DETAILED ACTION
In Response to Election/Restriction filed on 01/15/2026, claims 1-14 are pending. Claims 15-20 are cancelled based on the restriction requirement. Claims 1-14 are considered in the current Office 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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 15-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 01/15/2026.
Applicant’s election without traverse of Claims 1-14 in the reply filed on 01/15/2026 is acknowledged.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: [0038] of the instant specification recites “for example of the type disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. _[Attorney Docket no. 034563.8053.US00]_ by Steve Craigen et al. filed concurrently herewith”. The corresponding application number should be disclosed and not the attorney docket number.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by US2023/0271256 (“Tanaka et al” hereinafter Tanaka).
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Regarding Claim 1, Tanaka teaches a powder recycling system for an additive manufacturing system (Figure 3B and [0006]), the powder recycling system (Figure 3B) comprising:
a powder receptacle (see annotated Figure 3B) positioned peripheral to an active build region in a build chamber of the additive manufacturing system (see annotated Figure 3B and [0052]); and
a recycling element (Figure 3B, powder collector 33) positioned at least partially in the powder receptacle (see annotated Figure 3B), the recycling element movable between a first position (Figure 3B) in which it abuts an overflow space in the powder receptacle to receive a volume of powder and a second position spaced apart from the first position closer to the active build region and at least partially within the overflow space (Figure 3B and 3C and [0054]-[0055]. Fig.3C is a state immediately before the powder collector 33 passes and moves powder 200 on a top plate 30 of the three-dimensional fabricating apparatus of the present disclosure, and Fig. 3D illustrates immediately after the powder collector 33 has passed and moved the powder 200 on the top plate 30 of the three-dimensional fabricating apparatus).
Regarding Claim 2, Tanaka teaches the powder recycling system of claim 1, further comprising an actuating component operably coupled to the recycling element to move the recycling element between the first position and the second position (Figure 3B-3D and [0054]-[0056]. The powder collector passes and moves across the top plate 30 of the 3D apparatus which implied the presence pf am actuating component to perform the movement of the powder collector).
Regarding Claim 3, Tanaka teaches the powder recycling system of claim 1, wherein the powder receptacle is a first powder receptacle positioned peripheral to a first side of the active build region (see annotated Figure 3B), wherein the recycling element is a first recycling element (see annotated Figure 3B), wherein the overflow space is a first overflow space (see annotated Figure 3B), and wherein the powder recycling system further comprises:
a second powder receptacle positioned peripheral to a second side of the active build region opposite the first side (see annotated Figure 3B); and
a second recycling element (see annotated Figure 3B) positioned at least partially in the second powder receptacle (see annotated Figure 3B), the recycling element movable between a third position and a fourth position spaced apart from the third position and closer to the active build region (see annotated Figure 3B, Figure 3C and [0054]-[0055]).
Regarding Claim 5, Tanaka teaches an additive manufacturing system (Figure 1 and [0006]), comprising:
a build chamber having a central portion and a peripheral portion (see annotated Figure 3B);
a support platform positioned in the central portion and movable in an upward direction (Figure 1 and 3B, fabrication stage 11a is moveable up and down in a vertical direction [0028]);
a recoater arm (see annotated Figure 3B) positioned in the build chamber and movable in a lateral direction over the support platform between a first region in the peripheral portion and a second region in the peripheral portion to spread a powder over the central portion during a build ([0054]-[0056]); and
a powder recycling system positioned to redirect excess amounts of the powder during the build ([0054]-[0056]), the powder recycling system comprising:
a powder receptacle (see annotated Figure 3B) positioned in the second region of the peripheral portion adjacent to the central portion (see annotated Figure 3B); and
a recycling element (see annotated Figure 3B, powder collector 33) positioned at least partially in the powder receptacle (see annotated Figure 3B), the recycling element movable between a first position in which it abuts an overflow space in the powder receptacle to receive excess powder and a second position spaced apart from the first position and closer to the central portion (Figure 3B and 3C and [0054]-[0055]. Fig.3C is a state immediately before the powder collector 33 passes and moves powder 200 on a top plate 30 of the three-dimensional fabricating apparatus of the present disclosure, and Fig. 3D illustrates immediately after the powder collector 33 has passed and moved the powder 200 on the top plate 30 of the three-dimensional fabricating apparatus).
Regarding Claim 14, Tanaka teaches the additive manufacturing system of claim 5, wherein the powder receptacle is a first powder receptacle (see annotated Figure 3B) and the recycling element is a first recycling element (see annotated Figure 3B), and wherein the powder recycling system further comprises:
a second powder receptacle (see annotated Figure 3B) positioned in the first region of the peripheral portion adjacent to the central portion(see annotated Figure 3B); and
a second recycling element (see annotated Figure 3B) positioned at least partially in the second powder receptacle (see annotated Figure 3B), the second recycling element movable between a third position and a fourth position to push the excess amounts of the powder back into the central portion (see annotated Figure 3B and [0054]-[0056]).
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 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US2023/0271256 (“Tanaka et al” hereinafter Tanaka) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of US2022/0212411 (Lebed).
Regarding Claim 4, Tanaka teaches the powder recycling system of claim 1, Tanaka teaches wherein the recycling element is configured to push the volume of excess powder between the blade and the active build region while moving from the first position to the second position ([0054]-[0056]) but fails to explicitly teach wherein, in the first position, the recycling element is positioned to allow a blade of a recoater arm in the additive manufacturing system to move at least partially over the recycling element.
However, Lebed teaches in the first position, the recycling element is positioned to allow a blade of a recoater arm in the additive manufacturing system to move at least partially over the recycling element (Figure 1, the first shutter 22 and the second shutter 24 function as recycling element to collect overflow materials [0031]-[0032], and in the closed position allows the recoater 20, comprises of a scraper [0028], to move over the shutters).
Tanaka and Lebed are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because both are in the same field of manufacturing 3D object using powder and recycling unused powders. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modified the apparatus of Tanaka such that it discloses all of the above limitations as taught by Lebed to spray an even layer of powder material ([0029]) and to remove excess powders ([0012]).
Claim(s) 6-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US2023/0271256 (“Tanaka et al” hereinafter Tanaka) as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of US2019/0091921 (“Paternoster et al” hereinafter Paternoster).
Regarding Claim 6, Tanaka teaches the additive manufacturing system of claim 5, wherein the lateral direction is a first lateral direction (Tanaka, [0054]-[0055], first lateral direction is the length of the entire build platform as the powder collector moves from one end of the build platform to another end) but fails to teach wherein the recoater arm comprises a single blade extending in a second lateral direction perpendicular to the first lateral direction, the single blade having a width equal to or greater than the support platform.
However, Paternoster teaches wherein the recoater arm comprises a single blade extending in a second lateral direction perpendicular to the first lateral direction (Figure 2, first blade 41 extend in the width direction of the build platform which is perpendicular to the length direction of the build platform [0034]), the single blade having a width equal to or greater than the support platform ([0034], the two blades 41, 42 and thus also the intermediate space confined by them extend across the entire width of the area to be recoated, preferably across the entire build area 8).
Tanaka and Paternoster are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because both are in the same field of manufacturing 3D object using powder and recoating device to evenly distribute the dispended powder. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modified the apparatus of Tanaka such that it discloses all of the above limitations as taught by Paternoster to spread a uniform powder layer ([0043]).
Regarding Claim 7, the modified Tanaka teaches the additive manufacturing system of claim 6, further comprising a powder deposition component positioned to deposit a volume of the powder in between the single blade and the central portion when the recoater arm is in the first region (Paternoster, Figure 2, powder discharge unit 50 and [0034], said two blades 41, 42 at least partially confine an intermediate space in the first application direction B 1 and in its opposite direction. Said intermediate space confined by the two blades 41 , 42 is configured to receive a supply of building material in powder form 15).
Regarding Claim 8, the modified Tanaka teaches the additive manufacturing system of claim 6, wherein moving the recycling element from the first position to the second position pushes the excess amounts of the powder between the single blade and the central portion (Tanaka, Figure 3B-3D and [0054]-[0056]).
Regarding Claim 9, Tanaka teaches the additive manufacturing system of claim 5, wherein the lateral direction is a first lateral direction (Tanaka, [0054]-[0055], first lateral direction is the length of the entire build platform as the powder collector moves from one end of the build platform to another end), but fails to teach wherein the recoater arm comprises two blades extending in a second lateral direction perpendicular to the first lateral direction, and wherein the two blades define a space between the two blades.
However, Paternoster teaches wherein the recoater arm comprises two blades extending in a second lateral direction perpendicular to the first lateral direction (Figure 2, first blade 41 and second blade 42 extend in the width direction of the build platform which is perpendicular to the length direction of the build platform [0034]), and wherein the two blades define a space between the two blades ([0034], said two blades 41, 42 at least partially confine an intermediate space in the first application direction B 1 and in its opposite direction).
Tanaka and Paternoster are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because both are in the same field of manufacturing 3D object using powder and recoating device to evenly distribute the dispended powder. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modified the apparatus of Tanaka such that it discloses all of the above limitations as taught by Paternoster to spread a uniform powder layer ([0043]).
Regarding Claim 10, the modified Tanaka teaches the additive manufacturing system of claim 9, further comprising a powder deposition component positioned to deposit a volume of the powder into the space between the two blades (Paternoster, Figure 2, discharge unit 50 and [0034], said two blades 41, 42 at least partially confine an intermediate space in the first application direction B 1 and in its opposite direction. Said intermediate space confined by the two blades 41, 42 is configured to receive a supply of building material in powder form 15).
Regarding Claim 11, the modified Tanaka teaches the additive manufacturing system of claim 9, wherein actuating the recycling element from the first position to the second position pushes the excess amounts of the powder into the space between the two blades (Tanaka, Figure 3B-3D and [0054]-[0056]).
Claim(s) 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US2023/0271256 (“Tanaka et al” hereinafter Tanaka) as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of US2022/0314545 (“Bromberg et al” hereinafter Bromberg) and US2025/0001504 (“Valdes et al” hereinafter Valdes).
Regarding Claim 12, the modified Tanaka teaches the additive manufacturing system of claim 5, but fails to teach wherein the recoater arm comprises a powder wave sensor comprising a paddle and an active sensor, wherein the paddle is movable between a baseline position and a pivoted position, wherein the paddle is positioned to be pushed toward the pivoted position via contact with a volume of the powder being spread when the recoater arm is traveling from the second region to the first region, and wherein the active sensor is positioned to generate a signal when the paddle is in the baseline position.
However, Bromberg teaches the recoater arm comprises a sensor (Figure 2, [0234], the recoat head may comprise as least one sensor for detecting a property of the build material distributed on the build platform or the binder material deposited on the build platform and [0236], the recoat head 140 further comprises at least one working axis proximity sensor to detect the relative position). Valdes further teaches the sensor might be a powder wave sensor ([0123], the sensor may comprise a material level sensor such as a powder level sensor. The sensor (e.g., material level sensor) may comprise a guided wave radar) comprising a paddle and an active sensor ([0224], the GWR sensor may comprise (a) an internal component (e.g., rod) configured to guide preparation of the radar waves), wherein the paddle is movable between a baseline position and a pivoted position (function of the rod in a GWR sensor), wherein the paddle is positioned to be pushed toward the pivoted position via contact with a volume of the powder being spread when the recoater arm is traveling from the second region to the first region (function of the rod in a GWR sensor), and wherein the active sensor is positioned to generate a signal when the paddle is in the baseline position ([0224], the powder level sensor may comprise a guided wave radar (GWR) sensor. The GWR sensor may comprise (a) an internal component (e.g., rod) configured to guide preparation of the radar waves and (b) an external component encasing the internal component, distanced from the internal component by a gap).
Tanaka, Bromberg, and Valdes are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because both are in the same field of manufacturing 3D object using powder and recoating device to evenly distribute the dispended powder. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modified the apparatus of Tanaka such that it discloses all of the above limitations as taught by Bromberg in view of Valdes to detect characteristic and/or properties associated with the build material distributed on the build platform and implement feedback control of the apparatus based on the information collected by the sensor (Bromberg, [0234]).
Regarding Claim 13, the modified Tanaka teaches the additive manufacturing system of claim 12, further comprising a controller operably coupled to the powder wave sensor ([0010]) and configured to:
detect, based on at least a shortfill, when the paddle is in the baseline position based on the signal from the active sensor (Valdes, [0224]); and
generate instructions for spreading a second volume of the powder over the central portion to correct for the shortfill ([0010] and [0224], controller configured to operatively coupled with the device and adjusting the powder level based on the radar wave).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to XINWEN (Cindy) YE whose telephone number is (571)272-3010. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 8:30 - 17:00.
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XINWEN (CINDY) YE
Examiner
Art Unit 1754
/SUSAN D LEONG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1754