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 Objections
Claims 2, 4, 8 and 14 are objected to because of the following informalities: the recitation “plys” should be corrected to recite “plies”. Appropriate correction is required.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: In paragraphs [0010-0012], [0017], [0025], [0082], [0087], [00100], [00108], [00109], [00112], and [00114-00116], the recitation “plys” should be corrected to recite “plies”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "the skin" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-16 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mason et al. (US 2018/0311929 A1) [hereinafter Mason].
Regarding claim 1, Mason discloses a thermoplastic composite article (Figs. 1B-1E; abstract) comprising, a core layer (layer 130, 170 and/or 180) comprising a foam material (paragraph [0075]); a porous layer (TFR layer 120 and/or layer 160; paragraph [0066]) comprising a web of reinforcing fibers held in place by a thermoplastic material (paragraphs [0067-0069]), wherein the porous layer (layer 120 and/or layer 160) is disposed on a first surface of the core layer (Figs. 1B-1E); and a fiber reinforcement layer assembly (mesh 110) disposed on the porous layer, wherein the fiber reinforcement layer assembly comprises a matrix comprising a plurality of arranged fibers held in place by an amorphous thermoplastic material (paragraph [0063]).
Regarding claim 2, Mason discloses wherein the plurality of arranged fibers of the fiber reinforcement layer assembly comprise a unidirectional arrangement of the fibers in a single ply, two plies, three plies, four plies, five plies, six plies or more than six plies (paragraphs [0063]; [0081] and [0087]).
Regarding claim 3, Mason discloses wherein the plurality of arranged fibers of the fiber reinforcement layer assembly are selected from the group consisting of glass fibers, carbon fibers, organic fibers, inorganic fibers, bicomponent fibers, and combinations and blends thereof (paragraph [0063]).
Regarding claim 4, Mason discloses wherein the plurality of arranged fibers of the fiber reinforcement layer assembly comprise a bidirectional arrangement of the fibers in a single ply, a bidirectional arrangement of the fibers in two plies, a bidirectional arrangement of the fibers in three plies, a bidirectional arrangement of the fibers in four plies, a bidirectional arrangement of the fibers in five plies, a bidirectional arrangement of the fibers in six plies or a bidirectional arrangement of the fibers in more than six plies (paragraphs [0063]; [0081] and [0087]).
Regarding claim 5, Mason discloses wherein the plurality of arranged fibers of each ply are independently selected from the group consisting of glass fibers, carbon fibers, organic fibers, inorganic fibers, bicomponent fibers and combinations and blends thereof (paragraph [0063]).
Regarding claim 6, Mason discloses wherein the fiber reinforcement layer assembly comprises a basis weight between 400 gsm and 4000 gsm (paragraph [0062]).
Regarding claim 7, Mason discloses wherein the fiber reinforcement layer assembly comprises four plys comprising a 0/90/90/0 arrangement of the plurality of the arranged fibers (paragraphs [0063], [0083] and [0086-0087]).
Regarding claim 8, Mason discloses wherein the thermoplastic material of the each of the four plies of the fiber reinforcement layer assembly each is independently an amorphous polyethylene terephthalate or an amorphous polyolefin (paragraph [0063]).
Regarding claim 9, Mason discloses wherein the thermoplastic material of the porous layer comprises at least one of a polyethylene, a polypropylene, a polystyrene, a polyimide, a polyctherimide, an acrylonitrylstyrene, a butadiene, a polycthylene terephthalate, a polybutyleneterephthalate, a polybutylenetetrachlorate, a polyvinyl chloride, a polyphenylene ether, a polycarbonate, a polyestercarbonate, a polyester, an acrylonitrile-butylacrylate-styrene polymer, an amorphous nylon, a polyarylene ether ketone, a polyphenylene sulfide, a polyaryl
sulfone, a polyether sulfone, a poly(1,4 phenylene) compound, a silicone and mixtures thereof (paragraph [0010]).
Regarding claim 10, Mason discloses wherein the reinforcing fibers of the porous layer are selected from the group consisting of glass fibers, carbon fibers, graphite fibers, synthetic organic fibers, inorganic fibers, bicomponent fibers, natural fibers, mineral fibers, metal fibers, metalized inorganic fibers, metalized synthetic fibers, ceramic fibers, and combinations and blends thereof (paragraph [0011]).
Regarding claim 11, Mason discloses further comprising a second porous layer (layer 120 or layer 160) between the core layer (layer 130, layer 170 or layer 180) and the porous layer (Figs. 1D, 1E and 5; TFR layers 120 or layer 160).
Regarding claim 12, Mason discloses further comprising a first adhesive layer between the fiber reinforcement layer assembly and the porous layer and a second adhesive layer between the porous layer and the core layer (paragraphs [0059-0060] and [0081-0083]).
Regarding claim 13, Mason discloses wherein each of the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer comprises a polyolefin (paragraph [0075]).
Regarding claim 14, Mason discloses wherein the plurality of arranged fibers of the fiber reinforcement layer assembly comprise a unidirectional arrangement of the fibers in a single ply, a bidirectional arrangement of fibers in two plies, a bidirectional arrangement of fibers in three plies, a bidirectional arrangement of fibers in four ply, or a bidirectional arrangement of fibers in more than four plies (paragraph [0063]).
Regarding claim 15, Mason discloses wherein the plurality of arranged fibers of the skin are selected from the group consisting of glass fibers, carbon fibers, organic fibers, inorganic fibers, bicomponent fibers, and combinations and blends thereof (paragraphs [0063]).
Regarding claim 16, Mason discloses wherein the foam material of the core layer comprises an expandable foam, an expandable polyurethane foam, or an expandable polystyrene foam (paragraphs [0009] and [0084]).
Regarding claim 18, Mason discloses a support layer coupled to a second surface of the core layer (paragraphs [0012] and [0074-0075]).
Regarding claim 19, Mason discloses wherein the support layer comprises a metal layer, a porous layer, a glass mat, a flame retardant panel, a scrim, or a fiber reinforcement layer assembly (paragraphs [0012] and [0074-0075]).
Regarding claim 20, Mason discloses wherein the amorphous thermoplastic material of the fiber reinforcement layer assembly is polyolefin free (paragraph [0063]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 17 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CATHERINE A SIMONE whose telephone number is (571)272-1501. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-4pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Frank Vineis can be reached at 571-270-1547. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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CATHERINE A. SIMONE
Examiner
Art Unit 1781
/Catherine A. Simone/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1781