DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. JP-2021-028403, filed on 25 February 2021.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 23 August 2023, 3 October 2023, and 6 January 2025 have been considered by the examiner.
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 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nam et. al. (US Pub. No. 20200009529A1, published 9 Jan 2020).
In regard to claim 1, Nam et. al. teaches a method of crosslinking a polymer via a reaction between a polymer powder and an aqueous solution of a crosslinking agent (Example 1, paragraph [0148], Comparative Example 1 [0154]). Nam et. al. further teaches that the crosslinking agent is ethylene carbonate, an alkylene carbonate, in a 0.0004:1 mass ratio (0.04 g : 100 g) with respect to the solid polymer particles and in a 0.0133:1 mass ratio (0.04 g : 3 g) with respect to water (Comparative Example 1, paragraph [0154]). The ratios of ethylene carbonate to solid polymer particles and ethylene to water in the crosslinking solution are within the instantly claimed ratios of ≤0.00110:1 and 0.009-0.027:1 respectively. The reaction results in a surface cross-linked powder (paragraph [0148]). As Nam et. al. discloses all of the limitations of claim 1, Nam et. al. is anticipatory.
In regard to claim 2, Nam et. al. teaches a 0.0004:1 mass ratio of the crosslinking agent to polymer material (0.04 g : 100 g, from paragraphs [0148] & [0154]) which is within the instantly claimed ratio of 0.00030-0.00110:1.
In regard to claim 3, Nam et. al. teaches that the crosslinking agent solution further comprises methanol, a monohydric alcohol (paragraph [0154]).
In regard to claim 4, Nam et. al. teaches that the crosslinking agent comprises ethylene carbonate (paragraph [0154]).
In regard to claim 5, Nam et. al. teaches a method of crosslinking a polymer via a reaction between a polymer powder and an aqueous solution of a crosslinking agent (Example 1, paragraph [0148], Comparative Example 1 [0154]). Nam et. al. further teaches that the crosslinking agent is ethylene carbonate, an alkylene carbonate, in a 0.0004 mass ratio (0.04 g : 100 g) with respect to the solid polymer particles and in a 0.0133 mass ratio (0.04 g : 3 g) with respect to water (Comparative Example 1, paragraph [0154]). The ratios of ethylene carbonate to solid polymer particles and water in the crosslinking solution are within the instantly claimed ranges. With regard to suppressing decreases in centrifuge retention capacity, the material synthesized using the aforementioned crosslinking solution performed better than other materials in regard to centrifuge rendition capacity (see Comparative Example 1, Table 1, pp. 14), alluding to a successful suppression of CRC decreases. As Nam et. al. discloses all of the limitations of claim 5, Nam et. al. is anticipatory.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MORDECAI M LEAVITT whose telephone number is (571)272-6637. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8AM-5PM.
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/MORDECAI M LEAVITT/Examiner, Art Unit 1742 /CHRISTINA A JOHNSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1742