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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 February 19, 2026 has been entered.
Applicant’s amendments and accompanying remarks filed January 26, 2026 are acknowledged.
Examiner acknowledges amended claims 1 and 11.
Examiner acknowledges cancelled claims 8-9.
The rejection of claims 1-4, 6-7 and 10-11 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) & (a)(2) as being anticipated by Golling et al., U.S. Pre Grant Publication 2018/0244583 is overcome by Applicant’s amendment.
The rejection of claims 1-5 and 10-11 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) & (a)(2) as being anticipated by Shiang et al., U.S. Pre grant Publication is overcome by Applicant’s amendment.
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.
Claims 1-4, 6-7 and 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Golling et al., U.S. Pre Grant Publication 2018/0244583 in view of Yamamoto et al., U.S. Patent Number 5,116,668.
Regarding claims 1-2 and 11, Golling discloses placing at least two unidirectional carbon fiber nonwovens which are impregnated with a polymer, one directly on top of the other, consolidating the carbon fiber nonwovens, which are placed one on top of the other, under increased pressure and increased temperature , and obtaining a carbon fiber reinforced polymer; carbonizing the carbon reinforced polymer at a temperature of between 600 ºC and 1000 ºC and obtaining a carbon fiber reinforced carbon; graphitizing the carbon fiber reinforced carbon at a temperature of at least 1000 ºC; and siliconizing the carbon fiber reinforced polymer that is graphitized [0036-0040]. It is disclosed in paragraph 0009 that the CFRP is siliconized. Paragraph 0018 discloses that the liquid silicon can fully infiltrate the carbon fiber reinforced carbon [CFRC]. It is disclosed in paragraph 0045 the polymer can include a thermosetting resin. Paragraph 0046 discloses that the thermosetting resin can include phenolic resin. Paragraph 0019 discloses that at least one stack has a thickness of at least 1.5 mm in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the layers. Paragraph 0028 discloses that the component including the consecutive layers within the stack has an open porosity [impregnation path] of no more than 3.5 %. Paragraph 0031 discloses that due to its porosity, the liquid silicon from one component of the two components connected to each other.
Golling is silent to the base resin being an epoxy resin and the binder resin attached to the fibers is selected from polyvinyl chloride and polymethyl methacrylate. Yamamoto discloses a unidirectional prepreg including carbon fibers impregnated with thermosetting resin and a laminated material obtained by laminating the prepregs [abstract and column 1, lines 10-17]. It is disclosed in column 4, lines 3-6 of Yamamoto that the fibers can include a sizing such as polymethyl methacrylate. Column 4, lines 36-40 of Yamamoto discloses that the thermosetting resin for impregnating the fibers can include epoxy resin or phenolic resin. Yamamoto discloses that epoxy resin or phenol resin as equivalents for the thermosetting resin. It is disclosed in column 1, lines 60-65 that the laminated material is excellent in tensile strength, interlaminar shear strength, compressive strength and flexural strength. Golling and Yamamoto are analogous art in that both references disclose a uni-directional carbon fiber reinforced polymer [CFRP] being laminated to form a prepreg wherein the polymer can include a thermosetting resin. . One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would utilize the laminated prepreg of Yamamoto including carbon fiber reinforced epoxy resin composite wherein the carbon fibers have an polymethyl methacrylate sizing as the laminated stack of fiber layers of Golling for the benefit of obtaining a laminated CFRP that has enhanced tensile strength, interlaminar shear strength, compressive strength and flexural strength.
Regarding claims 3-4, Golling discloses in paragraph 0023 that the carbon fiber has a diameter from 6 to 9 µm.
Regarding claims 6-7, paragraph 0002 of Golling discloses a thickness of at one layer stack being 1.5 mm [0.15 cm]. Golling discloses in paragraph 0034 a density of no more 2.0 g/cm3. With the thickness being 1.5 mm and a density of not more than 2.0 g/cm³, Applicant's claimed weight per unit are encompassed with the weight per unit area of Golling.
Regarding claim 10, paragraph 0036 discloses at least unidirectional carbon fiber nonwovens impregnated with a polymer.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Golling et al., U.S. Pre Grant Publication 2018/0244583 in view of Yamamoto et al., U.S. Patent Number 5,116,668 and in further view of Shiang et al., U.S. Pre Grant Publication 2020/0308066.
Golling in view of Yamamoto, above remains relied upon for claim 1.
Regarding claim 5, neither Golling nor Yamamoto discloses a fiber diameter of 1-5 µm. Golling does disclose in paragraph 0023 that the carbon fiber has a diameter from 6 to 9 µm. Shiang discloses plies derived from one or more prepreg tapes [0039]. Paragraph 0051 discloses one or more plies that can be laid up to form a CMC preform wherein the fibers can be in the form of a nonwoven. Paragraph 0040 discloses that the plies can be unidirectional plies and can be laid up in various directions. Paragraph 0037 discloses that the reinforcing fibers can include carbon fibers wherein the fibers can have diameter ranging from about 5 µm to about 20 µm [0043]. Paragraph 0045 discloses that the fibers can dispersed in a slurry including a polymeric material. Paragraph 0034 of Shiang discloses that the preform is infiltrated with liquid silicon. Shiang discloses in paragraph 0048 that the fibers can be in-plane. Paragraph 0051 of Shiang discloses that the configuration of the fibers provide desired mechanical properties. Golling, Yamamoto and Shiang are analogous art in that the references disclose a uni-directional carbon fiber reinforced polymer [CFRP] being laminated to form a prepreg. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize fibers having a diameter of 5 µm in the Golling reference to obtain a composite that has enhanced mechanical properties.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the present claims 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. Applicant has amended claims 1 and 11. Yamamoto was brought in to show that a unidirectional prepreg including carbon fiber sized with polymethyl methacrylate impregnated in an epoxy resin provides laminated CFRP that has enhanced tensile strength, interlaminar shear strength, compressive strength and flexural strength. The combination is not without motivation.
Conclusion
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/CAMIE S THOMPSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1786