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 .
The amendment filed July 1, 2026 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 14-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 14 and 18-20 depend directly from claim 13, which was canceled.
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 1-6 and 14-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Schoenefeld (US 2022/0306939) in view of Harding (US 2013/0012654).
Claim 1: Schoenefeld discloses a first liquid crystal reactive mesogenic material having attached functional groups at its ends that allow crosslinking (¶¶ 84-86, 219-222, 304, 371-372; see, for example, the terminal polymerizable groups P1 and P2 in formula M2); and at least one of a photoalignment material and a rubbed LCD alignment material contactable with the mesogen materials (¶¶ 77, 328, rubbed polyimide alignment layers contacting the liquid crystal medium).
Schoenefeld is silent as to a second liquid crystal reactive mesogenic material including a chain-extended oligomer composed of liquid crystal materials linked together and functional groups attached to ends of the chain-extended oligomer. However, Harding discloses reactive mesogens for use with liquid crystal alignment layers that are used in monomeric, oligomeric and polymeric forms (abstract; ¶¶ 59-64, an oligomeric reactive mesogen composed of repeating mesogenic units linked together by chemical bonds is a chain-extended oligomer), with unreacted polymerizable groups at the ends of the mesogenic compounds (¶¶ 61, 65, 67).
Harding teaches including oligomers including at least two repeating units and partial polymerization within the alignment layer before application of the subsequent liquid crystal layer (¶¶ 60-64). Harding supplies another second reactive mesogenic material. Selecting a monomeric first reactive mesogenic material and a higher molecular weight oligomer including multiple mesogenic units results in the claimed difference in MW. As taught by Harding, unreacted polymerizable groups at the ends of the reactive mesogens enable crosslinking with subsequently applied liquid crystal layers. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the application to have included the chain-extended oligomer with unreacted polymerizable groups of Harding in the composition of Schoenefeld by incorporating the oligomer in the alignment layer contacting Schoenefeld’s first reactive mesogenic material, in order to allow crosslinking with subsequently applied liquid crystal layers. The retained functional groups of the oligomer would copolymerize with the functional groups of the adjoining reactive mesogenic material, as taught in Harding in paragraphs 61-65, thereby providing the claimed crosslinking between the first and second materials.
Harding discloses the reactive mesogens of formulae I-II each possess: (a) core compound members including mesogenic ring groups including benzene and/or cyclohexylene aromatic or aliphatic ring systems, (b) linkers connecting the core members including -COO-, -OCO-, and (c) mobile tails including the terminal –(CH2)x- and –(CH2)y- spacer chains, where x and y are each an integer from 1 to 12, connecting the core to the terminal polymerizable groups (¶¶ 39-41). The P1 and P2 groups provide the functional groups attached to those mobile tails. Harding teaches, and prefers, reactive mesogens including two terminal polymerizable groups and having acrylate functionality (¶¶ 61, 71). The mobile tails are the x/y spacer chains. Harding’s terminally functionalized mesogens supply the funtional group on a mobile tail of one repeat to be connection to a functional group on another tail.
Claims 2-3: Shoenefeld discloses the one or more functional groups attached to ends of the first liquid crystal reactive mesogenic material and the one or more functional groups attached to ends of the chain-extended oligomer include acrylate (¶¶ 198, 241 and 259).
Claims 14-19: Harding discloses the reactive mesogens of formulae I-VI each possess: (a) core compound members including mesogenic ring groups including benzene and/or cyclohexylene aromatic or aliphatic ring systems designated A-D, (b) linkers connecting the core members including -COO-, -OCO-, and (c) mobile tails including alkyl or alkoxy spacer groups of 1-12 C atoms connecting the core to the terminal polymerizable groups (¶¶ 39-41).
Claim 20: Harding discloses that preferred functional groups include diacrylate (¶ 67).
Claim 4: Schoenefeld discloses a light valve including a first transparent substrate and second substrate (¶¶ 347-352; examples 1-7); a liquid crystal material positioned between the substrates (¶¶ 347-352; examples 1-7), the liquid crystal material including a first liquid crystal reactive mesogenic material having attached functional groups at its ends that allow crosslinking (¶¶ 84-86, 219-222, 304, 371-372; see, for example, the terminal polymerizable groups P1 and P2 in formula M2); and at least one of a photoalignment material and a rubbed LCD alignment material contactable with the mesogen materials (¶¶ 77, 328, rubbed polyimide alignment layers contacting the liquid crystal medium). Schoenefeld is silent as to the second liquid crystal reactive mesogenic material including a chain-extended oligomer. However, Harding discloses reactive mesogens for use with liquid crystal alignment layers that are used in monomeric, oligomeric and polymeric forms (abstract; ¶¶ 59-64, an oligomeric reactive mesogen composed of repeating mesogenic units linked together by chemical bonds is a chain-extended oligomer), with unreacted polymerizable groups at the ends of the mesogenic compounds (¶¶ 61, 65, 67).
Harding teaches including oligomers including at least two repeating units and partial polymerization within the alignment layer before application of the subsequent liquid crystal layer (¶¶ 60-64). Harding supplies another second reactive mesogenic material. Selecting a monomeric first reactive mesogenic material and a higher molecular weight oligomer including multiple mesogenic units results in the claimed difference in MW. As taught by Harding, unreacted polymerizable groups at the ends of the reactive mesogens enable crosslinking with subsequently applied liquid crystal layers. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the application to have included the chain-extended oligomer with unreacted polymerizable groups of Harding in the composition of Schoenefeld by incorporating the oligomer in the alignment layer contacting Schoenefeld’s first reactive mesogenic material, in order to allow crosslinking with subsequently applied liquid crystal layers. The retained functional groups of the oligomer would copolymerize with the functional groups of the adjoining reactive mesogenic material, as taught in Harding in paragraphs 61-65, thereby providing the claimed crosslinking between the first and second materials.
Harding discloses the reactive mesogens of formulae I-II each possess: (a) core compound members including mesogenic ring groups including benzene and/or cyclohexylene aromatic or aliphatic ring systems, (b) linkers connecting the core members including -COO-, -OCO-, and (c) mobile tails including the terminal –(CH2)x- and –(CH2)y- spacer chains, where x and y are each an integer from 1 to 12, connecting the core to the terminal polymerizable groups (¶¶ 39-41). The P1 and P2 groups provide the functional groups attached to those mobile tails. Harding teaches, and prefers, reactive mesogens including two terminal polymerizable groups and having acrylate functionality (¶¶ 61, 71). The mobile tails are the x/y spacer chains. Harding’s terminally functionalized mesogens supply the funtional group on a mobile tail of one repeat to be connection to a functional group on another tail.
Claims 5-6: Shoenefeld discloses the functional group being diacrylate (¶¶ 198, 241, 243, 259).
Claims 7-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Demuth (2017/0232637) in view of Schoenefeld (US 2022/0306939) and Harding (US 2013/0012654).
Claim 7: Demuth discloses an additive manufacturing system including a light valve able to pattern a two dimensional light beam (¶¶ 28, 38); a light valve including a first and second substrate (¶¶ 28, 76); a liquid crystal material positioned between the first and second substrates (¶¶ 77-78); and a laser directable against the light valve for patterning (¶ 28). Demuth is silent as to the material including first and second liquid crystal reactive mesogen materials having attached functional groups that allow crosslinking and having differing molecular weights with crosslinking between the materials, and at least one of a photoalignment material and a rubbed LCD alignment material contactable with the mesogen materials. However, Schoenefeld discloses a light valve including a first transparent substrate and second substrate (¶¶ 347-352; examples 1-7); a liquid crystal material positioned between the substrates (¶¶ 347-352; examples 1-7), the liquid crystal material including a first liquid crystal reactive mesogenic material having attached functional groups at its ends that allow crosslinking (¶¶ 84-86, 219-222, 304, 371-372; see, for example, the terminal polymerizable groups P1 and P2 in formula M2); and at least one of a photoalignment material and a rubbed LCD alignment material contactable with the mesogen materials (¶¶ 77, 328, rubbed polyimide alignment layers contacting the liquid crystal medium). As taught by Schoenefeld, forming a light valve from these materials efficiently prepares light valves which are operable in and electrically switchable between an optically transparent state and an opaque state and which have an improved optical and electro-optical performance (¶ 14). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to utilize the light valve of Schoenefeld in the additive manufacturing system of Demuth in order to provide a light valve which is operable in and electrically switchable between an optically transparent state and an opaque state and which has improved optical and electro-optical performance. In addition, Harding discloses reactive mesogens for use with liquid crystal alignment layers that are used in monomeric, oligomeric and polymeric forms (abstract; ¶¶ 59-64, an oligomeric reactive mesogen composed of repeating mesogenic units linked together by chemical bonds is a chain-extended oligomer), with unreacted polymerizable groups at the ends of the mesogenic compounds (¶¶ 61, 65, 67).
Harding teaches including oligomers including at least two repeating units and partial polymerization within the alignment layer before application of the subsequent liquid crystal layer (¶¶ 60-64). Harding supplies another second reactive mesogenic material. Selecting a monomeric first reactive mesogenic material and a higher molecular weight oligomer including multiple mesogenic units results in the claimed difference in MW. As taught by Harding, unreacted polymerizable groups at the ends of the reactive mesogens enable crosslinking with subsequently applied liquid crystal layers. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the application to have included the chain-extended oligomer with unreacted polymerizable groups of Harding in the composition of Schoenefeld by incorporating the oligomer in the alignment layer contacting Schoenefeld’s first reactive mesogenic material, in order to allow crosslinking with subsequently applied liquid crystal layers. The retained functional groups of the oligomer would copolymerize with the functional groups of the adjoining reactive mesogenic material, as taught in Harding in paragraphs 61-65, thereby providing the claimed crosslinking between the first and second materials.
Harding discloses the reactive mesogens of formulae I-II each possess: (a) core compound members including mesogenic ring groups including benzene and/or cyclohexylene aromatic or aliphatic ring systems, (b) linkers connecting the core members including -COO-, -OCO-, and (c) mobile tails including the terminal –(CH2)x- and –(CH2)y- spacer chains, where x and y are each an integer from 1 to 12, connecting the core to the terminal polymerizable groups (¶¶ 39-41). The P1 and P2 groups provide the functional groups attached to those mobile tails. Harding teaches, and prefers, reactive mesogens including two terminal polymerizable groups and having acrylate functionality (¶¶ 61, 71). The mobile tails are the x/y spacer chains. Harding’s terminally functionalized mesogens supply the funtional group on a mobile tail of one repeat to be connection to a functional group on another tail.
Claims 8-9: Shoenefeld discloses the functional group being diacrylate (¶¶ 243, 259).
Claim 10: Demuth discloses a powder bed additive manufacturing system including a light valve able to pattern a two dimensional light beam (¶¶ 2, 28, 38); a light valve including a first and second substrate (¶¶ 28, 76); a liquid crystal material positioned between the first and second substrates (¶¶ 77-78); and a laser directable against the light valve for patterning before direction onto a powder bed (¶ 28; fig. 3A). Demuth is silent as to the material including first and second liquid crystal reactive mesogen materials having attached functional groups that allow crosslinking and having differing molecular weights with crosslinking between the materials, and at least one of a photoalignment material and a rubbed LCD alignment material contactable with the mesogen materials. However, Schoenefeld discloses a light valve including a first transparent substrate and second substrate (¶¶ 347-352; examples 1-7); a liquid crystal material positioned between the substrates (¶¶ 347-352; examples 1-7), the liquid crystal material including a first liquid crystal reactive mesogenic material having attached functional groups at its ends that allow crosslinking (¶¶ 84-86, 219-222, 304, 371-372; see, for example, the terminal polymerizable groups P1 and P2 in formula M2); and at least one of a photoalignment material and a rubbed LCD alignment material contactable with the mesogen materials (¶¶ 77, 328, rubbed polyimide alignment layers contacting the liquid crystal medium). As taught by Schoenefeld, forming a light valve from these materials efficiently prepares light valves which are operable in and electrically switchable between an optically transparent state and an opaque state and which have an improved optical and electro-optical performance (¶ 14). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to utilize the light valve of Schoenefeld in the additive manufacturing system of Demuth in order to provide a light valve which is operable in and electrically switchable between an optically transparent state and an opaque state and which has improved optical and electro-optical performance. In addition, Harding discloses reactive mesogens for use with liquid crystal alignment layers that are used in monomeric, oligomeric and polymeric forms (abstract; ¶¶ 59-64, an oligomeric reactive mesogen composed of repeating mesogenic units linked together by chemical bonds is a chain-extended oligomer), with unreacted polymerizable groups at the ends of the mesogenic compounds (¶¶ 61, 65, 67).
Harding teaches including oligomers including at least two repeating units and partial polymerization within the alignment layer before application of the subsequent liquid crystal layer (¶¶ 60-64). Harding supplies another second reactive mesogenic material. Selecting a monomeric first reactive mesogenic material and a higher molecular weight oligomer including multiple mesogenic units results in the claimed difference in MW. As taught by Harding, unreacted polymerizable groups at the ends of the reactive mesogens enable crosslinking with subsequently applied liquid crystal layers. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the application to have included the chain-extended oligomer with unreacted polymerizable groups of Harding in the composition of Schoenefeld by incorporating the oligomer in the alignment layer contacting Schoenefeld’s first reactive mesogenic material, in order to allow crosslinking with subsequently applied liquid crystal layers. The retained functional groups of the oligomer would copolymerize with the functional groups of the adjoining reactive mesogenic material, as taught in Harding in paragraphs 61-65, thereby providing the claimed crosslinking between the first and second materials.
Harding discloses the reactive mesogens of formulae I-II each possess: (a) core compound members including mesogenic ring groups including benzene and/or cyclohexylene aromatic or aliphatic ring systems, (b) linkers connecting the core members including -COO-, -OCO-, and (c) mobile tails including the terminal –(CH2)x- and –(CH2)y- spacer chains, where x and y are each an integer from 1 to 12, connecting the core to the terminal polymerizable groups (¶¶ 39-41). The P1 and P2 groups provide the functional groups attached to those mobile tails. Harding teaches, and prefers, reactive mesogens including two terminal polymerizable groups and having acrylate functionality (¶¶ 61, 71). The mobile tails are the x/y spacer chains. Harding’s terminally functionalized mesogens supply the funtional group on a mobile tail of one repeat to be connection to a functional group on another tail.
Claims 11-12: Shoenefeld discloses the functional group being diacrylate (¶¶ 243, 259).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Harding’s description of “1 to 12 C atoms” describes L1 to L6, which are in formula II and are not at the end of the chain, that L1 to L6 cannot be characterized as mobile tails, and L1 to L6 are not described as being attached to functional groups. This argument has been considered but is not persuasive. As discussed above, the terminal spacers associated with x and y are the mobile tails. These spacer chains, not the lateral L substituents, supply the claimed mobile tails.
Applicant further argues that “Formula VI ends with R1 and R2, which are described as being a ‘unipolar alkyl or alkoxy group. However, there is no component that can be characterized as mobile tail connecting R1 and R2 to the components (A-D).” Formula VI is not relied on for these elements. As discussed above, Harding discloses the reactive mesogens of formulae I-II each possess: (a) core compound members including mesogenic ring groups including benzene and/or cyclohexylene aromatic or aliphatic ring systems, (b) linkers connecting the core members including -COO-, -OCO-, and (c) mobile tails including the terminal –(CH2)x- and –(CH2)y- spacer chains, where x and y are each an integer from 1 to 12, connecting the core to the terminal polymerizable groups (¶¶ 39-41).
With regard to claim 2-3, Applicant argues that the diacrylates disclosed by Schoenefeld are described as a crosslinking agent, and are not described as being “one or more functional groups attached to the ends of the first liquid crystal reactive mesogenic material and the one or more functional groups attached to ends of the chain-extender oligomer cromprise acrylate.” Paragraph 241 explicitly identifies di- or multireactive mesogens as preferred crosslinking agents. Paragraph 198 describes polymerizable mesogenic compounds containing methacrylate and or acrylate, and paragraph 259 describes polymer networks obtained by polymerizing reactive mesogens having the identified acrylate functionality. The fact that a compound serves as an added crosslinking agent does not establish that it is distinct or separate from the disclosed class of reactive mesogenic compounds.
Conclusion
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LARRY THROWER whose telephone number is (571)270-5517. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-5pm MT M-F.
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/LARRY W THROWER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1754
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