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 § 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 12 and 14 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 12 recites “and a system according to claim 6, which nozzle is mounted on the printhead” rendering the claim indefinite as to the antecedent basis of “a system” and “nozzle”. It is suggested to be corrected to “and [[a]] the system according to claim 6, which the nozzle is mounted on the printhead.” For purposes of examination, it will be interpreted as such.
Claim 14 recites “An actuation method implemented with a system according to claim 5” rendering the claim indefinite as to the antecedent basis of “a system”. It is suggested to be corrected to “An actuation method implemented with the [[a]] system according to claim 5”. For purposes of examination, it will be interpreted as such.
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) 1-5, 8-9, 10-11, and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kozar et al. (US 2020/0398472 A1) in view of Elasser (US 2021/0122110 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Kozar meets the claimed nozzle (FIG. 1 and particularly to, e.g., FIGS. 2-9 and 14-17, apparatus 110 for shaping extrudable material 140 is disclosed, [0038]) comprising: a channel made of a material with an elastomer-like behavior and having a longitudinal axis; (feed tube 112 and sleeve 126 is sufficiently flexible to enable actuation mechanism 172 to change at least one of the size or the shape of sleeve outlet 132 [0038]) and at least two mechanical structures for transmitting a movement to the channel, (Actuation mechanism 172 further comprises plurality of cable tubes 118, fixed to support structure 115, [0048]. Examiner notes 8 mechanism are shown as cable tubes 118, Fig. 4) and each mechanical structure comprising at least two arms extending in a radial direction (Examiner notes that parts 118 of actuation mechanism meets the claimed at least two arms) with a first end connected to the channel. (parts 118 are connected to sleeve 126 via part 136, see Fig. 4).
Kozar does not teach the at least two mechanical structures being staged along the longitudinal axis of the channel,
Elasser teaches the at least two mechanical structures being staged along the longitudinal axis of the channel. (Elasser teaches varying orifice cross-section for 3D printing, [0001], Fig. 3 depicts 3 actuator rods 306 to each control the cross-section of nozzle 304g, 304f, and 304b, see [0023]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present application to duplicate the actuators of Kozar along the longitudinal axis as taught by Elasser in order to create orifices of varying sizes and cross-sections to allow for changes in the filament size through the orifice, see Elasser [0020].
Regarding claim 2, Kozar as modified meets the claimed nozzle according to claim 1, wherein each mechanical structure comprises at least three arms extending in a radial direction with a first end connected to the channel, the arms being regularly distributed around the longitudinal axis of the channel. (Kozar teaches actuation mechanism 172 further comprises plurality of cable tubes 118, fixed to support structure 115, [0048]. Examiner notes 8 mechanism are shown as cable tubes 118 distributed around the longitudinal axis of the channel, Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 3, Kozar as modified meets the claimed nozzle according to claim 1, comprising a third mechanical structures (The combination of Elasser teaching at least 3 actuator rods 306 to each control the cross-section of nozzle 304g, 304f, and 304b, see [0023] with the device of Kozar meets the claim) for transmitting a movement to the channel, the third mechanical structure being staged along the longitudinal axis of the channel and comprising at least two arms extending in a radial direction with a first end connected to the channel. (Kozar teaches actuation mechanism 172 further comprises plurality of cable tubes 118, fixed to support structure 115, [0048]. Examiner notes 8 mechanism are shown as cable tubes 118 distributed around the longitudinal axis of the channel, Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 4, Kozar as modified meets the claimed nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the material with the elastomer-like behavior is partially reinforced with a material more rigid than the material (second sleeve 188, Fig. 14 and 16) with the elastomer-like behavior in such a way to have an anisotropic behavior. (to move second sleeve end 188 of sleeve 126 away from support tube 116 against bias of a corresponding one of plurality of springs 169, [0055]))
Regarding claim 5, Kozar meets the claimed system comprising: a nozzle comprising: (FIG. 1 and particularly to, e.g., FIGS. 2-9 and 14-17, apparatus 110 for shaping extrudable material 140 is disclosed, [0038]) a channel made of a material with an elastomer-like behavior and having a longitudinal axis; (feed tube 112 and sleeve 126 is sufficiently flexible to enable actuation mechanism 172 to change at least one of the size or the shape of sleeve outlet 132 [0038]) and at least two mechanical structures for transmitting a movement to the channel, each mechanical structure comprising at least two arms extending in a radial direction with a first end connected to the channel; (Actuation mechanism 172 further comprises plurality of cable tubes 118, fixed to support structure 115, [0048]. Examiner notes 8 mechanism are shown as cable tubes 118, Fig. 4) at least one actuator per mechanical structure of transmission of movement to the channel, (Each one of plurality of actuators 122 comprises a motor, in one example. The motor is selectively operable to extend (e.g., push) and retract (e.g., pull) a corresponding one of plurality of cables 128, [0045]) the at least one actuator being configured to actuate one or several arms of at least one of the mechanical structures; (each actuator 122 actuates one arm 118, [0048]) and a control system for the at least one actuator. (controller 102 to automatically selectively change the size and/or the shape of sleeve outlet 132, [0127]).
Kozar the at least two mechanical structures being staged along the longitudinal axis of the channel.
Elasser teaches at least two mechanical structures being staged along the longitudinal axis of the channel. (Elasser teaches varying orifice cross-section for 3D printing, [0001], Fig. 3 depicts 3 actuator rods 306 to each control the cross-section of nozzle 304g, 304f, and 304b, see [0023]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present application to duplicate the actuators of Kozar along the longitudinal axis as taught by Elasser in order to create orifices of varying sizes and cross-sections to allow for changes in the filament size through the orifice, see Elasser [0020].
Regarding claim 8, Kozar as modified meets the claimed system according to claim 5, comprising, for each mechanical structure an actuator per arm. (Each one of plurality of actuators 122 comprises a motor, in one example. The motor is selectively operable to extend (e.g., push) and retract (e.g., pull) a corresponding one of plurality of cables 128, [0045]).
Regarding claim 9, Kozar as modified meets the claimed system according to claim 5, wherein the at least one actuator is a fluidic actuator or a piezoelectric actuator. (each one of plurality of actuators 122 comprises one or more of solenoids, piezo-electric, [0045])
Regarding claim 10, Kozar as modified meets the claimed system according to claim 5, wherein the at least one actuator is configured to actuate one or several arms of at least one of the mechanical structures by an articulated transmission element so that an axial displacement of the articulated transmission element leads to a radial displacement of one or several arms to which the articulated transmission element is coupled. (Plurality of cable tubes 118 help to protect, guide, and prevent binding of plurality of cables 128 as they are pulled or pushed by plurality of actuators 122. Support structure 115 provides a relatively rigid framework to fix plurality of actuators 122 and plurality of cable tubes 118 relative to sleeve 126, [0049], Fig. 6-8).
Regarding claim 11, Kozar as modified meets the claimed system according to claim 10, wherein the at least one actuator is a linear electric actuator. (each one of plurality of actuators 122 comprises screw-type linear actuators, [0045]).
Regarding claim 14, Kozar as modified meets the claimed actuation method implemented with a system according to claim 5, comprising a step wherein the control system provides instructions to the at least one actuator in order to, from a rest position of the nozzle, pull the arm of the actuator. (actuation mechanism 172 is selectively operable via controller 102, which can be an electronic controller, programmed to control operation of system 100, including actuation mechanism 172, [0045]. Examiner notes the claimed “rest position” is show in Fig. 5 before actuation, shown in Fig. 6-7).
Claim(s) 12-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kozar et al. (US 2020/0398472 A1) in view of Elasser (US 2021/0122110 A1), and in further view of Ng et al. (US 2017/0072643 A1).
Regarding claim 12, Kozar as modified meets the claimed and a system according to claim 6, which nozzle is mounted on the printhead. (see rejection of claim 6 above).
Kozak does not teach a 3D printing device comprising: a robotic arm comprising several degrees of freedom; a printhead mounted on an end of the robotic arm.
Ng teaches a robotic arm comprising several degrees of freedom; a printhead mounted on an end of the robotic arm. (In FIG. 3, the printhead platform 150 is attached to a robot arm 331 of a robot 332 that can move the printhead platform 150, [0061]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present application to combine the robot arm of Ng with the additive manufacturing nozzle of Kozar as modified because it can compensate for non-uniformity of the surface of the platen or of the layer thickness, see [0062].
Regarding claim 13, Kozar as modified meets the claimed 3D printing device according to claim 12, wherein the robotic arm comprises six degrees of freedom, three in position and three in rotation. (Ng teaches the robot 332 is a six-axis robot with six degrees of freedom of motion of the platform 150, i.e., translation along any of the x, y and z axis and rotation about any of the x, y and z axes, [0061])
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-7 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 6, the prior art of record does not teach or suggested the system according to claim 5, wherein the mechanical structure of the nozzle is in a form of a plate placed perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the channel, the plate including at least one mechanical element of transmission of movement which a first end is connected to an internal part of the plate and which a second end is connected to a second end of one of the at least two arms
Claim 7 is allowable because it depends from allowable claim 6.
Relevant Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Moosberg (US 2019/0337053 A1) teaches [0129] The drive motor (not shown) can be controlled to regulate the advancing rate of the filament 102 in the feeding channel 106 so that the volumetric dispensing rate of the fluid can be closely controlled.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL M. ROBINSON whose telephone number is (571)270-0467. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:30AM-6PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sam Zhao can be reached at (571)270-5343. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MICHAEL M. ROBINSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1744
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