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 Status
Claims 1-7 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim(s) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kofuji et al (herein ‘Kofuji’; JP 2013249401 A/ JP 6136121 B2; all citations are drawn to the English machine translation).
Kofuji is directed toward the preparation of a water-based printer ink comprising a polyurethane binder [p. 0008]. In synthesis example 1 [p. 0049], Kofuji discloses the preparation of a urethane resin comprising polyethylene glycol (a1), isophorone diisocyanate (b), 2-hydrocyethylethylenediamine (c1-1), isophorone diamine (c2-2), monoethanolamine (c2-1). The chain capping of the prepolymer proceeds in an aqueous solution of ammonia. However, Kofuji discloses inorganic alkalis, such as sodium hyrdroxide or potassium hydroxide, as suitable alternatives for the neutralization of the aqueous polyurethane solution [p. 0034]. Kofuji discloses the aqueous printing ink composition can be printed on a plastic film by a known gravure printing, method, a flexographic printing method, an ink jet printing method or the like [p. 0045]
Claim(s) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Miyamoto (US 5656701 A).
Miyamoto is directed toward the preparation of polyurethane based binders for water-based printer inks. Miyamoto discloses the preparation of a polyurethane resin (I) comprising polybutylene glycol (a1), isophorone diisocyanate (b1), ethylenediamine (c1-1) and hydrazine hydrate (c1-2), and triethylamine (emulsifier) [example 10]. Miyamoto discloses alternative organic amines include monoethanolamine (c2-1) [c. 7, ll. 50-55]. Miyamoto discloses alkali metal hydroxides (II) are in the aqueous solution for dispersion in aqueous media [c. 2, ll. 35-40; c. 7, ll. 50-55]. Miyamoto discloses a method of lamination using the aqueous ink composition [c.9, ll. 40-45]
Conclusion
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/HOLLEY GRACE HESTER/Examiner, Art Unit 1766
/RANDY P GULAKOWSKI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1766