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 § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 10, 11, 14, 16, 18, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ono (JPH059299, see machine translation for citations) in view of Takamoto et al (JP 2018053195A, see machine translation for citations).
Regarding Claims 10, 14, and 19: Ono teaches an aromatic sulfide sulfone polymer/ polyarylene sulfide (PPSS) slurry composition wherein the PPSS slurry composition is impregnated in a fibrous substrate (para 6). Ono further teaches the polyarylene sulfide having a glass transition temperature of greater than 140°C (para 8) and having a repeating structural unit of [−φ−SO2 −φ−S−φ−S−] (where −φ− represents a p-phenylene group) (para 7) which reads on claimed formulae (e). However, Ono is silent on the polyarylene sulfide copolymer comprising arylene sulfide units in an amount of 60% by weight wherein the arylene sulfide units have a molecular weight of 1000 to 10000 and at least one linking group selected from the group consisting of sulfinyl, ester, amide, imide, ether, urea, urethane, and siloxane.
Takamoto teaches a random or block polyarylene sulfide copolymer (para 22) made from a polyarylene sulfide precursor and a thermoplastic resin (para 1) wherein the precursor is present in an amount of 91 to 99.99 parts by weight per 100 parts per weight of the polyarylene sulfide copolymer (para 9). Takamoto further teaches the precursor being a cyclic polyarylene sulfide wherein the cyclic polyarylene sulfide(para 13) has a molecular weight of 300 to 5000 (para 23) overlapping the claimed range of 1,000 to 10,000. Takamoto further teaches the thermoplastic resin comprising of an imide group (para 34). This reads on the claimed limitation of an imide linking group as the terminal imide group would connect the polyarylene sulfide precursor and the thermoplastic resin in the random or block polyarylene sulfide copolymer. Ono and Takamoto are analogous art as they are directed towards the same of endeavor, namely fiber reinforce polyarylene sulfide copolymer composites. It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to substitute the arylene sulfide units of the polyarylene sulfide copolymer of Ono with arylene sulfide units of Takamoto. Takamoto discloses that if the average molecular weight is less than 5,000, the viscosity is moderately controlled, resulting in excellent handling properties (para 23). One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to substitute the arylene sulfide units of Ono with arylene sulfide units having the molecular weight of Takamoto to produce a polyarylene sulfide copolymer with better handling properties to produce a better final molded article.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the polyarylene sulfide copolymer of Ono to have the amount of polyarylene sulfide precursor units of Takamoto. Takamoto discloses that by using 9 parts by weight or less of thermoplastic resin having carbonyl groups in repeating units, polyarylene sulfide precursor and thermoplastic resin can be mixed more uniformly (para 40). Since the poly arylene sulfide precursor is polymerized in the presence of the thermoplastic resin a more uniform mixture would result in a greater conversion rate of the precursor into polyarylene sulfide. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to modify the polyarylene sulfide copolymer of Ono to have the arylene sulfide precursor amount of Takamoto to increase the efficiency of the polymerization of the arylene sulfide precursor into polyarylene sulfide.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the imide group containing thermoplastic resin of Takamoto to the polyarylene sulfide copolymer of Ono. Takamoto discloses that the imide group containing thermoplastic resin improves the heat resistance of molded polyarylene sulfide products (para 35). One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to add an imide group containing thermoplastic resin to the polyarylene sulfide copolymer to create a product with improved heat resistance.
Regarding Claim 11: Ono further teaches a polyphenol sulfide block copolymer having a melting point of 270°C (para 37).
Regarding Claim 16: Ono further teaches carbon fibers with a favorable reinforcing effect (para 27) indicates the reinforcing fiber, in the range of 30 to 300 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the resin component (para 27) overlaps the claimed range.
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have optimized the carbon fiber range, into the 30 to 300 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the resin component (para 27) and further apply into composition formation. Doing so would lead to the material is easily permeated into the fiber substrate, and a favorable reinforcing effect is obtained (para 27) as taught by Ono.
In the case where the claimed ranges "overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art" a prima facie case of obviousness exists. In re Wertheim, 541 F.2d 257, 191 USPQ 90 (CCPA 1976) MPEP 2144.05
Regarding Claim 18: Ono further teaches a slurry impregnated fibrous substrate used as a molding material for electric/electronic parts (para 1).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ono (JPH059299, herein Ono, a machine translation is being used for citation purpose) and Takamoto et al (JP 2018053195A, see machine translation for citations) in the claim 10 as set forth above, in the further view of Imai (US20180362760A1).
Regarding Claim 15: Modified Ono teaches all of the limitations of claim 10, as seen above. Ono further teaches the fiber base material including long fibers such as carbon fibers (para 27). However, Ono is silent on the reinforcing fiber being continuously arranged in one direction.
Imai teaches a reinforcing fiber bundle comprising unidirectionally arranged monofilaments continuous in the longitudinal direction (para 114) and wherein the reinforcing fiber preferably comprises if carbon fiber (para 0293).
Ono and Imai are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of long carbon fiber and polyarylene sulfide copolymer-based functional resin composition toward to the advanced heat resistance, mechanical properties.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to substitute the fiber base material of Ono with the fiber bundle of Imai. Imai discloses that unidirectionally arranged substrates are preferably used because strength properties can be easily designed depending on the lamination structure (para 117). One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to substitute the fiber base material of Ono with the fiber bundle of Imai to obtain a product with favorable strength properties.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 10, 11, 14, 16, 18, and 19 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicants argue that Tohru does not teach a glass transition temperature within the range of 110°C to 190°C. This argument is moot as the new ground of rejection does not rely on Tohru as a reference.
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.
Correspondence
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THOMAS J BELUNIS whose telephone number is (571)270-3186. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-4pm.
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/T.J.B./Examiner, Art Unit 1767
/MARK EASHOO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1767
