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 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 14 and 16 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.
Claim 14 recites the limitation "the acid" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For purposes of continued examination, the Examiner is considering the claim to be dependent on claim 13 which introduces an acid.
Regarding claim 16, the limitation of the “effective amount” is unclear as the claim does not say what is in an effective amount. The Examiner assumes it is the entire composition as given in claim 1, but clarification is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Furman, JR et al, US Patent Publication 2006/0272787 (already of record).
Regarding claim 1, Furman Jr teaches a method of improving a papermaking process (see abstract), comprising:
adding an effective amount of a composition (release aid, se example 1 and abstract) to a foraminous surface (see claim 17), wherein the composition comprises an oil [0023-0029], an emulsifying surfactant [0031], and a formulation aid (see claim 11);
contacting the foraminous surface with a furnish comprising water and pulp ([0021] and example 1);
draining the water through the foraminous surface (see formation steps of example 1 [0056-0058]);
forming a sheet comprising the pulp on the foraminous surface(see example 1 and described in [0020]); and
conveying the sheet (claim 17 step c).
Regarding claim 2, Furman Jr remains as applied above and further teaches further comprising conveying the sheet to a fabric, a felt, a belt, a dryer, or any combination thereof (see abstract and claims 17-19).
Regarding claim 3, Furman Jr remains as applied above and further teaches adding the composition through chemical shower [0038-0041].
Regarding claim 4, Furman Jr remains as applied above and further teaches adding the composition before the sheet is formed or conveyed (applied to the Yankee dryer before conveyed to the creping roll (see example and claims 17-19).
Regarding claim 5, Furman Jr remains as applied above and further teaches adding the composition in a forming zone of a papermaking machine [0040].
Regarding claim 6, Furman Jr remains as applied above and further teaches adding the composition to a side of the foraminous surface that contacts the sheet [0040].
Regarding claim 7, Furman Jr remains as applied above and further teaches adding the composition when the sheet has a moisture content from about 80 wt. % to about 99.9 wt. % (80% Example 1 [0057]).
Regarding claim 8, Furman Jr remains as applied above and further teaches transferring the dried sheet to a creping process and/or a converting process (see claims 18-19 and examples), and further comprising reducing dust generation during the creping process and/or the converting process (as the claims do not state how this dust generation is reduced it is assumed that it is through the application of the same composition to the forming members, which is directly taught).
Regarding claim 9, Furman Jr remains as applied above and further teaches wherein the composition comprises from about 50wt. % to about 95 wt. % of the oil (see claims 8 and 9).
Regarding claim 10, Furman Jr remains as applied above and further teaches wherein the emulsifying surfactant is an ethoxylated alcohol [0031].
Regarding claim 11, Furman Jr remains as applied above and further teaches wherein the ethoxylated alcohol comprises a C1- C₁₆ ethoxylated alcohol (see claim 9).
Regarding claim 12, Furman Jr remains as applied above and further teaches wherein the composition comprises from about 1 wt. % to about 25 wt. % of the emulsifying surfactant [003].
Regarding claims 13-14, Furman Jr remains as applied above and further teaches that the formulation aid is selected from a tall oil fatty acid [0029-0031].
Regarding claim 15, Furman Jr remains as applied above and further teaches wherein the composition comprises from about 1wt. % to about 20 wt. % of the formulation aid [0060].
Regarding claim 16, Furman Jr remains as applied above and further teaches the effective amount is between about 1 and about 60 mg/m² [0037].
Regarding claim 17, Furman Jr remains as applied above and further teaches that the foraminous surface comprises a forming fabric [0057 and 0002].
Regarding claim 18, Furman Jr remains as applied above and further teaches wherein the sheet comprises a natural fiber, a synthetic fiber, a chemical pulp, a mechanical pulp, a vegetable fiber, a recycled fiber, a filler, or any combination thereof [0021].
Regarding claims 19-20, Furman Jr remains as applied above and further teaches wherein the composition is not added after conveying the sheet in the claimed amounts (the Example 1 does not show these limitations).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JACOB T MINSKEY whose telephone number is (571)270-7003. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-6 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abbas Rashid can be reached at 5712707475. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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JACOB T. MINSKEY
Examiner
Art Unit 1741
/JACOB T MINSKEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1748