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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4, 6, 8, 10-11, and 15-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Aguilar Mendez et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication 202/0290262). Regarding Claims 1 and 15, Aguilar Mendez et al., hereafter “Aguilar Mendez,” show that it is known to have a dental appliance manufacturing system (Abstract) comprising a plate (Figures 1A, 3), a heating section (Figures 1A, 1B), and a thermoforming chamber (Figures 1A, 3).
Regarding Claim 2, Aguilar Mendez shows the system of claim 1 above, including one comprising a pallet (element 150C, 0043).
Regarding Claim 4, Aguilar Mendez shows the system of claim 1 above, including one wherein temperature of a heating section is configured to be adjusted (0035).
Regarding Claim 6, Aguilar Mendez shows the system of claim 1 above, including one wherein the heating section is configured to provide thermally isolated zones (0032).
Regarding Claim 8, Aguilar Mendez shows the system o claim 1 above, further comprising a trimming tool (0039).
Regarding Claim 10, Aguilar Mendez shows that it is known to have a dental appliance manufacturing system (Abstract) comprising a plate (Figures 1A, 3), a pallet (element 150C, 0043), a heating section (Figures 1A, 1B), and a thermoforming chamber (Figures 1A, 3).
Regarding Claim 11, Aguilar Mendez shows the system of claim 10 above, including one wherein temperature of a heating section is configured to be adjusted (0035).
Regarding Claim 16, Aguilar Mendez shows the system of claim 15 above, including one comprising a pallet (element 150C, 0043).
Regarding Claim 17, Aguilar Mendez shows the system of claim 15 above, including one wherein temperature of a heating section is configured to be adjusted (0035).
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) 3, 5, 7, 9, 12-14, and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aguilar Mendez. Aguilar Mendez shows the system of claims 1, 10, and 15, respectively, above, but he does not show adjustable features. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to make his apparatus features adjustable because adjustability is not a patentable advance (MPEP 2144.04 (V)(D)) because there is an art-recognized need for the various features to fit together in an operational way.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MONICA HUSON whose telephone number is (571)272-1198. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8a-4p.
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MONICA ANNE HUSON
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1742
/MONICA A HUSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1742
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