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 .
Response to Amendment
This action is responsive to applicant’s amendment filed 3/10/2026.
Claims 1-9 are pending.
The previous rejection of claims 1-3, 5, 7 and 8 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Omura et al (WO2019/167365) in view of Hirakoso et al (WO2012067016) is withdrawn in view of applicant’s amendment/remarks.
The previous rejection of claims 4, 6 and 9 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Omura et al (WO2019/167365) in view of Hirakoso et al (WO2012067016) as applied above, further in view of Miyoshi et al. (WO2020/153101) is withdrawn in view of applicant’s amendment/remarks.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claims 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Omura et al (WO2019/167365) in view of Miyoshi et al. (WO2020/153101). The machine translation of Omura and US publication 20220084713 are relied upon below as an English-equivalent for Miyoshi the rejection purposes.
Regarding claims 1 and 6, Omura discloses a conductive paste containing copper particles, a dispersion medium (solvent), and a binder resin, wherein a content of the binder resin is 0.01 to 0.2 parts by mass with respect to a total of 100 parts by mass of the copper particles (para 0008). Omura does not disclose the copper particles comprising fine particles and coarse particles wherein the fine particles with an average size of 300nm or less, and the coarse particles with an average particle size of 3 to 11 microns and a ratio of a mass oxygen concentration to a specific surface area of the copper fine particles is 0.1 to 1.2% by mass. g/m2 and a ratio of a mass carbon concentration to a specific surface area of the copper fine particles is 0.008 to 0.3% by mass. g/m2 as recited in claims 1 and 6, respectively. Miyoshi discloses a conductive paste comprising copper particles, wherein the copper particles contain fine particles and coarse particles wherein the fine particles with an average size of 300nm or less, and the coarse particles with an average particle size of 3 to 11 microns (abstract) and the copper fine particles have a coating containing cuprous oxide and copper carbonate on at least a part of the surface thereof, wherein a ratio of a mass oxygen concentration to a specific surface area of the copper fine particles is 0.1 to 1.2% by mass. g/m2, and wherein a ratio of a mass carbon concentration to a specific surface area of the copper fine particles is 0.008 to 0.3% by mass. g/m2 (para 0030-35). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filling date of the invention to use the copper particles taught by Miyoshi, which contain fine particles with an average size of 300nm or less, and coarse particles with an average particle size of 3 to 11 microns and the fine particles have a coating containing cuprous oxide and copper carbonate on at least a part of the surface thereof, wherein a ratio of a mass oxygen concentration to a specific surface area of the copper fine particles is 0.1 to 1.2% by mass. g/m2, and wherein a ratio of a mass carbon concentration to a specific surface area of the copper fine particles is 0.008 to 0.3% by mass. g/m2, in the conductive paste of Omura, thereby improving the sinterability of the fine copper particles and the sintering temperature of the copper particles can be lowered (para 0031 and 0039).
Regarding claim 2, Miyoshi discloses a mass ratio of the copper coarse particles to the copper fine particles (mass of the copper coarse particles / mass of the copper fine particles) is in a range from 30/70 to 90/10 (para 0062-63).
Regarding claim 3, Miyoshi discloses a mass ratio of the copper coarse particles to the copper fine particles (mass of the copper coarse particles/mass of the copper fine particles) is in a range from 40/60 to 90/10 (para 0062-63).
Regarding claim 4, Omura does not disclose the binder contains polyvinylpyrrolidone. Miyoshi discloses conductive paste comprising a binder, wherein the binder resin contains polyvinylpyrrolidone (para 0020). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filling date of the invention to add polyvinylpyrrolidone in the conductive paste of Omura, hence imparting adhesion to a substrate when it is made into a conductive film.
Regarding claim 5, Omura discloses the dispersion medium contains at least one selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol (para 0035).
Regarding claim 7, Omura discloses a conductive film-coated substrate including a substrate and a sintered body of the conductive paste according to Claim 1 provided on the substrate (para 0008 and 0042).
Regarding claims 8 and 9, Omura discloses a method for producing a conductive film-coated substrate, including providing a film containing a conductive paste according to Claim 1 on a substrate; and applying a heat treatment to the film (para 0052-56). Omura does not disclose the heat treatment is sintering by photo-sintering. Miyoshi discloses a method for producing a conductive film-coated substrate, wherein photo-sintering treatment is used (para 0086, 0138- 0140). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filling date of the invention to use photo-sintering as the sintering treating the conductive paste of Omura, with a reasonable expectation of carrying out the heat treatment, hence the copper particles are sintered with each other, and the electroconductive film having electroconductivity is produced on the substrate.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 3/10/2026 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not apply to matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
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/HAIDUNG D NGUYEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1761
12/24/2025
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