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 .
Claims and Previous Objections/Rejections Status
Claims 1 and 2 are pending in the application.
Any objections and/or rejections from previous office actions that have not been reiterated in this office action are obviated.
Maintained Rejection
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 8/5/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1 and 2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention as stated in the office action mailed 5/11/26.
Applicant asserts that the claims have been amended to clarify aspects of the present invention.
The Examiner asserts that the amendments do not clarify the instant claims and the present
invention.
The instant claim 1 is confusing and unclear as the claim does not distinguish the
perfluorocarbon of the second obtaining step. The claim 1, line 10 recites “absorbing perfluorocarbon injected into the corn syrup” which does not identify the perfluorocarbon that is injected. A possible clarification of the perfluorocarbon of claim 1, line 10 would comprise that the “absorbing perfluorocarbon coated with the alginate liquid solution injected into the corn syrup.”
The instant claim 1 is confusing and unclear as the claim 1 recites “a second obtaining step of obtaining perfluorocarbon coated in turn with the alginate liquid solution and corn syrup” but then states that coating does not occur until the reaction with calcium chloride in the coating step.
The instant claim 1 is confusing and unclear as the claim 1 recites “a coating step of providing a PFC-coating layer complex” and also recites that the “PFC-coating layer complex is provide through a reaction that occurs as the alginate liquid solution is brought into contact with a calcium chloride solution” and therefore, it is unclear if the PFC-coating layer complex is formed via this reaction or if only a coating is formed on a PFC-coating layer complex via this reaction with calcium chloride solution.
The instant claim 1 is confusing and unclear as claim 1 recites a “PFC-coating layer complex whose outer surface is encapsulated with the elastic material liquid solution” but does comprise the addition of an elastic material liquid solution and does not identify what the elastic material liquid solution is. The PFC-coating layer complex comprises an alginate coating wherein the corn syrup is dissolved during the reaction with calcium chloride. Therefore, it is unclear if the corn syrup remains and if the alginate coated PFC-coating layer complex comprising dissolved corn syrup is injected into a separate elastic material liquid solution.
The instant claim 1 is confusing and unclear as the fourth injection step does not comprise any type of solution that PFC-coating layer complex whose outer surface is encapsulated with the elastic
material liquid solution is injected into. There is no active step in the fourth injection step.
The instant claim 1 is confusing and unclear as the curing step states that the bubble complex comprises a core of perfluorocarbon, a coating layer of alginate and a shell that is formed from the elastic material but then further states that the supporting liquid forms the shell via centrifugal force. It is unclear if the elastic material or a different supporting liquid forms the shell. Also, there is no addition of a supporting liquid solution in the curing step.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the elastic material liquid solution.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the supporting liquid solution.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Conclusion
No claims are allowed at this time.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MELISSA JEAN PERREIRA whose telephone number is (571)272-1354. The examiner can normally be reached M9-3, T9-3, W9-3, Th9-2, F9-2.
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, Michael Hartley can be reached at 571-272-0616. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MELISSA J PERREIRA/Examiner, Art Unit 1618
/Michael G. Hartley/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1618
