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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claim 1-4 in the reply filed on 6/01/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 5 and 6 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
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 3 and 4 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.
Claim 3, for which claim 4 depends, recites the limitation "wherein the graphene oxide dispersion liquid comprises 100 parts by weight of ionized water, 0.1 to 1 part by weight of graphene, and 0.01 to 0.1 part by weight of a dispersant." in claim 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for “graphene” in the claim. It is unclear if applicant is trying to claim the graphene oxide. Exactly what Applicant is claiming in these claims is unclear.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhao et al. (CN 110437477).
In the abstract and claim 1, Zhao et al. teach a master batch prepared by mixing a graphene dye paste and polyester, in a 1:4-10 ratio. The graphene dye paste comprises 0.3-4wt% of graphene oxide powder, 5-10 w.t% of a dispersant, 0.5-15 wt.% dye, 0.1-2 wt.% thickening agent, 0.05-2 wt.% de-foaming agent, and the balance of water; thus, relative to the polyester, the graphene oxide powder represents 0.3% of (1/11) to 4% of (1/5) or 0.27% to 0.8% of the graphene oxide powder to the polyester.
Thus, claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KELECHI CHIDI EGWIM whose telephone number is (571)272-1099. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 9-7.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Robert Jones can be reached at (571) 270-7733. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KELECHI C EGWIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1762
KCE
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