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 Status
Claims 1-20 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1, 3, 5-11, and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 over in Wan et al (US 2018/0187040) in view of Karp et al (US 20170313906 A1).
Wan et al teaches a functional polymer blend as a primer/ adhesive capable of providing balanced adhesion, easy processability and flexibility to a composition, even when used with difficult-to-bond substrates. Such primer compositions improve adhesion of a polyolefin with itself or with other polar or non-polar substrates, and can be applied at room temperature [p. 0005, 0008]. The primer composition of Wan et al comprises (A) a maleic-anhydride-functionalized styrenic block copolymer, (B) a maleic-anhydride grafted ethylene/a-olefin copolymers, (C) a solvent such as toluene or xylylene, and (D) an isocyanate, wherein examples of isocyanate include isophorone diisocyanate, toluene diisocyanate, and methylene di-p-phenylene isocyanate (MDI) [p. 0028-0033, 0038, 0052-0053, 0079, 0083]. Wan et al teaches the isocyanates may react with the maleic anhydride (MAH) or hydrolyzed maleic anhydride (di-acid) groups of the maleic-anhydride-functionalized styrenic block copolymer or maleic-anhydride-functionalized polyolefin [p. 0170].
Wan et al teaches the composition may include one or more additives, which include, but are not limited to, epoxy resin, urethane, latex, acrylate, an elastomer-solvent cement, gum, polysilicone, tackifier resins, thickeners, dyes/pigments and inorganic fillers, wherein epoxy resins read over the claimed thermosetting polymer (B) [p. 0093]. Wan et al is silent with respect to a toughening resin.
Karp et al teaches an adhesive composition [abstract]. Karp et al teaches core-shell polymers as an additive that can be added to the adhesive composition to modify spreading and flow properties of the composition [p. 0123]. These enhanced properties may be manifested by a reduced tendency for the composition to leave an undesirable “string” upon dispensing from a syringe-type applicator, or sag or slump after having been applied to a vertical surface [p. 0123]. Karp et al further teaches core-shell polymers can also improve the fracture toughness of compositions made therewith, which can be beneficial when, for example, bonding stiff, high yield strength materials (e.g., metal substrates that do not mechanically absorb energy as easily as other materials, such as flexible polymeric substrates) [p. 0123].
In light of this, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to prepare the composition of Wan et al with an epoxy resin additive as well as a core-shell polymer additive, as Wan et al does not particularly limit additives and Karp et al teaches core-shell polymers are beneficial additives for adhesives.
Furthermore, Wan et al teaches the maleic-anhydride-functionalized styrenic block copolymer comprises greater than, or equal to, 30 wt % polymerized styrene, reading over the range of claim 5 [p. 0110]. In the case where the claimed ranges "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).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 4, and 12-16 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Wan et al is the closest prior art of record. Wan et al is silent with respect to the ratio of the additives in the composition. Furthermore, Wan et al is silent with respect to the thermosetting resins of claim 4 as well as polybenzoxazines. The examiner has located no prior art, alone or in combination, that would teach or suggest modifying the composition of Wan et al in a manner that meets the claimed limitations.
Conclusion
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/HOLLEY GRACE HESTER/Examiner, Art Unit 1766
/RANDY P GULAKOWSKI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1766