DETAILED ACTION
This detailed action is in response to the amendments and arguments filed on 07/09/2026, and any subsequent filings.
Notations “C_”, “L_” and “Pr_” are used to mean “column_”, “line_” and “paragraph_”.
Claims 3-7 are canceled. Claims 1-2 and 8-19 are pending. Claims 14-19 are withdrawn.
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
After further consideration, the notice of allowable subject matter in the Non-Final Rejection filed 02/13/2026 is being withdrawn.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 1 uses the phrases “high PVOH PVB” and “high PVOH PVB resin”. It is recommended to use consistent claim language. 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 1-2 and 8-13 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.
Claim 1, step (c) involves “filtering the PVB mixture to remove the low PVOH PVB solids”, then step (d) involves “separating the residual high PVOH PVB resin and plasticizer from the low PVOH PVB solids…”. Step (c) implies that the low PVOH PVB solids are removed from the system, thus it is unclear how further separation can be performed on solids that have been removed from the reclamation system, rendering the claim indefinite.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the residual high PVOH PVB resin and plasticizer". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "low PVOH PVB resin" in step (d). There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1, step (f) involves “repeating the steps (a) to (e)”, but it is unclear whether this refers to returning the low PVOH PVB solids of step (e) to the reclamation system of step (a) for further treatment, or whether another batch of recycled PVB and solvent are added to the reclamation system, rendering the claim indefinite.
Dependent claims not recited above require all of the limitations of independent Claim 1, and therefore are rejected for the same reasons set forth above.
Claim 12 recites the limitation “the reclamation system to which the recycled PVB is provided in step (a)”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. There is no mention of recycled PVB in step (a) of Claim 1.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Residual high PVOH PVB resin and plasticizer is already removed in Claim 1, thus it is unclear how Claim 2 further narrows the scope of Claim 1. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-2 and 8-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Publication US20090209667A1 (‘Thompson’).
The Applicant’s claims are directed towards a method.
Regarding Claims 1-2 and 8-13, Thompson teaches a method of recovering poly(vinyl butyral) (PVB) (abstract and [0007]), said method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a solvent to a reclamation system ([0024], dissolution);
(b) adding PVB to the solvent and stirring ([0068], agitation) to form a PVB mixture, wherein the PVB mixture comprises a liquid portion comprising dissolved high PVOH PVB resin ([0032], high residual poly(vinyl alcohol) content. [0079], Table 3, Resin B) and plasticizer ([0069], dissolution of poly(vinyl butyral) results in a hazy solution due to non-poly(vinyl butyral) components, including plasticizer, see [0015]), and a solid portion comprising low PVOH PVB solids ([0032], low residual poly(vinyl alcohol) polymers is selectively precipitated and separated. [0079], Table 3, Resin A); and
(c) filtering the PVB mixture to remove the low PVOH PVB solids ([0033-0034], filtration follows dissolution).
(d) separating the residual high PVOH PVB resin and plasticizer from the low PVOH PVB solids, wherein the step (d) separating comprises adding the solvent to the low PVOH PVB resin to further dissolve and remove the high PVOH PVB resin and plasticizer ([0059]);
(e) measuring the level of plasticizer and high PVOH PVB in the low PVOH PVB solids ([0058]);
(f) repeating the steps (a) to (e) ([0066]);
wherein at least 80% of the high PVOH PVB resin is removed from the PVB ([0030] and [0079]).
Thompson does not teach that the PVB is recycled PVB.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the PVB of Thompson to be recycled PVB in order to significantly reduce the environmental footprint of poly(vinyl butyral) production as recycled poly(vinyl butyral) is less costly to produce than virgin poly(vinyl butyral) (Thompson, [0004]).
Additional Disclosures Included:
Claim 2: the removed low PVOH solids comprise residual high PVOH PVB resin and plasticizer ([0039-0040], precipitated resin is washed, as needed, to remove resident solvent/liquor).
Claim 8: step (b) comprises stirring at a temperature from about 5°C to about 60°C ([0079], Table 3, note solvent and temperature combinations where Resin A is insoluble and Resin B is soluble).
Claim 9: the recycled PVB is in the form of PVB pellets ([0011-0012], granulation. [0027], granules).
Claim 10: the reclamation system to which the recycled PVB is provided in step (a) comprises a batch reactor system ([0024], batch method).
Claim 11: the solvent added during step (a) comprises a mixture of water and alcohol ([0079], Table 3).
Claim 12: the reclamation system to which the recycled PVB is provided in step (a) comprises a continuous reclamation system ([0024], continuous process).
Claim 13: the recycled PVB is added to the solvent in an amount of at least 1 wt.% ([0025]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BOI-LIEN THI NGUYEN whose telephone number is (703)756-4613. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday, 8 am to 6 pm.
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/BOI-LIEN THI NGUYEN/Examiner, Art Unit 1779
/Bobby Ramdhanie/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1779
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