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 § 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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1)(a2) as being anticipated by Batchelder et al. (US 9,174,388 B2).
1. Regarding claim 1, Batchelder discloses producing a 3D item comprising layer-wise depositing an extrudate comprising 3D printable material, to provide the 3D item comprising 3D printed material, wherein the 3D item comprises a plurality of layers of 3D printed material (title/abstract; FIG. 1), further comprising:
providing a first layer of 3D printed material, wherein the first layer of the 3D part 26 has a first layer top part 62 with a first layer top height relative to a substrate and a first layer bottom part with a first layer bottom height relative to the substrate, wherein the first layer has a first layer height defined by the difference between the first layer top height and the first layer bottom height, (FIG. 4; 6:18+), and
further depositing a second layer 56 of 3D printed material in contact with the first layer and adjacent to the first layer in a direction substantially parallel to the substrate, wherein the second layer has a second layer top part, wherein at least part of the second layer top part extends over at least part of the first layer top part and is conformal therewith (FIG. 4; 6:45+).
2. Regarding Claim 3, Batchelder discloses
Claim(s) 1-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1)(a2) as being anticipated by Boonekamp WO_2018001690_A1.
2. Regarding Claim 1, Boonekamp discloses producing a 3D item (page 4, line 12 to page 5, line 15; Figs. 20, 9A, item 2), comprising a 3D printing stage comprising layer-wise depositing an extrudate comprising 3D printable material, to provide the
3D item comprising 3D printed material, wherein the 3D item comprises a plurality of layers of 3D printed material (Fig. 9A), wherein the 3D printing stage comprises:
- providing a first layer of 3D printed material, wherein the first layer has a first layer top part with a first layer top height relative to the substrate and a first layer bottom part
with a first layer bottom height relative to the substrate, wherein the first layer has a first layer height defined by the difference between the first layer top height and the first layer bottom height, wherein the value of the first layer bottom height is at least equal to the value of the first layer height (Fig. 9A, the lowest layers representing the vertical support providing stage), and
- further depositing a second layer of 3D printed material adjacent to and in contact with the first layer, wherein the second layer has a second layer top part, wherein at least
part of the second layer top part extends over at least part of the first layer top part and is conformal therewith (page 20, line 28 to page 21, line 15; Fig. 9A).
2. Regarding Claims 2 and 4, Boonekamp discloses wherein the top part of the wall 20 is flat and the face 23, as seen from underneath the article, is curved (Fig. 9A).
3. Regarding Claim 3, Boonekamp discloses a light transmissive material (Pages 5-6).
4. Regarding Claim 5, Boonekamp discloses using it as an optical element (Page 1).
Conclusion
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/TAHSEEN KHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1781 June 30, 2026
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