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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 05/22/2024 has been considered by the examiner.
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, 3-7 and 10-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Schmidt (WO 2020/121112).
Regarding claim 1, Schmidt discloses, a coated microstructured film (Fig. 3) comprising:
a) a plurality of microstructures (330) extending across a first surface of the microstructured film (360); and
b) a coating (345) disposed on a first portion of at least some of the microstructures (332, 333), the coating comprising a polymer that is the reaction product of a composition comprising at least one of a phenol or a polyphenol (Pg. 9, lines 24-33 and Pg. 10, lines 18-21), and wherein a second portion lacks some or all of the coating (see 320).
Regarding claim 3, Schmidt discloses, a metal disposed on the polymer (Pg. 10, lines 7-10).
Regarding claim 4, Schmidt discloses, the metal is present as a discontinuous layer (see 330).
Regarding claim 5, Schmidt discloses, the metal comprises silver, nickel, gold, copper, cobalt, chromium, zinc, tin, iron, platinum, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, osmium or combinations thereof (Pg. 10, lines 7-10).
Regarding claim 6, Schmidt discloses, the microstructures (330) comprise a plurality of ribs (330) alternated with channels extending across the first surface of the microstructured film (300), wherein each of the ribs comprises side walls (332, 333) and a top surface (320) and each of the channels comprises a bottom surface (305); and wherein the first portion on which the coating is disposed comprises the side walls of the ribs (345) and the second portion comprises the top surfaces of the ribs and the bottom surfaces of the channels (Pg. 9, lines 24-33 and see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 7, Schmidt discloses, the ribs have a width parallel to the first surface and a height orthogonal to the first surface (Pg. 9, lines 18-33 and see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 10, Schmidt discloses, the microstructures comprise a two-dimensional (x- & y-axes) array of projections (330) arranged across the first surface of the microstructured film; wherein each of the projections comprises a base (305), a top (320), and one or more sides (332, 333) connecting the top to the base (Pg. 9, lines 24-33 and see Fig. 3); and wherein the first portion on which the coating is disposed comprises the sides and the second portion comprises the top (Pg. 9, lines 24-33 and see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 11, Schmidt discloses, the microstructured film comprises a microstructured layer with first and second major surfaces (332, 333), wherein the microstructures comprise a plurality of cavities (301a, b) extending between the first and second major surfaces (see Fig. 3); wherein each cavity comprises a first opening, a second opening and at least one side wall extending between the first opening and the second opening (Pg. 9, lines 24-35 and see Fig. 3); and wherein the first portion on which the coating is disposed comprises the at least one side wall (Pg. 9, lines 24-35 and see Fig. 3) and the second portion comprises at least one of the first major surface or the second major surface of the microstructured layer (Pg. 9, lines 24-35 and see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 12, Schmidt discloses, the coated microstructured film exhibits a transmission of visible light of 75% or greater at a viewing angle of 0 degrees (Pg. 24, lines 5-11 and Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 13, Schmidt discloses, a metal disposed on the second portion of at least some of the microstructures (Pg. 15, lines 7-12).
Regarding claim 14, Schmidt discloses, an organic polymeric material disposed on the coated microstructures (Pg. 9, lines 24-33 and see 345).
Regarding claim 15, Schmidt discloses, a method of making a coated microstructured film (Fig. 3), the method comprising:
obtaining a microstructured film (300) comprising a plurality of microstructures (330) extending across a first surface of the microstructured film (360);
applying a coating (345) of a composition comprising at least one of a phenol or a polyphenol to at least some of the microstructures (Pg. 9, lines 24-33 and Pg. 10, lines 18-21) across the first surface of the microstructured film (332, 333); and
removing at least a portion of the coating from a second portion of the microstructures to provide the coating disposed on a first portion of the coated microstructures (see 320 associated text).
Regarding claim 16, Schmidt discloses, applying the coating comprises contacting the first surface of the microstructured film with the composition (Pg. 15, lines 7-22) and applying agitation to the composition during the contacting, wherein the phenol or the polyphenol is polymerized during the contacting of the composition with the first surface of the microstructured film to form a polymer (Pg. 15, lines 7-22).
Regarding claim 17, Schmidt discloses, the composition further comprises an oxidant (Pg. 21, lines 5-15).
Regarding claim 18, Schmidt discloses, applying the coating occurs in a container and the first surface of the microstructured film is oriented normal to a floor of the container (Pg. 15, lines 16-22).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schmidt (WO 2020/121112) as applied to claim 1 above, in view of Nam (WO 2016/072730).
Schmidt remains as applied to claim 1 above.
Schmidt does not disclose the composition comprises polydopamine, pyrogallol, gallic acid, tannic acid, or combinations thereof.
Nam teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a coated microstructure that it would have been desirable to make the composition comprises polydopamine, pyrogallol, gallic acid, tannic acid, or combinations thereof (Abstract).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention make the composition comprises polydopamine, pyrogallol, gallic acid, tannic acid, or combinations thereof as taught by the coated microstructured film of Nam in the coated microstructured film of Schmidt since Nam teaches it is known to include this feature in a coated microstructured film for the purpose of providing a low cost coated microstructured film.
Claims 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schmidt (WO 2020/121112) as applied to claim 1 above, in view of Takada (RE 45642).
Schmidt remains as applied to claim 1 above.
Schmidt does not disclose the microstructures comprise a facet and a side wall meeting the facet at a ridge of the microstructure and wherein the facet and the side wall define an oblique angle therebetween; and wherein the first portion on which the coating is disposed comprises the side wall and the second portion comprises the facet.
Takada teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a coated microstructured film (Figs. 3A-B) that it would have been desirable to make the microstructures comprise a facet and a side wall meeting the facet at a ridge (see surface opposite of 15) of the microstructure and wherein the facet and the side wall define an oblique angle therebetween (see surface opposite of 15); and wherein the first portion on which the coating is disposed comprises the side wall and the second portion comprises the facet (Figs. 3B-C).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the microstructures comprise a facet and a side wall meeting the facet at a ridge of the microstructure and wherein the facet and the side wall define an oblique angle therebetween; and wherein the first portion on which the coating is disposed comprises the side wall and the second portion comprises the facet as taught by the coated microstructured film of Takada in the coated microstructured film of Schmidt since Takada teaches it is known to include these features in a coated microstructured film for the purpose of providing a reliable coated microstructured film with enhanced mechanical strength.
Regarding claim 9, Schmidt in view of Takada discloses and teaches as set forth above, Takada further teaches, from the same field of endeavor each of the microstructures is a) a linear prism having a substantially same angle between the optical facet and the side wall (Figs. 3B-C) or b) a linear Fresnel element (Figs. 3B-C).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the above mentioned limitations as taught by the coated microstructured film of Takada in the coated microstructured film of Schmidt since Takada teaches it is known to include these features in a coated microstructured film for the purpose of providing a reliable coated microstructured film with enhanced mechanical strength.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schmidt (WO 2020/121112) as applied to claim 15 above, in view of Schmidt et al. (US 2021/0333624).
Schmidt remains as applied to claim 15 above.
Schmidt does not disclose exposing the coated microstructures to a metal salt solution to dispose a metal on the coating.
Schmidt teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a method of making a coated microstructured film exposing the coated microstructures to a metal salt solution to dispose a metal on the coating (Para. 0078-0079).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make exposing the coated microstructures to a metal salt solution to dispose a metal on the coating as taught by the method of making a coated microstructured film of Schmidt in the method of making a coated microstructured film of Schmidt since Schmidt teaches it is known to include this feature in a method of making a coated microstructured film for the purpose of providing a coated microstructured film that is effectively coated and delivers reduced high angle light leakage and ghosting.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Cai et al. (US 9,134,305) and Sato et al. (US 2008/0137188) discloses a coated microstructure film that includes a plurality of microstructures and a coating disposed on a first portion of at least some of the microstructures.
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/DAWAYNE PINKNEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872 02/11/2026