DETAILED ACTION
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 1-5 and 9-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Seidler, US 2020/0262185 A1.
Regarding claim 1, Seidler teaches an interlayer for a laminated composite (1001 of Fig. 1), the interlayer comprising a thickness ([0024]), a polymer resin composition ([0017], [0037]), and a plurality of deformable, visible, light-reflecting body precursors (300 of Fig. 1, [0020], [0027]).
Regarding claims 2 and 3, Seidler teaches that the precursor bodies may be paillettes ([0012]), which are a substantially flat plate-like shape that includes a first surface and opposite second surface.
Regarding claims 4 and 5, Applicant’s specification teaches that the precursor bodies of Seidler are capable of deforming in the claimed manner ([0054] of Applicant’s specification), and there is no apparent reason why the precursor bodies of Seidler would be incapable of deforming in the claimed manner if property manipulated. Note that Seidler teaches that the precursor bodies may deform into a concave shape ([0027]).
Regarding claims 9-11, Seidler teaches a composite glazing as discussed above. Seidler teaches that the composite glazing may comprise a first and second transparent substrate (100 and 200 of Fig. 1), and an interlayer comprising a thickness ([0024]), a polymer resin composition ([0017], [0037]), and a plurality of deformable, visible, light-reflecting bodies (300 of Fig. 1, [0020], [0027]). Seidler teaches that the light-reflecting bodies may have a concave shape ([0027]), with such a concave shape corresponding to the claimed “cupped” shape.
Regarding claim 12, Seidler teaches a method for forming a laminate composite glazing, the method comprising (a) providing a first and second interlayer component sheet (3001 and 3002 of Fig. 3), each interlayer component sheet comprising a substrate (112 and 113 of Fig. 3) and a plurality of deformable, visible, light-reflecting precursor bodies (302 and 303 of Fig. 3), (b) assembling the first and second interlayer component sheets to form a multilayer interlayer precursor ([0091]), (c) assembling the laminated composite glazing precursors with the multilayer interlayer precursors therebetween (Fig. 3), and (d) subjecting the glazing precursor to laminating conditions to form a composite glazing ([0095]). Seidler teaches that the laminating conditions may deform the light-reflecting precursor bodies to distort into a concave shape ([0027]), the concave shape corresponding to the claimed “cupped” shape.
Regarding claims 13 and 14, Seidler teaches that the light-reflecting bodies may be arranged in a grid pattern ([0119], [0123]).
Regarding claim 15, Seidler teaches the presence of various other sheets (e.g. 212, 202 of Fig. 3) positioned between the first and second interlayer component sheets, any of which may be regarded as corresponding to the claimed “spacer” sheet.
Regarding claim 16, Seidler teaches applying an additional layer (213 of Fig. 3) to the outward-facing surface of interlayer component sheet 113, and layer 213 may be regarded as corresponding to the claimed “optical cap sheet.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Ian A Rummel whose telephone number is (571)270-5692. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday and alternating Fridays, 8:30-5:00.
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/IAN A RUMMEL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1785