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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 6/22/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The amendment dated 6/22/2026 has been considered and entered into the record. Claim 1 has been amended to now require that the textile structure is moved into the hot section and heating micrometric powder to a melting temperature and applying pressure on said powder. Claims 1–10 remain pending, while claims 4–10 are withdrawn from consideration. Claims 1–3 are examined below.
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.
Claim(s) 1–3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pardo (US 2006/0234028 A1) in view of Bhatnagar (US 2017/0297295 A1).
Pardo teaches a process for manufacturing composite sheets, wherein the process involves feeding a textile structure on a moving substrate that takes the textile structure through a double belt system 36, 37 having a hot section 38, 40 and cold section 39. Pardo abstract, ¶¶ 39, 83 Fig. 2. Dry powder coating devices 28, 31 apply thermoplastic powder particles to both surfaces of the textile structure, wherein the powder is configured to form an amorphous non-crystalline thermoplastic matrix. Id. ¶¶ 33, 36, 39, 82, 91 Fig. 2. The textile structure is moved into the hot section 38, 40 wherein heat and pressure is applied to the thermoplastic powder to melt the powder to form an amorphous thermoplastic matrix that interpenetrates the textile structure to obtain the composite sheet. Id. ¶¶ 36, 39–43, Fig. 2. The textile structure is then moved to the cold section 39, where the structure is cooled and rolled into a form of a roll. Id. ¶¶ 83–84, Fig. 2.
Pardo fails to teach that the thermoplastic powder is micrometric in size.
Bhatnagar teaches a process of forming defect-free fibrous composite materials comprising a stack of fibrous plies coated with a dry, micro-particulate binder. Bhatnagar abstract, ¶¶ 58–60.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have looked to Bhatnagar for guidance as to a suitable powder binder size in order to successfully practice the invention of Pardo.
Claim 2 is rejected as the powder is heated to a temperature in the range of 200–220oC and compressed at a pressure of 15 N/cm2. Id. ¶¶ 40, 93, Fig. 2. Claim 3 is rejected as the cooling process takes place at a temperature below the solidification point of the lowest-melting-point material in the composite. Id. ¶ 44.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 3/5/2026 have been considered fully but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Pardo teaches that the powder is compressed outside of the hot section as required by the instant claims. Applicant's argument is not persuasive because the combination of the heating zone 38 and the press rollers 40 may be considered the claimed hot section. Plus, the selection of any order of performing process steps is prima facie obvious in the absence of new or unexpected results. See Ex parte Rubin, 128 USPQ 440 (Bd. App. 1959) (Prior art reference disclosing a process of making a laminated sheet wherein a base sheet is first coated with a metallic film and thereafter impregnated with a thermosetting material was held to render prima facie obvious claims directed to a process of making a laminated sheet by reversing the order of the prior art process steps.). See also In re Burhans, 154 F.2d 690, 69 USPQ 330 (CCPA 1946) (selection of any order of performing process steps is prima facie obvious in the absence of new or unexpected results); In re Gibson, 39 F.2d 975, 5 USPQ 230 (CCPA 1930) (Selection of any order of mixing ingredients is prima facie obvious.). MPEP 2144.04.
Applicant then argues that the heat applied to the powder in Pardo results in a coating being obtained over the matrix and not a thermoplastic matrix that interpenetrates a textile structure as claimed. Pardo teaches the feeding of a textile structure onto a conveyor belt, wherein the textile comprises an organic material and at least one reinforcing material. Pardo abstract, ¶¶ 15–19. The textile is then coated with thermoplastic powder. Id. The organic material of the textile and powder are preferably “of the same nature.” Id. ¶ 36. After the powder is applied to one or both sides of the textile, the textile and powder are heated to a temperature that melts the powder and organic material of the textile to form a matrix. Id. ¶¶ 39–40. That matrix interpenetrates the reinforcing material that constitutes the claimed textile. See id. ¶¶ 23–29. Because the powder and organic material are “of the same nature” and the same thermoplastic materials are available for the both components (e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, etc.), when the powder and organic material melt, they would form a single matrix that serves as a surface coating, as well as interpenetrating matrix for the textile. Id. ¶¶ 22, 34. As such, the melted powder and organic material together constitute an amorphous thermoplastic matrix that completely interpenetrates the inside of the textile.
Conclusion
All claims are identical to or patentably indistinct from, or have unity of invention with claims in the application prior to the entry of the submission under 37 CFR 1.114 (that is, restriction (including a lack of unity of invention) would not be proper) and all claims could have been finally rejected on the grounds and art of record in the next Office action if they had been entered in the application prior to entry under 37 CFR 1.114. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL even though it is a first action after the filing of a request for continued examination and the submission under 37 CFR 1.114. See MPEP § 706.07(b). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW D MATZEK whose telephone number is (571)272-5732. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30-6.
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/MATTHEW D MATZEK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1786
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