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 .
Specification
The specification is objected to as failing to provide proper antecedent basis for the claimed subject matter. See 37 CFR 1.75(d)(1) and MPEP § 608.01(o). Correction of the following is required: It is unclear where the shapes being claimed in Claim 5 are provided antecedent basis. Needle-shaped fine protrusions are characterized as extending from a vertex, not the surface of the steel sheet. There is no apparent characterization of “each having a pointed vertex and a cross-sectional area decreasing toward the vertex”. While there is language in Specification of claimed angle and vertical distance, it is not apparently with respect to protrusions as now claimed in Claim 5. See Specification (paragraphs 12 and 36).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 5 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. It is unclear where the shapes being claimed in Claim 5 are provided written description support. Needle-shaped fine protrusions are characterized as extending from a vertex, not the surface of the steel sheet. There is no apparent characterization of “each having a pointed vertex and a cross-sectional area decreasing toward the vertex”. While there is language in Specification of claimed angle and vertical distance, it is not apparently with respect to protrusions as now claimed in Claim 5. See Specification (paragraphs 12 and 36). Thus, it is unclear what is the basis for written description support. The Remarks refer to paragraph 36, but what is claimed is not what is characterized therein.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(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.
Claims 5 and 6 are 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.
Regarding Claim 5, the protrusion is said to extend from the surface and yet it has a “radially extending line”. It is unclear what this means or requires.
Regarding Claim 6, it is unclear what is the antecedent basis of “straight line” as previous Claim 5 makes no mention of this. It is also unclear what such “straight line” would refer to had it been mentioned.
Response to Amendment
In view of applicant’s amendments and arguments, applicant traverses the section 112, paragraph (b) rejection of the Office Action mailed on 31 December 2025. Rejections are withdrawn except to the extent repeated above for the reasons provided above.
In view of applicant’s amendments and arguments, applicant traverses the section 103 rejection over Nagoshi of the Office Action mailed on 31 December 2025. Rejection is withdrawn.
Allowable Subject Matter
Regarding Claims 1, 3, 7, and 9, the reviewed prior art does not teach or suggest the subject matter of these claims for the reasons of record. See Office Action mailed on 31 December 2025 (paragraph 28).
Claims 1, 3, 7, and 9 are allowed.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 MICHAEL E. LA VILLA whose telephone number is (571)272-1539. The examiner can normally be reached Mon. through Fri. from 9:00 a.m. ET to 5:30 p.m. ET.
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.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Humera N. Sheikh, can be reached at (571) 272-0604. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MICHAEL E. LA VILLA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1784
13 April 2026
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