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 Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-20 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.
In claim 1 (lines 1044-1045), the expressions “the rate and/or volume” and “the solution flow(s)” do not have clear and proper antecedent basis in the claim.
In claim 1 (lines 1083-1084), the expression “the relative or absolute concentrations” does not have clear and proper antecedent basis in the claim.
In claim 1 (line 1112), the expression “the magnetic field strength” does not have clear and proper antecedent basis in the claim.
In claim 2 (lines 1171-1172), the expressions “the rate and/or volume” and “the solution flow” do not have clear and proper antecedent basis in the claims.
In claim 2 (line 1178) the expression “the solution flow rate(s) and/or volume(s)” does not have clear and proper antecedent basis in the claims.
In claim 2 (lines 1183-1184), the expression “the solution flow(s) rate” does not have clear and proper antecedent basis in the claims.
In claim 2 (line 1192), the expression “the solution flow rate(s)” does not have clear and proper antecedent basis in the claims.
In claim 2 (lines 1237-1238), the expression “the magnetic field strength” does not have clear and proper antecedent basis in the claims.
In claim 7 (line 1325), the expression “the process grid” does not have clear and proper antecedent basis in the claims. Furthermore, it is not clear what “the process grid” means or refers to.
In claim 10 (line 1334), the expression “the solution’s kinetic energy” does not have clear and proper antecedent basis in the claims.
In claim 13 (line 1350), the expression “the controller(s)” does not have clear and proper antecedent basis in the claims.
In claim 15 (lines 1364-1365), the expression “the rate and/or volume” does not have clear and proper antecedent basis in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4-9 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rogren et al (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2021/0379821 A1) in combination with Navas et al (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2020/0361224 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Rogren et al (see the entire document, in particular, paragraphs [0007], [0030], [0032], [0035], [0037], [0065], [0078], [0083], [0095] and [0096]; Figures 2, 3, 14 and 17) teaches an apparatus for making an object (see paragraph [0007] (three-dimensional printer) of Rogren et al), including (a) a solution (see paragraph [0030] (low-viscosity ink, including a liquid vehicle) of Rogren et al); (b) one or more of an accumulation area (see Figures 2 and 3, paragraph [0035] (receiver 204) of Rogren et al); (c) one or more of a delivery mechanism operatively associated with one or more of the accumulation areas and one or more of a removal mechanism and configured to deliver the solution to one or more of the accumulation areas (see Figures 2 and 3, paragraph [0035] (inkjet printer heads 202) of Rogren et al); (d) one or more of a removal mechanism operatively associated with one or more of the accumulation areas and one or more of the delivery mechanisms and configured to remove one or more portions of one or more liquids, one or more gases and/or one or more solids from the apparatus (see Figure 2, paragraph [0037] (vacuum liquid extraction device 206) of Rogren et al); and (f) one or more of a solution flow rate mechanism configured to affect building of one or more objects (see Figure 14, paragraph [0083] (CPU 1402 communicates with print station control units 1408 to control dispensing of ink from inkjet printer heads 202) of Rogren et al). Rogren et al does not teach (e) one or more of a residual energy mechanism. Navas et al (see the entire document, in particular, paragraphs [0001], [0002] and [0008]) teaches an apparatus (see paragraph [0001] (rendering apparatus (i.e., 3D printer)) of Navas et al), including one or more of a residual energy mechanism (see paragraph [0008] (rendering apparatus recovers thermal energy for redistribution within the rendering apparatus; the apparatus redistributes heated air from a heat exchange unit; the redistributed heated air can be used to heat a printing zone and/or a processing zone) of Navas et al), and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide one or more of a residual energy mechanism in the apparatus of Rogren et al in view of Navas et al in order to reduce energy consumption (see paragraph [0002] of Navas et al).
Regarding claim 2, see paragraph [0032] (material may include ceramic, metal and organic material suspended in a liquid vehicle (i.e., pretreatment)) of Rogren et al.
Regarding claims 4, 5 and 8, see Figure 2, paragraphs [0037] (receiver 204 is moved by printer drive motor 256 using rollers (i.e., support) which move receiver 204 in the X- and Z-directions) and [0065] (X-Y positioner device; Z-positioner device) of Rogren et al.
Regarding claim 6, see Figure 17, paragraphs [0095] (I/O components 1750 capture measurements) and [0096] (I/O components 1750 include sensor components (e.g., motion components) for the 3D printer) of Rogren et al.
Regarding claim 7, see Figure 2, paragraph [0035] (receiver 204 may take the form of individual carrier plates (i.e., a plurality of carrier plates)) of Rogren et al.
Regarding claim 9, see Figure 3, paragraph [0035] (printed layer 304 atop receiver 204) of Rogren et al.
Regarding claim 14, see paragraph [0078] (materials include ceramics (e.g., iron oxides, naturally occurring ceramic pigment)) of Rogren et al.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rogren et al (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2021/0379821 A1) in combination with Navas et al (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2020/0361224 A1) as applied to claims 1, 2, 4-9 and 14 above, and further in view of Gilmer et al (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2024/0294415 A1).
Regarding claim 3, Rogren et al (in combination with Nevas et al) does not teach (1) a buffer. Gilmer et al (see the entire document, in particular, paragraphs [0029] and [0099]; Figure 1) teaches an apparatus (see Figure 1, paragraph [0029] (system for binder jet technology (i.e., 3D printing)) of Gilmer et al), including a buffer (see paragraph [0099] (ink solutions include a buffering system) of Gilmer et al), and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a buffer in the apparatus of Rogren et al (in combination with Nevas et al) in view of Gilmer et al in order to maintain the pH of the solution (see paragraph [0099] of Gilmer et al).
Claim(s) 15-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rogren et al (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2021/0379821 A1) in combination with either Kristiansen et al (WO 2021/209535 A1) or Fini et al (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2023/0323128 A1) and Navas et al (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2020/0361224 A1).
Regarding claim 15, Rogren et al (see the entire document, in particular, paragraphs [0008], [0030], [0032], [0035], [0037], [0082], [0083], [0095] and [0096]; Figures 2, 3, 14 and 17) teaches a process of making an object (see Figures 2 and 3, paragraphs [0008] (method of three-dimensional printing) and [0035] (inkjet printer heads 202 (i.e., delivery mechanism); receiver 204 (i.e., accumulation area)) of Rogren et al), including (a) adjusting one or more of a solution flow rate mechanism (see Figure 14, paragraph [0083] (CPU 1402 communicates with print station control units 1408 to control dispensing of ink from inkjet printer heads 202) of Rogren et al). Rogren et al does not teach (1) using material composed in whole or in part of sequestered carbon dioxide, or (2) using a residual energy mechanism. Kristiansen et al (see the entire document, in particular, page 2, lines 12-19; page 10, lines 20-28) teaches a process (see page 10, lines 20-28 (process of additive manufacturing (e.g., 3D printing)) of Kristiansen et al), including using material composed in whole or in part of sequestered carbon dioxide (see page 2, lines 12-19 (material (for additive manufacturing) can be produced by using material which has been obtained by carbon capture (i.e., material produced using carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide)) of Kristiansen et al). Fini et al (see the entire document, in particular, paragraphs [0003], [0005] and [0057]; Figure 6) teaches a process (see Figure 6, paragraph [0057] (3D printing process) of Fini et al), including using material composed in whole or in part of sequestered carbon dioxide (see paragraph [0005] (material (for 3D printing) is made from captured carbon dioxide) of Fini et al). Based on the disclosures of Kristiansen et al and Fini et al, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use material composed in whole or in part of sequestered carbon dioxide in the process of Rogren et al in view of either Kristiansen et al or Fini et al in order to reduce the amount of emitted carbon and reduce global carbon dioxide emissions. Navas et al (see the entire document, in particular, paragraphs [0001], [0002] and [0008]) teaches a process (see paragraph [0001] (3D printing) of Navas et al), including using a residual energy mechanism (see paragraph [0008] (rendering apparatus recovers thermal energy for redistribution within the rendering apparatus; the apparatus redistributes heated air from a heat exchange unit; the redistributed heated air can be used to heat a printing zone and/or a processing zone) of Navas et al), and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a residual energy mechanism in the process of Rogren et al in view of Navas et al in order to reduce energy consumption (see paragraph [0002] of Navas et al).
Regarding claim 16, see paragraph [0032] (material may include ceramic, metal and organic material suspended in a liquid vehicle (i.e., pretreatment)) of Rogren et al.
Regarding claims 17 and 19, see Figure 17, paragraphs [0095] (I/O components 1750 capture measurements) and [0096] (I/O components 1750 include sensor components (e.g., motion components) for the 3D printer) of Rogren et al.
Regarding claim 18, see paragraph [0030] (low-viscosity ink, including a liquid vehicle); Figures 2 and 3, paragraph [0035] (receiver 204; inkjet printer heads 202); receiver 204 may take the form of individual carrier plates (i.e., a plurality of carrier plates); and paragraph [0037] (vacuum liquid extraction device 206) of Rogren et al.
Regarding claim 20, see Figure 14, paragraph [0082] (computer system 1400 includes CPU 1402 and a design file 1406) of Rogren et al.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-13 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LEO B. TENTONI whose telephone number is (571)272-1209. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30-4:00 ET M-F.
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, Christina A. Johnson can be reached at (571)272-1176. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
LEO B. TENTONI
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1742
/LEO B TENTONI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1742