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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-7 and 9-13, in the reply filed on 06/29/2026 is acknowledged.
Claim 8 is withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 06/29/2026.
Claim Interpretation
The examined claims are directed to an apparatus/device. The examiner notes that recitations directed toward a manner of operating a device do not differentiate apparatus claims from the prior art. MPEP 2114 (II). Furthermore, materials or articles worked upon by an apparatus in its intended use (in this case, particular compositions of or materials included in a core liquid, main liquid, and/or sheath fluid) do not impart patentability to the apparatus claims. MPEP 2115.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-7 and 9-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Visser et al., US 20200298563 A1.
Regarding claim 1, Visser discloses a gel fiber manufacturing apparatus (device, [0024], comprising a liquid providing device having coaxially arranged device openings, [0037], capable of making fibers via solidification of one of the liquids, [0069], solidification being via gelation, [0067], for providing fibers, [0085]-[0086]) comprising:
A first ejection portion (inner opening of nozzle, [0037]) configured to eject a main liquid (for providing second liquid material, [0037]) containing a core liquid (second liquid material provided to the inner area, [0037], thus forming a core of a core-shell material, e.g., [0069], [0109]-[0110], [0113]);
A second ejection portion (outer opening of nozzle, [0037]) provided to surround a radially outer side of the first ejection portion (coaxial and outer to the inner opening, [0037]) and configured to eject a sheath fluid (for providing first liquid material, [0037]) that hardens the core liquid (the first and second liquids coalesce upon contact, [0037], solidification by gelation, [0067], one liquid being configured to interact with the other so that solidification is provided, [0113], [0145], [0176]); and
A sheath fluid supply portion (first liquid transport system including container, liquid transporter, [0026], actuation device, [0053]) configured to alternately apply to the sheath fluid a constant pressure and a high pressure to supply the sheath fluid to the second ejection portion (including a modulating actuator that directly induces a fluctuating pressure on the liquid material, [0052]-[0054], [0057], i.e., a higher and lower pressure), the high pressure being higher than the constant pressure (fluctuating pressure, [0053], i.e., higher and lower pressure; note that the present specification describes that the constant pressure does not mean a pressure that is strictly constant in [0064]).
Regarding claim 2, Visser discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sheath fluid supply portion applies the high pressure in a pulse waveform to the sheath fluid (note that the claims are directed to an apparatus and thus require at most the capability of performing the claimed function; Visser discloses vibration at a selected frequency for the modulation, [0054]-[0055], i.e., sequential pulses over time).
Regarding claim 3, Visser discloses the apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a main liquid supply portion (second liquid transport system including container, liquid transporter, [0026]) configured to supply the main liquid at a pressure constantly to the first ejection portion (configured to provide a liquid jet, [0026], thus capable of supplying the liquid at a pressure constantly).
Regarding claims 4-5, Visser discloses the apparatus of claim 1. As indicated above, the inclusion of particular materials in the liquids which the apparatus is configured to eject does not impart patentability to the apparatus claims. Still, Visser discloses the first and second liquids including an alginate and calcium chloride (e.g., [0108], [0117], [0176]), such that the apparatus was capable of ejecting materials as claimed, such as alginic acid and/or a chemically modified alginic acid and a polyvalent metal ion. The prior art materials are in line with those exemplified in the filed specification (e.g., [0045]).
Regarding claim 6, Visser discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first ejection portion has a main liquid nozzle (inner opening of nozzle, [0037]) configured to eject the main liquid (for providing second liquid material, [0037]), and the second ejection portion has a sheath fluid nozzle (outer opening of nozzle, [0037]) surrounding a radially outer side of the main liquid nozzle (coaxial and outer to the inner opening, [0037]) and configured to eject the sheath fluid (for providing first liquid material, [0037]).
Regarding claim 7, Visser discloses the apparatus of claim 1. As indicated above, the inclusion of particular materials in the liquids which the apparatus is configured to eject does not impart patentability to the apparatus claims. Still, Visser discloses that at least one of the liquid materials may comprise biological cell material for encapsulation of the cells ([0098]), such that the apparatus is capable of ejecting a main liquid containing a cell and/or compound.
Regarding claim 9, Visser discloses the apparatus of claim 2, and further discloses the remaining limitations as set forth above for claim 3.
Regarding claims 10-11, Visser discloses the apparatus of claim 2, and further discloses the remaining limitations as set forth above for claims 4-5.
Regarding claim 12, Visser discloses the apparatus of claim 2, and further discloses the remaining limitations as set forth above for claim 6.
Regarding claim 13, Visser discloses the apparatus of claim 2, and further discloses the remaining limitations as set forth above for claim 7.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 20140027952 A1, Fan et al. disclose a relevant configuration for coaxial ejection of core-sheath materials.
US 20210114276 A1, Nelson et al. disclose a relevant configuration for coaxial extrusion of inner and outer hydrogel materials and teach variation of extrusion pressure to influence dimensions and geometry of the coaxial filament produced.
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/J.L.G./Examiner, Art Unit 1754
/FARAH TAUFIQ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1754
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