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 Objections
Claims 2 and 3 are objected to because of the following informalities:
replace “ally” with --alloy--. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Niwa et al. (JPH10270201; also published as JP3642449 translation attached).
Regarding claim 1, Niwa teaches a distortion resistance film (“pressure transducer” and “strain sensor”; see at least paragraphs 0008 and 0011, 0018-0020 and 0033-0038) comprising an alloy material containing Cr, Al, N, and Si (Table 5, Sample Number 53, where Al is 1.2, N is 4.0, Si is 1.6 and remainder is Cr).
Regarding claims 2 and 3, Niwa teaches the distortion resistance film according to claim 1, wherein the alloy material being represented by a formula Cr100-x-y-zAlxNySiz, wherein composition regions of x, y, and z satisfy 5 ≤ x ≤ 50, 1 ≤ 9 ≤ 20, and 0 < z, and wherein the alloy material being represented by a formula wherein composition regions of x, y, and
z respectively satisfies 5 ≤ x ≤ 50, 1 ≤ y ≤ 20, and 0.3 ≤ z ≤ 10 (see Table 5, Sample number 57, where Al is 10.0, N is 4.0, Si is 4.0, Ni is 1.0 and the remainder is Cr).
Regarding claim 4, Niwa teaches the method of forming the strain resistance film in a nitrogen atmosphere (atmospheric gas) and further annealing the film for 2 hours in a vacuum at 450 °C (see paragraphs 0030-0031). The current specification (see at least paragraphs 0040-0041) indicates that trace amounts of oxygen remain as “an inevitable impurity” in the reaction chamber as part of forming the resistance film. Therefor, Niwa’s resistance film contains oxygen in an amount of 10 at% or less with respect to a total amount of Cr, Al, N and O.
Regarding claims 5 and 6, Niwa teaches the distortion resistance film (“pressure transducer” and “strain sensor”; see at least paragraphs 0008 and 0011, 0018-0020 and 0033-0038) comprising an alloy material containing Cr, Al, N, and Si (Table 5, Sample Number 53, where Al is 1.2, N is 4.0, Si is 1.6 and remainder is Cr). Niwa teaches the Cr-Al-N-Si strain resistance film having a small TCR over a wide temperature range, and the gauge factor of 2 or more (gauge factor for Sample 53 is 7.9 in paragraph 0033 compared to Table 1 of the current invention where the gauge factor ranges between 3-8) and a TCR of -4 to 4 x 10-4/°C (in paragraph 0038 compared to 2000 ppm/°C or less, as claimed). Since, the strain resistance film of Niwa is created using the same material and by the same formation method as in the present invention (vapor deposition in gas atmosphere; see claim 4 above), they having the same temperature coefficient of sensitivity and the same temperature coefficient of resistance.
Regarding claim 7, Niwa teaches a pressure sensor (“pressure transducer” and “strain sensor”; see at least paragraphs 0008 and 0011, 0018-0020 and 0033-0038) comprising:
the distortion resistance film according to claim 1; and
an electrode portion electrically connected to the distortion resistance film (electrode is attached to the resistance film; see paragraph 0017).
Regarding claim 8, Niwa teaches a layered body (“pressure transducer” and “strain sensor”; see at least paragraphs 0008 and 0011, 0018-0020 and 0033-0038) comprising:
the distortion resistance film according to claim 1; and
a base insulating layer that is in contact with the distortion resistance film and contains Si (the resistance film is formed on the glass substrate; see paragraph 0024).
Conclusion
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/KYUNG S LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833
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