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 .
Claim Interpretation
Examiner wishes to point out to Applicant that claim(s) 1-20 is/are directed towards an apparatus and as such will be examined under the following conditions. The process/manner of using the apparatus and/or the material worked upon by the apparatus is/are viewed as recitation(s) of intended use and is/are given patentable weight only to the extent that structure is added to the claimed apparatus (See MPEP 2114 II and 2115 for further details). For apparatuses, the claim limitations will define structural limitations (See MPEP 2114-2115) or functional limitations properly recited (See MPEP 2173.05 (g)).
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(s) 1-6,9 and 15-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gomez-Kervin (WO 2022/232888) in view of Kim (US 2004/0080065).
Regarding claim 1, Gomez-Kervin teaches an extruder (100) having an adjustable pressure output (see Fig.1;[0030]), the extruder comprising:
a frame (outer case (46));
a barrel (36) having an internal cylindrical volume that has a first longitudinal axis extending between a first end and a second end, the barrel is coupled to the frame (see annotated Fig. 7 below;[0052]);
a screw (38) within the barrel internal cylindrical volume, the screw having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the screw is rotationally movable within the internal cylindrical volume and linearly moveable within the internal cylindrical volume .. (see Figs. 7-9; [0049], [0052] and [0062]); and
a linear drive (gear drive (62)) coupled with the frame, wherein the linear drive is coupled with the screw and provides linear movement coaxial with the first longitudinal axis to linearly move the screw (see annotated Fig. 7 below;[0053-0056] and [0067]).
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Though Gomez-Kervin discloses displacement of the screw (38) within the barrel (36) between an initial and final positions results in a coterminous change in not only the volume but also the pressure at the control volume (44) of the positive displacement pump (42) (see Figs. 7-9;[0062] and [0067]), Gomez-Kervin does not teach that that the screw is linearly moveable within the internal cylindrical volume such that the screw distal end is linearly moveable at least 1 mm relative to the barrel first end.
In the same filed of endeavor, extrusion devices, Kim teaches an extruder (12) (see Fig. 1), comprises a barrel (36) has a first end and a second end, a screw (34) movable within an internal volume of the barrel; wherein the screw retracts to a distance at least 0.1 inches from its original position in the barrel and the other retraction distances may be suitable to ensure that the pressure in the extruder has stabilizes (see annotated Fig. 1 below;[0032] and [0045]).
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It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to optimize the linear movement of the screw such that the screw distal end is linearly moveable at least 1 mm relative to the barrel first end as such is known in the art extrusion devices given the discussion of Kim above presenting a result effective variable; and doing so is applying a known technique to a known device ready for improvement to yield predictable results, with the added benefit of doing so to ensure that the pressure in the extruder has stabilizes (as recognized by Kim at [0045]).
Regarding claim 2, Gomez-Kervin in view of Kim further teaches the extruder further comprising a drive motor (10) having an output shaft (32), the drive motor is coupled to the frame (46), wherein the output shaft has a second longitudinal axis that is parallel to and offset from the first longitudinal axis and the drive motor capable of causing rotational movement of the screw (see annotated Fig. 7 above and Figs. 8-10;[0062-0063] of Gomez-Kervin).
Regarding claim 3, Gomez-Kervin in view of Kim further teaches the extruder further comprising a nozzle (20) terminating the first end of the barrel (36) and fluidly coupled with the internal cylindrical volume, wherein the nozzle has an internal surface forming a port (20a) (see annotated Fig. 7 above; [0052] and [0062] of Gomez-Kervin).
Regarding claim 4, Gomez-Kervin in view of Kim further teaches the extruder further comprising a connection assembly (i.e. a second idler (58b) of the compound gear (58) threadably coupled to the screw (38) using a threaded internal nut (64)) that is an intermediary coupling between the linear drive (62) and the screw (38) (see Figs. 7-10;[0054-0055] and [0061-0062] of Gomez-Kervin).
Regarding claim 5, Gomez-Kervin in view of Kim further teaches the extruder, wherein the connection assembly comprises a shaft (32) coupled with the screw (38), the shaft having a screw end and a swivel end (see Figs. 7-10;[0055] and [0062-0063] of Gomez-Kervin).
Regarding claim 6, Gomez-Kervin in view of Kim further teaches the extruder, wherein the shaft (32) extends through the barrel second end toward the linear drive (62) (see annotated Fig. 7 above;[0054-0055] of Gomez-Kervin).
Regarding claim 9, Gomez-Kervin in view of Kim further teaches the extruder, wherein the connection assembly (58,58a,58b) is coupled with the frame (46) and extends from a first side of the frame and the barrel (36) extends from an opposite second side of the frame (see annotated Fig. 7 above and Figs. 9-11 of Gomez-Kervin).
Regarding claim 15, Gomez-Kervin teaches an extruder (100) having an adjustable pressure output (see Fig.1;[0030]), the extruder comprising:
a frame (46); a barrel (36) having an internal cylindrical volume that has a first longitudinal axis extending between a first end and a second end, the barrel is coupled to the frame (see annotated Fig. 7 above;[0052]);
a nozzle (20) terminating the barrel first end (see annotated Fig. 7 above;[0014] and [0052]);
a screw (38) within the barrel internal cylindrical volume, the screw having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the screw is rotationally movable within the internal cylindrical volume( see Figs. 7-9; [0049], [0052] and [0062]); a change in volume between the screw distal end and the nozzle at a start or a stop of material extrusion through the nozzle (i.e. a control volume (44) is continuously variable with an amount of retraction and instantaneous movement between initial and final positions of the screw conveyor (38) relative to the nozzle (20)) (see Fig.7 and Figs. 9-10;[0062]). However, Gomez-Kervin does not teach controller is capable of instructing a change in volume between the screw distal end and the nozzle at a start or a stop of material extrusion through the nozzle.
In the same filed of endeavor, extrusion devices, Kim teaches an extruder (12) (see Fig. 1), comprises a barrel (36) has a first end and a second end, a screw (34) movable within an internal volume of the barrel; a controller system (29) coupled to a motor (37) and capable of instructing the motor to move the screw axially in a downstream direction a change in volume between the screw distal end and the nozzle at a start or a stop of material extrusion through the nozzle (see annotated Fig. 1 above; [0028], [0032] and [0045]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified the extruder as taught by Gomez-Kervin with controller is capable of instructing a change in volume between the screw distal end and the nozzle at a start or a stop of material extrusion through the nozzle as such is known in the art of extrusions devices given the discussion of Kim above; and doing so is combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results, with the added benefits of doing so would allow for reducing transient defects at start/stop by actively managing melt pressure and compressible volume so flow ramps cleanly to target and cuts off without surge, drool or void.
Regarding claim 16, Gomez-Kervin in view of Kim further teaches the extruder further comprising a linear drive (driven gear (62)) effective to adjust a position of the nozzle (20) along the first longitudinal axis (see Figs. 9-10;[0052] and [0062-0064] of Gomez-Kervin), wherein the controller (29) is operably coupled with the linear drive and effective to instruct the linear drive to cause the change in volume (see annotated Fig. 1 above; [0045] of Kim).
Regarding claim 17, Gomez-Kervin in view of Kim further teaches the extruder further comprising a linear drive (driven gear (62)) effective to a position of the screw (38) along the first longitudinal axis (see Figs. 9-10; [0062-0064] of Gomez-Kervin, wherein the controller (29) is operably coupled with the linear drive (37) and effective to instruct the linear drive to cause the change in volume (see annotated Fig. 1 below;[0028], [0032] and [0045] of Kim).
Regarding claim 18, Gomez-Kervin in view of Kim further teaches the extruder further comprising a shaft (32) coaxially joined with the screw (38) and coupled with the linear drive (62) and capable of transferring linear force from the linear drive to the screw (see annotated Fig. 7 above and Figs. 9-10;[0052] and [0062-0064] of Gomez-Kervin).
Regarding claim 19, Gomez-Kervin in view of Kim further teaches the extruder further comprising a connection assembly positioned between the shaft and the linear drive, the connection assembly (i.e. a second idler (58b) of the compound gear (58) threadably coupled to the screw (38) using a threaded internal nut (64)) that is an intermediary coupling between the linear drive (62) and the shaft (32) capable of isolating rotational motion of the shaft from the linear drive (see Figs. 7-10;[0054-0055] and [0061-0062] of Gomez-Kervin).
Claim(s) 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gomez-Kervin (WO 2022/232888) in view of Kim (US 2004/0080065) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Hyun (US 2012/0193825).
Regarding claim 10, Gomez-Kervin in view of Kim teaches the extruder as discussed in claim 1 above.
Kim further teaches the extruder further comprising a controller (control system (29)) operably coupled with a drive motor (37) wherein the controller is capable of instructing the motor drive to cause a linear movement of the screw (34) to retract a screw end (see Fig. 1;[0032],[0045]). However, Gomez-Kervin in view of Kim does not teach the controller also capable of instructing the drive motor to cease rotation of the screw.
In the same field of endeavor, screw control devices, Hyun teaches an injection molding machine including a barrel (110) into which a resin is inserted, a screw (120) installed to be rotatable inside the barrel, that controls operations of the screw, wherein the controller configured for stopping the rotation of the screw after completing the measurement of the resin; after retracting the screw of which the rotation is stopped a pre-set distance (see Fig. 1;[0014], [0027-0028] and [0032-0034]). Hyun teaches that the controller performs a screw control method capable of controlling the advance and retraction of a screw so as to uniformly distribute the internal pressure of a melted resin, thereby reducing variations in the weight of an injection product injected from the screw (see [0003]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified the extruder as taught by Gomez-Kervin in view of Kim and Hyun with the controller capable of instructing the drive motor to cease rotation of the screw as such is known in the art of additive manufacturing given the discussion of Hyun above; and doing so is combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results, with the added benefits of doing so would allow for controlling the advance and retraction of a screw so as to uniformly distribute the internal pressure of a melted resin, thereby reducing variations in the weight of an injection product injected from the screw (see [0003] of Hyun).
Regarding claim 11, Gomez-Kervin in view of Kim and Hyun further teaches the extruder, wherein the controller is capable of instructing the linear drive to retract the screw(120) within the barrel (110) at a termination of material extrusion and to extend the screw within the barrel at a start of material extrusion (see Fig. 1;[0014] and [0032-0036] of Hyun).
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gomez-Kervin (WO 2022/232888) in view of Kim (US 2004/0080065) and Hyun (US 2012/0193825) as applied to claim 11 above, and further in view of Tyler (US 2018/0229435).
Regarding claim 12, Gomez-Kervin in view of Kim and Hyun teaches the extruder as discussed in claim 11 above.
Gomez-Kervin in view of Kim and Hyun does not teach the controller is operably coupled with a multi-axis robot and capable of instructing positioning of an end-of-arm tool associated with the multi-axis robot and instructing the linear drive in concert.
In the same field of endeavor, extrusion devices, Tyler teaches extrusion additive manufacturing system (10) comprises a controller (32) is operably coupled with a multi-axis robot (multi-axis robotic arm (35)) and capable of instructing positioning of an end-of-arm tool associated with the multi-axis robot and instructing a linear drive (linear actuator (27)) in concert (see Fig. 1;[0003], [0014] ,[0016] and [0027]). Tyler further teaches the controller (32) configured to selectively energize linear actuator (27), multi-axis robotic arm (35), and heads (18, 22, 26) to simultaneously and/or sequentially move and/or discharge material in a particular pattern to create corresponding support at each of the specified data points (see [0027]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified the extruder as taught by Gomez-Kervin in view of Kim, Hyun and Tyler with the controller is operably coupled with a multi-axis robot and capable of instructing positioning of an end-of-arm tool associated with the multi-axis robot and instructing the linear drive in concert as such is known in the art of extrusions devices given the discussion of Tyler above; and doing so is combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results, with the added benefits of doing so would allow for selectively energize linear actuator and multi-axis robotic arm (see [0027] of Tyler).
Claim(s) 13-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gomez-Kervin (WO 2022/232888) in view of Kim (US 2004/0080065) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Alsewailem (US 2013/0285279).
Regarding claim 13, Gomez-Kervin in view of Kim teaches the extruder as discussed in claim 1 above.
Gomez-Kervin further teaches the screw comprises threaded top portion (78) (see Fig. 8;[0061]); however, Gomez-Kervin in view of Kim does not teach wherein the screw comprises a bore at the proximal end, the bore capable of receiving a screw end of a shaft and wherein the bore comprises a right-hand thread or a left-hand thread for threadably coupling the shaft with the screw.
In the same field of endeavor, screw extruders, Alsewailem teaches an extruder (10) includes a barrel assembly (25), a screw (20b) a bore at the proximal end, the bore capable of receiving a screw end (20a’’) of a shaft (20b’’) and wherein the bore comprises a right-hand thread or a left-hand thread for threadably coupling the shaft with the screw (see annotated Fig. 2 below;[0025-0027])
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It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified the extruder as taught by Gomez-Kervin in view of Kim and Alsewailem with a bore at the proximal end, the bore capable of receiving a screw end of a shaft and wherein the bore comprises a right-hand thread or a left-hand thread for threadably coupling the shaft with the screw as such is known in the art of additive manufacturing given the discussion of Alsewailem above; and doing so is combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results, with the added benefits of doing so would allow for securely coupling the drive shaft to the screw.
Regarding claim 14, Gomez-Kervin in view of Kim and Alsewailem further teaches the extruder, wherein the screw (20b) further comprises a set screw extending through the screw into the bore (see annotated Fig. 2 above;[0025-0027] of Alsewailem).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-8 and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 7, the primary reason why the claimed invention is deemed novel and non-obvious over the prior art of record to an extrusion screw as instantly claimed is that the prior art of record, alone or in combination, fails to teach or suggest the connection assembly further comprises a kettle and a spherical bearing coupled with the kettle, wherein the shaft swivel end is coupled with the spherical bearing and the kettle is coupled with the linear drive such that a linear force applied by the linear drive is translated through the kettle, the spherical bearing, and the shaft to the screw to linearly move the screw within the barrel.
Therefore, claim 7 is deemed novel and non-obvious over the prior art of record.
Regarding claim 8, it depends from claim 7; thus, they are also deemed novel and non-obvious over the prior art of record.
Regarding claim 20, the primary reason why the claimed invention is deemed novel and non-obvious over the prior art of record to an extrusion screw as instantly claimed is that the prior art of record, alone or in combination, fails to teach or suggest the connection assembly comprises a spherical bearing, the spherical bearing is effective to join the shaft with the connection assembly such that rotational motion from the shaft is capable for rotating a first portion of the spherical bearing while a second portion of the spherical bearing remains rotationally fixed.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMED K AHMED ALI whose telephone number is (571)272-0347. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00 AM-7:30 PM.
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/MOHAMED K AHMED ALI/Examiner, Art Unit 1743
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