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 1-15 and 35 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 1 and 35 recite the limitation “wherein the first layer is positioned between the second layer and the composite component” and also recites “A coating system for a composite component” in the preamble. It is not clear if the composite component is required since the claim recites a layer order with respect to a composite component and also subsequently recites “for a composite component”. If Applicant is intending to claim just the layers and not the composite component, the layer order is not given patentable weight as the coating system order is only relevant when the composite component is positively recited. Claims 2-15 are rejected as being dependent upon claim 1. Clarification is requested.
Claims 5-7 and 35 recite specific ranges with respect to the additives. It is not clear if the weight percentage is in light of the total weight of the layer or with respect to specific components. Examiner assumes either scenario would meet the limitations and is examined as such. Clarification is requested.
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.
Claims 1-6, 10-14, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Eibon et al. (US 20120107584).
Eibon discloses solar reflective coating systems. Concerning claim 1, Eibon discloses the coating system comprises a layer comprising a first coating layer comprising a visibly absorbing infrared transparent pigment that reflects at a wavelength of 750 to 900 nm (NIR wavelength range) of at least 90% that forms a color and a second coating layer that is positioned below the first coating layer when the system is disposed on a substrate, wherein this second layer comprises a thin flake metal and a visibly absorbing infrared transparent pigment that reflects 90% of light in the wavelength range of 750 to 900 nm (NIR) wherein the visibly absorbing infrared transparent pigment forms a color (para. 0026-0062). Examiner notes the first coating layer is equivalent to the claimed second layer and the second coating layer is equivalent to the claimed first layer.
Regarding claim 2, the coating has desired color (para. 0026). Concerning claim 3, Eibon discloses the first coating layer (equivalent to the claimed second layer) has a CIELAB L* value of 40 which would be a gray color and meet the limitations. Examiner notes that the L* range is from 0 to 100 wherein 0 is black and 100 is white and as such, the color would be gray.
In regards to claims 4-6, the thin flake metal is formed from the claimed metal at a content of 1 to 25 wt% (para. 0042-0049). With respect to claims 10-13, given that the materials are the same as that claimed, second coating layer (equivalent to the claimed first layer) comprises a metallic flake which is the same as that claimed and the first coating layer (equivalent to the claimed second layer) comprises a material that reflects IR, the function and solar absorptivity within the wavelength range as claimed would be the same. Regarding claim 14, the coating system further includes a clear coat (para. 0025). Concerning claim 16, the above coating system is disposed onto an aircraft composite component (para. 0015).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Eibon et al. (US 20120107584).
Eibon discloses the above, including the thickness of each coating is from 0.01 to 20 mils which overlaps and includes the claimed ranges (para. 0061 and Table 5). With respect to claim 22, Eibon discloses the substrate can be a composite material for an aircraft, wherein the recitation of “aerospace component” includes and encompasses the components as claimed. Alternatively, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to apply the coating structure to any of the claimed components in order to take advantage of the
Claims 7, 15, and 35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Eibon et al. (US 20120107584) in view of Decker et al. (WO 2011/056564).
Eibon discloses the above, including the use of pigments in the first coating layer (equivalent to the claimed second layer) and polyurethane for each layer (para. 0032, 0040, and 0042). However, Eibon is silent the claimed titanium dioxide in the first coating layer (equivalent to the claimed second layer) and amount thereof.
Decker discloses adding IR reflecting pigments in to the first coating layer (equivalent to the claimed second layer) for reflection in the IR range at a content of 1 to 50 wt% (para. 0017-0098). As such, for reflection in the IR range, one of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to add titanium oxide in the claimed range.
Claims 22, 30, and 32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Eibon et al. (US 20120107584) in view of Veerabhadraswamy (IJRAR Journal).
Eibon discloses the above but is silent to the specific components as claimed and materials thereof.
Veerabhadraswamy discloses composite structures of aircraft, wherein the composite components are formed from fiber reinforced plastics used in forming the fuselage, wings and tail for example and the fiber reinforced plastic is formed from glass, aramid, or carbon and the plastic is a phenolic (i.e. thermosetting resin), epoxy, or thermoplastic (pp. 255-258). Such structures allow for high performance and weight reduction (p. 254). As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the claimed materials to form the composite component.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PRASHANT J KHATRI whose telephone number is (571)270-3470. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10AM-6:30PM.
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PRASHANT J. KHATRI
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1783
/PRASHANT J KHATRI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1783
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