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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 02/20/2026 has been entered.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-14 and 16-22 are allowed.
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 1-3, 6-10 and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Buet et al. (FR3059322) in view of Wang (“Processing and properties of high entropy carbides”, Advances in Applied Ceramics: Structural, Functional and Bioceramics. 2022;121(2):57-78).
Regarding claims 1-2, 6 and 23, Buet et al. teach a ceramic matrix composite comprising a matrix (16) a fiber disposed in the matrix, a first interface coating layer (could be construed as layer 23) disposed adjacent to an outer surface of the fiber (12), and a first protective layer (could be construed as layer 24 or 33) disposed outward of the first interface coating layer and the fiber and within the matrix wherein the first protective layer comprises a ceramic [claim 1]. Buet et al. teach multiple layers including a second interface coating layer disposed on the first protective layer and a second protective layer disposed on the second interface coating layer and the second protective coating layer comprises a ceramic and the first protective coating layer us disposed on the first interface coating layer. Buet et al. are silent regarding the ceramic being high entropy including high entropy carbide. However, Wang teach high entropy ceramic including high entropy carbide in order to provide improved high-temperature, high-hardness and wear-resistant ceramics. The high entropy ceramic includes at least four cations including a refractory metal cation selected from group consisting of titanium, chromium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, molybdenum and tungsten. The high entropy ceramic is a single phase solid solution of cations of the at least four refractory materials in an anionic matrix (rock salt structure taught). Further, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary sill in the art to use single phase solid solution since it would provide higher hardness and strength and provide improved wear resistance. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the high entropy ceramic of Wang in Buet et al. in order to provide high-temperature, high-hardness and wear-resistant ceramics and arrive at the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 3, Buet et al. teach a plurality of fibers (12) with each fiber coated with the first and second interface coating layers and first and second protective layers [Fig. 4 and all layers coat the fibers].
Regarding claim 7, The first protective layer has a thickness in the claimed range. As set forth in MPEP 2144.05, in the case where the claimed range “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); In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 16 USPQ2d 1934 (Fed. Cir. 1990).
Regarding claim 8, the interface coating layer is boron nitride.
Regarding claim 9, the fiber further comprises a carbon layer disposed between the first interface coating layer and the outer surface of the fiber (the coating is formed residually by the heating process).
Regarding claim 10, A matrix material (can be construed as the interlayer) is disposed between the first interface coating layer and first protective layer.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 02/20/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant is invited to amend the claims over the cited art.
Applicant’s arguments concerning Vecchio have been fully considered. However, Vecchio is not used in the current rejection.
Applicant is invited to amend the claims over the cited art.
Conclusion
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/Shawn Mckinnon/Examiner, Art Unit 1789