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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 February 25, 2026 has been entered.
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.
Claims 1-3 and 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable by Meshorer (US 20170274575) in view of Chen (CN 110315757 A, an English machine translation is provided in this Office Action) and Rumjahn (US 20210387401).
Regarding claim 1, Meshorer teaches a three-dimensional modeling system (¶ [0089] – extrusion additive manufacturing system) comprising:
an ejection unit (¶ [0090] - extruder 12) including a nozzle (¶ [0090] - hollow tip 22) configured to eject a modeling material (¶ [0090] - modeling material is extruded);
a stage (¶ [0090], Fig. 1 – supporting platform 24) on which the modeling material is to be deposited (¶ [0090] - modeling material is extruded onto 24);
a motor (¶ [0029] - drive) configured to change relative positions of the ejection head and the stage (¶ [0029, 0099] – for establishing relative movement between the modeling material extruder and the supporting platform);
a processor (¶ [0029, 0097] – controller 26 associated with a computer 28; ¶ [0065] - computer software product read by a data processor, execute the method) configured be programed to control motor (¶ [0031] - control the vertical relative movement of extrusion); and
a reception interface (¶ [0049, 0098] - user interface 29) configured to receive a mode (¶ [0049] – receiving as a user input a starting point for at least one contour relative to a respective at least one layer, and extruding contours to form a plurality of layers corresponding to slice data) related to maintenance of the ejection head (¶ [0099] – the starting point causes relative motion of 12 based on slice data which relates to maintenance of the extruder’s motion system), wherein the processor (¶ [0029] – controller 26 and computer 28; ¶ [0065] – data processor) is further configured to control the motor to move (¶ [0099] – 12 can be movable horizontally/vertically, so as to establish relative motion between 12 and 24, relative motion is controlled by controller 26 based on slice data) the ejection head to a set position (¶ [0048] - starting point for extrusion) according to the mode (¶ [0049] - interface receives slice data to initiate extruding contours).
Meshorer does not explicitly disclose a heater assembly, the heater assembly being configured with a heater and a heater insulator stacked with each other, each of the heater and the heater insulator having a through hole, and a housing accommodating the ejection head and the stage.
Analogous art Chen discloses a fused deposition modeling 3D printer (¶ [0050]). Driven by feeding mechanism 8, plastic wire 9 is melted by heating block 5, and then extruded downward from nozzle 3 onto worktable 14 (¶ [0054]).
Chen further discloses a heater assembly (¶ [0050] – workpiece heating and heat preservation system), the heater assembly being configured with a heater (¶ [0050] – infrared lamp 1) and a heater insulator (¶ [0050] – lamp cover 2, ¶ [0052] – 2 is made of high-temperature resistant and heat-insulating material) stacked with each other (¶ [0051] – 1 is fixed below 2), each of the heater and the heater insulator having a through hole (¶ [0051] – 1 is located around 3). In another embodiment, Chen also discloses a housing accommodating the ejection head and the stage (¶ [0060-0061] – moving beam 20, columns 25; FIG. 4 depicts the nozzle assembly and worktable 14 are housed in 20, 25).
Meshorer and Chen disclose apparatuses with the same or similar components performing the same or similar function in regards to additive manufacturing extruders/nozzles. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have applied the workpiece heating and heat-insulating material located around the nozzle in Chen to the extruder in Meshorer to eliminate the need to heat and maintain the entire forming chamber surrounding the work piece at the required high temperature (¶ [0008]), concentrate the thermal radiation emitted by the infrared lamp (¶ [0052]), and to heat and keep the workpiece warm and prevent warping and deformation due to temperature difference (¶ [0055])
Furthermore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have applied the moving beam and columns in Chen to the system in Meshorer to move the nozzle assembly up and down and along the moving beam to heat the workpiece (¶ [0061]).
Chen discloses wherein nozzle 1 is located around 3 (¶ [0051]) and FIG. 1 and 3 depict the nozzle 3 goes through the through hole of the lamp 1 and lamp cover 2.
Meshorer and Chen do not teach a heater assembly that is plate-shaped, having a through hole, wherein a tip of the nozzle is configured to pass downward through the through hole of the heat insulator and the through hole of the heater in this order and move away from the through hole of the heater, and a housing accommodating the ejection head and the stage, and a motor configured to change relative positions of the ejection head and the heater assembly.
Rumjahn teaches a three-dimensional modeling system (¶ [0072] – a system for building three-dimensional objects in a fused filament fabrication)
Rumjahn further discloses a heater assembly that is plate-shaped (¶ [0094], Fig. 3B – layer heating device 310) having a through hole (¶ [0096] – 310 surrounds the nozzle 306; Fig. 3B depicts 310 has a through hole) through which a tip of the nozzle is configured to pass downward through the through hole of the heater and move away from the through hole of the heater (¶ [0096] – placed at a predetermined distance from the bottom surface of 306; Fig. 3B depicts the tip of the nozzle passes through the through hole), and a motor configured to change relative positions of the ejection head and the heater assembly (¶ [0104] – drive signals to the stepper motors control movement of the print head, ¶ [0098] – 310 has an inner diameter slightly larger than the shape of the nozzle, thus allowing for 306 to be inserted through the layer heating device and removed without interfering with the functionality of 310).
Meshorer and Rumjahn disclose apparatus with the same or similar components performing the same or similar function in regards to additive manufacturing extruders/nozzles. It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to apply a layer heating device with the nozzle tip thorough the layer heating device as taught by Rumjahn to the extruder in modified Meshorer because the heating device allows for the thermal radiation to the deposited modeling material in order to relieve thermal stresses, reduce the effects of shrinking and improve inter-layer bonding (¶ [0105]). As the nozzle passes through the through hole of the layer heating device as taught by Rumjahn, the nozzle in modified Meshorer would pass through a through hole of the heat insulator and the through hole of the heater in this order as taught by Chen.
Meshorer and Chen do not teach the area of the heater is larger than an area of the stage when viewed along the first direction. However, Chen discloses infrared lamp 1 used to generate infrared thermal radiation to heat and keep the workpiece 13 warm during the printing process (¶ [0051]). In another embodiment, an infrared sport light 19 move along the column, so that the infrared rays emitted can always irradiate and heat the workpiece being printed on the worktable (¶ [0060]).
Analogous art Rumjahn discloses the outer diameter of the layer heating device 310 is 20 mm but can also be of a larger diameter (¶ [0098]). Print heating devices 110 are used to apply thermal radiation to the modeling material deposited onto the base (¶ [0086]).
Meshorer and Rumjahn disclose apparatus with the same or similar components performing the same or similar function in regards to additive manufacturing extruders/nozzles. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the layer heating device to be larger, where the area of the lamp is larger than an area of the worktable when viewed along the first direction to the supporting platform in modified Meshorer to relieve thermal stresses, reduce the effects of shrinking and improve inter-layer bonding (Rumjahn ¶ [0105]) and so that the infrared rays emitted can always irradiate and heat the workpiece being printed on the worktable (Chen ¶ [0060]) to heat and keep the workpiece warm and prevent warping and deformation due to temperature difference (Chen ¶ [0055]).
Regarding claim 2, modified Meshorer discloses the three-dimensional modeling system according to claim 1. Meshorer teaches wherein the ejection head 12 includes:
a material accommodating portion (¶ [0090] - feed hopper 18) configured to accommodate a material (¶ [0090] - 18 stores modeling material);
a plasticizing part (¶ [0096] - extrusion barrel 14 where material is melted by heater 20) configured to plasticize the material to generate the modeling material (¶ [0096] - material is melted), and
when the reception interface 29 receives a material supply mode (¶ [0112] - receiving the slice data) as the mode for supplying the material to the material accommodating portion (¶ [0090, 0097] - controller communicates with any of the components of 12, hopper 18 for supplying the modeling material), the processor is further configured to control the motor to move the ejection head (¶ [0031] - the controller is configured to establish the vertical relative movement during extrusion) to a position lower (bottommost layer position) than a position of the ejection head (topmost layer position) where the ejection head is located at an end of modeling (¶ [0137], Fig. 11 - the extruder starts at bottommost layer and ends the modeling at topmost layer; therefore, the ejection unit starts at a lower position and ends at a higher position).
Regarding claim 3, modified Meshorer discloses the three-dimensional modeling system according to claim 1.
Meshorer teaches wherein the set position (¶ [0026] - starting point) is settable for each user (¶ [0026] - receiving as a user input a starting point for at least one contour relative to a respective at least one layer).
Regarding claim 5, modified Meshorer discloses the three-dimensional modeling system according to claim 1.
Modified Meshorer teaches:
the heater (¶ [0096] - heating element 308) is configured to heat the modeling material (Rumjahn, ¶ [0096] – applies thermal radiation to the deposited modeling material) deposited on the stage (Rumjahn ¶ [0096] – base 102 in which modeling material adheres to);
the motor is further configured to move the nozzle upward and downward through the through hole of the heater (Rumjahn ¶ [0104] – drive signals to the stepper motors control movement of the print head, ¶ [0098] – 310 has an inner diameter slightly larger than the shape of the nozzle, thus allowing for 306 to be inserted through the layer heating device and removed without interfering with the functionality of 310) and the through hole of the heat insulator (As the nozzle passes through the through hole of the layer heating device as taught by Rumjahn, the nozzle in modified Meshorer would pass through a through hole of the heat insulator and the through hole of the heater in this order as taught by Chen); and
when the reception interface (Meshorer user interface 29) receives an ejection head attachment and detachment mode (Meshorer ¶ [0104] - drive signals for moving printhead away and towards other components; which is equivalent to the attachment and detachment mode as described in instant specification ¶ [0069] which even though not defines the terms of attachment and detachment mode, lists a number of ways the ejection unit is moving towards and away from other components of the system) as the mode for attaching and detaching the ejection head (Meshorer ¶ [0104] - control movement and relative distance of print head), the processor is further configured to control the motor to move the ejection head (104) to a position (bottommost layer position) that is lower than a position of the ejection head where the ejection head is located at an end of modeling (topmost layer position) and where a nozzle opening of the nozzle is higher than the heater assembly (Rumjahn ¶ [0104] – drive signals to the stepper motors control movement of the print head, ¶ [0096] - the layer heating device 310 is placed at a distance from the bottom surface of the nozzle 306).
Regarding claim 6, modified Meshorer discloses the three-dimensional modeling system according to claim 2.
Modified Meshorer teaches:
the heater (¶ [0096] - heating element 308) is configured to heat the modeling material (Rumjahn, ¶ [0096] – applies thermal radiation to the deposited modeling material) deposited on the stage (Rumjahn ¶ [0096] – base 102 in which modeling material adheres to);
the motor is further configured to move the nozzle upward and downward through the through hole of the heater (Rumjahn ¶ [0104] – drive signals to the stepper motors control movement of the print head, ¶ [0098] – 310 has an inner diameter slightly larger than the shape of the nozzle, thus allowing for 306 to be inserted through the layer heating device and removed without interfering with the functionality of 310) and the through hole of the heat insulator (As the nozzle passes through the through hole of the layer heating device as taught by Rumjahn, the nozzle in modified Meshorer would pass through a through hole of the heat insulator and the through hole of the heater in this order as taught by Chen); and
when the reception interface (Meshorer user interface 29) receives the material supply mode (¶ [0112] - receiving the slice data; ¶ [0090, 0097] - controller communicates with any of the components of 12, hopper 18 for supplying the modeling material), the processor is further configured to control the motor to move the ejection head to a position (Rumjahn ¶ [0104] – drive signals to the stepper motors control movement of the print head, ¶ [0098] – 310 has an inner diameter slightly larger than the shape of the nozzle, thus allowing for 306 to be inserted through the layer heating device and removed without interfering with the functionality of 310) where a nozzle opening of the nozzle is lower than the heater assembly (Rumjahn ¶ [0104] – drive signals to the stepper motors control movement of the print head, ¶ [0096] - the layer heating device 310 is placed at a distance from the bottom surface of the nozzle 306).
Claims 4, 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable by Meshorer (US 20170274575) in view of Chen (CN 110315757 A) and Rumjahn (US 20210387401), as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Lee (US 20190061249).
Regarding claim 4, modified Meshorer discloses the three-dimensional modeling system according to claim 1.
Meshorer does not teach the processor is further configured to determine whether a door of the housing is opened after an end of molding when the reception interface receives the mode related to the maintenance of the ejection head.
Analogous art Lee teaches an additive manufacturing system (¶ [0005] - 3D printer), comprising determining whether a door of the housing (¶ [0006] - door panel at the housing) is opened after an end of molding when the reception interface receives the mode related to the maintenance of the ejection head (¶ [0006] - an unlocking mode for door opening is controlled by movement mode of the nozzle such as when the nozzle is stopped for a duration of time).
Meshorer and Lee are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of additive manufacturing. It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system in Meshorer as described above to incorporate a door at a chamber as taught by Lee as described above, in order to maintain good ambient air quality inside a housing of the system (Lee ¶ [0007]).
Regarding claim 8, modified Meshorer discloses the three-dimensional modeling system according to claim 4.
Modified Meshorer teaches wherein after the processor is configured to determine (Meshorer ¶ [0065] - processor controls the execution of the method and thus including the system components that are modified) that the door of the housing is open (Lee ¶ [0006] - an unlocking mode for door opening): the processor is further configured to control the motor to move the ejection head to a position that is lower (bottommost layer position) than a position of the ejection head (topmost layer position) where the ejection head is located at an end of modeling (¶ [0137] and Fig. 11, the extruder starts at bottommost layer and ends the modeling at topmost layer; therefore, the ejection unit starts at a lower position and ends at a higher position) and where a nozzle opening of the nozzle is lower than the heater assembly (Rumjahn ¶ [0104] – drive signals to the stepper motors control movement of the print head, ¶ [0096] - the layer heating device 310 is placed at a distance from the bottom surface of the nozzle 306).
Regarding claim 9, modified Meshorer discloses the three-dimensional modeling system according to claim 4.
Modified Meshorer teaches wherein after the processor is configured to determine (Meshorer ¶ [0065] - processor controls the execution of the method and thus including the system components that are modified) that the door of the housing is open (Lee ¶ [0006] - an unlocking mode for door opening): the processor is further configured to control the motor (¶ [0029] - drive that moves the extruder) to move the ejection head to a position that is lower (bottommost layer position) than a position of the ejection head where the ejection head is located at the end of the modeling (¶ [0137], Fig. 11 - the extruder starts at bottom layer and ends the modeling at top layer; therefore, the ejection unit starts at a lower position and ends at a higher position) and where a nozzle opening of the nozzle is higher than the heater (Rumjahn ¶ [0104] – drive signals to the stepper motors control movement of the print head, ¶ [0096] - the layer heating device 310 is placed at a distance from the bottom surface of the nozzle 306).
Claims 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable by Meshorer (US 20170274575) in view of Chen (CN 110315757 A) and Rumjahn (US 20210387401), as applied to claim 1 above, further in view of Lee (US 20190061249) and Reid (US 20210001555).
Regarding claim 7, modified Meshorer discloses the three-dimensional modeling system according to claim 1.
Modified Meshorer teaches the heater (¶ [0096] - heating element 308) is configured to heat the modeling material (Rumjahn, ¶ [0096] – applies thermal radiation to the deposited modeling material) deposited on the stage (Rumjahn ¶ [0096] – base 102 in which modeling material adheres to), and the motor is further configured to move the nozzle upward and downward through the through hole of the heater (Rumjahn ¶ [0104] – drive signals to the stepper motors control movement of the print head, ¶ [0098] – 310 has an inner diameter slightly larger than the shape of the nozzle, thus allowing for 306 to be inserted through the layer heating device and removed without interfering with the functionality of 310) and through hole of the heat insulator (As the nozzle passes through the through hole of the layer heating device as taught by Rumjahn, the nozzle in modified Meshorer would pass through a through hole of the heat insulator and the through hole of the heater in this order as taught by Chen);
Meshorer does not teach the housing includes a door on a side surface.
Analogous art Lee teaches an additive manufacturing system (¶ [0005] - 3D printer), comprising the housing includes a door on a side surface (¶ [0006] - a housing, a door panel, a door lock structure; Fig. 1, door 2 is on the side surface).
Meshorer and Lee are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of additive manufacturing. It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system in Meshorer as described above to incorporate a door at a chamber as taught by Lee as described above, in order to maintain good ambient air quality inside a housing of the system (Lee ¶ [0007]).
Meshorer does not teach a cleaning mechanism provided above the heater assembly and configured to clean the nozzle; and a cleaning motor configured to move the cleaning mechanism, wherein the housing includes a door on a side surface, the cleaning motor is further configured to move the cleaning mechanism between a first position closer to the door than is a nozzle opening of the nozzle and a second position farther from the door than is the nozzle opening, and when the reception interface receives a cleaning mode as the mode, the processor is further configured to control the cleaning motor to move the cleaning mechanism to the second position.
Reid teaches:
a cleaning mechanism (¶ [0026] - maintenance module 26) provided above the heater assembly (Fig 2, 26 the heating unit in modified Meshorer is below the nozzle and the cleaning mechanism is at the same level of nozzle, so the cleaning mechanism is above the heating unit) configured to clean the nozzle (¶ [0053] - the cleaning mechanism cleans the nozzle);
a cleaning motor (¶ [0032] - motor 40) configured to move the cleaning mechanism (¶ [0032] - 40 is configured to raise and lower the maintenance tray 36 which is a part of the cleaning mechanism 26), wherein
the cleaning motor (¶ [0032] - motor 40) is further configured to move the cleaning mechanism (26) between a first position closer to the door (Reid ¶ [0016] - the motor moving the maintenance module is capable of moving in three dimensional directions and can move closer to the door panel in modified Meshorer) than is a nozzle opening of the nozzle and a second position farther from the door than is the nozzle opening (¶ [0032] - Reid teaches the motor moves the maintenance tray along the Z direction relative to the nozzle, and therefore is capable of moving the maintenance tray to a position that is closer or further away from the chamber door relative to the nozzle), and when the reception interface receives a cleaning mode as the mode (¶ [0027] - controller signals movement of the cleaning mechanism), the processor is further configured to control the cleaning motor to move the cleaning mechanism to the second position (¶ [0032] - 40 is configured to raise and lower the maintenance tray 36 along the vertical Z-axis; the motor moves the maintenance tray along the Z direction relative to the nozzle, and therefore is capable of moving the maintenance tray to a position that is closer or further away from the chamber door relative to the nozzle).
Meshorer and Reid are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of additive manufacturing. It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the apparatus in Meshorer to incorporate a cleaning unit as taught by Reid as described above, in order to maintain the integrity of the nozzle (Reid, ¶ [0029]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed February 25, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues Meshorer does not disclose or suggest feature relating to a heater.
In response to applicant's arguments against the references individually, one cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejections are based on combinations of references. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091, 231 USPQ 375 (Fed. Cir. 1986).
Applicant argues that the alleged nozzle and heater in Rumjahn move together.
Rumjahn discloses drive signals to the stepper motors control movement of the print head (¶ [0104]) and 310 has an inner diameter slightly larger than the shape of the nozzle, thus allowing for 306 to be inserted through the layer heating device and removed without interfering with the functionality of 310 (¶ [0098]). Therefore, as the nozzle is able to be inserted and removed through the layer heating device and a stepper motor controls the printhead movements, the nozzle would move upward and downward through the through hole as claimed.
Therefore, the argument is not persuasive.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
CN 115583021 A discloses a thermal insulation component fixedly installed on the printing component and comprising a heat insulation board and an annular heating lamp below
CN 205326286 U discloses a model jet and an infrared lamp where the infrared lamp surrounds the jet
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JONATHAN B WOO whose telephone number is (571)272-5191. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30 am - 5:00 pm ET.
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/JONATHAN B WOO/Examiner, Art Unit 1754
/SUSAN D LEONG/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1754