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 .
Note
Applicant’s response filed on 06/09/2026 has been fully considered. Claim 6 is amended, claims 1-5 are canceled and claims 6-9 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. Claim 6 recites “the visible indicator has a brightness level that is positively corelated with an increase in hardness of the resin” as new limitation; however, there is no support for such limitation in the current specification or original claims.
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 6-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hyman (US 2003/0035917 A1) as evidenced by Lastusaari et al. (US 2020/0386899 A1).
Claim 6: Hyman teaches an image formed of a composition comprising a polymer [1050] and hackmanite as a fluorescent material [1070], wherein the hackmanite fluoresces bright orange with long wave UV light [1070]. The hackmanite meets the claimed visible indicator. Hyman teaches the hackmanite fluoresces bright orange with long wave UV light [1070]. This is interpreted that the hackmanite absorbs the long wave UV light and shines back the bright orange light at a visible wavelength; therefore, the hackmanite of Hyman has a certain brightness level.
Claim 7: Hyman teaches the hackmanite fluoresces bright orange with long wave UV light [1070].
Claim 8: Hyman teaches the hackmanite fluoresces bright orange with long wave UV light [1070]. The long wave UV light meets the claimed UVA LED because evidence shows that the wavelength of UVA is generally considered to be 315-400 nm, the wavelength of UVB is generally considered to be 280-320 and the wavelength of UVC is generally considered to be 100-290 nm (see [0048] of Lastusaari). Lastusaari shows UVA has longer wave than UVB and UVC.
Claim 9: Hyman teaches the hackmanite fluoresces bright orange with long wave UV light [1070].
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s argument is based on that hackmanite is a mineral that may fluoresce from blue to orange; however, the hackmanite that changes color from blue to orange is known to be rare; and that hackmanite is not typically used in resins and given the rarity of it, it is not likely to be used in a resin for its color changing properties. This argument is not persuasive for the following reasons. Not all hackmanites fluoresce from blue to orange; and there is nothing that shows the hackmanite of Hyman fluoresces from blue to orange. In addition, Hyman teaches the hackmanite fluoresces bright orange with long wave UV light [1070]; and it is interpreted that the hackmanite absorbs the long wave UV light and shines back the bright orange light at a visible wavelength. Therefore, the hackmanite of Hyman has a certain brightness level.
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.
Correspondence
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BS
August 22, 2026
/BETELHEM SHEWAREGED/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1785
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