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 .
Examiner acknowledges pending claims 1-20.
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 14-15 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 14 is rendered indefinite because of the term “preferably”. It is unclear if the claim refers to an average diameter of less than 13 µm, less than 10 µm OR 0.5 to 5 µm. For purposes of examination, Examiner is interpreting the claim to refer to an average diameter of less than 13 µm.
Claim 15 is rendered indefinite because of the term “preferably”. It is unclear if the claim refers to an average length of 1-100 mm OR 1-10 mm. For purposes of examination, Examiner is interpreting the claim to refer to an average length of 1-100 mm.
Claim 20 is rendered indefinite because of the term “preferably”. It is unclear if the claim refer to the fluorine-containing resin binder non-woven fabric has a unit weight of 20-200 g/m2 OR 20-100 g/m2. For purposes of examination, Examiner is interpreting the claim to refer to the fluorine-containing resin binder non-woven fabric has a unit weight of 20-200 g/m2.
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 1-13, 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al., CN113652042 in view of Zhao et al., CN111038031.
Regarding claims 1-5, 9-10, 13, 17, Liu discloses a fluorinated resin based resin composition comprising 20-70 parts by weight of polytetrafluoroethylene [PTFE] emulsion and 30-70 parts of silica [0008]. Paragraph 0016 discloses that the silica is spherical. Paragraph 0017 discloses that the silica has an average particle size of 0.5 to 5 µm. Paragraph 0038 discloses other fillers present such as titanium dioxide. Paragraph 0050 discloses a prepreg comprising a reinforcing material and the fluoropolymer based resin wherein the reinforcing material can include glass fiber or glass fiber paper [0051]. Paragraph 0052 discloses a copper clad laminate comprising copper foil and at least one resin film. Paragraph 0062 discloses that the PTFE emulsion has a particle size of 0.25 µm. Paragraph 0028 discloses that the silica is surface-treated silica. Paragraph 0029 discloses that the surface treatment includes silane couple agents. Paragraph 0057 discloses a circuit board.
Liu is silent to the prepreg being a nonwoven prepreg. Zhao discloses a PTFE emulsion and a filler selected from silica or titanium dioxide [0041-0042]. Paragraph 0049 discloses a nonwoven substrate including glass fibers. Paragraph 0049 discloses that the substrate can be a woven. Paragraph 0050 discloses a prepreg. Paragraph 0051 discloses copper-clad laminates. Paragraph 0009 of Zhao discloses that the prepreg and the copper clad laminate has stability, reliability and good thickness [see also 0007]. Liu and Zhao are analogous art in that both reference are directed to prepreg and copper-clad laminates include a glass fiber substrate, PTFE emulsion and filler. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would utilize a nonwoven substrate as the substrate in Liu in order to obtain a copper clad laminate having good uniform thickness, stability and reliability.
Regarding claim 6, paragraph 0036 discloses other fillers present wherein the other fillers can include titanium dioxide and boron nitride. Liu is silent to the composition includes 30-40 parts fluorine containing resin, 25-35 parts of titanium dioxide and 1-20 parts of silicon dioxide. The abstract of Liu discloses that the filler affects insulation performance. One of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the invention would optimize the filler in composition to include 25-35 parts of titanium dioxide for the benefit of enhanced insulation performance.
Regarding claim 7, paragraph 0036 discloses other fillers present wherein the other fillers can include titanium dioxide and boron nitride. Liu is silent to the composition includes 20-40 parts of boron nitride and 4-10 parts of titanium dioxide. The abstract of Liu discloses that the filler affects insulation performance. One of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the invention would optimize the filler in composition to include 20-40 parts of boron nitride and 4-10 parts of titanium dioxide for the benefit of enhanced insulation performance.
Regarding claim 8, paragraphs 0044-0046 discloses that the fluorine containing resin composition is dried and sintered.
Regarding claim 11, Liu is silent to the fluorine containing resin binder nonwoven fabric prepreg includes 60-95% inorganic fiber and 5-40% binder. This is an optimizable feature. Liu discloses in the abstract that the composition has excellent insulating and dielectric properties. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would optimize nonwoven fabric prepreg to include 60-95% inorganic fiber and 5-40% binder for the benefit of obtaining a prepreg having enhanced insulating and dielectric properties.
Regarding claim 12, paragraph 0012 discloses a solid content of the polytetrafluoroethylene [PTFE] ranges from 50-60%.
Regarding claim 16, paragraph 0036 discloses other fillers present wherein the other fillers can include titanium dioxide and boron nitride. Liu is silent to the composition includes 30-40 parts fluorine containing resin, 55-70 parts of titanium dioxide and 5-20 parts of silicon dioxide. The abstract of Liu discloses that the filler affects insulation performance. One of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the invention would optimize the filler in composition to include 55-70 parts of titanium dioxide for the benefit of enhanced insulation performance.
Regarding claim 18, Liu does not disclose an anti-foaming agent present in the amount of 0.01-1%. Liu does disclose additives [0040]. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would include an anti-foaming agent to the resin composition for the benefit of enhancing processing efficiency.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al., CN113652042 in view of Zhao et al., CN111038031 and in further view of Takeuchi et al., JPH03220239.
Liu and Zhao, above, remain relied up on for claim 1.
Regarding claim 19, neither Liu nor Zhao discloses wherein the fluorine- containing resin binder non-woven fabric has surface treatment, and a treating agent for the surface treatment is selected from one or a mixture of at least two of a fluorine-containing silane coupling agent, an amino silane coupling agent, an epoxy silane coupling agent, a vinyl silane coupling agent, an alkyl silane coupling agent, a borate coupling agent, a zirconate coupling agent, or a phosphate coupling agent. Takeuchi discloses a fiber reinforced resin composite used in printed circuit boards [0001]. Takeuchi discloses nonwoven glass substrates impregnated with a PTFE dispersion. The abstract of Takeuchi discloses that the fibrous substrate is surface treated with a fluorinated silane coupling agent suppressing moisture absorption. Liu, Zhao and Takeuchi are analogous art in that the references are directed to printed circuit board formed from prepregs including a glass substrate impregnated with a PTFE resin emulsion. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would utilize a fluorinated silane coupling agent on the fibrous substrate of Liu for the benefit of enhanced suppression of moisture absorption.
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.
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/CAMIE S THOMPSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1786
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