DETAILED ACTION
In response to Amendments/Arguments filed 9/12/2025. Claims 1-11 are pending. Claim 1 was amended. Claims 10 and 11 were added as new.
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 10 is 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 10 recites the limitation “aliphatic (petroleum-resin-based) adhesiveness-imparting resins”. It is not clear if the aliphatic adhesiveness-imparting resins are petroleum-based or other aliphatic resins. Examiner suggests deleting the parentheses and amending the limitation to read “aliphatic petroleum-resin-based adhesiveness-imparting resins” for clarification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-4, 6-8, and 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Harlan Jr. (US 3239478; Hereafter “Harlan”).
Harlan discloses a block copolymer adhesive composition. Concerning claims 1 and 7, Harlan discloses a hot melt adhesive composition comprising a styrene-based block copolymer that can be hydrogenated and a tackifying resin from about 25 to 300 phr, specifically 100 phr per 100 parts of the block copolymer (col. 2, lines 1-33; cols. 3-4; cols. 7-8, Example II). The term “for fixing a member constituting an electronic apparatus” is considered a statement of intended use and not given patentable weight since the limitation does not provide any structure as it relates to the adhesive. Given that the composition comprises the same materials in the same contents as that claimed, the Trouton ratio and further material characteristics as claimed in claims 2-4 would be met by Harlan. With respect to claim 6, as shown in Example II, there is no carrier or substrate and as such, at least Example II would meet the limitations as claimed. With respect to claim 8, the styrene-based block copolymer is found at a content of 33 wt% (Example II). Concerning claims 10 and 11, the tackifying resin can be a rosin-based resin or a coumarone-indene resin (i.e. a C9-petroleum-based resin) (col. 5, lines 60-75).
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.
Claims 1-5, 7-8 and 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vermunicht et al. (US 20070092722).
Vermunicht discloses a PSA adhesive tape. Concerning claims 1 and 7, Vermunicht discloses the PSA adhesive composition comprises 10 to 200 parts by weight of a tackifying resin per 100 parts of a hydrogenated styrene block copolymer (para. 0016-0053). Given that the composition is the same as that claimed with the same materials, the Trouton ratio, extensional and shear viscosity, and the storage elastic modulus would overlap and include the claimed values as claimed in claims 1-4. Regarding claim 5, it would have been obvious to have an adhesive layer of any thickness, including the claimed thickness for the appropriate application. With respect to claim 8, the Examples show the amount of the styrene block copolymer can constitute about 62 wt% of the composition, wherein this value can include and encompass the claimed range in light of the ranges of the components set forth by Vermunicht (Tables 1 and 2; e.g. Example 1; para. 0016-0020). Concerning claims 10 and 11, the tackifying resin can be one of the claimed resins (para. 0053).
Claims 5 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Harlan Jr. (US 3239478; Hereafter “Harlan”) in view of Kanezuka et al. (JP 2016-020403).
Harlan discloses the above but is silent to the thickness of the adhesive and an electronic device comprising the adhesive as claimed.
Kanezuka discloses a similar adhesive material used to adhere a touch panel laminate to a display laminate, wherein the thickness is from 20 to 300 microns (FIG. 1; para. 0083-0088 and 0116, 0121). As such, for use in an electronic device, one of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have the claimed thickness and such adhesive compositions provide long adhesion which is taught by both Harlan and Kanezuka.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pp. 5-7, filed 9/12/2025, with respect to the 35 USC 102(a)(1) rejection under Kanezuka have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of the claims has been withdrawn. Examiner acknowledges the instant amendments as overcoming the previous rejection. However, Kanezuka is still applicable as a secondary reference in an obviousness rejection as set forth above for the above stated reasons.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 PRASHANT J KHATRI whose telephone number is (571)270-3470. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10AM-6:30PM.
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PRASHANT J. KHATRI
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1783
/PRASHANT J KHATRI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1783