Prosecution Insights
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Application No. 18/875,759

BINDER FOR WOOD-BASED PANELS COMPRISING AMINO ACID POLYMER AND POLYALDEHYDE COMPOUND

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Dec 17, 2024
Priority
Jun 22, 2022 — EU 22180562.5 +1 more
Examiner
THOMPSON, CAMIE S
Art Unit
1786
Tech Center
1700 — Chemical & Materials Engineering
Assignee
BASF Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
73%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 12m
Est. Remaining
84%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 73% — above average
73%
Career Allowance Rate
967 granted / 1319 resolved
+8.3% vs TC avg
Moderate +10% lift
Without
With
+10.5%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 5m
Avg Prosecution
43 currently pending
Career history
1373
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.5%
-39.5% vs TC avg
§103
63.5%
+23.5% vs TC avg
§102
16.7%
-23.3% vs TC avg
§112
6.0%
-34.0% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1319 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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, with traverse of Group II claim 31 directed to a binder composition or mixture, is acknowledged. Applicant argues that Wintercrowd does not contribute over the prior art. Examiner agrees with Applicant’s argument with regard to Wintercrowd. However, upon further consideration and search strategies Examiner has found prior art, which will be discussed below, that reads and contributes over the binder composition as recited in Applicant’s claim 31. As claims 31-33 depend upon claim 18. Examiner will proceed with examination of claims 31-33 Accordingly, claims 18-30 are withdrawn from consideration at this time. Examiner acknowledges pending claims 18-33. 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. (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 31-33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) & (a)(2) as being anticipated by Pacorel, U.S. Pre Grant Publication 2015/0299391. Regarding claims 31-33, Pacorel discloses wood boards, fiberboards, chipboards, oriented strand boards and medium density fiberboards [0078]. Paragraph 0076 discloses a collection of matter comprising wood pulp, wood shavings, or ground wood [lignocellulosic material]. Paragraph 0075 discloses a collection of matter bound with the binder composition wherein heat is applied to the collection of matter containing a binder composition. Paragraph 0042 discloses a binder composition comprising a water-soluble pre-reacted binder and at least one second amine component wherein the water soluble pre-reacted binder comprises the reaction products of at least one carbohydrate component and at least one first amine component. Paragraphs 0051-0052 discloses that the first and second amine components can include polylysine. It is disclosed in paragraph 0068 that the pre-reacted binder may comprise one or more of ethanal, glyoxal, glycoaldehyde, 2-oxopropanal, methylglyoxal [polyadehyde compounds]. Paragraph 0060 discloses that the binder consolidates the loosely assembled matter [compacted]. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CAMIE S THOMPSON whose telephone number is (571)272-1530. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30 am - 5:30 pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jennifer Boyd, can be reached at 571-272-7783. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /CAMIE S THOMPSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1786
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Dec 17, 2024
Application Filed
Feb 25, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12635468
HOLDING TOOL AND MANUFACTURING METHOD
4y 1m to grant Granted May 19, 2026
Patent 12630474
FORMALDEHYDE-FREE BINDER COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS OF MAKING THE BINDERS UNDER CONTROLLED ACIDIC CONDITIONS
3y 0m to grant Granted May 19, 2026
Patent 12623948
OPTICAL FIBER GLASS PREFORM AND METHOD FOR DRAWING OPTICAL FIBER GLASS PREFORM
4y 9m to grant Granted May 12, 2026
Patent 12624166
FILMS FOR MULTIPLE LAYERS ASSEMBLIES
2y 8m to grant Granted May 12, 2026
Patent 12616274
TEXTILES AND ARTICLES AND PROCESSES FOR MAKING THE SAME
3y 4m to grant Granted May 05, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
73%
Grant Probability
84%
With Interview (+10.5%)
3y 5m (~1y 12m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1319 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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