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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 18, line 4, is indefinite because “tungsten (W)” fails to further limit the claim. Specifically if tungsten is selected in claim 2 claim18 would fail to further limit the claim if tungsten (W) was selected.
Claim 20, line 4, is indefinite because “tungsten (W)” fails to further limit the claim. Specifically if tungsten is selected in claim 2 claim18 would fail to further limit the claim if tungsten (W) was selected.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-17 and 19 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claims 1, 3-12, and 19 are allowable over the prior art of record because the prior art of record does not teach the claimed subject matter including a metal material comprising a metal having a body-centered cubic structure, wherein with respect to a sum of orientation area fractions of a {001} plane, a {101} plane and a {111} plane, a ratio of the orientation area fraction of the {111} plane to the sum is 0.45 or more, and the metal comprises chromium.
Claims 2 and 13-17 are allowable over the prior art of record because the prior art of record does not teach the claimed subject matter including a metal material comprising a metal having a body-centered cubic structure, wherein with respect to a sum of the orientation area fractions of the {001} plane, the {101} plane and the {111} plane, the ratio of the orientation area fraction of the {111} plane to the sum is 0.60 or more, wherein the metal comprises at least one of chromium, molybdenum or tungsten.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed April 12, 2026 have been fully considered and have overcome the previous rejections. New 35 U.S.C. 112 2nd paragraph rejections have been made based on Applicant’s amendments.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RODNEY GLENN MCDONALD whose telephone number is (571)272-1340. The examiner can normally be reached Hoteling: M-Th every Fri off.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, James Lin can be reached at 571-272-8902. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RODNEY G MCDONALD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1794
RM
July 1, 2026
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