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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on January 6, 2026, has been entered.
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 1-3 and 5-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2011/0096555 Pires et al.
Regarding claim 1, Pires teaches a laminated glass (paragraph 0001) comprising:
at least two glass members 1,4 and at least one adhesive film 2 (paragraph 0055) disposed in a stacked manner, where the glass members and the adhesive film are alternately disposed (figure 1); and
decorative layers 3 provided on surfaces (figure 1) of the at least two glass members (paragraph 0011, each covered with a film of lacquer) facing toward the at least one adhesive film (figure 1), wherein:
at least two of the decorative layers (paragraph 0011),
a first one of the at least two of the decorative layers comprises a first number of layers (1) of a top layer having a texture (only the lacquer, paragraph 0011, where everything has a texture) stacked in a first stacking sequence (figure 1), and
a second one of the at least two of the decorative layers comprise a second number of layers (2) selected from a top layer having a texture (lacquer, paragraph 0011) and a pattern layer (screen printing, paragraph 0047) stacked in a stacking sequence (figure 1),
wherein the first stacking sequence and the second stacking sequence are different (lacquer vs lacquer and screen printing),
each of the optical coating layers comprises a plurality of different coating layers, and a sequence and quantities of the different coating layers are selected according to a target appearance effect (satisfied by the presence of the other layers, the optical coating layer being optional).
Regarding claim 2, Pires teaches that
the at least two glass members comprise a first glass member 1 and a second glass member 4 (paragraph 0055),
the at least one adhesive film 2 comprises a first adhesive film (paragraph 0055),
the first glass member, the first adhesive film, and the second glass member are stacked from bottom to top (figure 1), and
the decorative layers are provided on an upper surface of the first glass member and a lower surface of the second glass member (paragraph 0011, on each glass layer, and paragraph 0012, within the glazing).
Regarding claim 3, Pires teaches that
the at least two glass members comprise a first glass member 1, a second glass member 4 (paragraph 0055), and a third glass member (paragraph 0011, three glass sheets),
the at least one adhesive film 2 comprises a first adhesive film (paragraph 0055) and a second adhesive film (paragraph 0011, two polymer interlayers),
the first glass member, the first adhesive film, the second glass member, the second adhesive film and the third glass member are stacked from bottom to top (figure 1 and paragraph 0011), and
the decorative layers are provided on an upper surface of the first glass member and a lower surface of the second glass member, an upper surface of the second glass member and a lower surface of the third glass member (paragraph 0011, on each glass layer, and paragraph 0012, within the glazing).
Regarding claim 5, Pires teaches a base color layer (colored lacquer), wherein the base color layer is disposed on a lower surface of a lowermost glass member of the at least two glass members (paragraph 0047, disposed on the lower surface via the pattern).
Regarding claim 6, Pires teaches that the texture is coupled with (adjacent to, paragraph 0047) an etched pattern that is formed by etching a surface of the at least two glass members (paragraph 0045).
Regarding claim 7, Pires teaches that the etched texture comprises a pattern texture (paragraph 0045, applied in particular zones).
Regarding claim 8, Pires teaches that the optical coating layer has a predetermined color (paragraph 0002, pigment of desired color).
Regarding claim 9, Pires teaches that the pattern layer is formed from ink (paragraph 0047, inkjet printing), and
orthographic projections of two pattern layers on the at least two glass members are at least partially non-overlapping (paragraph 0011 and paragraph 0045, different appearances from different sides and etching in different particular zones, such that lack of etching in a zone would not be the decorative layer of claim 1 and therefore would not overlap the corresponding etched portion of the other pattern layer).
Regarding claim 10, Pires teaches that pattern layer in an uppermost decorative layer (either or both layers) of the decorative layers comprises a mirror silver logo (paragraph 0046).
Regarding claim 11, Pires teaches that a material forming the at least one adhesive film comprises polyvinyl butyral (paragraph 0015).
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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2014/015840 Wang et al in view of US 2011/0096555 Pires et al.
Regarding claim 1, Wang teaches a laminated glass (page 1, lines 5-8), comprising:
at least two glass members 502, 504 and at least one adhesive film 503 (page 5, lines 19-23) disposed in a stacked manner, where the glass members and the adhesive film are alternately disposed (figure 5b); and
decorative optical surfaces (page 4, lines 22-24).
Wang does not teach decorative layers with etching and pattern features. Pires teaches a decorative laminated glazing (paragraph 0001) comprising:
at least two glass members 1,4 and at least one adhesive film 2 (paragraph 0055) disposed in a stacked manner, where the glass members and the adhesive film are alternately disposed (figure 1); and
decorative layers 3 provided on surfaces (figure 1) of the at least two glass members (paragraph 0011, each covered with a film of lacquer) facing toward the at least one adhesive film (figure 1), wherein:
a first one of the at least two of the decorative layers comprises a first number of layers (1) of a top layer having a texture (only the lacquer, paragraph 0011, where everything has a texture) stacked in a first stacking sequence (figure 1), and
a second one of the at least two of the decorative layers comprise a second number of layers (2) selected from a top layer having a texture (lacquer, paragraph 0011) and a pattern layer (screen printing, paragraph 0047) stacked in a stacking sequence (figure 1),
wherein the first stacking sequence and the second stacking sequence are different (lacquer vs lacquer and screen printing),
each of the optical coating layers comprises a plurality of different coating layers, and a sequence and quantities of the different coating layers are selected according to a target appearance effect (satisfied by the presence of the other layers, the optical coating layer being optional).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include the decorative layers of Pires in the product of Wang because the internal decorative layers of Pires (paragraph 0012, within the glazing) provides decoration that has improved durability, scratchability and safety (paragraph 0012), while also being more complex than the simple colored glasses of Wang (etching and printed decoration, paragraphs 0045 and 0047).
Regarding claim 12, Wang in view of Pires teaches most of the limitations with respect to claim 1 above. Wang further teaches an electronic device housing, wherein at least part of the electronic device housing is formed of the laminated glass (page 1, lines 5-8).
Regarding claims 2 and 13, Wang teaches that
the at least two glass members comprise a first glass member 502 and a second glass member 504 (page 5, lines 19-23),
the at least one adhesive film 503 comprises a first adhesive film (page 5, lines 19-23),
the first glass member, the first adhesive film, and the second glass member are stacked from bottom to top (figure 5b).
Wang does not teach decorative layers. Pires teaches that the at least two glass members comprise a first glass member 1 and a second glass member 4 (paragraph 0055),
the at least one adhesive film 2 comprises a first adhesive film (paragraph 0055),
the first glass member, the first adhesive film, and the second glass member are stacked from bottom to top (figure 1), and
the decorative layers are provided on an upper surface of the first glass member and a lower surface of the second glass member (paragraph 0011, on each glass layer, and paragraph 0012, within the glazing).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include the decorative layers of Pires in the product of Wang because the internal decorative layers of Pires (paragraph 0012, within the glazing) provides decoration that has improved durability, scratchability and safety (paragraph 0012), while also being more complex than the simple colored glasses of Wang (etching and printed decoration, paragraphs 0045 and 0047).
Regarding claims 3 and 14, Wang teaches that
the at least two glass members comprise a first glass member 502, a second glass member 504, and a third glass member 504 (figure 5b),
the at least one adhesive film comprises a first adhesive film 503 and a second adhesive film 503 (figure 5b),
the first glass member, the first adhesive film, the second glass member, the second adhesive film, and the third glass member are stacked from bottom to top (figure 5b).
Wang does not teach decorative layers. Pires teaches that the at least two glass members comprise a first glass member 1, a second glass member 4 (paragraph 0055), and a third glass member (paragraph 0011, three glass sheets),
the at least one adhesive film 2 comprises a first adhesive film (paragraph 0055) and a second adhesive film (paragraph 0011, two polymer interlayers),
the first glass member, the first adhesive film, the second glass member, the second adhesive film and the third glass member are stacked from bottom to top (figure 1 and paragraph 0011), and
the decorative layers are provided on an upper surface of the first glass member and a lower surface of the second glass member, an upper surface of the second glass member and a lower surface of the third glass member (paragraph 0011, on each glass layer, and paragraph 0012, within the glazing).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include the decorative layers of Pires in the product of Wang because the internal decorative layers of Pires (paragraph 0012, within the glazing) provides decoration that has improved durability, scratchability and safety (paragraph 0012), while also being more complex than the simple colored glasses of Wang (etching and printed decoration, paragraphs 0045 and 0047).
Regarding claims 4 and 15, Wang teaches that a thickness of each of the at least two glass members is in a range from 0.05 mm to 2 mm (page 4, lines 26-27 and page 5, lines 10-11); and
a thickness of each of the at least one adhesive film is in a range from 0.002 mm to 0.3 mm (page 5, lines 25-26).
“In the case where the claimed ranges ‘overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art’ a prima facie case of obviousness exists,” (MPEP 2144.05 Section I). Therefore, absent evidence of criticality, the taught range of 0.05 mm to 2 mm reads on the claimed range of 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm, and the taught range of 0.002 mm to 0.3 mm reads on the claimed range of 0.025 mm to 0.1 mm.
Regarding claims 5 and 16, Pires teaches a base color layer (colored lacquer), wherein the base color layer is disposed on a lower surface of a lowermost glass member of the at least two glass members (paragraph 0047, disposed on the lower surface via the pattern).
Regarding claims 6 and 17, Pires teaches that the texture is coupled with (adjacent to, paragraph 0047) an etched pattern that is formed by etching a surface of the at least two glass members (paragraph 0045).
Regarding claims 7 and 18, Pires teaches that the texture comprises a pattern texture (paragraph 0047, each color applied in particular zones).
Regarding claims 8 and 19, Pires teaches that the optical coating layer has a predetermined color (paragraph 0002, pigment of desired color).
Regarding claims 9 and 20, Pires teaches that the pattern layer is formed from ink (paragraph 0047, inkjet printing), and
orthographic projections of two pattern layers on the at least two glass members are at least partially non-overlapping (paragraph 0011 and paragraph 0045, different appearances from different sides and etching in different particular zones, such that lack of etching in a zone would not be the decorative layer of claim 1 and therefore would not overlap the corresponding etched portion of the other pattern layer).
Regarding claim 10, Pires teaches that pattern layer in an uppermost decorative layer (either or both layers) of the decorative layers comprises a mirror silver logo (paragraph 0046).
Regarding claim 11, Wang teaches that a material forming the at least one adhesive film comprises polyvinyl butyral or ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (page 5, lines 19-23).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed January 6, 2026, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Pires does not teach that the decorative layers have different structures of stacking sequences. However, as discussed above, one of the decorative layers has only a lacquer layer, and the other has a lacquer layer and screen printing layers. The different number of layers inherently requires a different stacking sequence as one cannot stack layers that do not exist. Pires discusses that each of these decorative layers are optional based on the desired appearance on either side of the product such that decorative layers with different optional layers selected reads on the claim.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Megha M Gaitonde whose telephone number is (571)270-3598. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30 am to 5 pm.
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, Frank Vineis can be reached at 571-270-1547. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/MEGHA M GAITONDE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1781