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 07/15/2026 responsive to the Office Action filed 06/11/2026 has been entered. Claims 21-23, 26 and 27 have been amended. Claims 30-37 maintain withdrawn. Claims 21-37 are pending in this application.
Response to Arguments
Claim 21 has been amended to address the informality and indefiniteness, thus the objection and 112 (b) rejection of claim 21 have been withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments, filed 07/15/2026, with respect to the rejection of claim 21 under 103 have been considered and are addressed in the revised rejection.
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 21-23, 28 and 29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Atkinson et al. (US 2016/0176092A1) in view of Altonen et al. (US 2018/0001529A1) (All of record).
With respect to claim 21, Atkinson teaches a contact lens mold half injection molding machine (“an injection-molding apparatus 20”, “for manufacturing molds for use in forming a contact lens”, Pa [0069]), the machine comprising:
a plurality of tool cavities, each tool cavity defining a space into which molten polymer can be injected so as to form a contact lens mold half (“tool halves 120”, Pa [0070]; “tool halves 220 that co-operate with tool halves 120 of the injection unit, to form injection cavities for formation of the molds”, Pa [0072]), the plurality of tool cavities comprises a first subset of tool cavities and a second subset of tool cavities (“Tool portion 150 includes an outermost surface 160 that, in the example shown in FIG. 3, is concave and shaped to define a (convex) outer surface of a mold half to be formed in the injection cavity. In other, otherwise identical apparatus associated with this apparatus, a concave inner surface of a mold half is formed by providing a tool portion having an outermost surface that is convex.”, Pa [0070]);
an injection unit in communication with the plurality of tool cavities, the injection unit being configured to melt a polymer and inject it into the plurality of tool cavities (“In injection unit, a screw is arranged to transport pellets from a pellet inlet to a nozzle. The pellets then pass into the heated inlet bush, where they are heated beyond their melting point, and the resultant liquid polymer flows into a manifold and then to the outlets of the manifold and into (FIG. 3) injection nozzles 130 of tool halves 120 of fixed plate 110. The melted polymer then passes into the injection cavity for forming the mold half.”, Pa [0077]); and
a controller (Pa [0087]).
Atkinson does not explicitly teach that the injection unit comprises a first barrel from which molten polymer can be injected into the first subset of tool cavities, and a second barrel from which molten polymer can be injected into the second subset of tool cavities; and the machine is configured to injection mold contact lens mold halves with one or more process parameters differing in value between the first subset of tool cavities and the second subset of tool cavities during an injection molding process, by injecting molten polymer into the plurality of tool cavities and allowing the polymer to solidify, and the one or more process parameters comprise one or more of: a material composition of the polymer injected; a hold pressure profile; a back pressure of a feed; temperature applied by a heater; tool cavity temperature or rate of cooling; and temperature of the molten polymer when injected.
In the same field of endeavor, apparatuses and methods for injection molding, Altonen teaches that the injection molding apparatus 10 of the present disclosure heats one or more portions (e.g., surfaces) of the mold 28 in a manner that enhances the appearance (e.g., finish) and strength of the injection molded part(s), but does so by minimizing, if not totally eliminating, the drawbacks, particularly increased cycle time and energy consumption, associated with conventional methodologies (Pa [0062]), the injection molding apparatus 200 includes two injection systems 12, thereby enabling the production of more injection molded parts, the injection molding apparatus 200 includes a controller 50 for controlling both of the injection systems 12 (though it will be appreciated that the injection molding apparatus 200 can include two different controllers 50 for controlling the different injection systems 12), the controller 50 is communicatively connected with one or more sensors 52 and a screw control 36 and is also communicatively connected with one or more sensors 53 (Pa [0079]), the mold 228 in this example is a multi-faced cube mold that includes a movable central section 233, first and second sides 225, 227, and, additionally, third and fourth sides 229, 231, the mold 228 also includes four cavities 232A-232D formed or defined between the movable central section 233 and a respective one of the first thru fourth sides 225, 227, 229, 231 (Pa [0079]), and the mold 228 also includes a pair of heating elements 252A, 252B coupled to, and extending outwardly (along the longitudinal axis 238) from, the third and fourth sides 229, 231, respectively (Pa [0082]). Altonen further teaches that in a molding position, molten thermoplastic material 24 is injected into, flow through, and fill, each of the first mold cavities 232A, 232C, and at the same time a portion (e.g., the surface 260) of the second mold cavity 232B and a portion (e.g., the surface 268) of the fourth mold cavity 232D, each of which is positioned in the non-molding position, can be heated (Pa [0084]), when the molten thermoplastic material 24 has solidified in the first and third mold cavities 232A, 232C (such that an injection molding part has been formed) or when the second and fourth mold cavities 232B, 232D have been heated to the desired temperature, which may be measured by, for example, one or more sensors 52, 53, the mold 228 can be moved from the closed position shown in FIG. 4A to an open position, e.g., the position shown in FIG. 4B, an injection molding part 270 formed in each of the first and third mold cavities 232A, 232C can be ejected from the mold 228, the movable central section 233 is rotated from the first position shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B to a second position, e.g., the position shown in FIG. 4C (Pa [0085]), the mold 228 can again be closed (Pa [0086]), at this point, it will be appreciated that the second and fourth mold cavities 232B, 232D, each of which was heated to a desired temperature in the non-molding position, are now in the molding position, thus, the heated surfaces 260, 268 of the mold 228 heats the molten thermoplastic material 24, particularly the material 24 in contact or proximity therewith, as it is injected into, flows through, and fills, the second and fourth mold cavities 232B, 232D, thereby facilitating a smoother and stronger injection molded part from each cavity (Pa [0087]). Altonen further teaches that the shapes of each of the cavities 32 are identical, thereby creating a family of mold cavities, though this need not be the case (instead, the shapes may be similar to or different from each other) (Pa [0053]), and the first and second cavities 132A, 132B can be heated or cooled in a different manner and the mold 128 includes one of (i) first and second channels 140, 144, and (ii) the heating element 152 (Pa [0076]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Atkinson with the teachings of Altonen to incorporate the injection-molding cavities for molding contact lens mold halves to Altonen’s injection molding apparatus in order to enhance the appearance (e.g., finish) and strength of the injection molded parts and minimize/eliminate increased cycle time and energy consumption, associated with conventional methodologies, and to configure the machine to injection mold with temperature applied by a heater and tool cavity temperature or rate of cooling between the cavities for convex outer surface of mold halves and the cavities for concave outer surface of mold halves in order to form different shape of subsets of mold halves.
With respect to claim 22, Altonen as applied in the combination regarding claim 21 above further teaches that the first barrel (“20”) has a first plunger and the second barrel (“20”) has a second plunger, the first plunger and the second plunger being configured to operate independently by the controller to move longitudinally and thereby eject molten polymer out of an outlet of the associated barrel (“The thermoplastic pellets 16, after being fed into the heated barrel 20, may be driven to the end of the heated barrel 20 by a reciprocating screw 22. The heating of the heated barrel 20 and the compression of the thermoplastic pellets 16 by the reciprocating screw 22 causes the thermoplastic pellets 16 to melt, forming a molten thermoplastic material 24.”, Pa [0052]; “the reciprocating screw 22 forces the molten thermoplastic material 24, toward a nozzle 26 to form a shot of thermoplastic material, which will be injected into one or more mold cavities 32 of a mold 28 via one or more gates 30”, Pa [0053]; “The controller 50 then commands the screw control 36 to advance the screw 22 at a rate that maintains a desired melt pressure of the molten thermoplastic material 24 in the nozzle 26.”, Pa [0056]; “it will be appreciated that the injection molding apparatus 200 can include two different controllers 50 for controlling the different injection systems 12”, Pa [0079] and Fig. 3).
With respect to claim 23, Atkinson as applied to claim 22 teaches that injection-molding apparatus 20 includes an injection unit and a reciprocating unit 50 (FIG. 4) (Pa [0069]), and tool portion 150 includes an outermost surface 160 that, in the example shown in FIG. 3, is concave and shaped to define a (convex) outer surface of a mold half to be formed in the injection cavity, in other, otherwise identical apparatus associated with this apparatus, a concave inner surface of a mold half is formed by providing a tool portion having an outermost surface that is convex.”, Pa [0070]), and once the cavity is full of polymer and a desired hold pressure profile applied, the pins in injection nozzles 130 are moved forward to shut off injection nozzles 130, from the cavities, which stops the flow of polymer (Pa [0079]).
Altonen as applied in the combination regarding claim 22 above teaches that the controller 50 may also be connected to one or more sensors 53 located in or proximate to each of the one or more mold cavities 32 to sense pressure (Pa [0057], [0058]) and it will be appreciated that the injection molding apparatus 200 can include two different controllers 50 for controlling the different injection systems 12 (Pa [0079]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to configure the controller to produce different hold pressure profiles between the cavities for convex outer surface of mold halves and the cavities for concave outer surface of mold halves in order to form different shape of subsets of mold halves.
With respect to claim 28, Atkinson as applied to claim 21 above further teaches that the first subset of tool cavities is associated with a first coolant path (“coolant flow passages 165, 250”) and the second subset of tool cavities is associated with a second coolant path (“coolant flow passages 165, 250”) which is separate to the first (Pa [0079]).
With respect to claim 29, Atkinson as applied to claim 21 above further teaches that the first subset of tool cavities are shaped to form male contact lens mold halves, and the second subset of tool cavities are shaped to form female contact lens mold halves (“Tool portion 150 includes an outermost surface 160 that, in the example shown in FIG. 3, is concave and shaped to define a (convex) outer surface of a mold half to be formed in the injection cavity. In other, otherwise identical apparatus associated with this apparatus, a concave inner surface of a mold half is formed by providing a tool portion having an outermost surface that is convex.”, Pa [0070]).
Claims 24, 25 and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Atkinson et al. (US 2016/0176092A1- of record) in view of Altonen et al. (US 2018/0001529A1-of record) as applied to claims 21 and 23 above, and further in view of Stoehr et al. (US 2018/0178430A1).
With respect to claim 24, the combination as applied to claim 23 above does not explicitly teach that a peak hold pressure of the first hold pressure profile is different to a peak hold pressure of the second hold pressure profile.
In the same field of endeavor, control of injection molding machine, Stoehr teaches that in injection molding, it can be provided that the at least one second parameter concerns at least one of the following: metering rotary speed profile, dynamic pressure profile, cylinder temperature profile, tool opening and closing profile, closing force profile, metering volume, hot runner temperatures, injection speed profile, post-pressure profile, post-pressure time, switching-over point, peak pressure limit, compression relief strokes, ejector motion profile, tool core motions, temperature conditioning agent temperatures, cooling time and removal device motion profile (Pa [0069]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to configure the controller to provide different peak hold pressures of hold pressure profiles between the cavities for convex outer surface of mold halves and the cavities for concave outer surface of mold halves in order to form different shape of subsets of mold halves.
With respect to claim 25, the combination as applied to claim 23 above does not explicitly teach that a hold time of the first hold pressure profile is different to a hold time of the second hold pressure profile.
In the same field of endeavor, control of injection molding machine, Stoehr teaches that in injection molding, it can be provided that the at least one second parameter concerns at least one of the following: metering rotary speed profile, dynamic pressure profile, cylinder temperature profile, tool opening and closing profile, closing force profile, metering volume, hot runner temperatures, injection speed profile, post-pressure profile, post-pressure time, switching-over point, peak pressure limit, compression relief strokes, ejector motion profile, tool core motions, temperature conditioning agent temperatures, cooling time and removal device motion profile (Pa [0069]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to configure the controller to provide different hold times of hold pressure profiles between the cavities for convex outer surface of mold halves and the cavities for concave outer surface of mold halves in order to form different shape of subsets of mold halves.
With respect to claim 27, Altonen as applied in the combination regarding claim 21 above further teaches that the first barrel has a first heater (“a heated barrel 20”) and the second barrel has a second heater (“a heated barrel 20”), the first heater and the second heater being arranged to heat the polymer contained in the associated barrel (“The thermoplastic pellets 16, after being fed into the heated barrel 20, may be driven to the end of the heated barrel 20 by a reciprocating screw 22. The heating of the heated barrel 20 and the compression of the thermoplastic pellets 16 by the reciprocating screw 22 causes the thermoplastic pellets 16 to melt, forming a molten thermoplastic material 24.”, Pa [0052]), the first heater and the second heater are controlled by the controller (“the injection molding apparatus 200 can include two different controllers 50 for controlling the different injection systems 12”, Pa [0079]) and the controller configured to operate the first heater and the second heater at different temperatures to one another (“the first and second cavities 132A, 132B can be heated or cooled in a different manner.”, Pa [0076]), but does not explicitly teach that the one or more process parameters comprises at least the temperature of the molten polymer when injected.
In the same field of endeavor, control of injection molding machine, Stoehr teaches that in injection molding, it can be provided that the at least one second parameter concerns at least one of the following: process properties, in particular individual process times, overall cycle time, robustness, tool loading, energy consumption, necessary closing force, melt temperature, maximum injection pressure, environmental influencing, temperature conditioning requirement, economic efficiency, machine loading, necessary machine size (Pa [0074]-[0075]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to configure the controller to provide different melt temperatures between the cavities for convex outer surface of mold halves and the cavities for concave outer surface of mold halves in order to form different shape of subsets of mold halves.
Claim 26 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Atkinson et al. (US 2016/0176092A1- of record) in view of Altonen et al. (US 2018/0001529A1-of record) as applied to claim 21 above, and further in view of Lawless, lll et al. (US 2020/0078998A1).
With respect to claim 26, Altonen as applied in the combination regarding claim 22 above further teaches that the first plunger has a first screw (“22”) and the second plunger has a second screw (“22”), each plunger being operable by the controller to rotate and thereby cause the associated screw to urge the polymer towards the outlet of the associated barrel (“The thermoplastic pellets 16, after being fed into the heated barrel 20, may be driven to the end of the heated barrel 20 by a reciprocating screw 22. The heating of the heated barrel 20 and the compression of the thermoplastic pellets 16 by the reciprocating screw 22 causes the thermoplastic pellets 16 to melt, forming a molten thermoplastic material 24.”, Pa [0052]; “the reciprocating screw 22 forces the molten thermoplastic material 24, toward a nozzle 26 to form a shot of thermoplastic material, which will be injected into one or more mold cavities 32 of a mold 28 via one or more gates 30”, Pa [0053]; “A controller 50 is communicatively connected with one or more sensors 52, located in the vicinity of the nozzle 26, and a screw control 36.”, Pa [0055]), and it will be appreciated that the injection molding apparatus 200 can include two different controllers 50 for controlling the different injection systems 12 (Pa [0079]), but does not explicitly teach that the one or more process parameters comprises at least the back pressure of the feed and the controller is configured to operate the first and second plungers differently to one another such that the first screw urges said polymer at a different back pressure to the second screw.
In the same field of endeavor, control of injection molding machines, Lawless teaches that the at least one extrusion operational parameter is in the form of at least one of a back pressure set point, a screw rotational speed value, or a measured plastic flow front position (Pa [0007]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to configure the controller to set different back pressure set points between the cavities for convex outer surface of mold halves and the cavities for concave outer surface of mold halves in order to form different shape of subsets of mold halves.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YUNJU KIM whose telephone number is (571)270-1146. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00-4:00 EST M-Th; Flexing Fri.
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/YUNJU KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1742
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