DETAILED ACTION
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) 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Miyasa et al. (2021/0129568) in view of Kaji et al. (2008/0139706) and Ikai et al. (2022/0017760) and Goto (8,927,623).
Regarding claim 1, Miyasa teaches white ink jet ink composition comprising:
hollow resin particles (Table 1, Ink W3, Hollow resin fine particles);
resin particles (Table 1, Ink 3, Takelac WS-6021);
a water-soluble organic solvent including a polyhydric alcohol having a standard boiling point of 270 degrees C or higher (Table 1, Ink 3, glycerin) and another polyhydric alcohol (Table 1, Ink 3, Triethylene glycol) and
water (Table 1, Ink 3, water) in a content of 30 mass %or more relative to a total amount of the white inkjet composition (see fig. 1),
a glass transition temperature of the resin particles is 5°C or lower (note that the glass transition temperature of Takelac WS-6021 is -60 degrees C).
Miyasa does not teach wherein a glass transition temperature of the hollow resin particles is 120°C or higher. Kaji teaches wherein a glass transition temperature of a styrene-acrylic resin of the type disclosed by Miyasa is between 100 and 150 degrees C (Kaji, [0040]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to choose a styrene-acrylic resin, as disclosed by Miyasa, with a glass transition temperature within the range disclosed by Kaji because doing so would amount to applying a known range of resin glass transition temperatures to a known type of resin to obtain predictable results.
Miyasa in view of Kaji does not teach wherein the another polyhydric alcohol and one solvent in an ink composition is an alkanediol having the claimed properties. Ikai teaches wherein 3-methyl-1,3-butanediol and triethylene glycol are obvious variants for use as solvents (Ikai, [0045]). Because Miyasa in view of Kaji teaches wherein one solvent is triethylene glycol, it would have been obvious to substitute 3-methyl-1,3-butanediol for triethylene glycol because doing so would amount to the simple substitution of one known polyhydric alcohol solvent for another. 3-methyl-1,3-butanediol meets all of the limitations directed to the claimed alkanediol.
Miyasa in view of Kaji also does not expressly teach wherein a content of the claimed alkanediol with respect to the total solvent is 75% or more. Goto teaches this (Goto, see table 2, Example 10, Note solvent includes 18.91 parts 3-methyl-1,3-butanediol, 75% of the total solvent, which also includes glycerin. Note that the reference seems to have used the term “wetting agent” for its solvents). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the alkanediol in the proportion disclosed Goto in the ink disclosed by Miyasa in view of Kaji and Ikai because doing so would prevent degradations of ink stability.
Regarding claim 2, Miyasa in view of Kaji, Ikai and Goto teaches the white ink jet ink composition according to claim 1, wherein the hollow resin particles contain an acrylic resin ([0145]).
Regarding claim 3, Miyasa in view of Kaji, Ikai and Goto teaches the white ink jet ink composition according to claim 1, wherein the resin particles contain any one selected from a urethane-based resin and an acrylic resin ([0117]).
Regarding claim 4, Miyasa in view of Kaji, Ikai and Goto teaches the white ink jet ink composition according to claim 1, wherein the glass transition temperature of the Takelac resin particles is -60 degrees C. Miyasa also teaches wherein Superflex 420, which has a glass transition temperature of -10 degrees C, is an obvious alternative for Takelac WS-6021 ([0117]). Substituting Superflex for Takelac, as listed in Table 1, the resultant device would have Superlex particles with a glass transition temperature of -35°C or higher ([0117]).
Regarding claim 5, Miyasa in view of Kaji, Ikai and Goto teaches the white ink jet ink composition according to claim 1, wherein a Young's modulus of a dry coating film of the white ink jet ink composition is 20 MPa or less (Note that the components of the prior art ink detailed in claim 1 are the same as those disclosed in Ink 3 in Table 1 of the immediate application, which meet the limitation).
Regarding claim 6, Miyasa in view of Kaji, Ikai and Goto teaches the white ink jet ink composition according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the resin particles and the hollow resin particles contains an anionic resin (Note that the styrene-acrylic resin is anionic).
Regarding claim 7, Miyasa in view of Kaji, Ikai and Goto teaches the white ink jet ink composition according to claim 1, further comprising:
alkanediol having a standard boiling point of 240°C or lower as a water-soluble organic solvent (Miyasa, Table 1, Ink 3, Triethylene glycol monobutyl ether), wherein
the alkanediol has at least one hydroxyl group bonded to other than a terminal of an alkane chain and has 4 to 6 carbon atoms (Miyasa, [0123]).
wherein a content of the alkanediol having a standard boiling point of 240°C or lower is 75.0% by mass or more with respect to a total amount of the water-soluble organic solvent (Miyasa, see Table 1).
Regarding claim 8, Miyasa in view of Kaji, Ikai and Goto teaches the white ink jet ink composition according to claim 1, wherein
an absolute value of a difference between the glass transition temperature of the hollow resin particles and the glass transition temperature of the resin particles is 125°C or higher (Note that, as defined in the rejection of claim 1, this is the case).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are moot in light of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEJANDRO VALENCIA whose telephone number is (571)270-5473. The examiner can normally be reached M-F.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, DOUGLAS X. RODRIGUEZ can be reached at 571-431-0716. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
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 ALEJANDRO VALENCIA whose telephone number is (571)270-5473. The examiner can normally be reached M-F.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, DOUGLAS X. RODRIGUEZ can be reached at 571-431-0716. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ALEJANDRO VALENCIA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853