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 .
Notice of Non-Compliant Amendment
The amendment to the claims, filed on 07/22/2025, is considered non-compliant because a complete listing of all the claims is not present as claims 15 and 16 are missing from the amended claim set. Correction to the claim set is required.
For the purpose of the following examination, claims 15-16 are considered from the previous claim set and have been accordingly addressed in the instant office action.
Response to Amendment
Claim 2 is cancelled.
Claims 1 and 3-16 are pending.
In view of the amendment, filed on 07/22/2025, the following rejections are withdrawn from the previous office action, mailed on 06/06/2025.
Rejection of claims 1-16 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b)
Rejection of claims 1-16 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baumeister (US 20040265415) in view of Meidhof (US 5,635,222)
New Grounds of Rejections
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 non-obviousness.
Claim(s) 1 and 3-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baumeister (US 20040265415)
As to claim 1, Baumeister (US ‘415) discloses an apparatus for making thermoplastic filaments, the apparatus comprising a spinneret plate (2, ¶ [0028]) having a row of holes (1, ¶ [0028]) from which filaments emerge in a filament-travel direction, a manifold (a distribution device 4) for distributing a supplied plastic melt over a starting spinning width (Be, ¶ [0028]), a filter plate (a perforated plate 5, ¶ [0032]) downstream of the manifold (4), a pack of distributor plates (a set of exchangeable distribution plates 7, ¶ [0032]) downstream of the filter plate (5), the distributor plates (7) each having a plurality of distributor holes (row of distribution openings 8, ¶ [0032]) distributed over a manifold width (Bv), the distributor holes (8) receiving the plastic melt emerging from the filter plate (5), the spinneret plate (2) being downstream of the distributor-plate pack (7) and having a row of spinneret passages (10, ¶ [0034]) extending over a final spinning width (Be) and aligned with the holes (1) of the spinneret, the filter plate (5) having an output face turned toward the distributor-plate pack (7) and the spinneret plate (2) having an inlet face; and a conveyor (the filaments are placed on a conveying device, preferably on a traveling screen, ¶ [0001] - ¶ [0002]) downstream in the filament-travel direction from the pack of distributor plates (a set of exchangeable distribution plates 7, ¶ [0032]) for receiving the filaments therefrom and transporting them in a machine direction transverse to the row of spinneret passages (10) (see ¶ [0009]: several filament rows are respectively produced in succession over the spinning width, respectively).
[AltContent: textbox (A filter plate (5))][AltContent: textbox (A manifold width (Bv))][AltContent: textbox (A manifold (4))]
[AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (A final spinning width (Be))][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (Spinneret passages (10))][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (A pack of distributor plates (7) )][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (Row of holes (1))][AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (Spinneret plate (2))][AltContent: connector]
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[AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector]
[AltContent: textbox (A plurality of distributor holes (8))][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector]
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Further, Baumeister (US ‘415) discloses the output face of the filter plate (a perforated plate 5; ¶ [0031]) and/or in the inlet face of the spinneret plate (exchangeable spinneret plate 2; ¶ [0028]) being angled over its entire extension in the machine direction (see the following annotated Figs 1 and 3, where the stacked distribution plates 7 are arranged in such a way that the stacked distribution plates 7 form either a depression (please see the below annotated fig. 1) or a protrusion (please see the below annotated fig. 3), however, is silent on disclosing the angled output face (either of the depressed or the protruded arranged stacked distribution plates 7) of the filter plate (5) or the angled inlet face (either of the depressed or the protruded arranged stacked distribution plates 7) of the spinneret plate (2) are arranged in a curved or a crowned shape, as claimed in claim 1.
[AltContent: textbox (A protruded arrangement of the stacked distribution plates (7) as the angled inlet face of the spinneret plate (2).)][AltContent: textbox (A depressed arrangement of the stacked distribution plates (7) as the angled output face of the filter plate (5).)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow]
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[AltContent: textbox (A protruded arrangement of the stacked distribution plates (7) as the angled output face of the filter plate (5).)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow]
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[AltContent: textbox (A depressed arrangement of the stacked distribution plates (7) as the angled inlet face of the spinneret plate (2).)]
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the time of Applicant’s invention, to modify an arrangement of the angled output face of the filter plate (5) or the angled inlet face of the spinneret plate (2), as taught by Baumeister (US ‘415), so as for the output face of the filter plate (5) and/or the inlet face of the spinneret plate (2) to be in a curved or a crowned shape in order to provide a capability for the distribution plates (7) to adjust the spinning width to be reduced or enlarged into the final spinning width corresponding to the filament-spinning width. (see Baumeister (US ‘415): ¶ [0006] and claim 1)
Further, as to claim 3, Baumeister (US ‘415) fail to disclose a radius of curvature R of the curved or crowned section of the output face of the filter plate and/or the inlet face of the spinneret plate is constant or substantially constant over an entire extent of the curved or crowned section and measures 10,000 mm to 55,000 mm, however, it would have been obvious for one of the ordinary skill in the art, prior to the time of Applicant’s invention, to adjust a radius curvature R of the curved or crowned section of the output face of the filter plate and/or the inlet face of the spinneret plate to be substantially constant over an entire extent of the curved or crowned section and to be measured in 10,000 mm to 55,000 mm in order to provide a capability for the distribution plates (7) to adjust the spinning width to be reduced or enlarged into the final spinning width corresponding to the filament-spinning width. (see Baumeister (US ‘415): ¶ [0006] and claim 1)
As to claim 4, Baumeister (US ‘415) teaches the manifold width (Bv, ¶ [0029]) formed by the row of distributor holes (8: distribution openings, ¶ [0032]) of each distributor plate (7: a set of exchangeable distribution plates, ¶ [0032]) is smaller or larger than a starting spinning width (Bv, claim 3 and ¶ [0036]), so that the starting spinning width (Bv, claim 3 and ¶ [0036]) is decreased or increased to the final spinning width (Be, claim 3 and ¶ [0036]) by the distributor-plate pack (6: perforated plate contains channel-type holes, ¶ [0031]), whereby exchanging the distributor plates (7) of the distributor-plate pack (6) changes the final spinning width (Be, ¶ [0035] and ¶ [0036]). (see the above annotated figures 2-3)
As to claim 5, Baumeister (US ‘415) discloses the manifold width (Bv, ¶ [0029]) formed by the rows of distributor holes (8: distribution openings, ¶ [0032]) of the individual distributor plates (7: a set of exchangeable distribution plates, ¶ [0032]) decreases or increases from the filter plate (a perforated plate 5, ¶ [0031]) toward the spinneret plate (a spinneret plate 2, ¶ [0034]), so that a preliminary spinning width (Be, ¶ [0028]) is decreased or increased in this way to the final spinning width (Be, ¶ [0035] and ¶ [0036]). (see the above annotated figures 2-3)
As to claim 6, Baumeister (US ‘415) teaches at least one of the distributor plates (7: a set of exchangeable distribution plates, ¶ [0032]) has a distributor passage extending along at least a part of the distributor width, the distributor passage connecting at least some of the distributor holes (8: distribution openings, ¶ [0032]) to one another with the distributor holes (8: distribution openings, ¶ [0032]) of at least some of the distributor plates (7: a set of exchangeable distribution plates, ¶ [0032]) of the distributor-plate pack (7) being offset relative to the distributor holes (8) of adjacent distributor plates (7) along the manifold width (Bv, ¶ [0029]). (see the above annotated figures 2-3)
As to claim 7, Baumeister (US ‘415) fails to disclose the final spinning width is at least 1,600 mm. However, it would have been obvious for one of the ordinary skill in the art, prior to the time of Applicant’s invention, to adjust a final spinning width of the manifold to be at least 1,600 mm in order to provide a final spinning width without causing interruptions in the operation of the device over time or compromising the quality of the produced articles so impurities are effectively prevented from depositing in the openings and channels. see Baumeister (US ‘415): ¶ [0020])
As to claim 8, Baumeister (US ‘415) fails to disclose the ratio of the starting spinning width to the final spinning width is 1.01 to 1.5 in the case of a reduction in the starting spinning width and is 0.7 to 0.98 in the case of an increase in the starting spinning width. However, it would have been obvious for one of the ordinary skill in the art, prior to the time of Applicant’s invention, to adjust a ratio of the starting spinning width to the final spinning width is 1.01 to 1.5 in the case of a reduction in the starting spinning width and is 0.7 to 0.98 in the case of an increase in the starting spinning width in order to provide a spinning width without causing interruptions in the operation of the device over time or compromising the quality of the produced articles so impurities are effectively prevented from depositing in the openings and channels. see Baumeister (US ‘415): ¶ [0020])
As to claim 9, Baumeister (US ‘415) disclose the apparatus makes multicomponent filaments and/or mixed filaments, and the apparatus for this purpose has at least two of the manifolds arranged next to one another in a machine direction for distributing at least two plastic melts. (see ¶ [0033])
As to claim 10, Baumeister (US ‘415) teach the distributor plates (7) are provided such that at least two plastic melts initially flow separately from one another through the distributor-plate pack and can then be brought together directly above the spinneret plate (2) to produce multicomponent filaments or bicomponent filaments. (see ¶ [0033] - ¶ [0038])
As to claim 11, Baumeister (US ‘415) discloses diameters of some of the distributor holes (8) of at least one of distributor plates (7) of the distributor-plate pack (7) differs from the diameters of the remaining distributor holes of this one distributor plate. (see ¶ [0032])
As to claim 12, Baumeister (US ‘415) teach diameters d1 of the distributor holes (8) in at least one lateral region of at least one of the distributor plates (7) of the distributor-plate pack (7) differ from the diameters d2 of the distributor holes (8) in the center of this one distributor plate (7), and the diameter d1 is greater than the diameter d2. (see ¶ [0011] and ¶ [0032])
As to claim 13, Baumeister (US ‘415) fails to discloses the manifold (4) is designed of at least one material with a thermal conductivity at 20 E C of 30 to 42 W/mk. However, it would have been obvious for one of the ordinary skill in the art, prior to the time of Applicant’s invention, to select the material for the manifold to be at least one material with a thermal conductivity at 20 E C of 30 to 42 W/mk in order to enhance a heat transfer for the manifold that resulting in preventing depositing impurities in the openings and channels. see Baumeister (US ‘415): ¶ [0020])
As to claim 14, Baumeister (US ‘415 teaches the manifold (4) is formed of at least one hot-worked tool steel. (see ¶ [0004]
As to claim 15, Baumeister (US ‘415) fails to disclose the filter plate (5) and/or the spinneret plate (2) is formed of at least one material with a thermal conductivity at 20 EC of 15 to 35 W/mk. However, it would have been obvious for one of the ordinary skill in the art, prior to the time of Applicant’s invention, to select the material for the manifold to be at least one material with a thermal conductivity at 20 E C of 15 to 35 W/mk in order to enhance a heat transfer for the manifold that resulting in preventing depositing impurities in the openings and channels. see Baumeister (US ‘415): ¶ [0020])
As to claim 16, Baumeister (US ‘415) fails to teach the filter plate (5) and/or the spinneret plate (2) are formed of a martensitic X17CrNi16-2 steel. However, it would have been obvious for one of the ordinary skill in the art, prior to the time of Applicant’s invention, to select the filter plate (5) and/or the spinneret plate (2) to be formed of a martensitic X17CrNi16-2 steel in order to enhance a heat transfer for the manifold that resulting in preventing depositing impurities in the openings and channels. see Baumeister (US ‘415): ¶ [0020])
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 3-16 have been considered but are moot in view of the above new grounds of the rejections. The provided arguments are mainly directed to the previously secondary prior art of Meidhof (US ‘222) and that Meidhof (US ‘222) fails to disclose the limitations of claim 1. However, in the above new grounds of the rejections, the previously secondary prior art of Meidhof (US ‘222) is withdrawn as a result of the amendment, and therefore, the arguments are moot in view of the above new grounds of the rejections.
Relevant Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Glawion (US 9,033,692) disclose a spinneret for wet spinning comprising: a housing which, together with a spinneret plate mounted to the underside thereof, forms a chamber adapted to be supplied with a spinning solution through a spinning solution supply inlet in the housing, the spinneret plate having nozzle openings in at least an annular region, and a displacing member arranged inside the chamber above the spinneret plate, which member directs the spinning solution towards the annular zone, wherein the displacing member is only attached to a support unit arranged upstream of the spinneret plate, seen in the flow direction of the spinning liquid, and wherein the displacing member comprises a first part and a second part, the first part being provided above the support unit and having a free end facing towards the spinning solution supply inlet, and the second part being arranged at the underside of the support unit.
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 SEYED MASOUD MALEKZADEH whose telephone number is (571)272-6215. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30AM-5:00PM.
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, SUSAN D. LEONG can be reached at (571)270-1487. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SEYED MASOUD MALEKZADEH/Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1754 11/10/2025
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