DETAILED ACTION
Request for Continued Examination
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submissions filed on 10/22/2025 has been entered.
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 1-6 are pending in the application.
WITHDRAWN REJECTIONS
The 35 U.S.C. §103 rejections made of record in the office action mailed 8/21/2025 have been withdrawn due to Applicant’s amendment in the response filed 10/22/2025.
REJECTIONS
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claims 1-3, 5 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Doi et al. (US Patent Application No. 2016/0304680) in view of Yonekawa et al. (JP05-311024, see machine translated version).
Regarding claim 1, Doi et al. teach a foam sheet that exhibits slight tackiness and can be fixed without using a pressure sensitive adhesive layer (self-suction adhering foam sheet) (page 8, paragraph [0100]) comprising a composition (page 1, paragraph [0009]), the composition comprising a polymer (page 1, paragraphs [0009], [0011]), an oxazoline crosslinker (page 5, paragraph [0072]), and a wax agent (page 6, paragraphs [0084], [0085]).
Doi et al. fail to teach wherein the polymer includes an alkenyl aromatic monomer unit in a proportion of 0.5 mass% or more and 20 mass% or less. However, Yonekawa et al. teach an acrylic foam (paragraph [0001]) which can be used as a bonding material (paragraph [0056]) comprising a composition, the composition comprising a polymer (paragraph [0005]) and a wax (paragraph [0004]), wherein the polymer includes an alkenyl aromatic monomer unit (paragraphs [0004], [0013], [0014]) in a proportion of 0 to 89.9% by weight which reads on Applicant’s claimed range of 0.5 mass% or more and 20 mass% or less (paragraphs [0004], [0013], [0014], [0023]).
It would have been obvious to a person of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the monomer of Yonekawa et al. in the polymer of Doi et al. in order to provide weather resistance (Yonekawa et al., paragraph [0023]).
Regarding claim 2, Doi et al. teach wherein the polymer includes a (meth)acrylate monomer unit in a proportion of 70 to 98% by weight which reads on Applicant’s claimed range of not less than 60 mass% and not more than 99 mass% (page 3, paragraphs [0039], [0040]).
Regarding claim 3, Doi et al. teach wherein an amount of the oxazoline crosslinker is 0 to 10 parts by weight which reads on Applicant’s claimed range of not less than 0.5 parts by mass and not more than 30 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the polymer (page 5, paragraphs [0072], [0073]).
Regarding claim 5, Doi et al. teach wherein an amount of the wax agent is 0.2 to 60 parts by weight which reads on Applicant’s claimed range of not less than 0.5 parts by mass and not more than 10 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the polymer (page 6, paragraphs [0084], [0085]).
Regarding claim 6, Doi et al. teach a foam sheet that exhibits slight tackiness and can be fixed without using a pressure sensitive adhesive layer (self-suction adhering foam sheet) (page 8, paragraph [0100]).
Doi et al. fail to teach a laminate sheet comprising a substrate, wherein the substrate is a paper substrate other than a synthetic paper substrate, a plastic substrate, a fibrous substrate, a metal substrate, or a glass substrate. However, Yonekawa et al. teach a laminate comprising a substrate (paragraph [0056]) and an acrylic foam (paragraph [0001]) which can be used as a bonding material (paragraph [0056]) comprising a composition, the composition comprising a polymer (paragraph [0005]) and a wax (paragraph [0004]), wherein the polymer includes an alkenyl aromatic monomer unit (paragraphs [0004], [0013], [0014]) in a proportion of 0 to 89.9% by weight (paragraphs [0004], [0013], [0014], [0023]), wherein the substrate is plastic or metal (paragraph [0056]).
It would have been obvious to a person of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the monomer of Yonekawa et al. in the polymer of Doi et al. in order to provide weather resistance (Yonekawa et al., paragraph [0023]).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Doi et al. (US Patent Application No. 2016/0304680) in view of Yonekawa et al. (JP05-311024, see machine translated version), in further view of Yamanari et al. (JP2019-038997, see machine translated version) as evidenced by Wikipedia article of Carnauba wax.
Doi et al. and Yonekawa et al. are relied upon as disclosed above.
Regarding claim 4, Doi et al. fail to teach wherein the wax agent includes a fatty acid ester including a fatty acid moiety having a carbon number of not less than 16 and not more than 34. However, Yamanari et al. teach a resin foam (paragraphs [0001], [0015]) comprising a polymer (paragraphs [0016], [0037]), an oxazoline crosslinker (paragraphs [0051], [0060]) and a wax agent (paragraphs [0051], [0052]). The wax agent includes carnauba wax (paragraph [0052]).
According to Wikipedia, Carnauba wax comprises a fatty acid ester having a fatty acid moiety with a carbon number of 26 to 30 (see snapshot below).
“Carnauba consists mostly of aliphatic esters (40 wt%), diesters of 4-hydroxycinnamic acid (21.0 wt%), ω-hydroxycarboxylic acids (13.0 wt%), and fatty alcohols (12 wt%). The compounds are predominantly derived from acids and alcohols in the C26-C30 range. It is distinctive for its high content of diesters and its methoxycinnamic acid.
It is sold in grades of T1, T3 and T4 according to its purity level, which is accomplished by filtration, centrifugation and bleaching.”
It would have been obvious to a person of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the wax agent of Yamanari et al. in the composition of Doi et al. in order to improve processability and flexibility (Yamanari et al., paragraphs [0051], [0053]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 10/22/2025 with respect to claims 1-6 of record have been carefully considered but are moot due to the new grounds of rejection.
Conclusion
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/Chinessa T. Golden/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1788 2/3/2026