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
This Office action is based on the 18/411573 application originally filed January 12, 2024.
Amended claims 1-23 and 25, filed December 29, 2025, are pending and have been fully considered. Claims 1-17 are withdrawn from consideration due to being drawn to a nonelected invention. Claim 24 has been canceled.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 December 29, 2025 has been entered.
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.
Claims 18-23 and 25 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 18, it is unclear to the newly submitted amendment comprising the method step of vacuum stripping and treating, wherein the claim states: “vacuum striping the overbased magnesium sulfonate at about 160°C to about 200°C and treating the formed overbased magnesium sulfonate at about 160°C to about 200°C” making the claim indefinite. It is unclear what is the difference between the steps of “vacuum stripping” and “treating” due to the ”overbased magnesium sulfonate” has been formed through “carbonating”. Additionally, the “vacuum stripping” and “treating” conditions are at the same temperature range making it unclear the addition of the “polyisobutylene succinic anhydride” during the “treating” step or is this the same as the “vacuum stripping” step. The claim should be further amended and/or further explanation of the method step.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 18-23 and 25 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The applied prior art fails to teach and/or suggest the newly submitted claimed amendment, including a method of improving the storage stability of an overbased magnesium sulfonate detergent, the method comprising (a) preparing a mixture of a linear C14 to C24 alkyl benzene sulfonic acid or salt thereof, a molar excess of magnesium oxide or magnesium hydroxide, a C1 to C13 alcohol, and one or more branched C8 to C16 carboxylic acids; carbonating the mixture to form an overbased magnesium sulfonate; vacuum striping the overbased magnesium sulfonate at about 160°C to about 200°C; and treating the formed overbased magnesium sulfonate at about 160°C to about 200°C with about 6 to about 10 weight percent of polyisobutylene succinic anhydride, wherein the polyisobutylene has a number average molecular weight of about 900 to about 1500 and having greater than 50 mol percent of terminal double bonds, to form the overbased magnesium sulfonate detergent; and (b) combining about 0.02 to about 5 weight percent of the overbased magnesium sulfonate detergent with up to about 0.4 of glycerol monooleate friction modifier; and wherein the combination of the overbased magnesium sulfonate detergent and the glycerol monooleate friction modifier is storage stable at about 55°C for at least about 18 weeks.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LATOSHA D HINES whose telephone number is (571)270-5551. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM.
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/Latosha Hines/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1771