DETAILED ACTION
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 2-5 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.
Claims 2-3 are indefinite because the “fluorine-containing ethylenic copolymer” has no antecedent basis. Note that only fluorine polymer is recited in claim 1 upon which claims 2-3 depend.
Claims 4-5 are deemed indefinite in view of their dependency on claim 1.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 and 6-12 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: None of the prior art references of record teach or suggest a powder coating comprising carbon nanotube present in an amount of 0.01 to 0.35 mass% based on the total amount of the electroconductive material, which includes the carbon nanotube, and a fluorine-containing ethylenic polymer. As shown in the instant specificatwion, when the amount of carbon nanotube exceeds 0.35 mass%, the coating cannot be formed.
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HOA (Holly) LE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1788
/HOA (Holly) LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1788