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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of 12-15 in the reply filed on 18788085 is acknowledged. Claim 1-11 and 16 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected inventions, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 05/27/2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Soubier (US-1845635-A).
Regarding claim 12, Soubier teaches a needle control assembly comprising a main frame including a first rail guide and a second rail guide (shafts 88) coupled together by a first cross bar (cam shaft 82) and a second cross bar (shaft between the two 92 element in Fig. 6); a cross frame couple to the first rail guide and the second rail guide (cross bar 75) movable along the first rail guide and the second rail guide (p. 3 Line 74-82); and a flow control needle (flow regulating member 73), which is configured to move the flow control needle along a longitudinal axis as the cross frame moves along the first rail guide and the second rail guide (p. 3 Line 74-82).
Regarding claim 13, depending from claim 12, Soubier teaches an actuator (p. 3 Line 68-70) coupled to the first cross bar and the cross frame to move the cross frame relative to the first cross bar (p. 3 Line 95-104/110-119).
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) 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Soubier (US-1845635-A) as applied to claim 13 above, and further in view of Rankin (US-1828443-A) and Seki (JP-200234814-A, English translation provided by Espacenet).
Regarding claim 14, depending from claim 13, Soubier does not clarify the actuator is a servo motor coupled to the first cross bar and having a screw drive coupled to the cross frame to move the cross frame up and down relative to the main frame. In the same field of endeavor, Rankin teaches of first and second rail guide (guide 69), first cross bar (Fig. 2, bar between 47’ and 47”), and flow control needle (Fig. 1, piston rod 45, plunger 12) with a screw drive coupled to the cross frame to move the cross frame up and down relative to the main frame (p. 3 Line 43-68, screw 49). It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fulcrum actuator of Soubier with a screw driven alternative known in the art as taught by Rankin.
Though Rankin teaches the screw drive actuator, Rankin does not explicit teach a servo motor is coupled to the screw drive. In the same field of endeavor, Seki teaches of using a a servo motor with a screw drive to rotate the screw drive to move their cross frame up and down relative to the main frame [0029, 34, 37]. It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to pair the screw drive of modify Soubier/Rankin with the servo motor as known means to actuate a screw drive in the art.
Claim(s) 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Soubier (US-1845635-A) and further in view of Lucek (US-3539691-A).
Regarding claim 15, Soubier teaches a molten material furnace system comprising a stilling tank (furnace extension 10) including an outlet orifice having a longitudinal axis (Fig. 5, outlet opening 71/transverse well 70); and a molten material flow control needle configured to be axially positioned within at least a portion of the outlet orifice along the longitudinal axis (p. 3 Line 74-82, flow regulating member 73); and the needle control assembly of claim 12 (see claim 12 rejection above) wherein the first rail guide and the second rail guide are coupled to and supported by the stilling tank (Fig. 5/6), and wherein the needle control assembly positioned the flow control needle relative to the outlet orifice to control flow of molten material through the outlet orifice (p. 3 Line 24-54).
Soubier does not expressly teach the molten material flow control needle is configured to carry a heat exchange fluid. In the same field of endeavor, Lucek teaches of configuring a molten material flow control need to carry a heat exchange fluid (Col. 3 Line 27-39). It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the molten material flow control needle of Soubier to carry a heat exchange fluid for the purpose of regulating the temperature of the needle (Col. 3 Line 40-55).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
WO-2019236493-A1 teaches a fluid control needle for viscous materials in additive manufacturing
US-20180155231-A1 teaches a frame for a fluid control needle located below the outlet/orifice
US-20040222234-A1 teaches a fluid control needle for mixed solutions
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEVEN S LEE whose telephone number is (571)272-2645. The examiner can normally be reached 9am - 5pm Mon-Thurs.
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/STEVEN S LEE/Examiner, Art Unit 1741
/ERIN SNELTING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1741
