DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Preliminary Amendment
2. The preliminary amendment filed on 11/12/2024 has been entered.
Specification
3. The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because of legal language “comprising” throughout the abstract. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. Further, the abstract should be generally limited to a single paragraph within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. See MPEP § 608.01(b). Appropriate correction is required.
Specification
4. The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: there are no section headings. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
5. 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.
6. Claims 1-21 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.
The claims are replete with informalities, too numerous to mention specifically and failing to conform with U.S. Patent Office practice. The following noted informalities are merely exemplary thereof. The claims should be revised to conform to U. S. Patent Office practice. Applicants are advised to completely review the claims for errors as the following is not intended to cover all errors.
I- Claim 1 is indefinite because “the change system” (line 4) and “the dosing system” (line 4-5) lack proper antecedent basis
II- In claim 1, “a dosing head” (line 6) is positively recited for a second time. This renders the claim confusing as it raises issues of double inclusion.
III- Regarding claim 2, the phrase "preferably" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase is part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
IV- Regarding claim 3, the numerous uses of the phrases "preferably" render the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrases are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
V- Regarding claim 4, the phrase "in particular" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase is part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
VI- Regarding claim 5, the phrase "in particular" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase is part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
VII- Regarding claim 6, the phrase "in particular" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase is part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
VIII- Regarding claim 7, the phrase "in particular" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase is part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
IX- Regarding claim 11, the phrase "preferably" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase is part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
X- The term "substantially" in claim 13 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term "substantially" is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of "substantially linearly" is not clear.
XI- Regarding claim 15, the phrase "preferably" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase is part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
XII- Regarding claim 16, the phrase "in particular" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase is part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
XIII- Regarding claim 17, the phrase "preferably" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase is part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
XIV- Regarding claim 18, the phrase "preferably" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase is part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
XV- Regarding claim 20, the phrase "in particular" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase is part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
XVI- Regarding claim 21, the numerous uses of the phrases "preferably", “in particular” and “optional” render the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrases are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
XVII- Claim 21 is indefinite because “the automated coupling” lacks proper antecedent basis.
XVIII- In claim 5, lines 1 and 2, “a dosing installation” are positively recited for a second time. This renders the claims confusing as it raises issues of double inclusion.
XIX- In claim 6, lines 1 and 2, “a dosing installation” are positively recited for a second time. This renders the claims confusing as it raises issues of double inclusion.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
7. 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.
8. Claims 1, 5-7, 20-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tomuta et al. 10,525,603.
Tomuta et al. disclose dosing installation (105), which comprises at least one dosing device (102), which dosing device (102) has at least one dosing system (120) comprising at least one dosing head (300) for dispensing a dosing material and at least one change system (200) assigned to the dosing device, wherein the dosing device and/or the change system and/or the dosing system are designed and can be controlled by a control device (148) in such a way that, in order to form a dosing head (300), at least one first dosing head component (127) can be detachably coupled to at least one second dosing head component (126) in an automated process via the change system as seen in Figure 1.
(200, 130, 148); for a dosing installation (1), in particular for a dosing installation (1) according to claim lone of the preceding claims 1 to 4, wherein the dosing installation (1) has at least one dosing device (2) with at least one dosing system (3), which dosing system (3) has at least one dosing head (5), wherein the change system (6, 6') is designed and can be controlled by a control device (7) such that in order to form a dosing head (5), at least one first dosing head component (A) can be detachably coupled toat least one second dosing head component (B) via the change system (6, 6') in an automated process.
6. (Currently Amended) Dosing device (2) for a dosing installation (1), in particular for a dosing installation (1) according to claim lone of the preceding claims 1 to 4, wherein the dosing device (2) has at least one dosing system (3) with at least one dosing head (5) and wherein the dosing device (2) is designed and can be controlled by a control device (7) such that to form a dosing head (5), at least one first dosing head component (A) can be detachably coupled to at least one second dosing head component (B) in an automated process via a change system (6, 6') of the dosing installation (1).
7. (Currently Amended) Dosing head (5) for a dosing system (3), in particular for a dosing installation (1) according to claim lone of the preceding claims 1 to 4, which dosing head (5) has at least an actuator unit (20) and a fluidic unit (70) detachably coupled thereto, and - wherein at least one first dosing head component (A) is assigned a first interface part (13, 13', 13") of an interface (12),- wherein at least one second dosing head component (B) is assigned a second interface part (14, 14', 14") of the interface (12),- wherein the first interface part (13, 13', 13") and/or the second interface part (14, 14', 14") are designed to detachably couple the first dosing head component (A) to the second dosing head component (B) in an automated process to form the dosing head (5) and - wherein the first dosing head component (A) has a coupling region (50) which is designed to interact with a change system (6, 6') at least temporarily assigned to the dosing head (5) for coupling the dosing head components (A, B) in the automated process.
8. (Original) Dosing head according to claim 7, wherein a first dosing head component (A) comprises at least one of the following elements:- a fluidic unit (70),- a fluidic base body (70'),- a nozzle (72), - a nozzle base body (71), - a nozzle element (76, 111 , 111'), - a dosing material supply (130), and/or wherein a second dosing head component (B) comprises at least one of the following elements:- an actuator unit (20),- a fluidic unit (70),- a fluidic base body (70'), - a nozzle base body (71).
9. (Currently Amended) Dosing head according to claim 7[[ or 8]], wherein the first interface part (13) assigned to the first dosing head component (A) and/or the second interface part (14) assigned to the second dosing head component (B) is formed in several parts.
10. (Currently Amended) Dosing head according to claim 7one of the preceding claims 7 to 9,- wherein the first interface part (13) is assigned to the fluidic unit (70) and/or - wherein the first interface part (13) has a supply coupling element (15) for forming a supply coupling (10), wherein the supply coupling element (15) is designed to couple at least one supply line (82, 83) of the fluidic unit (70) to a supply device (2) during operation of the dosing head (5) and/or wherein the supply coupling element (15) comprises a closing mechanism which is designed to close at least one supply line (82) leading to the fluidic unit (70) in a gas-tight and/or liquid-tight manner and/or - wherein the first interface part (13) has a first functional coupling element (16) and wherein a second interface part (14) with a second functional coupling element (19) is assigned to the actuator unit (20) to form a functional coupling (11), and wherein the first interface part (13) and/or the second interface part (14) are designed to detachably couple the fluidic unit (70) to the actuator unit (20) via an interaction between the first and the secondfunctional coupling element (16, 19).
11. (Original) Dosing head according to claim 10, wherein the functional coupling element (16) of the first interface part (13) has a first plug-in coupling part (91) and the functional coupling element (19) of the second interface part (14) has a second plug-in coupling part (92), wherein the first plug-in coupling part (91) and the second plug-in coupling part (92) can be plugged into one another along a plug-in axis (S) and coupled to one another integrally for coupling the fluidic unit (70) to the actuator unit (20), and wherein for coupling at least one first latching element (93, 93', 93 93"") is arranged on the first plug-in coupling part (91) and/or at least one second latching element (94, 94', 94", 94"', 94"") is arranged on the second plug-in coupling part (92), wherein preferably the fluidic unit (70) can be coupled to the actuator unit (20) under at least two rotational positions around the plug-in axis (S) via a coupling region (50) for the change system (6).
12. (Original) Dosing head according to claim 11, wherein the first plug-in coupling part (91) and/or the second plug-in coupling part (92), preferably at least the second plug-in coupling part (92), has an automatically movable locking mechanism (107, 107', 107") and wherein the locking mechanism (107, 107', 107") is designed to move at least one latching element (94, 94', 94"', 94"") in a plug-in coupling part (92) relative to an associated latching element (93, 93', 93"', 93"") in the respective other plug-in coupling part (91) for coupling the fluidic unit (70) to the actuator unit (20).
13. (Original) Dosing head according to claim 12, wherein the locking mechanism (107) is designed to move a first latching element and/or a second latching element (94) substantially linearly in at least one direction and/or wherein the locking mechanism (107') is designed to move a first latching element and/or a second latching element (94') at least in sections along a circular path and/or wherein the locking mechanism (107, 107', 107") has at least one controllable actuator (109, 109', 109") for moving at least one latching element (94, 94', 94"', 94"").
14. (Currently Amended) Dosing head according to claim 7one of the preceding claims 7 to 13, wherein a first interface part (13') with a first functional coupling element (16') is assigned to the nozzle (72) of the dosing head (5) and wherein a second interface part (14') with a second functional coupling element (19') is assigned to the fluidic base body (70') and/or the nozzle (72), and wherein the first interface part (13') and/or the second interface part (14') are designed to detachably couple at least one nozzle element (72, 76, 111, 111') to the actuator unit (20) and/or to the fluidic base body (70') and/or to the nozzle (72) via an interaction between the first and the second functional coupling element (16', 19').
15. (Original) Dosing head according to claim 14, wherein the functional coupling element (16') of the first interface part (13') has a first plug-in coupling part (91') and the functional coupling element (19') of the second interface part (14') has a second plug-in coupling part (92'), wherein the first plug-in coupling part (91') and the second plug-in coupling part (92') can be plugged into one another along a plug-in axis (S) and coupled to one another integrally for coupling at least one nozzle element (72) to the fluidic base body (70'), and wherein for coupling at least one first latching element (93*) on the first plug-in coupling part (91') and/or at least one second latching element (94*) is arranged on the second plug-in coupling part (92'), wherein preferably the first plug-in coupling part (91') can be coupled to the second plug-in coupling part (92') under at least two rotational positions around the plug-in axis (S) via a coupling region (50) for the change system (6).
16. (Currently Amended) Dosing head according to claim 14[[ or 15]], wherein the nozzle element (111, 111') comprises a nozzle aperture (111, 111') and wherein the nozzle aperture (111, 111') can be introduced into the nozzle (72) in an automated process by means of an aperture change system (6') which is designed as a component of a change system (6), wherein an introduction direction (ER) of the nozzle aperture (111, 111') into the nozzle (72) via the aperture change system (6') is transverse to an ejection direction (SR) of dosing material, in particular transverse to an ejection movement direction (SR) of an ejection element (40).
17. (Original) Dosing head according to claim 16, wherein the aperture change system (6') is preferably detachably connected to the fluidic unit (70) and/or to the actuator unit (20) and/or to a dosing device (2), and/or wherein the aperture change system (6') has an automatically movable locking mechanism (107"") which is designed to introduce a nozzle aperture (111, 111'), preferably by means of a linear movement and/or along a circular path, into the nozzle (72), wherein at least a first functional coupling element and/or a second functional coupling element has a sliding seal (114).
18. (Currently Amended) Dosing head according to claim 16[[ or 17]], wherein the aperture change system (6') has a nozzle aperture magazine (113, 113') for at least one nozzle aperture (111, 111'), preferably for a plurality of nozzle apertures (111, 111'), wherein preferably at least two nozzle apertures (111, 111') have different designs, and wherein the aperture change system (6') can be controlled and is designed to introduce a specific nozzle aperture (111, 111'), in particular with a specific nozzle aperture opening (112, 112'), into the nozzle (72).
19. (Currently Amended) Dosing head according to claim 7one of the preceding claims 7 to 18, wherein a first interface part with at least one first functional coupling element is assigned to a dosing material supply (130) and wherein a second interface part with a second functional coupling element is assigned to the fluidic unit (70), and wherein the first interface part and/or the second interface part are designed to detachably couple at least the dosing material supply (130) to the fluidic unit (70) via an interaction between the first and the second functional coupling element.
20. (Currently Amended) Dosing system (3) for a dosing device (2) of a dosing installation (1), in particular for a dosing installation (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4,wherein the dosing system (3) has at least one dosing head (5), in particular a dosing head (5) according to claim 7one of the preceding Claims 7 to 19, wherein the dosing system (3) is designed and can be controlled by a control device (7) such that, in order to form the dosinghead (5) of the dosing system (3), at least one first dosing head component (A) can be detachably coupled to at least one second dosing head component (B) in an automated process via a change system (6, 6') of the dosing installation (1).
21. (Currently Amended) Method for the automated coupling of at least a first dosing head component (A) with a second dosing head component (B) to form a dosing head (5) of a dosing system (3), preferably a dosing system (3) for a dosing installation (1) according to claim lone of the preceding Claims 1 to 4, wherein the automated coupling preferably comprises at least one change of a dosing head component (A) and/or takes place during operation of a dosing installation (1), wherein the method comprises at least the following steps:- providing at least one first dosing head component (A) to which a first interface part (13, 13', 13") is assigned, preferably by means of a change system (6, 6'),- bringing together, using the change system (6, 6'), the first interface part (13, 13', 13"), which is assigned to the first dosing head component (A), with a second interface part (14, 14', 14"), which is assigned to a second dosing head component (B), to form an interface (12),- engaging at least one interface element (10, 11) of the interface (12), preferably by means of a control device (7), in order to detachably couple the first dosing head component (A) via the first interface part (13, 13', 13") to the second interface part (14, 14', 14") of the second dosing head component (B) to form the dosing head (5),- optional adjustment of an actuator (24) of an actuator unit (20) such that in a defined operating state of the actuator (24), in particular in a deflected operating state, a certain contact force of an ejection element (40) in a nozzle (72) is generated by the actuator (24), wherein the adjustment process is preferably controlled by means of a control device (7).
Allowable Subject Matter
8. Claims 2-4, 8-19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
9. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
10. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FREDERICK C NICOLAS whose telephone number is (571)272-4931. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 8:00 AM -:4:00 PM.
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/FREDERICK C NICOLAS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3754
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