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 Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
As to claim 1, how is “module” (line 6) defined. How is such different from an apparatus or device, which terms are also employed in specification?
As to claims 1,8, what does “intended” (line 2 from last, claim 1; line 4 from last, claim 8) mean in context of last 2 lines? Is the “countermeasure” (line 2 from last) so configured, or not?1 Is it a mere intended use of the countermeasure?
As to claim 8, the method is with the arrangement of claim 1, and thus is carried out upon such arrangement. As such, it’s problematic that many limitations (list is: “sensor” (lines 1,3), “variable” (line 4), a specified threshold value” (lines 4-5) and “a predetermined countermeasure” (line 8)) are twice claimed. As is, the body of the claim (almost) eliminates the structure of the arrangement of claim 1.
As to claim 8, “if” (line 7) is problematic as such is an indefinite step. It’s it not clear whether “initiating” (line 8) is a method step in this method claim. Consider that an apparatus might be claimed as being - - configured to perform in a particular manner - - ; but such is terribly problematic in a method claim that calls for actual steps to take place. The ”if” provides for uncertainty in this method claim.
As to claim 9, is “a plurality” (line 2 from last) the “a plurality” (of line 3 from last)? If so, the same “a plurality is twice claimed.
As to claim 9, “a variable” (line 2) should read - - the variable - - for the same reason as claim 8 above.
As to claim 12, “the other preadjusted settings” is confusing because none were introduced in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claim(s) 1,6,8,13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Liu et al CN et al 109759585
Liu et al CN 109759585 teach 3D printing device that employs an oxygen sensor (claim 1’s sensor module) to monitor oxygen content for comparison with a threshold (Claim 1’s control module) to control absorption of oxygen in the protective atmosphere. The process employs sintering metal powder by way of laser (irradiation device) electronic beam, to transfer energy to the workpiece under construction.
“Description
metal 3D printer in the print forming process, to the closed molding chamber filling inert gas to prevent the laser process is oxidized in the sintered metal powder. Meanwhile, the metal 3D printer filtering the gas in the forming chamber through a gas circulation and filtration loop, so as to eliminate the smoke affecting the quality of the moulded part. only for monitoring and controlling the forming chamber of the oxygen content in the existing technology, however, filtering of the oxygen content of the oxygen content and the moulding chamber gas loop in difference, so as to make the oxygen in the loop is brought to forming the oxygen content indoor moulding room, so as to make the metal material in contact with oxygen is oxidized, even burning to form stable impurity phases and reduce print quality. In addition, the metal 3D printer can only realize the whole device for deoxygenization or each compartment independently oxygen, each accommodation into the flow rate of the inert gas can not real time automatic control, the whole scavenging efficiency is low, inert gas consumption amount is large.
The invention claims a 3D printing device, the printing device 3D comprises a processor, a memory device, a printing machine, a purifying device, a gas supply device and a plurality of sensors, said storage device, said printing machine, said purifying device. said air supply device and a plurality of the sensor and the processor are electrically connected, said processor adapted to implement each instruction, the storage device adapted to store a plurality of instructions and threshold oxygen concentration in the 3D printing apparatus further comprising a movable moulding device and adsorption device connected electrically with the processor; said movable moulding device are individually set to the printing machine, the 3D printing device operating with a monitoring control system, the monitoring control system comprising a purge control module. for controlling the purifying device for filtering, exhausting and circularly flow the protection atmosphere of the printing machine and the movable moulding device, a detection module for containing the oxygen concentration control multiple said sensors for each of the printing machine, the protection atmosphere in the movable moulding device and the purifying device to be detected; comparison module for comparing each of the sensors detecting oxygen concentration value and the storage device containing the threshold value of oxygen concentration, adsorption control module. to the result of said comparison control said adsorption device for adsorbing and removing protection of an oxygen atmosphere, gas supply control module, said printing host is used for controlling said air supply device supplying protective gas to said printing machine, said movable moulding device and the purifying device and respectively detecting according to several of the sensor, control said supply device adjusted to the print host protective atmosphere with oxygen concentration value of said movable moulding device and the purifying device in the movable moulding device and the purifying device provides flow of protective gas.
The invention also claims a monitoring control method, comprising: controlling supply device respectively to the printing machine, a movable moulding device and purifying device provided in protective gas; controlling purifying device for protecting atmosphere of the printing machine and the movable moulding device for filtering, exhausting and recycling flow, oxygen concentration control a plurality of sensors respectively on the print host, protective atmosphere in said movable moulding device and the purifying device in the detection and the oxygen concentration value of the detection is transmitted to the processor; dividing each of the sensor detecting oxygen concentration value and the storage device by comparing with threshold value of oxygen concentration, and absorbing and removing the oxygen in the protective atmosphere according to the result control absorbing device of the comparison.”
The specification of the Reference does not refer to “additive” manufacturing and/or “build material”.
As to claims 1,6,8,14, either Liu’s sintered metal powder” is added in the apparatus to build material for laser application, or in the alternative, it is well known to so apply material to such for effective manufacturing.
As to claim 13,
“Abstract
The invention claims a 3D printing device, comprising a processor, a memory device, a printing machine, a movable moulding device, purifying device, air supply device, the absorption device and the plurality of sensors, a storage device storing a threshold oxygen concentration, 3 D printing device operating with a monitoring control system, the monitoring control system comprising a purge control module for controlling and purifying device for filtering the protective atmosphere, exhaust and circulation flow, a detection module for controlling sensor for protecting the atmosphere containing oxygen concentration to be detected; comparison module for comparing each sensor detects the oxygen concentration value with the threshold value; the adsorption control module, used for according to the comparison result control absorbing device for adsorption of oxygen in the protective atmosphere, gas supply control module, used for controlling air supply device supplying protection gas and control providing the protective gas flow rate. the 3D printing device with high efficiency. The invention further claims a monitoring control method and computer readable storage medium.”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Claim(s) 1,6,8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as anticipated by ESO DE 20 2016 004 832.
As to claim 1, EOS teaches (Figure 1) a sensor arrangementconfigured, by means of a comparison 104/105 of the sensor signal or a variable derived from the sensor signal with a specified threshold value 104/105, to determine whether the sensor module is measuring outside a predetermined action range and if this is the case, to generate a control signal which is configured to initiate a predetermined countermeasure (i.e. shut off the system) which
As to claims 1,6,8, no weight is given to intended use in apparatus claims.
Conclusion
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/ROBERT R RAEVIS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855
1 How is the EOS reference
Prosecution Insights