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 .
Response to Amendment
The Amendments filed 08/27/2026 responsive to the Office Action filed 07/20/2026 have been entered. Claims 1, 3 and 20 have been amended. Claim 2 has been canceled. Claims 11-19 maintain withdrawn. Claims 1 and 3-20 are pending in this application.
Response to Arguments
Specification has been amended to address the informalities, thus the objections of Specification and Drawings have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments filed 08/27/2026 in pages 8-10 with respect to the rejection of claim 1 under 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) has been fully considered and are persuasive due to the amendments. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of the same reference, Cunningham (US 2021/0252760).
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: Applicant has been advised to replace “an integrated end cap” in line 18 to -- the integrated end cap --. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1 and 3-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the integrated end cap" in line 13. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
The remaining dependent claims 3-10 are also rejected under 112 (b) because they depend from, and thus include all the limitations of rejected claim 1.
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 (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.
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.
Claims 1, 5, 6 and 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Cunningham (US 2021/0252760-of record).
With respect to claim 1, Cunningham teaches an injection molding barrel assembly (“the barrel and screw assembly 2, which is for use in injection molding”, Pa [0026]) comprising:
a loader including an opening for receiving material (the part having an opening on the right of the barrel body 6 in Fig. 1);
a barrel (“a barrel 4”, Pa [0026]) including:
a first section (“the barrel body 6”, Pa [0026]) configured to be connected to the loader; and
a second section (“a separate barrel injection portion 8 and a separate barrel end cap 10”, Pa [0026]) configured to be removably connected to the first section opposite the loader (“the barrel injection portion 8 is removably connected to the barrel body 6”, Pa [0027]), wherein the loader, the first section, and the second section form a screw chamber (Figs. 5, 6);
a screw (“a screw assembly 12”, Pa [0027]) positioned in the screw chamber and including:
a rotatable shaft (“a main shaft 34”, “the screw portion 14 rotates”, Pa [0028]);
a helical screw flight (“flights 32”, Pa [0028]); and
a check ring (“a ring 70”) positioned near a distal end of the screw (“The tip member 62 also is removably connected to a valve assembly 68. In this example, the valve assembly 68 includes a ring 70… suitable structures internal to or external to the tip member to temporarily stop the flow of the fluid”, Pa [0033]); and
a nozzle (the outlet of the “nozzle portion 48”) positioned near the integrated end cap (“barrel end cap 10”) (“The barrel end cap 10 has a passage 40 extending from a rear end 42 to a front end 44, with a forward extending nozzle portion 48 and a rearward facing recess 50 extending between the rear end 42 and the nozzle portion 48.”, Pa [0029]),
wherein the second section forms an injection chamber portion of the screw chamber when the shaft is in a retracted position (“an injection chamber 18 having a shot volume is defined by the barrel injection portion 8, the barrel end cap 10 and the screw tip assembly 16.”, Pa [0027] and Fig. 5), the injection chamber portion having a tapered distal end (“a rearward facing recess 50”, Pa [0029]), and wherein the second section has an integrated end cap (“barrel end cap 10”) including the tapered distal end (“a rearward facing recess 50”) of the injection chamber portion and an injection channel (“the nozzle portion 48”) fluidly connected to the injection chamber portion at the tapered distal end, the injection channel having an outer diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the screw chamber (Fig. 4).
It is noted that the limitations “a thixotropic injection molding” in line 1 and “for receiving magnesium chips” in line 2 are intended uses since the assembly taught by Cunningham is capable of performing the claimed operation. The Courts have held that the manner of operating an apparatus does not differentiate an apparatus claim from the prior art, if the prior art apparatus teaches all of the structural limitations of the claim. See Ex Parte Masham, 2 USPQ2d 1647 (BPAI 1987). Furthermore, “[i]nclusion of material or article worked upon by a structure being claimed does not impart patentability to the claims.” See In re Young, 75 F.2d *>996<, 25 USPQ 69 (CCPA 1935) (as restated in In re Otto, 312 F.2d 937, 136 USPQ 458, 459 (CCPA 1963)) (see MPEP § 2115).
With respect to claim 5, Cunningham as applied to claim 1 above further teaches that the first section forms a low wear zone and the second section forms a high wear zone (“This, in turn, permits continued use of a single barrel body portion that may be connected to the injection molding machine and hopper, while the much shorter barrel injection portion having the greater wear may be easily replaced at much less expense.”, Pa [0012]; “the higher wear areas, such as the injection chamber 18”, Pa [0042]).
With respect to claim 6, Cunningham as applied to claim 5 above further teaches a threaded connecting flange (“an annular collar 78”) positioned on the first section and a threaded connecting flange (“an annular collar 84”) positioned on the second section, wherein the threaded connecting flanges are configured to be bolted together (“an outer surface 76 of the front end 24 of the barrel body 6 is threaded and removably receives an annular collar 78 having a threaded inner surface 80. In turn, an outer surface 82 of the rear end 39 of the barrel injection portion 8 is threaded and removably receives an annular collar 84 having a threaded inner surface 86. A plurality of first fasteners 88 then are used to removably connect the annular collar 78 at the front end 24 of the barrel body 6 to the annular collar 84 at the rear end 39 of the barrel injection portion 8.”, Pa [0034]).
With respect to claim 8, Cunningham as applied to claim 1 above further teaches a first heating element encircling the first section of the barrel; and a second heating element encircling the second section of the barrel (“heat wraps around the barrel body 6 and potentially around the barrel injection portion 8”, Pa [0043]).
With respect to claim 9, Cunningham as applied to claim 1 above further teaches that the second section (“8”, “10”) has a shorter longitudinal length than a longitudinal length of the first section (“6”) (Fig. 1).
With respect to claim 10, Cunningham as applied to claim 1 above further teaches that the screw further includes a tip (“a tip member 62”) removably connectable to the shaft and the check ring encircles the tip (“The front end 52 of the screw tip assembly 16 is part of a tip member 62 that has a stem 64, which is removably connected to the front end 28 of the screw portion 14. …The tip member 62 also is removably connected to a valve assembly 68.”, Pa [0033]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
Claims 3 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious Cunningham (US 2021/0252760) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Schiffer et al. (US 2017/0087756) (All of record).
With respect to claim 3, Cunningham as applied to claim 1 above further teaches that the barrel end cap 10 will be connected to a mold (not shown) for injection molding purposes, as such, the front end 44 of the barrel end cap 10 may include a connector 96 used to connect the barrel and screw assembly 2 to a mold, in the example shown, the connector 96 at the front end 44 of the barrel end cap 10 is configured as a threaded recess, the connector 96 provides direct access to the nozzle 48 for injection purposes, and it will be appreciated that various other suitable structures may be provided for connection of a barrel end cap to a mold (Pa [0037]), but does not explicitly teach a nozzle cap configured to retain the nozzle on the integrated end cap, wherein the nozzle cap has a smaller outer diameter than an outer diameter of the second section.
In the same field of endeavor, a plasticizing unit of an injection molding machine, Schiffer teaches that plasticizing cylinder 2 has an outlet opening 5 formed at the end face and connectable to a tool (not shown in the figures) of the injection molding machine (Pa [0029]), and the Figs. 3 and 4 show that the outlet opening 5 is defined by a structure positioned at the end of a second cylinder element 14.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Cunningham with the teachings of Schiffer and provide the structure defining the outlet opening 5 taught by Schiffer with the barrel end cap 10 of Cunningham in order to connect the tool of the injection molding machine.
With respect to claim 4, the combination as applied to claim 3 above does not explicitly teach a ring encircling at least a portion of the nozzle cap (the structure defining the outlet opening 5 taught by Schiffer) and at least a portion of the integrated end cap (“the barrel end cap 10” of Cunningham). However, Cunningham further teaches that the removable connection of the barrel body 6 and barrel injection portion 8 may be by any suitable connecting structures, and in the example shown, an outer surface 76 of the front end 24 of the barrel body 6 is threaded and removably receives an annular collar 78 having a threaded inner surface 80, and in turn, an outer surface 82 of the rear end 39 of the barrel injection portion 8 is threaded and removably receives an annular collar 84 having a threaded inner surface 86 (Pa [0032]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Cunningham in view of Schiffer and provide threaded collars on the connection of the nozzle cap (the structure defining the outlet opening 5 taught by Schiffer) and the integrated end cap (“the barrel end cap 10” of Cunningham) for the purpose of removable connection thereof.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious Cunningham (US 2021/0252760) as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Jerpbak (US 4,133,460) (All of record).
With respect to claim 7, Cunningham as applied to claim 6 above does not explicitly teach that the connecting flanges (“78”, “84”) are formed of a different material than the first section and the second section.
In the same field of endeavor, injection molding machines, Jerpbak teaches that the invention thus provides apparatus providing in a housing at a portion of a passage that would otherwise be subjected to severe conditions that could deteriorate the wall of the passage in that portion, a readily replaceable sleeve that is formed of material that is highly resistant to such conditions, the invention also provides effective, rapid, simple and inexpensive method of removal and replacing such sleeve, important savings are possible because the sleeve which may be formed of expensive material, is used only where the severe conditions require resistance by the metal of the sleeve, and because the sleeve can be manufactured with only little machining, and can be removed and replaced with no machining (co 9 li 23-36).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Cunningham with the teachings of Schiffer and form the first section and the second section which would be subjected to severe conditions that could deteriorate the wall of the passage in that portions of material that is highly resistant to such conditions while other parts are formed of relatively inexpensive material for the purpose of inexpensive injection molding.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious Cunningham (US 2021/0252760) in view of Schiffer et al. (US 2017/0087756) (All of record).
With respect to claim 20, Cunningham teaches an injection molding barrel assembly comprising:
a loader (“a hopper”, Pa [0043]) including an opening for receiving material (“the material fed from a hopper to move forward within the barrel body 6”, Pa [0043]);
a barrel (“a barrel 4”, Pa [0026]) including:
a first section (“the barrel body 6”, Pa [0026]) configured to be removably connected to the loader (“a hopper”) (Cunningham teaches a portion of the inserter hopper device shown in Fig. 1 (Pa [0023]), thus one would appreciate that the barrel and screw assembly 2 is configured to be removably connected to the hopper); and
a second section (“a separate barrel injection portion 8 and a separate barrel end cap 10”, Pa [0026]) configured to be removably connected to the first section opposite the loader (“the barrel injection portion 8 is removably connected to the barrel body 6”, Pa [0027]) and including an integrated end cap (“barrel end cap 10”), wherein the loader, the first section, and the second section form a screw chamber (Figs. 5, 6);
a screw (“a screw assembly 12”, Pa [0027]) positioned in the screw chamber and including:
a rotatable shaft (“a main shaft 34”, “the screw portion 14 rotates”, Pa [0028]);
a helical screw flight (“flights 32”, Pa [0028]) on the rotatable shaft;
a tip (“a tip member 62”) removably connectable to the rotatable shaft (“The front end 52 of the screw tip assembly 16 is part of a tip member 62 that has a stem 64, which is removably connected to the front end 28 of the screw portion 14”, Pa [0033]); and
a check ring (“a ring 70”) positioned on the tip (“The tip member 62 also is removably connected to a valve assembly 68. In this example, the valve assembly 68 includes a ring 70… suitable structures internal to or external to the tip member to temporarily stop the flow of the fluid”, Pa [0033]);
a nozzle (the outlet of the “nozzle portion 48”) connected to the integrated end cap (“barrel end cap 10”) (“The barrel end cap 10 has a passage 40 extending from a rear end 42 to a front end 44, with a forward extending nozzle portion 48 and a rearward facing recess 50 extending between the rear end 42 and the nozzle portion 48.”, Pa [0029]);
a first heating element encircling the first section and configured to heat the first section; and a second heating element encircling the second section and configured to heat the second section (“heat wraps around the barrel body 6 and potentially around the barrel injection portion 8”, Pa [0043]),
wherein the second section forms an injection chamber portion of the screw chamber when the shaft is in a retracted position (“an injection chamber 18 having a shot volume is defined by the barrel injection portion 8, the barrel end cap 10 and the screw tip assembly 16.”, Pa [0027] and Fig. 5), the injection chamber portion having a tapered distal end (“a rearward facing recess 50”, Pa [0029]), and
wherein the integrated end cap (“barrel end cap 10”) includes the tapered distal end (“a rearward facing recess 50”) of the injection chamber portion and an injection channel (“the nozzle portion 48”) fluidly connected to the injection chamber portion at the tapered distal end, the injection channel having an outer diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the screw chamber (Fig. 4).
It is noted that the limitations “a thixotropic injection molding” in line 1 and “for receiving magnesium chips” in line 2 are intended uses since the assembly taught by Cunningham is capable of performing the claimed operation. The Courts have held that the manner of operating an apparatus does not differentiate an apparatus claim from the prior art, if the prior art apparatus teaches all of the structural limitations of the claim. See Ex Parte Masham, 2 USPQ2d 1647 (BPAI 1987). Furthermore, “[i]nclusion of material or article worked upon by a structure being claimed does not impart patentability to the claims.” See In re Young, 75 F.2d *>996<, 25 USPQ 69 (CCPA 1935) (as restated in In re Otto, 312 F.2d 937, 136 USPQ 458, 459 (CCPA 1963)) (see MPEP § 2115).
Cunningham further teaches that the barrel end cap 10 will be connected to a mold (not shown) for injection molding purposes, as such, the front end 44 of the barrel end cap 10 may include a connector 96 used to connect the barrel and screw assembly 2 to a mold, in the example shown, the connector 96 at the front end 44 of the barrel end cap 10 is configured as a threaded recess, the connector 96 provides direct access to the nozzle 48 for injection purposes, and it will be appreciated that various other suitable structures may be provided for connection of a barrel end cap to a mold (Pa [0037]), but does not explicitly teach a nozzle cap retaining the nozzle against the integrated end cap.
In the same field of endeavor, a plasticizing unit of an injection molding machine, Schiffer teaches that plasticizing cylinder 2 has an outlet opening 5 formed at the end face and connectable to a tool (not shown in the figures) of the injection molding machine (Pa [0029]), and the Figs. 3 and 4 show that the outlet opening 5 is defined by a structure positioned at the end of a second cylinder element 14.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Cunningham with the teachings of Schiffer and provide the structure defining the outlet opening 5 taught by Schiffer with the barrel end cap 10 of Cunningham in order to connect the tool of the injection molding machine.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/YUNJU KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1742
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