Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
On page 9, “Figure 5” should be “Figure 5A-5C”, “Figure 6” should be “Figure 6A-6D”, “Figure 8” should be “Figure 8A-8B”, “Figure 9” should be “Figure 9A-9D”, and “Figure 10” should be “Figure 10A-10C”.
It is unclear how the metal-organic compound formula step forth in the specification forms an amino-silsesquioxane since the ratio of Si to O in the formula is n:n-1, where n is 1-20 and not 1:1.5, the Si:O ratio of silsesquioxanes.
The process in lines 5-14 on page 9; lines 17-12 on pages 37-38, line 20 on page 39, page 40, lines 22-24 teaches using the ferromagnetic powder composition from step f in the disclosed process, which are the particles produced by the disclosed acid-treated alkali silicate coating process from which at least part of the water has been removed. The examples, original claim 46 and the priority document teaches using particles produced by the disclosed acid-treated alkali silicate coating process which has been contacted with the disclosed metal-organic compound, i.e. the composition from step g. This issue needs to be corrected
The lettering of the process steps in lines 1-5 on page 38 and lines 20-25 on page 39 do not corresponds with the lettering of the process steps in line 17 on page 34 and lines 20-27 on page 37.
Lines 14-15 on page 63 refer to figure 12a, but there is no figure 12a in the application. Line 4 on page 67 refers to figures 7 A-D and 6 A-C. There are no figures 7C and 7D in the application and this line does not refer to figure 6D. Finally, the specification does not discuss what is actually shown in figures 9A-9D and figures 10A-10C. Lines 4-6 and 14-18 on page 71 do not discuss the individual figures A-D of figure 9 and the individual figures A-C of figure 10 Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 32-34, 45 and 46 are objected to because of the following informalities: In claims 32-34, the parenthesis after the step letter should be deleted to match the lettering format in claim 30. The slash between “aminopropyl” and “methyl” in the second listed silane of claim 45 should be a dash. In claim 46, the period after “step g” should be deleted so there is no confusion that it indicates the end of a sentence. Appropriate correction is required.
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 13, 18, 20, 21 and 29-46 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.
Claim 13, which depends from claim 1, teaches amount of potassium silicate, but the silicate in claim 1 is not limited to potassium silicate. Thus it is unclear if this claim should depend from claim 2, which limits the silicate to potassium silicate or if it is simply teaches the amount of silicate when it is potassium silicate is 0.1-0.6 wt% and that the amounts of lithium or sodium silicates, the other silicates claimed in claim 1, is 0.02-1 wt%. Since it is unclear what is being claimed, claim 13 is indefinite.
Claim 18 recites the limitation "the metal-organic compound". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim or claim 5, from which claim 18 depends. The first teaching of an metal-organic compound is in claim 6.
Claim 20 recites the limitation "the bismuth (III)oxide". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim or in claims 1, 6 and 7, from which the claim depends. In addition, this claim teaches amount of potassium silicate, but the silicate in claim 1 is not limited to potassium silicate. Thus, this claim is also indefinite for the same reasons as claim 13.
Claims 21 and 44 are indefinite. It is unclear how the formula set forth in claims 7 and 30 forms an amino-silsesquioxane since the ratio of Si to O is n:n-1, where n is 1-20 and not 1:1.5, the Si:O ratio of silsesquioxanes.
Claim 29 is indefinite as written since it is unclear if the process of claim 23 is performed or not and it is unclear if the drying and isolating step are part of the claimed process. Dependent clams 35-37 do not correct this issue and thus are also indefinite since they include all of the limitations of claim 29. It is suggested to rewrite the claim as follows:
A method for obtaining a ferromagnetic powder composition comprising a powder comprising at least 80 wt% of soft magnetic iron-based core particles having a size distribution within the range of 20-1000 microns, measured according to ISO 4497:2020, and then drying and isolating the coated powder, wherein the method of coating the powder is the process of claim 23.
Claim 30 recites the limitation "the at least partially coated soft-magnetic iron based core particles. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim nor in claim 29, as written, from which claim 30 depends. In addition, the wording of claim 30 does not make it clear that process steps e-g occur after steps a-d of claim 23.
Claims 31-34, 39 and 46 are indefinite since these claims depend from claim 29 but claim 29 does not teach M2, steps e and f, bismuth(III) oxide particles, not step g.
Claims 38, 42 and 43 recite the limitation "the " bismuth(III) oxide particles” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim, nor in claim 29 from which it depends.
Claims 40 and 43 recites the limitation "the silicate". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim, not in claim 29 as written.
Claims 41-45 recite the limitation "the metal-organic compound". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim nor in claim 29.
Claim 46 is indefinite as to what the drying and isolating process occurs in the disclosed process. This is because the claimed process takes the powder from step g, which the powder of step h was not dried and isolated.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-12, 14-17 and 19-28 are allowed.
Claims 13, 20, 20, 21 and would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
There is no teaching or suggestion in the cited art of record of a ferromagnetic powder composition comprising at least 80 wt% of soft magnetic iron-based core particles having a size distribution within the range of 20-1000 microns, measured according to ISO 4497:2020, wherein the surface of the core particles is at least partially coated with a first coating comprising an acid treated aqueous silicate of the general formula (M2O)α(SiO2)β, wherein the β/α molar ratio is 0.5-4.1 and M is Li, Na or K; wherein the first coating is in direct contact with the surface of the core particles and the amount of silicate present, before acid treating, is 0.02-1.0 wt%, based on the total weight of the composition. The acid treated aqueous silicate coating is at least partially composed of silica having the alkali impurities therein. The specification shows that the produced silica containing coating is different from silica coatings formed by a sol-gel method or from alkoxides. There is also no teaching or suggestion in the art to acid treat a ferromagnetic powder composition comprising at least 80 wt% of soft magnetic iron-based core particles having a size distribution within the range of 20-1000 microns, measured according to ISO 4497:2020, wherein the surface of the core particles is at least partially coated with a first coating comprising an aqueous silicate of the general formula (M2O)α(SiO2)β, wherein the β/α molar ratio is 0.5-4.1 and M is Li, Na or K; wherein the first coating is in direct contact with the surface of the core particles and the amount of silicate present is 0.02-1.0 wt%, based on the total weight of the composition.
Conclusion
WO 2021/106752 and its English equivalent US 2022/0392676 is cited as of interest since it teaches silica coated soft magnetic iron-based core particle, but the taught D50 particle size of 0.1-10 microns, means the taught core particles are outside the claimed size range.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to C. MELISSA KOSLOW whose telephone number is (571)272-1371. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Tues:7:45-3:45 EST;Thurs-Fri:6:30-2:00EST; and Wed:7:45-2:00EST.
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/C Melissa Koslow/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1734
cmk
7/20/26
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