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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed 2/25/2026, with respect to the 35 U.S.C. 112 and 103 rejections have been fully considered and are persuasive in view of Applicant’s amendments. The rejections have been withdrawn. However, upon further search and consideration, a new ground of rejection is entered in view of Zaizen et al. (WO 2020/262063).
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 8-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oda et al. (US 2021/0134500) in view of Zaizen et al. (WO 2020/262063). For convenience, reference to Zaizen is made to English equivalent US 2022/0278566.
Regarding claim 1, Oda teaches a non-oriented electrical steel sheet (¶¶ 1-2) that comprises an inner layer and surface layers provided on both sides of the inner layer (¶ 10). The surface layer contains 0.001%-0.01% C, 2.5%-6.0% Si (¶ 11) and 0.001%-0.1% Sn and/or Sb (¶ 25). The inner layer contains 0.001%-0.01% C, 1.5%-5.0% Si (¶ 15), and 0.001%-0.1% Sn and/or Sb (¶ 25). A ΔSi content between the surface layer and the inner layer is 0.5% or more (¶ 19). A ratio t1/t of the total surface layer thicknesses to the total thickness is 0.10-0.70.
Oda does not expressly teach the inner or outer layers of the electrical steel sheet contain 0.001%-0.005% Co. Zaizen discloses a non-oriented electrical steel sheet (¶ 2) and teaches adding Co, in addition to Ni, Cu, and Cr, in a total amount of 0.01%-1.0% mass in order to reduce iron loss and increase steel strength (¶¶104-105). This imputes a Co content of up to 1.0% mass. It would have been obvious at the effective time of filing for the claimed invention for one of ordinary skill in the art to include Co as taught by Zaizen in the electrical steel sheet of Oda to reduce iron loss and increase strength. The ranges of the prior art combination overlap the claimed ranges, creating a prima facie case of obviousness. See MPEP 2144.05 I.
Oda does not expressly disclose a ratio B50/Bs or an iron loss W10/800. However, the present invention states that meeting the claimed B50/Bs and the necessary iron loss W10/800 for satisfying formula (1) is dependent upon the claimed ΔSi being within the claimed range of 0.1%-0.5% and the thickness ratio being between the claimed range of 0.04-0.78 (see Spec., ¶¶ 27-29; see also Figs. 1-3). The electrical steel sheet of Oda falls within these parameters. Additionally, the thickness of the steel sheet of Oda is 0.03-0.3 mm (¶ 21), which is substantially similar to the thickness of 0.03-0.20 mm used for the present invention. Accordingly, one of ordinary skill in the art would expect the electrical steel sheet of the prior art combination to meet the claimed B50/Bs ratio and the claimed formula (1), absent objective evidence to the contrary. See MPEP 2112.
Regarding claim 2, Nakajima teaches including 0.01%-5% Ni (¶¶ 52-53), 0.0001%-0.03% Ca, Mg, and REM (¶¶ 50-51), and 0.20% or less P (¶¶ 40-41) in the electrical steel sheet. The prior art ranges overlap the claimed ranges, creating a prima facie case of obviousness. See MPEP 2144.05 I.
Regarding claims 8 and 10, Oda in view of Nakajima does not expressly teach the maximum intensity value of {100} plane integration degree is 6.0 or more in a Φ2 = 45° section. However, the present specification states this is achieved by having the claimed amounts of Co, Sn, Sb, and P (see Spec., ¶ 42). The composition of the prior art combination meets the claimed Co, Sn, Sb, and P amounts. Accordingly, one of ordinary skill in the art would expect the electrical steel sheet of the prior art combination to exhibit the claimed maximum intensity value of {100} plane integration degree is 6.0 or more in a Φ2 = 45° section, absent objective evidence to the contrary. See MPEP 2112.
Regarding claims 9 and 11, the steel sheet of Oda has a thickness of 0.03-0.3 mm (¶ 21) which overlaps the claimed ranges, creating a prima facie case of obviousness. See MPEP 2144.05 I.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to XIAOBEI WANG whose telephone number is (571)270-5705. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8AM-5PM EST.
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/XIAOBEI WANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1784