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 § 103
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1 and 4-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ozawa et al. (JP 2018/202827 A) in view of Jo et al. (US 2019/0270894 A1) and Miki et al. (JP 07228828 A).
Regarding Claims 1 and 4-5, Ozawa discloses a resin coating composition comprising epoxy resin (para 0014), a melamine resin curing agent (para 0025), and a heat dissipating pigment such as graphite particles (para 0026). There may be 4 to 26 parts heat dissipating pigment (graphite particles) with respect to 100 parts epoxy resin (para 0035).
Ozawa further discloses the resin coating composition is applies to an aluminum alloy base material (para 0012). The coating composition layer has a thickness of 12 to 40 microns (para 0034) and is baked (i.e. cured) (para 0036).
Ozawa does not disclose the amount of graphite particles relative to the total amount of epoxy resin and curing agent, and does not disclose the amounts of epoxy resin and curing agent in the composition.
Jo discloses a resin composition for metal plates having an aluminum alloy surface (para 0057), wherein the resin composition comprises epoxy resin (para 0033) in an amount of 30-65 wt% of the composition in order to maintain ductility and hardness (para 0034) and melamine curing agent (para 0037) in an amount of 1-15 wt% to maintain physical properties and workability of the coated layer (para 0038).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the application to modify Ozawa to incorporate the teachings of Jo and use 30-65% epoxy resin and 1-15% melamine curing agent in the resin coating composition of Ozawa. Doing so would maintain ductility, hardness, physical properties, and workability.
It is calculated that for 100 parts total epoxy resin and curing agent, there is 66.7 to 98.5 parts epoxy resin (30/(30+15) to 65/(65+1)). Therefore there are 2.7 to 25.6 parts graphite particles ((4*66.7)/100 to (26*98.5)/100) relative to 100 parts total epoxy resin and curing agent.
Ozawa in view of Jo does not disclose silica particles as claimed.
Miki discloses resin coated aluminum (para 0001). The coating includes epoxy resin and 1-30% colloidal silica (para 0007). The silica improves the corrosion resistance and paintability of the resin coating (para 0025).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the application to modify Ozawa in view of Jo to incorporate the teachings of Miki and produce the resin coating composition of Ozawa further comprising 1-30% colloidal silica. Doing so would improve the corrosion resistance and paintability of the resin coating.
Since Ozawa in view of Jo and Miki discloses 30-65% epoxy resin and 1-15% melamine curing agent (as taught by Jo) and 1-30% colloidal silica (as taught by Miki), it is calculated there is 1.25 to 97 parts colloidal silica per 100 parts epoxy resin and curing agent ((1*100)/(65+15) – (30*100)/(30+1)).
Regarding Claims 6-7, Ozawa in view of Jo and Miki discloses all the limitations of the present invention according to Claim 1 above. Ozawa further discloses the graphite particles have an average particle diameter of 1 to 5 microns (para 0028).
Regarding Claim 9, Ozawa in view of Jo and Miki discloses all the limitations of the present invention according to Claim 1 above. Ozawa in view of Jo and Miki does not disclose the glossiness of the resin coating layer. However, given that the resin coating layer of Ozawa in view of Jo and Miki comprises the materials as claimed in amounts as claimed, it would necessarily have glossiness as claimed.
Regarding Claim 10, Ozawa discloses a resin coating composition comprising epoxy resin (para 0014), a melamine resin curing agent (para 0025), a heat dissipating pigment such as graphite particles (para 0026), and a solvent (para 0037). There may be 4 to 26 parts heat dissipating pigment (graphite particles) with respect to 100 parts epoxy resin (para 0035).
Ozawa does not disclose the amount of graphite particles relative to the total amount of epoxy resin and curing agent, and does not disclose the amounts of epoxy resin and curing agent in the composition.
Jo discloses a resin composition for metal plates having an aluminum alloy surface (para 0057), wherein the resin composition comprises epoxy resin (para 0033) in an amount of 30-65 wt% of the composition in order to maintain ductility and hardness (para 0034) and melamine curing agent (para 0037) in an amount of 1-15 wt% to maintain physical properties and workability of the coated layer (para 0038).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the application to modify Ozawa to incorporate the teachings of Jo and use 30-65% epoxy resin and 1-15% melamine curing agent in the resin coating composition of Ozawa. Doing so would maintain ductility, hardness, physical properties, and workability.
It is calculated that for 100 parts total epoxy resin and curing agent, there is 66.7 to 98.5 parts epoxy resin (30/(30+15) to 65/(65+1)). Therefore there are 2.7 to 25.6 parts graphite particles ((4*66.7)/100 to (26*98.5)/100) relative to 100 parts total epoxy resin and curing agent.
Ozawa in view of Jo does not disclose silica particles as claimed.
Miki discloses resin coated aluminum (para 0001). The coating includes epoxy resin and 1-30% colloidal silica (para 0007). The silica improves the corrosion resistance and paintability of the resin coating (para 0025).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the application to modify Ozawa in view of Jo to incorporate the teachings of Miki and produce the resin coating composition of Ozawa further comprising 1-30% colloidal silica. Doing so would improve the corrosion resistance and paintability of the resin coating.
Since Ozawa in view of Jo and Miki discloses 30-65% epoxy resin and 1-15% melamine curing agent (as taught by Jo) and 1-30% colloidal silica (as taught by Miki), it is calculated there is 1.25 to 97 parts colloidal silica per 100 parts epoxy resin and curing agent ((1*100)/(65+15) – (30*100)/(30+1)).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ozawa in view of Jo and Miki as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Yamamoto et al. (US 2013/0213696 A1).
Regarding Claim 3, Ozawa in view of Jo and Miki discloses all the limitations of the present invention according to Claim 1 above. Ozawa in view of Jo and Miki does not disclose the molecular weight of the epoxy resin.
Yamamoto discloses a resin layer comprising epoxy applied to a metal foil (Abstract) such as aluminum alloy (para 0062). The resin layer further comprises a melamine curing agent (para 0078). The epoxy resin has a weight average molecular weight of 100 to 100,000, which enables the resin layer to be firmly attached to the metal foil (para 0020).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a parson having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to modify Ozawa in view of Jo and Miki to incorporate the teachings of Yamamoto and use an epoxy resin having a weight average molecular weight of 100 to 100,000. Doing so would enable the coating composition to be firmly attached to the metal foil.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ozawa in view of Jo and Miki as applied to claim 8 above, and further in view of Maezono et al. (JP 2005/305993 A).
Regarding Claim 8, Ozawa in view of Jo and Miki discloses all the limitations of the present invention according to Claim 1 above. Ozawa in view of Jo and Miki does not disclose the arithmetic mean roughness Ra as claimed.
Maezono discloses a resin-coated aluminum material (para 0001) wherein the resin coating comprises a melamine crosslinked polyester-based resin which is based on an epoxy-based resin (para 0020) and graphite powder (para 0011). Maezono further discloses surface roughness Ra of the cured coating is 0.05 to 5 microns, in order to improve heat dissipating property while maintaining appearance of the coating (para 0035).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a parson having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to modify Ozawa in view of Jo to incorporate the teachings of Maezono and produce coating composition layer having a surface roughness Ra of 0.05 to 5 microns. Doing so would improve heat dissipating property while maintaining appearance of the coating.
Alternatively:
Maezono discloses a resin-coated aluminum material (para 0001) wherein the resin coating comprises a melamine crosslinked polyester-based resin which is based on an epoxy-based resin (para 0020) and graphite powder (para 0011). Maezono further discloses surface roughness Ra of the cured coating is 0.05 to 5 microns, in order to improve heat dissipating property while maintaining appearance of the coating (para 0035) and the surface roughness is achieved by adjusting the amount of inorganic fine particles such as silica in the coating composition (para 0036).
Therefore, while Ozawa in view of Jo and Miki does not disclose the arithmetic mean roughness Ra as claimed, since Ozawa in view of Jo and Miki discloses a coating composition layer comprising materials as claimed, including silica particles in amounts as claimed, the coating composition layer would necessarily have a surface roughness Ra as claimed, according to the evidence of Maezono.
Response to Arguments
In light of Applicant’s amendments filed 02/10/2026, the 35 USC 112(b) rejection of Claim 4 and the 35 USC 112(d) rejection of Claim 2 are withdrawn.
In light of Applicant’s arguments filed 02/10/2026, the 35 USC 112(b) rejection of Claim 9 and the 35 USC 103 rejections against Claims 1-10 are withdrawn.
New grounds of rejection are set forth above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BETHANY M MILLER whose telephone number is (571)272-2109. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-4:00.
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/BETHANY M MILLER/Examiner, Art Unit 1787
/CALLIE E SHOSHO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1787
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