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 .
Response to Amendment
In view of the amendment filed 12/29/2025:
Claims 1-3 and 5-7 are pending.
Claim 4 is cancelled.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 2 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 1, Examiner respectfully suggests amending “clearing” in line 6 to “cleaning”.
Regarding claim 2, Examiner respectfully suggests amending “and allows rotation in the other direction” in line 5-6 to “and allows rotation of the other of the first and second cleaning members in the other direction” to clarify that one of the first and second cleaning members rotates in one direction and the other cleaning member rotates in the other direction.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Akasaka (US20220234294), and further in view of Wang et al. (CN110076995- Machine translation
provided herein).
Regarding claim 1, Akasaka teaches a three dimensional shaping device (three-dimensional shaping device 10; Figure 1) comprising:
an ejection section that includes a nozzle (nozzle 60; Figure 2) having a nozzle opening (nozzle opening 63; Figure 2) and that is configured to eject a shaping material from the nozzle opening ([0038] material which flows into the nozzle flow path 61 through the through hole 80 and the inflow port 65 are discharged via the nozzle 60 of the present embodiment from the nozzle opening 63 toward the stage 220);
a stage (stage 220; Figure 1) on which the shaping material is layered ([0025] he stage 220 on which the shaping material is stacked is disposed in the shaping space 111);
a cleaning section (cleaning mechanism 250; Figure 1) including first (brush 251; Figure 5) and second cleaning members (blade 252; Figure 5);
a movement section (drive unit 210, drive unit 211, drive unit 212, and height adjustment device 280; Figure 1) configured to change relative positions of the ejection section, the stage, and the cleaning section ([0026] The drive unit 210 changes a relative position between the injection unit 100 and the stage 220 and [0088]); and
a control section (control unit 300; Figure 1), wherein
the control section controls the movement section to execute a cleaning operation of bringing the first and second cleaning members and the nozzle into contact with each other while reciprocating, along a trajectory of the nozzle opening, the nozzle relative to the cleaning section so that the nozzle passes across the first and second cleaning members a plurality of times ([0051] the control unit 300 reciprocally moves the nozzle 60 so as to cut across the brush 251 and the blade 252 a plurality of times; see various trajectories in Figure 8- Figure 12), and
a first distance between a first central axis (first central axis is in the z-direction shown in annotated Figure 9 below) of the first cleaning member and the trajectory (see trajectory in y-direction in annotated Figure 9 below) along a first direction (see first direction along x-direction in annotated Figure 9 below) in a plan view is different from a second distance between a second central axis (second central axis is in the z-direction shown in annotated Figure 9 below) of the second cleaning member and the trajectory along the first direction in the plan view, and the first direction is perpendicular to the trajectory in the plan view (see trajectory in y-direction and first direction along x-direction in annotated Figure 9 below).
Further, Akasaka teaches various nozzle trajectories such that the first and second distance along the first direction can vary to reduce cleaning member wear ([0070] the control unit 300 may set the number of times the nozzle 60 cuts across the brush 251 to be larger than the number of times the nozzle 60 cuts across the blade 252. In this way, the wear of the blade 252 can be reduced).
However, Akasaka fails to teach the first and second cleaning members rotate about a first and second rotation axes such that in the cleaning operation, the nozzle comes into contact with each of the first and second cleaning members at different positions in a forward path and a return path of the nozzle by rotating the first and second cleaning members about the first and second rotation
In the same field of endeavor pertaining to a three-dimensional shaping device, Wang
teaches a first and second cleaning member that rotate about first and second rotation axes (Figure 6) and that the cleaning operation rotates the cleaning member about the rotation axis (“when performing cleaning, sliding table moving the print head 6 moved to the top of the mounting frame 5a, cleaning motor 5b rotates and drives a cleaning roller 5d rotate by the screw 2h, a cleaning roller 5d through the fixing belt 5c drives the other cleaning roller 5d to rotate, two cleaning roller 5d rotates to drive several rubber cleaning bar 5e of two cleaning roller 5d is rotating the print head 6 for cleaning operation”- see bottom of pg. 6 and top of pg. 7). Wang teaches that rotating the cleaning members improves the cleaning operation (“rotate. two cleaning roller 5d rotates to drive several rubber cleaning bar 5e of two cleaning roller 5d is rotated to clean the print head 6 operation, rubber cleaning strip 5e will not damage to the print head 6. it also can better the raw material of print head 6 remaining on the cleaned raw materials remaining raw material after the printing”- see top of pg. 7).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the first and second members of the cleaning section of Akasaka with the first and second members of the cleaning section of Wang such that in the cleaning operation, the nozzle comes into contact with each of the first and second cleaning members at different positions in a forward path and a return path of the nozzle by rotating the first and second cleaning members about the first and second rotation
Further, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to optimize the trajectory of Akasaka modified with Wang such that the first distance between the first rotation axis and the trajectory along the first direction in a plan view be different from the second distance between the second rotation axis and the trajectory along the first direction in the plan view, for the benefit of reducing the wear of cleaning members.
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Claim(s) 2 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Akasaka (US20220234294) and Wang et al. (CN110076995- Machine translation provided herein), and further in view of Askren (US6530643).
Regarding claim 2, Akasaka modified with Wang teaches the three dimensional
shaping device according to claim 1. Further, Wang teaches wherein the cleaning section includes a restriction section (fixing belt 5c; Figure 6) that restricts rotation of the first and second cleaning members in one direction about the respective rotation axes (“a cleaning roller 5d through the fixing belt 5c drives the other cleaning roller 5d to rotate”- see top of pg. 7).
However, Akasaka and Wang fail to teach the rotation of one of the first and second cleaning members is restricted in one direction about a corresponding one axis of the first and second rotation axes and allows rotation in the other direction.
In the same field of endeavor pertaining to nozzle cleaning operations, Askren teaches rotation of a first cleaning member in one direction about one axis and rotation of a second cleaning member along a second rotation axis can occur in either the same or opposite direction (col 4 line 9-15). Rotating the first and second cleaning members in the same and opposite direction result in contaminants from being effectively removed (col 4 line 5-15).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have the cleaning members of Akasaka modified with Wang rotate in opposite directions, as taught by Askren, to achieve the predictable result of effectively moving contaminants from the nozzle. There would have been a reasonable expectation of success for the cleaning members of Akasaka modified with Wang to rotate in opposite directions, since Wang teaches rotating in the same direction improves the cleaning operation while Askren teaches rotating the cleaning members either in the same or opposite direction effectively removes contaminants.
Regarding claim 3, Akasaka modified with Wang and Asken teaches the three dimensional shaping device according to claim 2.
Further, Akasaka teaches wherein each of the first and second rotation axes extends in a layering direction of the shaping material,
the first and second rotation axes are arranged at positions that do not overlap the trajectory of the nozzle opening in the cleaning operation when viewed along the layering direction (see annotated Figure 9 in the rejection of claim 1 above, as well as Figure 10 and Figure 12).
Further, Wang teaches a direction in which one of the first and second cleaning members is allowed to rotate and a direction in which the other of the first and second cleaningtable moving the print head 6 moved to the top of the mounting frame 5a, cleaning motor 5b rotates and drives a cleaning roller 5d, a cleaning roller 5d through the fixing belt 5c drives the other cleaning roller 5d to rotate. two cleaning roller 5d rotates to drive several rubber cleaning bar 5e of two cleaning roller 5d is rotated to clean the print head 6 operation”- see bottom of pg. 7 to top of pg. 8). The two rotating cleaning members improves the cleaning operation (“rotate. two cleaning roller 5d rotates to drive several rubber cleaning bar 5e of two cleaning roller 5d is rotated to clean the print head 6 operation, rubber cleaning strip 5e will not damage to the print head 6. it also can better the raw material of print head 6 remaining on the cleaned raw materials remaining raw material after the printing”- see top of pg. 7).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a
person having ordinary skill in the art to have the first and second cleaning members of Akasaka modified with Wang and Asken rotate in the same direction, as taught by Wang, to improve the nozzle cleaning operation as noted in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Claim(s) 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Akasaka (US20220234294) and Wang et al. (CN110076995- Machine translation provided herein),
and further in view of Yanagisawa et al. (US20220339856), Leavitt et al. (US20230211553), and Schmehl et al. (US9469072).
Regarding claim 5, Akasaka modified with Wang teaches the three dimensional
shaping device according to claim 1.
However, Akasaka fails to teach the three dimensional shaping device further comprising a heating section that has a plate shape and that is configured to heat a shaping region of the stage, wherein the heating section is positioned above the nozzle opening and below the cleaning section during shaping.
In the same field of endeavor pertaining to an additive manufacturing apparatus, Yanagisawa teaches a three dimensional shaping device comprising a heating section that has a plate shape (heating unit 700; Figure 1) and that is configured to heat a shaping region of the stage, wherein the heating section is positioned above the nozzle opening and the control section moves the heating section together with the ejection section relative to the stage by controlling the movement section ([0039]). The heating section with a plate shape is supported with a support unit 205, as shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2. The heating plate provides uniform heating over the entire range of the deposition surface no matter the relative position between the heating plate and the stage ([0040]).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a
person having ordinary skill in the art to have the three dimensional shaping device of Akasaka modified with Wang further comprise a heating plate that is configured to heat a shaping region of the stage, wherein the heating section is positioned above the nozzle opening and the control section moves the heating section together with the ejection section relative to the stage by controlling the movement section, as taught by Yanagisawa, for the benefit of uniformly heating the entire range of the deposition surface.
However, Yanagisawa fails to teach the heating section is positioned below the cleaning
section during shaping and the control section moves the heating section and the cleaning
section together with the ejection section.
In the same field of endeavor pertaining to a three dimensional shaping device, Leavitt
teaches bins 423 of a tool crib or tool rack 422 above the shaping region (chamber 416; Figure
8) and plate-shaped insulator 420 are used to store print heads 24. The tool changer system
404 and tool rack 422 can be any suitable system and tool storage structure, including the tool
changer system and tool rack of Schmehl, which Leavitt incorporates the reference of Schmehl
in its entirety as noted in [0073].
Schmel teaches the tool changer system and tool rack may include an active element to
clean the printhead (col 12 line 4-24).
Having the tool changer system including the cleaning section above the shaping section
minimizes the three dimensional shaping device maintenance downtime by allowing for a
printhead to be cleaned while another printhead proceeds with shaping.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a
person having ordinary skill in the art to have the heating section of Akasaka modified with
Wang and Yanagisawa be positioned below the cleaning section during shaping, as Leavitt and Schmel teach a cleaning section is above a support plate while the printhead during shaping is below the support plate, such that the control section of Yanagisawa modified with Wang moves the heating section and the cleaning section together with the ejection section, since one of ordinary skill would be motivated to minimize the three dimensional shaping device
maintenance downtime by allowing for a printhead to be cleaned while another printhead
proceeds with shaping.
Regarding claim 6, Akasaka modified with Wang, Yanagisawa, Leavitt, and Schmel teaches the three dimensional shaping device according to claim 5. Further, Akasaka teaches wherein in the cleaning operation the control section moves the cleaning section with respect to the nozzle to bring the first and second cleaning member members into contact with the nozzle ([0058] Specifically, the control unit 300 controls the height adjustment device 280 to increase the height of the cleaning mechanism 250 as the number of times of cleaning increases, and adjusts an interval between the cleaning mechanism 250 and the nozzle 60).
However, Akasaka fails to teach wherein in the cleaning operation, the control section controls the movement section to position the nozzle opening above the heating section.
In the same field of endeavor pertaining to a three dimensional shaping device, Leavitt
teaches the control section controls the movement section to position the nozzle opening
above a support plate (see printheads 24 above insulator 420 and inside bins 423 of tool crib or
tool rack 422 in Figure 8 and [0073] In exemplary embodiments, each of the multiple print
heads includes a tool connector 490 (shown in FIG. 10) configured to connect and disconnect
with tool mount 127 on carriage 126 in response to commands from the controller).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a
person having ordinary skill in the art to have in the cleaning operation of Akasaka modified with Wang, Yanagisawa, Leavitt, and Schmel, the control section control the movement section to position the nozzle opening above the heating section, as Leavitt and Schmel teach a cleaning section is above a support plate and during a cleaning operation the printhead in the cleaning section is above the support plate, since one of ordinary skill would be motivated to minimize the three dimensional shaping device maintenance downtime by allowing for a printhead to be cleaned while another printhead proceeds with shaping.
Regarding claim 7, Akasaka modified with Wang, Yanagisawa, Leavitt, and Schmel teaches the three dimensional shaping device according to claim 5. While Akasaka teaches a purge section (purge waste material container 260; Figure 1) that receives a waste material discharged from the nozzle ([0045] a waste material injected from the nozzle 60 falls and is collected into a spherical shape on the purge portion 253, and falls into the purge waste material container 260), Akasaka fails to teach the purge section includes a bottom surface configured to open and close.
Schmel teaches wherein the purge section includes a bottom surface configured to open
and close (col 10 line 42-49). Opening the bottom allows for cleaning material to be removed
and potentially recycled, while maintaining a closed bottom surface allows for the printhead to
be stored in a cleaning solution (see col 10 line 47-49 of Schmel).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a
person having ordinary skill in the art to have the purge section of Akasaka modified with Wang, Yanagisawa, Leavitt, and Schmel include a bottom surface configured to open and close, as taught by Schmel, since one of ordinary skill would be motivated to remove and potentially recycle cleaning material or store the printhead in a cleaning solution for a period of time.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ARIELLA MACHNESS whose telephone number is (408)918-7587. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 6:30-2:30 PT.
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/ARIELLA MACHNESS/Examiner, Art Unit 1743