DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 1-20 are presented for examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/30/24 was considered by the examiner. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
4. 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.
5. Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ishikawa et al. (Ishikawa), US publication no. 2019/0047226 A1.
As per claim 1, Ishikawa teaches an additive manufacturing method comprising:
monitoring a temperature of a portion of a layer during an additive manufacturing operation as a heat source passes across the portion of the layer [spectrophotometer measures the temperature of the feed material while it is cooling from being irradiated, para 12, 65]; and
determining a cooling rate of the portion of the layer, wherein the cooling rate is based on the monitored temperature [controller can determine the cooling rate after the region was irradiated, since the spectrophotometer is measuring the temperature of the feed material after it was irradiated, para. 61 and 65; and the scan pattern for the beam spot can be adjusted to reduce the rate of heat transfer from the region 130, para. 79; where if a controller is capable of controlling a rate of heat transfer, it is also capable of controlling the rate of cooling].
Ishikawa teaches:
[0061] In some examples, the melt pool monitor 110 includes infrared filters, magnification lens, and a highspeed camera that is temperature calibrated to measure
temperatures in the region 152. From the imagery captured by the melt pool monitor 110, the controller 119 can distinguish between fused feed material, unfused feed material, and melted feed material. The measurements by the melt pool monitor 110 can also be indicative of other properties of the feed material, such as, a cooling rate of the feed material, a rate of crystallization of the feed material, or other material properties of the feed material. The distribution of temperatures within the region 152 is indicative of whether a portion of feed material is fused, unfused, or melted. For example, to determine which portion of the feed material constitutes the melted feed material, the temperatures measured by the melt pool monitor 110 are compared
to a predefined threshold. Portions of the feed material having temperatures above the predefined threshold are melted and thus constitute the melt pool 153.
[0065] Referring back to FIG. 2, the spectrophotometer 112 measures properties of the feed material in a region 154 of the feed material. The spectrophotometer 112 is an
infrared spectrophotometer that emits an infrared light toward a portion of the feed material to detect a spectral response of the portion of the feed material to the emitted
infrared light. Measurements taken by the spectrophotometer 112 are indicative of a temperature of the portion of the feed material while the portion of the feed material is
cooling from its previous impingement by the beam of the energy 132. As the feed material in the region 154 cools, optical wavelengths detectable by the spectrophotometer 112 vary. The detected wavelengths are indicative of the
temperature of the feed material in the region 154.
[0079] In some implementations, a temperature at a location outside of the region 130 is greater than or less than a desired temperature at the location. Because the beam spot 139 can generate temperature increases at locations outside of the region 130, a scan pattern of the beam of energy 132 is adjustable to influence the temperature of portions of the topmost layer 104 outside of the region 130. For example, a hatch spacing of the scan pattern, e.g., a distance between parallel paths of the scan pattern, can be increased in response to the temperature at the location outside of the region 130 being above the desired temperature. This increase in the hatch spacing reduces the rate of heat transfer from the region 130 to the location. Similarly, the hatch spacing can be decreased in response to the temperature at the location outside of the region 130 being below the desired temperature. This decrease in the hatch spacing increases the rate of heat transfer from the region 130 the location.
As per claim 2, Ishikawa teaches the layer includes a build plane [figures 1, 2; para 29, 39].
As per claim 3, Ishikawa teaches the monitored temperature includes a peak temperature [configured to measure the temperatures across an entire width and an entire length of the topmost layer of feed material, therefore, it is also capable of measure peak temperature; para 7, 11].
As per claim 4, Ishikawa teaches when the peak temperature is identified in response to the monitored temperature exceeding a predetermined threshold
temperature [para 45, 61].
As per claim 5, Ishikawa teaches the cooling rate is based at least in part on a peak temperature [para 61, 73, 79].
As per claim 6, Ishikawa teaches a time associated with the cooling rate is determined from a cooling rate fit line that approximates the cooling rate [para 18].
As per claim 7, Ishikawa teaches the monitoring is performed using a pyrometer [102, figure 1A; para 29, 41, 55].
As per claim 8, Ishikawa teaches the pyrometer is an "on axis" pyrometer that is aligned with optics used by the heat source [figure 1B; para 29, 55].
As to claims 9-15, basically are the corresponding elements that are carried out the method of operating step in claims 1-8. Accordingly, claims 9-15 are rejected for the same reason as set forth in claims 1-8.
As per claim 16, Ishikawa teaches an additive manufacturing method comprising:
monitoring optical emissions emitted by a portion of a layer of build material during an additive manufacturing operation as a heat source passes across the portion of the layer [para 12, 65; claim 6]; and
determining a cooling rate of the portion of the layer, wherein the cooling rate is based on the monitored optical emissions [para 12, 61, 65, 79].
As per claim 17, Ishikawa teaches the layer includes a build plane [figures 1, 2; para 29, 39].
As per claim 18, Ishikawa teaches the optical emissions are converted to temperature data and wherein a peak of the temperature data is identified [figure 1; para 7, 11, 12].
As per claim 19, Ishikawa teaches that the peak of the temperature data is identified in response to the temperature data exceeding a predetermined threshold temperature [para 45, 61].
As per claim 20, Ishikawa teaches a time associated with the cooling rate is
determined from a cooling rate fit line that approximates the cooling rate [para 18].
6. Examiner's note: Examiner has cited particular paragraphs and columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant in preparing responses, to fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner. MPEP 2141.02 VI: “PRIOR ART MUST BE CONSIDERED IN ITS ENTIRETY, INCLUDING DISCLOSURES THAT TEACH AWAY FROM THE CLAIMS."
7. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
Fruth et al., US publication no. 2017/0368754, discloses a device for an adjustment of a heater control in an additive manufacturing device, in which a heater control regulates the heating of an applied building material layer.
Riemann, US publication no. 2019/0047089, teaches a method of controlling an additive manufacturing machine includes: measuring a first temperature of a part being
processed by the additive manufacturing machine; determining that the first measured temperature exceeds a temperature threshold; activating an auxiliary gas flow; cooling the auxiliary gas flow with a cooling system; and directing the cooled auxiliary gas flow towards the part.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHUN CAO whose telephone number is (571)272-3664. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 7:30 am-4:00 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kamini Shah can be reached on 571-272-2279. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHUN CAO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2115
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