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 .
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 3 is 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 3 states that the vinyl silicone rubber has a molecular weight of 20000-40000. However, the claim does not specify if the molecular weight is number average or weight average molecular weight.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-14 are allowable
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The pending claims are allowable over the closest reference: Zhang et al (CN 106046379).
Summary of claim 1:
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Zhang teaches a process of making a sulfhydryl modified silicone rubber (title) that is formed from mixing methyl vinyl silicone rubber, silica (reading on the claimed reinforcing agent), methyl mercaptoacetate (reading on the claimed multi-sulfhydryl compound), 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-bis(tert-butyl peroxide) hexane (reading on the claimed catalyst) and placing the solution under a UV curing lamp (example 4). However, Zhang does not teach or fairly suggest the claimed hydrophilic silicone rubber wherein the methyl vinyl silicone rubber contains a nitrile group and wherein the silicone rubber is hydrophilic.
Conclusion
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/JESSICA WHITELEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1763