DETAILED ACTION
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. This application is a CON of App. No. PCT/JP2022/014324, filed on 03/25/2022, which is entitled to and claims the benefit of priority of JP Patent App. No. 2021-053962, filed 03/26/2021. The preliminary amendment filed on 09/22/2023 is entered and acknowledged by the Examiner.
3. Applicant’s election of Group I, claims 1-18, with traverse in the reply filed on 11/11/2025 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground that it would not be unduly burdensome for the examiner to search and examine the other groups II-III of claims (i.e., claims 19-22). This is not found persuasive because the claims are directed to different inventions, and the inventions of claims 19-22 have acquired a separate status in the art due to its recognized divergent subject matter as stated in the restriction requirement of 09/11/2025, and furthermore the invention requires a different field of search, for example, searching different classes/subclasses or electronic resources, or employing different search queries and as such examination of both sets of claims would necessarily be different. Examination and prosecution of two different inventions would in fact pose an undue burden on the Examiner. The restriction requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
4. Claims 1-22 are pending. Claims 1-18 are under examination on the merits. Claims 19-22 are withdrawn to a non-elected invention from further consideration.
Information Disclosure Statement
5. The information disclosure statement submitted on 10/15/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the examiner has considered the information disclosure statement.
Drawings
6. The drawings are received on 09/22/2023. These drawings are acceptable.
Priority
7. Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted on 10/21/2023 under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
8. 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.
9. Claims 1-8, 10-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hidekazu Shoji (US Pub. No. 2022/0325037 A1, hereinafter “’037”) in view of Wakao et al. (US Pub. No. 2021/0395524 A1, hereinafter “’524”).
Regarding claims 1-2: ‘037 teaches a resin composition for laser marking and for laser welding (Page 1, [0008]; Page 10, [0157], Table 1; Page 12, [0187], Table 2) comprising, 100 parts by mass of a thermoplastic resin (Page 1, [0010]; Page 2, [0019]-[0020]), 0.1 to 5.0 parts by mass of organic dyes (Page 1, [0010]; Page 7, [0095]-[0096]; Page 7, [0100]-[0101]), 0.1 to 18 parts by mass of an aromatic ring-containing compound comprising a benzene ring and/or a benzo condensed ring (Page 1, [0010]; Page 4, [0061]-[0062]), laser light absorber (Page 7, [0095]-[0096]), mold- release agent (Page 8, [0120]-[0121]), and stabilizer (Page 7, [0104]-[0105]; Page 12, [0187], Table 2, Examples). ‘037 does not expressly teach 0.002 to 10.000, preferably 0.002 to 1.000 parts by mass of a bismuth compound per 100 parts by mass of the thermoplastic resin.
However, ‘524 teaches a resin composition suitable for laser marking (Page 1, [0001) comprising oxygen-deficient bismuth oxide (Page 7, [0099]) in the amount of 0.15 to 0.55 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the resin (A). When the amount of the oxygen-deficient bismuth oxide is less than 0.15 parts by weight, the laser marking property is not effectively enhanced. When the amount of the oxygen-deficient bismuth oxide is more than 0.55 parts by weight, an amount of gas generated during molding or processing the resin composition increases and the laser marking property is not effectively enhanced. The amount of oxygen-deficient bismuth oxide is preferably 0.4 parts by weight or less based on 100 parts by weight of the resin (A) (Page 8, [0105]).
In an analogous art of the resin composition for laser marking and for laser welding, and in the light of such benefit before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the resin composition by ‘037, so as to include 0.002 to 10.000, preferably 0.002 to 1.000 parts by mass of a bismuth compound per 100 parts by mass of the thermoplastic resin as taught by ‘524, and would have been motivated to do so with reasonable expectation that this would result in providing bismuth compound additive to acts as an effective laser-sensitive additive for resin composition. When the amount of the oxygen-deficient bismuth oxide is less than 0.15 parts by weight, the laser marking property is not effectively enhanced. When the amount of the oxygen-deficient bismuth oxide is more than 0.55 parts by weight, an amount of gas generated during molding or processing the resin composition increases and the laser marking property is not effectively enhanced as suggested by ‘524 (Page 8, [0105]).
Regarding claims 3-4: ‘037 teaches the resin composition for laser marking and for laser welding (Page 1, [0008]; Page 10, [0157], Table 1; Page 12, [0187], Table 2), wherein the thermoplastic resin comprises a thermoplastic polyester resin such as polybutylene terephthalate resin (Page 1, [0010]; Page 2, [0019]-[0020]); Page 10, [0157], Table 1; Page 12, [0187], Table 2).
Regarding claim 5: ‘037 teaches the resin composition for laser marking and for laser welding (Page 1, [0008]; Page 10, [0157], Table 1; Page 12, [0187], Table 2), wherein the thermoplastic resin comprises a polycarbonate resin (Page 1, [0011]; Page 4. [0042]-[0043];
Page 12, [0188], Table 3; PC resin, Bisphenol A type polycarbonate resin).
Regarding claim 6: ‘037 teaches the resin composition for laser marking and for laser welding (Page 1, [0008]; Page 10, [0157], Table 1; Page 12, [0187], Table 2), wherein an amount of the benzene ring and/or the benzo condensed ring of the aromatic ring-containing compound is 41% by mass in terms of a molecular weight 370, ratio of the benzene ring and/or the benzo condensed ring such as epoxy compound EP17, produced by ADEKA, which Bisphenol A type epoxy resin Epoxy equivalent weight: approximately 185 g/eq and Molecular weight ratio of compound benzene ring and/or benzo condensed ring: (41%) Page 10, [0157], Table 1; Page 12, [0187], Table 2).
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Regarding claim 7: ‘037 teaches the resin composition for laser marking and for laser welding (Page 1, [0008]; Page 10, [0157], Table 1; Page 12, [0187], Table 2), wherein the resin composition is for a laser-transmitting resin member (Page 2, [0012], [10]-[11]; Page 15, Claims 11-12).
Regarding claim 8: ‘037 teaches the resin composition for laser marking and for laser welding (Page 1, [0008]; Page 10, [0157], Table 1; Page 12, [0187], Table 2), wherein the aromatic ring-containing compound comprises compounds comprising an epoxy group (Page 5, [0061]-[0062]; Page 10, [0157], Table 1; Page 12, [0187], Table 2).
Regarding claim 10: ‘037 teaches the resin composition for laser marking and for laser welding (Page 1, [0008]; Page 10, [0157], Table 1; Page 12, [0187], Table 2), further comprising glass fibers, wherein the cross sections of the glass fibers are a circle (Page 6, [0078-[0079]; Page 6, [0082]; Page 10, [0157], Table 1; Page 12, [0187], Table 2; Page 14, Claim 6).
Regarding claim 11: ‘037 teaches a molded article formed from the resin composition (Page 2, [0012], [7]; Page 9, [0148]; Page 15, Claim 10).
Regarding claim 12: ‘037 teaches a laser-transmitting resin member formed from the resin composition (Page 2, [0012], [10]-[11]; Page 15, Claims 11-12).
Regarding claim 13: ‘037 teaches the molded article, wherein the molded article is capable of being laser-marked (Page 2, [0012], [10]-[11]; Page 10, [0152]; Page 15, Claims 11-12).
Regarding claim 14: ‘037 teaches the laser-transmitting resin member, wherein the laser-transmitting resin member is capable of being laser-marked (page 2, [0012], [11]-[12]; Page 13, [0197]; Page 15, Claim 12)
10. Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hidekazu Shoji (US Pub. No. 2022/0325037 A1, hereinafter “’037”) in view of Wakao et al. (US Pub. No. 2021/0 395524 A1, hereinafter “’524”) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Lee et al. (US Pub. No. 2016/0351461 A1, hereinafter “’461”).
Regarding claim 9: The disclosure of ‘037 in view of ‘524 is adequately set forth in paragraph 9 above and is incorporated herein by reference. ‘037 in view of ‘524 does not expressly teach the aromatic ring-containing compound comprises novolac type epoxy compounds .
However, ‘461 teaches an epoxy resin composition for encapsulating a semiconductor device and a semiconductor device encapsulated by the epoxy resin composition, wherein the composition including a base resin, a filler, a colorant; and a thermochromic pigment, wherein a color of the thermochromic pigment is irreversibly changed when a temperature thereof exceeds a predetermined temperature (Page 1, [0008]). ‘461 teaches the epoxy resin may include, e.g., an ortho-cresol novolac type epoxy resin represented by Formula 2, wherein, R1 may each independently be, e.g., hydrogen or a C1 to C4 alkyl group, and n may be, e.g., 1 to 7 on average (Page 3, [0058]-[0059]) with benefit of providing an epoxy resin that may provide good heat resistance and reliability to the epoxy resin composition (Page 3, [0058]).
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In an analogous art of the resin composition for laser marking and for laser welding, and in the light of such benefit before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the aromatic ring-containing compound by ‘037, so as to include the aromatic ring-containing compound comprises novolac type epoxy compounds as taught by ‘461, and would have been motivated to do so with reasonable expectation that this would result in providing an epoxy resin that may provide good heat resistance and reliability to the epoxy resin composition as suggested by ‘461 (Page 3, [0058]).
11. Claims 15-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hidekazu Shoji (US Pub. No. 2022/0325037 A1, hereinafter “’037”) in view of Wakao et al. (US Pub. No. 2021/0 395524 A1, hereinafter “’524”) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Fumihito Okamoto (US Pub. No. 2021/0032468 A1, hereinafter “’468”).
Regarding claim 15: The disclosure of ‘037 in view of ‘524 is adequately set forth in paragraph 9 above and is incorporated herein by reference. ‘037 in view of ‘524 does not expressly teach a kit comprising the resin composition and a light-absorptive resin composition comprising a thermoplastic resin and light-absorptive coloring matter.
However, ‘468 teaches a resin composition having large light transmittance and capable of providing a molded article which is highly laser-weldable to an absorbing resin member, as well as a kit, a method for manufacturing the resin composition, a method for manufacturing a formed article, and a formed article (Page 1, [0001]; Page 1, [0008]; Page 2, [0018]) with benefit of providing a resin composition having large light transmittance and capable of providing a molded article which is highly laser-weldable to an absorbing resin member, as well as a kit, a method for manufacturing the resin composition, a method for manufacturing a formed article, and a formed article (Page 2, [0023]).
In an analogous art of the resin composition for laser marking and for laser welding, and in the light of such benefit before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the resin composition for laser marking and for laser welding by ‘037, so as to include a kit comprising the resin composition and a light-absorptive resin composition comprising a thermoplastic resin and light-absorptive coloring matter as taught by ‘468, and would have been motivated to do so with reasonable expectation that this would result in providing a resin composition having large light transmittance and capable of providing a molded article which is highly laser-weldable to an absorbing resin member, as well as a kit, a method for manufacturing the resin composition, a method for manufacturing a formed article, and a formed article as suggested by ‘468 (Page 2, [0023]).
Regarding claim 16: The disclosure of ‘037 in view of ‘524 is adequately set forth in paragraph 9 above and is incorporated herein by reference. ‘037 in view of ‘524 does not expressly teach a laser-welded article obtained by laser-welding together the laser-transmitting resin member, and a laser- absorbing resin member formed from a light-absorptive resin composition comprising a thermoplastic resin and light-absorptive coloring matter.
However, ‘468 teaches a resin composition having large light transmittance and capable of providing a molded article which is highly laser-weldable to an absorbing resin member, as well as a kit, a method for manufacturing the resin composition, a method for manufacturing a formed article, and a formed article (Page 1, [0001]; Page 1, [0008]; Page 2, [0018]) with benefit of providing a resin composition having large light transmittance and capable of providing a molded article which is highly laser-weldable to an absorbing resin member, as well as a kit, a method for manufacturing the resin composition, a method for manufacturing a formed article, and a formed article (Page 2, [0023]).
In an analogous art of the resin composition for laser marking and for laser welding, and in the light of such benefit before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the resin composition for laser marking and for laser welding by ‘037, so as to include a laser-welded article obtained by laser-welding together the laser-transmitting resin member, and a laser- absorbing resin member formed from a light-absorptive resin composition comprising a thermoplastic resin and light-absorptive coloring matter as taught by ‘468, and would have been motivated to do so with reasonable expectation that this would result in providing a resin composition having large light transmittance and capable of providing a molded article which is highly laser-weldable to an absorbing resin member, as well as a kit, a method for manufacturing the resin composition, a method for manufacturing a formed article, and a formed article as suggested by ‘468 (Page 2, [0023]).
Regarding claims 17-18: The disclosure of ‘037 in view of ‘524 is adequately set forth in paragraph 9 above and is incorporated herein by reference. ‘037 in view of ‘524 does not expressly teach a method for producing a laser-welded article, comprising: irradiating the laser-transmitting resin member with a laser to laser-mark the laser-transmitting resin member, and laser-welding together the laser-transmitting resin member and a laser-absorbing resin member formed from a light-absorptive resin composition comprising a thermoplastic resin and light-absorptive coloring matter, wherein the laser welding is performed by galvano- scanning laser welding.
However, ‘468 teaches a method for producing a laser-welded article, comprising: irradiating the laser-transmitting resin member with a laser to laser-mark the laser-transmitting resin member, and laser-welding together the laser-transmitting resin member and a laser-absorbing resin member formed from a light-absorptive resin composition comprising a thermoplastic resin and light-absorptive coloring matter (Page 2, [0021]-[0022]), wherein the laser welding is performed by galvano scanning laser welding (Page 9, [0134]) with benefit of providing a formed article thus formed by welding the transmitting resin member and the absorbing resin member demonstrates large bonding strength. Now, the formed article conceptually encompasses not only finished articles or components, but also components composing a part of them (Page 9, [0133]). Furthermore, the formed article obtained by laser welding, excels in mechanical strength, has large weld strength, causes less damages on resin due to laser light irradiation, and is therefore applicable to various applications (Page 9, [0135]).
In an analogous art of the method for producing a laser welding, and in the light of such benefit before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the method for producing a laser-welded article laser by ‘037, so as to include a method for producing a laser-welded article, comprising: irradiating the laser-transmitting resin member with a laser to laser-mark the laser-transmitting resin member, and laser-welding together the laser-transmitting resin member and a laser-absorbing resin member formed from a light-absorptive resin composition comprising a thermoplastic resin and light-absorptive coloring matter, wherein the laser welding is performed by galvano- scanning laser welding as taught by ‘468, and would have been motivated to do so with reasonable expectation that this would result in providing a formed article thus formed by welding the transmitting resin member and the absorbing resin member demonstrates large bonding strength. Now, the formed article conceptually encompasses not only finished articles or components, but also components composing a part of them (Page 9, [0133]). Furthermore, the formed article obtained by laser welding, excels in mechanical strength, has large weld strength, causes less damages on resin due to laser light irradiation, and is therefore applicable to various applications as suggested by ‘468 (Page 9, [0135]).
Prior-Art Cited But Not Applied
12. Any prior-art reference which is cited on FORM PTO-892 but not applied is cited of interest to show the general state of the prior-art at the time of the application’s invention. Please see Yamada et al. (US Pub. No. 2021/0032461 A1), Kihara et al. (US Pub. No. 2019/0351623 A1), Gelissen et al. (US Pub. No. 2012/0298933 A1), Gelissen et al. (US Pub. No. 2015/0259518 A1), Quittmann et al. (US Pub. No. 2017/0152372 A1), JPH05254252 A, Sato et al. (JPH04198366 A), and Kataoka et al. (JP 2016190451 A),
Examiner Information
13. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Bijan Ahvazi, Ph.D. whose telephone number is (571) 270-3449. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 9.00 A.M. -7 P.M..
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joseph Del Sole can be reached on 571-272-1130. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Bijan Ahvazi/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1763
12/19/2025
bijan.ahvazi@uspto.gov