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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
The claims are rejected as follows:
Claims 1–28 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kingsbury et al., US 2015/0274596 A1 (“Kingsbury”) in view of Kilgus et al., US 2008/0176056 A1 (“Kilgus”).
Regarding claim 1:
Kingsbury discloses that a method of manufacturing a green body (Kingsbury’s method of forming a porous ceramic material, Kingsbury [0063]–[0065], Kingsbury’s porous ceramic material before firing would be the claimed “green body”), the method comprising: providing:
-a fusing composition comprising a substrate material (Kingsbury’s aluminum oxide, Kingsbury [0063]), a polymer (Kingsbury’s Polyethersulfone (PESF), Kingsbury [0064]), a fusing agent (Kingsbury’s polymer-binder, Kingsbury discloses during a first heating step, the polymer binder is at least partially decomposed to create interfaces between the particles, and then a step of sintering occurs, Kingsbury, [0039], [0075]; the examiner is interpreting the process of creating interfaces between particles without fully merge as a “fusing step”, such interpretation is consistent with the published disclosure [0216], where it is stated “The green bodies may be fused in any suitable way, for example by heating the assembly or by contacting the assembly with a fifth solvent. Preferably the green bodies are fused by heating the assembly. Suitable ways of fusing the green bodies involve causing at least a portion of the third layers of the green bodies to soften and merge with one another. Suitably, at least a portion of the third layers is merged”) and a solvent (Kingsbury’s NMP, Kingsbury [0064]); forming the fusing composition into a structure wherein the fusing composition forms a fusing layer; and
contacting the fusing layer (the formed porous ceramic material read on the claimed “fusing layer”, Kingsbury [0063]) with a non-solvent (Kingsbury discloses as water, Kingsbury [0065]) in which the polymer of the fusing composition (PESF of Kingsbury) is insoluble to precipitate the polymer of the fusing composition (polyethersulfone/PESF is not insoluble in water), thereby forming the green body (Kingsbury discloses as fiber precursor, Kingsbury [0065])
Kingsbury does not disclose the fusing agent allows the green body to be fused with other green bodies.
In the analogous art of ceramic hollow fibers tubes, Kilgus discloses a method of production green hollow fibers from a composition containing polymer, ceramic and precursor for a ceramic, Kilgus [0042]. Kilgus discloses a step of production of contact between the outer surfaces of the green hollow fibers, Kilgus [0043]. It would have been obvious for one ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to form a green body assembly as disclosed by Kilgus for a hollow fiber tube assembly, which is known in the art to be useful for recovering gases from gas mixtures, and assembly greatly increases filtration capacity. With such modification, Kingsbury’s ceramic hollow fibers would fuse with other green bodies due to Kingsbury’s polymer binder partially decomposed.
Regarding claim 2:
Kingsbury discloses that a method of manufacturing a green body (Kingsbury discloses its precursor hollow fiber membrane could be single-layer, dual-layer or triple-layer structure, a dual-layer structure read on the claimed process, Kingsbury [0036]), the method comprising: providing:
-a sacrificial composition comprising a polymer (Kingsbury discloses its polymer could be a mixture of polymers, such as cellulose acetate and/or polyethersulfone, Kingsbury [0024]) and a solvent (Kingsbury discloses a first solvent could be one or more of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, dimethyl sulphoxide, tetrahydrofuran and Dimethyl acetamide, Kingsbury [0025]), wherein the polymer of the sacrificial composition is soluble in the solvent of the sacrificial composition (Kingsbury discloses its first polymer is soluble is soluble in first solvent, Kingsbury [0024]),
-a fusing composition comprising a substrate material (Kingsbury’s ceramic particles, Kingsbury [0022]), a polymer (Kingsbury discloses its polymer could be a mixture of polymers, such as cellulose acetate and/or polyethersulfone, Kingsbury [0024], one could be the polymer of fusing composition, and the other would be the claimed “third polymer”), a fusing agent (Kingsbury’s polymer-binder, Kingsbury discloses during a first heating step, the polymer binder is at least partially decomposed to create interfaces between the particles, and then a step of sintering occurs, Kingsbury, [0039], [0075]; the examiner is interpreting the process of creating interfaces between particles without fully merge as a “fusing step”, such interpretation is consistent with the published disclosure [0216], where it is stated “The green bodies may be fused in any suitable way, for example by heating the assembly or by contacting the assembly with a fifth solvent. Preferably the green bodies are fused by heating the assembly. Suitable ways of fusing the green bodies involve causing at least a portion of the third layers of the green bodies to soften and merge with one another. Suitably, at least a portion of the third layers is merged”) and a solvent (Kingsbury’s NMP, Kingsbury [0064]), wherein the polymer of the fusing composition (cellulose acetate and/or polyethersulfone, Kingsbury [0024]) is soluble in the solvent of the sacrificial composition (one of one or more of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, dimethyl sulphoxide, tetrahydrofuran and Dimethyl acetamide, Kingsbury [0025]) and the solvent of the fusing composition (the other of one of one or more of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, dimethyl sulphoxide, tetrahydrofuran and Dimethyl acetamide, Kingsbury [0025]);
forming the sacrificial composition and the fusing composition into a multilayer structure wherein the sacrificial composition forms a sacrificial layer and the fusing composition forms a fusing layer (Kingsbury’s dual-layer structure reads on the claimed process, Kingsbury [0036]); and
contacting the multilayer structure with a non-solvent (Kingsbury discloses as water, Kingsbury [0026]) in which the polymer of the sacrificial composition and polymer of the fusing composition are insoluble to precipitate the polymer of the sacrificial composition and the polymer of the fusing composition (Kingsbury’s cellulose acetate and/or polyethersulfone are not soluble to water) thereby forming the green body (Kingsbury’s dual-layer structure before firing is the claimed green body).
Kingsbury does not disclose the fusing agent allows the green body to be fused with other green bodies.
In the analogous art of ceramic hollow fibers tubes, Kilgus discloses a method of production green hollow fibers from a composition containing polymer, ceramic and precursor for a ceramic, Kilgus [0042]. Kilgus discloses a step of production of contact between the outer surfaces of the green hollow fibers, Kilgus [0043]. It would have been obvious for one ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to form a green body assembly as disclosed by Kilgus for a hollow fiber tube assembly, which is known in the art to be useful for recovering gases from gas mixtures, and assembly greatly increases filtration capacity. With such modification, Kingsbury’s ceramic hollow fibers would fuse with other green bodies due to Kingsbury’s polymer binder partially decomposed.
Regarding claim 3:
Kingsbury discloses that a method of manufacturing a green body (Kingsbury discloses its precursor hollow fiber membrane could be single-layer, dual-layer or triple-layer structure, a triple-layer structure read on the claimed process, Kingsbury [0036]), the method comprising: providing:
-a sacrificial composition comprising a polymer (Kingsbury discloses its polymer could be a mixture of polymers, such as cellulose acetate and/or polyethersulfone, Kingsbury [0024]) and a solvent (Kingsbury discloses a first solvent could be one or more of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, dimethyl sulphoxide, tetrahydrofuran and Dimethyl acetamide, Kingsbury [0025]), wherein the polymer of the sacrificial component is soluble in the solvent of the sacrificial component (Kingsbury discloses its first polymer is soluble in first solvent, Kingsbury [0024]),
-a support composition comprising a substrate material (Kingsbury discloses ceramic particles comprise one or more metal oxides, preferably selected from Al.sub.2O.sub.3, ZrO, SiO.sub.2, CeO.sub.2, TiO.sub.2 and mixtures of two or more thereof, Kingsbury [0022], one of them could be the claimed “first substrate material), a polymer (Kingsbury discloses its polymer could be a mixture of polymers, such as cellulose acetate and/or polyethersulfone, Kingsbury [0024], one of them is the claimed “second polymer”) and a solvent (Kingsbury discloses a first solvent could be one or more of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, dimethyl sulphoxide, tetrahydrofuran and Dimethyl acetamide, Kingsbury [0025]), wherein the polymer of the support composition is soluble in the solvent of the sacrificial composition and the solvent of the support composition (Kingsbury discloses its first polymer is soluble in first solvent, Kingsbury [0024], Kingsbury’s first and second polymer and first and second solvent are from the same list of Kingsbury’s first polymer and first solvent), and
-a fusing composition comprising a substrate material (Kingsbury discloses ceramic particles comprise one or more metal oxides, preferably selected from Al.sub.2O.sub.3, ZrO, SiO.sub.2, CeO.sub.2, TiO.sub.2 and mixtures of two or more thereof, Kingsbury [0022], one of them could be the claimed “second substrate material), a polymer (Kingsbury discloses its polymer could be a mixture of polymers, such as cellulose acetate and/or polyethersulfone, Kingsbury [0024], one of them is the claimed “trhid polymer”), a fusing agent (Kingsbury’s polymer-binder, Kingsbury discloses during a first heating step, the polymer binder is at least partially decomposed to create interfaces between the particles, and then a step of sintering occurs, Kingsbury, [0039], [0075]; the examiner is interpreting the process of create interfaces between particles without fully merge as a “fusing step”, such interpretation is consistent with the published disclosure [0216], where it is stated “The green bodies may be fused in any suitable way, for example by heating the assembly or by contacting the assembly with a fifth solvent. Preferably the green bodies are fused by heating the assembly. Suitable ways of fusing the green bodies involve causing at least a portion of the third layers of the green bodies to soften and merge with one another. Suitably, at least a portion of the third layers is merged”) and a solvent (Kingsbury discloses a first solvent could be one or more of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, dimethyl sulphoxide, tetrahydrofuran and Dimethyl acetamide, Kingsbury [0025]), wherein the polymer of the fusing composition is soluble in the solvent of the sacrificial composition and the solvent of the fusing composition (Kingsbury discloses its first polymer is soluble in first solvent, Kingsbury [0024], Kingsbury’s first and third polymer and first and second solvent are from the same list of Kingsbury’s first polymer and first solvent);
forming the sacrificial composition, the support composition and the fusing composition into a multilayer structure wherein the sacrificial composition forms a sacrificial layer, the support composition forms a support layer, and the fusing composition forms a fusing layer and the support layer is adjacent to the fusing layer (Kingsbury’s triple-layer structure reads on the claimed structure, Kingsbury [0036]); and
contacting the multilayer structure with a non-solvent (Kingsbury’s water, Kingsbury [0026]) in which the polymer of the sacrificial composition, the polymer of the support composition, and the polymer of the fusing composition are insoluble to precipitate the polymer of the sacrificial composition, the polymer of the support composition, and the polymer of the fusing composition (Kingsbury’s cellulose acetate and/or polyethersulfone are not soluble to water), thereby forming the green body (Kingsbury’s dual-layer structure before firing is the claimed green body);
Kingsbury does not disclose the fusing agent allows the green body to be fused with other green bodies.
In the analogous art of ceramic hollow fibers tubes, Kilgus discloses a method of production green hollow fibers from a composition containing polymer, ceramic and precursor for a ceramic, Kilgus [0042]. Kilgus discloses a step of production of contact between the outer surfaces of the green hollow fibers, Kilgus [0043]. It would have been obvious for one ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to form a green body assembly as disclosed by Kilgus for a hollow fiber tube assembly, which is known in the art to be useful for recovering gases from gas mixtures, and assembly greatly increases filtration capacity. With such modification, Kingsbury’s ceramic hollow fibers would fuse with other green bodies due to Kingsbury’s polymer binder partially decomposed.
Regarding claim 4:
Modified Kingsbury discloses that the method of claim 3, wherein the polymer of the sacrificial composition is immiscible with at least one of the polymer of the support composition and the polymer of the fusing composition(Kingsbury’s cellulose acetate and polyethersulfone are immiscible to each other, and one could choose the polymer of sacrificial compsotion to be cellulose acetate and polymer of support and fusing composition to be polyethersulfone, Kingsbury [0024]).
Regarding claim 5:
Modified Kingsbury discloses that the method of claim 3, wherein the polymer of the support composition and the polymer of the fusing composition are the same (as discussed in claim 4, both could be polyethersulfone, and they are the same, Kingsbury [0024]).
Regarding claim 6:
Modified Kingsbury discloses that the method of claim 1, wherein the fusing agent is miscible with the polymer of the fusing composition (Kingsbury’s fusing agent is mapped to Radal A300, Kingsbury [0075], which is PESF, and the polymer of the fusing composition is PESF, they are essentially the same component and therefore miscible to each other).
Regarding claim 7:
Modified Kingsbury discloses that the method of claim 3, wherein the substrate material of the support composition and/or the substrate material of the fusing composition each independently comprises one or more of: a ceramic, cordierite, zirconia, yttrium-stabilised zirconia, titania, silicon carbide, clay, alumina, stainless steel, FeCr alloys, alloys of iron, alloys of aluminium, aluminium titanate, sintered metals, or a zeolite (Kingsbury’s first substrate material and second substrate material are mapped to ceramic particles, which Kingsbury discloses could be one or more metal oxides, preferably selected from Al.sub.2O.sub.3, ZrO, SiO.sub.2, CeO.sub.2, TiO.sub.2 and mixtures of two or more thereof, Kingsbury [0022]).
Regarding claim 8:
Modified Kingsbury discloses that the method of claim 3, wherein the support layer is adjacent to the sacrificial layer and is adjacent to the fusing layer in the multilayer structure (Kingsbury’s tri-layer structure has all three layers adjacent to each other, and one could also map the middle layer as the “second layer”, which is directly adjacent to first and third layer, Kingsbury [0036]).
Regarding claim 9:
Modified Kingsbury discloses that the method of claim1, wherein the structure is formed by moulding or extrusion (Kingsbury discloses its triple-layer structure are formed by co-extrusion, Kingsbury [0036]).
Regarding claim 10:
Modified Kingsbury discloses that the method of claim1, wherein the structure is formed as a hollow fibre (Kingsbury [0036]).
Regarding claim 11:
Modified Kingsbury discloses that a method of manufacturing a substrate, the method comprising the steps of: manufacturing the green body according to claim 3 (Kingsbury discloses its green body could be used as a support for catalysis, Kingsbury [0052], Kingsbury’s support is a substrate):
arranging the green body with a plurality of green bodies to form an assembly of green bodies (Kingsbury discloses its porous ceramic material could be of triple-layer, and each layer read on the claimed “green body” and there are a total of three green bodies forming an assembly of green bodies, which is the triple-layer structure, Kingsbury [0036]);
fusing the green bodies in the assembly together, thereby forming a precursor substrate (Kingsbury discloses a step of heating the ceramic precursor to at least partially decompose the polymer, Kingsbury [0011], such process is a “fusing process”);
and sintering the precursor substrate, thereby forming a substrate (Kingsbury disclsoes a step of sintering after the fusing step, Kingsbury [0012]).
Regarding claim 12:
Modified Kingsbury discloses that the method of claim 11, wherein the assembly of the green bodies comprises green bodies having different shapes and/or sizes (Kingsbury discloses its pore size can be tuned, which means the green body has different pore sizes, Kingsbury [0051]).
Regarding claim 13:
Modified Kingsbury discloses that the method of claim 11, wherein the green bodies in the assembly are fused by heating the assembly or by contacting the assembly with a fifth solvent (Kingsbury discloses the fusing step is by heating, Kingsbury [0011]).
Regarding claim 14:
Modified Kingsbury discloses that the method of claim 11, further comprising removing the polymer of the sacrificial compostion from the green body, the assembly, or the precursor substrate (Kingsbury discloses a flow-chart of its method, where the precursor C is heated to at least partially decompose the polymer, which read on the limitation, Kingsbury Fig. 5, [0060]).
Regarding claim 15:
Modified Kingsbury discloses that the method of claim 11, further comprising heating the precursor substrate to remove organic polymers from the precursor substrate prior to sintering (Kingsbury discloses a flow-chart of its method, where the precursor C is heated to at least partially decompose the polymer, which read on the limitation of “remove organic polymers”, Kingsbury Fig. 5, [0060]; Kingsbury discloses a subsequent sintering step, Kingsbury [0061]).
Regarding claim 16:
Modified Kingsbury discloses that the method of claim 15, wherein the precursor substrate is heated to a temperature of from 300 to 800°C (Kingsbury discloses a step of heating precursor at 600 degree C, Kingsbury [0032], falls within the claimed range).
Regarding claim 17:
Modified Kingsbury discloses that the method of claim 11, wherein the precursor substrate is sintered at a temperature of at least 1000°C (Kingsbury discloses a sintering step at 1000 to 1300 degree C, Kingsbury [0031], such range falls within the claimed range).
Regarding claim 18:
Modified Kingsbury discloses that a green body obtained by the method of claim 1 (Kingsbury discloses as fiber precursor, Kingsbury [0065]).
Regarding claim 19:
Modified Kingsbury discloses that a method of manufacturing a filter (Kingsbury disclsoes its ceramic material is used as a filter, Kingsbury [0007] and [0035]), the method comprising manufacturing the substrate according to claim 11 (see claim 11 for mapping details) and blocking at least some macro-channels in the substrate (Kingsbury discloses a step of seal one of the hollow tube filter/tubes with sealants, and close off the through-flow of the medium, read on the block at least some macro-channels, Kingsbury [0035]).
Regarding claim 20:
Modified Kingsbury discloses that a method of filtering, the method comprising manufacturing the filter according to claim 19 (see mapping in claim 19) and passing a composition through the filter (Kingsbury discloses as medium to be filtered, Kingsbury [0035]).
Regarding claim 21:
Modified Kingsbury discloses that the method of claim 20, wherein the composition comprises a liquid, preferably wherein the liquid comprises water (Kingsbury discloses its filter could be a water filter, Kingsbury [0031], and therefore, water is the claimed “composition”).
Regarding claim 22:
Modified Kingsbury discloses that a filter comprising the substrate according to claim 18 (Kingsbury discloses its porous ceramic membrane could be used as a water filter, Kingsbury [0031]).
Regarding claim 23:
Modified Kingsbury discloses that a method of manufacturing a catalytic convertor, the method comprising manufacturing the substrate according to claim 11 (see mapping in claim 11) and depositing a catalytic species or precursor thereof on the substrate (Kingsbury [0052]).
Regarding claim 24:
Modified Kingsbury discloses that a method of catalytic conversion of pollutants, the method comprising manufacturing the catalytic convertor according to claim 23 (see mapping in claim 23) and passing a pollutant composition through the catalytic convertor (Kingsbury discloses its catalytic converter could be used in automobile, Kingsbury [0052] and therefore the unfiltered gas in automobile would be the claimed “pollutant composition”).
Regarding claim 25:
Modified Kingsbury discloses that a catalytic convertor comprising the substrate according to claim 18 (Kingsbury [0052]).
Regarding claim 26:
Modified Kingsbury discloses that a method of providing an exhaust system (Kingsbury discloses catalytic exhaust systems, Kingsbury [0052]), the method comprising: manufacturing a filter (Kingsbury discloses its porous ceramic material could be used as a filter, Kingsbury [0007]) and incorporating the filter into an exhaust system (Kingsbury discloses its filter could be used in an exhaust system, Kingsbury [0052]); and/or manufacturing a catalytic convertor and incorporating the catalytic convertor into an exhaust system, wherein the filter is manufactured by a method comprising manufacturing the substrate according to claim 11 (see mapping in claim 11) and blocking at least some macro-channels (Kingsbury discloses its support could be fibers with an inlet end and a sealed distal end in the substrate, Kingsbury [0035]) and wherein the catalytic convertor is manufactured by a method comprising manufacturing the substrate according to claim 11 (see mapping in claim 11) and depositing a catalytic species or precursor thereof on the substrate (Kingsbury [0052]).
Regarding claim 27:
Modified Kingsbury discloses that a method of providing a product including an internal combustion engine, the method comprising providing the exhaust system according to claim 26 and incorporating the exhaust system into a product including an internal combustion engine (Kingsbury discloses catalytic exhaust system, Kingsbury [0052] and Kingsbury discloses its catalytic exhaust system could be used in automobile, Id. automobile is a product including an internal combustion engine).
Regarding claim 28:
Modified Kingsbury discloses that the substrate obtained by the method of claim 11 (see mapping in claim 11, and Kingsbury discloses its porous ceramic material could be used as a catalytic support, Kingsbury [0052], which is a substrate).
Regarding claim 30:
Modified Kingsbury discloses the method of claim 3, wherein the support composition is substantially free from the fusing agent (Kingsbury’s support composition is mapped to Kingsbury’s cermiac particles, cellulose acetate and solvent of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, Kingsbury [0022], [0024]–[0025], as mapped in claim 3, Kingsbury’s fusing agent is mapped to Radal A300, and Kingsbury’s support composition is free of Radal A300).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 29 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 29:
Modified Kingsbury does not teach the method of claim 1, wherein the fusing agent comprises a polymer having a glass transition temperature below 25 °C.
Kingsbury discloses an example of polymer binder as Radal A300, which has a glass transition temperature of 220 °C. It would not have been obvious for one ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify Kingsbury’s polymer binder to have a glass transition temperature of below 25 degree C because none of the prior art shows or renders such limitations as being obvious.
Response to Arguments
Claim Objections
The examiner withdraws the current claim objections because the applicant has tendered an amendment to overcome the current objections.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112(a)
The examiner withdraws the current 35 USC § 112(a) rejection because the applicant has tendered an amendment to overcome the current rejection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112(b)
The examiner withdraws the current 35 USC § 112(b) rejection because the applicant has tendered an amendment to overcome the current rejection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The applicant transverses the obvious rejection by arguing that Monroe and Kingsbury not combinable, Applicant Rem. dated Jul. 09, 2026 (“Applicant Rem.”) ps. 10–12.
Without conceding the applicant’s arguments, the current rejection does not rely on Kingsbury in view of Monroe. Applicants’ arguments involving Monroe is therefore moot. Additionally, Kingsbury is found to teach the claimed “fusing agent”, details of the rejection is provided in the rejection section above.
New Claims
Please see details about new claims in the sections above.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to QIANPING HE whose telephone number is (571)272-8385. The examiner can normally be reached on 7:30-5:00 M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jennifer Dieterle can be reached on (571) 270-7872. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Qianping He/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1776
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