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 .
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-9 in the reply filed on 03/16/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 10-24 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to nonelected inventions, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 03/16/2026.
Claims 1-24 are pending. Claims 1-9 are being examined. Claims 10-24 are withdrawn from further examination as being directed to non-elected inventions.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iftime et al. (US 8222313 B2).
Considering claim 1, Iftime teaches a UV curable ink composition suitable for use in security printing (Iftime, abstract and Col. 8 lines 4-8). Iftime teaches the composition comprises at least one fluorescent organic nanoparticle wherein one or more fluorescent dyes are dispersed inside the resin matrix (Iftime, Col. 15 lines 280-35). Iftime teaches various fluorescent dyes may be used including dyes that are invisible to the naked eye such as those that are invisible under ambient light but emit bright colors under black light, for example, those emitting green, yellow, red and orange light (Iftime, Col. 15 lines 57-63).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include a covert UV fluorescent dye in the UV curable security inkjet ink composition. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have been motivated to do so because such a fluorescent dye is suitable for use in a UV curable security inkjet ink compositions.
Iftime teaches the composition comprises one or more monomers and one or more oligomers (Iftime, Col. 30 lines 9-12 and Col. 31 lines 37-45). Iftime teaches the monomers/oligomers are acrylate monomers/oligomers by teaching suitable curable monomers/oligomers are acrylated esters, acrylated polyesters, acrylated ethers, acrylated polyethers, acrylated epoxies, urethane acrylates (Iftime, Col. 30 lines 34-40).
Iftime teaches the composition comprises a photoinitiator (Iftime, Col. 34 lines 35-37).
Iftime teaches the viscosity of the ink composition is from about 5 mPa-s to about 20 mPa-s (i.e., 5-20cps) (Iftime, paragraph bridging Col. 35 and 36).
Considering claim 2, Iftime teaches the covert fluorescent dye may fluoresce in any one of a multiple of colors when exposed to ultraviolet radiation by teaching dyes that are invisible to the naked eye such as those that are invisible under ambient light but emit bright colors under black light, for example, those emitting green, yellow, red and orange light (Iftime, Col. 15 lines 57-63).
Considering claim 3, Iftime teaches the one or more fluorescent dyes comprise from about 0.01 to about 50 weight percent to total weight of the nanoparticle (Iftime, Col. 15 lines 41-47); the colorant/fluorescent nanoparticle compositions may be present in the ink composition in any desired or effective amount to obtain desired color or hue such as 0.1 to 10 percent by weight (Iftime, Col. 29 lines 5-15).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to vary the amount of the covert fluorescent dye including to within the claimed range of 0.1%-5% by weight of the ink composition. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have been motivated to do so in order to achieve desired color or hue with a reasonable expectation of success.
Considering claims 4-5, Iftime teaches suitable mixtures of at least two polymers may be used to generate nanoscale-sized pigments dispersions (Iftime, Col. 25 lines 65-67); the composition may also contain colorant including pigment and dye and mixtures (Iftime, Col. 26 lines 59-67). Iftime teaches the colorant/fluorescent nanoparticle compositions may be present in the ink composition in any desired or effective amount to obtain desired color or hue such as 0.1 to 10 percent by weight (Iftime, Col. 29 lines 5-15).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the composition to include a colored organic pigment dispersion in an amount such as the claimed 1-10% dry weight of the ink composition. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have been motivated to do so in order to achieve desired color or hue with a reasonable expectation of success.
Considering claim 6, Iftime teaches a UV curable ink composition suitable for use in security printing (Iftime, abstract and Col. 8 lines 4-8). Iftime teaches the composition comprise at least one fluorescent organic nanoparticle wherein one or more fluorescent dyes are dispersed inside the resin matrix (Iftime, Col. 15 lines 280-35). Iftime teaches various fluorescent dyes may be used including dyes that are invisible to the naked eye such as those that are invisible under ambient light but emit bright colors under black light, for example, those emitting green, yellow, red and orange light (Iftime, Col. 15 lines 57-63). Iftime teaches it is generally more desirable to utilize fluorescent pigments in radiation-curable dispersions and inks due to their much improved photo-stability over dyes during the curing process (Iftime, Col. 26 lines 26-35).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include a covert UV fluorescent pigment dispersion in the UV curable security inkjet ink composition. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have been motivated to do so because such a fluorescent pigment is suitable for use in a UV curable security inkjet ink composition and has improved photo-stability over dyes during the curing process.
Iftime teaches the composition comprises one or more monomers and one or more oligomers (Iftime, Col. 30 lines 9-12 and Col. 31 lines 37-45). Iftime teaches the monomers/oligomers are acrylate monomers/oligomers by teaching suitable curable monomers/oligomers are acrylated esters, acrylated polyesters, acrylated ethers, acrylated polyethers, acrylated epoxies, urethane acrylates (Iftime, Col. 30 lines 34-40).
Iftime teaches the composition comprises a photoinitiator (Iftime, Col. 34 lines 35-37).
Considering claim 7, Iftime teaches the one or more fluorescent dyes/pigments comprise from about 0.01 to about 50 weight percent to total weight of the nanoparticle (Iftime, Col. 15 lines 41-47); the colorant/fluorescent nanoparticle compositions may be present in the ink composition in any desired or effective amount to obtain desired color or hue such as 0.1 to 10 percent by weight (Iftime, Col. 29 lines 5-15).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to vary the amount of the covert fluorescent pigment dispersion including to within the claimed range of 0.1%-5% by weight of the ink composition. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have been motivated to do so in order to achieve desired color or hue with a reasonable expectation of success.
Considering claims 8-9, Iftime teaches the viscosity of the ink composition is from about 5 mPa-s to about 20 mPa-s (i.e., 5-20cps) (Iftime, paragraph bridging Col. 35 and 36).
Iftime teaches suitable mixtures of at least two polymers may be used to generate nanoscale-sized pigments dispersions (Iftime, Col. 25 lines 65-67); the composition may also contain colorant including pigment and dye and mixtures (Iftime, Col. 26 lines 59-67). Iftime teaches the colorant/fluorescent nanoparticle compositions may be present in the ink composition in any desired or effective amount to obtain desired color or hue such as 0.1 to 10 percent by weight (Iftime, Col. 29 lines 5-15).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the composition to include a colored organic pigment dispersion in an amount such as the claimed 1-10% dry weight of the ink composition. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have been motivated to do so in order to achieve desired color or hue with a reasonable expectation of success.
Conclusion
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/ANITA NASSIRI-MOTLAGH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1734