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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 2, 3, 5-8, and 11-15 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention and species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 12/1/2025.
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 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Grigsby (4558072).
Regarding claims 1 and 4, Grigsby discloses quaternary phosphonium cations that are combined with an anionic species such as bromide. The branches off the phosphorus can include alkyl radicals such as methyl, ethyl, and 2-ethylhexyl (col. 4, lines 44-65).
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It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made and/or filed to use the alkyl radicals on the phosphorus atom since Grigsby teaches the same structure and indicates that methyl, ethyl, and 2-ethylhexyl are known to be the groups used with this compound. One of skill in the art would have a reasonable expectation of success in choosing the alkyl radicals as taught by Grigsby to arrive at the claimed compound.
Claims 9 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Grigsby as applied above, and further in view of Liotta (20050269001).
Regarding claims 9 and 10, Liotta discloses the use of quaternary phosphonium cations with bromide anions (0061) for use with propellants i.e. thrusters in space applications. See paragraphs 0021, 0032, and 0040.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made and/or filed to use the compounds disclosed by Grigsby within the application taught by Liotta since Liotta suggests the use of quaternary phosphonium cations with bromide anions and since the compounds of Grigsby are the same or similar compounds. One of ordinary skill would have a reasonable expectation of success for these compounds to function in space applications with propellants since Liotta suggests that they can be used for this purpose.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AILEEN BAKER FELTON whose telephone number is (571)272-6875. The examiner can normally be reached Monday 9-5:30, Thursday 11-3, Friday 9-5:30.
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/AILEEN B FELTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1734