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. 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. Claim(s) 1-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Horikawa (JP 2014-1278) in view of Egami (US 5,422,185) and Washizu (US 2014/0100316) . Horikawa is directed to a rubber composition having applicability in tire treads, wherein said composition includes a base rubber component (e.g. natural rubber), at least 10 phr or more of a specific copolymer, and between 5 phr and 200 phr of a reinforcing filler, such as carbon black and/or silica. With further respect to said copolymer, Horikawa teaches the inclusion of 10-90% by mass of at least one conjugated diene compound and 10-90% by mass of at least one non-conjugated olefin, preferably ethylene. In regards to said diene compound, Horikawa specifically teaches the use of two or more compounds. Thus, the copolymer of Horikawa is seen to include ethylene, a first diene compound, and a second diene compound. Horikawa further includes a list of exemplary diene compounds , including 1,3, butadiene and isoprene. In such an instance, though, Horikawa is silent with respect to a diene compound (as a second diene compound) as required by the claimed invention (corresponds, for example, with myrcene and farnesene). It is extremely well known and conventional to include any number of diene compounds, including myrcene, for example, when forming ethylene based copolymers, as shown for example by Egami (Column 3, Lines 1-24). It is emphasized that Egami similarly includes 1,3 butadiene and isoprene as possible diene compounds, suggesting the alternative use of 1,3 butadiene, isoprene, and myrcene. Washizu is further provided to evidence the specific use of copolymers including (a) myrcene and/or farnesene (claimed second diene compound) AND (b) a conjugated diene compound, such as 1,3 butadiene or isoprene (claimed first diene compound), for tire tread applications in order to promote wet grip performance and low fuel consumption (associated with tan delta property) (Abstract and Paragraphs 34-36 and 102). As such, one of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to use the claimed combination of diene compounds in the tire rubber composition of Horikawa. It is emphasized that Horikawa specifically teaches a copolymer including a plurality of diene compounds and the claimed diene compounds are consistent with those that are commonly used in ethylene based copolymers and copolymers designed for tire applications. Lastly, Table 6 is not seen to provide a conclusive showing of unexpected results since the lone comparative example is devoid of first and second diene compounds, while the closest prior art of record (Horikawa) specifically teaches a copolymer including two or more diene compounds (unclear if any realized benefits are simply a function of including first and second diene compounds, as opposed to being a function of specific first and second diene compounds). Regarding claims 2, 3, and 8, Horikawa teaches an ethylene content (olefin content) between 10% and 90%. With respect claims 4 and 5, Horikawa teaches an overall conjugated diene content between 10% and 90%. It is evident that each of the first diene compound and the second diene compound in a wide variety of modified rubber compositions of Horikawa would satisfy the claimed invention. For example, given an olefin content of 90%, each of a first diene content and a second diene content would have loadings less than 10%. As to claims 6 and 7, the general disclosure of a conjugated diene content between 10% and 90% is seen to encompass the claimed loadings for the second diene compound. Regarding claim s 9 and 10 , Horikawa specifically teaches the use of first and second diene compounds and the claimed combination of diene compounds are consistent with those that are commonly used in copolymers, as shown for example by Egami and Washizu. As to claim 11, copolymers in general are well recognized as having any number of conventional arrangements, including alternating, periodic, random, or statistical. One of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to use any conventional arrangement for copolymers absent a conclusive showing of unexpected results. With respect to claims 12 and 13, the rubber composition of Horikawa includes 5-200 phr of a reinforcing filler, such as carbon black and/or silica. This disclosure encompasses rubber compositions in which silica, for example, constitutes the entirety of the reinforcing filler. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT JUSTIN R FISCHER whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)272-1215 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT M-F 5:30-2:00 . 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, FILLIN "SPE Name?" \* MERGEFORMAT Katelyn Smith can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT 571-270-5545 . 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. Justin Fischer /JUSTIN R FISCHER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1749 March 5, 2026