DETAILED ACTION
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 submission filed on 05/28/2026 has been entered.
Status of Claims
Claims 1 and 3 are pending and presented for examination on the merits.
Claim 1 is currently amended.
Information Disclosure Statement
One (1) information disclosure statement (IDS) was submitted on 06/07/2026. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the IDS is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: The claim lacks grammatical clarity due to the placement of the transitional phrase “consists only of” after the phrase “is at least one of” and before the listing of compounds (line 12 – “the metal compound is at least one of consists only of oxide, hydroxide, nitrate, or sulfate of at least one selected from the group consisting of Mo, W, Zn, Sn, Pb, Sb, and Bi”). To modify a component or step, the transitional phrase should be placed immediately after the component or step being modified. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP S61-79780 (A) to Nakamura et al. (“Nakamura”) (computer-generated translation is attached) in view of US 2014/0251514 (A1) to Watanabe et al. (“Watanabe”).
Regarding claim 1, Nakamura discloses a method for producing a grain-oriented or directional silicon steel sheet (method for producing a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet). Abstract; page 4. The method includes steps of (i) providing a piece of steel (preparing a slab); (ii) hot rolling to form a hot rolled sheet; (iii) cold rolling, annealing, and cold rolling (cold rolling once or twice or more with intermediate annealing performed therebetween); (iv) decarburization annealing; (v) coating the steel sheet with annealing separator; and (vi) annealing (final annealing). Page 8 – EXAMPLE 1; page 10 – EXAMPLE 3; claim 1.
In one example, the steel contains C 0.04 wt.%, Si 3.20 wt.%, and Mn 0.05 wt.% (page 8 – EXAMPLE 1), which fall within the claimed ranges. Because the base metal of steel is iron, the remainder must be Fe and impurities.
The annealing separator agent contains MgO as the main component. Page 4. The annealing separator agent further contains a compound containing Sb or a compound containing Sb (metal compound), such as Sb2O5, SnO2, and SnO (metal compound is at least one of consists only of oxide, hydroxide, nitrate, or sulfate of at least one selected from the group consisting of Mo, W, Zn, Sn, Pb, Sb, and Bi). Pages 4 and 6. The claimed phrase “consists only of” is met because Nakamura does not teach an additional compound (metal compound) to the MgO annealing separator agent other than the Sb compound or Sn compound.
The Sb-containing compound is preferably 0.01-3% by weight of MgO, and the Sn-containing compound is preferably 0.02-2% by weight of MgO (page 5), which overlaps the claimed range of 1-10 parts by mass of metal compound with respect to 100 parts by mass of MgO.
The average particle size of the Sb-containing compound and Sn-containing compound is extremely fine in size with a particle diameter of 0.1-0.001 µm in size. Page 4. Because the compound particle diameter is not larger than 1 µm, the ratio of particles with a particle size of 1 µm or more in the compound must be zero or close to zero, which falls within the claimed range of 0.0010 particles/µm2 or less.
The overlap between the ranges taught in the prior art and recited in the claims creates a prima facie case of obviousness. MPEP § 2144.05(I). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to select from among the prior art ranges because there is utility over an entire range disclosed in the prior art.
Nakamura does not teach the presence of Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, and Ta.
Watanabe is directed to a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet. Abstract; para. [0002]. The steel sheet may further contain one or more of Ti 0.005-0.1% by mass and Nb 0.005-0.1% by mass (para. [0017], [0054]), each of which overlap the claimed range. These elements have the effect of reinforcing an inhibitor effect that stably enhances magnetic flux density. Para. [0055].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have added Ti and/or Nb in the amounts taught by Watanabe to the steel slab of Nakamura because these elements would stabilize and improve magnetic flux density of the electrical steel sheet.
Regarding claim 3, Nakamura discloses the presence of S in the steel in an amount of 0.016% by weight (page 8 – EXAMPLE 1), which falls within the claimed range of 0.002-0.03% S.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to JP H02-249916 (A) to Watanabe et al. (“JP ‘916”) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on JP ‘916 to reject the claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VANESSA T. LUK whose telephone number is (571)270-3587. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM ET.
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/VANESSA T. LUK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1733
June 17, 2026
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