DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 6/9/2025, 4/8/2025, 11/11/2024, 9/29/2024 and 3/4/2024 comply with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the examiner considered the information disclosure statement.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 –
(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.
Claims 1-3, 5-10, 14 and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lairson et al. (US20100086775).
Regarding claim 1, Lairson teaches a hybrid reflective stack assembly (Lairson, figs.1-23, abstract, a multilayer reflective coating and devices employing such coatings), comprising
a first layer (Lairson, fig.1D, layer 110) comprising an aluminum substrate (paragraph [0045], a layer of aluminum 110),
a barrier layer (fig.1D, the barrier layer 130) arranged on an upper surface of the first layer (fig.1D, the layer 110) and
a second layer (fig.1D, the layer 120) arranged on an upper surface of the barrier layer (the layer 130) and comprising silver (paragraph [0045] the silver layer 120).
Regarding claim 2, Lairson discloses the invention as described in Claim 1 and Lairson further teaches wherein the second layer comprising silver (fig.1D, layer 120; paragraph [0045] the silver layer 120) has thickness in a range of 10 nm to 50 nm (see Lairson, fig.14, Ag is 20 nm.).
Regarding claim 3, Lairson discloses the invention as described in Claim 1 and further teaches wherein the second layer comprising silver has thickness in a range of 15 nm to 35 nm (see Lairson, fig.14, Ag is 20 nm).
Regarding claim 5, Lairson discloses the invention as described in Claim 1 and further teaches wherein the second layer comprising silver has thickness of about 27 nm (Lairson, fig13, Ag has thickness 30nm, so is about 27nm; paragraph [0045], thickness of the silver layer 120 may be between 5 nm and 100 nm).
Regarding claim 6, Lairson discloses the invention as described in Claim 2 and further teaches wherein the barrier layer has a thickness in a range of 1 nm to 30 nm (fig.13, paragraph [0063], 2 nm dielectric barrier layer).
Regarding claim 7, Lairson discloses the invention as described in Claim 6 and further teaches wherein the barrier layer has a thickness in a range of 1 nm to 2 nm (fig.13, paragraph [0063], 2 nm dielectric barrier layer).
Regarding claim 8, Lairson discloses the invention as described in Claim 1 and further teaches wherein the first layer comprising the aluminum substrate has a thickness of at least 100 nm (fig.13, aluminum substrate has a thickness is 120nm; paragraph [0045], The thickness of the aluminum layer 110 may be between 5 nm and 500 nm).
Regarding claim 9, Lairson discloses the invention as described in Claim 1 and further teaches wherein the barrier layer is comprised of one of Si, SiO2, a nickel-chromium alloy NiCrx, NiCr nitride, Al2O3, or TiO2 (Lairson, paragraph [0019], a barrier layer 130 formed from one or more materials selected, aluminum silicon oxynitride, and titanium dioxide).
Regarding claim 10, Lairson discloses the invention as described in Claim 9 and further teaches wherein the barrier layer has a thickness in a range of 1 nm to 4 nm (fig.13, barrier layer has a thickness 2nm; paragraph [0045] the barrier layer 130 may have a thickness of less than 30 nm).
Regarding claim 14, Lairson teaches a hybrid reflective stack assembly (Lairson, figs.1-23, abstract, a multilayer reflective coating and devices employing such coatings), comprising
an aluminum substrate (fig.1D, paragraph [0045], a layer of aluminum 110),
a barrier layer (fig.1D, the barrier layer 130) arranged on an upper surface of the aluminum substrate (fig.1D, the layer 110), and
a silver layer (paragraph [0045] the silver layer 120) arranged on an upper surface of the barrier layer (the layer 130),
wherein the silver layer has thickness in a range of 15 nm to 35 nm (Lairson,fig.13, the silver layer has thickness 30nm; paragraph [0045], thickness of the silver layer 120 may be between 5 nm and 100 nm),
wherein the barrier layer has a thickness in a range of 1 nm to 30 nm (fig.13, the barrier layer has a thickness 2 nm; paragraph [0063], 2 nm dielectric barrier layer; paragraph [0045] the barrier layer 130 may have a thickness of less than 30 nm), and
wherein the aluminum substrate has a thickness of at least 100 nm (fig.13, the aluminum substrate has a thickness 120nm; paragraph [0045], The thickness of the aluminum layer 110 may be between 5 nm and 500 nm).
Regarding claim 16, Lairson discloses the invention as described in Claim 14 and further teaches wherein the silver layer has thickness of about 27 nm ((Lairson, fig13, Ag has thickness 30nm, so is about 27nm; paragraph [0045], thickness of the silver layer 120 may be between 5 nm and 100 nm).
Regarding claim 17, Lairson discloses the invention as described in Claim 14 and further teaches wherein the barrier layer is comprised of one of Si, SiO2, a nickel-chromium alloy NiCrx, NiCr nitride, Al2O3, or TiO2 (Lairson, paragraph [0019], a barrier layer 130 formed from one or more materials, aluminum silicon oxynitride, and titanium dioxide).
Regarding claim 18, Lairson discloses the invention as described in Claim 17 and further teaches wherein the barrier layer has a thickness in a range of 1 nm to 4 nm (fig.13, barrier layer has a thickness 2 nm).
Regarding claim 19, Lairson discloses the invention as described in Claim 18 and further teaches wherein the barrier layer has a thickness in a range of 1 nm to 2 nm (fig.13, paragraph [0063], 2 nm dielectric barrier layer).
Regarding claim 20, Lairson teaches a method (Lairson, fig.1D, paragraph [0013], an additional embodiment may provide a method of producing a multilayer reflective), comprising
providing a first layer (Lairson, fig.1D, layer 110) comprising an aluminum substrate (paragraph [0045], a layer of aluminum 110),
arranging a barrier layer (fig.1D, the barrier layer 130) arranged on an upper surface of the first layer (fig.1D, the layer 110), and
arranging a second layer (fig.1D, the layer 120) arranged on an upper surface of the barrier layer (the layer 130) and comprising silver (paragraph [0045] the silver layer 120).
Claims 1 and 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cai et al. (US20150138782).
Regarding claim 1, Cai teaches a hybrid reflective stack assembly (Cai, fig.1, abstract, Provided is a multi-layer reflective coating for application to a lighting housing assembly), comprising
a first layer (Cai, fig.1, layer 130) comprising an aluminum substrate (paragraph [0014], aluminum, Al, adhesive layer 130),
a barrier layer (fig.1, the barrier layer 140; paragraph [0014], barrier layer 140) arranged on an upper surface of the first layer (fig.1, the layer 130) and
a second layer (fig.1, the layer 150) arranged on an upper surface of the barrier layer (fig.1, the layer 140) and comprising silver (paragraph [0015] silver reflective layer 150) .
Regarding claim 12, Cai discloses the invention as described in Claim 1 and further teaches wherein a first additional layer comprising SiO2 or a silicon/aluminum alloy (Cai, fig.1, layer 160, paragraph [0034] this spectrum tunable layer 160 can be comprised of organic or inorganic-organic hybrid coating materials. These organic or inorganic-organic hybrid materials can comprise silicon dioxide, silica monoxide, silica nitride, metal oxide and metal nitrides) on an upper surface of the second layer (Cai, fig.1, layer 150) comprising silver (paragraph [0015] silver reflective layer 150) .
Regarding claim 13, Cai discloses the invention as described in Claim 12 and Cai further teaches wherein further comprising a second additional layer (Cai, fig.1,layer 120+110; paragraph [0014] polymer substrate layer 110, a polymer basecoat layer 120,) comprising SiO2 or a silicon/aluminum alloy (Cai, paragraph [0016] The polymer substrate layer 110 is a substrate material that can be applied to plastic, glass or metal) on a bottom surface of the first layer (Cai, fig.1, layer 130) comprising the aluminum substrate (Cai, paragraph [0141] aluminum ,Al, adhesive layer 130).
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.
Claims 4, 11 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lairson et al. (US20100086775).
Regarding claim 4, Lairson discloses the invention as described in Claim 1, but is silent on wherein the second layer comprising silver has thickness in a range of 26 nm to 28 nm (Lairson, fig.13, Ag has thickness 30 nm).
However, Lairson teaches in paragraph [0045], thickness of the silver layer 120 may be between 5 nm and 100 nm---thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to optimize silver has thickness to fit into the claimed in a range of 26 nm to 28 nm, in order to provide a high efficiency, low-cost reflective coating for the reflective surfaces employed therein (see e.g. paragraphs [0008]), and since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art, In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233 (C.C.P.A. 1955).).
Regarding claim 11, Lairson discloses the invention as described in Claim 9, but is silent on wherein the barrier layer has a thickness in a range of 4 nm to 10 nm (fig.13, the barrier layer has a thickness 2nm).
However, Lairson teaches in paragraph [0045] the barrier layer 130 may have a thickness of less than 30 nm---thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to optimize barrier layer has thickness to fit into the claimed in a range of 4 nm to 10 nm, in order to provide a high efficiency, low-cost reflective coating for the reflective surfaces employed therein (see e.g. paragraphs [0008]), and since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art, In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233 (C.C.P.A. 1955).).
Regarding claim 15, Lairson discloses the invention as described in Claim 14, but is silent on wherein the silver layer has thickness in a range of 26 nm to 28 nm (Lairson, fig.13, Ag has thickness 30 nm).
However, Lairson teaches in paragraph [0045], thickness of the silver layer 120 may be between 5 nm and 100 nm---thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to optimize silver has thickness to fit into the claimed in a range of 26 nm to 28 nm, in order to provide a high efficiency, low-cost reflective coating for the reflective surfaces employed therein (see e.g. paragraphs [0008]), and since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art, In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233 (C.C.P.A. 1955).).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KUEI-JEN LEE EDENFIELD whose telephone number is (571)272-3005. The examiner can normally be reached Mon. -Thurs 8:00 am - 5:30 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas Pham can be reached on 571-272-3689. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273- 8300.
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/KUEI-JEN L EDENFIELD/
Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/MARIN PICHLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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