DETAILED ACTION
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election without traverse of claims 1-5 in the reply filed on January 15, 2026 is acknowledged with appreciation. Accordingly, claims 6-19 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Double Patenting
In view of the Terminal Disclaimer filed June 9, 2026, the Double Patenting rejection against the instant claims is hereby withdrawn. The Terminal Disclaimer has been made of record.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Claims 1-5 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by
KOHINATA (US-2021/0388157) as set forth in the last office action and reiterated herein below.
Claim 1: Kohinata teaches liquid crystal polymer (LCP) pellet comprising an LCP
having a degree of orientation of 89% to 95% (para. 0112) which meets the claimed
range of 86% or more.
Claims 2 and 3: Kohinata does not report the bulk density of the LCP pellet;
however, the material is made from the same raw material, namely copolymer of p-
hydroxybenzoic acid and 4-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (Kohinata, para. 0180 and instant
specification, para. 0187). Bulk density is a property directly related to material and
morphology. Here, the raw material for making the LCP pellet of Kohinata is the same
as that of the claimed invention, and the pellet is fibrous (Kohinata, para. 0187) which is
the same as the pellet of the claimed invention (see instant claim 4 below); therefore, it
is expected that the LCP pellet of Kohinata would possess a bulk density within the
claimed range.
Claim 4: The LCP pellet of Kohinata is fibrous (para. 0187); therefore, the LCP
pellet of Kohinata has a fibrous branch portion.
Claim 5: Kohinata does not report the melt viscosity of the LCP pellet; however,
the material is made from the same raw material, namely copolymer of p-
hydroxybenzoic acid and 4-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (Kohinata, para. 0180 and instant
specification, para. 0187). It is known that melt viscosity is a compositional property;
therefore, it is expected that the LCP pellet of Kohinata would possess a melt viscosity
within the claimed range.
Response to Arguments
Applicant alleges that “Kohinata achieves its 89-95% orientation only during fiber spinning, which happens after the pellets are first melted and then extruded through fine nozzles at high speeds”, and thus “any orientation in the pellet would be destroyed during the melting step required for fiber production.” This is an incorrect interpretation of Kohinata’s disclosure. Kohinata clearly states that the orientation is that of the fibers which is resulted from “appropriately controlling the conditions of a fiberizing step and a winding step” (Kohinata, para. 0112), which is the orientation after fiberizing, not before as alleged by Applicant. Furthermore, the “Orientation Degree” is defined in paragraph 0114, which is based on the “length direction of fiber”; and thus, it cannot be the orientation of the pre-fiberizing LCP particles as alleged by Applicant.
Applicant's arguments filed June 9, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive for the reasons discussed above.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HOA (Holly) LE whose telephone number is (571)272-1511. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday, 10:00 am to 7:00 pm.
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HOA (Holly) LE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1788
/HOA (Holly) LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1788
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