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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-8, 10-13, 15-16, 18-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Parker et al (US 2020/0016393).
Re claim 1, Parker et al disclose a method of forming a wire trap on a surface of a product (43) for holding a wire (9) (Fig 7), the method comprising:
forming a wire trap (1) by deposition onto the surface of the product such that the wire trap defines a channel (7) for holding the wire, wherein the channel comprises a channel opening and channel walls defining a channel width that varies as a function of channel depth from the channel opening to a channel base (3) of the channel (Fig 1e), the channel opening having an opening width that is smaller than a maximum channel width such that, when received in the wire trap, a wire having a diameter larger than the opening width can be held in the channel by an interference fit (Fig 1e).
re claim 2, wherein the wire trap is such that when the wire is received in the channel, the channel width above a widest part of the wire is less than a width of the widest part of the wire (Fig 1e).
re claim 3, wherein the channel walls are formed by depositing a plurality of layers of material onto the surface of the product (Fig 1e).
re claim 5, wherein forming the wire trap comprises depositing, using a fused filament fabrication technique (3d printing) [0125],[0153], a plurality of layers of filaments on the surface of the product to form the wire trap (Fig 1e).
re claim 6, wherein the channel opening is formed by a minimum spacing between opposing filaments of an upper layer of filaments (Figs 1d, 1e).
re claim 7, wherein the plurality of layers consists of two layers of filaments (Fig 1e).
Re claim 8, wherein the plurality of layers of filaments are deposited such that corresponding filaments of contacting layers are aligned (Fig 1e).
Re claim 10, wherein the channel comprises a flared opening at one or both longitudinal ends of the channel (Fig 13)
Re claim 11, comprising forming a plurality of wire traps for holding the same wire (Fig 1e).
Re claim 12, wherein forming the wire trap comprises forming the wire trap on an existing wire trap on the surface of the product (Fig 1e).
Re claim 13, depositing a polymer or adhesive into the channel for securing the wire when received in the channel [0018].
Re claim 15, wherein the method is an automated method performed by a robotic tool (Fig 6).
Re claim 16, an automated method of positioning a wire on a surface of a product, method comprising: forming a wire trap on the surface of the product using a robotic tool, a wire into the wire trap (Fig 7).
Re claim 18, wherein placing the wire into the wire trap comprises applying a downwards force to press the wire into the wire trap (Fig 7a).
Re claim 19, computer program comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the computer to perform [0110].
Re claim 20, a computer readable medium storing the computer program [0154].
Re claim 21, a robotic apparatus for functionalizing a product, the robotic apparatus comprising:
a deposition module configured to progressively deposit filaments onto a surface of a product (43) to be functionalized (Fig 7); and
a spatial manipulation system configured to allow relative movement between the product and at least a portion of the deposition module [0110];
re claim 22, a product (43) comprising a wire trap (1) for holding a wire (9), wherein the wire trap is formed by deposition onto a surface of the product, and defines a channel (7) for holding the wire, wherein the channel comprises a channel opening and channel walls defining a channel width that varies as a function of channel depth from the channel opening to a channel base (3) of the channel (Fig 1e), the channel opening having an opening width that is smaller than a maximum channel width such that, when received in the wire trap, a wire having a diameter larger than the opening width can be held in the channel by an interference fit (Fig 1e).
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Parker et al (US 2020/0016393) in view of Kazmer (US 2022/0219383).
wherein the plurality of layers comprises at least three layers of filaments, wherein filaments of one or more middle layers of filaments are offset with respect to corresponding filaments of a lower layer of filaments and an upper layer of filaments to form the maximum channel width.
Kazmer teaches the use of at least three layers of filaments, wherein filaments of one or more middle layers (4be, 4c3) of filaments are offset with respect to corresponding filaments of a lower layer of filaments and an upper layer of filaments to form the maximum channel width (Fig 4) [0120]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to include the middle layer of filament that are offset with respect to the corresponding filament for varying cell wall thickness.
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Parker et al (US 2020/0016393) in view of Espalin et al (US 2018/0079131).
The teaching as discussed above does not disclose wherein both the forming of the wire trap and the placing of the wire into the wire trap are performed by the same robotic tool.
Espalin et al teach the use of forming of the wire trap and the placing of the wire into the wire trap are performed by the same robotic tool (Fig 7). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use the same robotic tool with the device of Parker et al for simplifying manufacturing method.
Communication
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HUNG V NGO whose telephone number is (571)272-1979. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5:30 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, Imani Hayman can be reached at (571) 270-5528. 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.
/HUNG V NGO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
Prosecution Insights