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 .
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by (JP 5542747).
Regarding claim 1, JP 747’ discloses a manufacturing method of a hot-stamped product (“hot stamping steel sheet”), for making from aluminum plating steel sheet (“aluminized steel”) to a product by a hot-stamping process, comprising steps of: preparing water-soluble agent (“mold release agent”) having no flammability (“little risk of fire”) and non-volatility (examiner interprets that this does not evaporate at normal temperature based on google definition), where a mixing ratio of macromolecular polymer is 1 to 25 part by weight (weight%) (water-soluble polymer is 1 to 30% by mass), a mixing ratio of water is 50 to 98 part by weight (weight%) (40 to 90% by mass of water) and a mixing ratio of surfactant is 1 to 25 part by weight (weight%) (0.3 to 10% by mass of surfactant); (“ When the total mass of the lubricant release agent is 100% by mass, the solid lubricant is 1 to 50% by mass, the water-soluble polymer is 1 to 30% by mass, the carboxylate is 1 to 30% by mass, The lubricating mold release agent for hot stamping according to claim 1, comprising 0.3 to 10% by mass of the surfactant and 40 to 90% by mass of the water.”) applying said water-soluble agent to a surface of a mold (agent is applied to the mold) opposite to said aluminum plating steel sheet; and manufacturing (see abstract: agent is provided to the mold for better release of the product therefore, the product is manufactured after the agent is applied) said product after application of said water-soluble agent, thereby to apply said water-soluble agent to said surface of said mold so as to inhibit or prevent adhesion of aluminum plating (inherent action when applied the claimed agent to a mold).
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.
Claim 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP 747’.
Regarding claim 2, JP 747’ discloses the method according to Claim 1.
JP 747’ is silent to wherein said application of said water-soluble agent is regularly performed.
Examiner takes official notice that applying the agent regularly to keep the agent on the surface of the mold would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide a lubricant layer for the product to be easily released from the mold (see abstract).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BOBBY YEONJIN KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-1866. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9 am - 5 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, Christopher Templeton can be reached on (571) 270-1477. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/BOBBY YEONJIN KIM/Examiner, Art Unit 3725