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 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 1-18 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.
Claim 1 recites “A method for catalysing the degradation of by-products arising from a non-stick coating for household articles during the manufacturing process thereof or during the use of said household article comprising the use of (Bi1-xAx)(V1-yMy)O4”. However, the scope of the claim is confusing, given that there is no method step regarding catalysing the degradation of by-products arising from a non-stick coating for household articles during the manufacturing process thereof or during the use of said household article, or regarding how the (Bi1-xAx)(V1-yMy)O4 is used. Clarification is request.”
Regarding dependent claims 2-18, these claims do not remedy the deficiencies of parent claim 1 noted above, and are rejected for the same rationale.
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 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ying et al (CN110338634A, English translation).
Ying, page 7 of the English translation, teaches a method comprising spraying an aluminum pan with a primer to form a film layer, spraying paint over the film layer to form a paint layer and spraying a transparent non-stick layer to further enhance the sticky properties.
The paint is composed of the following components according to weight percentage: PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene emulsion) 50-70 %, pearl 0.2-0.5 % (mica), pigments (such as bismuth vanadate, nickel titanate, carbon black, at least one stone colourful), 0.5-5 % of magnetic material, 0.5-15 %, the rest is auxiliary agent (such as agent, flatting agent, thickening agent and so on, at least one).
Ying, page 4 of the English translation, teaches the non-stick pan obtained by the processing technology of the invention not only has obvious three-dimensional pattern effect, but also has rich color gradation effect, and has high temperature resistance (the non-stick pan temperature of the invention can reach 300° or more) and strong resistance.
Ying, page 8, teaches the non-stick pan of the invention can be used only for heating of an open flame, an electric ceramic stove, etc., and the non-stick pan without the step of covering the bottom can be prepared.
Given that Ying discloses the pigment that overlaps the presently claimed method, including bismuth vanadate, it therefore would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to use the pigment, which is both disclosed by Ying and encompassed within the scope of the present claims and thereby arrive at the claimed invention.
Given the bismuth vanadate in the paint of Ying is substantially identical or identical to the (Bi1-xAx)(V1-yMy)O4, it is clear that the bismuth vanadate in the paint of Ying would be capable to function as catalysing the degradation of by-products arising from a non-stick coating for household articles during the manufacturing process thereof or during the use of said household article comprising the use of (Bi1-xAx)(V1-yMy)O4.
Regarding claim 2, Ying teaches BiVO4 and therefore x and y are 0 as claimed in claim 2.
Regarding claim 3, Ying teaches bismuth vanadate present in the amount of 0.5-5 %.
Regarding claims 3-9, Ying teaches BiVO4 and therefore x and y are 0. Therefore, A and M would not be present.
Regarding claim 10, Ying, page 7 of the English translation, teaches a method comprising spraying an aluminum pan with a primer to form a film layer, spraying paint over the film layer to form a paint layer and spraying a transparent non-stick layer to further enhance the sticky properties.
Regarding claims 11-13, Ying teaches the paint is composed of PTFE and bismuth vanadate.
Regarding claim 14, Ying, page 6 of the English translation, teaches the magnetically permeable material is added to the topcoat in the form of a magnetically permeable powder or a magnetically permeable magnetic slurry.
The magnetic slurry has a certain flow performance, it can be evenly mixed with the topcoat paint to enhance the three-dimensional effect.
The magnetically permeable material as taught by Ying reads on decorations as claimed in claim 14.
Regarding claim 15, Ying teaches a paint coating comprising PTFE, BiVO4 and a magnetically permeable material.
The magnetically permeable material as taught by Ying reads on decorations as claimed in claim 15.
The method of using the aluminum pan coated with a paint layer comprising PTFE, bismuth vanadate and a magnetically permeable material by heating the aluminum pan over an open flame is the same method as claimed in claim 15 and therefore it would be expected that the BiVO4 mixed with the magnetically permeable material would catalyze the degradation of by-products arising from this decoration and primer coats coming into contact with this decoration as claimed in claim 15.
Regarding claim 16, Ying teaches the paint is composed of PTFE and bismuth vanadate.
The method of using the aluminum pan coated with a paint layer comprising PTFE and bismuth by heating the aluminum pan over an open flame is the same method as claimed in claim 16 and therefore it would be expected that the BiVO4 mixed into the paint would catalyze the degradation of by-products arising from the finish coats or primer coats or food by-products having migrated into these finish coats arising from the use of the household article as claimed in claim 16.
Regarding claim 17, Ying teaches the paint is composed of PTFE and bismuth vanadate.
The method of using the aluminum pan coated with a paint layer comprising PTFE and bismuth by heating the aluminum pan over an open flame is the same method as claimed in claim 17 and therefore it would be expected that the BiVO4 mixed into the paint would catalyze the degradation of by-products arising from the coating during the sintering step of its manufacturing process as claimed in claim 17.
Regarding claim 18, Ying teaches a method comprising spraying an aluminum pan with a primer to form a film layer, spraying paint comprising a magnetically permeable material over the film layer to form a paint layer and spraying a transparent non-stick layer to further enhance the sticky properties.
The magnetically permeable material as taught by Ying reads on decorations as claimed in claim 18.
The paint comprising BiVO4 and a magnetically permeable material as taught by Ying reads on a continuous decorative coat as claimed in claim 18.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
KR102085595, English translation (cited on the 12/29/22 IDS) teaches a kitchen appliance with a thermosetting composite coating layer.
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/STEFANIE J COHEN/Examiner, Art Unit 1732 12/5/25