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 § 112
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.
Claims 1-19 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.
Regarding claims 1 and 12, the word “essentially” renders the claims indefinite, since the word does not clearly define the boundaries of the invention. The specification does not provide a clear metric or standard what “essentially” means.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-19 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Claims are allowable at least for the reason that the prior art does not teach or reasonably suggest the lens assembly that is vertically movable relative to the powder bed; and the distance between final optics of the lens assembly and the top surface of the powder layer that is controlled to be constant by indexing the final optics according to a distance equivalent to a thickness of the powder layer as set forth in the claimed combination.
Colin et al (US 2015/0 321 255 A1) discloses an additive manufacturing system (Fig. 1) comprising
a material dispenser dispending powdered material to form a powder bed (para [0059] The roller 30 may be replaced by any other suitable laying system, such as a dispenser (or hopper) associated with a scraper blade, a knife, or a brush, suitable for transferring and spreading the powder in layers); and
a lens assembly relaying a patterned energy beam to a top surface of the powder layer (para 0060] By way of non-limiting example, the control system 50 comprises at least one steerable mirror 55 on which the laser beam 95 is reflected prior to reaching a layer of powder having each point on its surface situated at the same height relative to the focusing lens contained in the focusing system 54, the angular position of the mirror 55 being controlled by a galvanometer head so that the laser beam scans at least a region of the first powder layer, while also following a pre-established part profile).
However, Colin does not disclose the lens assembly that is vertically movable relative to the powder bed; and the distance between final optics of the lens assembly and the top surface of the powder layer that is controlled to be constant by indexing the final optics according to a distance equivalent to a thickness of the powder layer as set forth in the claimed combination.
WO 2014/020085 A2 discloses an additive manufacturing system (Fig. 1) comprising
a material dispenser (50) dispending powdered material to form a powder bed (2); and
a lens assembly (14) relaying a patterned energy beam to a top surface of the powder layer.
However, WO 2014/020085 A2 discloses a vertical movement of production plate 7 by a unit thickness of the powder layer 2, see the partial description of the prior art.
“An energy source, here a laser source 10, emits a laser beam 1 1, the orientation of which is controlled by galvanometric mirrors 12. An optical lens 14 makes it possible to focus the beam 1 1 at the level of the working zone 4 in order to heat the upper layer of the powder 2 in a precise pattern and thus selectively achieve the melting of the powder. After the treatment with the laser beam of a layer of powder, the production plate 7 is lowered by a unit thickness (corresponding to that of a layer of powder) and covered with a new layer of powder and so on in order to form, layer by layer, the part 20”
However, the prior art does not disclose the lens assembly that is vertically movable relative to the powder bed; and the distance between final optics of the lens assembly and the top surface of the powder layer that is controlled to be constant by indexing the final optics according to a distance equivalent to a thickness of the powder layer as set forth in the claimed combination.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EUNCHA P CHERRY whose telephone number is (571)272-2310. The examiner can normally be reached M to F 7am to 3:30pm.
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8/15/2026
/EUNCHA P CHERRY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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