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 .
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.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Group I in the reply filed on 3/22/26 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because the abstract is not within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
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.
Claim(s) 1, 6-7, 23-24, 29, 34 and 70 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Teng (WO 2020/096951 A1, cited in IDS filed 2/05/25).
Regarding claim 1, Teng teaches a casting system for casting an object (abstract, hybrid process, each time when a shaping cavity is ready, liquid material is deposited in it to cast), wherein the system comprises:
a mold powder provision system (paragraph [0037], may be a binder jet printing, prints a mold with binder in a powder bed, paragraph [0054], mold construction apparatus, powder bed);
a mold binder dispensing system (paragraph [0037], may be a binder jet printing, prints mold with binder, paragraph [0054], mold construction apparatus, binder jet printer);
a mold powder removal system (paragraph [0037], binder jet process, loose powder is removed, paragraph [0055], cleaning device); and
a molten metal processing system (paragraph [0045], dispensing device delivers a liquid material, such as molten material 40, which may have been melted in device 41 equipped with a heater or melted in a separate furnace);
wherein the casting system is configured to additively produce multiple production layers in a build unit (paragraph [0037], mold construction starts on a build substrate which can be a build plate 10, build table, structure), one currently-produced production layer after the other (functional limitation, see MPEP 2114(I) and (II), paragraph [009], number of layers);
wherein for each currently-produced production layer:
the mold powder provision system is configured to provide one or more current mold powder layers (functional limitation, paragraph [0055], powder bed, construct a mold layer by layer);
the mold binder dispensing system is configured to form one or more current metal-facing zones of the mold regions within each of the one or more current mold powder layers by selectively dispending one or more binders that bond some mold powder particles of the current mold powder layer (functional limitation, paragraph [0055], binder jet printing, constructing a mold layer by layer);
the mold powder removal system is configured to remove mold powder particles located within a certain area of each of the one or more current mold powder layers, the certain area is defined by at least some of the one or more current metal facing zones of the mold regions (functional limitation, paragraph [0055], cleaning device removes loose powder form the shaping cavity before it is filled to construct a layer of the object); and
the molten metal processing system is configured to form one or more current object regions of the currently-produced production layer by providing molten metal to the certain area (functional limitation, paragraph [0056], dispense liquid to fill shaping cavities).
Regarding claim 6, note that the limitation of “wherein a height of the one or more current object regions is in a range of 1 millimeter to 20 millimeter, and wherein a height of the one or more current mold powder layers is in a range of 100 microns to 150 microns” is a limitation directed to an article worked upon by the apparatus, which does not further limit the claim.
Claim analysis is highly fact-dependent. A claim is only limited by positively recited elements. Thus, "[i]nclusion of the material or article worked upon by a structure being claimed does not impart patentability to the claims." In re Otto, 312 F.2d 937, 136 USPQ 458, 459 (CCPA 1963); see also In re Young, 75 F.2d 996, 25 USPQ 69 (CCPA 1935). See MPEP 2115.
Regarding claim 7, Teng teaches wherein the mold powder removal system is configured to remove the mold powder particles from the certain area and maintain loose mold powder at one or more external zones which are external to the one or more current metal facing zones of the mold regions (functional limitation, Teng teaches a cleaning device comprising compressed air or vacuum (paragraph [0055]), thus capable of performing the claimed function, see MPEP 2114(I)).
Regarding claim 23, Teng teaches further comprising a controller (paragraph [0052], controllers) in data communication with at least the mold powder provision system, mold binder dispensing system, the mold powder removal system, the molten metal processing system and the build unit, wherein at least one of the mold powder provision system, mold binder dispensing system and the mold powder removal system is equipped with a controllable cooling unit (paragraph [0052], controls operating conditions including temperature, heating or cooling rate), and wherein the controller is configured to dynamically control the controllable cooling unit responsive to temperature sensor readings of one or more areas of the build unit (paragraph [0060], temperature sensors in selected locations of build plate, control in real time for selective heating or cooling).
Regarding claim 24, Teng teaches further comprising a controller (paragraph [0052], controllers) in data communication with at least the mold powder provision system, mold binder dispensing system, the mold powder removal system, the molten metal processing system and the build unit, wherein the controller responsive to readings of one or more temperature sensors (paragraph [0060], temperature sensors) sensing one or more temperatures of one of the certain area and the metal facing zone of the mold region (paragraph [0060], fig 5, note location of temperature sensors, also more if necessary, in selected locations of the build plate, current layer, preceding layer, platen, mold, heating device, etc).
Regarding claim 29, Teng teaches wherein the mold binder dispensing system comprises one or more binder print heads (paragraph [0055], binder jet printer) and one or more binder storages (paragraph [0055], binder jet printer, implied storage for binder), each binder storage is in fluid communication with at least one of the one or more binder print heads (binder jet printer prints the binder).
Regarding claim 34, Teng teaches further comprising a controller (paragraph [0052], controllers) in data communication with at least the mold powder provision system, mold binder dispensing system, the mold powder removal system, the molten metal processing system and the build unit, wherein the controller is responsive to readings of a temperature sensor sensing a temperature beneath the one or more print heads (paragraph [0060], temperature sensors, note location of temperature sensors in figure 5, points on the mold are beneath the print head).
Regarding claim 70, Teng teaches further comprising a movement system configured to introduce relative movements between at least (1) the mold powder provision system, mold binder dispensing system and the mold powder removal system and (2) the build unit (see claim 19 of Teng, build plate configured to move up and down or rotate, thus would introduce relative movement, paragraph [0058], dispenser moves).
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.
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.
Claim(s) 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Teng in view of Findeisen (DE 102017206815 A1).
Regarding claim 9, Teng teaches a mold powder removal system, but is quiet to flow control elements that are configured to provide suction directly above the certain area and prevent suction directly above loose mold powder located outside the certain area.
Findeisen teaches cleaning of additively manufactured parts including parts used in foundries (paragraph [0002]). Findeisen recognizes that removal of loose powder with a height adjustable vacuum cleaner was used in the prior art (paragraph [0007]), and teaches of a vacuum cleaner whose movement is controlled, having (fig 1, paragraph [0059]), having a nozzle 44 for controlling the suction (paragraph [0059], fig 1).
As Teng suggests the use of a vacuum cleaner, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Teng so as to include the teachings of Findeisen, such as a vacuum cleaner whose movement is controlled and has a nozzle for controlling the flow of air, in order to have more control over the cleaning process, that can be carried out quickly, safely, and with little effort (Findeisen, paragraph [0013]).
Regarding claim 10, the combination teaches wherein the mold powder removal system comprises a suction conduit that is configured to be lowered into the certain area during powder suction (functional limitation, see Findeisen that shows a vacuum cleaner (fig 1) capable of being moved).
Claim(s) 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Teng in view of Gothait et al (US 2016/0243619, cited in IDS filed 3/22/26).
Regarding claim 22, Teng is quiet to wherein at least one of the mold powder provision system, mold binder dispensing system and the mold powder removal system is thermally shielded at least in part.
Gothait et al teaches 3D ink jet printing (abstract) where the device includes an optional cooling mask 316 (fig 3, paragraph [0151]) and thermal partition (fig 3, paragraph [0151], thermal partition 320 to protect the printing head from other equipment).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Teng so as to include a thermal shield to at least one of the powder provision system, binder dispensing system, or powder removal system, and Gothait et al teaches the use of thermal partitions and cooling masks are known, and would provide the benefit of protection from heat other equipment.
All the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would yield nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. KSR, 550 U.S. at 416, 82 USPQ2d at 1395. MPEP 2143(I)(A).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Nishioka et al (US 2024/0165700, cited in PTO-892 mailed 1/28/28).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JACKY YUEN whose telephone number is (571)270-5749. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30 - 6:00.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Keith Walker can be reached at 571-272-3458. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JACKY YUEN/
Examiner
Art Unit 1735
/KEITH WALKER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1735
Prosecution Insights