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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 1-7 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 9/1/26.
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group II, claims 8-17 in the reply filed on 9/1/26 is acknowledged.
Claim Objections
Claim 13 is objected to because of the following informalities: Specifically, claim 13 does not end in a period. 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.
Claim 9, 12-13 and 17 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 9 (which claims 12, 13 and 17 depend upon) recites the limitation "metal alkenyl" in the second line. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Note specifically that in parent claim 8, the aluminum vinyl (AV) units are formed, which while are metal alkenyl units, the term is broader and raises questions about what the limitation is referring to. Amending the claim from “metal alkenyl” to “aluminum vinyl” will overcome the instant rejection.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8, 10-11 and 14-16 allowed.
The closest prior art is listed below:
US Patent 12,195,563 (provisional application has same date of 12/29/20) is directed towards similar ionomers. The patented claims are directed towards similar ionomers, however are silent on the steps of introducing oxidizing agents, introducing metal cations and the crystallinity.
US 2017/0355786 teaches similar methods of providing copolymers with AV units that are quenched with oxidizing agents to form polar side chains. However, the claimed step of introducing metal cation and forming an ionomer is not taught. Moreover, the claimed properties are not taught.
US 2018/0194872 teaches similar copolymers that are in the claimed “providing a copolymer step”, which comprise AV units. However, the copolymers are never oxidized, followed by treated with the claimed metal cation. Moreover, the tensile strength, Tg and crystallinity are not taught.
JP 2003-246820, cited as D1 in the ISR, teaches similar processes, however the claimed tensile strength, glass transition temperature and crystallinity is not taught.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARK S KAUCHER whose telephone number is (571)270-7340. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-6 PM EST.
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/MARK S KAUCHER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1764
