CTNF 18/753,008 CTNF 86835 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Election/Restrictions 08-06 AIA Claim s 19 and 20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected method , there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 5/12/26 . 08-25-01 AIA Applicant’s election without traverse of Claims 1-18 in the reply filed on 5/12/26 is acknowledged. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action: A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made. 07-23-aia AIA The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows: 1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. 2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue. 3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art. 4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 1-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tanner USPA_20230048175_A1 . 1. Regarding Claim 1-8, 11, and 13-17, Tanner discloses a green tape comprising a slurry precursor (corresponds to claimed grains) that is sintered (Abstract; paragraph 0004). Said slurry precursor (corresponds to claimed grains to be sintered) can be made of an oxide, phosphate, cobaltite, titanate, or sulfide that contains lithium or sodium, such as lithium iron phosphate (corresponds to claimed inorganic sinterable ceramic of instant Claims 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) (paragraph 0007) along with a binder (corresponds to claimed binder of instant Claim 1), such as PVB (corresponds to claimed binder of instant Claim 11) (paragraph 0047); wherein said lithium/sodium ceramic sinterable material can be at least 50 wt% of the total said slurry precursor that makes up said tape (Claim 11), which overlaps with the instantly claimed range of instant Claim 2. Tanner further discloses that said slurry precursor (corresponds to claimed grains to be sintered) can comprise a dispersant or plasticizer, such as dibutyl phthalate (paragraphs 0008, 0051), as well as additives that aid in processing (corresponds to claimed sintering aid additive) (paragraph 0051), as is being claimed in instant Claims 13-15. Tanner also discloses using lithium carbonate (paragraph 0046) thereby corresponding to the limitation of instant Claim 16. Tanner also discloses a width, length, and thickness of said tape that meets the claimed ranges of instant Claim 17 (paragraphs 0009, 0052, and 0077). Tanner also discloses using inorganic hydroxides that can exhibit an endothermic decomposition (paragraph 0051), as is being claimed in instant Claim 8. 2. However, Tanner does not explicitly disclose what concentration of said inorganic hydroxide can be used. 3. Tanner does disclose that the presence of transition metal oxides in said slurry can cause a catalytic combustion reaction during sintering; thus, in embodiments, said slurry may contain additives to prevent or reduce the severity of such combustion reactions. In particular, said slurry can contain materials with an endothermic decomposition like inorganic hydroxides (paragraph 0051). 4. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the concentration of the inorganic hydroxides, of Tanner, by using them in a concentration that is sufficient for preventing the severity of such combustion reaction. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated in using said inorganic hydroxide as a heat sink for absorbing the heat energy from a fire to break down into a metal oxide and water vapor; thereby starving the combustion reaction of the heat needed to sustain itself. Given that Tanner discloses this, indicates that this is a result-effective variable known within the art. Applicants have not indicated how the instantly claimed range results in unexpected and surprising properties. 5. Regarding Claims 9, 10, 12 and 18, although Tanner does not explicitly disclose the claimed limitations, the Examiner respectfully submits that these are all physical properties that ensue from the instant invention. Given that all of the limitations have been disclosed by Tanner, it would be expected for it to inherently possess such physical properties. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TAHSEEN KHAN whose telephone number is (571)270-1140. The examiner can normally be reached Mondays-Saturdays 08:00AM-10:00PM. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Frank Vineis can be reached at 5712701547. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /TAHSEEN KHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1781 May 29, 2026 Application/Control Number: 18/753,008 Page 2 Art Unit: 1781 Application/Control Number: 18/753,008 Page 3 Art Unit: 1781 Application/Control Number: 18/753,008 Page 4 Art Unit: 1781 Application/Control Number: 18/753,008 Page 5 Art Unit: 1781
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