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 Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7/21/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant has amended the claims to have a first and second heating zone instead of circuit and added a wherein clause to address the first and second heating zones are configured to provide different heating controls between the tool body and at least one cavity or mold part.
It is argued that the claims are no longer anticipated by the previously provided reference.
In this regard the Examiner respectfully disagrees.
There appears to be a discrepancy between the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claims and the argued scope of the invention.
The cited reference does show the claimed requirements. The claims require a molding tool with at least one first tool component and at least one second tool component. The claims further state that each of these tool components have a tool body (shown by sections 802 and 804) and either a cavity or the mold part associated with the cavity (shown but not labeled in figure 8). There is a heating zone in in the tool body (depicted as 812 in figure 8) and a second heating zone formed in the cavity or mold part (not labeled in the figure but described in [0066]). The different heating zones being configured to different heating controls (described in [0066]).
In the reference, [066] teaches that the internal heating can be made up of multiple segments of sectors (reads on zones) in order to independently monitor and control the temperature of them. It is also taught that the different sections can include the temperature of the mold (item 802 which would read on the tool body) as well as the mold surface (which will be part of the mold cavity or mold part).
Therefore, there is a direct teaching of controlling the mold surface and the body of the mold separately utilizing different zones correlated to sensors and will therefore read directly on the claim.
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) 1-2, 4, 7-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Gonzalez et al, US Patent Publication 2021/0138696.
Regarding claims 1 and 8, Gonzalez teaches a molding tool for producing three-dimensional products (see abstract and figures) from a fiber- containing material (see abstract), having at least one first tool component (item 804 figure 8) and at least one second tool component (802 figure 8 and [0066]), wherein the first tool component and the second tool component each have a tool body [0065], wherein the tool body of the first tool component has at least one cavity (cavity mold 804 [0065-0066 and figure 8), and the tool body of the second tool component has at least one mold part corresponding to the at least one cavity (core mold of 802 I figure 8 and [0065-0066]), wherein the at least one mold part and the at least one cavity can be moved relative to one another to form a mold space between corresponding surfaces of the at least one cavity and the at least one mold part (moved relative to each other by a hydraulic press [0035]) and is configured to be pressed in order to press a fiber-containing material introduced into the mold space [0040-0045 and 0065], and wherein the first tool component and/or the second tool component have at least one heating device (heating elements 812 [0065-0066]), wherein the at least one heating device is arranged such that, as a result of the arrangement of the at least one heating device, at least one first heating zone is formed in the tool body, and at least one second heating zone is formed in an associated at least one cavity or mold part (see discussion above and [0066]), and wherein the at least one first heating zone and the at least one second heating sone are configured to provide different heating control between the tool body and associated at least one cavity or mold part [0066].
Gonzalez teaches that the heating elements are built directly into each of the upper and lower mold members and that for the benefit of fine control of the temperature throughout the mold, a plurality of segments can be divided up and independently controlled by heating elements and temperature sensors. The direct teaching of forming pair sectors in the top and bottom mold member to independently monitor and control the temperature of all parts of the mold cavity (including body and surface) will read on the requirements of first and second circuits being formed as a result of the arrangement of the heating devices.
Regarding claim 2, Gonzalez further teaches wherein the at least one heating device has at least one heating element arranged asymmetrically in the tool body and in the associated at least one cavity or mold part (figure 8 has an asymmetrical positioning of the items 812).
Regarding claims 4 and 9, Gonzalez further teaches wherein the at least one heating device has at least one first heating element and at least one second heating element, wherein the at least one first heating element is arranged in the tool body, and the at least one second heating element is arranged in the associated at least one cavity or mold part (see figure 8 for each side being shown a 812 and the open configuration of [0066]).
Regarding claims 7 and 10-11, Gonzalez further teaches wherein at least one heating element of at least one heating device for a cavity or mold part is arranged and/or controllable differently than at least one heating element of at least one heating device for a further cavity or mold part of a first tool component and/or a second tool component ([0066] teaches independent control to achieve the deiced heating of the mold).
Claim(s) 1-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Hagenauer et al, WO2021073674 (using US Patent Publication 2023/0243107 as an English language equivalent).
Regarding claims 1 and 8, Hagenauer teaches a molding tool for producing three-dimensional products (see abstract and figures) from a fiber- containing material (see abstract), having at least one first tool component (item 804 figure 8) and at least one second tool component (Figure 9), wherein the first tool component and the second tool component each have a tool body (figure 9), wherein the tool body of the first tool component has at least one cavity (inner mold item 40 figure 9 and [0109])), and the tool body of the second tool component has at least one mold part corresponding to the at least one cavity (item 41 figure 9 [0109]), wherein the at least one mold part and the at least one cavity can be moved relative to one another to form a mold space between corresponding surfaces of the at least one cavity and the at least one mold part (moved relative to each other hot pressing lower too [0108])) and is configured to be pressed in order to press a fiber-containing material introduced into the mold space (formed part, item 10, [0101 and 0109]), and wherein the first tool component and/or the second tool component have at least one heating device (item 43 figure 9), wherein the at least one heating device is arranged such that, as a result of the arrangement of the at least one heating device, at least one first heating zone is formed in the tool body, and at least one second heating zone is formed in an associated at least one cavity or mold part ([0109] and figure 9), and wherein the at least one first heating zone and the at least one second heating sone are configured to provide different heating control between the tool body and associated at least one cavity or mold part [0109-0110].
It is taught that the inner tool will have a centralized heating cartridge while the upper and lower pressing tools will have the cartridge moved closer to the surface to create a difference in temperature for uneven heat application.
Regarding claim 2, Hagenauer further teaches wherein the at least one heating device has at least one heating element arranged asymmetrically in the tool body and in the associated at least one cavity or mold part (figure 9 has an asymmetrical positioning of the items 43).
Regarding claim 3, Hagenauer further teaches wherein an effective heating surface of the at least one heating element has a larger surface area extension within:
- the tool body relative to a surface area extension within the associated at least one cavity or mold part, or
- at least one cavity or mold part relative to a surface area extension within the tool body (Hagenauer teaches that the central heating cartridge on one side will be oriented different than the up to 6 concentric other heating elements in the other mold member and that the first mold member will have a heating output greater than the second heating output this reads on one being a larger with a larger surface area extension within the mold part).
Regarding claims 4 and 9, Hagenauer further teaches wherein the at least one heating device has at least one first heating element and at least one second heating element, wherein the at least one first heating element is arranged in the tool body, and the at least one second heating element is arranged in the associated at least one cavity or mold part (see figure 9).
Regarding claim 5, Hagenauer further teaches wherein the at least one first heating element and the at least one second heating element have a different heating output due to their configuration [0109].
Regarding claim 6, Hagenauer further teaches having several cavities and associated mold parts, wherein heating elements of the at least one heating device are arranged differently with respect to a position and/or an orientation relative to one another and/or to the associated cavities or mold parts (see figure 9 and [0109]).
Regarding claims 7 and 10-11, Hagenauer further teaches wherein at least one heating element of at least one heating device for a cavity or mold part is arranged and/or controllable differently than at least one heating element of at least one heating device for a further cavity or mold part of a first tool component and/or a second tool component ([0109] teaches independent control to achieve different heating outputs on the different sides of the cavity).
While the Hagenauer reference shares an inventor with the instant application there are no double patenting rejections as the claims are not directed to the same aspects of the invention as the instant application.
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 JACOB T MINSKEY whose telephone number is (571)270-7003. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-6 PM.
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JACOB T. MINSKEY
Examiner
Art Unit 1741
/JACOB T MINSKEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1748
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