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 02/18/2026:
Claims 8 and 9 are pending.
Claims 1-7 and 10-16 are withdrawn from further consideration.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of the method (Group II) in the reply filed on 02/18/2026 is acknowledged. Newly submitted claims 10-16 are directed towards the non-elected group of the apparatus (Group I) set forth in the restriction requirement mailed 11/21/2025.
Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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)(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) 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Chen et al. (US20220118692).
Regarding claim 8, Chen teaches a stereolithography method ([0155] Coating, Curing, Cleaning, and Post-Curing 3D Printing Process (“CP3”)) including the steps of:
supplying a first material which is a photocurable material ([0163] In the first step 901 of the process, a layer of photocurable material is coated onto the platform of the apparatus or onto a previously built layer of the part being 3D printed);
forming a first pre-exposure material layer on a manufacturing surface or a cured composition layer formed on the manufacturing surface ([0163]) by drawing and spreading the first material layer ([0165] When the platform passes through the mesh screen from the above, the permeated liquid resin will be coated on the bottom of the previously printed layers and between the gaps. The layer thickness is controlled precisely by the linear Z stage, not by the amount of liquid resin permeated from the screen mesh. By controlling the pump pressure (by adjusting, for example) the speed of a stepper motor for the pump), about 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm resin is permeated through the mesh screen that is then coated on the previously built layers with a set layer thickness);
forming a first post-exposure material layer including one or a plurality of exposed portions by exposing the first pre-exposure material layer ([0168]; see annotated Figure 9C below);
causing the one or plurality of first exposed portions to remain as one or a plurality of first cured portions by removing one or a plurality of first unexposed portions from the first post- exposure material layer ([0174]; see annotated Figure 9C below);
supplying a second material which is a photocurable material different from the first material ([0183]-[0185]);
forming a second pre-exposure material layer that is in contact with the one or plurality of first cured portions by drawing and spreading the second material after the one or plurality of first unexposed portions are removed ([0184] a second printhead device is moved into position in step 905 to repeat the four steps, adding a second type of material to the same layer);
forming a second post-exposure material layer including one or a plurality of second exposed portions by exposing the second pre-exposure material layer ([0184] a second printhead device is moved into position in step 905 to repeat the four steps, adding a second type of material to the same layer.; see annotated Figure 9C below); and
causing the one or plurality of second exposed portions to remain as one or a plurality of second cured portions by removing one or a plurality of second unexposed portions from the second post-exposure material layer (see remaining second post-exposure material in annotated Figure 9C below),
wherein with the stereolithography method, an object that includes the one or plurality of first cured portions and the one or plurality of second cured portions is manufactured (see printed part including first and second cured portions in Figure 9C).
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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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (US20220118692).
Regarding claim 9, Chen teaches the stereolithography method according to claim 8, wherein the step of forming a first pre-exposure material layer includes forming the first pre- exposure material layer such that the first pre-exposure material layer has a first thickness, and the step of forming a second pre-exposure material layer includes forming the second pre-exposure material layer such that the second pre-exposure material layer has a second thickness ([0165] By controlling the pump pressure (by adjusting, for example) the speed of a stepper motor for the pump), about 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm resin is permeated through the mesh screen that is then coated on the previously built layers with a set layer thickness (e.g., 50 μm or 100 μm)).
While Chen fails to explicitly teach the second thickness is larger than the first thickness, Chen does teach the layer thickness can be set to either 50 µm or 100 µm ([0165] that is then coated on the previously built layers with a set layer thickness (e.g., 50 μm or 100 μm)).
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 second thickness of Chen be larger than the first thickness of Chen, since choosing from a finite number of identified, predictable solutions, with a reasonable expectation of success is obvious. It has been shown that a person of ordinary skill has good reason to pursue the known options in their art. If this leads to an anticipated success, it is likely that it was not due to innovation but of ordinary skill and common sense (KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1397 (2007)). In the instant case, Chen teaches layer thicknesses can be set to either 50 µm or 100 µm. The second thickness can then be either smaller, equal to, or larger than the first thickness.
Conclusion
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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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Galen Hauth can be reached at 571-270-5516. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ARIELLA MACHNESS/Examiner, Art Unit 1743