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
Nonstatutory double patenting rejection
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1-4 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-6 of copending Application No. 18/311,361 (reference application). Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the instant claims recite concentrated reconstitutable liquid composition comprising of: a. blend of sodium lauroyl methyl taurate and sodium lauroyl methyl isethionate, in the molar ratio of 1:2 and with solids content of minimum 40 %; b. cocamidopropyl betaine with solids content of minimum 40% ; c. 1.0% to 2.5% by weight of total composition, an antimicrobial preservative; d. 0.5% to 5% by weight of total composition, a cosmetically and pharmaceutically acceptable auxiliaries; and wherein, the blend of sodium lauroyl methyl taurate and sodium lauroyl methyl isethionate is synthesized using lauroyl chloride; wherein the ratio of a : b 5.0 to 6.0 : 3.5 to 4.5 by weight; and the said composition is without any additionally added fatty alcohol or fatty acid as a structurant; wherein the said composition when diluted 3 - 5 times, by weight with water to afford a liquid cleansing formulation with pH ranging from 5.0 to 6.0 and viscosity ranging from 2,000 to 10,000 cps at 25 °C. The copending claims recite a reconstitutable concentrated powder composition, said composition comprising: a. 50 to 70% by weight of a total powder composition, of a blend of O-acyl methyl isethionate and N-acyl amino acid surfactants; b. 25 to 40% by weight of the total powder composition, of an alkylamidopropyl betaine; C. 2.0 to 6.0% by weight of the total powder composition, of an antimicrobial preservative; and d. optionally, 1.0 to 10.0% by weight of the total powder composition, of one or more cosmetically or pharmaceutically acceptable auxiliary, wherein said blend of O-acyl methyl isethionate and N-acyl amino acid surfactants is prepared sequentially from a fatty acid chloride, wherein the fatty acid chloride used to prepare O-acyl methyl isethionate and N-acyl amino acid surfactants is the same; said O-acyl methyl isethionate and N-acyl amino acid surfactants being present at a ratio ranging from 2:1 to 1:2; wherein said reconstitutable concentrated powder composition, when diluted with water by 4 to 12 times by weight of said powder, affords a transparent liquid formulation with a pH ranging from 5.0 to 6.0 and a viscosity ranging from 1,000 to 15,000 cps at 25° C; and wherein the composition is free from polymeric gelling or thickening agents. The dependent claims 2-3 recite sodium lauroyl methyl isethionate and sodium lauroyl methyl taurate. The copending claims reciting a reconstitutable concentrated powder which can be diluted to form a liquid formulation. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill to have made a liquid composition and come to the claimed invention.
This is a provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection because the patentably indistinct claims have not in fact been patented.
The rejections are maintained pending submission of terminal disclaimer.
Action is final
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.
Correspondence
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SNIGDHA MAEWALL whose telephone number is (571)272-6197. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday; 8:30 AM to 5PM.
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, Sahana S. Kaup can be reached on 571-272-6897. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SNIGDHA MAEWALL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1612
