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 .
Status of Claims and Application
This final action on the merits is in response to the remarks and amendments received by the office 09 April 2026. Claims 1-10 are pending. Claim 1 is amended. No claims are added or cancelled.
Claim Interpretation
The claims under examination are directed to “[a] kit for retrofitting an existing three-dimensional (3D) printer.” The preamble of the sole independent claim 1 recites certain structure and features of the three-dimensional printer. After careful review and consideration, examiner has determined that these preamble recitations are statements of intended use and not limiting of the structure claimed. (See MPEP 2211.02 (II) and In re Otto, 312 F.2d 937, 938, 136 USPQ 458, 459 (CCPA 1963))
Response to Amendment
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.
Claim(s) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication 2017/0246797 to Lambrecht et al. (‘797 hereafter).
Regarding claim 1, ‘797 teaches kit for retrofitting an existing three-dimensional (3D) printer, the existing 3D printer including an existing resin reservoir including an existing bottom print surface, the existing resin reservoir adapted to register with an existing screen adapted to provide a curing light, the existing bottom print surface, when the existing resin reservoir is registered with the existing screen, covering a first portion of the existing screen and configured to receive the curing light from the first portion of the existing screen, the kit comprising: a kit adapter including an adapter frame and a kit resin reservoir, the kit resin reservoir including a side wall and a kit bottom print surface, the kit adapter adapted to register with the existing screen and including an outer perimeter and a surrounding surface, the surrounding surface defined by the space between the outer perimeter and a perimeter of the side wall, wherein the surrounding surface is substantially impervious to the curing light, the kit bottom print surface, when the kit adapter is registered with the existing screen, covering a second portion of the existing screen and configured to receive the curing light from the second portion of the existing screen only, wherein the second portion of the existing screen is contained within the first portion of the existing screen (Fig. 1 items 14, 41; Fig 4 item 44).
Regarding claim 2, ‘797 teaches the kit wherein a total surface area of the second portion of the existing screen is smaller than a total surface area of the first portion of the existing screen (Fig 3 items 20 and 60).
Regarding claim 3, ‘797 teaches the kit further comprising a kit cover configured to cover a portion of the first portion of the existing screen not covered by the kit bottom print surface (Fig 3 unlabeled flange on reservoir bottom, Fig 1 item 14.)
Regarding claim 4, ‘797 teaches the kit wherein the kit cover is attached to the kit adapter (Fig 2 items 14 and 16).
Regarding claim 5, ‘797 teaches the kit wherein the existing 3D printer includes an existing build platform including an existing build surface with an existing build surface area, the kit further comprising: a kit build platform including a kit build surface with a kit build surface area that is smaller than the existing build surface area, the kit build platform interchangeable with the existing build platform (Fig 2 item 16, Fig 3 item 20).
Regarding claim 6, ‘797 teaches the kit wherein the kit build surface area is less than a surface area of the kit bottom print surface (paragraph 0112).
Regarding claim 7, ‘797 teaches the kit wherein the kit bottom print surface includes a kit bottom surface perimeter, and the kit build surface includes a kit build surface perimeter that fits within the kit bottom surface perimeter (Fig 4 item 44).
Regarding claim 8, ‘797 teaches the kit wherein the kit resin reservoir is removable from the kit adapter (ABSTRACT).
Regarding claim 9, ‘797 teaches the kit wherein the kit bottom print surface is transparent and/or semi-transparent (paragraph 0123).
Regarding claim 10, ‘797 teaches the kit wherein the kit resin reservoir is prefilled with an amount of photosensitive resin and is sealed using a sealing member with the amount of photosensitive resin therein (paragraph 0133).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Pg. 6, filed 09 April 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-10 under 35 USC 102 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of previously identified relevant prior art U.S. Patent Application Publication 2017/0246797 to Lambrecht et al.
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 John P Robitaille whose telephone number is (571)270-7006. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30AM-6:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Galen Hauth can be reached at (571) 270-5516. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JPR/Examiner, Art Unit 1743
/GALEN H HAUTH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1743
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