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 .
IDS
The IDS’ entered 02/23/2024 and 08/06/2025 have been considered by the examiner.
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)(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.
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 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Linthicum (US 20150321419).
Regarding claim 1, Linthicum teaches a feedforward deposition system for a material extrusion additive manufacturing system (printing system 100, fig.1), the feedforward deposition system comprising:
an extrusion control system configured to extrude a material to define an item to be printed via the material extrusion additive manufacturing system (extrusion assembly 102 comprising nozzle 126, Fig. 2; volumetric rate and flow through the nozzle 126 is controlled via the extrusion screw 124 rotation rate provided by the stepper motor 172, P0076);
a motion control system configured to move a platform relative to the extrusion control system using a drive system (mechanical means 110 for moving the extrusion assembly 102 and the print platform 178 relative to each other in multiple dimensions in a predetermined sequence and pattern, P0086; print platform assembly 108 moves along a vertical or Z axis via two to four motors 199, utilizing lead screws 137 and nuts 139, or belts and pulleys or other mechanical or electrical means, P0088), the platform configured to support the item to be printed (As the extrusion assembly 102 deposits material, the printing system 100 mechanically generates relative movement of the print platform assembly 108 in a predetermined pattern to form a first layer of the plastic material on the print platform assembly, P0064); and
a feedforward control system operably coupled to the motion control system and configured to control the movement of the platform relative to the extrusion control system (stepper motor 172 is controlled numerically, at a predetermined rate or rotated to a predetermined angle that appropriately matches the movement of the print platform assembly 108, P0075), the feedforward control system configured to output command signals to the drive system of the motion control system composite system motors 172, 187, 189 and 199 are computer-controlled by drive signals generated from a computer or processing means. The object layering data signals are directed to a machine controller from the layering software executed by the processor, P0089).
Regarding claim 2, Linthicum teaches the feedforward control system is configured to output command signals to the extrusion control system (composite system motors 172, 187, 189 and 199 are computer-controlled by drive signals generated from a computer or processing means. The object layering data signals are directed to a machine controller from the layering software executed by the processor, P0089; volumetric rate and flow through the nozzle 126 is controlled via the extrusion screw 124 rotation rate provided by the stepper motor 172, P0076).
Regarding claim 3, Linthicum discloses the feedforward deposition system according to Claim 1 but does not disclose wherein the feedforward control system is configured to control the movement of the platform relative to the extrusion control system based on an actual extrusion rate from the extrusion control system.
However, the feedforward control system of Linthicum is capable of controlling the movement of the platform relative to the extrusion control system based on an actual extrusion rate from the extrusion control system and therefore this limitation amounts to intended use.
It is well settled that the intended use of a claimed apparatus is not germane to the issue of the patentability of the claimed structure. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the claimed use then it meets the claim. In re Casey, 152 USPQ 235, 238 (CCPA 1967).
Regarding claim 4, Linthicum teaches the feedforward control system is configured to control the movement of the platform relative to the extrusion control system in real time (Referring to FIG. 32, the presently disclosed version of the invention utilizes a computer control system utilizes an algorithm which embodies synchronization in time of the movement of one or more motor axes that are each operated independently of the others in order to precisely move the composite motor system in three-dimensional space and time, P0091).
Claims 5-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Linthicum (US 20150321419).
Regarding claim 5, Linthicum teaches a feedforward deposition system for a material extrusion additive manufacturing system (extrusion system for additive manufacturing and 3-d printing, title; printing system 100, Fig. 1), the feedforward deposition system comprising:
an extrusion control system configured to extrude a material to define an item to be printed via the material extrusion additive manufacturing system (extrusion assembly 102 comprising nozzle 126, Fig. 2; volumetric rate and flow through the nozzle 126 is controlled via the extrusion screw 124 rotation rate provided by the stepper motor 172, P0076);
a motion control system configured to move a platform relative to the extrusion control system using a drive system (mechanical means 110 for moving the extrusion assembly 102 and the print platform 178 relative to each other in multiple dimensions in a predetermined sequence and pattern, P0086; print platform assembly 108 moves along a vertical or Z axis via two to four motors 199, utilizing lead screws 137 and nuts 139, or belts and pulleys or other mechanical or electrical means, P0088), the platform configured to support the item to be printed (As the extrusion assembly 102 deposits material, the printing system 100 mechanically generates relative movement of the print platform assembly 108 in a predetermined pattern to form a first layer of the plastic material on the print platform assembly, P0064); and
a feedforward control system operably coupled to the extrusion control system and configured to control the extrusion control system (stepper motor 172 is controlled numerically, at a predetermined rate or rotated to a predetermined angle that appropriately matches the movement of the print platform assembly 108, P0075) based on an empirically derived first-order nonlinear model of the extrusion process (Referring to FIG. 32, the presently disclosed version of the invention utilizes a computer control system utilizes an algorithm which embodies synchronization in time of the movement of one or more motor axes that are each operated independently of the others in order to precisely move the composite motor system in three-dimensional space and time, P0091), the feedforward control system configured to output command signals to the extrusion control system (composite system motors 172, 187, 189 and 199 are computer-controlled by drive signals generated from a computer or processing means. The object layering data signals are directed to a machine controller from the layering software executed by the processor, P0089).
Regarding claim 6, Linthicum teaches the empirically derived first-order nonlinear model is applied to all data points of the command signals (While the number of points on the parameterized path is infinite, a finite number of displacement vectors can be chosen in such a manner that the overall contour or shape of the path is maintained, P0094).
Regarding claim 7, Linthicum teaches the feedforward control system is configured to output command signals to the motion control system (composite system motors 172, 187, 189 and 199 are computer-controlled by drive signals generated from a computer or processing means. The object layering data signals are directed to a machine controller from the layering software executed by the processor,P0089).
Regarding claim 8, Linthicum the feedforward deposition system according to Claim 5 but does not disclose wherein the feedforward control system is configured to control the extrusion control system based on an actual extrusion rate from the extrusion control system.
However, the feedforward control system of Linthicum is capable of controlling the extrusion control system based on an actual extrusion rate from the extrusion control system and therefore this limitation amounts to intended use.
It is well settled that the intended use of a claimed apparatus is not germane to the issue of the patentability of the claimed structure. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the claimed use then it meets the claim. In re Casey, 152 USPQ 235, 238 (CCPA 1967).
Regarding claim 9, Linthicum teaches the feedforward control system is configured to control the extrusion control system in real time (Referring to FIG. 32, the presently disclosed version of the invention utilizes a computer control system utilizes an algorithm which embodies synchronization in time of the movement of one or more motor axes that are each operated independently of the others in order to precisely move the composite motor system in three-dimensional space and time, P0091).
Regarding claim 10, Linthicum teaches the extrusion control system is configured to output a variable width extrusion (Depending on the configuration, the extrusion assembly 102 may have one or more nozzles that molten material is deposited from. These nozzles may have various extrusion profiles, depending on the functionality desired, P0076).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERICA H FUNK whose telephone number is (571)272-3785. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00-5:00pm ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alison Hindenlang can be reached on (571) 270-7001. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERICA HARTSELL FUNK/Examiner, Art Unit 1741