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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 07/10/2026 has been entered.
Status of Claims
In the response dated 07/10/2026, the status of the claims are as follows:
Claims 1, 13, 16 and 20 have been amended.
Claims 2-3 and 19 have been cancelled.
Claims 1, 4-18 and 20 are pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 07/10/2026, with respect to the 35 USC § 112 rejections have been fully considered and are persuasive in view of the cancellation of claim 19. The 35 USC § 112 rejections have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, filed 07/10/2026, with respect to the 35 USC § 103 rejections have been fully considered and are persuasive in view of the amendments to the claims. The 35 USC § 103 rejections have been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made over Shannon (US3628572A) in view of Hata (JP2014005173A) and Campbell (US4228826A), as well as over Taguchi (WO2017195606A1) in view of Shannon (US3628572A), Hata (JP2014005173A) and Campbell (US4228826A).
With regards to applicant’s arguments that “Hata does not disclose or suggest the claimed bulk-density relationship Da > Db > Dc in a heat insulating protective member composed of an inorganic fiber needled blanket in which the weight ratio of inorganic binder is higher at the outer peripheral surface than at the inner peripheral surface”, Hata explicitly states ion [0053] that “the outer peripheral side, which is the exposed side, is resistant to scale by making the impregnated sol distribution in the inorganic fiber molded body inclined and increasing the sol impregnation amount toward the outside”, which reads on the claim since the sol distribution is inclined toward the outside, and thus comprises an inclined weight ratio and density of the sol when compared to the inner side.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the modification of Hata in view of Campbell have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on modifying Hata in view of Campbell for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Objections
Claim 4 is objected to because of the following informalities: the limitation “the composition further comprises inorganic binder particles which bind the inorganic fibers, and a weight ratio of the inorganic binder particles in the heat insulating protective member at the outer peripheral surface is higher than that of the inner peripheral surface” should be removed from the claim, as this limitation has been incorporated into amended claim 1. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 5 is objected to because of the following informalities: the limitation “the hollow cylindrical shape is a half-split hollow cylindrical shape split in a parallel direction of a cylinder axis” should be removed from the claim, as this limitation has been incorporated into amended claim 1. Appropriate correction is required.
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 and 4-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shannon (US3628572A) in view of Hata (JP2014005173A), referring to the English translation dated 03/20/2024, and Campbell (US4228826A).
Regarding claim 1, Shannon teaches
a heat insulating protective member having a hollow cylindrical shape (fig. 1) formed by molding a composition comprising fiber including alumina and silica (“Fibers bonded together either by an organic resin, or an inorganic binder, and having a density of from 2 to 15 pounds per cubic foot, can also be used for the above described temperature ranges depending upon whether an organic resin or an inorganic cement is used to bond the fibers together. Such composites will include resin bonded glass fibers, resin bonded mineral wool, resin bonded rock wool, resin bonded asbestos fibers, resin bonded aluminum silicate or ceramic fibers”) [], wherein
the hollow cylindrical shape comprises an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface (shown on fig. 1)
the hollow cylindrical shape is a half-split hollow cylindrical shape split in a parallel direction of a cylinder axis (split along abutment surfaces 18, fig. 2, in a parallel direction of the axis, fig. 1)
the heat insulating protective member is composed of an inorganic fiber needled blanket. the composition further comprises an inorganic binder (“Fibers bonded together either by an organic resin, or an inorganic binder”) []
Shannon does not teach
a bulk density of the heat insulating protective member increases from the inner peripheral surface toward the outer peripheral surface and,
wherein: when an intermediate portion is defined as an intermediate point between the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface, a bulk density (Da) on the outer peripheral surface, a bulk density (Db) on the intermediate portion, and a bulk density (Dc) on the inner peripheral surface satisfy the following formula: Da>Db > Dc, and the inner peripheral surface includes the fiber
the heat insulating protective member is composed of an inorganic fiber needled blanket. the composition further comprises an inorganic binder; and a weight ratio of the inorganic binder in the heat insulating protective member at the outer peripheral surface is higher than the inner peripheral surface
Hata teaches
a heat insulating protective member (inorganic fiber molded body 10) having a hollow cylindrical shape (fig. 3-4) formed by molding a composition comprising fiber (“The present invention relates to an inorganic fiber molded body and a heat insulating member made of the inorganic fiber molded body, and is particularly suitable for use as incidental equipment and members in high temperature devices such as burners and blast furnaces and heat insulated members such as high temperature piping”) [0001] including alumina and silica (“The inorganic fiber is preferably a polycrystalline alumina / silica fiber comprising 65 to 98% by mass of alumina and 2 to 35% by mass of silica”) [0023], wherein
the hollow cylindrical shape comprises an outer peripheral surface (outer surface of inorganic fiber molded body 10) and an inner peripheral surface (inner surface of inorganic fiber molded body 10)
the heat insulating protective member is composed of an inorganic fiber needled blanket. the composition further comprises an inorganic binder (“The inorganic fiber molded body of the present invention is an inorganic fiber molded body obtained by impregnating an inorganic sol into a needle blanket of inorganic fiber”) [0018]; and a weight ratio of the inorganic binder in the heat insulating protective member at the outer peripheral surface is higher than the inner peripheral surface (“the outer peripheral side, which is the exposed side, is resistant to scale by making the impregnated sol distribution in the inorganic fiber molded body inclined and increasing the sol impregnation amount toward the outside or impregnating the inorganic sol only in the vicinity of the surface. As a result, it is possible to secure a large amount of voids which are heat insulation layers in the interior, which can be expected to improve the heat insulation effect”) [0053]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a weight ratio of the inorganic binder in the heat insulating protective member at the outer peripheral surface as higher than the inner peripheral surface, as taught in Hata, in order to make “the outer peripheral side, which is the exposed side, is resistant to scale” [0053 of Hata] and “secure a large amount of voids which are heat insulation layers in the interior, which can be expected to improve the heat insulation effect”) [0053 of Hata].
Campbell teaches
a bulk density of the heat insulating protective member increases from the inner peripheral surface toward the outer peripheral surface (“The manufacture of the laminated refractory shape utilizes a perforated mold whose perforations are in communication with a vacuum source... The inner layer slurry includes a mixture of conventional basic fiber bulk material, a binder including a colloidal silica or colloidal alumina, a starch and a quantity of water… When the desired thickness of the inner layer is achieved, the perforated mold is removed from the slurry, the wire mesh reinforcement is superimposed around the inner layer shape and the combination is then inserted into a second slurry for the formation of the outer ceramic fiber layer. The outer ceramic fiber slurry mixture may consist of the same or similar thermal resistant ceramic fibers but in a ratio which utilizes a greater amount of higher temperature, slag, and furnace gas resistant fibers than the slurry used in the manufacture of the inner layer“ [col. 4 lines 9-32]; “Another form of manufacture of the present invention replaces the laminated structure with a continuous spectrum of vacuum-formed, ceramic fiber material having varying characteristics of thermal conductivity which produce a substantially similar ceramic fiber refractory as the laminated construction. Such a construction can be obtained by rotating a cylindrical mold at high speeds so that the more dense, thermally resistant fiber materials migrate toward the outer portions of the refractory shape while the lighter, less thermally conductive fibers remain at the inner portions of the shape” [col. 4 line 59 to col. 5 line 2]; thus, the rotated mold comprises more dense, thermally resistant fiber materials toward the outer portions of the refractory shape and lighter, less thermally conductive fibers at the inner portions of the shape)
wherein: when an intermediate portion is defined as an intermediate point between the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface, a bulk density (Da) on the outer peripheral surface, a bulk density (Db) on the intermediate portion, and a bulk density (Dc) on the inner peripheral surface satisfy the following formula: Da>Db > Dc (since more dense, thermally resistant fiber materials are located toward the outer portions of the refractory shape and lighter, less thermally conductive fibers at the inner portions of the shape, an intermediate portion would comprise a bulk density between the outer surface and inner surface, thus teaching the claimed formula), and the inner peripheral surface includes the fiber (Campbell teaches lighter, less thermally conductive fibers remain at the inner portions of the shape; thus, the inner peripheral surface still includes the fiber)
Shannon, as mdofiied, by Hata, teaches an inorganic fiber protective member to cover a pipe wherein the binder weight ratio increases from the inner peripheral surface toward the outer peripheral surface, however does not explicitly teach a bulk density of the inorganic fiber increasing from the inner peripheral surface toward the outer peripheral surface. Campbell teaches this structure through a rotated mold comprises more dense, thermally resistant fiber materials toward the outer portions of the refractory shape and lighter, less thermally conductive fibers at the inner portions of the shape. The inorganic fiber protective member of Shannon in view of Hata can therefore be modified to comprise this continuous spectrum structure of Campbell. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make this modification since “For reasons of economy, the inner ceramic fiber layer is less resistant to attack by furnace gases and corrosive slags and is less expensive to manufacture than the outer ceramic fiber layer which must withstand significantly higher temperatures and exposure to corrosive furnace slags and furnace gases” [col. 3 lines 42-47].
Regarding claim 4, Shannon, as modified, teaches the heat insulating protective member according to claim 1, wherein:
the composition further comprises inorganic binder particles which bind the inorganic fibers (“Fibers bonded together either by an organic resin, or an inorganic binder”) [], and
a weight ratio of the inorganic binder particles in the heat insulating protective member at the outer peripheral surface is higher than that of the inner peripheral surface (“the outer peripheral side, which is the exposed side, is resistant to scale by making the impregnated sol distribution in the inorganic fiber molded body inclined and increasing the sol impregnation amount toward the outside or impregnating the inorganic sol only in the vicinity of the surface. As a result, it is possible to secure a large amount of voids which are heat insulation layers in the interior, which can be expected to improve the heat insulation effect”) [0053 of Hata]
Shannon does not teach
the heat insulating protective member is a fired article produced by firing after a molding process
Hata teaches
the heat insulating protective member is a fired article produced by firing after a molding process (“The method for producing the inorganic fiber molded body of the present invention is not particularly limited. 1 to 4 and 7 to 10, a needle blanket is used as an inorganic fiber aggregate for a substantially cylindrical member to be protected (a pipe or the like) so that the desired thickness can be obtained. After sol-impregnation in a layer or a laminate of a plurality of laminated layers, it can be formed into a cylindrical shape, heated and dried, and then cut into the obtained cylindrical molded body for manufacturing. The formed body may be fired”) [0049 of Hata]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to fire the heat insulating protective member of Shannon, as modified, as taught in Shannon, in order to ensure that the member is fully cured prior to use.
Regarding claim 5, Shannon, as modified, teaches the heat insulating protective member according to claim 1, wherein:
the hollow cylindrical shape is a half-split hollow cylindrical shape split in a parallel direction of a cylinder axis, and a split surface is not perpendicular to a diameter of the cylinder such that the split surface is not on a plane that includes the cylinder axis (as shown on fig. 2 of Shannon, the irregularly shaped abutment surfaces 18 split the cylinder into two hemicylindrically shaped blocks 10 along a parallel direction of the cylinder axis (fig. 1), wherein irregularly shaped abutment surfaces 18 are not perpendicular to a diameter of the cylinder such that the split surface is not on a plane that includes the cylinder axis, as shown on fig. 2)
Claim(s) 1 and 4-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Taguchi (WO2017195606A1), referring to the English translation dated 03/20/2024, in view of Campbell (US4228826A).
Regarding claim 1, Taguchi teaches
a heat insulating protective member (ring-shaped needle blanket 10) having a hollow cylindrical shape (fig. 2) formed by molding a composition comprising fiber including alumina and silica (“made of a needle blanket of inorganic fibers) [0026]; The inorganic fiber constituting the needle blanket is not particularly limited, and single or composite fibers such as silica, alumina / silica, zirconia including these, spinel, titania, calcia and the like can be mentioned, but it is particularly preferable Is alumina / silica type fiber, particularly polycrystalline alumina / silica type fiber in view of heat resistance, fiber strength (toughness) and safety”) [0074], wherein
the hollow cylindrical shape comprises an outer peripheral surface (opposite skid pipe 1) and an inner peripheral surface (side proximate skid pipe 1), and
Taguchi does not explicitly teach
a bulk density of the heat insulating protective member increases from the inner peripheral surface toward the outer peripheral surface and,
wherein: when an intermediate portion is defined as an intermediate point between the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface, a bulk density (Da) on the outer peripheral surface, a bulk density (Db) on the intermediate portion, and a bulk density (Dc) on the inner peripheral surface satisfy the following formula: Da>Db > Dc, and the inner peripheral surface includes the fiber
the heat insulating protective member is composed of an inorganic fiber needled blanket, the composition further comprises an inorganic binder, and a weight ratio of the inorganic binder in the heat insulating protective member at the outer peripheral surface is higher than the inner peripheral surface, and
the hollow cylindrical shape is a half-split hollow cylindrical shape split in a parallel direction of a cylinder axis
Campbell teaches
a bulk density of the heat insulating protective member increases from the inner peripheral surface toward the outer peripheral surface (“The manufacture of the laminated refractory shape utilizes a perforated mold whose perforations are in communication with a vacuum source... The inner layer slurry includes a mixture of conventional basic fiber bulk material, a binder including a colloidal silica or colloidal alumina, a starch and a quantity of water… When the desired thickness of the inner layer is achieved, the perforated mold is removed from the slurry, the wire mesh reinforcement is superimposed around the inner layer shape and the combination is then inserted into a second slurry for the formation of the outer ceramic fiber layer. The outer ceramic fiber slurry mixture may consist of the same or similar thermal resistant ceramic fibers but in a ratio which utilizes a greater amount of higher temperature, slag, and furnace gas resistant fibers than the slurry used in the manufacture of the inner layer“ [col. 4 lines 9-32]; “Another form of manufacture of the present invention replaces the laminated structure with a continuous spectrum of vacuum-formed, ceramic fiber material having varying characteristics of thermal conductivity which produce a substantially similar ceramic fiber refractory as the laminated construction. Such a construction can be obtained by rotating a cylindrical mold at high speeds so that the more dense, thermally resistant fiber materials migrate toward the outer portions of the refractory shape while the lighter, less thermally conductive fibers remain at the inner portions of the shape” [col. 4 line 59 to col. 5 line 2]; thus, the rotated mold comprises more dense, thermally resistant fiber materials toward the outer portions of the refractory shape and lighter, less thermally conductive fibers at the inner portions of the shape)
wherein: when an intermediate portion is defined as an intermediate point between the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface, a bulk density (Da) on the outer peripheral surface, a bulk density (Db) on the intermediate portion, and a bulk density (Dc) on the inner peripheral surface satisfy the following formula: Da>Db > Dc (since more dense, thermally resistant fiber materials are located toward the outer portions of the refractory shape and lighter, less thermally conductive fibers at the inner portions of the shape, an intermediate portion would comprise a bulk density between the outer surface and inner surface, thus teaching the claimed formula), and the inner peripheral surface includes the fiber (Campbell teaches lighter, less thermally conductive fibers remain at the inner portions of the shape; thus, the inner peripheral surface still includes the fiber)
Taguchi teaches ring-shaped needle blanket 10 to cover a skid pipe 1, however does not explicitly teach a bulk density of the inorganic fiber of ring-shaped needle blanket 10 increasing from the inner peripheral surface toward the outer peripheral surface. Campbell teaches this structure through a rotated mold comprises more dense, thermally resistant fiber materials toward the outer portions of the refractory shape and lighter, less thermally conductive fibers at the inner portions of the shape. The ring-shaped needle blanket 10 of Taguchi can therefore be modified to comprise this continuous spectrum structure of Campbell. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make this modification since “For reasons of economy, the inner ceramic fiber layer is less resistant to attack by furnace gases and corrosive slags and is less expensive to manufacture than the outer ceramic fiber layer which must withstand significantly higher temperatures and exposure to corrosive furnace slags and furnace gases” [col. 3 lines 42-47].
Hata teaches
the heat insulating protective member is composed of an inorganic fiber needled blanket. the composition further comprises an inorganic binder (“The inorganic fiber molded body of the present invention is an inorganic fiber molded body obtained by impregnating an inorganic sol into a needle blanket of inorganic fiber”) [0018]; and a weight ratio of the inorganic binder in the heat insulating protective member at the outer peripheral surface is higher than the inner peripheral surface (“the outer peripheral side, which is the exposed side, is resistant to scale by making the impregnated sol distribution in the inorganic fiber molded body inclined and increasing the sol impregnation amount toward the outside or impregnating the inorganic sol only in the vicinity of the surface. As a result, it is possible to secure a large amount of voids which are heat insulation layers in the interior, which can be expected to improve the heat insulation effect”) [0053]
Taguchi, as modified by Campbell, teaches ring-shaped needle blanket 10 comprising a bulk density of the inorganic fiber of ring-shaped needle blanket 10 increasing from the inner peripheral surface toward the outer peripheral surface, but does not explicitly teach a weight ratio of the inorganic binder in the heat insulating protective member at the outer peripheral surface as higher than the inner peripheral surface as well. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a weight ratio of the inorganic binder in the heat insulating protective member at the outer peripheral surface as higher than the inner peripheral surface, as taught in Hata, in order to make “the outer peripheral side, which is the exposed side, is resistant to scale” [0053 of Hata] and “secure a large amount of voids which are heat insulation layers in the interior, which can be expected to improve the heat insulation effect”) [0053 of Hata].
Shannon teaches
the hollow cylindrical shape is a half-split hollow cylindrical shape split in a parallel direction of a cylinder axis (split along abutment surfaces 18, fig. 2, in a parallel direction of the axis, fig. 1)
Taguchi, as modified by Campbell and Hata, teaches the heat insulating protective member comprising a hollow cylindrical shape as claimed, but does not teach the hollow cylindrical shape is a half-split hollow cylindrical shape split in a parallel direction of a cylinder axis (as shown on fig. 2, ring-shaped needle blanket 10 comprises a slit 11 on only one side of the blanket 10). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to split the heat insulating protective member as taught in Shannon, in order to ease installation by providing two hemicylindrically shaped sides that do not have to be deformed in order to fit over the pipe.
Regarding claim 4, Taguchi, as modified, teaches the heat insulating protective member according to claim 1, wherein:
the heat insulating protective member is a fired article produced by firing after a molding process (“After ring-shaped needle blanket 10 fired”) []
the composition further comprises inorganic binder particles which bind the inorganic fibers (“The inorganic fiber molded body of the present invention is an inorganic fiber molded body obtained by impregnating an inorganic sol into a needle blanket of inorganic fiber”) [001 of Hata8], and
a weight ratio of the inorganic binder particles in the heat insulating protective member at the outer peripheral surface is higher than that of the inner peripheral surface (“the outer peripheral side, which is the exposed side, is resistant to scale by making the impregnated sol distribution in the inorganic fiber molded body inclined and increasing the sol impregnation amount toward the outside or impregnating the inorganic sol only in the vicinity of the surface. As a result, it is possible to secure a large amount of voids which are heat insulation layers in the interior, which can be expected to improve the heat insulation effect”) [0053 of Hata]
Regarding claim 5, Taguchi, as modified, teaches the heat insulating protective member according to claim 1, wherein:
the hollow cylindrical shape is a half-split hollow cylindrical shape split in a parallel direction of a cylinder axis, and a split surface is not perpendicular to a diameter of the cylinder such that the split surface is not on a plane that includes the cylinder axis (as shown on fig. 2 of Shannon, the irregularly shaped abutment surfaces 18 split the cylinder into two hemicylindrically shaped blocks 10 along a parallel direction of the cylinder axis (fig. 1), wherein irregularly shaped abutment surfaces 18 are not perpendicular to a diameter of the cylinder such that the split surface is not on a plane that includes the cylinder axis, as shown on fig. 2)
Regarding claim 6, Taguchi, as modified, teaches the heat insulating protective member according to claim 1,
further comprising one or more holes in an end surface of the heat insulating protective member (holes accommodating pins 33 as shown on fig. 4b)
Regarding claim 7, Taguchi, as modified, teaches
an internal furnace member (skid pipe 1) comprising one or more of the heat insulating protective member according to claim 1, wherein the one or more of the heat insulating protective members are placed on an outer surface of the internal furnace member (as shown on fig. 2)
Regarding claim 8, Taguchi, as modified, teaches the internal furnace member according to claim 7, wherein:
the internal furnace member comprises two or more of the heat insulating protective member which are connected to each other, each of the heat insulating protective member comprises one or more holes in an end surface of the heat insulating protective member, and pins (pins 33) are inserted into the holes to connect the two adjacent heat insulating protective member (figs. 3-5)
Regarding claim 9, Taguchi, as modified, teaches the internal furnace member according to claim 7,
further comprising a sheet (blanket 40 as shown on fig. 8b) comprising another inorganic fiber that covers the heat insulating protective member (“blanket 40 and the laminate 10 of the ring-shaped needle blanket are made of the same material”) [0049]
Regarding claim 10, Taguchi, as modified, teaches a method of using the heat insulating protective member of claim 1, comprising:
mounting the heat insulating protective member on an outer surface of an internal furnace member (mounting on skid pipe 1 as shown on fig. 2)
Regarding claim 11, Taguchi, as modified, teaches the method according to claim 10, wherein:
the internal furnace member comprises two or more of the heat insulating protective member, and the method further comprises inserting pins (pins 33) into holes in an end surface of the heat insulating protective member to connect the two adjacent heat insulating protective member (figs. 3-5)
Regarding claim 12, Taguchi, as modified, teaches the method according to claim 10, further comprising:
after the mounting the heat insulating protective member, filing a gap between an end surface of the heat insulating protective member and an inner member of the internal furnace member with another inorganic fiber (“foundation layer 5 is composed of inorganic fibers, castable refractories and the like”; as shown on fig. 8b) [0025]
Regarding claim 13, Taguchi, as modified, teaches the method according to claim 10, further comprising:
after the mounting the heat insulating protective member, covering the heat insulating protective member with a sheet comprising another inorganic fibers (“blanket 40 and the laminate 10 of the ring-shaped needle blanket are made of the same material”) [0049]
Regarding claim 14, Taguchi, as modified, teaches
a heating furnace comprising the internal furnace member of claim 7 (“a skid pipe in a heating furnace”) [001]
Regarding claim 15, Taguchi, as modified, teaches the heating furnace according to claim 14,
wherein the internal furnace member is a skid post (skid pipe 1)
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shannon (US3628572A) in view of Hata (JP2014005173A), referring to the English translation dated 03/20/2024, and Campbell (US4228826A), in further view of Kissell (US20040079431A1).
Regarding claim 20, Shannon, as modified by Hata and Campbell, discloses the invention essentially as claimed as discussed above and further discloses wherein an amount of the inorganic binder particles Ba attached to an intermediate portion is less than an amount of a binder Ba attached to the outer peripheral surface.
However, Shannon, as modified, does not teach the heat insulating protective member according to claim 1,
wherein an amount of the inorganic binder particles Ba attached to an intermediate portion is 10% by mass to 95% by mass an amount of a binder Ba attached to the outer peripheral surface
[0106] of Kissell discloses “Rather than creating a more conformable inner portion of the insulation mat by forming partial pleats 282 in insulation mat 12, the conformable portion 282 of the insulation mat 12 may also be formed by using finer or smaller diameter insulation fibers or may be formed by curing the inner portion with a lower weight and/or lesser amount of binder. Smaller and/or finer fibers are more easily bent and wrapped about a pipe to conform to the pipe than larger diameter fibers which may have increased stiffness to resist such wrapping. Therefore, forming a more conformable inner portion of the insulation mat may be accomplished by changing the fiber orientation of the inner portion, such as by pleating, for example, by using smaller/finer fibers for the inner portion, and by providing a graduated density of the insulation mat where the inner portion has a lower density than the outer portion or region. Such a graduated density optionally may be provided by performing a rotary fiber glass process with multiple sources of glass fibers of different size. The graduated density may also be achieved by applying differing amounts of binder as the glass mat is being made. The higher density area or outer portion may also be formed by using heavier or larger fibers having a greater fiber diameter and a higher weight and/or greater amount of binder“. Therefore, it is disclosed to be a result effective variable in that reducing the density of binder closer to the pipe allows for the blanket to more easily conform to the shape of the pipe. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the member of Shannon, as modified, by making an amount of the inorganic binder particles Ba attached to an intermediate portion is 10% by mass to 95% by mass an amount of a binder Ba attached to the outer peripheral surface as a matter of routine optimization since it has been held that “where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation." In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 16-18 are allowed. The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 16, the subject matter not found includes “inserting laminated fiber blankets comprising alumina and silica into space between an inner mold and an outer mold to form a hollow cylindrical molded body, immersing the hollow cylindrical molded body with the inner mold and the outer mold in a liquid comprising an inorganic binder, taking the hollow cylindrical molded body out of the liquid, placing the hollow cylindrical molded body in a vacuum chamber, withdrawing air inside the vacuum chamber to become negative pressure in the vacuum chamber such that the liquid is sucked in a direction from an inner peripheral surface to an outer peripheral surface of the hollow cylindrical molded body, and drying the hollow cylindrical molded body to form the heat insulating protective member”, in combination with the elements of claim 1 from which claim 16 depends. The closest art of record is Campbell in view of Taguchi, as taught in the office action, however, the alternately disclosed manufacture of Campbell relied upon in this action teaches “rotating a cylindrical mold at high speeds so that the more dense, thermally resistant fiber materials migrate toward the outer portions of the refractory shape while the lighter, less thermally conductive fibers remain at the inner portions of the shape” [col. 4 line 59 to col. 5 line 2], and thus it would have been non-obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to instead perform the manufacturing steps as claimed. No other prior art was found to teach the claim in its entirety.
Claims 17 and 18 are allowable based on their dependence to claim 16.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art of record not relied upon includes:
Paroc (DE202014008447U1), referring to the English translation dated 03/20/2024, Fukui (US20140186599A1), and Ullman (US3642034A), each which teach elements of the method of preparing the heat insulating protective member described in claim 16.
Kikuchi (JPS5443361A), as applied to claim 19 in the previous office action, which teaches a bulk density Db is 75% by mass to 99% by mass of the bulk density Da
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRETT P. MALLON whose telephone number is (571)272-4749. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday from 8am to 5pm.
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/BRETT P. MALLON/Examiner, Art Unit 3762 /MICHAEL G HOANG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3762
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