DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement
2. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/20/2023, 7/11/2025 and 3/9/2026 were filed timely. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
3. In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
4. The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
5. Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by (US 2010/0159253 A1) to Kirby et al. (hereinafter Kirby).
Kirby is directed toward environmental barrier coatings. Kirby discloses at paragraph [0010] that the barrier coatings have a CMAS mitigation property. Kirby discloses at paragraph [0022] that the EBC layer may comprise a bond coat layer. Kirby discloses at paragraph [0010] that the outer layer coating provides CMAS protection of an AB2O4 material such as at least one of ZnAl2O4. Kirby discloses at paragraph [0030] that the EBC layer may comprise a mullite. Kirby discloses at paragraph [0027] that the EBC may comprise a mixture of mullite and BSAS. Kirby discloses at paragraph [0022] that the bond coat may contain a titanium silicide. Kirby discloses at paragraph [0033] that the substrate may comprise silicon carbide. Kirby discloses at paragraph [0006] that the outer CMAS layer may be from 0.1 mils to 40 mils (2.54 to 1016 microns) that reads on Applicants range of 10 to 2000 microns. Kirby discloses at paragraph [0006] that the EBC layer and bond coat layer may be 0.1 to 6 mils (2.54 to 154 microns) that reads on Applicants range of 10 to 1000 microns and 2 to 500 microns respectively. Kirby discloses each and every element of claims 1-8.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
6. In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
7. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
8. Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over (US 2010/0159253 A1) to Kirby et al. (hereinafter Kirby).
Kirby is directed toward environmental barrier coatings. Kirby discloses at paragraph [0010] that the barrier coatings have a CMAS mitigation property. Kirby discloses at paragraph [0022] that the EBC layer may comprise a bond coat layer. Kirby discloses at paragraph [0010] that the outer layer coating provides CMAS protection of an AB2O4 material such as at least one of ZnAl2O4. Kirby discloses at paragraph [0030] that the EBC layer may comprise a mullite. Kirby discloses at paragraph [0027] that the EBC may comprise a mixture of mullite and BSAS. Kirby discloses at paragraph [0022] that the bond coat may contain a titanium silicide. Kirby discloses at paragraph [0033] that the substrate may comprise silicon carbide. Kirby discloses at paragraph [0006] that the outer CMAS layer may be from 0.1 mils to 40 mils (2.54 to 1016 microns) that reads on Applicants range of 10 to 2000 microns. Kirby discloses at paragraph [0006] that the EBC layer and bond coat layer may be 0.1 to 6 mils (2.54 to 154 microns) that reads on Applicants range of 10 to 1000 microns and 2 to 500 microns respectively.
It would be obvious to one skilled in the art at the time of the filing of the disclosure of Kirby to select each and every element of claims to form a prime facie case of obviousness for claims 1-8.
Conclusion
9. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JEFFREY D WASHVILLE whose telephone number is (571)270-3262. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
10. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
11. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Randy Gulakowski can be reached at 571-272-1302. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
12. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JEFFREY D WASHVILLE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1766
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