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 § 102
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2, 4-8, and 10-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kobayashi et al (JP 2014055854).
With regards to claim 1, Kobayashi teaches a neutron exposure preventing structure (title) that prevents radiation exposure by neutrons emitted during neutron therapy (0001) that includes boron having a mass number of 10 (0018) and polymer materials (0026) that include polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene (0017) (as applicants cite in the specification as reading on the light transmitting material) in the form of a molded body (0026).
With regards to claims 2 and 8, Kobayashi teaches the amount of Boron in the neutron conversion materials to be at least 99% (0018).
With regards to claims 4 and 10, Kobayashi teaches the Boron compound to include oxides, nitrides, carbides, silicates (reading on inorganic), borides, and salts (0018).
With regards to claims 5-6 and 11-12, Kobayashi teaches the polymer compound to include polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene (0017).
With regards to claim 7, Kobayashi teaches the process of making to include mixing each material (0015) and ending in a molded product (0026) reading on a solid product.
With regards to claim 13, Kobayashi teaches the boron to be in its natural form (0018) and mixed with the polyolefin (0015).
Claims 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Watanabe et al (WO 2017213265) with US 11,211,178 used for citation purposes.
With regards to claim 1, Watanabe teaches a neutron shielding material (abstract) having excellent transparency and high neutron shielding ability (abstract) that is formed from an epoxy resin (column 3 lines 47-49) and a Boron compound with the 10B being the most preferred (column 5 lines 39-62). Watanabe teaches the material to be a molded material (column 1, lines 39-42).
With regards to claims 2 and 8, Watanabe teaches the amount of 10B to be 80.2% (column 5, lines 45-59).
With regards to claims 3 and 9, Watanabe teaches the amount of Boron to be from 0.1 to 13 wt% (column 6, lines 4-5).
With regards to claims 4 and 10, Watanabe teaches the Boron to include Boron nitride or Boron oxide (column 5, lines 39-44).
With regards to claims 5-6 and 11-12, Watanabe teaches the additive material to be an epoxy resin (column 3 lines 47-49).
With regards to claim 7, Watanabe teaches the process of making to include mixing the starting materials (column 6, lines 52-56) followed by a molding method wherein the composition is shaped and solidified (column 7, lines 5-12).
With regards to claim 13, Watanabe teaches the Boron to be in powder form (column 5, lines 39-44).
With regards to claim 14, Watanabe teaches the composition to be the epoxy compound and a curing agent (column 7, lines 42-57).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The following reference teach a neutron shielding material that contains a Boron compound but does not specify the use of a Boron with a mass number of 10: Sauti et al (WO 2011/139384).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JESSICA WHITELEY whose telephone number is (571)272-5203. The examiner can normally be reached 8 - 5:00.
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/JESSICA WHITELEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1763
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