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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claim 17 is withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 3/30/2026.
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.
Claim 15 is 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 15 recites the limitation "the melting" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For the purpose of examination, the claim will be treated as depending from Claim 2.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-14, 16, and 18-20 are allowed.
Claim 15 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The closest prior art is Keshavan (US 20200173033) and Landwehr (US 20190284673). Keshavan teaches a method for protecting a coated substrate having a porous ceramic barrier coating (abstract), the method comprising: applying a nitrate salt to the ceramic barrier coating ([0026]); infiltrating the salt into porosity of the ceramic barrier coating ([0026]); decomposing the infiltrated solution into solid oxide particles by heating ([0028]). Landwehr teaches infiltration under vacuum ([0160-0161]). The prior art does not teach or suggest a method as claimed of infiltrating a molten acetate and/or nitrate salt, solidifying the infiltrated molten salt, and sintering the solidified salt. The prior art does not teach or suggest sintering the solidified salt so as to oxidize and liberate carbon and/or nitrogen.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TABATHA L PENNY whose telephone number is (571)270-5512. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00.
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/TABATHA L PENNY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1712
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