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 .
Response to Arguments
1. Applicant’s arguments, see page 10, line 27, filed 24 June 2026, with respect to the rejection of Claims 1-9 and 12-14 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Murase et al. (Japanese Patent Publication No. JP 2006-241224 A), hereinafter Murase; Claims 10-11 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Murase et al. (Japanese Patent Publication No. JP 2006-241224 A), hereinafter Murase, in view of Bong et al. (Japanese Patent Publication No. JP 2013-505484 A), hereinafter Bong; have been fully considered and, in light of the claim amendments made, are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Peng et al. (Chinese Patent Publication No. CN 112011031 B), hereinafter Peng.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
2. 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:
3. 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.
4. Claims 1-9 and 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peng et al. (Chinese Patent Publication No. CN 112011031 B), hereinafter Peng.
5. Regarding Claims 1-9 and 12-14, Peng teaches (Synthesis Pathway of the Abstract) a polymer formed by a reaction of phenolic epoxy resin or bisphenol epoxy resin and carboxylic acid. Murase teaches (Synthesis Pathway of the Abstract) the phenolic epoxy resin has a chemical structure of one of the chemical structures of Claim 1 of the present application, save for the R2 of Claim 1 of the present application. Peng teaches (Page 2, Lines 31-32) acrylic acid as an alternative to the carboxylic acid of the Synthesis Pathway of the Abstract, thus meeting the limitations of R2 of Claim 1 of the present application. Peng teaches (Synthesis Pathway of the Abstract) the polymer having a chemical structure of the phenolic epoxy resin has a chemical structure of one of the chemical structures of Claim 2 of the present application. Peng teaches (Synthesis Pathway of the Abstract) the polymer having a chemical structure of the phenolic epoxy resin has a chemical structure of one of the chemical structures of Claim 3 of the present application. Peng teaches (Synthesis Pathway of the Abstract) the modified polymer has an acid value of greater than 0 to 100 mg KOH/g. Peng teaches (Synthesis Pathway of the Abstract) the modified polymer has a chemical structure of one of the chemical structures of Claim 4 of the present application. Peng teaches (Page 2, Lines 23-24) 100 parts by weight of the polymer and 15 parts by weight of a photosensitive compound. Peng teaches (Synthesis Pathway of the Abstract) wherein the photosensitive compound comprises a diazonaphthoquinone-based compound. Peng teaches (Page 2, Lines 31-32) 200 parts by weight of a solvent. Peng teaches (Page 3, Lines 11-15) the solvent comprises propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate, n-butyl acetate, ethyl acetate, γ-butyrolactone, cyclohexanone, or a combination thereof. Peng teaches (Page 2, Lines 23-24) 40 to 50 parts by weight of phenolic resin. Peng teaches (Page 3, Line 29) providing a material layer, therein a substrate. Peng teaches (Page 4, Lines 44-49) forming a photoresist layer, therein a coating layer, on the material layer and wherein the photoresist layer comprises the photosensitive composition. Peng teaches (Page 4, Lines 44-49) exposing the photoresist layer to make the photoresist layer have an exposed part and an unexposed part. Peng teaches (Page 4, Lines 44-49) developing the photoresist layer using an alkaline solution to remove the exposed part of the photoresist layer while keeping the unexposed part of the photoresist layer, thereby exposing a part of the material layer. Peng teaches (Page 4, Lines 44-49) the alkaline solution is a sodium carbonate solution, sodium hydroxide solution, potassium hydroxide solution, or a combination thereof. Peng teaches (Page 4, Lines 44-49) etching the exposed part of the material layer.
6. However, Peng fails to explicitly teach all components of the composition limited by the present application with a single experimental example. That said, all components of the composition are described with sufficient detail by the prior art. Thus, a person of ordinary skill in the art in view of Peng would have found it obvious to try the combinations of components herein limited with a reasonable expectation of success.
7. Claims 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Peng et al. (Chinese Patent Publication No. CN 112011031 B), hereinafter Peng, in view of Bong et al. (Japanese Patent Publication No. JP 2013-505484 A), hereinafter Bong.
8. Regarding Claims 10-11, Peng teaches all limitations of Claim 5 above. However, Peng fails to explicitly teach a photosensitive film interposed between a support film and a protection film in a dry film. Furthermore, Peng fails to explicitly teach wherein the protection film has a release force of 1 g to 100 g. Furthermore, Peng fails to explicitly teach wherein the support film has a release force of 150 g to 500 g.
9. Bong teaches (Claim 1) a photosensitive film interposed between a support film and a protection film in a dry film. Bong teaches (Claim 8) wherein the protection film has a release force of 1 g to 100 g. Bong teaches (Claim 13) the support film has a release force of 150 g to 500 g. Bong teaches (Paragraphs [0030-0031]) said limitations result in the need for less wetting agent and thus reduced haze and higher resolution.
10. It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Peng to incorporate the teachings of Bong wherein the photosensitive film is interposed between a support film and a protection film in a dry film; the protection film has a release force of 1 g to 100 g; and the support film has a release force of 150 g to 500 g. Doing so would result in the need for less wetting agent and thus reduced haze and higher resolution, as recognized by Bong.
Conclusion
11. Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
12. 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.
13. Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to RICHARD D CHAMPION at telephone number (571) 272-0750. The examiner can normally be reached on 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Mon-Fri EST.
14. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, KEITH D HENDRICKS can be reached at (571) 272-1401. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Keith D. Hendricks/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1733
/R.D.C./Examiner, Art Unit 1737
