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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 March 2, 2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendment to the claims filed March 2, 2026 has been entered. Claims 21 and 31 are currently amended. Claims 21-40 are pending and under examination.
Claim Objections
Claim 31 is objected to because of the following informalities: at line 10, the current amendment has deleted the word “the” in front of “melt pump”. As such, “the melt pump”, as was previously presented and is proper, has been changed to “melt pump”, which is not proper. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
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.
Claims 21-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Susnjara et al. (US 2017/0326793) in view of Susnjara et al. (US 2018/0056602) and Leavitt (US 2009/0035405).
Regarding claim 21, Susnjara et al. ‘793 teach an additive manufacturing apparatus comprising: an assembly including: a housing (Figures 1-4 (32) (37) (38) (39) and/or 40 all reasonably read upon the claimed housing); and a nozzle configured to deposit a flowable material (Figures 1-4 (35) (60) (62) (70) (71) (72)); an extruder in fluid communication with the nozzle, the extruder including a barrel connected to the housing (e.g. either directly or indirectly), the extruder configured to be connected to a carrier/carriage (Figures 1-4 (27)) for positioning the extruder and the nozzle while the additive manufacturing apparatus deposits the flowable material (Figures 1-4 (50) (51) (52) (53)); the nozzle forming a second end of the assembly (Figures 1 and 2); a structure for fixedly connecting the assembly to a portion of the carrier (Figures 1-4 (31) (33) (34) (36) (37) (38) and/or (40) all reasonably read upon the claimed structure, exclusive of the structure utilized for the housing to meet the scope of the claim; paragraphs [0015] and [0016]); a gantry, wherein the carrier is movable along the gantry in a first direction (Figure 1 (24) (28) (29) (30); paragraph [0015]).
Susnjara et al. ‘793 do not teach a servomotor connected to a first end of the assembly and extending away from the barrel. However, Susnjara et al. ‘602 teach an analogous additive manufacturing apparatus wherein a servomotor is connected to a first end of the assembly and extending away from the barrel of the extruder (Figure 4; paragraphs [0035]-[0037]).
Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined the teaching of Susnjara et al. ‘793 and Susnjara et al. ‘602 and to have utilized a servomotor connected to a first end of the assembly and extending away from the barrel in the apparatus of Susnjara et al. ‘793, as suggested by Susnjara et al. ‘602, for the purpose, as suggested by Susnjara et al. ‘602 of effectively turning a screw within the extruder to forward/churn/mix the material to the outlet of the apparatus for deposition of a flowable material.
Additionally, while Susnjara et al. ‘793 is understood to disclose a housing as claimed as set forth above and additional, alternative, housing is reasonably set forth and suggested in Susnjara et al ‘602. Susnjara et al. ‘602 further disclose structure (73) that also reasonably reads upon the claimed housing. It would have been prima facie obvious to have combined the teaching of the reference and to have utilized a housing/hopper in the apparatus of Susnjara et al. ‘793, as suggested by Susnjara et al. ‘602, for the purpose, as suggested by the references, of effectively feeding the material to be deposited to the extruder. Whether the housing(s) relied upon in Susnjara et al. ‘793 or the housing/hopper (73) of Susnjara et al. ‘602 are utilized, the claimed housing is taught and suggested in the prior art absent further specificity.
Susnjara et al. ‘793 show a structure that appears to suggest a lead screw in Figure 1 that is connected to the gantry via the carrier as claimed to facilitate movement of the extruder and assembly in the z-axis direction (i.e. the vertically extending device mounted on (27) and located between rails (33) and (34) that extends down to at least the top of (31) as shown in the Figure), but do not explicitly teach a lead screw as claimed. However, Leavitt teaches an analogous additive manufacturing apparatus wherein a lead screw is utilized as part of the structure utilized to move an analogous extruder and assembly in the z-axis direction (Figures 1, 2A, 2B, 3, 4 (70) (72) (110); paragraphs [0031], [0032], [0034], [0038], [0041]-[0044]; ACME/lead screw).
Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined the teaching of Susnjara et al. ‘793 and Leavitt and to have utilized a lead screw as claimed in the apparatus of Susnjara et al. ‘793, as suggested by Leavitt, for the purpose, as suggested by the references, of effectively allowed for the movement of the extruder/assembly in the vertical/z-axis direction.
In combination, utilizing the lead screw assembly of Leavitt for moving the extruder and assembly in the z-axis direction as the equipment that moves the extruder and assembly in the apparatus of Susnjara et al. ‘793 results in a lead screw connected to the gantry via the carrier in the apparatus of Susnjara et al. ‘793, wherein the lead screw extends in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. As such, each and every feature of the claimed invention is taught and suggested by the combination of references.
As to claim 22, the extruder in Susnjara et al. ‘793 is capable of/configured to move away from the structure as claimed (e.g. it can move in a positive vertical direction either along the rails or via the lead screw/ACME screw).
As to claim 23, the extruder in Susnjara et al. ‘793 is movable with the carrier as claimed (Figures 1 and 2 (31) (50) (51) (27)).
As to claims 24 and 25, Susnjara et al. ‘793 do not teach inclusion of a melt pump/gear pump as claimed. However, Susnjara et al. ‘602 teach an analogous apparatus wherein a gear pump/melt pump is utilized (Figure 4; paragraphs [0022], [0024], [0027], [0030], [0036] and [0037]). The melt pump/gear pump has external surfaces/a housing within which the gears of the pump are housed. This structure is capable of being used for fixedly connecting the extruder and the melt pump to a portion of a movable carrier. In the combination each and every positive limitation of the claim is met.
Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined the teaching of Susnjara et al. ‘793 and Susnjara et al. ‘602 and to have utilized a gear pump/melt pump as claimed in the apparatus of Susnjara et al. ‘793, as suggested by Susnjara et al. ‘602, for the purpose, as suggested by Susnjara et al. ‘602, of effectively controlling the deposition of a range of materials in a suitable and art recognized manner.
As to claim 26, the servomotor in the combination is connected via a gearbox in the housing (Susnjara et al. ‘602 Figure 4; paragraph [0035]). The reason to combine the references is the same as that set forth above.
As to claim 27, the extruder includes and end that supports the servomotor and the housing in the combination (Figure 4 of Susnjara et al. ‘602 utilizing (73) as the housing; or Figures 1-4 of Susnjara et al. ‘793). The reason to combine the references is the same as that set forth above.
As to claim 28, the housing extends as claimed in the combination (Figure 4 of Susnjara et al. ‘602 utilizing (73) as the housing; or Figures 1-4 of Susnjara et al. ‘793). The reason to combine the references is the same as that set forth above.
As to claim 29, Susnjara et al. ‘793 disclose a CNC machine as claimed (Abstract).
As to claim 30, in the combination, the lead screw is mounted as generally suggested in Figure 1 of Susnjara et al. ‘793. As such, it is movable along the gantry as claimed.
Regarding claim 31, Susnjara et al. ‘793 teach an additive manufacturing apparatus, comprising: a nozzle configured to deposit a flowable material (Figures 1-4 (35) (60) (62) (70) (71) (72));; an extruder upstream of the nozzle and in fluid communication with the nozzle (Figures 1-4 (50) (51) (52) (53)), the extruder configured to be connected to a movable carrier/carriage (27) for positioning the extruder and the nozzle while the additive manufacturing apparatus deposits the flowable material (Figures 1-4 (27) (50) (51) (52) (53)); a structure for fixedly connecting the extruder to a portion of the movable carrier (Figures 1-4 (31) (33) (34) (36) (37) (38) and/or (40) all reasonably read upon the claimed structure); a gantry, wherein the movable carrier, the nozzle, and the extruder are connected to the gantry and are movable along the gantry in a first direction as a unit (Figure 1 (24) (28) (29) (30); paragraph [0015])).
Susnjara et al. ‘793 do not teach a servomotor connected to an end of the extruder and extending away from the nozzle as claimed. However, Susnjara et al. ‘602 teach an analogous additive manufacturing apparatus wherein a servomotor is connected to an end of the extruder and extending away from the nozzle as claimed (Figure 4; paragraphs [0035]-[0037]).
Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined the teaching of Susnjara et al. ‘793 and Susnjara et al. ‘602 and to have utilized a servomotor connected to a first end of the assembly and extending away from the barrel in the apparatus of Susnjara et al. ‘793, as suggested by Susnjara et al. ‘602, for the purpose, as suggested by Susnjara et al. ‘602 of effectively turning a screw within the extruder to forward/churn/mix the material to the outlet of the apparatus for deposition of a flowable material.
Susnjara et al. ‘793 do not teach inclusion of a melt pump/gear pump as claimed. However, Susnjara et al. ‘602 teach an analogous apparatus wherein a gear pump/melt pump is utilized (Figure 4; paragraphs [0022], [0024], [0027], [0030], [0036] and [0037]). The melt pump/gear pump has external surfaces/a housing within which the gears of the pump are housed. This structure is capable of being used for fixedly connecting the extruder and the melt pump to a portion of a movable carrier. In the combination each and every limitation of the claim is met.
Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined the teaching of Susnjara et al. ‘793 and Susnjara et al. ‘602 and to have utilized a gear pump/melt pump as claimed in the apparatus of Susnjara et al. ‘793, as suggested by Susnjara et al. ‘602, for the purpose, as suggested by Susnjara et al. ‘602, of effectively controlling the deposition of a range of materials in a suitable and art recognized manner.
Susnjara et al. ‘793 show a structure that appears to suggest a lead screw in Figure 1 that is connected to the gantry via the carrier as claimed to facilitate movement of the extruder and assembly in the z-axis direction (i.e. the vertically extending device mounted on (27) and located between rails (33) and (34) that extends down to at least the top of (31) as shown in the Figure), but do not explicitly teach a lead screw as claimed. However, Leavitt teaches an analogous additive manufacturing apparatus wherein a lead screw is utilized as part of the structure utilized to move an analogous extruder and assembly in the z-axis direction (Figures 1, 2A, 2B, 3, 4 (70) (72) (110); paragraphs [0031], [0032], [0034], [0038], [0041]-[0044]; ACME/lead screw).
Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined the teaching of Susnjara et al. ‘793 and Leavitt and to have utilized a lead screw as claimed in the apparatus of Susnjara et al. ‘793, as suggested by Leavitt, for the purpose, as suggested by the references, of effectively allowed for the movement of the extruder/assembly in the vertical/z-axis direction.
In combination, utilizing the lead screw assembly of Leavitt for moving the extruder and assembly in the z-axis direction as the equipment that moves the extruder and assembly in the apparatus of Susnjara et al. ‘793 results in a lead screw connected to the gantry via the movable carrier in the apparatus of Susnjara et al. ‘793, wherein the lead screw extends in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. As such, each and every feature of the claimed invention is taught and suggested by the combination of references.
As to claim 32, the extruder in Susnjara et al. ‘793 is capable of/configured to move away from the structure as claimed (e.g. it can move in a positive vertical direction either along the rails or via the lead screw/ACME screw).
As to claim 33, the extruder in Susnjara et al. ‘793 is movable with the carrier as claimed (Figures 1 and 2 (31) (50) (51) (27)).
As to claim 34, the combination suggests a melt pump/gear pump. The melt pump/gear pump has external surfaces/a housing within which the gears of the pump are housed. This structure is capable of being used for fixedly connecting the extruder and the melt pump to a portion of a movable carrier.
As to claim 35, as set forth above, the combination teaches the melt pump/gear pump is downstream of the extruder (Figure 4 of Susnjara et al. ‘602). The reason to combine the references is the same as that set forth above.
As to claim 36, Susnjara et al. ‘793 teach a housing as claimed (Figures 1-4 (32) (37) (38) (39) and/or 40 all reasonably read upon the claimed housing ). Additionally, while Susnjara et al. ‘793 is understood to disclose a housing as claimed an additional, alternative, housing is reasonably set forth and suggested in Susnjara et al ‘602. Susnjara et al. ‘602 further disclose structure (73) that also reasonably reads upon the claimed housing. It would have been prima facie obvious to have combined the teaching of the reference and to have utilized a housing/hopper in the apparatus of Susnjara et al. ‘793, as suggested by Susnjara et al. ‘602, for the purpose, as suggested by the references, of effectively feeding the material to be deposited to the extruder. Whether the housing(s) relied upon in Susnjara et al. ‘793 or the housing/hopper (73) of Susnjara et al. ‘602 are utilized, the claimed housing is taught and suggested in the prior art absent further specificity.
As to claim 37, the extruder includes and end that supports the servomotor and the housing in the combination (Figure 4 of Susnjara et al. ‘602 utilizing (73) as the housing; or Figures 1-4 of Susnjara et al. ‘793). The reason to combine the references is the same as that set forth above.
As to claim 38, Susnjara et al. ‘793 suggest an extruder with a screw that churns the material (paragraph [0023]). Additionally, Susnjara et al. ‘602 disclose a screw in the barrel (Figure 4). It would have been prima facie obvious to have combined the references and to have utilized a screw as claimed in the apparatus of Susnjara et al. ‘793, as suggested by Susnjara et al. ‘602, for the purpose, as suggested by the references of effectively extruding/churning the material in an art recognized suitable manner.
As to claim 39, Susnjara et al. ‘793 disclose a CNC machine as claimed (Abstract).
As to claim 40, the gantry supports the extruder in the apparatus of Susnjara et al. ‘793 (Figure 1).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed March 2, 2026 have been fully considered. The amendment has overcome the previous section 112a rejection. As such, the rejection has been withdrawn. Additionally, the amendment has overcome the previous prior art rejections. However, as set forth above, the amendment has necessitated new grounds of rejection.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jeff Wollschlager whose telephone number is (571)272-8937. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00-3:30.
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/JEFFREY M WOLLSCHLAGER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1742