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 1-17, 22-27 and specie 1D, 2E, and 3A in the reply filed on 3/12/2026 is acknowledged. The Applicant states that the Species were incorrectly labeled. The Examiner acknowledges that the figures 22A, 23A and 24A belong together; 22B, 23B, and 24B belong together; and 22C, 23C, and 24C belong together. The Applicant elected specie 2E, figures 18A-C. Claims 2-5 and 7-8 are shown figures 18A-C and are different species. Therefore, claims 2-5 (notches found in figures 15, 16A-C) and 7-8 (indentations found in figure 14) are withdrawn.
Claim Objections
Claim 24 is objected to because of the following informalities: gantry-based based platform should be –gantry-based platform--. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 6, 13-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Rezaeinejad et al. (Solid-State Additive Manufacturing of AA6060 Employing Friction Screw Extrusion Additive Manufacturing, JOM Vol. 75, No. 10, 2023, from IDS).
Regarding claim 1, Rezaeinejad discloses a friction stir additive manufacturing system configured to extrude a material, the system comprising: a spindle (rotating part inside housing, figure 1) configured to rotate about a central axis, the spindle comprising a conical portion having a plurality of threads at a deposition end of the spindle; a housing (figure 1, where the spindle is located) configured to remain stationary relative to the spindle, the housing comprising a (rod-shaped feedstock material, pages 1-2) wire inlet (where the feedstock enters, figure 1) extending through a side wall of the housing, an interior surface of the side wall defining a truncated cone terminating at a material exit, the truncated cone configured to receive the conical portion of the spindle (figure 1); and a feeding system configured to feed a wire through the wire inlet and into a gap between the spindle and the truncated cone of the housing (figure 1).
Regarding claim 6, Rezaeinejad discloses that the conical portion comprises a twisting helical shape (helical threads) (figure 1).
Regarding claim 13, Rezaeinejad discloses that the housing comprises a deposition surface surrounding the material exit, the deposition surface (bottom surface, support edges of housing) configured to contact one or more work surfaces as material is extruded from the material exit (figure 1).
Regarding claim 14, Rezaeinejad discloses that the deposition surface is configured to contact a surface of a single work-piece. As can be seen in figure 1, the support edges contact the previously applied layer; therefore, the support edges may contact the workpiece prior to the start or during the initial layer being placed. Therefore, the claim limitation is met. The material worked upon does not further limit the structure of the apparatus.
Regarding claim 15, Rezaeinejad discloses that the deposition surface is configured to contact a previously deposited layer of material when depositing an additional layer of material (figure 1).
Regarding claim 16, Rezaeinejad discloses that the deposition surface is configured to contact surfaces of two adjacent work-pieces. As can be seen in figure 1, the support edges contact the previously applied layer; therefore, the support edges may contact the workpiece prior to the start or during the initial layer being placed. Therefore, the claim limitation is met. The material worked upon does not further limit the structure of the apparatus.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 9-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rezaeinejad et al. (Solid-State Additive Manufacturing of AA6060 Employing Friction Screw Extrusion Additive Manufacturing, JOM Vol. 75, No. 10, 2023, from IDS) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kumagai et al. (2008/0006677A1).
Regarding claims 9-12, Rezaeinejad does not specifically disclose that the spindle is configured to move along the central axis between a flush position, a retracted position, and a protruding position during use. However, spindles (pins/probes) that retract and protrude from a tool are known in the friction stir art. Kumagai discloses a friction stir tool with a spindle and a housing wherein the spindle is configured to move along the central axis between a flush position (coplanar with the material exit of the cone), retracted position (the tip is retracted within the truncated cone), and protruding position (the spindle protrudes through the exit of the cone) (figures 3A-C). To one skilled in the art at the time of the invention it would have been obvious to have the spindle move between the retracted, flush and protruding positions during the process in order to effectively mix the layers being joined together to ensure a proper connection. Having the spindle retract prevents any holes to be left behind created by the spindle (paragraph 0063).
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rezaeinejad et al. (Solid-State Additive Manufacturing of AA6060 Employing Friction Screw Extrusion Additive Manufacturing, JOM Vol. 75, No. 10, 2023, from IDS) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Subramanian et al. (2005/0045695A1).
Regarding claim 17, Rezaeinejad does not disclose that the housing comprises one or more cooling channels. However, Subramanian discloses a friction stir tool with cooling channels in the housing in order to cool the tool (paragraph 0019). To one skilled in the art at the time of the invention it would have been obvious to have cooling channels to prevent the spindle from overheating which could damage the spindle during use.
Claim(s) 22, 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rezaeinejad et al. (Solid-State Additive Manufacturing of AA6060 Employing Friction Screw Extrusion Additive Manufacturing, JOM Vol. 75, No. 10, 2023, from IDS) in view of Werz et al. (2017/0312850A1).
Regarding claim 22, Rezaeinejad discloses a system comprising: a friction stir additive manufacturing device comprising: a spindle (rotating part inside housing, figure 1) configured to rotate about a central axis and move along the central axis from a first position to a second position; a housing (shown in figure 1, where spindle is located) configured to receive at least a portion of the spindle, the housing configured to remain stationary relative to the spindle, the housing comprising a (rodshaped feedstock material, pages 1-2) wire inlet (where the feedstock enters, figure 1) extending through a side wall of the housing; and a feeding system configured to feed a wire through the wire inlet and into a gap between the spindle and the housing (figure 1).
Rezaeinejad does not specifically disclose a control system configured to move the friction stir additive manufacturing device during use. However, Werz discloses an additive manufacturing friction stir device with a wire inlet wherein a control device is used for controlling the additive manufacturing process (paragraph 0049). To one skilled in the art at the time of the invention it would have been obvious to have a control system to ensure that the additive manufacturing process runs correctly. Control systems are well-known in the friction stir art for regulating multiple parameters required for the process.
Regarding claim 25, Rezaeinejad discloses that the friction stir additive manufacturing device is configured to deposit material in a direction opposite a direction of gravity (figure 1).
Claim(s) 23-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rezaeinejad et al. (Solid-State Additive Manufacturing of AA6060 Employing Friction Screw Extrusion Additive Manufacturing, JOM Vol. 75, No. 10, 2023, from IDS) in view of in view of Werz et al. (2017/0312850A1) as applied to claim 22 above, and further in view of Morgenstern et al. (2014/0077668A1).
Regarding claims 23-24, Rezaeinejad does not disclose that the control system comprises a robotic arm or a gantry-based platform configured to move the friction stir additive manufacturing device during use. However, Morgenstern discloses a friction stir apparatus that uses either a robotic arm or a gantry system (paragraph 0030). To one skilled in the art at the time of the invention it would have been obvious to use either a robotic arm or a gantry system for moving the device as these are well-known assemblies in the friction stir art for controlling the precise movement of the tool to ensure that it is in the correct location during its use.
Claim(s) 26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rezaeinejad et al. (Solid-State Additive Manufacturing of AA6060 Employing Friction Screw Extrusion Additive Manufacturing, JOM Vol. 75, No. 10, 2023, from IDS) in view of in view of Werz et al. (2017/0312850A1) as applied to claim 22 above, and further in view of Eller et al. (2021/0252632).
Regarding claim 26, Rezaeinejad does not specifically disclose one or more thermocouples configured to collect temperature data for a closed loop control of printing parameters. However, Eller discloses a friction stir apparatus that has thermocouples embedded in the mandrel (housing) assembly (paragraph 0071). To one skilled in the art at the time of the invention it would have been obvious to use thermocouples in the apparatus to provide temperature feedback to the processing controller and can increase or decrease cooling of the tool to a desired temperature. This would prevent overheating of the tool.
Claim(s) 27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rezaeinejad et al. (Solid-State Additive Manufacturing of AA6060 Employing Friction Screw Extrusion Additive Manufacturing, JOM Vol. 75, No. 10, 2023, from IDS) in view of in view of Werz et al. (2017/0312850A1) as applied to claim 22 above, and further in view of Zhao (CN111804910A).
Regarding claim 27, Rezaeinejad does not disclose a tooling system configured to move a part or structure being formed by the friction stir additive manufacturing device during use. However, Zhao discloses a friction stir additive manufacturing device with a movable working table 401 using servo motor 402 (figure 3). To one skilled in the art at the time of the invention it would have been obvious to use a movable working table to ensure proper alignment and movement of the workpiece surface during the process.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIN B SAAD whose telephone number is (571)270-3634. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 7:30a-6p.
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/ERIN B SAAD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1735
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