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 1, 2, 5, 8-10, 17-26, and 28-30 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.
Claims 1, 23, and 29 recite a number average molecular weight (Mn) of a hydroxyl acrylic resin of 10,000-30,000. These claims further recite that the hydroxyl acrylic resin comprises an acrylic resin with low hydroxyl value and an acrylic resin with a medium hydroxyl value.
It is unclear from the specification (e.g. see paragraph 0031) what is meant by the Mn of the hydroxyl acrylic resin given that the hydroxyl acrylic resin comprises two different acrylic resins (low hydroxyl value acrylic resin and medium hydroxyl value acrylic resin). As such, it is not clear whether the Mn of the hydroxyl acrylic resin is overall average Mn of the two different acrylic resins. Clarification is requested from applicant.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Ryoki et al. (US20210009848 A1; cited by the applicant in the IDS and as “X” reference on the ISR submitted on November 25, 2024) discloses a multilayer coating film including hydroxyl group containing acrylic resin (abstract and 0099-0103). However, Ryoki does not teach or suggest claimed hydroxyl acrylic resin comprising a low hydroxyl value acrylic resin and medium hydroxyl value acrylic resin (claims 1 and 23).
KR20210076391 A discloses clear coat composition.
Elvacite™ Acrylic Polyols and Polyamides for 2K Systems.
CN 116042074A discloses two component coating composition.
CN112251124 A discloses a stain resistant acrylic polyurethane finish paint.
CN102134439A discloses low temperature backing PU plastic paint.
KR20200017992A discloses coating kit for hot-stamped metallic materials.
WO2017200228A1 discloses transparent paint composition.
Poth et al. (US 4565730) discloses a coating composition with acrylic polymer A having hydroxyl number of 80-180 and acrylic polymer B having hydroxyl number of 40-120.
Mahn (US 9890289B2) discloses powder coating comprising a first acrylic powder having hydroxyl value of at least about 180, a second acrylic powder resin having a hydroxyl value of less than about 45, a crosslinker reactive with the hydroxylic functional acrylic resins, and wollastonite.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANISH P DESAI whose telephone number is (571)272-6467. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:00 am ET to 4:30 PM ET.
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/ANISH P DESAI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1788 August 5, 2026