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 Amendment
Claims 1, 11, and 13 have been amended to narrow the scope of the structural unit represented by formula (1) in polymer A. Claims 2 – 6 and 8 have been amended for format and clarity. Claims 9 and 10 are cancelled. No new subject matter has been added.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see remarks filed 2025-09-15, with respect to the rejection of claims 1 - 13 under 35 U.S.C. §102(a)(1) have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground of rejection is made over Choda et al (US PGP 2020/0233322) in view of Caporiccio et al (US Patent 3,766,251) (see rejection below).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1 – 8 and 11 – 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choda et al (US PGP 2020/0233322) in view of Caporiccio et al (US Patent 3,766,251).
Choda teaches an electrophotographic photoreceptor, analogous to a photosensitive member, which comprises a photosensitive layer (Abstract). The photosensitive layer of Choda may be a lamination type, which comprises a charge generation layer and a charge transport layer ([0038]). Choda teaches that it is preferable that the charge transport layer is the outermost layer ([0039], [0307]), analogous to the surface layer of Claim 1. Choda teaches a filler such as a fluorine atom-containing resin in the outermost layer of the photoreceptor ([0008], [0028]), and describes a feature wherein the charge transport layer contains a filler ([0025]). The preference for fluorine atom-containing resin as a filler material is stated ([0257]), and examples of such resins are given ([0258]). Choda teaches that the charge transport layer preferably has a thickness of 20 – 50 µm, encompassing the range stated in Claim 1. Choda teaches that the charge transport layer contains a charge transport substance and a binder resin ([0307]), analogous to the binder material of Claim 1. Examples of binder resins are given, and the preference is stated for polycarbonate resin ([0308]), which, according to the instant application, may be a thermoplastic resin (Specification, [0051]). In addition, Choda teaches bisphenol Z as a structural unit which may be used in the polycarbonate resin ([0308]), and teaches that the viscosity average molecular weight of the binder resin is preferably in the range of 20,000 – 150,000 ([0310]). The polycarbonate binder resin of the instant application, which is presumably a thermoplastic resin, contains bisphenol Z monomer units, and has a viscosity average molecular weight of 40,000 (Specification, [0139]), further indicating that the binder resin of Choda may be a thermoplastic resin.
Choda describes an embodiment wherein the photosensitive layer contains at least a polymer A and a polymer B ([0010]). In a case where the photosensitive layer is of the lamination type, it is preferable that the charge transport layer is the outermost layer, and that the charge transport layer contains both polymer A and polymer B ([0039]). Choda discloses an embodiment in which Polymer B contains a structural unit of Formula (10) ([0014] – [0017]), which reads on formula (2) of the instant application. Choda discloses preferred examples of the structural unit of Formula (10) ([0155]), the second of which (page 12) contains structural unit (2-1’) of the instant application (Specification, page 43).
Choda does not appear to teach a polymer comprising a structural unit reading on formula (1) of the instant application.
Caporiccio teaches perfluoropolyether (meth)acrylates and their polymers, which exhibit excellent water- and oil-resistance (Abstract). The monomers reported by Caporiccio are represented by a formula (1), which may read on instant formula (1) (col. 1, line 66 – col. 2, line 16). Specifically, Caporiccio’s monomer would read on instant formula (1) when m = 0, n = 1, A represents CF3, and X and Y each represent H. Caporiccio points out a preferred perfluoropolyether alcohol (col. 3, line 35) for preparing the (meth)acrylates mentioned (col. 2, lines 69 – 72), of which would read on instant formula (1). Further, Caporiccio discloses the preparation and co-polymerization of an acrylate which is the same as instant u1-29 (Specification, page 28, Table 1), which reads on formula (1) of Claim 1.
In preparing the photosensitive member of Choda, one of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to improve the water- and oil-resistance of the photosensitive layer by incorporating the perfluoropolyether (meth)acrylate monomers taught by Caporiccio into the charge transport layer of the laminate-type photosensitive layer. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to incorporate one or more monomer taught by Caporiccio into the photosensitive member of Choda, resulting in a photosensitive member described by Claim 1.
The example of Choda’s unit of Formula (10) mentioned above (page 12, second structure shown) reads on formula (2) with the limitations on groups YA1 and YB as described by Claim 2.
Choda teaches that the content of Polymer B (which reads on polymer A of the instant application) preferably has a content of 0.5 – 10% by mass with respect to the filler in the charge transport layer ([0265]), covering the ranges stated in Claim 3 and Claim 4.
Choda teaches that the content of the filler, which is preferably a fluorine atom-containing resin, in the outermost layer is preferably 2 – 30% by mass ([0260]), overlapping the range stated in Claim 5 and encompassing the range stated in Claim 6.
As discussed above, the binder resin of Choda is preferably a polycarbonate resin, satisfying Claim 7.
The charge transport substance of formula (3) is covered by Choda’s description of preferred charge transport substances, which may include aryl amine derivatives, butadiene derivates, and combinations of more than one of these motifs ([0314]), satisfying Claim 8.
Choda describes a photoreceptor cartridge, analogous to a process cartridge, which comprises the photoreceptor as described above ([0026]), as well as at least one of a charging device, a developing device, a transfer device, and a cleaning device ([0354]). The photoreceptor cartridge may be detachable from the body of an image forming apparatus ([0355]), satisfying Claim 11.
Choda describes an image forming apparatus which comprises the photoreceptor described above ([0351]), as well as a charging device, an exposure device, a developing device, and a transfer device ([0352]), satisfying Claim 12.
Choda describes a method of preparing a photosensitive member having a charge transport layer as the outermost layer by preparing a coating liquid and then forming a charge transport layer by a dip-coating method using the coating layer ([0344]). In examples, particle dispersion slurries comprising tetrafluoroethylene resin (which is a fluorine atom-containing resin) and a polymer B as described above are prepared (P1 – P12, [0357] – [0383]). Separately, a charge transport layer forming coating liquid Q0 comprising polycarbonate resin (which may be a thermoplastic resin, as discussed above) and a charge transport substance is prepared ([0385]). Finally, the liquid Q0 is mixed with one of the particle dispersion slurries to afford charge transport layer forming coating liquids Q1 – Q12 ([0386] – [0408]). It is these coating liquids Q1 – Q12, which are used to form charge transport layers by a dip-coating method, wherein the formed charge transport layer has a thickness of 36 µm ([0419] – [0430]).
Therefore, the method exemplified by Choda comprises a step of preparing a coating liquid containing polymer B (which reads on polymer A of the instant application, as discussed above), a fluorine atom-containing resin, a thermoplastic binder resin, and a charge transport substance; and a step of forming a coating film and drying it to form a charge transport layer, which is the outermost layer of the photosensitive member, having a thickness in the range stated by Claim 13.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 Grant S Seiler whose telephone number is (571)272-3015. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30 - 5:30 Pacific.
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/GRANT STEVEN SEILER/Examiner, Art Unit 1734
/PETER L VAJDA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1737 11/18/2025