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
This is a first action on the merits for this regular application filed on 04/09/2024
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.
Claims 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kurita Water IND LTD (JP 2015063735 – Description – IDS dated 04/09/24).
Regarding claims 1 and 10, Kurita discloses a metal corrosion protection treatment method for a water system (page 1, lines 1-) a metal corrosion protection treatment agent (page 2, paragraph 5) or (ii) a metal corrosion protection treatment agent kit (page 5, paragraph 8) , wherein a component (A) and a component (B) as recited below are allowed to be present at a usage ratio of 1:9 to 7:3 by mass in the water system (page 5, paragraph 6);
(A) a copolymer of a (meth)acrylic acid monomer and a sulfonic acid monomer (page 3, paragraphs 4-8),
and
(B) a maleic acid-based polymer in which a carboxyl group content in the
maleic acid-based polymer is 11.5 mmol/g or more (page 3, paragraphs 4-8);
(i) the metal corrosion protection treatment agent which contains a component
(A) as a copolymer of a (meth)acrylic acid monomer and a sulfonic acid monomer and a
component (B) as a maleic acid-based polymer in which a carboxyl group content in the
maleic acid-based polymer is 11.5 mmol/g or more, where a content ratio of the
component (A) to the component (B) by mass is 1:9 to 7:3 (page 3, paragraphs 1-8), or
(ii) the metal corrosion protection treatment agent kit which contains a first
agent for metal corrosion protection containing the component (A) as a copolymer of a
(meth)acrylic acid monomer and a sulfonic acid monomer and contains a second agent
for metal corrosion protection containing the component (B) as a maleic acid-based
polymer in which a carboxyl group content in the maleic acid-based polymer is 11.5
mmol/g or more (page paragraphs 1-9).
Regarding claim 2, Kurita discloses that the sulfonic acid monomer in the component (A) is a
monoethylenically unsaturated sulfonic acid monomer (page 5, paragraphs 1-10).
Regarding claim 3, Kurita discloses that a weight average molecular weight of the copolymer as the component (A) is 1,000 to 1,000,000 (page 7, paragraphs 1-5).
Regarding claim 4, Kurita discloses that a molar ratio of the (meth)acrylic acid
monomer to the sulfonic acid monomer in the component (A) is 97:3 to 30:70 (page 2, paragraphs 5-8).
Regarding claim 5, Kurita discloses that a weight average molecular weight of the
maleic acid-based polymer as the component (B) is 500 to 5,000 (page 3, paragraphs 1-8).
Regarding claim 6, Kurita discloses that the maleic acid-based polymer as the
component (B) is a copolymer of a maleic acid monomer and an isobutylene monomer,
and/or a polymaleic acid (page 4, paragraphs 1-9).
Regarding claim 7, Kurita discloses that an anticorrosive agent is allowed to be
present in the water system (page 2, paragraphs 1-8).
Regarding claim 8, Kurita discloses that a calcium hardness of the water system (page 2, paragraph 7) is 300 mg/L or less as CaCO₃.
Regarding claim 9, Kurita discloses that the metal corrosion protection treatment
method (page 3, paragraphs 1-8) uses (i) a metal corrosion protection treatment agent or (ii) a metal corrosion protection treatment agent kit as recited below;
(i) the metal corrosion protection treatment agent which contains the component
(A) as a copolymer of a (meth)acrylic acid monomer and a sulfonic acid monomer and
the component (B) as a maleic acid-based polymer in which a carboxyl group content in
the maleic acid-based polymer is 11.5 mmol/g or more, where a content ratio of the
component (A) to the component (B) by mass is 1:9 to 7:3 (page 3, paragraphs 1-8), or
(ii) the metal corrosion protection treatment agent kit which contains a first
agent for metal corrosion protection containing the component (A) as a copolymer of a
(meth)acrylic acid monomer and a sulfonic acid monomer and contains a second agent
for metal corrosion protection containing the component (B) as a maleic acid-based
polymer in which a carboxyl group content in the maleic acid-based polymer is 11.5
mmol/g or more (page 5, paragraphs 1-10).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MONZER R CHORBAJI whose telephone number is (571)272-1271. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 5:30-12:00 and 6:00-9:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jill J Warden can be reached at (571)272-1267. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MONZER R CHORBAJI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1799
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