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 .
This is the initial office action for US Patent Application No. 15/252070 by Sven Hochmann.
Claims 1-14 are currently pending and have been fully considered.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Scharfer et al. (US 2017/0252773 A1), herein referred to as Scharfer, in view of Furuya et al. (US 2016/0133980 A1), herein referred to as Furuya.
Regarding the instant claims, Scharfer teaches ([0017, 0027-0030], Claim 1 and Figure 2a) a method and device for intermittent coating of a substrate, the substrate (carrier frame) moving in a transport direction (continuous conveying) relative to the device. The device includes a nozzle body (applicator nozzle) comprising at least two nozzle jaws; an insertion film having a cut-out provided between the nozzle jaws, wherein the cut-out in the insertion film forms a nozzle slot within the nozzle body, wherein the nozzle slot extends transversely to the transport direction of the substrate and in parallel with the substrate, and wherein the nozzle slot ends in an outlet gap; and a supply channel, wherein the outlet gap is in flow connection with the supply channel via the nozzle slot. A first of the nozzle jaws is provided with at least two openings which lead into the nozzle slot in series between the supply channel and the outlet gap and which are closed in a fluid-tight manner toward the nozzle slot by at least two elastically deformable elements. Each of the elastically deformable elements is operatively connected to the coating substance in the nozzle slot on a side and to an actuator in the direction of the nozzle slot on a different side. The openings of the first nozzle jaw are arranged successively in a flow direction of the coating substance proceeding from the supply channel to the outlet gap. Scharfer teaches [0007-0008] the coating can include compounds such as styrene butadiene monomers which are known components in adhesive coatings.
Scharfer further teaches (Claim 5) the method for intermittent coating of a substrate that is in motion using the device, wherein a displaced volume flow remains constant, the method comprising: a) continuously supplying a coating substance, proceeding from the supply channel to the outlet gap via the nozzle slot, b) unloading a first of the elastically deformable elements in a first of the openings by deactivating the actuator to which the first elastically deformable element is operatively connected, c) simultaneously loading a second of the elastically deformable elements in a second of the openings by activating the actuator to which the second elastically deformable element is operatively connected, d) loading the first elastically deformable element in the first of the openings by activating the actuator to which the first elastically deformable element is operatively connected, and e) unloading the second elastically deformable element in the second opening by deactivating the actuator.
Scharfer does not appear to explicitly teach providing at least one carrier frame having a recess. However, from the same field of technology, Furuya discloses a method of making electrode layers for a solid oxide fuel cell and a dispensing apparatus used for forming the electrode layers.
In view of the instant claims, Furuya teaches (Claim 1) a method for manufacturing a solid oxide fuel cell in which multiple electricity generating elements are formed on a porous support body and the electricity generating elements are connected by an interconnector, the method comprising steps of: a support body-forming step for forming the porous support body; a film deposition step for laminating and forming, in a predetermined sequence, a fuel electrode layer, an electrolyte layer, and an air electrode layer, being functional layers constituting the multiple electricity generating elements, onto the porous support body.
Furuya further teaches (Claim 17) a dispenser apparatus used to form multiple electricity generating elements including a fuel electrode layer, an electrolyte layer, and an air electrode layer as functional layers, or an interconnector for connecting the electricity generating elements, on a porous support body of a solid oxide fuel cell, comprising: a rotary support apparatus for supporting the porous support body so that it can be rotated; a head portion including a nozzle for discharging a liquid substance used to form the functional layers or the interconnector toward a surface of the porous support body supported by the rotary support apparatus; and a nozzle drive apparatus mounted on the head portion, for driving the nozzle so that the distance is maintained approximately constant between the surface, on which the liquid substance is to be applied, rotated by the rotary support apparatus, and a tip of the nozzle. As seen in Figure 4 of Furuya, a recess (formed under electrode layers 100 and 101) is subjected to the coating process to form the electrode layers.
At the time of the filing date of the application, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Scharfer with the teachings of Furuya in order to devise a method and apparatus for improved coating of an electrode assembly. By combining the teachings of Scharfer and Furuya, one of ordinary skill in the art would have achieved predictable results and overcome drawbacks and restrictions known in the prior art.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEWART A FRASER whose telephone number is (571)270-5126. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 7am-4pm, EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Miriam Stagg can be reached at 571-270-5256. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/STEWART A FRASER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1724