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 1-10) in the reply filed on 7/6/2026 is acknowledged. Claims 11-20 are withdrawn.
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.
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.
Claims 1- 4, 7, 8, 9, 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) (1) as being anticipated by Li et al. (CN114103101A, English translation provided).
Regarding claims 1, 2, Li discloses that, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, a device comprising:
a rotatable head (as illustrated in Fig. 1, the electroatomization nozzle 14, the electrospray printing nozzle 15, and the electrospinning nozzle 16 (i.e., three nozzles having their outlets) are switched during rotation about its axis (page 4, lines 221-228) (related to claim 2)); and
one or more fluid dispensers coupled to the rotatable head (items 14, 15, 16 in Fig. 1 or 2 or 3 (page 3, lines 143-144)),
wherein the one or more fluid dispensers define multiple outlets (as shown in Fig. 2),
wherein the one or more fluid dispensers are configured to eject polymer melts through the multiple outlets while rotating the rotatable head about an axis (page 1, lines 19-39 (i.e., to drive the functional liquid to generate a fine jet to form resin-based composite structure); page 4, lines 221-228 (i.e., the electroatomization nozzle 14, the electrospray printing nozzle 15, and the electrospinning nozzle 16 are switched by the motor bevel tooth 17 with rotating)).
Regarding claim 3, Li discloses that, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the three outlets are circumferentially symmetric about the axis.
Regarding claim 4, Li discloses that, by using PVP solution, the functional solution reaches the electroatomization nozzle 14 with an inner diameter of 50-500 µm, the electrospray printing nozzle 15 with an inner diameter of 10-100 µm, and the electrospinning nozzle 16 with an inner diameter of 30-200 µm (page 4, lines 209-217). At least, as illustrated in Fig. 3, adjust the key process parameters, control the printing device, the electroatomization layer 28, the electrospray printing layer 29 and the electrospinning layer 30 are sequentially prepared according the difference of the composite structure (page 5, lines 240-242).
Regarding claim 7, Li discloses that, as illustrated in Fig. 3, after the nozzle switched, the PVP solution flowing into the nozzle through the buffer tube 26 and the liquid storage tank 4 forms droplets or jets (page 4, lines 232-236). Here, the liquid storage tank 4 can be considered as the claimed reservoir.
Regarding claim 8, Li discloses that, as illustrated in Fig. 1, using the pushing force of the syringe pump 1, the PVP solution in the syringe is transported to the liquid storage tank 4 (page 4, lines 209-217).
Regarding claim 9, Li discloses that, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the high-power supply 3 is supplied to the electroatomization nozzle 14, the electrospray printing nozzle 15, and the electrospinning nozzle 16 through the nozzle electrode 6 high voltage, and a driving electric field is formed between the substrate 13 and the electroatomization nozzle 14 or the electrospray printing nozzle 15 or the electrospinning nozzle 16 and the electroatomization layer 28, the electrospray printing layer 29 and the electrospinning layer 30 are formed on the substrate accordingly (page 4, lines 190-202).
Regarding claim 10, Li discloses that, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the electroatomization layer 28, the electrospray printing layer 29 and the electrospinning layer 30 are intertwined on the surface of the substrate 13. It is noticed that, when the electroatomization layer 28, the electrospray printing layer 29 and the electrospinning layer 30 are deposited, the motor bevel tooth 17 is meshing with the conversion head bevel teeth 9 to rotate the print head accordingly.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 5, 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (CN114103101A, English translation provided) in view of Chen (CN107281548A, English translation provided).
Regarding claims 5, 6, Li does not explicitly disclose a thermos-regulating device is coupled with the rotatable head.
In the same field of endeavor, 3d printing, Chen discloses that, 10 grams polydioxanone (PPDO (having a melting point around 107 to 115 C)) particles are placed in a nozzle (inner nerve catheter extrusion nozzle) heating device, the temperature of the heating device was set to 110 C, the PPDO was heated (to its melting state) (page 3, lines 142-148).
It would have been obvious to use the apparatus of Li to have the rotatable print head as Chen teaches that it is known to have the heating device coupled with the nozzle to melt the inside polymer for printing/jetting. It has been held that the combination of known technique to improve similar device is likely to be obvious when it does not more than yield predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. KSR Int’l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007) (See MPEP 2143- exemplary rationales).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHIBIN LIANG whose telephone number is (571)272-8811. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:30 - 4:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alison L Hindenlang can be reached on 571 270 7001. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SHIBIN LIANG/Examiner, Art Unit 1741
/ALISON L HINDENLANG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1741
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