DETAILED ACTION
In Reply filed on 09/04/2025, claims 1-18 are pending. Claims 1, 4, and 18 are currently amended. No claim is canceled, and no claim is newly added. Claims 11-16 are withdrawn. Claims 1-10 and 17-18 are considered in this office 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 Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that use the word “means” or “step” but are nonetheless not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph because the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure, materials, or acts to entirely perform the recited function. Such claim limitation(s) is/are:
“adjustable narrowing means” as recited in claims 1, 6-7, 10, and 17-18.
“adjustable thickness varying means” as recited in claims 1 and 18.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are not being interpreted to cover only the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant intends to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to remove the structure, materials, or acts that performs the claimed function; or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) does/do not recite sufficient structure, materials, or acts to perform the claimed function.
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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-5, 7, 9-10, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (KR 20010064788 A) and Oyabu (JP H05375347 A).
Regarding claim 1, Kim teaches a coextrusion head ([0001, 0020], figs. 1, 5, 7, 9), comprising
a plurality of infeeds for fluid products ([0011, 0015, 0032], figs. 1, 5, 7, 9: floor paths Pa and Pb for resin A and resin B, respectively; [0020]: for producing laminated polyester films), at least one inner joining space (figs. 1, 5, 7: a space wherein the paths Pa and Pb merge), positioned downstream of said plurality infeeds and communicating with them by means of a plurality of delivery ducts ([0032], fig. 1: flow paths Pa and Pb) so as to allow flows of said fluid products to converge there and an outfeed ([0012], figs. 1, 5, 7: die discharge D) for a final multilayer product, positioned downstream of said at least one inner joining space, wherein the plurality of delivery ducts includes a central delivery duct and at least two lateral delivery ducts ([0011, 0015, 0032], figs. 1, 5, 7, 9: floor paths to one Pa (i.e., a central delivery duct) and two Pb (i.e., at least two lateral delivery ducts) for resin A and resin B, respectively), wherein in said head there is the central delivery duct (figs. 1, 5, 7: Pa), provided for receiving a first flow of the fluid product (figs. 1, 5, 7: Pa for resin A) and the at least two lateral delivery ducts (figs. 1, 5, 7: Pb), provided for receiving respectively a second flow of the fluid product and a third flow of the fluid product (figs. 1, 5, 7: first Pb and second Pb for resin B),
the head further comprising:
at least one adjustable narrowing means ([0013, 0016, 0037-0040], figs. 1, 9: adjustable narrowing means in combination of Fx, Vb, and Vc, located in left and right sides of the flow path Pa for resin A), acting at least in the central delivery duct (fig. 1: Pa) and suitable for varying its relative opening, to allow adjustment of a relative position of the first flow relative to a composite secondary flow defined by the joining of the first, second and third flow in the at least one inner joining space ([0013, 0016, 0037-0040], figs. 1, 8, 9); and
a plurality of adjustable thickness varying means ([0013, 0016, 0037-0040], figs. 1, 9: adjustable thickness varying means in combination of Fx, Vb, and Vc, located in left and right sides of the two flow paths Pb for resin B), each adjustable thickness varying means of the plurality of adjustable thickness varying means configured to act respectively in one of said at least two lateral delivery ducts (fig. 1: Pb) and configured to adjust respectively a thickness of one of the at least two delivery ducts ([0013, 0016, 0037-0040], figs. 1, 9);
wherein each of the plurality of thickness vary means comprise a plurality of active members having different dimensions ([0009, 0037-0040], figs. 1, 3, 9: a collection of a plurality of variable choke bar Vc, which is variable in the width direction at least on one side of the flow path, such as one collection of a plurality of Vc on the left of a left Pb and the other collection of a plurality of Vc on the right of a right Pb, as shown in figs. 1, 9; here, each of variable choke bar Vc would have a different dimension against duct Pb than other choke bars Vc to adjust a thickness of a flow path), [each active members being selectively positionable in one of said at least two lateral delivery ducts];
wherein a plurality of intercepting elements ([0037-0040], figs. 1, 3: a collection of a plurality of variable choke bar Vc, which is variable in the width direction at least on one side of the flow path) of the at least one narrowing means are positioned and act in a first plane which is perpendicular to a second plane in which the active members of the thickness varying means are positioned and act ([0013, 0016, 0037-0040], figs. 1, 3, 9: variable chock bars Vc of the narrowing means (i.e., a plurality of left or right Vc of Pa), which are adjustable by a respective Vb, are positioned and act in a first plane (i.e., a plane marked as “round dot” and penetrating into the through-direction (i.e., width direction of the feed block) in the annotated fig. 1 of Kim) which is transversal (i.e., intersecting) to a second plane (i.e., a plane marked as “dashed line” and penetrating into the through-direction in the annotated fig. 1 of Kim) in which variable chock bars Vc of the thickness varying means (i.e., a plurality of left or right Vc of the left or right Pb, respectively), which are adjustable by a respective Vb are positioned and act; [0042]: It is desirable to arrange 3 to 30 variable choke bars in the width direction of the feed block; of note, fig. 1 shows a cross-sectional view, and both the first plane and the second plan extend to a through-direction of the cross-sectional view of fig. 1, as presented in fig. 9; here, although Kim does not explicitly disclose that the first plane (“round dot”) is exactly perpendicular to the second plane (“dashed line”), it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the first plane and the second plane are placed between the flow A and the flow B and between the flow B and the outlet, respectively, so as to appropriately and respectively control the central flow A and the lateral flow B, for example, forming 90 degrees between the first and the second planes similar to fig. 1, and thus to form a compact and effective configuration for controlling a [AltContent: textbox (Annotated Figure 1 of Kim.)]
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plurality of flows in the feed block).
Kim does not specifically teach the bracketed limitation(s) as presented above, i.e., “each active member of the plurality of active members being selectively positionable in one of said at least two lateral delivery ducts,” but Oyabu teaches the limitation as follows:
Oyabu teaches an extrusion molding apparatus capable of adjusting the thickness of a seed or film ([0001], fig. 1). The extrusion molding apparatus comprising
a plurality of adjustable thickness varying means ([0007-0012, 0014-0015] and figs. 1, 3, 4: a system comprising flow rate adjusting pins 21B, 21C), each adjustable thickness varying means of the plurality of adjustable thickness varying means configured to act in one of said at least two lateral delivery ducts (flow passages 3, 4) and configured to adjust a thickness of one of the at least two delivery ducts ([0007-0012, 0014-0015] and figs. 1, 3, 4: to adjust the increasing flow rate and layer thickness by adjusting the angles of the flow rate adjusting pins 21B and 21C);
wherein each of the plurality of thickness varying means comprise a plurality of active members (all cross-sections of the pins 21B, 21C along a longitudinal axis of the pin, which faces on a flow passages, for example, at least side 33 or side 35, or as shown in figs. 9-12) having different dimensions, each (of the active members or of the adjustable thickness varying means – see above, the 35 U.S.C 112(b) rejection) selectively positionable in one of said at least two lateral delivery ducts ([0007-0012, 0014-0015] and figs. 1, 3, 5-12: here, each of the cross-sections of respective pins 21B, 21C is selectively positioned (e.g., among figs. 9-11) so as to face on one of the flow passages 3, 4, and both thickness and width of the flow are adjustable).
Both Kim and Oyabu teach a coextrusion molding apparatus for forming a multilayer (Kim: [0023], fig. 1; Oyabu: [0001], fig. 1). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing invention to substitute the adjustable thickness varying means of a lateral passage of Kim to another known flow adjusting system comprising a flow rate adjusting pin as taught by Oyabu in order to obtain known results or a reasonable expectation of successful result of controlling a quantity and a dimension of respective resin supply in coextrusion so as to form a desired a multilayer product.
Regarding claim 2, modified Kim teaches the head according to claim 1, wherein at least two of the plurality of intercepting elements are opposite to one another and independently movable (Kim: [0013, 0016, 0037-0040], fig. 1: adjustable narrowing means in combination of Fx, Vb, and Vc, located in left and right sides of the flow path Pa for resin A; [0037-0040], figs. 1, 3: a collection of a plurality of variable choke bar Vc, which is variable in the width direction at least on one side of the flow path; here, a collection of Vc of the left side of Pa is one intercepting element which is opposite to another intercepting element of a collection of Vc on the right side of Vc).
Regarding claim 3, modified Kim teaches the head according to claim 2, wherein each intercepting element of the plurality of intercepting elements has a shaped head (Vc) suitable for moving in the central delivery duct (Pa) between a retracted position in which it is positioned outside the duct and a plurality of forward positions in which it penetrates in the duct (Kim: [0037-0040], figs. 1, 3; [0053-0058] and fig. 9: retracted/forward positions).
Regarding claim 4, modified Kim teaches the head according to claim 3, wherein said shaped head (Vc) is provided with a wall facing towards the inside of the central delivery duct (Pa) which is angled relative to a central axis of the central delivery duct, to define there a taper towards a downstream direction (Kim: [0037-0040], figs. 1, 3; [0053-0058] and fig. 9: retracted/forward positions; here, a wall of Vc facing toward inside of the Pa is angled (e.g., 0 degrees) relative to a central axis of Pa, define a taper (e.g., by forward movement) in downstream).
Regarding claim 5, modified Kim teaches the head according to claim 1, comprising at least one drawing duct (Kim: figs. 1, 5, 8: downstream of a merging point of Pa and two Pb and upstream of die discharge D), defined between the at least one inner joining space (a merging point of Pa and two Pb) and said outfeed (die discharge D), the central delivery duct (Pa), the at least one inner joining space and said drawing duct are aligned, to define a central continuous path towards the outfeed (Kim: figs. 1, 5, 8).
Regarding claim 7, modified Kim teaches the head according to claim 1 wherein, the at least one narrowing means (Kim: [0013, 0016, 0037-0040], fig. 1: adjustable narrowing means in combination of Fx, Vb, and Vc, located in left and right sides of the flow path Pa for resin A) act in a stretch of the central delivery duct (Pa) which is provided with a taper in a direction of forward movement of the first flow of the fluid products (Kim: [0037-0040], figs. 1, 3; [0053-0058] and fig. 9: retracted/forward positions; here, a wall of Vc facing toward inside of the Pa provides a taper (e.g., by forward movement) to the flow of resin A downstream).
Regarding claim 9, modified Kim teaches the head according to claim 1, wherein the outfeed is rectangular (Kim: [0008, 0020] and fig. 8: a feedblock type die for producing laminated films).
Regarding claim 10, modified Kim teaches the head according to claim 1, wherein the at least one joining space (a merging point of Pa and two Pb), have a rectangular section (Kim: [0008, 0020] and figs. 8, 9) and the at least one narrowing means (Kim: [0013, 0016, 0037-0040], fig. 1: adjustable narrowing means in combination of Fx, Vb, and Vc, located in left and right sides of the flow path Pa for resin A) act along a line parallel to a longitudinal line of said rectangular section, thereby adjusting how near to or far from the short sides of the section the flow of the fluid products affected by the at least one narrowing means are (Kim: [0013, 0016, 0037-0040], figs. 1, 3, 5, 8, 9).
Regarding claim 17, modified Kim teaches the head according to claim 1, wherein the at least one adjustable narrowing means includes a first pair of adjustable narrowing means and a second pair of adjustable narrowing means (Kim: [0013, 0016, 0037-0040], figs. 1, 9: adjustable narrowing means in combination of Fx, Vb, and Vc, located in left and right sides of the flow path Pa for resin A; of note, here, each side of the Pa are arranged with a plurality of the combinations (i.e., Fx, Vb, and Vc), and each of the combinations on the left side forms a pair with each of the combinations on the right side, respectively).
Claims 6, 8, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (KR 20010064788 A) and Oyabu (JP H05375347 A) as applied to claim 1, and further in view of Iuliano (US 20180079123 A1).
Alternatively, claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (KR 20010064788 A) and Oyabu (JP H05375347 A) as applied to claim 1, and further in view of Iuliano (US 20180079123 A1).
Regarding claim 6, modified Kim teaches the head according to claim 1, wherein the at least two lateral delivery ducts include a second, a third, [a fourth, and a firth] lateral delivery duct, wherein the plurality of infeeds includes [five] infeeds (instead, one Pa and two Pb), of which one is central (Pa) and [four] lateral (instead, two Pb), provided for receiving the fluid products (resin A and B) respectively, which enter respectively the central delivery duct and the second, the third, [the fourth, and the fifth] (instead, two Pb) lateral delivery ducts, and wherein the at least one inner joining space includes a first inner joining space (a merging point of Pa and two Pb) and [a second inner meeting space], communicating through a joining duct (duct in the merging point), wherein the second lateral delivery duct and the third lateral delivery duct (two Pb), on opposite sides of the central delivery duct (Pa), open into the first inner joining space (a merging point of Pa and two Pb) and [the fourth lateral delivery duct and the fifth lateral delivery duct on opposite sides of the central delivery duct, open into the second joining space], wherein the at least one adjustable narrowing means (adjustable narrowing means in combination of Fx, Vb, and Vc, located in left and right sides of the flow path Pa for resin A) include a first narrowing means and [a second narrowing means], acting respectively in the central delivery duct, upstream of the first inner joining space (adjustable narrowing means in combination of Fx, Vb, and Vc, located in left and right sides of the flow path Pa for resin A) (Kim: [0013, 0016, 0037-0040], figs. 1, 3, 5, 8, 9) and [in the joining duct, upstream of the second inner joining space], [the second narrowing means being suitable for varying the opening of the joining duct, to allow adjustment of the relative position of said composite secondary flow in a joint composite flow, defined in the second inner joining space and comprising a fourth flow and a fifth flow of the fluid products which pass respectively in said fourth and fifth lateral delivery ducts].
Modified Kim does not specifically teach the bracketed limitations presented above, but Iuliano teaches the limitation as follows:
Iuliano teaches a coextrusion feedblock (abstract). The feedblock comprises a central extrusion channel, four lateral coextrusion channels, and each of the coextrusion channels extends between the rotatable combining plane 50 and the rotatable profile actuator 600 which is configured to profile polymer flowing through the adjacent coextrusion channel ([0028, 0035-0039], figs. 1, 8).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing invention to modify the coextrusion head of modified Kim to have another known configuration comprising a central extrusion channel, four lateral coextrusion channels as taught by Iuliano in order to obtain known results or a reasonable expectation of successful results of forming a multi-layer laminate film having at least five layers.
Also, it would have been also obvious to modify the five-channel coextrusion head of modified Kim to have the adjustable narrowing means and the adjustable thickness varying means for the central flow/duct and the four lateral flows/ducts, respectively, as taught by modified Kim in order to obtain known results or a reasonable expectation of successful results of forming a multi-layer laminate film by of controlling a quantity and a dimension of respective resin supply having various viscosities in coextrusion so as to form a desired a multilayer product preventing high equipment costs (Kim: derived from [0030, 0036], fig. 1; Oyabu: [0007-0012, 0014-0015] and figs. 1, 3, 4: a system comprising flow rate adjusting pins 21B, 21C; Iuliano: derived from [0003, 0035-0039]).
Furthermore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of fling invention to modify the coextrusion head of modified Kim to further have a second one (or a second pair) of the adjustable narrowing means for a central composite flow formed by merging of first/second/third flows, wherein the second one is disposed upstream of a second merging point of the central composite flow (i.e., a middle flow) with a fourth flow (i.e., a left flow) and a fifth flow (i.e., a right flow), as taught by Kim (see figs. 1, 9) in order to obtain known results or a reasonable expectation of successful results of adjusting a thickness or a position of the central composite flow relative to the fourth and fifth flows at the second merging point so as to form a multi-layer laminate film with resin materials having various viscosities preventing high equipment costs (Kim: derived from [0030, 0036], fig. 1; Iuliano: derived from [0003, 0035-0039], fig. 8). Thus, upon the modification, modified Kim teaches all the claimed limitations.
Regarding claim 8, modified Kim teaches the head according to claim 6, wherein the joining duct and the second joining space are aligned with the central delivery duct, with the first joining space and with a drawing duct, the latter being positioned downstream of the second joining space, thereby defining a same central continuous path (Kim: fig. 1; Iuliano: fig. 8). Thus, modified Kim teaches all the claimed limitations and motivation to combine applied to claim 6.
Regarding claim 17, alternatively, modified Kim teaches the head according to claim 1, but the adjustable narrowing means includes a first pair of adjustable narrowing means and a second pair of adjustable narrowing means, wherein the first pair is upstream than the second pair in a flow path (similar to the embodiment of fig. 2 of Instant Specification) (Kim: [0013, 0016, 0037-0040], figs. 1, 9: a first pair of adjustable narrowing means on left/right of Pa).
Modified Kim further in view of Iuliano, as applied to claim 6, teaches that the adjustable narrowing means includes a first pair of adjustable narrowing means and a second pair of adjustable narrowing means, wherein the first pair is upstream than the second pair in a flow path (see above, the 35 U.S.C. 103 rejection of claim 6; Kim: fig. 1; Oyabu: figs. 1, 3-4; Iuliano: figs. 8).
Regarding claim 18, modified Kim teaches the head according to claim 17, wherein the adjustable thickness varying means is arranged between the first pair of adjustable narrowing means and the second pair of adjustable narrowing means (Kim: [0030, 0036], fig. 1; Oyabu: [0007-0015] and figs. 1, 3, 4: a system comprising flow rate adjusting pins 21B, 21C; Iuliano: [0003, 0035-0039], fig. 8). Thus, modified Kim teaches all the claimed limitations, and the motivation to combine applied to claims 6 and 17 equally applies here.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed on 09/04/2025 with respect to claim 1 (which have been newly amended by the applicants) have been considered but they are not persuasive.
The Applicant argues (see pages 8-10) that modified Kim does not disclose or suggest that “a plurality of intercepting elements of the at least one narrowing means are positioned and act in a first plane which is perpendicular to a second plane in which the active members of the thickness varying means are positioned and act” as recited in claim 1.
The Examiner respectfully disagrees with this argument. See above, the 35 U.S.C. 103 rejection of claim 1 with the annotated figure 1 of Kim. The Examiner acknowledges that the instant invention has a different perpendicular configuration of the first plane and the second plane from the one of Kim, as the Applicant addressed. However, Kim’s perpendicular configuration satisfies the broadest reasonable interpretations of the claimed limitations as both the first plane having a plurality of intercepting elements (Vc) and the second plane having a plurality of active members (Vc) of Kim extend to a through-direction of the cross-sectional view of fig. 1, and it would have been obvious to modify the first plane (“round dot”) and the second plane (“dashed line”) to achieve a compact and effective configuration for controlling a plurality of [AltContent: textbox (Annotated Figure 1 of Kim.)]
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flows in the feed block by forming 90 degrees between the first and second planes.
Thereby, after reconsideration, claims 1-10 and 17-18 remain rejected.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Michael (US 20080138598 A1) teaches an apparatus for producing co-extruded composite webs (abstract, fig. 3).
Nakahori (US 20170254937 A1) teaches a feedblock for producing an optical film, having a vane 15 with shaft portion 15a (abstract, fig. 5).
Truscott (US 20150104535 A1) teaches a coextrusion feedblock having a coextrusion profiling insert assembly (abstract, figs. 8-12)
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to INJA SONG whose telephone number is (571)270-1605. The examiner can normally be reached Mon. - Fri. 8 AM - 5 PM.
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/INJA SONG/Examiner, Art Unit 1744
/XIAO S ZHAO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1744