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 § 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.
Claims 1-4 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Alba (WO 2005/0120823).
Regarding claim 1, Alba teaches a fishing line comprising a carbon nanotube filament that comprises a CNT phase wherein the CNT phase includes CNT extending along a longitudinal direction of CNT filament and wherein the fishing line has a tensile strength in the claimed range [Figure 4, 0008-0009, 0011-0012, 0019, 0040 and 0043].
Regarding claim 2, the CNT filament further includes a support phase and the support phase includes a support material (e.g polyester or polyolefins) [0022].
Regarding claim 3, the CNT phase is covered by the support phase along the longitudinal direction of the CNT filament [0010 and Fig. 4].
Regarding claim 4, the CNT phase includes functional groups which improve adhesion with the support phase [0014 and 0026].
Regarding claim 6, the support material includes a synthetic polymer [0021].
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 10-14 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Alba (WO 2005/0120823).
Regarding claim 10, Alba teaches a method of fabricating a fishing line with the method comprising preparing a carbon nanotube material comprising a plurality of CNTs and forming a CNT filament from the CNT material by imparting alignment to the CNTs along a longitudinal direction of the CNT filament and forming a fishing line with the CNT filament wherein the fishing line has a tensile strength greater than or equal to 1 GPa [Figure 4, 0008-0009, 0011-0012, 0019, 0040 and 0043]. Alba is silent regarding winding the fishing line on a spool. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to wind the fishing line on a spool in order to store the fishing line as is known in the art.
Regarding claim 11, Alba teaches comprising mixing a solvent and the CNTs to product the CNT material wherein the CNT filament includes extruding the CNT material which imparts alignment to the CNTs along the longitudinal direction of the CNT filament [0034 and 0037-0038].
Regarding claim 12, Alba teaches preparing a support material, wherein forming the CNT filament includes combining the CNT material and a support phase that includes the support material [0022].
Regarding claim 13, preparing a support material, wherein forming the CNT filament includes combining the CNT material and a support phase that includes the support material [0010 and Fig. 4].
Regarding claim 14, imparting functional groups on the surface of the CNT material that interact with the support phase [0014 and 0026].
Regarding claim 17, the support material includes a synthetic polymer [0021].
Claims 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Alba (WO 2005/0120823) in view of Truhill (PG Pub. 2016/0369425).
Regarding claims 7-9, Alba is silent regarding the claimed specifics and arrangement support filament. However, Truhill teaches support filament (the other filament that is braided with the carbon filament) that comprises support material and the CNT filament and support filament are braided [0034 and 0039] in order to improve strength and bond all the filaments. The fishing line includes a plurality of identical support filaments braided together with the CNT filament. The fishing line includes a plurality of supports braided together with the CNT filament and the plurality of support filaments are distributed around the CNT filament as Truhill teaches the carbon nanotube is in the center and the other reinforcement filaments are braided around and with the carbon nanotube. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the support filament specifics and arrangements as taught by Truhill in Alba in order to improve strength and bond all the filaments and arrive at the claimed invention.
Claims 5 and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Alba (WO 2005/0120823) in view of Carlson (US 8,470,946).
Regarding claim 5, Alba is silent regarding the claimed abrasion of the surface. However, Carlson teaches abrading through plasma treatment the surface of carbon nanotubes adding functional groups in order to provide improved bonding without damage to the structural integrity of the CNTs. It is noted that Alba teaches chemical substitution may affect strength and electrical conductivity. However, electrical conductivity is not needed for a fishing line and Carlson teaches that strength is not compromised. Therefore, one ordinary skill in the art would use the abrading plasma treatment of Carlson in Alba in order to improve bonding without damage to the structural integrity of the CNTs and arrive at the claimed invention.
Regarding claims 15-16, Alba is silent regarding the claimed abrasion of the surface through plasma and functional groups. However, Carlson teaches abrading through plasma treatment the surface of carbon nanotubes (which increases surface area contact between the support phase and CNT material) adding functional groups in order to provide improved bonding without damage to the structural integrity of the CNTs. It is noted that Alba teaches chemical substitution may affect strength and electrical conductivity. However, electrical conductivity is not needed for a fishing line and Carlson teaches that strength is not compromised. Therefore, one ordinary skill in the art would use the abrading plasma treatment of Carlson in Alba in order to improve bonding without damage to the structural integrity of the CNTs and arrive at the claimed invention.
Prior Art Not Used but Relevant
PG Pub. 2013/0316172 teaches a composite fiber with carbon nanotubes.
Conclusion
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/Shawn Mckinnon/Examiner, Art Unit 1789
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