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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), based on an application filed in Korea on 06/29/2023. The Applicant has filed a certified copy of the KR10-2023-0084294 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55, which has been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 02/14/2025, 08/09/2024 and 02/13/2024 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings received on 02/13/2024 are accepted to by the Examiner.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 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 the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hart et al. (US 2015/0323705) in view of Matsui et al (US 2017/0075144), and further in view of Miyamoto (TW 202138843. Examiner added machine Translation of TW 202138843).
Regarding claim 1, Hart teaches an article (refer to US 2015/0323705, Durable and scratch-resistant anti-reflective articles), comprising:
an article (FIG. 1, the article 100); a multilayer anti-reflective (AR) coating layer (optical coating 120 disposed on the substrate 110, [0043], Fig. 2), including either one or both of a low refractive index layer and a high refractive index layer (optical coating 120 includes an anti-reflective coating 130, which may include a plurality of layers 130A, 130B. .. the anti-reflective coating 130 may include a period 132 comprising two or more layers. .. the two or more layers may be characterized as having different refractive indices from each another. .. the period 132 includes a first low RI layer 130A and a second high RI layer 130B. The difference in the refractive index of the first low RI layer and the second high RI layer, [0047]), disposed on one surface of the substrate portion (substrate 110 (Fig. 2, [0047]); and a capping layer (anti-reflective coating 130 may include an additional capping layer 131, [0049]),
Hart doesn’t explicitly teach the article is lens, water-repellent layer, including a water repellent, disposed on one surface of the multilayer AR coating layer,
wherein either one or both of the low refractive index layer and the high refractive index layer are formed of a nitride-based material with a band gap greater than 3.1 eV.
Hart and Matsui are related as a layered substrate with AR coating.
Matsui teaches a lens, comprising: a lens portion (spectacle lens, abstract); a multilayer anti-reflective (AR) coating layer (a multilayer film generally used as an antireflection coating, [0047]), including either one or both of a low refractive index layer and a high refractive index layer (a high refractive index material, [0047]; spectacle lens including a multilayer film … directly or indirectly at least on one surface of a lens substrate. The multilayer film includes at least one high refractive index layer and at least one low refractive index layer, [abstract], [0013], [0029]), disposed on one surface of the lens portion (coating of a spectacle lens, [0047]); and a water-repellent layer, including a water repellent, disposed on one surface of the multilayer AR coating layer (The spectacle lens according to the aspect of the present invention includes at least the above multilayer film on one surface or both surfaces thereof, but can include one or more functional films usually formed on a spectacle lens at any position in addition to the multilayer film. Such a functional film is not particularly limited. However, examples … a water-repellent layer, [0057]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to modify the article including the substrate and the optical coating of Hart to include a water-repellent layer and use for a lens as taught by Matsui for the predictable advantage of exhibiting a high luminous transmittance and reducing burden of the eye due to an infrared ray contained in sunlight, as taught by Matsui in [0008].
The modified Hart doesn’t explicitly teach wherein either one or both of the low refractive index layer and the high refractive index layer are formed of a nitride-based material with a band gap greater than 3.1 eV.
Hart and Miyamoto are related as a layered substrate with AR coating.
Miyamoto teaches either one or both of the low refractive index layer and the high refractive index layer are formed of a nitride-based material with a band gap greater than 3.1 eV (layers 52, 54, and 56, for example, have a refractive index of 1.6 or less, preferably 1.5 or less. Examples of low refractive index materials include silicon oxide, titanium nitride, ([0041] of machine translation). It is known to art that Silicon oxide coatings, generally possess a band gap in the range of 5.4 to 9.3 eV. Titanium nitride (TiN) often exhibiting an optical band gap in the range of ~3.2 eV to 3.62 eV).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to modify the modified Hart to use either one or both of the low refractive index layer and the high refractive index layer are formed of a nitride-based material with a band gap greater than 3.1 eV as taught by Miyamoto for the predictable advantage of realizing image display with less changes in the characteristics of reflected light caused by the viewing direction (it is possible to realize image display with less changes in the characteristics of reflected light caused by the viewing direction ([0015] of machine translation).
Regarding claim 2, the modified Hart teaches the lens according to claim 1 (see above), Hart teaches optical coating 120 includes an anti-reflective coating 130, which may include a plurality of layers 130A, 130B. .. the anti-reflective coating 130 may include a period 132 comprising two or more layers. .. the two or more layers may be characterized as having different refractive indices from each another. .. the period 132 includes a first low RI layer 130A and a second high RI layer 130B. The difference in the refractive index of the first low RI layer and the second high RI layer, [0047], Exemplary materials suitable for use in the anti-reflective coating 130 include: SiO2, TiO2; see [0052]. Matsui teaches low refractive index material include silicon oxide [0049]. Miyamoto teaches wherein the low refractive index layer comprises a first layer formed of SiO2, [0049] high refractive index material constituting .. for example, TiO2, [0047]
Regarding claim 3, the modified Hart teaches the lens according to claim 1 (see above), wherein the low refractive index layer comprises a fourth layer formed of a nitride-based material, and the high refractive index layer comprises a third layer formed of a nitride-based material, (see [0052], low RI layer(s) a nitride or an oxynitride material, high RI layers may include a nitride or an oxynitride material [0058]; plurality of layers comprising a nitride or oxy-nitride material, (claim 24).
Regarding claim 4, the modified Hart teaches the lens according to claim 3 (see above), wherein the fourth layer is formed of TiN, and the third layer is formed of either Si3N4 or AIN (plurality of layers comprising a nitride or oxy-nitride material, (claim 24; also see [0052]).
Regarding claim 5, the modified Hart teaches the lens according to claim 4 (see above), wherein a thickness of the fourth layer is 50 nm or less (anti-reflective coating 130 may each have an optical thickness in the range from about 2 nm to about 200 nm, [0053]).
Regarding claim 6, the modified Hart teaches the lens according to claim 1 (see above), wherein the low refractive index layer comprises a first layer formed of SiO2 and a fourth layer formed of a nitride-based material, and the high refractive index layer comprises a second layer formed of TiO2 and a third layer formed of a nitride-based material (optical coating 120 includes an anti-reflective coating 130, which may include a plurality of layers 130A, 130B. .. the anti-reflective coating 130 may include a period 132 comprising two or more layers. .. the two or more layers may be characterized as having different refractive indices from each another. .. the period 132 includes a first low RI layer 130A and a second high RI layer 130B. The difference in the refractive index of the first low RI layer and the second high RI layer, [0047], materials suitable for use in the anti-reflective coating 130 include: SiO2, TiO2; see [0052], [0058]).
Regarding claim 7, the modified Hart teaches the lens according to claim 6 (see above), wherein in the multilayer AR coating layer, the first layer and the second layer are alternately stacked, and an uppermost portion thereof is a third layer or a fourth layer (Fig. 3; The third layer (130C) may have a low RI, a high RI, or a medium RI; [0049]).
Regarding claim 8, the modified Hart teaches the lens according to claim 1 (see above), wherein the low refractive index layer comprises a first layer formed of SiO2, and the high refractive index layer comprises a third layer formed of a nitride-based material (see [0049; 0052; 0058], in which the high reflective index layers and low reflective index layers of AR coating may be formed in a various selective combinations of nitrides or oxides, and the uppermost layer is a high RI layer or a low RI layer).
Regarding claim 9, the modified Hart teaches the lens according to claim 8 (see above), wherein on the first layer of an uppermost end of the multilayer AR coating layer, either one or both of the third layer and a fourth layer a low refractive index layer formed of a nitride-based material, is further disposed as one or more layers (see [0049; 0052; 0058], in which the high reflective index layers and low reflective index layers of AR coating may be formed in a various selective combinations of nitrides or oxides, and the uppermost layer is a high RI layer or a low RI layer).
Regarding claim 10, the modified Hart teaches the lens according to claim 1 (see above), wherein the low refractive index layer comprises a fourth layer formed of a nitride-based material, and the high refractive index layer includes a second layer formed of TiO2, (see [0049; 0052; 0058], in which the high reflective index layers and low reflective index layers of AR coating may be formed in a various selective combinations of nitrides or oxides, and the uppermost layer is a high RI layer or a low RI layer).
Regarding claim 11, the modified Hart teaches the lens according to claim 10 (see above), wherein on the second layer of an uppermost end of the multilayer AR coating layer, either one or both of the fourth layer and a third layer, a high refractive index layer formed of a nitride-based material, is further disposed as one or more layers, (see [0049; 0052; 0058], in which the high reflective index layers and low reflective index layers of AR coating may be formed in a various selective combinations of nitrides or oxides, and the uppermost layer is a high RI layer or a low RI layer).
Regarding claim 12, the modified Hart teaches the lens according to claim 10 (see above), wherein in the multilayer AR coating layer, a first layer and a second layer are alternately stacked, and a third layer having a high refractive index or a fourth layer having a low refractive index, formed of a nitride-based material, is disposed in an intermediate portion thereof (see Fig. 7 and 8; [0049], [0052] and [0058]; in which in an intermediate of the AR coating layer, a scratch resistant layer 150 made of nitride based material is formed thicker than other layers as required).
Regarding claim 13, the modified Hart teaches the lens according to claim 12 (see above), wherein either the third layer or the fourth layer is formed to be thicker than the first layer and the second layer (see Fig. 7 and 8; [0049], [0052] and [0058]; in which in an intermediate of the AR coating layer, a scratch resistant layer 150 made of nitride based material is formed thicker than other layers as required).
Regarding claim 14, the modified Hart teaches the lens according to claim 12 (see above), wherein either one or both of the third layer or the fourth layer is further disposed at an uppermost end of the multilayer AR coating layer as one or more layers (see [0049; 0052; 0058], in which the high reflective index layers and low reflective index layers of AR coating may be formed in a various selective combinations of nitrides or oxides, and the uppermost layer is a high RI layer or a low RI layer).
Regarding claim 15, the modified Hart teaches the lens according to claim 1 (see above), Matsui teaches the lens further comprising: a functional coating layer, including a UV improvement additive, disposed between the multilayer AR coating layer and the water-repellent layer (lens substrate can contain an additive in order to impart a desired ability to a spectacle lens. As such an additive, a known additive can be used according to a desired ability. Examples thereof include an ultraviolet absorber. As the ultraviolet absorber, a known ultraviolet absorber can be used without any limitation. By providing a multilayer film described below on a plastic lens substrate containing an ultraviolet absorber, it is possible to obtain a spectacle lens capable of reducing the amount of an ultraviolet ray or a sunlight infrared ray incident on the eye, [0037]).
Conclusion
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/R.A/Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/BUMSUK WON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872