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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made applicant’s claim for domestic priority under 35 U.SC. 120. The PCT Application PCT/JP2023/008522, being filed on March 07, 2023.
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in present Application filed on September 30, 2024.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements filed July 05,2024 have been submitted for consideration by the Office. It has been placed in the application file and the information referred to therein has been considered.
Applicants must continue to submit prior art references throughout the patent application process. A supplemental IDS must be submitted if prior art is discovered through a foreign patent application or an International Patent Search, or a related application before a prosecution closes.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 102 which forms the basis for all rejections set forth 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 3-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) (whichever apply) as being anticipated by Masahiro et al. (WO2020066907 (cited reference), herein referred to as Masahiro).
Rejection of claims 1 and 7, Masahiro discloses a compound superconducting precursor wire comprising: a compound superconducting precursor portion comprising a plurality of compound superconducting precursor filaments, and a first matrix precursor having the plurality of compound superconducting precursor filaments embedded therein and including a first stabilizing material; a reinforcing material portion disposed on an outer peripheral side of the compound superconducting precursor portion; and a stabilizing material portion which is disposed on at least one of an inner peripheral side and an outer peripheral side of the reinforcing material portion, and consisting of a second stabilizing material, wherein a Vickers hardness (HV) of the stabilizing material portion is 90 or less, and a 0.2% tensile strength of the compound superconducting precursor wire is 200 MPa or more (claim 1); wherein the second stabilizing material is copper or a copper alloy (claim 7). (Masahiro (in particular see paragraphs [0024]-[0125] and fig. 1-6) discloses a compound superconducting precursor strand, which has: a compound superconducting precursor part constituted from a plurality of compound superconducting precursor filaments and a first matrix precursor which contains a first stabilizing material and in which the plurality of compound superconducting precursor filaments are embedded; a reinforcing part 12 disposed on the outer circumferential side of said compound superconducting precursor part; and a stabilizing part 13 which is disposed on at least one of the inner circumferential side and the outer circumferential side of the reinforcing part 12 and which comprises a second stabilizing material, wherein the 0.2% tensile proof stress of the compound superconducting precursor strand is 200 MPa or more ("0.2% proof stress" in table 2). Here, the stabilizing part 13 in Masahiro comprises copper (paragraph [0044]) and is heat treated (for 96 hours at 670°C) (paragraphs [0077], [0078]), and is therefore found to have a Vickers hardness (HV) of 90 or less).
Rejection of claims 3-4, Masahiro discloses the compound superconducting precursor wire according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing material portion is configured by a plurality of reinforcing filaments, and a third matrix having the plurality of reinforcing filaments embedded therein and including a third stabilizing material (claim 3) wherein the reinforcing filament consists of one metal selected from the group consisting of Nb, Ta, V,W/, Mo, Fe, Ti, and Hf, or an alloy composed of two or more of the metals, and the third stabilizing material is copper or a copper alloy (claim 4) (see paragraphs [0034] and [0040] and fig. 1) discloses a compound superconducting precursor strand in which the reinforcing part 12 is constituted from a plurality of reinforcing filaments and a third matrix which contains a third stabilizing material and in which the plurality of reinforcing filaments are embedded, the reinforcing filaments comprise an alloy constituted from one or more metals selected from the group consisting of Nb, Ta, V, W, Mo, Fe, Ti and Hf, and the third stabilizing material is copper or a copper alloy).
Rejection of claim 5, Masahiro discloses the compound superconducting precursor wire according to claim 1, wherein the compound superconducting precursor filament is an Nb Sn precursor, and the compound superconducting precursor wire further comprises a Sn diffusion prevention portion consisting of Nb or Ta, or an alloy or composite material thereof, between the compound superconducting precursor portion and the reinforcing material portion (Masahiro (in particular, see paragraph [0049] and fig. 1) discloses a compound superconducting precursor strand in which the compound superconducting precursor filaments are an Nb3Sn precursor, and an Sn diffusion prevention part comprising Nb, Ta, or an alloy or composite material of these is present between the compound superconducting precursor part and the reinforcing part 12).
Rejection of claim 6, Masahiro discloses the compound superconducting precursor wire according to claim 1, wherein the 'first stabilizing material is copper or a copper alloy (Masahiro (in particular, see paragraph [0029] and fig. 1) discloses a compound superconducting precursor strand in which the first stabilizing material is copper or a copper alloy).
Rejection of claim 8, Masahiro discloses the compound superconducting precursor wire according to claim 1, wherein a space factor of the reinforcing material portion is 3.01N or more and 40,0% or less, and smaller than a space factor of the compound superconducting precursor portion, and a space factor of the stabilizing material portion disposed on an outer peripheral side of the reinforcing material portion is 15.03% or more (Masahiro (in particular, see examples 5A and 5B, comparative example 5, example 6 and comparative example 6 in table 1) discloses a compound superconducting precursor strand in which the volume ratio of the reinforcing part 12 is 5.0-40.0% and is less than the volume ratio of the compound superconducting precursor part, and the volume ratio of the stabilizing part disposed on the outer circumferential side of the reinforcing part 12 is 15.0% or more. Therefore the invention disclosed in Masahiro are no different in terms of invention-defining features).
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 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Masahiro and Takayuki et al. (JPH0982149 (cited reference), herein referred to as Takayuki).
Rejection of claim 2, Masahiro discloses the compound superconducting precursor wire according to claim 1, but does not clearly disclose wherein the reinforcing material portion consists of one metal selected from the group consisting of Nb, Ta, V,W, Mo, Fe,, Ti and Hf, or an alloy or composite material composed of two or more of the metals.
Takayuki discloses wherein the reinforcing material portion consists of one metal selected from the group consisting of Nb, Ta, V,W, Mo, Fe,, Ti and Hf, or an alloy or composite material composed of two or more of the metals (see paragraphs [0029] and [0032] and "reinforcing part" in table 1 in Takayuki; additionally use of a variety of alloys (or metals) in a reinforcing part of a superconducting wire material is a well-known feature),
It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the compound superconducting precursor wire of Masahiro could easily have constituted the reinforcing part 12 in the invention disclosed in Takayuki from an alloy or composite material constituted from one or more metals selected from the group consisting of Nb, Ta, V, W, Mo, Fe, Ti and HF to provide prove superconducting wire which has a sufficient strength, is satisfactory for working property, or manufacturing in industrial scale.
Claims 9, 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Masahiro and Kazuya et al. (JPH07141930 (cited reference), herein referred to as Kazuya).
Rejection of claims 9, 12-13, Masahiro discloses a compound as a constituent element, but clearly does not disclose a secondary stranded wire provided by twisting together a plurality of primary stranded wires provided by twisting together a plurality of the compound superconducting precursor wires according to claim 1 (claim 9); wherein a maximum oblateness of the compound superconducting precursor portion in one or a plurality of transverse cross sections of the compound superconducting precursor wires constituting the compound superconducting precursor strand is more than 0 and 0.2 or less (claim 12); a compound superconducting strand obtained by heating the compound superconducting precursor strand according to claim 9 (claim 13).
Kazuya discloses a secondary stranded wire provided by twisting together a plurality of primary stranded wires provided by twisting together a plurality of the compound superconducting precursor wires according to claim 1 (claim 9); wherein a maximum oblateness of the compound superconducting precursor portion in one or a plurality of transverse cross sections of the compound superconducting precursor wires constituting the compound superconducting precursor strand is more than 0 and 0.2 or less (claim 12); a compound superconducting strand obtained by heating the compound superconducting precursor strand according to claim 9 (claim 13) ((in particular, see paragraphs [0011] and [0012]) discloses a compound superconducting precursor twisted wire obtained by twisting a plurality of compound superconducting precursor strands to form a primary twisted wire, twisting a plurality of the primary twisted wires to obtain a secondary twisted wire, and then heating.).
It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the compound superconducting precursor wire of Masahiro easily have configured for the compound superconducting precursor strands in the invention disclosed in Kazuya so that the stabilizing part has a Vickers hardness (HV) of 90 or less and the 0.2% tensile proof stress of the compound superconducting precursor strand is 200 MPa or more. In such a case, there is a high probability that the maximum ellipticity of the compound superconducting precursor part is greater than 0 and not greater than 0.2 in view of features of the compound superconducting precursor strand in Masahiro.
Claims 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Masahiro, Kazuya et al. (JPH07141930 (cited reference), herein referred to as Kazuya), and Sugimoto et al. (US20150024943 (cited reference), herein referred to as Sugimoto).
Rejection of claims 11-12, Masahiro discloses a compound as a constituent element, but clearly does not disclose A compound superconducting precursor strand comprising, as a constituent element, a secondary stranded wire provided by twisting together a plurality of primary stranded wires provided by twisting together one or a plurality of the compound superconducting precursor wires according to claim1, one and plurality of copper awes or copper alloy wires (claim 10); wherein a Vickers hardness (HV) of the copper wire or the copper alloy wire is 90 or less. (claim 11).
Sugimoto and Kazuya discloses a compound superconducting precursor strand comprising, as a constituent element, a secondary stranded wire provided by twisting together a plurality of primary stranded wires provided by twisting together one or a plurality of the compound superconducting precursor wires according to claim1, one and plurality of copper awes or copper alloy wires (claim 10); wherein a Vickers hardness (HV) of the copper wire or the copper alloy wire is 90 or less. (claim 11) (Upon referring to Sugimoto (in particular, "oxygen-free copper wire" in paragraph [0104]), a person skilled in the art could easily have incorporated a copper strand or copper alloy strand in the primary twisted wire in the invention disclosed in Kazuya. In addition, because the oxygen-free copper wire is heat treated (for 96 hours at 670°C), it is found that the Vickers hardness (HV) thereof is 90 or less.).
It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the compound superconducting precursor wire of Masahiro easily have configured for the compound superconducting precursor strands in the invention disclosed in Kazuya and Sugimoto because the oxygen-free copper wire is heat treated (for 96 hours at 670°C), it is found that the Vickers hardness (HV) thereof is 90 or less as well as copper strands considered to be high conductive due to high conductivity of copper metal and more economical known to be used in electric wires.
Pertinent Prior Arts
The prior arts made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please refer to the enclosed PTO-892 form for the citation of pertinent arts in the present case, all of which disclose various wire assemblies.
Communication
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/PARESH PAGHADAL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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