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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 3/04/2023 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.
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.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Komuro US 20190031790 A1 in view of Dupont Engineering Polymers (Retrieved from: https://www.emcoplastics.com/assets/pdf/acetal/Extrusion%20Applications%20Nylon%20Delrin%20Hytrel%20Dupont.pdf, October 19th 2017) as evidenced by YolaTech, Dicyandiamide cured epoxy adhesives (Retrieved from: https://www.yolatech.com/dicyandiamide-cured-epoxy-adhesives, retrieved on: 7/1/2026) .
Regarding claim 7, Komuro teaches a resin composition used to form a dry film (Title). Komuro also teaches the film is adhered to a copper substrate (Paragraph [0037]). This reads on the claimed “coating composition.”
Claim 1 specifies a composition “for an electrical steel sheet.” The claimed intended use limitation does not require steps to be performed or limit the claims to a particular structure. Therefore, this feature does not further limit the scope of the instant claims and need not be taught by the prior art in order to read on the claims. See MPEP 2111.02.
Komuro teaches the composition also comprises an epoxy resin (A) (Title). Komuro teaches the composition comprises a curing agent (Paragraph [0142]). Komuro teaches the epoxy curing agent can be dicyanamide (Paragraph [0147]). Dicyandiamide is a latent epoxy curing agent (YolaTech, Page 1). This reads on the claimed “latent epoxy curing agent.”
Komuro also teaches the composition comprises an elastomer (Paragraph [0149]). Komuro teaches the elastomer comprises 2 to 40 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass of component (A) (Paragraph [0160]). Komuro teaches the curing agent component is 0.1-10% by mass of the entire composition (Paragraph [0148]). Komuro teaches the epoxy resin component is 20-80% by mass of the total composition (Paragraph [0109]).
Therefore Komuro teaches the elastomer comprises 1.3 to 40 parts by weight component (A) and latent curing agent component.
This overlaps with the claimed range of 24.3-40 parts by mass based on the amount of epoxy resin. Komuro teaches the elastomer can be a Hytrel polymer (Paragraph [0157]). However, Komuro is silent on the type of Hytrel polymer.
Dupont teaches Hytrel polymers are suitable in dry film and laminate applications (Page 6). The Hytrel polymers taught by the handbook include G3548L, 4056, G4074, and G4078W, G4774, G5544, 5556, 5586, 6356, 6358, 7246, 7248, 8238, and HTR4275BK. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to select a Hytrel 4056 as the Hytrel polymer of Komuro because it is prima facie obvious to select a known material based on its suitability for its intended use. See MPEP 2144.07
Hytrel 4056 has a melting point of 154C and a flexural modulus of 62 MPa. This falls within the claimed range of 10-100 MPa (Page 10). This also falls within the claimed range of 100C or more.
Conclusion
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 LILY K SLOAN whose telephone number is (703)756-5875. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00-5:30 ET.
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, Robert Jones can be reached at (571) 270-7733. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/LILY K SLOAN/Examiner, Art Unit 1762
/ROBERT S JONES JR/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1762
Prosecution Insights