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/Restriction
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group III. Claims 3-8, and species of the “ammonium salt of 2,3-bis((5-methoxy-5-oxopentanoyl)oxy)succinic acid” in Example 1 in the reply filed on 10/20/2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 1-2 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 10/20/2025.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 3-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipation by CN 102977767 A to Xiao et al. (hereinafter Xiao).
Regarding claims 3-8, Xiao teaches a metal antirust paint containing a modified nano-sized titanium dioxide having a composition of polytetrafluoroethylene and octadecylsuccinic acid (See abstract, para 8). The polytetrafluoroethylene meets the claimed fluoropolymer and the octadecylsuccinic acid has the formula
PNG
media_image1.png
324
220
media_image1.png
Greyscale
, which meets the claimed surfactant formula (1), wherein R2 is X-A, the X is a direct bond, A is -COOM, and M is H, R3 is -Y-R6 wherein Y is a direct bond, and R6 is an 18C alkyl chain, and R1, R4 and R5 are hydrogens, and meets claims 3-6. Xiao further teaches the modified nano-sized titanium dioxide is pulverized into a powder (para 14) and is used to form a paint film. (para 16), which meets claims 7 and 8.
Claim(s) 3, 4, 7, and 8, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipation by JP 2007-045970 A to Nakai et al. (hereinafter Nakai).
Regarding claims 3, 4, 7, and 8, Nakai teaches a polymerized fluoroelastomer obtained by adding a surfactant to an aqueous dispersion of a fluoroelastomer by emulsion polymerization to coagulate the fluoroelastomer (para 8-15), wherein the surfactant is Pelex OT-P which has the formula
PNG
media_image2.png
169
345
media_image2.png
Greyscale
(para 60 and example 11, para 93), which meets the formula (1), wherein X is a direct bond, A is -SO3M, and M is an Na metal, wherein R1 and R5 are -Y-R6, wherein Y is -COO-, and R6 is an alkyl group, and R1, R3, and R4 are hydrogens. Nakai further teaches the coagulated fluoroelastomer is in the form of crumbs with uniform particle size (para 84) and is used in automobile or semiconductor industry as sealing materials (para 2).
Claim(s) 3-8, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipation by US 2015/0337157 A1 to Iida et al. (hereinafter Iida).
Regarding claims 3-8, Iida teaches an aqueous dispersion of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) obtained by emulsion polymerization of vinylidene fluoride in the presence of a surfactant (See abstract), wherein the surfactant has the formula (1)
PNG
media_image3.png
163
155
media_image3.png
Greyscale
, wherein R1 and R2 are a C1-14 alkyl group, and R3 is an H or
PNG
media_image4.png
20
141
media_image4.png
Greyscale
, and R4 is -SO3M2 or
PNG
media_image4.png
20
141
media_image4.png
Greyscale
, and M1 and M2 is H or an alkali metal (para 14-19). A PVDF fine powder can be obtained from the above PVDF aqueous dispersion and used for coatings and molded articles. (para 61-63). Examples 6 and 9 are to compositions with no fluorine-containing surfactants. (para 112 and 121).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HA S NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7395. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri, Flex schedule 7:30am-3:45pm.
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, Randy Gulakowski can be reached at (571)272-1302. 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.
/HA S NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1766