 12 l.4, the conductor scribed onto the circuit board during the preceding scribing is severed from the end of conductor – 154 in the scribing unit by knife – 440) where the wire is held on the part during the cutting (Col. 12 ll. 6-10 conductor is in engagement with a holding guide until the cut and trailing end is on the surface of the terminal pad).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the disclosure of Bilas with the teachings of Burr whereby a system for manufacturing electronics comprising a wire dispensing tool head, a motion system, a spool for holding wire, a feed mechanism, a cutting system and a control system operatively connected to the motion system, as disclosed by Bilas, would also include the teachings of Burr, which teaches a bare wire that is retained in wire form on the part being fabricated and that has been dispensed onto the part being fabricated and which has been cut after it has been dispensed onto the part being fabricated.
One with ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to use this system of bare wire dispensed that is retained upon a fabricated part after having been cut onto it because this method of wire scribing is able to accurately bond or solder the ends of bare wires to interconnections and are accurately aligned and can conform to pre-programmed wiring patterns to accommodate wire fixing (Col. 2 ll. 8-33; Col.3 ll. 42-48).
Regarding Claim 2, the combination of Bilas and Burr disclose all the limitations of claim 1, and Bilas further discloses that the control system is configured to provide pre-travel and post-travel movements to assist in placing the bare wire (Figs. 1,10 Col. 6 ll. 34-51 memory device contains instructions to selectively feed and sever the wire and for the electromechanical device and extruding device to define a location feature – 108 in the substrate – 104).
Regarding Claim 3, the combination of Bilas and Burr disclose all the limitations of claim 1, and Bilas and Burr further disclose that the control system is configured to provide cut length compensation (Bilas, Fig. 10 Col. 6 ll. 30-33 instruction causes cutting device – 21 to selectively sever the wire – 102 where “selectively” inherently involves a length compensation; Burr Col. 3 ll. 51-54 length of conductor or wire feed is determined by distance of relative movement between guide and board).
Regarding Claim 4, the combination of Bilas and Burr disclose all the limitations of claim 1, and Bilas and Burr further disclose that the control system is configured to control lateral speed of the dispensing at least partially based on a feed speed of the bare wire (Bilas, Fig. 10 Col. 5 ll. 61-62 wire feed device – 208 that selectively feeds an electrically conductive wire – 102 where “selectively” inherently involves a feed speed of the wire; Burr, Col. 15 ll. 41-50 measuring of conductor length can be carried out at optimum speed without regard to adhesive affixing the conductor along its length to the board).
.
Regarding Claim 5, the combination of Bilas and Burr disclose all the limitations of claim 1, and Bilas and Burr further disclose that the system further comprises a wire placement system configured to place the bare wire (Bilas, Fig.1, Col. 6 ll. 45-51 instructions define a location feature – 108 in the substrate – 104 where aperture – 106 is precisely located relative to the location feature – 108; Burr, Col. 12 ll. 28-50 sequence is repeated for each circuit until all of the circuits in the prerecorded program have been scribed onto the board)
Regarding Claim 6, the combination of Bilas and Burr disclose all the limitations of claim 1, and Bilas and Burr further disclose that the system further comprises a first of the tool heads is the wire dispensing tool head (Bilas, Fig. 10 Col. 5 ll. 63-64 wire feed device – 208 selectively feeds an electrically conductive wire; Burr, Figs 4B, 6, 7 Col. 8 ll. 27-29 conductor feed assembly – 204) and wherein a second of the tool heads is selected from a set consisting of a fused filament fabrication (FFF) tool head, a microdispensing tool head, a milling tool head, a pick and place tool head, and a spray tool head (Bilas, Fig. 10 Col. 3 ll. 9-10, 12 Col. 6 ll. 56-57 assembly manufactured using an automated additive manufacturing process, such as fused filament fabrication; extruding device – 202 with a dispensing head – 204; Burr, Fig. 4B Col. 11 ll. 23-31 a milling tool head whereby soldering, brazing or welding conductor end to pad by an ultra-sonic transducer – 140 to a vibrate guide – 148).
and wherein both Bilas and Burr disclose the wire dispensing tool head is configured to dispense bare wire independently of the second of the tool heads (Bilas, Fig. 10, Col. 5 ll. 53-63 dispensing head – 204 dispensing thermoplastic filament; wire feed device – 208; Burr, Col. 11 ll. 59-61 feed of the conductor onto the surface of the circuit board blank continues to the end of the preprogrammed circuit).
Regarding Claim 7, the combination of Bilas and Burr disclose all the limitations of claim 1, and Bilas and Burr further discloses that the system further comprises the wire is selected from a set consisting of a conductive wire, a filament, and a fiber (Bilas Col. 5, ll. 59-64 electrically conductive wire – 103, also thermoplastic filament; Burr, Col. 6 l 22 conductor – C may be bare wire).
Regarding Claim 8, Bilas discloses a method for manufacturing electronics (Fig. 11 Col. 7 ll. 23-24) comprising:
providing a system for manufacturing electronics (Fig. 11 Col. 2 ll. 56-57, Col. 5 ll. 52-53 adding electronic modules to the assembly – 100; presented in an apparatus used to manufacture assembly – 100) comprising a wire dispensing tool head (Fig. 11 Col. 7 ll. 48-52 STEP 310), a motion system for positioning a dispensing head around a part being fabricated (Fig. 11 Col. 7 ll. 40-47 STEP 308), a spool for holding spooled wire (while not explicitly stated, this is apparent at the top of Fig. 10), a feed mechanism operatively connected between the spool and the wire dispensing tool head for feeding the wire from the spool to the wire dispensing tool head (Fig. 11 Col. 7 ll. 31-35 STEP 304), a cutting system configured to cut the wire after dispensement from the wire dispensing tool head (Fig. 11 Col. 7 ll. 36-39 STEP 306), and a control system operatively connected to the motion system (Fig. 11 Col. 7 ll. 40-47 STEP 308);
controlling the wire dispensing tool head with the control system to position the wire dispensing head using the motion system to dispense a length of the wire in a desired position of the part being fabricated (Fig. 11 Col. 7 ll. 58-62 STEP 314 – form a location feature using electromechanical device – 212);
dispensing from the wire dispensing tool head the length of the wire at the desired position of the part being fabricated; and
cutting the length of the wire from a feed of wire from the spooled wire (Fig. 10, Col.6 ll. 38-43 instructions cause the wire feed device – 208 to selectively feed the wire – 102 and cutting device – 210 to selectively sever the wire – 102 as the electromechanically device moves the wire feed device – 208 and the cutting device – 210 in the 3D space.).
However, Bilas does not disclose that the spool holds bare wire, that the feed mechanism feeds bare wire, that the cutting system is configured to cut bare wire after the bare wires has been dispensed onto a part being fabricated and that the during the controlling step, the wire dispensing head uses the motion system to dispense a length of wire onto a part being fabricated in a desired position and finally, that the step of cutting the length of the bare wire from a feed of bare wire from the spooled bare wire occurs after the length of the bare wire has been dispensed onto the part being fabricated, wherein the bare wire is retained in wire form in the part being fabricated.
In the same field of endeavor, Burr teaches a process for manufacturing circuit boards for electronics applications (Fig. 1A, Col. 1, ll. 5-8 where conductors or wires – C are affixed at their ends to selected of the metal pads – B). Burr further discloses a feed mechanism operatively connected between the wire dispensing tool head (Figs 4B ,6 Col. 7 ll. 18-20 Col 8 ll. 27-29 conductor feed assembly – 204 mounted on support – 200 conductor – 154 and a cap – 156 through which conductor – 154 passes and is mounted over a slip ring assembly – 72 forming closure over an end of tube – 51;) configured to dispense bare wire (Fig. 2A Col. 3 ll. 4-8, Col. 6 ll. 22 wire might be uninsulated; Conductor – C may be bare wire) that is retained in wire form in a part being fabricated (Fig. 1A conductors or wires – C are affixed at either ends to selected of the metal pads – B and affixed intermediately to intermediate pads – B) and that comes from a spool for holding bare wire (Col. 10 ll. 50-51)
Additionally, Burr teaches a cutting system configured to cut the bare wire after the length of the bare wire has been dispensed from the wire dispensing tool head onto the part being fabricated (Figs. 4B, 12 Col. 11 ll. 1-4; Col. 11 l. 65-Col. 12 l.4, the conductor scribed onto the circuit board during the preceding scribing is severed from the end of conductor – 154 in the scribing unit by knife – 440) where the is retained in wire form in the part being fabricated (Fig. 1A Col. 5 ll. 65-68; Col. 12 ll. 6-10 conductor is in engagement conductors or wires – C are affixed at either ends to selected of the metal pads – B and affixed intermediately to intermediate pads – B).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the disclosure of Bilas with the teachings of Burr whereby a method for manufacturing electronics comprising a wire dispensing tool head, a motion system, a spool for holding wire, a feed mechanism, a cutting system and a control system operatively connected to the motion system, as disclosed by Bilas, would also include the teachings of Burr, which teaches steps in a method whereby bare wire that is supplied from a spool is fed through a feeding mechanism from the spool, retained in wire form on the part being fabricated and then is dispensed onto the part being fabricated and is cut after it has been dispensed onto the part being fabricated.
One with ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to use this method of bare wire dispensed that is retained upon a fabricated part after having been cut onto it because this method of wire scribing is able to accurately bond or solder the ends of bare wires to interconnections and are accurately aligned and can conform to pre-programmed wiring patterns to accommodate wire fixing (Col. 2 ll. 8-33; Col.3 ll. 42-48).
Regarding Claim 9, the combination of Bilas and Burr disclose all the limitations of claim 8 and both Bilas and Burr further disclose that the method of claim 8 comprises soldering the length of the bare wire to form an interconnection within the part being fabricated (Bilas, Fig. 7 Col. 4 ll. 7-16 terminals – 122 can be metallurgically bonded to the wires – 102 by soldering; Burr, Figs 4B, 13, 14 Col. 7 l 64-Col. 8 l. 3 solder assembly – 140)
Regarding Claim 12, the combination of Bilas and Burr disclose all the limitations of claim 8, and Bilas and Burr disclose that the method of claim 8 comprises the desired position is within a material having dielectric properties (Bilas, Fig. 10 Col. 6 ll. 52-55 extruding device – 202 selectively dispenses dielectric material) and wherein the method further comprises solidifying the material after the dispensing of the bare wire (Fig. 10 Col. 6 ll. 62-67 selectively heat the thermoplastic material (dielectric) while forming the substrate – 104 in order to produce a desired shape; Burr Col. 5 ll. 58-60 circuit board base – A is of an electrical insulating, dielectric material).
Regarding Claim 15, the combination of Bilas and Burr disclose all the limitations of claim 8, and Bilas and Burr disclose that the method of claim 8 comprises the part being fabricated comprises a multilayer circuit board (Bilas, Figs. 9, 11 Col. 7 ll. 53-57 STEP 312 forming a substrate – 104 made of the dielectric material that encases the plurality of wires – 102; Burr, Figs. 1, 1A Col. 5 ll. 57- 65 at least one surface with spaced metal pads – B affixed and attached thereto and with the electrical or electronic components to be accommodated thereon)
Regarding Claim 21, Bilas discloses a system for manufacturing electronics (Fig. 10 Col. 2 ll. 56-57, Col. 5 ll. 52-53 adding electronic modules to the assembly – 100; presented in an apparatus used to manufacture an assembly – 100) comprising:
a wire dispensing tool head (Fig. 10 Col. 5 l. 64 apparatus – 200 wire feed device – 208);
a motion system for positioning a dispensing head around a part being fabricated (Fig. 10 Col. 6 ll. 4-5, 7-8 electromechanical device – 212 configured to move the extruding device – 202 and wire feed device – 208);
a spool for holding spooled wire (while not explicitly stated, this is apparent at the top of Fig. 10);
a feed mechanism operatively connected between the spool and the wire dispensing tool head for feeding the wire from the spool to the wire dispensing tool head (Fig. 10 Col. 5 ll. 63-65 wire feed device – 208 that selectively feeds an electrically conductive wire, hereinafter referred to as the wire – 102, through the orifice – 206);
a cutting system configured to cut the wire after dispensement from the wire dispensing tool head (Fig. 10 Col. 5 l. 66-Co. 6 l. 1 a cutting device- 210 to selectively sever the wire – 102 after it passes through the orifice – 206 included in the apparatus – 200); and
a second tool head selected from a set consisting of a fused filament fabrication (FFF) tool head, a microdispensing tool head, a milling tool head, a pick and place tool head, and a spray tool head (Fig. 10 Col. 3 ll. 9-10, 12 Col. 6 ll. 56-57 assembly manufactured using an automated additive manufacturing process, such as fused filament fabrication; extruding device – 202 with a dispensing head – 204).
a second motion system for positioning the second tool head around a part being fabricated (Fig. 10 Col. 7 ll. 40-47 Step 308 electromechanical device includes moving the extruding device – 202 and the wire feed device – 208 within a 3D space) and
a control system operatively connected to the first motion system, the second motion system, the wire dispensing tool head, and the second tool head (Fig. 10 Col. 6, ll.10-14 electronic controller – 214 in communication with the extruding device – 202, the wire feed device – 208 and the electromechanical device – 212).
However, Bilas does not disclose that the spool holds bare wire, that the feed mechanism feeds bare wire, that the cutting system is configured to cut bare wire after the bare wires has been dispensed onto a part being fabricated and instead Bilas discloses that the wire dispensing tool is configured to dispense electrically conductive wire encased within a substrate formed of a dielectric material (abs), and not bare wire and that its cutting system severs the wire as it passes through an orifice and not after the wire has been dispensed onto a part being fabricated (Fig. 4 Col. 6 ll. 30-33).
In the same field of endeavor, Burr teaches a process and system for manufacturing circuit boards for electronics applications (Fig. 1A, Col. 1, ll. 5-8 where conductors or wires – C are affixed at their ends to selected of the metal pads – B). Burr further discloses a wire dispensing tool head (Figs 4B ,6 Col. 7 ll. 18-20 Col 8 ll. 27-29 conductor feed assembly – 204 mounted on support – 200 conductor – 154 and a cap – 156 through which conductor – 154 passes and is mounted over a slip ring assembly – 72 forming closure over an end of tube – 51;) configured to dispense bare wire (Fig. 2A Col. 3 ll. 4-8, Col. 6 ll. 22 wire might be uninsulated; Conductor – C may be bare wire) that is retained in wire form in a part being fabricated (Fig. 1A Col. 5 ll. 65-68 conductors or wires – C are affixed at either ends to selected of the metal pads – B and affixed intermediately to intermediate pads – B).
Additionally, Burr teaches a cutting system configured to cut the bare wire after the bare wire has been dispensed from the wire dispensing tool head onto the part being fabricated (Figs. 4B, 12 Col. 11 ll. 1-4; Col. 11 l. 65-Col. 12 l.4, the conductor scribed onto the circuit board during the preceding scribing is severed from the end of conductor – 154 in the scribing unit by knife – 440) where the wire is held on the part during the cutting (Col. 12 ll. 6-10 conductor is in engagement with a holding guide until the cut, trailing end is on the surface of the terminal pad).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the disclosure of Bilas with the teachings of Burr whereby a system for manufacturing electronics comprising a wire dispensing tool head, a first motion system, a spool for holding wire, a feed mechanism, a cutting system, a second tool head, a second motion system and a control system operatively connected to the motion system, as disclosed by Bilas, would also include the teachings of Burr, which teaches a bare wire that is retained in wire form on the part being fabricated and that has been dispensed onto the part being fabricated and which has been cut after it has been dispensed onto the part being fabricated.
One with ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to use this system of bare wire dispensed that is retained upon a fabricated part after having been cut onto it because this method of wire scribing is able to accurately bond or solder the ends of bare wires to interconnections and are accurately aligned and can conform to pre-programmed wiring patterns to accommodate wire fixing (Col. 2 ll. 8-33; Col.3 ll. 42-48).
Regarding Claim 22, the combination of Bilas and Burr disclose all the limitations of claim 21 and Bilas and Burr disclose that the control system is configured to: apply a layer of material; (Bilas, Fig. 10 Col. 6 ll. 52-55 extruding device – 202 selectively dispenses dielectric material); control the wire dispensing tool head and the first motion system to dispense a length of the bare wire in a desired position within the layer of material (Bilas Fig. 11 Col. 7 ll. 58-62 STEP 314 – form a location feature using electromechanical device – 212; Burr, Col. 3 l. 65-Col. 4 l. 4 wire feed and table movement are integrated assuring feed of the required length of conductor or wire without over-feed or damage to the conductor or wire), control the wire dispensing tool head and the first motion system to dispense a length of the bare wire in a desired position within the layer of material (Bilas, Fig. 10 Col. 6 ll. 63-65 wire feed device – 208 that selectively feeds an electrically conductive wire – 102; Burr Figs. 4b, 13 Col. 11 ll. 1-8 a predetermined conductor length is fed out of the end of the guide passage – 412 in guide head – 410); after dispensing from the wire dispensing tool head, the length of the bare wire at the desired position within the layer of material, cut the length of the bare wire from a feed of bare wire from spooled wire (Figs. 4B, 12 Col. 11 ll. 1-4; Col. 11 l. 65-Col. 12 l.4, the conductor scribed onto the circuit board during the preceding scribing is severed from the end of conductor – 154 in the scribing unit by knife – 440).
Regarding Claim 23, the combination of Bilas and Burr disclose all the limitations of claim 21 and Bilas and Burr disclose the control system is configured to control fabrication of a multi-layer circuit board (Bilas, Figs. 9, 11 Col. 7 ll. 53-57 STEP 312 forming a substrate – 104 made of the dielectric material that encases the plurality of wires – 102; Burr, Figs. 1, 1A Col. 5 ll. 57- 65 at least one surface with spaced metal pads – B affixed and attached thereto and with the electrical or electronic components to be accommodated thereon)
Regarding Claim 24, the combination of Bilas and Burr disclose all the limitations of claim 21 and Bilas discloses that the second tool head is a fused filament fabrication tool head (Col. 3. ll. 9-12 fused filament fabrication; Col. 5 ll. 59-62 thermoplastic material may be provided to the dispensing head – 204 in the form of a thermoplastic filament), and wherein the control system is configured to: dispense bare wire from the wire dispensing tool head at a desired position (Fig. 10, Col.5, ll. 63-65 wire feed device – 208 feeds electrically conductive wire – 102), and subsequently dispense dielectric material from the fused filament fabrication tool head over the bare wire (Fig. 10 Col. 6 ll. 1-3 wire – 102 may already be surrounded by an insulative jacket prior to passing through the orifice – 206).
Claim(s) 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Bilas (US 11,302,460 B2), of record, and Burr (US 4,450,623) as applied to claim 8 above, and further in view of Lang (KR 10-1346050 B1) with machine translation, of record.
Regarding Claims 10 -11, the combination of Bilas and Burr disclose all the limitations of claim 8 but do not disclose that the length of wire is dispensed in a shape of a coil or that the length of wire is dispensed in a shape of an antenna pattern having at least one curve.
Lang discloses in a method and apparatus for manufacturing a radio frequency circuit board (paragraph [1]) by means of an array of wires (paragraph [16]). Additionally, these wires can be formed in a shape of a coil of wire (Fig. 22 p. 35 ll. 1-7, 10 coil wires – 104) which form a coil – 50) and that this can also be in the form of an antenna (Fig. 2 paragraph [26]) where the combination of a coil of wire and a chip or chip module that forms an antenna is called a transponder where the wires forming the antenna may be completely or partially installed within the substrate (paragraph [5]).This is known as an antenna coil, which is inherently curved (Figs.2, 4 paragraph [24] antenna coil
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the disclosure of the combination of Bilas with Burr with the teachings of Lang whereby the method of Bilas/Burr whereby a length of wire is dispensed is provided in the shape of a coil and in the shape of an antenna pattern with at least one curve, as taught by Lang.
One with ordinary skill would use this technique because it provides because the antenna coil that forms the transponder is formed of very small, fine wires which allow for complete or partial installation on a substrate that can then be used in a card for use in access passes, vending machine payment devices, debit and/or credits cards or “smart cards” (paragraph [4]).
Claim(s) 13-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Bilas (US 11,302,460 B2), of record, and Burr (US 4,450,623) as applied to claim 8 above, and further in view of Farmer (WO 2019/086854 A2), of record.
Regarding Claims 13 -14, the combination of Bilas and Burr disclose all the limitations of claim 8 and while Burr discloses that the cutting is performed using a blade (Col.11 ll. 1-5; Col. 12 l. 2 knife – 440) neither Bilas nor Burr discloses the cutting is performed using a laser.
Farmer discloses a wiring method and apparatus for continuous wiring of shape memory alloy actuators including shape memory alloy (SMA) sub-assemblies having static wire attach structures (abs, p. 1 ll. 7-10). During the method of manufacturing there is at least one embodiment where the actuator wires are to be cut between adjacent SMA structures or sub-assemblies in order to detach them (p. 2 ll. 4-15). This process step of cutting at least one SMA actuator wire between adjacent SMA sub-assemblies may be performed by using a laser or a mechanical cutting process, where the latter can inherently use a blade (p. 17 ll. 22-25).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WAYNE K. SWIER whose telephone number is (571)272-4598. The examiner can normally be reached M-F generally 8:30 am - 5:30 pm PST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abbas Rashid can be reached at 571-270-7457. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/WAYNE K. SWIER/Examiner, Art Unit 1748
/Abbas Rashid/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1748
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