DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 03/10/2026 has been entered.
Applicants' arguments have been fully considered. Rejections and/or objections not reiterated from previous office actions are hereby withdrawn due to Applicant's amendments and/or arguments. The following rejections and/or objections are either reiterated or newly applied.
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.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
US 20210024771 (Wang et al.) to US 20150274350 ( Seyffer et al.) and further in view of US 20190390091 A1 (Gertz et al.)
Re claims 1-2, Wang teaches a [59] mineral-oil resistant coating as claimed [19-20, 29] nitrile group containing unsaturated ethylenic monomer and carboxy- group containing group [30-33] as claimed and aqueous solvent [12], [19-21] overlapping ranges of 21% to 70% [19] and content of ratio [31] is 1:1 equivalent ratio (see overlapping ranges below). See [23] to the molecular weight. Given the same copolymer, the glass transition temperature is inherent.
Wang doesn’t teach the exact % of the monomer or the content ratio.
Gertz teaches overlapping ranges of at least 60% (overalapping claimed range ) sum soft monomer as claimed [20-26] for effecting gel and peel strength. See Tables.
In the case where the claimed ranges “overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art” a prima facie case of obviousness exists. In reWertheim, 541 F.2d 257, 191 USPQ 90 (CCPA 1976); In reWoodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 16 USPQ2d 1934 (Fed. Cir. 1990). See MPEP 2144.05.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have selected from the overlapping portion of the range taught by the reference because overlapping ranges have been held to establish prima facie obviousness. MPEP 2144.05
Re claim 3, Wang fails to teach a recycled paper.
Seyffer teaches a similar coating with a [58] recycled paper to prevent VOCs from passing through.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to have modified the coating of Wang and add it to a side of the recycled paper of Seyffer to yield a laminate for reasons set forth above.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
US 20210024771 (Wang et al.) to US 20150274350 ( Seyffer et al.) , in view of US 20190390091 A1 (Gertz et al.) and further in view of US 20170204305 A1 (Houillot et al).
The combination is relied upon above.
The combination fails to disclose the content ratio as claimed.
Houillot discloses the content ratio within overlapping ranges in a similar adhesive [40-46, 86] composition for advantages of good adhesive properties.
In the case where the claimed ranges “overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art” a prima facie case of obviousness exists. In reWertheim, 541 F.2d 257, 191 USPQ 90 (CCPA 1976); In reWoodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 16 USPQ2d 1934 (Fed. Cir. 1990). See MPEP 2144.05.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have selected from the overlapping portion of the range taught by the reference because overlapping ranges have been held to establish prima facie obviousness. MPEP 2144.05
Response to Applicant’s Arguments
Applicant’s arguments are moot in view of the new ground of rejection applying
the new reference. The new reference mitigates the claims. See New Rejection above.
Conclusion
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TAMRA L. DICUS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1787
/TAMRA L. DICUS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1787