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 .
Drawings
Four sheets of drawings were filed on May 27, 2024 and have been accepted by the examiner.
Inventorship
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.
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, 6-13, 15-18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U. S. C. 103 as being unpatentable over Meek et al. (US 2010/0124394 A1, herein “Meek”) in view of Dustin et al. (US 2023/0392055 A1, herein “Dustin”).
Regarding claims 1 and 15, Meek discloses a method of making an optical assembly, the method comprising:
positioning a first optical component (first fiber 101 of Fig. 1 or 14 in Fig. 2) and a second optical component (second fiber 103 or 15 in Fig. 2) such that the first and second optical components are optically aligned and space from one another by a gap (gap between end face 101f and 103f or the space occupies by index-matching material 105 is considered as the “gap”); and
bonding the first and second optical components together by an adhesive (index matching material 105, Para [0054]) disposed at least partially within the gap.
However, Meek does not disclose the adhesive is an phthalonitrile adhesive.
Dustin discloses in various embodiments, for example embodiment 19 (Para [0023]) a method of using the a phthalonitrile adhesive comprises of heating the adhesive formulation according to a curing profile to induce crosslinking reactions between phthalonitrile moieties of fluorinated imide-phthalonitrile oligomers to form a fluorinated poly(imide-phthalonitrile) thermoset polymer (Para [0023]). The adhesive formulations disclosed by Dustin can be used in electronics industry and aerospace industry (Para [0090]) for bonding different type of materials such as metal, glass, and the like (Para [0091]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill at the time of filing to recognize the phthalonitrile adhesive as disclosed by Dustin would be a suitable adhesive for use in place of the adhesive (105) of Meek for bonding a first optical component and a second optical component such that they are optically aligned and spaced from one another by a gap. One would be motivated to modify the invention of Meek with the phthalonitrile adhesive of Dustin due to the thermooxidative stability and adhesive strength of phthalonitrile rendering the adhesive excellent for use under high temperature conditions (Dustin: Para [0002]).
Claim 2. Meek in view of Dustin (herein “Meek / Dustin”) teach bonding the first and second optical components (101/103 in Fig. 1 or 14/15 in Fig. 2) by the phthalonitrile adhesive comprises applying the phthalonitrile adhesive to the first optical component such that the phthalonitrile adhesive in the gap contacts the first and second optical components at the 101e and 103e. Dustin further teaches the adhesive formulations may include dispersants, flow agents, cure promoters, surfactants, the like, and combinations thereof (Dustin: Para [0085]). Therefore, the invention as taught by Meek / Dustin teaches the phthalonitrile adhesive capable of flowing into the inserted space.
Claim 3. Meek / Dustin teach the invention of claim 1, and Meek further discloses the first (14) and second (15) components are disposed in a mating sleeve (ferrule holder 16) when the phthalonitrile adhesive (201) is applied to the first optical component (fiber 14).
Claim 6 and 16. Meek / Dustin teach the invention of claim 2, and Meek further discloses wherein flowing the phthalonitrile adhesive into the gap between the first and second components comprises flowing the phthalonitrile adhesive into an optical path between the first and second optical components (Fig. 1: 101/103/105).
Claims 7 and 17. Meek / Dustin teach the invention of claim 1, and Meek / Dustin further teach bonding the first and second optical components together by the phathalonitrile adhesive comprises: applying the phthalonitrile adhesive to the first optical component; flowing the phthalonitrile adhesive into a mating sleeve, such that the phthalonitrile adhesive bonds the first optical component to the mating sleeve; and bonding the mating sleeve to the second optical component. Fig. 1 in Meek’s disclosure shows the adhesive (105) is in contact with first fiber (101) and second fiber (103) and the mating sleeve is the splice components (109) and (107). Fig. 2 shows the splicing components (17 / 18) disposed within the connector housing (19). Accordingly, the examiner considers the splice components (109 / 107) in zoomed in view of Fig. 1 to be similar to the splice components (17 / 18) housed within the connector housing (19) being the “sleeve” as recited in the claim.
Claim 8. Meek / Dustin teach the invention of claim 7, Meek / Dustin further teach bonding the mating sleeve to the second optical component comprises: applying the phthalonitrile adhesive to the second optical component and flowing the phthalonitrile adhesive into a mating sleeve, such that the phthalonitrile adhesive bonds the second optical component to the mating sleeve (Meek: Fig. 1, 101 / 103 /105 wherein the adhesive 105 is in contact with sleeve (107 / 109).
Claim 9. Meek / Dustin teach the invention of claim 7 and further teach an optical path between the first and second optical components passes through the phthalonitrile adhesive (Meek: 105).
Claim 10. Meek / Dustin teach the invention of claim 1, wherein positioning the first and second components comprises adjusting a relative position of the first and second optical components while the phthalonitrile adhesive cures within the gap. Since Meek / Dustin teach the adhesive is an epoxy, thus, curing must occur to the complete bonding and making adjustment to the fibers for various fiber types and materials to provide the desired robust and high-quality connection (Meek: Para [0061]).
Claims 11, 18, and 20. Meek / Dustin teach the invention of claim 1, wherein the first optical component comprises a fiber optic connector terminating an optical fiber (Meek: Fig. 3: mechanical splice optic fiber connector 10). The second optical component is a second ferrule terminating a second optical fiber (ferrule 16 in Fig. 3).
Claim 12. Meek / Dustin teach wherein the phthalonitrile adhesive has a melting temperature higher than 200 degrees Celsius. The examiner considers the melting temperature is a characteristic of phthalonitrile. Meek / Dustin teach the phthalonitrile adhesive, thus the same material would have the same characteristic.
Claim 13. Meek / Dustin teach bonding the first and second optical components together by the phthalonitrile adhesive comprises curing the phthalonitrile adhesive (Para [0045]-[0046]) for at least fifteen hours (between 10 minutes to 24 hours, Para [0057]). Meek further discloses the general condition (e.g., temperature and time) to provide sufficient curing.
Claims 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 U. S. C. 103 as being unpatentable over Meek / Dustin as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Larson et al. (US 20180067262 A1, herein “Larson”).
Meek / Dustin teach the invention of claim 2, but Meek / Dustin do not teach bonding the first and second optical components together further comprises heating the phthalonitrile adhesive using a heat source as the phthalonitrile adhesive is applied to the first optical component.
Larson teaches using an LED light source to heat the bonding area enabling the adhesive to achieve a higher glass transition temperature (Tg) than can be generated by the photonic initiation alone, in this instance the Paradigm DeepCure LED from 3M utilizes blue light as the photonic initiation of the polymerization reaction (Para [0090]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill at the time of filing to recognize the method of step of photonically heating the bonding area as taught by Larson would be modifiable to the bonding method of Meek / Dustin. The modification would necessitate the phthalonitrile adhesive applied to the first optical component using the LED light source of Larson. One would be motivated to employ heating the bonding area to achieve a higher glass transition temperature for effective bonding of the first and second optical fiber in Meek’s invention.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Meek / Dustin as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Brusberg et al. (US 2023/0176286 A1, herein “Brusberg”).
Meek / Dustin teach the second optical component has a first end and a second end, and wherein bonding the first (103) and second (105) optical components together by the phthalonitrile adhesive comprises bonding the first optical component to the first end of the second optical component by the phathalonitrile adhesive (See at least Fig. 1).
However, Meek / Dustin do not teach bonding a third optical component to the second end of the second optical component by a second phthalonitrile adhesive.
Brusberg teaches an optical connector having optical lenses (120) coupled to the distal end of the ferrules (180), wherein the lenses (120) are spliced (S) to optical fiber stub (135) and then to ribbon cable (150). Brusberg further teaches adhesive may be applied to fill all gaps inside of the ferrule (180) to protect the splice and the fiber-to-substrate interface (Para [0058]).
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It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill at the time of filing to recognize the connector assembly in Brusberg may employ phthalonitrile adhesive to fill all gaps inside the ferrule since the more complex optical assembly require bonding of at least three optical components. One motivation for bonding three optical components, such as the assembly shown in Brusberg such that the lens expand or focus the coupled light to enhance coupling.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Meek / Dustin as applied to claim 18 above, and further in view of Le et al. (US 2013/0331689 A1, herein “Le”).
Meek / Dustin teach the invention of claim 18, but Meek / Dustin do not teach the second optical component is a gradient-index (GRIN) lens.
Le teaches in Figs. 1 and 7 an optical probe (1) having optical fiber (128; waveguide is equivalent to fiber, Para [0108]) for directing light from a laser source (5). GRIN lens (130) is secured to the distal end of fiber (128) with an adhesive (Para [0132]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill at the time of filing to recognize coupling a GRIN lens to a distal end of a fiber to collimate and focus light from the optical fiber (Para [0022], [0024]). One would be motivated to couple a GRIN lens to the distal end of a fiber for mode field matching and maintain low loss coupling.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Erin D Chiem whose telephone number is (571)272-3102. The examiner can normally be reached 10 am - 6 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas A. Hollweg can be reached at (571) 270-1739. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERIN D CHIEM/Examiner, Art Unit 2874
/THOMAS A HOLLWEG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2874
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