DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claim(s) 1-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Katayama et al. (JP 2013-163304) in view of Okuyama et al. (EP 2380732).
Note: citations refer to the machine translation of JP ‘304 provided with this Office Action.
Regarding claims 1-3 and 5-6:
Katayama discloses a transparent flexible laminate comprising a glass film and a polyimide layer [abstract; 0001]. The polyimide layer has a light transmission of 80% or more at 500 nm [0028]. A preferred and Example polyimide include one formed from PMDA and TFMB [0022; 0034; 0045; Table 1]. These materials are the same materials used to make the polyimide films of the present invention (see, e.g., [0074] of the present specification). Therefore, the examiner submits these materials have the same properties as presently claimed.
Katayama is silent with regard to a layer of silane coupling agent.
The use of such agents as a separate layer was known in the art to have utility. For example, Okuyama discloses a laminate comprising a polyimide film and an inorganic layer, such as glass [abstract; 0001]. Okuyama teaches applying a layer of silane coupling agent between the polyimide film and the inorganic layer to improve the adhesion between the layers [0013; 0034-0036; 0084-0085; Tables 5-6].
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide a silane coupling agent layer between the polyimide film and the glass of Katayama to improve the adhesion between the layers. The examiner submits the combination of materials have the same shear peel strength as claimed because the materials are otherwise the same as presently claimed.
Regarding claim 4:
Katayama is silent with regard to a diameter of a circumscribed circle as claimed.
One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize the area of the laminate could be adjusted depending on the end use and economies of scale. Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to vary the area of the laminate, including over values claimed, to provide the physical dimensions desired for a given end use.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 11/21/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues it would not have been obvious to modify Katayama by using a silane coupling agent because the reference does not disclose such agent and provides sufficient adhesion between the polyimide layer and the glass film (p3). Additionally, Applicant points to Katayama’s paragraph [0025] as evidence that Katayama achieves sufficient adhesion by applying a polyamic acid solution “directly” to the glass film (p4).
While the examiner agrees Katayama is silent with regard to a silane coupling agent, such materials were known in the art to be useful as demonstrated by Okuyama. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the adhesion between the layers could be further adjusted as desired through the use of a silane coupling agent. Furthermore, while paragraph [0025] discloses “directly appl[ying]” the polyamic acid solution to the glass film, the same paragraph states any of its disclosed methods may be used and “the present invention is not limited to these methods”. Therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize additional known methods, such as a method using a silane coupling agent, could be adapted for use with Katayama’s disclosure.
Furthermore, attention is brought to Okuyama et al. (WO 2013/114685), previously cited by Applicant on 11/7/2024. The reference discloses a laminate comprising an inorganic support and a polyimide film with a desired level of adhesion via the use of a silane coupling agent layer (p1; p22-24 of machine translation). Additionally, newly cited Fukushima (US 2014/0320777) discloses a laminate comprising a transparent polyimide layer 6 and a glass substrate 37 using a silane coupling agent layer to ensure adhesion [0060-0062; 0084-0089; Fig. 7]. These disclosures further demonstrate the use of silane coupling agents between a polyimide layer and an inorganic substrate was well known in the art to be a method to further provide adjust the degree of adhesion between the two layers. Therefore, the examiner maintains the rejections of record.
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.
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/JOHN D FREEMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1787
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