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 claims 1-11 directed to a thermosetting prepreg is acknowledged. Accordingly, claims 12-15 are withdrawn from consideration at this time.
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 1-2, 4-5 and 10-11 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sakurai et al., JP 2013-142122.
Regarding claims 1-2, 4, and 10-11, Sakurai discloses a prepreg [0001]. Sakurai shows in Figure 1 a center region 10 comprising an epoxy resin composition, a reinforcing fiber base [fiber sheet] and a surface region 16 including an epoxy resin composition where in the epoxy resin in the center region includes at least 55-85 parts mass of aromatic diamine-based curing agent and the surface layer includes30-65 parts by mass of aromatic diamine-based curing agent. See abstract and 0012. Table 1 discloses a curing agent in the fiber sheet/center region] present in the amount of 60.9 parts and the curing agent in the outer region is present in the amount of 37.5 parts [61.6% ratio]. Table 1 discloses that the fiber sheet includes MED 4,4’-diamino-3,3’-diethyl-5,5’-dimethyldiphenylmethane [aromatic diamine curing agent] at 60.9 parts. Table 1 also discloses that the surface layer includes 37.5 3,3’-diaminodiphenylsulfone [3,3’DDS] [curing agent]. Applicant claims do not require the curing agent to be the same in both the fiber sheet and the surface layer. Figure 3 and paragraph 0094 discloses carbon aligned in one direction and are impregnated in the thickness direction.
Regarding claim 5, the abstract and 0012 discloses that the epoxy resin of the center region and the surface includes epoxy resin thermoplastic resin particles.
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.
Claims 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Sakurai et al., JP 2013-142122.
Sakurai, above, remains relied upon for claim 1.
Regarding claim 7, Sakurai teaches the claimed invention but fails to teach wherein the viscosity at 50°C of the first thermosetting resin composition is higher than the viscosity at 50°C of the second thermosetting resin composition. It is reasonable to presume that viscosity at 50°C of the first thermosetting resin composition is higher than the viscosity at 50°C of the second thermosetting resin composition is inherent to Sakurai. Said presumption is based upon Sakurai’s disclosure of a prepreg [0001] shown in Figure 1 a center region 10 comprising an epoxy resin composition, a reinforcing fiber base [fiber sheet] and a surface region 16 including an epoxy resin composition where in the epoxy resin in the center region includes at least 55-85 parts mass of aromatic diamine-based curing agent and the surface layer includes30-65 parts by mass of aromatic diamine-based curing agent. See abstract and 0012. Table 1 discloses a curing agent in the fiber sheet/center region] present in the amount of 60.9 parts and the curing agent in the outer region is present in the amount of 37.5 parts [61.6% ratio]. Table 1 discloses that the fiber sheet includes MED 4,4’-diamino-3,3’-diethyl-5,5’-dimethyldiphenylmethane [aromatic diamine curing agent] at 60.9 parts. Table 1 also discloses that the surface layer includes 37.5 3,3’-diaminodiphenylsulfone [3,3’DDS] [curing agent]. Applicant claims do not require the curing agent to be the same in both the fiber sheet and the surface layer. Figure 3 and paragraph 0094 discloses carbon aligned in one direction and are impregnated in the thickness direction. Burden is upon Applicant to prove otherwise. Fitzgerald, In re, 619 F.2d 67, 205 USPQ 594 (CCPA 1980). Applicant’s claim 7 is dependent upon claim 1. Applicant’s claim 1 is not specific to the thermosetting resin or the curing agent.
Regarding claim 8, Sakurai teaches the claimed invention but fails to teach wherein the first thermosetting resin composition has the viscosity at 50°C of 500 to 10000 Pa·s, and the second thermosetting resin composition has the viscosity at 50°C of 100 to 1000 Pa·s.. It is reasonable to presume that the first thermosetting resin composition has the viscosity at 50°C of 500 to 10000 Pa·s, and the second thermosetting resin composition has the viscosity at 50°C of 100 to 1000 Pa·s.is inherent to Sakurai. Said presumption is based upon Sakurai’s disclosure of a prepreg [0001] shown in Figure 1 a center region 10 comprising an epoxy resin composition, a reinforcing fiber base [fiber sheet] and a surface region 16 including an epoxy resin composition where in the epoxy resin in the center region includes at least 55-85 parts mass of aromatic diamine-based curing agent and the surface layer includes30-65 parts by mass of aromatic diamine-based curing agent. See abstract and 0012. Table 1 discloses a curing agent in the fiber sheet/center region] present in the amount of 60.9 parts and the curing agent in the outer region is present in the amount of 37.5 parts [61.6% ratio]. Table 1 discloses that the fiber sheet includes MED 4,4’-diamino-3,3’-diethyl-5,5’-dimethyldiphenylmethane [aromatic diamine curing agent] at 60.9 parts. Table 1 also discloses that the surface layer includes 37.5 3,3’-diaminodiphenylsulfone [3,3’DDS] [curing agent]. Applicant claims do not require the curing agent to be the same in both the fiber sheet and the surface layer. Figure 3 and paragraph 0094 discloses carbon aligned in one direction and are impregnated in the thickness direction. Burden is upon Applicant to prove otherwise. Fitzgerald, In re, 619 F.2d 67, 205 USPQ 594 (CCPA 1980). Applicant’s claim 7 is dependent upon claim 1. Applicant’s claim 1 is not specific to the thermosetting resin or the curing agent.
Regarding claim 9, Sakurai teaches the claimed invention but fails to teach wherein, when the thermosetting prepreg is heat-cured at 180°C for 120 minutes, there is, in the cross section perpendicular to the plane direction of the fiber sheet, a region where a crosslink density of the thermosetting resin is decreased from the center toward the surface of the fiber sheet in the thickness direction. It is reasonable to presume that the thermosetting prepreg is heat-cured at 180°C for 120 minutes, there is, in the cross section perpendicular to the plane direction of the fiber sheet, a region where a crosslink density of the thermosetting resin is decreased from the center toward the surface of the fiber sheet in the thickness direction is inherent to Sakurai. Said presumption is based upon Sakurai’s disclosure of a prepreg [0001] shown in Figure 1 a center region 10 comprising an epoxy resin composition, a reinforcing fiber base [fiber sheet] and a surface region 16 including an epoxy resin composition where in the epoxy resin in the center region includes at least 55-85 parts mass of aromatic diamine-based curing agent and the surface layer includes30-65 parts by mass of aromatic diamine-based curing agent. See abstract and 0012. Table 1 discloses a curing agent in the fiber sheet/center region] present in the amount of 60.9 parts and the curing agent in the outer region is present in the amount of 37.5 parts [61.6% ratio]. Table 1 discloses that the fiber sheet includes MED 4,4’-diamino-3,3’-diethyl-5,5’-dimethyldiphenylmethane [aromatic diamine curing agent] at 60.9 parts. Table 1 also discloses that the surface layer includes 37.5 of 3,3’-diaminodiphenylsulfone [3,3’DDS] [curing agent]. Applicant claims do not require the curing agent to be the same in both the fiber sheet and the surface layer. Figure 3 and paragraph 0094 discloses carbon aligned in one direction and are impregnated in the thickness direction. Burden is upon Applicant to prove otherwise. Fitzgerald, In re, 619 F.2d 67, 205 USPQ 594 (CCPA 1980). Applicant’s claim 7 is dependent upon claim 1. Applicant’s claim 1 is not specific to the thermosetting resin or the curing agent.
Claims 3 and 6 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sakurai et al., JP 2013-142122 in view of Arai et al., U.S. Pre Grant Publication 2015/0184333.
Sakurai, above, remains relied upon for claim 1.
Regarding claims 3 and 6, Sakurai is silent to the first and second thermosetting resin comprising an electrically conductive material. Arai discloses a prepreg comprising a carbon fiber layer 10 and interlayers 50 that are disposed on both sides of the carbon fiber layer [see Figure 1] and [0289] wherein the interlayers include thermosetting resin; thermoplastic resin particles and conductive particles. Paragraph 0031 of Arai discloses that the carbon fiber layer includes carbon fibers; thermosetting resin; curing agent; thermoplastic resin particles and conductive particles. Paragraph 0221 of Arai discloses that the conductive particles can include metallic particles [electrically conductive material]. Paragraph 0289 of Arai discloses that the prepreg has high impact resistance. Sakurai and Arai are analogous art in that both references are directed to a prepreg comprising a fibrous sheet including carbon fibers impregnated with a thermosetting resin wherein the thermosetting resin can include thermoplastic resin particles and a surfacing layer comprising a thermosetting resin and thermoplastic resin particles wherein the prepreg includes a fibrous sheet having a higher content of curing agent than in the surface layer. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would utilize the components of the fibrous layer and surface layer [interlayer formative layer 50 of Arai as the fibrous layer and surface layer of Sakurai in order to obtain a prepreg that has enhanced impact resistance.
Conclusion
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/CAMIE S THOMPSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1786
