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 Objections
Claims 2-8, 10, 12-16, and 25 are objected to because of the following informalities:
The preamble of claims 2-8, 10, and 12-16 should be replaced with “The reversibly adhesive film” in order to provide consistency with the preamble of independent claim 1 (“A reversibly adhesive film”).
As to claim 8, at lines 2 and 3, replace “comprises” before “a Young’s modulus” with “has” to better characterize the claimed invention.
As to claim 9, at lines 1-2, replace “the film defines” with “the film has”. Further, at line 4, replace “N/cm2” with “N/cm2”.
As to claim 25, at line 3, insert “the” before “first film layer”.
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 1-8, 10, 12-16, 18, 20-23, and 25 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.
As to claim 1, this claim at line 2, recites “at least two hydroxy-bearing polymer chains”. The meets and bounds of the recitation “polymer chains” are unclear. It is not clear whether applicant intends to claim a polymer having at least two hydroxyl groups, a polymer having a hydroxyl group and another polymer having a hydroxyl group to arrive at least two hydroxyl groups etc. For purpose of the examination, the aforementioned recitation is interpreted to be a polymer e.g. polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) having at least two hydroxyl groups.
As to claim 2, this claim at line 1 recites “the boronic ester bonds”. There is a lack of antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is unclear whether this recitation refers to “one or more boronic ester bonds” of parent claim 1.
As to claim 4, this claim recites “multiboronic acid”. It is unclear what is meant by this recitation.
As to claim 5, this claim recites “a polymer chain comprises a diol”. It is unclear whether “a polymer chain” refers to “the at least two hydroxyl-bearing polymer chains” of parent claim 1.
As to claim 6, this claim recites “polymer chains comprise polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)”. It is unclear whether “polymer chains” refers to “at least two hydroxyl-bearing polymer chains” or additional polymer chains.
As to claims 10 and 12, this claim recites “reversible single-joint lap shear adhesion” and “reversible tensile adhesion”, respectively. It is unclear what is meant by “reversible” in the context of “single-joint lap shear adhesion” and “tensile adhesion”.
As to claim 13, the scope of this claim is unclear. It is unclear whether the water-impervious packaging is within the reversibly adhesive film or the reversibly adhesive film is inside the water-impervious packaging.
The examiner respectfully submits that claim 13 should be written as “A water-impervious packaging comprising the reversibly adhesive film of claim 1.”
As to claim 14, this claim is ambiguous. The claim at line 2 recites “the hydroxyl-bearing polymer”. There is a lack of antecedent basis with respect to this limitation in the claim. Further, it is unclear what weight ratio of (i) to (ii) is specifically required, because the only weight ratio specified is optional (“optionally being from about…”). Accordingly, it is unclear what weight ratio is encompassed by claim 14.
As to claim 15, this claim recites weight ratio “up to about 30 wt%” and “more preferably, up to about 20 wt%”. A broad range or limitation together with a narrow range or limitation that falls within the broad range or limitation (in the same claim) may be considered indefinite if the resulting claim does not clearly set forth the metes and bounds of the patent protection desired. See MPEP § 2173.05(c).
In the present instance, claim recites the broad recitation up to about 30 wt%, and the claim also recites up to about 20 wt% which is the narrower statement of the range/limitation. The claim(s) are considered indefinite because there is a question or doubt as to whether the feature introduced by such narrower language is (a) merely exemplary of the remainder of the claim, and therefore not required, or (b) a required feature of the claims.
As to claim 18, this claim recites “time sufficient to give rise to adhesion…”. It is unclear what is considered to be “time sufficient”. The meets and bounds of the recitation “time sufficient” are unclear.
As to claim 22, this claim recites “at least two first hydroxyl-bearing polymer chains” and “at least two second hydroxyl-bearing polymer chains”. It is unclear what is meant by the aforementioned recitation. For example, it is unclear whether applicant intends to claim a first film layer comprising a polymer having at least two hydroxyl groups, and a second film layer comprising a polymer having at least two hydroxyl groups.
Further, as to claim 22, this claim recites “the first hydroxyl-bearing polymer chains differs from the second hydroxyl-bearing polymer chains in one or more of composition and concentration”. While a polymer chains can differ from each other in composition by e.g. having different types of atoms/groups in each chain, it is unclear how the polymer chains differs in terms of “concentration”.
Further, as to claim 22, this claim recites “the boronic ester bonds are present in the first film layer at a different density than the boronic ester bonds in the second film layer”. It is unclear what is meant by “different density”.
As to claim 23, this claim recites “the first hydroxyl-bearing polymer chains” and “the second hydroxyl-bearing polymer chains”. There is a lack of antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Anuj Kumar et al., “PVA-based hydrogels for tissue engineering: A review”.
Mingtao Chen et al., “Fast, strong, and reversible adhesives with dynamic covalent bonds for potential use in wound dressings”.
US 2439107 discloses coating with polyvinyl alcohol.
US 3213051 discloses polyvinyl acetate and polyvinyl alcohol adhesives.
US 3324065 discloses polyvinyl alcohol adhesives.
US 3668166 discloses polyvinyl alcohol adhesives.
US 3580254 discloses bandage containing medicinal material.
US 20210024452 A1 discloses reversible adhesive compositions.
US 20230397870 A1 discloses conductive hydrogel-based wearable health monitors.
US 12054653 B2 discloses adhesive material with triggerable on-demand detachment.
US 20260110139 A1 discloses crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol adhesives.
Bruce, Duncan, “Developments in testing adhesive joints”.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANISH P DESAI whose telephone number is (571)272-6467. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:00 am ET to 4:30 PM ET.
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/ANISH P DESAI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1788 May 20, 2026
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