CTNF 18/506,749 CTNF 69986 Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Election/Restrictions 08-25 AIA Applicant's election with traverse of Group I (claims 1-7) in the reply filed on 4/13/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that the claims of the restricted groups are independent or patentably distinct and there would be a serious burden placed on the examiner . This is not found persuasive because the process for using the product as claimed can be practiced with another different product such as graphene or polymeric membrane. Also the product as claimed can be used in a materially different process of using that product such as water treatment to kill microorganisms in wastewater . The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL. 08-05 AIA Claim s 8-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected invention , there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 4/13/2026 . Information Disclosure Statement 06-49-06 AIA The listing of references in the specification is not a proper information disclosure statement. 37 CFR 1.98(b) requires a list of all patents, publications, or other information submitted for consideration by the Office, and MPEP § 609.04(a) states, "the list may not be incorporated into the specification but must be submitted in a separate paper." Therefore, unless the references have been cited by the examiner on form PTO-892, they have not been considered. Numerous journal articles are cited on pages 2-4 and 20-32. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action: A person shall be entitled to a patent unless – 07-08-aia AIA (a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-27-aia AIA Claim s 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Baig et al., Chemosphere 313 (2023) 137544, pages 1-10 (available online 14 December 2022)(hereinafter “Baig”) . Regarding claim 1, Baig teaches a filtration membrane (see ABSTRACT; Section 2.3 in page 3) comprising: stainless-steel mesh fibers; copper; and silver, wherein the copper and the silver coat the stainless-steel mesh fibers, wherein the silver is an outermost layer covering the copper, wherein the silver is in the form of a layer of dendritic growths in the form of branched dendritic leaves (Azadirachta indica leaves). Baig teaches that the filtration membrane is made by a process comprising: electrochemically depositing (electroplating) copper from a copper-containing solution on the stainless-steel mesh fibers to form a stainless-steel copper mesh material; periodically submerging the stainless-steel copper mesh material into a silver-containing solution to form a stainless-steel copper silver mesh product; and drying the stainless-steel copper silver mesh product (see Section 2.3 in page 3). Although Baig does not disclose that the branched dendritic leaves are 3 to 30 μm long, the claimed filtration membrane is made by identical or substantially identical process taught in Baig. Hence, the filtration membrane made by the process taught in Baig inherently has the branched dendritic leaves of silver being 3 to 30 μm long. Where the claimed and prior art products are identical or substantially identical in structure or composition, or are produced by identical or substantially identical processes, a prima facie case of either anticipation or obviousness has been established. In re Best, 562 F.2d 1252, 1255, 195 USPQ 430, 433 (CCPA 1977). "When the PTO shows a sound basis for believing that the products of the applicant and the prior art are the same, the applicant has the burden of showing that they are not." In re Spada, 911 F.2d 705, 709, 15 USPQ2d 1655, 1658 (Fed. Cir. 1990). Regarding claim 2, Baig teaches the filtration membrane of claim 1, wherein the silver is at least 50 percent by weight zerovalent silver based on a total weight of silver (see ABSTRACT: “The XPS analysis has confirmed that most of the Ag present on the surface is in zerovalent form”. Regarding claim 3, Baig teaches the filtration membrane of claim 1, wherein the filtration membrane is made by a process comprising: electrochemically depositing (electroplating) copper from a copper-containing solution on the stainless-steel mesh fibers to form a stainless-steel copper mesh material; periodically submerging the stainless-steel copper mesh material into a silver-containing solution to form a stainless-steel copper silver mesh product; and drying the stainless-steel copper silver mesh product (see Section 2.3 in page 3). Regarding claim 4, Baig teaches the filtration membrane of claim 3, wherein electrochemically depositing the copper from the copper-containing solution occurs with a two-electrode electrolysis system at a potential difference of 4.0 V for 30 minutes (see Section 2.3 in page 3). Regarding claim 5, Baig teaches the filtration membrane of claim 3, wherein submerging the stainless-steel copper mesh material into the silver-containing solution galvanically displaces the copper with the silver and forms the dendritic growths (see ABSTRACT; Section 2.3 in page 3). Regarding claim 6, Baig teaches the filtration membrane of claim 3, wherein submerging the stainless-steel copper mesh material into the silver-containing solution occurs for 10 seconds at intervals (see Section 2.3 in page 3). Regarding claim 7, Baig teaches the filtration membrane of claim 3, wherein drying the stainless-steel copper silver mesh product occurs at a temperature of 120° C (see Section 2.3 in page 3) . Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Mushtaq et al., Chemosphere 308 (2022) 136160, pages 1-9 (hereinafter “Mustaq”) discloses stainless-steel mesh coated with silver layer (see ABSTRACT; Section 2.3 in pages 2-3). Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHN KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-1142. The examiner can normally be reached Maxi Flex. 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, IN SUK BULLOCK can be reached at 571-272-5954. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /John Kim/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1777 JK 5/28/26 Application/Control Number: 18/506,749 Page 2 Art Unit: 1777 Application/Control Number: 18/506,749 Page 3 Art Unit: 1777 Application/Control Number: 18/506,749 Page 4 Art Unit: 1777 Application/Control Number: 18/506,749 Page 5 Art Unit: 1777 Application/Control Number: 18/506,749 Page 6 Art Unit: 1777
Prosecution Insights