DETAILED ACTION
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. This application is a 371 of App. No. PCT/US2021/061833, filed on 12/03/2021, which is entitled to and claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional App. No. 63/121,049, filed 12/03/2020. The preliminary amendment filed on 03/21/2023 is entered and acknowledged by the Examiner.
3. Claims 1-21 are pending. Claims 1-21 are under examination on the merits.
Information Disclosure Statement
4. The information disclosure statement submitted on 06/22/2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the examiner has considered the information disclosure statement.
Drawings
5. The drawings are received on 03/21/2023. These drawings are acceptable.
Priority
6. Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted on 03/21/2023 under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Claim Objections
7. Claims 1, 17 are objected to because of the following informalities: It is suggested that “low density of <g/cm3" be deleted and " low density of <g/cm3" be inserted in its stead so as to engender claim language clarity. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
8. 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.
9. Claim 11 is 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention. Claim 11 recites the term “the core of particles have an average particle diameter (D50)”, wherein, the inclusion of a term within parentheses renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the included term is part of the claimed invention.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
10. 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.
11. Claims 1-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Callen et al. (US Pub. No. 2007/0012900 A1, hereinafter “’900”) in view of Tang et al. (US Pub. No. 2017/0198382 A, hereinafter “’382”).
Regarding claim 1: ‘900 teaches an electrically conductive composite powder (Page 1, [0003]; Page 3, [0042], Example 1) for improving EMI shielding performance (Page 1, [0011]), comprising: a core of particles formed from a material having a low density of < 5 g /cm3 (i.e., 3.7 g /cm3; Page 3, [0042], Example 1) and a high dielectric constant of ≥10 (i.e., based on the instant application, US Pub. 2023/0380121 A1, Page 1, [0011]-[0012]), a nickel layer coated onto the core of particles (Page 4, [0043]; Page 4, Claim 4). ‘382 does not expressly teach a corrosion resistant alloy layer that is deposited onto the nickel layer.
However, ‘382 teaches improved methods for applying chromium diffusion coatings onto selective regions of a component. (Page 1, [0002]). ‘382 teaches a turbine blade as shown in FIG. 1 is selectively coated with a chromizing slurry composition and an aluminide coating utilizing the one-step approach shown in FIG. 3. The chromizing slurry composition was prepared comprising an aluminum fluoride activator, chromium powder, nickel powder, and an organic binder solution (Page 6, [0050], Example 1) with benefit of providing to resist low-temperature hot corrosion (Page 6, [0053], Fig. 6b).
In an analogous art of the electrically conductive composite powder, and in the light of such benefit before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the particulate conductive filler by ‘900, so as to include a corrosion resistant alloy layer that is deposited onto the nickel layer as taught by ‘382, and would have been motivated to do so with reasonable expectation that this would result in providing to resist low-temperature hot corrosion as suggested by ‘382 (Page 6, [0053], Fig. 6b).
Regarding claim 2: The disclosure of ‘900 in view of ‘382 is adequately set forth in paragraph above and is incorporated herein by reference. ‘382 teaches improved methods for applying chromium diffusion coatings onto selective regions of a component. (Page 1, [0002]). ‘382 teaches a turbine blade as shown in FIG. 1 is selectively coated with a chromizing slurry composition and an aluminide coating utilizing the one-step approach shown in FIG. 3. The chromizing slurry composition was prepared comprising an aluminum fluoride activator, chromium powder, nickel powder, and an organic binder solution (Page 6, [0050], Example 1) with benefit of providing to resist low-temperature hot corrosion (Page 6, [0053], Fig. 6b). ‘900 in view of ‘382 does not expressly teach the corrosion resistant alloy layer has a galvanic potential of -0.2V in seawater as measured via ASTM G82.
Thus, the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to measure the galvanic potential of the alloy layer through routine experimentation, and is within the level ordinary skill in the art.
Regarding claim 3: The disclosure of ‘900 in view of ‘382 is adequately set forth in paragraph above and is incorporated herein by reference. ‘382 teaches the corrosion resistant layer is applied via pack diffusion of an element or elements into the corrosion resistant layer (Page 2, [0018]).
Regarding claim 4: The disclosure of ‘900 in view of ‘382 is adequately set forth in paragraph above and is incorporated herein by reference. ‘382 teaches the corrosion resistant layer is applied via pack diffusion of chromium into the nickel layer (Page 2, [0018]). ‘382 teaches a turbine blade as shown in FIG. 1 is selectively coated with a chromizing slurry composition and an aluminide coating utilizing the one-step approach shown in FIG. 3. The chromizing slurry composition was prepared comprising an aluminum fluoride activator, chromium powder, nickel powder, and an organic binder solution (Page 6, [0050]-[0051]), Example 1) with benefit of providing to resist low-temperature hot corrosion (Page 6, [0053], Fig. 6b).
Regarding claim 5: The disclosure of ‘900 in view of ‘382 is adequately set forth in paragraph above and is incorporated herein by reference. ‘382 teaches a turbine blade as shown in FIG. 1 is selectively coated with a chromizing slurry composition and an aluminide coating utilizing the one-step approach shown in FIG. 3. The chromizing slurry composition was prepared comprising an aluminum fluoride activator, chromium powder, nickel powder, and an organic binder solution (i.e., a nickel-chromium alloy; Page 6, [0050]-[0051]), Example 1) with benefit of providing to resist low-temperature hot corrosion (Page 6, [0053], Fig. 6b).
Regarding claim 6: The disclosure of ‘900 in view of ‘382 is adequately set forth in paragraph above and is incorporated herein by reference. ‘900 teaches the electrically conductive composite powder (Page 1, [0003]), wherein the core of particles is at least one selected from the group consisting of graphite, titanium dioxide, and silicon carbide (Page 2, [0017]).
Regarding claim 7: The disclosure of ‘900 in view of ‘382 is adequately set forth in paragraph above and is incorporated herein by reference. ‘900 teaches the electrically conductive composite powder (Page 1, [0003]), wherein the core of particles is graphite (Page 2, [0017]).
Regarding claim 8: The disclosure of ‘900 in view of ‘382 is adequately set forth in paragraph above and is incorporated herein by reference. ‘382 teaches a turbine blade as shown in FIG. 1 is selectively coated with a chromizing slurry composition and an aluminide coating utilizing the one-step approach shown in FIG. 3. The chromizing slurry composition was prepared comprising an aluminum fluoride activator, chromium powder, nickel powder, and an organic binder solution (i.e., a nickel-chromium alloy; Page 6, [0050]-[0051]), Example 1) with benefit of providing to resist low-temperature hot corrosion (Page 6, [0053], Fig. 6b). ‘382 does not expressly teach the corrosion resistant layer has a thickness of 100 to 500 nm.
Thus, the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to change the thickness of the corrosion alloy through routine experimentation, and is within the level ordinary skill in the art.
Regarding claim 9: The disclosure of ‘900 in view of ‘382 is adequately set forth in paragraph above and is incorporated herein by reference. ‘900 in view of ‘382 does not expressly teach said electrically conductive material does not include silver, gold, and/or platinum.
Thus, the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to omit silver, gold, and/or platinum from the composition through routine experimentation, and is within the level ordinary skill in the art.
Regarding claim 10: ‘900 teaches a nickel coated electrically conductive material (Page 3, [0042]) for improving EMI shielding performance (Page 1, [0011]), comprising: a core of particles formed from a material having a low density of < 5 g /cm3 (i.e., 3.7 g /cm3; Page 3, [0042], Example 1) and a high dielectric constant of ≥10 (i.e., based on the instant application, US Pub. 2023/0380121 A1, Page 1, [0011]-[0012]), a nickel layer coated onto the core of particles (Page 4, [0043]; Page 4, Claim 4). ‘382 does not expressly teach a corrosion resistant alloy layer that is deposited onto the nickel layer.
However, ‘382 teaches improved methods for applying chromium diffusion coatings onto selective regions of a component. (Page 1, [0002]). ‘382 teaches a turbine blade as shown in FIG. 1 is selectively coated with a chromizing slurry composition and an aluminide coating utilizing the one-step approach shown in FIG. 3. The chromizing slurry composition was prepared comprising an aluminum fluoride activator, chromium powder, nickel powder, and an organic binder solution (Page 6, [0050], Example 1) with benefit of providing to resist low-temperature hot corrosion (Page 6, [0053], Fig. 6b).
In an analogous art of the electrically conductive composite powder, and in the light of such benefit before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the particulate conductive filler by ‘900, so as to include a corrosion resistant alloy layer that is deposited onto the nickel layer as taught by ‘382, and would have been motivated to do so with reasonable expectation that this would result in providing to resist low-temperature hot corrosion as suggested by ‘382 (Page 6, [0053], Fig. 6b).
Regarding claim 11: The disclosure of ‘900 in view of ‘382 is adequately set forth in paragraph above and is incorporated herein by reference. ‘900 teaches a nickel coated electrically conductive material (Page 3, [0042]) for improving EMI shielding performance (Page 1, [0011]), comprising: a core of particles formed from a material having a low density of < 5 g /cm3 (i.e., 3.7 g /cm3; Page 3, [0042], Example 1) and a high dielectric constant of ≥10 (i.e., based on the instant application, US Pub. 2023/0380121 A1, Page 1, [0011]-[0012]), a nickel layer coated onto the core of particles (Page 4, [0043]; Page 4, Claim 4), wherein the core of particles have an average particle diameter of 350 to1000 µm. ‘900 does not expressly teach the core of particles have an average particle diameter (D50) of 0.05-100 µm
Thus, the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to change the diameter of the core particles through routine experimentation, and is within the level ordinary skill in the art.
Regarding claim 12: The disclosure of ‘900 in view of ‘382 is adequately set forth in paragraph above and is incorporated herein by reference. ‘900 teaches a nickel coated electrically conductive material (Page 3, [0042]) for improving EMI shielding performance (Page 1, [0011]), comprising: a core of particles formed from a material having a low density of < 5 g /cm3 (i.e., 3.7 g /cm3; Page 3, [0042], Example 1) and a high dielectric constant of ≥10 (i.e., based on the instant application, US Pub. 2023/0380121 A1, Page 1, [0011]-[0012]), a nickel layer coated onto the core of particles (Page 4, [0043]; Page 4, Claim 4). ‘900 does not expressly teach the nickel layer has a thickness of 0.1 to 4 µm.
Thus, the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to change the thickness of the corrosion alloy through routine experimentation, and is within the level ordinary skill in the art.
Regarding claim 13: The disclosure of ‘900 in view of ‘382 is adequately set forth in paragraph above and is incorporated herein by reference. ‘900 teaches a nickel coated electrically conductive material (Page 3, [0042]) for improving EMI shielding performance (Page 1, [0011]), comprising: a core of particles formed from a material having a low density of < 5 g /cm3 (i.e., 3.7 g /cm3; Page 3, [0042], Example 1) and a high dielectric constant of ≥10 (i.e., based on the instant application, US Pub. 2023/0380121 A1, Page 1, [0011]-[0012]), a nickel layer coated onto the core of particles (Page 4, [0043]; Page 4, Claim 4). 900 does not expressly teach the nickel layer has a thickness of 1 to 2 µm.
Thus, the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to change the thickness of the corrosion alloy through routine experimentation, and is within the level ordinary skill in the art.
Regarding claim 14: The disclosure of ‘900 in view of ‘382 is adequately set forth in paragraph above and is incorporated herein by reference. ‘900 teaches the nickel coated electrically conductive material (Page 3, [0042]), wherein the core of particles is at least one selected from the group consisting of graphite, titanium dioxide, and silicon carbide (Page 2, [0017]).
Regarding claim 15: The disclosure of ‘900 in view of ‘382 is adequately set forth in paragraph above and is incorporated herein by reference. ‘900 teaches the nickel coated electrically conductive material (Page 3, [0042]), wherein the core of particles is graphite (Page 2, [0017]).
Regarding claim 16: The disclosure of ‘900 in view of ‘382 is adequately set forth in paragraph above and is incorporated herein by reference. ‘900 in view of ‘382 does not expressly teach said electrically conductive material does not include silver, gold, and/or platinum.
Thus, the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to omit silver, gold, and/or platinum from the composition through routine experimentation, and is within the level ordinary skill in the art.
Regarding claim 17: ‘900 teaches a method for manufacturing an electrically conductive composite powder (Page 2, [0016]), comprising: applying a nickel layer Page 4, [0043]; Page 4, Claim 4) onto a core of particles formed from a material having a low density of < 5 g /cm3 (i.e., 3.7 g /cm3; Page 3, [0042], Example 1) and a high dielectric constant of ≥10 (i.e., based on the instant application, US Pub. 2023/0380121 A1, Page 1, [0011]-[0012]). ‘382 does not expressly teach a corrosion resistant alloy layer that is deposited onto the nickel layer.
However, ‘382 teaches improved methods for applying chromium diffusion coatings onto selective regions of a component. (Page 1, [0002]). ‘382 teaches a turbine blade as shown in FIG. 1 is selectively coated with a chromizing slurry composition and an aluminide coating utilizing the one-step approach shown in FIG. 3. The chromizing slurry composition was prepared comprising an aluminum fluoride activator, chromium powder, nickel powder, and an organic binder solution (Page 6, [0050], Example 1) with benefit of providing to resist low-temperature hot corrosion (Page 6, [0053], Fig. 6b).
In an analogous art of the electrically conductive composite powder, and in the light of such benefit before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the particulate conductive filler by ‘900, so as to include a corrosion resistant alloy layer that is deposited onto the nickel layer as taught by ‘382, and would have been motivated to do so with reasonable expectation that this would result in providing to resist low-temperature hot corrosion as suggested by ‘382 (Page 6, [0053], Fig. 6b).
Regarding claim 18: The disclosure of ‘900 in view of ‘382 is adequately set forth in paragraph above and is incorporated herein by reference. ‘382 teaches improved methods for applying chromium diffusion coatings onto selective regions of a component. (Page 1, [0002]). ‘382 teaches a turbine blade as shown in FIG. 1 is selectively coated with a chromizing slurry composition and an aluminide coating utilizing the one-step approach shown in FIG. 3. The chromizing slurry composition was prepared comprising an aluminum fluoride activator, chromium powder, nickel powder, and an organic binder solution (Page 6, [0050], Example 1) with benefit of providing to resist low-temperature hot corrosion (Page 6, [0053], Fig. 6b). ‘900 in view of ‘382 does not expressly teach the corrosion resistant alloy layer has a galvanic potential of -0.2V in seawater as measured via ASTM G82.
Thus, the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to measure the galvanic potential of the alloy layer through routine experimentation, and is within the level ordinary skill in the art.
Regarding claim 19: The disclosure of ‘900 in view of ‘382 is adequately set forth in paragraph above and is incorporated herein by reference. ‘900 teaches a method for manufacturing an electrically conductive composite powder (Page 2, [0016]), wherein the nickel layer is applied onto the core of particles by plating, autoclave, or gas-phase technology (Page 2, [0033]).
Regarding claim 20: The disclosure of ‘900 in view of ‘382 is adequately set forth in paragraph above and is incorporated herein by reference.’382 teaches the corrosion resistant layer is deposited onto the nickel layer by plating, autoclave, or gas-phase technology (Page 3, [0033]). ‘382 teaches improved methods for applying chromium diffusion coatings onto selective regions of a component. (Page 1, [0002]). ‘382 teaches a turbine blade as shown in FIG. 1 is selectively coated with a chromizing slurry composition and an aluminide coating utilizing the one-step approach shown in FIG. 3. The chromizing slurry composition was prepared comprising an aluminum fluoride activator, chromium powder, nickel powder, and an organic binder solution (Page 6, [0050], Example 1) with benefit of providing to resist low-temperature hot corrosion (Page 6, [0053], Fig. 6b).
Regarding claim 21: The disclosure of ‘900 in view of ‘382 is adequately set forth in paragraph above and is incorporated herein by reference.’382 teaches the corrosion resistant layer is deposited onto the nickel layer by pack diffusion of an element or elements into the nickel layer (Page 2, [0018]). ‘382 teaches improved methods for applying chromium diffusion coatings onto selective regions of a component. (Page 1, [0002]). ‘382 teaches a turbine blade as shown in FIG. 1 is selectively coated with a chromizing slurry composition and an aluminide coating utilizing the one-step approach shown in FIG. 3. The chromizing slurry composition was prepared comprising an aluminum fluoride activator, chromium powder, nickel powder, and an organic binder solution (Page 6, [0050], Example 1) with benefit of providing to resist low-temperature hot corrosion (Page 6, [0053], Fig. 6b).
Examiner Information
12. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Bijan Ahvazi, Ph.D. whose telephone number is (571) 270-3449. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 9.00 A.M. -7 P.M..
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joseph Del Sole can be reached on 571-272-1130. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Bijan Ahvazi/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1763
10/30/2025
bijan.ahvazi@uspto.gov
Prosecution Insights