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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 10-11 and 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 10, the addition of the word "type" to an otherwise definite expression (e.g. particles) extends the scope of the expression so as to render it indefinite. See MPEP 2173.05(b) (III). Claim 11 is rendered indefinite because it depends on indefinite claim 10.
Regarding claim 12, the addition of the word "type" to an otherwise definite expression (e.g. polymer particles) extends the scope of the expression so as to render it indefinite. See MPEP 2173.05(b) (III). Claim 13 is rendered indefinite because it depends on indefinite claim12.
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 1-2, 6-13 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Furukawa et al., JP 2017-132932.
Regarding claim 1, Furukawa discloses a prepreg including carbon fiber and epoxy resin wherein the prepreg has an interlayer resin disposed between the carbon fiber and the epoxy resin with the prepreg having a volume resistivity in the thickness direction of the interlayer being 50 ohm-cm or less [0013 and 0017]. Additionally, paragraph 0013 discloses a cured product. A volume content of the carbon fiber layer is 70 to 75 volume percent is disclosed in paragraph 0013. Paragraph 0067 discloses that the interlayer has a thickness. Paragraph 0068 discloses a first resin composition impregnated into the carbon fiber layer and a second resin composition formed on one or both sides of the impregnated carbon fiber layer [low domain Vfc]. Paragraph 0082 discloses that the prepreg can include polyamide particles wherein the particle size ranges from 5 to 50 µm. Paragraph 0198 discloses prepreg having laminated layers having a pattern of [+45º/0º/-45º/90 º] wherein the carbon fibers are in the longitudinal direction. Paragraph 0217 discloses that the average thickness of the interlayer resin layer is placed between carbon fiber layers.
Regarding claim 2, the prepreg is produced using a two-stage impregnation which allows for the low Vcf domain is included in the surface layer and the inner layer of Applicant’s Specific layer as the surface layer is formed of resin.
Regarding claims 6, 8-9, 12 and 13, paragraph 0082 discloses that the prepreg can include polyamide particles wherein the particle size ranges from 5 to 50 µm.
Regarding claim 7, paragraph 0082 discloses that the polyamide particles can include a spherical shape [sphericity or 0.9 or more].
Regarding claims 10-11, paragraph 0180 discloses that the prepreg can include conductive particles.
Regarding claim 15, paragraph 0171 discloses that the carbon fiber reinforced composite has the shape of aircraft fuselage [cylindrical structure].
Claims 3-5 and 14 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Applicant claims a carbon fiber reinforced composite material as recited in claim 1, further including wherein the area ratio of said low Vcf domain(s) present in said surface layer(s) and said low Vcf domain(s) present in said inner layer, in a cross section of the Specific Layer, is from 90:10 to 10:90 as recited in claim 3. Applicant claims a carbon fiber reinforced composite material as recited in claim 1, further including wherein, when the cross-sectional area of a cross section in an out-of-plane direction of the entire Specific Layer is taken as 100%, the area proportion of said low Vcf domain(s) in the Specific Layer is 1% or more and 50% or less as recited in claim 4. Additionally, Applicant claims a carbon fiber reinforced composite material as recited in claim 1, further including wherein, when the median diameter of particles included in the Specific Layer is defined as Dm, the average number of particles present within a distance of 2 Dm from the center of each particle in the Specific Layer, is 3.5 or less as recited in claim 5. Also, Applicant claims a carbon fiber reinforced composite material as recited in claim 1, further including wherein five or more carbon fibers included in the Specific Layer are in contact with carbon fibers included in at least one Layer, of Layers adjacent to the Specific Layer, in a section of 2 mm in the plane direction of the Specific Layer; and wherein, when said section of 2 mm of the Specific Layer is observed at every 0.4 mm interval, at least one or more carbon fibers included in the Specific Layer are in contact with said carbon fibers included in said at least one adjacent Layer, in all of the 0.4 mm-sections as recited in claim 14.
The closest prior art, Furukawa et al., JP 2017-132932, teaches a prepreg including carbon fiber and epoxy resin wherein the prepreg has an interlayer resin disposed between the carbon fiber and the epoxy resin with the prepreg having a volume resistivity in the thickness direction of the interlayer being 50 ohm-cm or less [0013 and 0017]. Additionally, paragraph 0013 discloses a cured product. A volume content of the carbon fiber layer is 70 to 75 volume percent is disclosed in paragraph 0013. Paragraph 0067 discloses that the interlayer has a thickness. Paragraph 0068 discloses a first resin composition impregnated into the carbon fiber layer and a second resin composition formed on one or both sides of the impregnated carbon fiber layer [low domain Vfc]. Paragraph 0082 discloses that the prepreg can include polyamide particles wherein the particle size ranges from 5 to 50 µm. Paragraph 0198 discloses prepreg having laminated layers having a pattern of [+45º/0º/-45º/90 º] wherein the carbon fibers are in the longitudinal direction. Paragraph 0217 discloses that the average thickness of the interlayer resin layer is placed between carbon fiber layers. Furukawa fails to teach or suggest the limitations of claims 3-5 and 14.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CAMIE S THOMPSON whose telephone number is (571)272-1530. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30 am - 5:30 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, Jennifer Boyd, can be reached at 571-272-7783. 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.
/CAMIE S THOMPSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1786
Prosecution Insights