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 § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 – 2 and 3 – 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nakajima et al. (US 20220404213 - hereafter "Nakajima").
As per claim 1, Nakajima teaches the following:
A temperature sensor (see Fig.1, para 0021) comprising a resin film (see Fig. 1, resin film base 50, para 0024) and a titanium metal foil laminated on the resin film (see para 0044 - 0049), wherein the titanium metal foil constitutes a conductive pattern (see para 0074, 0084).
Regarding claim 2, Nakajima teaches the temperature sensor according to claim 1, wherein the titanium metal foil is subjected to a surface modification on a surface facing the resin film. Nakajima teaches patterning the metal thin-film by photolithography and etching, which modifies the surface of the metal thin-film that forms the temperature sensor (see para [0084]). It is further explained that modifying the interface between the metal thin-film and the underlying layer affects resistance and temperature sensor accuracy and identifies metals such as titanium as suitable materials (see para [0047], [0059]).
Regarding claim 4, Nakajima teaches the temperature sensor according to claim 1, wherein: the resin film contains a thermoplastic resin; and a thickness of the resin film is within a range of 20 – 80 µm. Nakajima teaches that the resin film includes thermoplastic resins such as polyester, polyimide, polyefin, and polycarbonate. Nakajima further teaches that the thickness of the resin film is preferably 20 – 30 µm, which encompasses the claimed range of 20 – 80 µm. (see para [0027])
Regarding claim 5, Nakajima teaches the temperature sensor according to claim 1, wherein: the resin film contains a thermosetting resin; and the resin film and the titanium metal foil are laminated via a first adhesion layer. Nakajima teaches that the resin film may include thermosetting resins. The reference also teaches applying an adhesive layer or hard coat layer to the surface of the resin film to improve adhesion to the metal thin film (see para [0026] – [0030]). This corresponds to laminating the resin film and the metal foil via a first adhesion layer.
Regarding claim 6, Nakajima teaches the temperature sensor according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor further comprises a metal layer formed on a side opposite to the titanium metal foil with respect to the resin film. Nakajima teaches that the temperature sensor film may include various metal layers, including copper, silver, aluminum, gold, nickel, tin, and alloys (see para 0054).
Regarding claim 7, Nakajima teaches the temperature sensor according claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor further comprises a second adhesion layer formed on a side opposite to the titanium metal foil with respect to the resin film. Nakajima teaches that a hard coat layer is disposed on the surface of the resin film, on the side opposite the metal thin film, and is formulated to improve adhesion and binding resistance due to nanoparticle enhanced surface characteristics (see para [0029] – [0034]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakajima in view of Thomsen et al. (US 20100118916 - hereafter "Thomsen").
Regarding claim 3, the claim recites “The temperature sensor according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the titanium metal foil is within a range of 3 -10 µm. Nakajima teaches the temperature sensor according to claim 1, but does not teach the thickness of the metal foil is within a range of 3 -10 µm.
Thomsen, however, teaches that thin metal films used for temperature sensing structures are commonly formed with thicknesses on the order of 0.05 to 1 micron, and the metal foil RTD’s are considered thicker, typically 4 – 50 microns in thickness (see para [0020]).
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the metal foil thickness in Nakajima to fall within 3 – 10 µm as claimed. Thomsen teaches conventional thickness ranges for metal films and metal foils used in temperature sensing devices, and adjusting the foil thickness within an intermediate range would have been an obvious matter of optimizing know parameters in order to balance flexibility, durability, and thermal response characteristics. Such optimization would have predictably resulted in a thickness range overlapping the claimed 3 – 10 µm, thereby improving sensor handling and response behavior while remaining consistent with the established practices taught by Thomsen.
Conclusion
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/MANUEL SALVADOR CASTELLON JR/Examiner, Art Unit 2855
/JOHN FITZGERALD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855