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, 3-7, 9, 10, 12, 15, 17, and 21) in the reply filed on 06/17/2026 is acknowledged.
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:
Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1, 3-7, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17, and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xaar ED LTD (GB 2593884 A, as provided by the Applicant’s IDS; herein after “Xaar”) in view of Huwei Tech Co LTD (CN 1 852 648 A, as also provided by the Applicant’s IDS).
Regarding claim 1, Xaar teach an apparatus for the formation of 3D objects by additive manufacturing (Figs. 1-2B), the apparatus comprising:
a process chamber (Fig. 1-2B item 4) within which the 3D objects are formed during use, wherein, during object formation, the process chamber comprises gas at a temperature higher than gas in an environment external to the process chamber (pages 3 lines 8 to page 16 lines 20);
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Figs. 1 and 2A and 2B taken from Xaar showing similar system of powder bed including gas extraction duct.
a gas extraction duct (Figs 1- 2B item 70) configured to guide gas out of the process chamber (Fig 1-2A); and a controller (90) (Fig. 1 item 90) ;
wherein the gas extraction duct comprises:
a main duct (Fig. 1-2a, item 74-main duct) having an extraction opening connectable to an extraction source (Fig 1-2A item 100) and an inflow opening (Fig 1-2A item 73) configured to draw in gas from an environment exterior to the process chamber;
a secondary duct (76; Fig. 2A) having an inlet opening (77; Fig 2A) connected to a process chamber outlet and an outlet opening (75; Fig 2A) coupled to the main duct (Fig. 1-2a, item 74-main duct) between the extraction opening and the inflow opening; and
one or more temperature sensors (see pages 16 lines 11 to page 21, lines 10) thermally coupled to the interior of the gas extraction duct (Figs 8A and 9), and arranged to measure, directly or indirectly, temperature of gas flow at one or more locations within the gas extraction duct;
the one or more temperature sensors comprising at least one of:
an extraction temperature sensor (92_1 and 92_2 as shown in Fig 8A and 9 -see below) arranged at a location at, or between, the extraction opening of the main duct (Fig. 1-2a, item 74-main duct) and the outlet opening of the secondary duct; and
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a main duct (Fig. 1-2a, item 74-main duct) temperature sensor arranged to sense temperature of gas within the main duct (74) (see pages 16 lines 11 to page 21 lines 10), and wherein, in use, the controller (90) is configured to determine, based on the measured temperature, whether a gas flow rate applied by the extraction source is within a predefined range (see pages 18 lines 15 to page 19 lines 15).
However, Xaar fail to teach a heater arranged to provide a baseline temperature to the main (74) temperature sensor as claimed.
In the same field of endeavor, pertaining to temperature and controls, Huwei Tech discloses a heater arranged to provide a baseline temperature to the main duct temperature sensor as claimed (see Figs. 1-4 item 25 and page 9, last paragraph to page 10 last paragraph). It would have been obvious to one ordinary skilled in the art at the time of the effective filing of the instant application to modify an apparatus taught by Xaar with further incorporating a heater, as suggested by Huwei Tech, for the benefit of efficiently controlling the temperature of a cabinet (system), thereby maintaining energy, relative humidity, and ensuring reliable heat dissipation of the equipment (see abstract).
Claim 2 (canceled).
As for claim 3, Xaar teach further teach comprising the extraction temperature sensor (see 92_1 and 92_2 as shown in Fig 8A and 9), wherein the controller (90) is configured to determine, or to receive an indication, that the process chamber environment is at a target operational temperature; and upon the determination or indication that the process chamber environment is at the target operational temperature, to compare a temperature measured by the extraction temperature sensor to a range of predetermined temperatures indicating an allowable range of flow rates (see page 18 lines 1 to page 21 lines 20).
As for claim 4, Xaar teach further teach an inflow temperature sensor arranged at or adjacent the inflow opening of the main duct (Fig. 1-2a, item 74-main duct) (page 18 lines 15 to page 21 lines 20 discloses use of one or more sensors; Figs. 8A and 9), wherein the inflow temperature sensor is mounted to a surface of the main duct (Fig. 1-2a, item 74-main duct) wall, and wherein the controller (90) is configured to monitor the measured temperature by the inflow temperature sensor (page 18 lines 15 to page 21 lines 20), compare the measured temperature to a predefined threshold temperature, and, based upon determining that the measured temperature exceeds a predefined threshold, to generate an alert that the extraction flow rate is not sufficient and optionally to discontinue operation of the apparatus ( page 18 lines 15 to page 21 lines 20).
As for claims 5-6, Xaar provides suggestion for having the controller (90) is capable of receiving an indication, that the temperature of the process chamber environment is below a predefined operational target temperature; and, upon the determination or indication that the temperature of the process chamber environment is below the predefined operational target temperature, to compare the temperatures measured by the extraction temperature sensor and the inflow temperature sensor to determine an operational state of the extraction source (see page 18 lines 15 to page 21 lines 20); the extraction temperature sensor ( 92_1 and 92_2 as shown in Fig 8A and 9) arranged at a location at or adjacent to the extraction opening of the main duct (Fig. 1-2a, item 74-main duct); wherein the controller (90) is configured to determine, or to receive an indication, that the process chamber temperature is below a predefined operational target temperature (see page 19 lines 1-30) ; and, upon the determination or indication that the process chamber temperature is below the predefined operational target temperature, to compare the temperature measured by the extraction temperature sensor against the temperature measured by the inflow temperature sensor to determine an operational state of the extraction source (see page 16 lines 30 to page 21 lines 30); and upon determining that the temperature measured by the extraction temperature sensor is lower than a temperature measured by the inflow temperature sensor, to generate an alert (“failure signal”) indicating that the flow of extraction is insufficient; or, upon determining, by comparing the ratio of temperature measured by the extraction temperature sensor and the inflow temperature sensor to a predetermined range of ratios, that an extraction flow rate is too low, to generate an alert indicating that the flow of extraction is insufficient and, optionally, to discontinue operation of the apparatus (see page 16 lines 20 to page 21 lines 30).
As for claims 7 and 9, Xaar teaches comprising the main duct (Fig. 1-2a, item 74-main duct) temperature sensor (see Figs 8A and 9, pages 16 line 1 to page 21 lines 10), fails to teach a heater, wherein the heater is operable to provide to the main duct temperature sensor a baseline temperature above an ambient temperature outside the inflow opening as noted above and the heater is mounted between the main duct temperature sensor and the internal surface or adjacent to and thermally coupled to the main duct temperature sensor; or - the main duct temperature sensor is mounted to an external surface of a thermally conductive wall portion of the main duct, between the heater and the external surface, or adjacent to and thermally coupled to the heater as claimed. It is provided above that Huwei Tech discloses a heater arranged to provide a baseline temperature to the main duct temperature sensor as claimed (see Figs. 1-4 item 25 and page 9, last paragraph to page 10 last paragraph).
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skilled in the art at the time of the effective filing of the instant application to modify an apparatus taught by Xaar with further incorporating a heater, as suggested by Huwei Tech, for the benefit of efficiently controlling the temperature of a cabinet (system), thereby maintaining energy, relative humidity, and ensuring reliable heat dissipation of the equipment (see abstract).
Remainder limitation of claim 9, pertaining to wherein the controller is configured to compare the temperature measured by the main duct temperature sensor to the baseline temperature, and either: upon determining that the measured temperature is equal to or higher than the baseline temperature, to generate an alert that the extraction flow rate is not present or insufficient; or upon determining that the measured temperature is lower than the baseline temperature, to monitor temperature measured by the extraction temperature sensor and to compare the measured extraction temperature to a predetermined model of extraction flow rate versus measured extraction temperature, and, upon determining that the measured extraction temperature indicates an extraction flow rate outside a target range of extraction flow rates, to generate an alert indicating that the extraction flow rate requires adjustment are obvious over Xaar (see pages 16 lines 1 to page 21 lines 30).
As for claims 10 and 12, Xaar in view of Huwei Tech provides suggestion for a process chamber temperature sensor located at or adjacent the process chamber outlet or located within the process chamber, wherein the process chamber temperature sensor is configured to detect a temperature of gas within the process chamber; and wherein the controller (90) is configured to determine whether the process chamber temperature is below or at the predefined operational target temperature by comparing the temperature measured by the process chamber temperature sensor to the predefined operational target temperature, and optionally wherein the controller (90) is further configured to determine an extraction flow rate based on the temperature measured by the extraction temperature sensor and the process chamber temperature sensor (see Xaar page 16 lines 1 to page 20 lines 30; and Huwei Tech Fig. 4 item a and c, step 108 and 110, and Fig. 6)…as also provided in claim 1.
As for claims 14-15, Xaar in view of Huwei Tech further discloses wherein the process chamber outlet is comprised within a ceiling of the process chamber (Fig 1-2B, 4 and 9), wherein the process chamber outlet comprises a first process chamber outlet and a second process chamber outlet facing either side of a process area arranged within the floor of the process chamber, and wherein the outlet opening of the secondary duct (76) is in fluid communication with the first and second process chamber outlets via a first secondary duct and a second secondary duct (see Figs. 1-2B, 4, and 9), respectively, optionally wherein the first and second secondary ducts each comprise a flow control device (Fig. 1-4, item 80-fan); wherein the outlet opening comprises a first outlet opening and a second outlet opening, and wherein the first and second secondary ducts respectively comprise the first and second outlet openings, and/or wherein: the apparatus comprises the extract temperature sensor and the main duct temperature sensor and the heater (as provided by Huwei Tech), the first and second secondary ducts are combined at a combined portion of the secondary duct, the outlet opening is the outlet of the combined portion, and the combined portion comprises a flow control device (see Fig. 9 item 77_1, 77_2 as respective secondary inlets; page 22 lines 15 page 24 lines 30, additionally see page 16 lines 1 to page 21 lines 20).
As for claims 17 and 21, Xaar further discloses wherein the secondary duct comprises one or more flow control devices (Figs. 1-9 item 80-fan); wherein the controller (90) is configured to compare the measured temperature to a predetermined range of temperatures, the predetermined range of temperatures indicating a range of sufficient flow rates (see page 16 lines 1 to page 21 lines 20).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 2025/0312852 A1; US 2024/0342799 A1; US 2024/0058737 A1; US 2023/0142837 A1; US 2020/0061655 A1 are all related to flow directing system including input of air and output.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Galen Hauth can be reached at 571-270-5516. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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NAHIDA SULTANA
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1743
/NAHIDA SULTANA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1743
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