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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Priority
The Examiner recognizes Foreign Priority to EP 22187737.6 , with a filing date of 07/29/2022.
Information Disclosure Statement (IDS)
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 07/24/2023 is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner. Please refer to applicant’s copy of the 1449 herewith.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-9, 17-20 in the reply filed on 09/25/2025 is acknowledged. Claims 10-16 is/are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected ceramic timepiece component, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in reply filed on 09/25/2025.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because of the minor informalities listed below:
Fig.1 – Fig. 6 are labeled “Figure X”, where the label should be “Fig. X”.
Figure 6 is presented second in the list of figures. Being the highest numbered figure, should be presented as the last figure in the figure set.
Figures, when the labeling includes a letter, must use upper case lettering. Example: Fig. 2A.
It is unclear what is different between Figure 3 and Figure 4, as the structure appears similar but the darkened area in Figure 4 is unlabeled.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Interpretation
Regarding Claim 1 –
the examiner understands that sintering and thermally treating are two separate actions.
the "ceramic timepiece component" has not been positively recited in the body of the claim, and therefore, it has been interpreted as not giving patentable weight to the method steps of the claim. "If the body of a claim fully and intrinsically sets forth all of the limitations of the claimed invention, and the preamble merely states, for example, the purpose or intended use of the invention, rather than any distinct definition of any of the claimed invention’s limitations, then the preamble is not considered a limitation and is of no significance to claim construction. Shoes by Firebug LLC v. Stride Rite Children’s Grp., LLC, 962 F.3d 1362, 2020 USPQ2d 10701 (Fed. Cir. 2020)". For the purposes of compact prosecution and prior art, the Examiner understands ceramic timepiece components or ceramic non-timepiece components support the claims.
General Note - The art does not recognize any distinction between coating and impregnating. In re Marra et al., 141 USPQ 221.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 2, 4 and 9 is/are objected to because of the following informalities. The form below is read/Examiner suggestion:
Regarding Claim 2 – “under a reducing atmosphere”/ “under the reducing atmosphere”.
Regarding Claim 4 – “ceramic powder based on zirconia”/ “ceramic powder based on yttria-stabilized zirconia”.
Regarding Claim 5 – “under a reducing atmosphere”/ “under the reducing atmosphere”
Regarding Claim 5 and 6 - “in a reducing atmosphere” appears to be redundant as the sintering is already “under a reducing atmosphere” (Claim 5), “a single operation of reductive sintering” (Claim 6). The Examiner suggests removal of “in a reducing atmosphere”
Regarding Claim 7 - “wherein the partially impregnating the debound intermediate component uses a ”/
wherein
Regarding Claim 8 – “parameters in SCI mode”/” parameters in Specular Component Included (SCI) mode”; abbreviations to be written out for first citing incidence.
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 18 is/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.
Claim 18, which depends on Claim 3, recites “ wherein the ceramic powder based on yttria-stabilized zirconia comprises a proportion in a range of from 1.4 mol% to 4 mol% of yttrium oxide Y2O3 calculated relative to the zirconia, and comprises cerium oxide in a weight proportion in a range of from 3% to 6%.” It is unclear from what reference the weight portion of cerium oxide is targeted, rendering the claim indefinite. For the purposes of prosecution and prior art, the Examiner understands weight portion of cerium oxide is relative to the total weight of the ceramic powder.
All dependent claims not cited but dependent on the independent and dependent claims above are also hereby rejected.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter 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 pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a), the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned at the time any inventions covered therein were made absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and invention dates of each claim that was not commonly owned at the time a later invention was made in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(c) and potential pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e), (f) or (g) prior art under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a).
Claims 1-9, 17-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over USPGPUB
20180222799A1 by Yamauchi et. al. (herein “Yamauchi”) and in view of USPGPUB
20150307405A1 by Huguet et. al. (herein “Huguet”).
Regarding Claim 1 , Yamauchi teaches:
A process for manufacturing
a ceramic timepiece component; [0298], “The zirconia sintered bodies according to the present
invention are sintered bodies that have high densities…and are applicable to members such as
…for example, various members such as timepiece components…”
comprising,
manufacturing an intermediate component having a form of a green body based on ceria-
zirconia; [0082],[0091], “ The sintered body of the present invention can be manufactured by a
method for manufacturing a zirconia sintered body, the method including, a green body
(hereinafter, also referred to as a “red green body”) containing yttria…an oxide of cerium…an
oxide of aluminum… and the balance being zirconia”, “the mixed powder can be molded into a
desired shape. The method may be at least one selected from the group consisting of die
pressing, cold isostatic pressing, slip casting, and injection molding.”
Yamauchi fails to teach,
totally or partially debinding the intermediate component to obtain a debound intermediate
component;
While Yamauchi does not explicitly teach a binder is used in the mixed powder, it would be understood
by one skilled in the art that green ceramic forming processes contain binders to promote shaping for
typical ceramic forming processes, such as die pressing, cold isostatic pressing, slip casting, and injection
molding ([0091]). In a similar endeavor of creating sintered ceramics Huguet teaches (while not given
weight, for a bezel of a watch component – [0079]) the use of zirconia, yttria and ceria [0016] combined
with binders [0056] for preparing a green body [0055]. “For the formation of the green body any
conventional method described in the state of the art may be chosen. Such conventional methods for
preparing the green body include injection molding, tape casting, dry pressing, slip casting and extrusion
[0057].” As similar ceramic forming processes are used in Huguet as are used in Yamauchi, it would
have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the
claimed invention that a binder of Huguet was used in the powder mixture of Yamauchi for forming a
green body, as one would have been motivated to do so for make the formation of the green body
easier, as noted by Huguet ([0057] lines 1-2).
Huguet further teaches a debinding heat treatment step to remove the binders from the green body
([0060] line 2). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the debinding process of Huguet to the method of
Yamauchi, to create a debound intermediate component, as one would be motivated to do so to
optimize the porous volume in the green body and allow for subsequent handling, as noted by Huguet
([0060] lines 3-5).
Yamauchi fails to teach,
locally impregnating the debound intermediate component with at least one solution
comprising at least one metal salt, on one portion only of a surface of the debound
intermediate component to obtain an impregnated debound intermediate component.
Huguet further teaches, “The impregnating solution is a solution containing a further pigment
component”, “The further pigment component in the impregnating solution may be any pigment
component. The further pigment component shall regularly be the salt of a polyvalent metal” ( [0072],
[0074]). Huguet cites a combination of salts in an aqueous solution can be used ([0076 lines
4-5). Further, “while possible to impregnate the complete surface of the green body, only a partial
surface of the green body can be treated and the local color can be realized by a physical mask” ([0079],
[0080]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing
date of the claimed invention to use a metal salt solution and masking technique of Huguet in the
method of Yamauchi, as one would be motivated to do so to have the ability to modify or change the
color of the sintered ceramic product in the impregnated area and produce a bi-colored sintered
ceramic body, as noted by Huguet ([0076] lines 4-9, [0079] lines 3-4 ).
Yamauchi teaches wherein,
sintering and thermally treating by performing at least one heat treatment under a reducing
atmosphere; [0102],[106],[114] “ An example of the two-step sintering process, which is a
preferred sintering step, is a sintering step including a primary sintering step… and a secondary
sintering step of subjecting the primary sintered body to hot isostatic pressing (hereinafter, also
referred to as “HIP”) (hereinafter, also referred to as a “pressure sintering method”)”,
“The HIP is conducted in a reducing atmosphere”.
While Yamauchi teaches a green body that is sintered in reducing atmosphere via the hot isostatic
pressing (HIP) using a temperature of 1400°C for 1 hr. ([0107]), Yamauchi fails to teach the above
sintering process for,
the impregnated debound intermediate component
Huguet teaches the impregnated debound intermediate component ([0060],[0072], [0074], [0076]) with
conventional sintering processes (1500°C for 2hrs), but also teaches other process conditions and other
non-conventional sintering means can be used. Further, among the non-conventional processes being
Spark Plasma Sintering, Hot Isostatic Pressing or Microwave Assisted Sintering ([0090]). One skilled in
the art would know that HIP processing uses inert gas, for example argon, as a means of ensuring the
gas does not react with material in the HIP vessel. As other process conditions are possible as cited by
Huguet, this would not preclude using a reducing gas for sintering the impregnated debound
intermediate component if so desired. It would have been obvious to one having
ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the a
the impregnated debound intermediate component of Huguet in the reduced atmosphere thermal
treatment of Yamauchi, as a person of ordinary skill has good reason to pursue the known option within
his or her technical grasp. If this leads to the anticipated success, it is likely the product not of innovation
but of ordinary skill and common sense." KSR int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 127 S.Ct. 1727,82 USPQ2d 1385
(2007).
Regarding Claim 2 - Yamauchi and Huguet in the rejection of claim 1 above teaches all of the limitations
of claim 1.
Yamauchi teaches wherein, the sintering and thermally treating the impregnated debound intermediate
component comprises sintering the impregnated debound intermediate component
under an oxidizing atmosphere then performing the heat treatment under a reducing
atmosphere; [0102],[106],[114] “ An example of the two-step sintering process, which is a
preferred sintering step, is a sintering step including a primary sintering step of subjecting a red
green body to pressureless sintering to obtain a primary sintered body, and a secondary
sintering step of subjecting the primary sintered body to hot isostatic pressing (hereinafter, also
referred to as “HIP”) (hereinafter, also referred to as a “pressure sintering method”)”,
“Conditions for the primary sintering step of obtaining a primary sintered body to be provided
to the HIP may be conditions described below…Sintering atmosphere: at least one selected from
the group consisting of an oxidizing atmosphere”, “The HIP is conducted in a reducing
atmosphere”.
Regarding Claim 3 - Yamauchi and Huguet in the rejection of claim 1 above teaches all of the limitations
of claim 1.
Yamauchi teaches wherein the manufacturing the intermediate component having the form of the
green body made of ceria-zirconia,
uses a ceramic powder based on yttria-stabilized zirconia; [0034], [0090],[0183, Sample 9], “A zirconia
sintered body of the present invention…contains yttria. Yttrium functions as a stabilizer without
coloring zirconia”, “The method for mixing the raw material powders may be any method as
long as yttria, zirconia, cerium oxide, and an oxide of aluminum are sufficiently mixed to obtain
a mixed powder”, “yttria containing zirconia powder”.
Regarding Claim 4 - Yamauchi and Huguet in the rejection of claim 3 above teaches all of the limitations
of claim 3.
Yamauchi teaches wherein the ceramic powder based on zirconia
comprises alumina in a weight proportion in a range of from 0.1% to 1%.; [0083],[0183] “A more
preferred red green body has a composition that contains …an oxide of aluminum in an amount
of 0.1% by weight or more and 1% by weight or less, and the balance being zirconia.
Example 9 has alumina weight proportion of 0.9% Note: the green body is also referenced as
“red green body” [0082].
Regarding Claim 5 – Yamauchi and Huguet in the rejection of claim 1 above teaches all of the limitations
of claim 1.
Yamauchi teaches wherein the sintering and thermally treating the impregnated debound intermediate
component comprises sintering the impregnated debound intermediate component under an oxidizing
atmosphere then performing the heat treatment under a reducing atmosphere wherein,
the sintering the impregnated debound intermediate component under an oxidizing
atmosphere, subjects the impregnated debound intermediate component to a temperature in a
range of from 1400°C to 1650°C for a thermal hold of at least thirty minutes; [0121], [0123],
[0124], [0107], [0183], “Conditions for the primary sintering step of obtaining a primary
sintered body to be provided to the reduction pressureless sintering may be conditions
described below”, “Primary sintering temperature… 1,450° C. or higher and 1,600° C. or lower”,
“Sintering atmosphere: an oxidizing atmosphere…”. Example 9, which has the same primary
sintering as Example 1, has a “sintering temperature of 1,500° C. for two hours”.
and/or,
the heat treatment under a reducing atmosphere subjects the impregnated debound
intermediate component to a temperature in a range of from 1200°C to 1550°C, in a reducing
atmosphere, with a thermal hold of at least 30 minutes; [0111], [0112], [0107], “In the
secondary sintering step in the pressure sintering method, HIP…The temperature of the HIP is
preferably 1,300° C. or higher and lower than 1,475° C.” Example 9, which has the same HIP
sintering as Example 1, “The primary sintered body….was subjected to HIP at 1,400° C…for a
holding time of one hour”.
Regarding Claim 6 – Yamauchi and Huguet in the rejection of claim 1 above teaches all of the limitations
of claim 1.
Yamauchi teaches wherein the sintering and thermally treating the impregnated debound intermediate
component comprises,
a single operation of reductive sintering subjecting the impregnated debound intermediate
component to a temperature in a range of from 1400°C to 1650°C, in a reducing atmosphere,
; [0082], [0092], [0093], “The sintered body of the
present invention can be manufactured by a method for manufacturing a zirconia sintered body,
the method including a sintering step of sintering, in a reducing atmosphere, a green body”, “In
the sintering step, the red green body is sintered in a reducing atmosphere…Such sintering is
conducted, for example, in a reducing atmosphere at 1.400° C. or higher and 1,600° C. or lower”.
Yamauchi does not teach,
for a thermal hold of at least one hour
Typically, a sintering operation of ceramics contains a thermal hold at the sintering temperature. On the whole, Yamauchi does cite hold time at sintering temperature for Examples 1-13 ([0167]-[0192]) all between 1-2hrs. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to institute a hold time relative to the instant claim based on the method of Yamauchi, to have hold time conditions and temperature conditions that generate density of the sintered body, as noted by Yamauchi ([0093]. A person of ordinary skill has good reason to pursue the known option within his or her technical grasp. If this leads to the anticipated success, it is likely the product not of innovation but of ordinary skill and common sense." KSR int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 127 S.Ct. 1727,82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Regarding Claim 7 – Yamauchi and Huguet in the rejection of claim 1 above teaches all of the limitations
of claim 1.
Yamauchi teaches yttria zirconia green body that contains cerium that when sintered at 1500°C for a
hold time of 2hrs. creates trivalent Ce2O3 that provides the sintered body with a singular red color.
Yamauchi fails to teach wherein See Claim Objections) impregnating the debound
intermediate component uses a solution comprising,
at least one metal salt selected from the group consisting of Co, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Al.
Huguet teaches yttriated zirconia that contains Fe2O3 (trivalent) that when sintered at 1500°C for 2 hrs.
produces a maroon/brown substrate ([0089] lines 5-6, [0090] lines 3-4, [0166] Example 12). Example 12 ,
from a noted group of possible metal salts of Al, Co, Cr, Fe, Ni, Zn, Mn ([0075] lines 1-8), was
impregnated with a solution labeled SB2, which is noted as CoCl2 salt (Table 5). Further, Huguet teaches
that the salt of the impregnation solution produces a change in color in the impregnated area due to
replacement of the elements in the crystal lattice of the coloring pigment in the sintered body; in-situ
formation of spinel pigments, such as Fe3O4, due to the impregnation salt, such as Co, produces a change
in color. For Example 12, the color change is black ([0096], [0097], [0100], [0166]). It would have been
obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention
to use the Co impregnation solution applied to the Fe2O3 (trivalent) containing green body of Huguet to
the green body of Yamauchi where the trivalent Ce2O3 becomes available during sintering. One would
have been motivated to do so in order to provide desired aesthetics for ornamental articles (including
exterior watch components) , as noted by Huguet ([0112], [0114], [0119].
Regarding Claim 8 - Yamauchi and Huguet in the rejection of claim 7 above teaches all of the limitations
of claim 7.
Yamauchi teaches wherein, the sintering and thermally treating the impregnated debound
intermediate component makes it possible to form a multi-coloured ceramic timepiece component,
comprising,
at least one first non-impregnated surface portion having a red color; [0183], Example 9 “A
zirconia sintered body was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1…the red sintered body
of this example…”. The sintered body of Yamauchi is a non-impregnated surface.
wherein spectrophotometry values are based on measurement carried out on a component
with a polished surface finish; [0159], Example 9/0.5mm thick sample Table 3, [0153} “In the
measurement, the color tone of the sintered body sample having a sample thickness of 1 mm
was measured, a surface of the sample was then polished by 0.5 mm to adjust the sample
thickness to 0.5 mm, and the color tone of the resulting sample was measured”, “The color tone
of a sintered body sample was measured by the method according to JIS Z8722. A typical color-
difference meter (device name: Spectrophotometer SD 3000, available from Nippon Denshoku
Industries Co., Ltd.) was used in the measurement”.
Yamauchi fails to teach,
defined by first colorimetric parameters in SCI mode: L* in a range of from 47.5 to 54.1, a* in a
range of from 11.7 to 25.1, b* in a range of from 5.2 to 15.5,
and/or,
at least one second portion of dark color in an impregnated surface area,
defined by second colorimetric parameters in SCI mode: L* less than 47.0, a* in a range of
from -0.5 to 1, b* in a range of from -1 to 1.6,
Yamauchi teaches an SCE measurement mode for samples, including Example 9 (Table 3), and obtaining
L*, a* and b* values. One skilled in the art would know that industry standard measurement equipment
for obtaining L*, a* and b* values when measuring color allows for SCI and SCE mode L* a* b*
values to be collected simultaneously, where,
SCI = Specular Component Included, typically used for color formulation in industry without
being affected by the surface condition of a sample; called “true color”.
SCE – Specular Component Excluded, typically used for quality control of color as sample
surface effects are not included in the measurement and measures the color seen by the
human eye.
In essence, a same measured sample provides two different sets of data with different mode L* a* b*
values based on the modes. While Yamauchi does not teach SCI measurement color directly,
it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the
claimed invention to optimize the processing method of Yamauchi using the SCE L* a* b* measured
values of Yamauchi to target the SCI L* a* b* measured values of the instant claim. One would have
been motivated to do so to provide consistent color tone throughout the sintered body, as noted by
Yamauchi. Where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to
discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation. It would have been obvious to
one having ordinary skill in the art to have determined the optimum values of the relevant process
parameters through routine experimentation in the absence of a showing of criticality. In re Aller, 220
F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235.
Regarding Claim 9 - Yamauchi and Huguet in the rejection of claim 1 above teaches all of the limitations
of claim 1.
The Yamauchi fails to teach,
coating at least a portion of a surface of the timepiece component resulting from
the sintering,
and/or,
grinding and/or polishing, and/or sandblasting, and/or satin-finishing.
Huguet teaches a process for making a multi-colored bezel for a watch ([0004], Fig .1) and “Finally, as
the last action in the production of coloured technical ceramic body, the products may be polished or
subjected to any other final treatment”, [0102]. t would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill
in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the polishing of Hugeut
for the sintered product of Yamauchi, as one would be motivated to do so achieve an exterior
appearance in compliance with the intended use, as noted by Huguet [0102 lines 3-4).
Regarding Claim 17 - Yamauchi and Huguet in the rejection of claim 1 above teaches all of the
limitations of claim 1.
Yamauchi teaches wherein the sintering and thermally treating of the impregnated debound
intermediate component comprises,
a single operation of reductive sintering; [0082], [0092], “The sintered body of the
present invention can be manufactured by a method for manufacturing a zirconia sintered body,
the method including a sintering step of sintering, in a reducing atmosphere, a green body”, “In
the sintering step, the red green body is sintered in a reducing atmosphere…”
Regarding Claim 18 - Yamauchi and Huguet in the rejection of claim 3 above teaches all of the
limitations of claim 3.
Yamauchi teaches wherein the ceramic powder based on yttria-stabilized zirconia comprises,
a proportion in a range of from 1.4 mol% to 4 mol% of yttrium oxide Y2O3 calculated relative to
the zirconia; [0183] lines 1-4, Example 9, “A zirconia sintered body was obtained in the same
manner as in Example 1 except that a mixed powder was prepared by using 48.0 g of the 3 mol
% yttria-containing zirconia powder”.
and comprises cerium oxide in a weight proportion in a range of from 3% to 6%.
Yamauchi in [0183] Example 9 teaches,
“A zirconia sintered body was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that a mixed powder
was prepared by using 48.0 g of the 3 mol % yttria-containing zirconia powder, 1.5 g of the cerium oxide
powder, and 0.5 g of the aluminum oxide powder”. The total weight of the mixed powder is 50g,
therefore,
1.5g cerium oxide/50g total mixed powder = 3% by weight of cerium oxide.
Regarding Claim 19 - Yamauchi and Huguet in the rejection of claim 5 above teaches all of the
limitations of claim 5.
Yamauchi teaches wherein,
the sintering the impregnated debound intermediate component under an oxidizing
atmosphere, subjects the impregnated debound intermediate component to a temperature in a
range of from 1400°C to 1550°C for a thermal hold of at least thirty minutes; [0121], [0123],
[0124], [0107], [0183], “Conditions for the primary sintering step of obtaining a primary
sintered body to be provided to the reduction pressureless sintering may be conditions
described below”, “Primary sintering temperature… 1,450° C. or higher and 1,600° C. or lower”,
“Sintering atmosphere: an oxidizing atmosphere…”. Example 9, which has the same primary
sintering as Example 1, has a “sintering temperature of 1,500° C. for two hours”.
Regarding Claim 20 - Yamauchi and Huguet in the rejection of claim 1 above teaches all of the
limitations of claim 1.
Yamauchi teaches wherein,
the heat treatment under a reducing atmosphere subjects the impregnated debound
intermediate component to a temperature in a range of from 1350°C to 1550°C, in a reducing
atmosphere comprising H2, with a thermal hold of at least 30 minutes; [0111], [0112], [0107],
[0114], “In the secondary sintering step in the pressure sintering method, HIP…The
temperature of the HIP is preferably 1,300° C. or higher and lower than 1,475° C.” Example 9,
which has the same HIP sintering as Example 1, “The primary sintered body….was subjected to
HIP at 1,400° C…for a holding time of one hour”, “The HIP is conducted in a reducing
atmosphere. Trivalent cerium is thereby generated. The reducing atmosphere may include a
pressure medium containing a reducing gas, for example, at least either hydrogen or carbon
monoxide”.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER PAUL DAIGLER whose telephone number is (571)272-1066. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:30-4:30 CT.
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/CHRISTOPHER PAUL DAIGLER/ Examiner, Art Unit 1741
/ALISON L HINDENLANG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1741