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 .
Claims 1-17 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-9, 11, and 14-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by SONSNOWSKI (US 2021/0023785 A1).
Re: 1, SOSNOWSKI teaches of a method of processing build material powder (see powder material [0001, 0022], see Fig. 3) for binder jetting additive manufacturing (see [0009, 0022]), comprising:
receiving at a sieving station (sieve 382) a first container of second condition powder (see recovered material that enters the sieve 382, [0039]);
passing the second condition powder to a sieving unit (382) of the sieving station via a first conveyance loop (the see second conveying system 374 that conveys recovered material, [0039]);
processing the second condition powder through the sieving unit and into a second container as third condition powder (see separation, the recovered material is entered into the recover material vessel 212, [0040]);
transporting the second container of third condition powder to a feed conveyance unit (see the recovered material being sent to the associated 3D printer 300, [0040]); and
passing the third condition powder to a feed unit of a binder jetting printer (see binder, [0009, 0022]) via a second conveyance loop (see the 3D printer receiving the recovered material, [0040], see Fig. 3, and see build enclosure 370 and for the binding, [0037], and of 3D printer operations, [0001, 0022]).
Re: 3 (upon 1) wherein feed conveyance station is configured to receive a plurality of containers (SOSNOWSKI: of plurality of vessels, see 212, 202, 208, Fig. 3).
Re: 4 (upon 1) further comprising: prior to the receiving at the sieve station the first container of second condition powder, providing the first container containing a first condition powder (SOSNOWSKI: see vessels 202, 208 that provide the powders) to a curing station (SOSNOWSKI: see build enclosure 370); and curing the first condition powder to second condition powder (see binding and fabrication [0001] via 3D printing).
Re: 5 (upon 1) wherein the feed conveyance unit is configured to receive three containers of build material powder, each in a dispensing orientation. (see Fig. 3, of SOSNOWSKi, of the vessels 202, 208, 212, regarding receiving an orientation of receiving from the top, weight sensors provided to the vessels, 304, 308, 324, and of the dispense orientation via the bottom from the feeders 204, 210, 214).
Re: 6 (upon 5) wherein the feed conveyance unit is configured to feed build material powder from two or more of the three containers simultaneously (SOSNOWSKI: see vessels, containers 202, 208, 212, Fig. 3 that feed to the build enclosure, see dispense vessel which can be seen as the feed conveyance unit).
Re: 7 (upon 5) wherein the feed conveyance unit includes at least one weight sensor associated with each of the three containers. (SOSNOWSKI: see weight sensor 304, 308, 324 that are associated to a vessel, can be applied to each of the vessels/containers, Fig. 3).
Re: 8 (upon 7) wherein the feed conveyance unit is configured to determine from sensor data from the weight sensors a level of build material powder in each of the three containers (SOSNOWSKI: see weight sensor 304, 308, 324 that are associated to a vessel, can be applied to each of the vessels, Fig. 3).
Re: 9 (upon 4) wherein at least a portion of the first condition powder is received from an overflow conveyance unit . (SOSNOWSKI: see alternate vessel 346 that receive diverted material in the flow/loop and acts as the overflow conveyance unit, and can include a portion of the first condition powder in the loop, see Fig. 3)
Re: 11, SOSNOWSKI teaches of a system for processing build material powder (see powder material [0001, 0022]) for binder jetting additive manufacturing (see [0009, 0022]), comprising:
a curing station (see 3D printer build enclosure 370) configured to receive and process a first container of first condition powder to convert the first condition powder to a second condition (see build enclosure 370 and for the binding, [0037], and of 3D printer operations that would include curing from the different types listed [0001, 0022]);
a sieve station (382) configured to receive the first container of build material powder from the curing station (see 374) and sieve the build material powder from the second condition to a third condition and into a second container (recovered vessel 212); and
a feed conveyance station configured to receive the second container and convey the third condition powder to a feed unit of a binder jetting printer through a second inert conveyance loop (see loop 216 back to feed, see Fig. 3).
Re: 14 (upon 11) wherein the feed conveyance station is configured to receive three containers in a triangular configuration. (similar to claim 3, though lacking about triangular configuration) (SOSNOWSKI: of plurality of vessels, see 212, 202, 208, Fig. 3).
Re: 15 (upon 12) wherein the feed conveyance station is configured to mix powder from two or more of the three containers. (see powders from 202, 208, 212, that are mixed together at dispense vessel 332, see Fig. 3)
Re: 16 (upon 13) wherein the sieve station is configured to mix powder from two or more of three containers. (SOSNOWSKI: teaches of sieve station 384 that includes powder coming from vessels 202, 208, in the loop, see Fig. 3)
Re: 17 (upon 13) wherein the first container, second container and third container each have a receive orientation and a dispense orientation. (see Fig. 3, of SOSNOWSKi, of the vessels 202, 208, 212, regarding receiving an orientation of receiving from the top, weight sensors provided to the vessels, 304, 308, 324, and of the dispense orientation via the bottom from the feeders 204, 210, 214).
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.
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.
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) 2, 12, and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SOSNOWSKI as applied to claims 1 and 11 above, and further in view of SINGH (US 2022/0395863 A1).
Re: 2 (upon 1) wherein at least one of the first conveyance loop and the second conveyance loops is inerted.
Re: 12 (upon 11) wherein at least one of the first conveyance loop and second conveyance loop is inerted. (similar to claim 2)
Re: 13 (upon 11) further comprising an overflow conveyance station configured to receive an amount of fourth condition powder from the binder jetting printer through a third inert conveyance loop and into a third container. (SOSNOWSKI: see alternate vessel 346 that receive diverted material in the flow/loop and acts as the overflow conveyance unit, and can include a portion of the fourth condition powder from the printer in the conveyance loop 396, see Fig. 3, to a third container, see recycle vessel 208).
Re: 2, 12, and 13, SOSNOWSKI does not specifically teach of “inerted” or “inert” for the loop.
In this regards, the teaching in SINGH for a sieve system [0152] for powders for 3D printers [0164], in a powder conveyance cycle includes having the system inert gas purged, so as to help preserve powders that may be susceptible to oxidation and moisture, see [0168]. In this regards, having the conveyances ‘inerted’ via introduction of inert gas to purge the lines is known particularly for powder materials that are being processed.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the conveyance loops of SOSNOWSKI with the inert as taught by SINGH via purging as it would help preserve powders that may be susceptible to oxidation and moisture.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SOSNOWSKI as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of DAVIDSON (US 2008/0006958 A1).
Re: 10 (upon 1) wherein at least a portion of the second condition powder is received from a de-powdering station.
The SOSNOWSKI reference does not further of de-powdering station.
Wherein, this is a known post processing feature for removing excess powder from the formed product. Further, as seen in DAVIDSON in the 3D printing arts, the excess powder from the part is collected from the de-powdering chamber 190 and is provided back in for recycling, see [0076], which would result in the claimed second condition powder which is brought back to be recycled into the process.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have further modified SOSNOWSKI with a de-powdering station as taught by DAVIDSON, as it allows for removal of loose powder from the formed part and for the excess powder to be recycled.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See attached PTO-892 form, of particular note:
US 20210146622 [0049] mentions sieving virgin metal powder for binder jetting ([0038]).
US 20220274180 [0056] mentions sieving virgin metal powder in binder jetting ([0115]) methods.
US 20220288676 [0125] sieve stack, [0247-0248] recycling/reusing powders, and filter of powder 730, see Fig. 37. [0291] sieving efficiency for sieving step with mesh. [0345] sieves for powder of different sizes.
US 20220274180 teaches of powder management and includes recycled powders and includes sifting of the powders with sieves.
WO 2019022762A1 teaches of control of powder material that is fed, and wherein the material vessels include weight sensors 320, 324.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EMMANUEL S LUK whose telephone number is (571)272-1134. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9 to 5.
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, Xiao S Zhao can be reached at 571-270-5343. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EMMANUEL S LUK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1744