DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a)-(d) by Application No. IT 102022000015600 filed 7/25/2022, which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Claims 1-8 are pending.
Claim Objections
Claim 4 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 4 recites …powder the powder… and it appears Applicant intended to recite …
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
Claims 1-8 are 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites …inserting into a vacuum gauge for about 8-12 minutes, at a pressure of 45-55 mbar… However, a pressure gauge is a mechanical instrument used to measure and monitor pressure. Hence, it would not be understood to one skilled in the art how the mixture can be inserted into a vacuum gauge.
Claims 2-8 are subsumed by this rejection because of their dependence.
Claim 1 recites …carrying out a second cooling phase in a refrigerant that operates between -25 C and -35 C… However, a refrigerant is fluid that carries heat from a cold environment to a warm environment and circulating between them. Therefore, it would not be clear to one skilled in the art how a carry out a first phase of cooling in a refrigerant.
Claim 1 recites the limitation “the cooling unit" in line 18. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 2-8 are subsumed by this rejection because of their dependence.
Claim 1 recites …mixing said powder with a thermosetting resin and an amine hardener for a time of 1-3 minutes… then later recites …adding an amine catalyst for thermosetting resins… However, it would not be clear if the amine hardener and amine catalyst are the same or different.
Claim 1 recites …pouring the mixture into a mold to leave it cross-linked at room temperature… It would not be clear how to pour the mixture into a mold to “to leave it crosslinked”. Specifically, it would not be clear if crosslinking occurs at room temperature for about 12-24 hours, or if it is previously crosslinked to leave it crosslinked.
Claims 2-8 are subsumed by these rejections because of their dependence.
Claim 1 recites several instances of "the mixture". However, it would not be clear what mixture is intended, since several mixtures can be deduced from claim 1. Specifically, a mixture of …said powder with a thermosetting resin and an amine hardener for a time of 1-3 minutes... and also another mixture which includes …adding an amine catalyst for thermosetting resins…
Claim 2 recites the limitation "the photopolymer" in line 1 which lacks antecedent basis. It appears Applicant intended to recite “the photopolymer material”.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "the freezing member" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 7 recites …the freezing member works at a temperature of 30 ˚C for a time of 30 minutes… While a freezer that operates between -25 ˚C and -35 ˚C is recited in claim 1, 30 ˚C is outside of this range, and a “freezing member” is not previously recited. Therefore, it would not be clear what freezer member works at a temperature of 30 ˚C for a time of 30 minutes.
Claim 8 recites several instances of "the mixture in the mold". However, it would not be clear what mixture is intended, since several mixtures can be deduced from claim 1. Specifically, a mixture of …said powder with a thermosetting resin and an amine hardener for a time of 1-3 minutes... and also another mixture which includes …adding an amine catalyst for thermosetting resins…
Appropriate correction and/or clarification is required.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-9 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The present claims are allowable over the closest prior art, Vest et al. (US 2022/0235551) for the following reasons:
Vest is directed to a process of producing a granulated product from photopolymer printing pate materials. The process comprises shredding into pieces smaller than 10 mm in each direction, which can include cryogenic process ([0047]-[0051] Vest). However, further mixing with a thermosetting resin and an amine hardener, a first phase and second phase of mixing, cooling, crosslinking and heating in an oven is not mentioned or suggested.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT T BUTCHER whose telephone number is (571)270-3514. The examiner can normally be reached Telework M-F 9-5 Pacific Time Zone.
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/ROBERT T BUTCHER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1764