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
Under broadest reasonable interpretation of claim 1, component (a) may be encompassing of more than core-shell copolymers and, in fact, is interpreted to include any polymer material that is made in more than one step; and component (b) may connote a polymer featuring methacrylic groups.
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.
Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Pohl US 4,174,218.
Regarding claims 1-4, Pohl teaches (col 6, Example 7, Table II) a cured 0.74 mm thick sheet which is derived upon exposure of a photopolymer composition to ultraviolet light for 180 seconds (Table II, col 6). The photopolymer composition comprises a terminally unsaturated polymer (Example 1, col 2) derived from a multi-stage polymerization of carboxyl terminated polybutadiene and glycidyl methacrylate (corresponding to component (a)). It further incorporates polypropylene glycol dimethacrylate (corresponding to methacrylic polymer P1, component (b)), additional monomer organic substance lauryl methacrylate (component (c)) and a photoinitiator 2,2-Diethoxyacetophenone (component (d)). Therefore, the invention as claimed is fully anticipated by Pohl as disclosing each limitation of the rejected claims.
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.
Claims 1-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fudim US 4,752,498 and further in view of Pohl US 4,174,218 (referenced within Fudim).
Regarding claims 1-4 and 6, Fudim teaches a method of forming three-dimensional articles by irradiating an uncured photopolymer, by treating the photopolymer with radiation, such as UV (col 4, line 48, claim 16) to solidify the polymer(abstract, reference claim 1). Fudim selectively irradiates the coating layer by using a mask, and then washes away the uncrosslinked material and thus teaches features of a photolithography process. The photolithography is considered by one of ordinary skill to fundamentally be a printing method (Fudim, abstract, col 3 and 4).
Fudim cites reference Pohl to teach the suitable liquid photopolymers(col 4, line 45).
Reference Pohl teaches (col 6, Example 7, Table II, col 6 formulation) a photopolymer composition which comprises a terminally unsaturated polymer (Example 1, col 2) derived from a multi-stage polymerization of carboxyl terminated polybutadiene and glycidyl methacrylate (corresponding to component (a)). It further incorporates polypropylene glycol dimethacrylate (corresponding to methacrylic polymer P1, component (b)), additional monomer organic substance lauryl methacrylate (component (c)) and a photoinitiator 2,2-Diethoxyacetophenone (component (d)).
Therefore, the invention as claimed would have been obvious over the combined teachings of Fudim and Pohl, where photopolymer composition of Pohl can be suitably utilized for the three-dimensional printing of a cured article.
Regarding claims 5 and 11, Fudim in view of Pohl, teach (Fudim col 4, line 13) heating of the three-dimensional printed solidified object by warm air jets, and if necessary subjected to additional irradiation, to complete crosslinking, thus making the claimed requirement obvious.
Regarding claim 7, Fudim in view of Pohl, teach formation of multilayer objects where individual slices of an object are successively built up one atop of another ( Fudim col 2, lines 40-42), thus making the claimed requirement obvious.
Regarding claims 8 and 9, Fudim in view of Pohl, teach a three-dimensional printing method, where the first layer of uncured liquid photopolymer is provided on top of a substrate (Fudim claims 3 and 5; col 3, lines 20-28). Fudim further places a mask to modulate ultraviolet radiation to manage depth of solidification (crosslinking or curing) of the photopolymer to create the first exposed layer (Fudim claims 10,15-16,18 and 25). Fudim discloses managing the radiation source to tailor the light intensity (col 1, lines 65-68; col 2, line 1; col 4, lines 47-57).
Fudim teaches providing additional layers of uncured photopolymer over the solidified photopolymer on the substrate and further radiation curing to a desired extent to adhere to the first layer of the solidified photopolymer. Fudim adds that the procedure can be repeated by adding more photopolymer and repeating irradiation and each subsequent slice adheres to the preceding one to form the final object (col 2, lines 30-49). Fudim discloses a three dimensional object 25, generated by layers of cured photopolymer composition which are created under a mask 15 to modulate the radiation (col 3, Fig 3A; lines 47-52; col 4, lines 1-6). Thus, the claimed printing steps are made obvious by Fudim’s disclosure.
Regarding claim 10, Fudim teaches providing a layer of uncured liquid photopolymer on top of a substrate 12, which corresponds to the required carrier. Fudim discloses a transparent plate 13, which holds mask 15 which has transparent areas and areas of different opacity to modulate the radiation depth (col 3, lines 20-45; col 5, line 13). The build region is thus defined by the Fudim’s substrate 12 and transparent plate 13 (and mask 15).
As discussed, when addressing claims 8 and 9, Fudim in view of Pohl, teach a three-dimensional printing method, where the first layer of uncured liquid photopolymer is provided on top of the substrate 12 (Fudim claims 3 and 5; col 3, lines 20-28), which when covered with the transparent plate 13 (and mask 15) fills the defined build region, which is then intermittently exposed to UV radiation to solidify and cure. Fudim teaches sliding off the plate 13 (and mask 15) and taking out the solidified printed object along with the substrate (carrier) after completion of the irradiation process (col 4, lines 7-10) which is done batchwise. Thus, the claimed printing steps are made obvious by Fudim’s disclosure.
Conclusion
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/S.M.D./
Examiner
Art Unit 1765
/MARC S ZIMMER/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1765