DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. 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
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Claims 1-2, 6-7, 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Machuca et al. (EP3409347).
Machuca et al. disclose a two-part polymer dispensing system(100), which comprises a mixing tube (114) configured to mix a first polymer material and a second polymer material to produce an adhesive material; a nozzle (106) coupled with the mix tube to dispense the adhesive material including a mixture of the first polymer material and the second polymer material; at least one light source (202) configured to direct light towards the adhesive material; one or more detectors (120, 206) configured to detect spectroscopic data of at least one of light reflected off of the adhesive material or light transmitted through the adhesive material; and a control module (142, 144) configured to obtain the spectroscopic data from the one or more detectors; compare the spectroscopic data to a specified spectroscopic data threshold range, wherein the specified spectroscopic data threshold range corresponds to a specified range a mixture ratio of the first polymer material to the second polymer material; and in response to the spectroscopic data being outside of the specified spectroscopic data threshold range, generate a notification of incorrect polymer mixture ratio (see claim 6); wherein the control module is configured to, in response to the spectroscopic data being outside of the specified spectroscopic data threshold range, automatically change the mixture ratio of the first polymer material to the second polymer material in the mixing tube, according to a value of the spectroscopic data (see abstract); wherein the at least one light source and the one or more detectors are mounted adjacent at least one of the mixing tube or the nozzle; and the control module is configured to obtain the spectroscopic data at a specified periodic time interval (Figures 1); wherein the one or more detectors include a near infrared (NIR) sensor configured to operate in an absorbance mode or a transmission mode (see abstract). The system shown by Machuca et al. will perform the method recited in claims 15-16 during normal operational use of the system.
Allowable Subject Matter
5. Claims 3-5, 8-14, 17-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
6. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicants' disclosure.
7. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FREDERICK C NICOLAS whose telephone number is (571)272-4931. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 8:00 AM -: 4:00 PM. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Paul R. Durand can be reached at 571-272-4459. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/FREDERICK C NICOLAS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3754
Prosecution Insights