Prosecution Insights
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Application No. 18/838,351

METHOD FOR FORMING THREE-DIMENSIONALLY SHAPED IMPACT ABSORPTION LAYER BY USING UV PARALLEL LIGHT IN MULTILAYERED LAMINATED STRUCTURE AND IMPACT ABSORPTION LAYER FORMED THEREBY

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Nov 22, 2024
Priority
Feb 15, 2022 — RE 10-2022-0019359 +1 more
Examiner
TADAYYON ESLAMI, TABASSOM
Art Unit
1718
Tech Center
1700 — Chemical & Materials Engineering
Assignee
Kyungpook National University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
49%
Grant Probability
Moderate
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 11m
Est. Remaining
76%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 49% of resolved cases
49%
Career Allowance Rate
385 granted / 784 resolved
-15.9% vs TC avg
Strong +27% interview lift
Without
With
+27.4%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 5m
Avg Prosecution
38 currently pending
Career history
844
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.1%
-39.9% vs TC avg
§103
93.2%
+53.2% vs TC avg
§102
3.4%
-36.6% vs TC avg
§112
2.3%
-37.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 784 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
DETAILED ACTION 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 . Applicant’s election without traverse of group I in the reply filed on 03/20/26 is acknowledged. Claims 2-8 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected group II. III, and IV, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 03/20/26. 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. Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ju Ki Kang et al (KR 101696814, here after Kang), further in view of T. A. Schaedler et al, Science 18(2011) vol 334, 962-965, here after Schaedler, and Ju Ki Kang et al (KR 101707138, here after Kang-2). Claim 1 is rejected. Schaedler teaches forming a low density 3-D cellular structure as shock energy damping layer (impact absorption) [abstract, fig. 1], comprising applying a composition (photo monomer) for forming an impact absorption layer on top of a substrate [fig. 1]; (c) placing a photomask (40) on top of the composition layer [fig. 1]; (d) irradiating UV parallel light onto the photomask from two directions at an angle greater than 0° and less than 90° with respect to a plane perpendicular to an exposure plane so that an impact absorption layer skeletal support is cured in parallel with the angle of the parallel light [fig. 1, step A and B]; and obviously (e) removing the photomask. Schaedler does not teach step b, and step c. Kang teaches a method for forming a three-dimensionally shaped low density cellular material [page 2, Background Art lines 1-2] using UV parallel light in a multilayered laminated structure, comprising: (a) applying a composition (110) for forming an impact absorption layer on top of a substrate[S10]; (b) forming a layer (32, ultraviolet ray transmitting plate) on top of the composition; (c) placing a photomask (40) on top of the polymer layer [fig. 4 S10]; (d) irradiating UV parallel light onto the photomask from two directions at an angle greater than 0° and less than 90° with respect to a plane perpendicular to an exposure plane so that an impact absorption layer skeletal support (122) is cured in parallel with the angle of the parallel light [S10, S20 page 3 last paragraph]; and (e) removing the photomask[S20] and irradiating UV light having a lower intensity than that of the UV parallel light( knowing the maximum penetration achieved when radiation is perpendicular to surface, while oblique angles increase reflection and decreases penetration depth, the intensity of UV parallel light should be higher than the perpendicular UV light to penetrate the layer) to form a buffering portion (112) around the skeletal support, thereby completing a three-dimensionally shaped layer [S30B page 6 paragraph 5-6]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to have a method of Schaedler and have method of Kang with having a resin layer, because it makes the structure more flexible and stronger. Kang does not teach the ultraviolet ray transmitting plate (32) is polymer. Kang-2 teaches a method of making a low density 3-D cellular structure [abstract, page 2 Background-Art lines 1-2], and apply liquid photosensitive resin to the upper and lower ultraviolet transmitting plate then curing [page 5 last 4 lines]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to have a method of Schaedler and Kang and have the ultraviolet transmitting plate coated with a polymer(resin), because it is suitable way to make a low density 3-D cellular structure. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TABASSOM TADAYYON ESLAMI whose telephone number is (571)270-1885. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30-6. 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, Gordon Baldwin can be reached at 5712725166. 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. /TABASSOM TADAYYON ESLAMI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1718
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Nov 22, 2024
Application Filed
Apr 13, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
49%
Grant Probability
76%
With Interview (+27.4%)
3y 5m (~1y 11m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 784 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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