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 .
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(s) 1-4, 6-10, 20, 22, 24 and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Demiglio et al (US PG Pub. No. 2020/0271981) in view of Lin et al, US Patent No. 9595093, col. 1, lines 18-26).
Regarding Claim 1, Demiglio discloses, at least in figure 1: A variable light transmission cell (abstract), comprising: a rigid substrate (16, ¶ [0034]) with high complexity curvature (see figure 2) coated with a transparent (¶ [0012]) conductive coating (to form the electrodes, ¶ [0024]), wherein said transparent conductive coating is in electrical contact with a first electrical connector (the connector of the power source, ¶ [0024], last 2 lines, voltage applied needs two connectors); a flexible substrate (24,¶ [0021]) coated with a transparent conductive coating (¶ [0024]), wherein said conductive coating is in electrical contact with a second electrical connector (the second terminal of the power source); and an electrically controlled variable light transmission material (22, LC,¶ [0024]) filling the gap between the rigid (16) and the flexible substrates (24)spacers in between the rigid and the flexible substrates to maintain a uniform gap between the substrates (¶ [0027]); an edge seal (fig. 3, element4 40, ¶ [0060], adhesive).
Demiglio fails to disclose: 1.) at least one alignment layer deposited over the transparent conductive coating of either or each one of said rigid and flexible substrates;
The coating acts as the electrodes and alignment layers are always placed on the electrodes and when rubbed add a tilt to the LC molecules which reduces their response time to an applied voltage (see Lin et al, US Patent No. 9595093, col. 1, lines 18-26).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to provide at least one alignment layer over the coating (electrodes) of Demiglio, as taught by Lin, to increase the response time of the LC molecules to an applied voltage.
Regarding Claim 2, Demiglio discloses: wherein the first and second electrical connectors serve to conduct electrical current (voltage) between said cell (LC) and an electrical current source (voltage is applied, end of paragraph [0024]).
Regarding Claim 3, Demiglio discloses in figure 3: wherein said edge seal (adhesive 40) serves to bond (it is adhesive) and seal the rigid (16) and the flexible substrates (24) positioned such that the transparent conductive coating of each one of said substrates are facing each other.(the electrodes face each other with alignment layer between).
Regarding Claim 4, Demiglio discloses in figure 2: wherein the flexible substrate (24) is formed to the rigid substrate (16) taking the same high complexity curvature.
Regarding Claim 6, Demiglio discloses: wherein the rigid substrate (16) and the flexible substrate (24) comprise plastic layers selected from the group of: PMMA, PC, PET, PETG, PETA, PEN, PI, TAC, COP, LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE, PP or glass layers selected from the group of: soda lime, aluminosilicate, borosilicate, among other types of transparent glass (¶ [0046], (24) is (PEN), next to last line)(¶ [0035], (16) borosilicate))
Regarding Claim 7, Demiglio discloses: wherein the rigid substrate (glass) has a different Elastic Modulus than the flexible substrate(flexible polymer). (this is inherent, flexible versus rigid. Also, see paragraph [0044]))
Regarding Claim 8, Demiglio discloses: wherein the axial stiffness of the rigid substrate is at least 50% greater than the axial stiffness of the flexible substrate.(¶ [0051], young’s modulus is 10 times more).
Regarding Claim 9, Demiglio discloses: wherein the rigid substrate (16) is thicker than the flexible substrate (24)(¶ [0050]).
Regarding Claim 10, Demiglio discloses: wherein the transparent conductive coating is selected from the group comprising: metallic/dielectric, ITO (¶[0071], tin doped indium oxide), ITO over a metallic/dielectric, carbon nanotubes, silver nanowires, ITO plus carbon nanotubes, ITO plus silver nanowires, or polymeric conductive coating.
Regarding Claim 20, Demiglio discloses in figures 1-2: A method of manufacture of variable light transmission cell (LC), comprising the steps of: providing a rigid substrate (16); applying a transparent conductive coating to said rigid substrate (¶ [0024]); applying a first electrical connector to said rigid substrate (16) wherein said first electrical connector is in electrical contact with said transparent conductive coating; forming said rigid substrate (16) to the desired shape such as to form a high complexity curvature (figure 2); providing a flexible substrate (24); applying an alignment layer over the transparent conductive coating of said rigid, or flexible, or both substrates prior or after forming the rigid substrate (16) applying a transparent conductive coating to said flexible substrate (¶ [0024]); applying a second electrical connector to said flexible substrate (16) wherein said second electrical connector (two coatings are two electrodes which inherently two connectors to connect them to voltage wiring) is in electrical contact with said flexible transparent conductive coating (¶[0024]); applying spacers to said rigid substrate or applying spacers to said flexible substrate or applying spacers to the gap between the two substrates such that the gap formed is uniform (¶ [0027]); bringing the two substrates together (figure 1 or 2) with the transparent conductive coating on the flexible and rigid substrates facing each other (the electrodes (coatings) must face each other (and the alignment layer) to function)such that the flexible substrate (24) is formed to the rigid substrate (16) taking the same high complexity curvature (see fig. 2) and forming an assembly; sealing (with adhesive 40, fig. 3) and bonding the edges of the assembly with an edge seal (shown in fig. 3); and filling the gap of said sealed assembly with an electrically controllable variable light transmission material(22, liquid crystal) .
Demiglio fails to disclose: 1.) at least one alignment layer deposited over the transparent conductive coating of either or each one of said rigid and flexible substrates;
The coating acts as the electrodes and alignment layers are always placed on the electrodes and when rubbed add a tilt to the LC molecules which reduces their response time to an applied voltage (see Lin et al, US Patent No. 9595093, col. 1, lines 18-26).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to provide at least one alignment layer over the coating (electrodes) of Demiglio, as taught by Lin, to increase the response time of the LC molecules to an applied voltage.
The claimed method is obvious in light of the finished products of Demiglio’s figures 1 and 2.
Regarding Claim 22, ,Demiglio disclose: wherein the rigid substrate is formed prior to the application of the transparent conductive coating (otherwise you have nothing to coat it on).
Regarding Claim 24, ,Demiglio discloses: wherein spacers are applied to at least one either of said substrates prior to said substrate being formed. (the spacers separate the two substrates and necessarily must be applied to one or the other before combining the substrates.
Regarding Claim 26, Demiglio discloses: wherein the curved rigid substrate (16) is used as a mold to form the flexible substrate (24)(¶ [0046], (24 is formed to conform with the contours (of the rigid) (16).
Claim(s) 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Demiglio (981) and Line (093) and further in view of Kujawa et al (Canadian Pub. No. CA 2803535, English machine translation attached).
Regarding Claim 11, Demiglio fails to disclose: wherein the first and second electrical connectors are selected from the group of: thin metal strip, solid wire, stranded wire, braided wire, flexible printed circuit, conductive ink, silver frit, and conductive tape.
Kujawa teaches supplying power to the first and second electrodes of a LC device using a metal strip (81,copper) and a conductive tape (Page 13, last paragraph).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to provide power to the coating electrodes of Demiglio using metal strips and conductive tape, as taught by Kujawa, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice, In re Leshin,125USPQ 416.
Claim(s) 12-15 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Demiglio (981) in view of Lin (093) and further in view of Li (US PG Pub. No. 2020/0409208).
Regarding Claim 12, Demiglio discloses in figures 1-2: A glazing with high complexity curvature having the variable light transmission cell (LC) , wherein the glazing comprises: at least two glass layers (¶ [0011], all substrates are rigid glass) with high complexity curvature (figure 2) with each having first and second major surfaces (fig. 2); at least one Ultraviolet blocking layer (¶ [0053], coating);
Demiglio fails to disclose: and at least one optically clear adhesive layer serving to bond the variable light transmission cell either between the at least two glass layers or, in the case where one of said at least two glass layers serves as the rigid substrate of the variable light transmission cell, said at least one optically clear adhesive bonds the cell to the other of said two glass layers to the glazing.
Li teaches sealing substrates of and LC device (title) with OCA (¶ [0102], fig. 5D, elements 520 and 522).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use an optically clear adhesive, as taught by Li, to bond the substrates of Demiglio, to provide mechanical stability and to allow unobstructed transmission of light.
Regarding Claim 13, Demiglio discloses in paragraph [0068]), further comprising at least one Infrared reflecting layer.
Regarding Claim 14, Demiglio discloses in paragraph [0068] wherein said at least one Infrared reflecting layer comprises an IR reflective film layer or an IR reflecting coating (it is a coating) applied to at least one glass layer of the glazing (one or more).
Regarding Claim 15,Demiglio fails to disclose: wherein said at least one Ultraviolet protection layer provides a light transmission of less than 5% in the wavelength range of 280 nm to 410 nm.
However, 280-410nm is the UV range and applicant has not shown how a less than 5% UV transmission produces any novel or unexpected result or solves any known problem and It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the claimed transmission as a matter of obvious design choice.
Regarding Claim 17, Demiglio fails to disclose: wherein said optically clear adhesive layer is a transparent adhesive selected from the group of. epoxy-based adhesive, acrylic-based adhesive, silicone- based adhesive, or liquid optically clear adhesive.
Li (208) teaches wherein said optically clear adhesive layer is a transparent adhesive selected from the group of. epoxy-based adhesive, acrylic-based adhesive, silicone- based adhesive, or liquid optically clear adhesive (LOCA, ¶ [0102]).
Same motivation as in claim 12.
Claim(s) 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Demiglio(981), Lin (093) .and Li (208) and further in view of Gauthier et al (US PG Pub. No. 10`6/0033841)
Regarding Claim 16, Demiglio fails to disclose: wherein said at least one Ultraviolet protection layer is substantially comprised of polyvinyl butyral.
Gauthier teaches using PVB in a UV blocking layer (¶ [0167]).
And it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use PVB in the UV blocking layer of Demiglio, as taught by Gauthier, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice, In re Leshin,125USPQ 416.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DONALD L RALEIGH whose telephone number is (571)270-3407. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7AM -3 PM.
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/DONALD L RALEIGH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875