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 disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Paragraph 0043 includes a typographical error. “Mental layer 30” should be corrected to --metal layer 30--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 3 and 10 are objected to because of the following informalities: claims 3 and 10 should depend on claims 2 and 9, respectively.
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, 4-5, 7-8, 11-12, 14-15, 17 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li et al. (US Pub. 2018/0356303).
Regarding claim 1, Li teaches a pressure-sensitive ink (force sensing ink film; see at least paragraphs 0006 and 0018), comprising:
an adhesive (polymeric matrix binder; paragraph 0033);
conductive particles (conductive fillers; paragraph 0042) dispersed in the adhesive; and
inorganic fillers (dielectric constant filler; paragraphs 0069-0072) dispersed in the adhesive, wherein the inorganic fillers comprise hydrophobic groups (See the list of inorganic groups in at least paragraphs 0069-0070. Li further teaches the core-shell inorganic fillers being covered with ligands to improve dispersibility of the fillers in the matrix. See paragraph 0071.).
Regarding claims 4 and 5, Li teaches the inorganic filler having a dielectric constant being less than or equal to 3 (boron nitride at room temperature and I MHz being 3-5), the inorganic filler having a particle size ranging between 10 to 100 nm (see paragraph 0072).
Regarding claim 7, Li teaches the weight percentage of the inorganic filler in the pressure-sensitive ink ranging between 5 to 10 wt% (see paragraph 0075).
Regarding claim 8, Li teaches a flexible pressure sensing structure (force sensing ink film; see at least paragraphs 0006 and 0018), comprising:
an insulating layer (substrate; see fig. 1A), a pressure strain layer (force sensing film), and a conductive layer (electrical contact) stacked in a sequential order, wherein the pressure strain layer comprises:
a matrix (polymeric matrix binder; paragraph 0033);
conductive particles (conductive fillers; paragraph 0042) dispersed in the matrix; and
inorganic fillers (dielectric constant filler; paragraphs 0069-0072) dispersed in the matrix, wherein the inorganic fillers comprise hydrophobic groups (See the list of inorganic groups in at least paragraph s 0069-0070. Li further teaches the core-shell inorganic fillers being covered with ligands to improve dispersibility of the fillers in the matrix. See paragraph 0071.).
Regarding claims 11 and 12, Li teaches the inorganic filler having a dielectric constant being less than or equal to 3 (boron nitride at room temperature and I MHz being 3-5), the inorganic filler having a particle size ranging between 10 to 100 nm (see paragraph 0072).
Regarding claim 14, Li teaches the weight percentage of the inorganic filler in the pressure-sensitive ink ranging between 5 to 10 wt% (see paragraph 0075).
Regarding claim 15, Li teaches the flexible pressure sensing structure being a strain pressure sensor (compressive/tensile strain sensor; paragraph 0006).
Regarding claim 17, Li an electronic device, comprising:
a circuit board (printed circuit board; paragraph 0090) comprising at least one flexible pressure sensing structure (force sensing ink film; see at least paragraphs 0006 and 0018), each of the at least one flexible pressure sensing structure comprising:
an insulating layer (substrate; see fig. 1A), a pressure strain layer (force sensing film), and a conductive layer (electrical contact) stacked in a sequential order, wherein the pressure sensing layer is electrically connected to a circuit layer of the circuit board through the conductive layer, the pressure strain layer comprising:
a matrix (polymeric matrix binder; paragraph 0033);
conductive particles (conductive fillers; paragraph 0042) dispersed in the matrix; and
inorganic fillers (dielectric constant filler; paragraphs 0069-0072) dispersed in the matrix, wherein the inorganic fillers comprise hydrophobic groups (See the list of inorganic groups in at least paragraph s 0069-0070. Li further teaches the core-shell inorganic fillers being covered with ligands to improve dispersibility of the fillers in the matrix. See paragraph 0071.).
Regarding claim 19, Li teaches the inorganic filler having a dielectric constant being less than or equal to 3 (boron nitride at room temperature and I MHz being 3-5).
Regarding claim 20, Li teaches the weight percentage of the inorganic filler in the pressure-sensitive ink ranging between 5 to 10 wt% (see paragraph 0075).
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 6 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Lee et al. (WO 2010/005267 in English).
Regarding claims 6 and 13, Li teaches the claimed invention (including organic surfactant/ligands) except for listing the hydrophobic groups comprising at least one of fluorine atom, methyl, ethyl and propyl.
Lee teaches that the fluorinated surfactant in the polymer member exhibits improved mechanical physical properties (e.g. tensile strength) by increasing the homogenous dispersibility of the inorganic fillers within the polymer (page 14 lines 1-15).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Lee with Li, since the fluorinated surfactant taught by Lee improves the strength of the intramolecular force (tensile strength) by increasing the dispersibility of the inorganic fillers within the polymer matrix of Li.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li.
Regarding claim 16, Li teaches the claimed invention, including the rate of change in resistance (The deformation of the pressure member shown in fig. 1B incurs a rate change of the resistance to the pressure device, which does not exceed 3. See paragraphs 0014-0015.). Li, however, does not list a noise of the sensor being 1.2 ± 0.5.
Li, however, teaches that using conductive fillers having a core-shell structure covered with surfactant or ligand allows for controlling and stabilizing the noise and temperature dependency, and thus controlling the resistance of the pressure device (paragraph 0045).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to have controlled the noise of the flexible pressure sensing structure as claimed, since adding the core-shell conductive filler taught by Li allows for controlling the noise of the pressure sensing structure.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-3, 9-10 and 18 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claims 2, 9 and 18, the prior art does not teach or suggest the pressure-sensitive ink, wherein each of the inorganic fillers further comprises a core and a shell on the core, the hydrophobic groups are connected to a surface of the shell, and the core defines at least one hollow structure.
Regarding claims 3 and 10, the prior art does not teach or suggest the pressure-sensitive ink, wherein the core defines a plurality of hollow structures, each of the plurality of hollow structures is a microporous structure.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Merrell et al. teaches composite materials for a strain gauge. Sumi et al. and Harris et al. teach a core-shell structure for metal particles.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KYUNG S LEE whose telephone number is (571)272-1994. The examiner can normally be reached 7AM-3PM M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Renee Luebke can be reached at 571-272-2009. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KYUNG S LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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