DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to the initial filing filed on January 16, 2025, claim 1-13 have been examined this application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) filed on 3/7/2025 and 12/22/2025 has been acknowledged.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
Claim(s) 7 and 9-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Shirata (US 2022/0061198 A1).
Regarding Claim 7, Shirata teaches a radio wave absorber comprising [0008 for radio wave absorber]:
magnetic particles [0008];
and a binder [0008],
wherein in a case where any axial direction in a plane perpendicular to a thickness direction of the radio wave absorber is defined as a 0 o direction [0121 for the in-plane direction perpendicular to the thickness direction was denoted by the measurement direction],
each of a direction rotated by 300 o, a direction rotated by 600 o, a direction rotated by 900o, a direction rotated by 1200 o and a direction rotated by 1500 o in a clockwise direction with respect to the axial direction as a reference is defined as a 300 direction, a 600 o direction, a 900 o direction, a 1200 o direction, and a 1500 o direction [0021 for powder of a hexagonal ferrite are randomly present since the easily magnetizable axes thereof are oriented in various direction (multiple directions)],
and among squareness ratios measured for each of the thickness direction of the radio wave absorber [0121 for thickness direction was denoted by the measurement direction A],
the 0 o direction, the 300 o direction, the 600 o direction, the 900 direction, the 1200 o direction, and the 1500 o direction [0021 for powder of a hexagonal ferrite are randomly present since the easily magnetizable axes thereof are oriented in various direction (multiple directions)],
a maximum value is defined as SQnax and a minimum value is defined as SQaui, a ratio, SQiax/SQmnin,of SQmnax to SQaun. is less than 1.35 [0125 Table 1, for Examples 1 and 4].
Regarding Claim 9, Shirata teaches the magnetic particles are particles of a hexagonal ferrite [0010-0011 for hexagonal ferrite].
Regarding Claim 10, Shirata teaches the hexagonal ferrite is a substitution-type hexagonal ferrite [0010-0011 for hexagonal ferrite].
Regarding Claim 11, Shirata teaches the substitution-type hexagonal ferrite is a magnetoplumbite-type hexagonal ferrite having a composition represented by Formula 1, Formula 1 AFe(1-x)AIx01s9 in Formula 1, A represents one or more kinds of atoms selected from the group consisting of Sr, Ba, Ca, and Pb, and x satisfies 0.50 <x5 8.00 [0010-0011 for hexagonal ferrite can have a composition].
Regarding Claim 12, Shirata teaches in Formula 1, the atom represented by A includes Sr [0010-0011 for hexagonal ferrite can have a composition with Sr].
Regarding Claim 13, Shirata teaches radio wave absorbing article comprising: the radio wave absorber [0007].
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 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al (Materials Letters, 2020) in view of Inoue et al (JPH 10204305 A).
Regarding Claim 1, Yang teaches a method for manufacturing a radio wave absorber, the method comprising [page 2, right column, second paragraph for microwave absorption performance using CST simulation was determined. 3D printing technology]:
three-dimensionally modeling a composition containing one or more kinds of particles selected from the group consisting of magnetic particles and dielectric particles [page 1, right column, last paragraph for combinations of spherical carbonyl iron powder, with a particle size of 1–3mm],
and a binder [page 1, right column, last paragraph for using 450 PEEK power for composite material],
with a three-dimensional printer [page 2, right column, second paragraph for microwave absorption performance using CST simulation was determined. 3D printing technology].
Yang fails to explicitly teach wherein an aspect ratio of the particles is 3.0 or less.
Inoue has electromagnetic wave shielding resin composition which is easy to mold, can obtain a molded article with excellent precision and appearance (abstract) and teaches wherein an aspect ratio of the particles is 3.0 or less [0069 for Carbon black average particle size 0.03 μm, spherical shape and page 9, 10th paragraph for an aspect ratio of 10 or less (3 is less)].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the 3D printing techniques, as disclosed by Yang, further including the aspect ratio calculations as taught by Inoue for the purpose to make the composition easier to mold (Inoue, page 9, 11th paragraph).
Regarding Claim 6, Yang fails to explicitly teach the particles are dielectric particles, and the dielectric particles are carbon-based particles.
Inoue has electromagnetic wave shielding resin composition which is easy to mold, can obtain a molded article with excellent precision and appearance (abstract) and teaches the particles are dielectric particles [0020 for using dielectric materials],
and the dielectric particles are carbon-based particles [0069 for Carbon black average particle size 0.03 μm, spherical shape].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the 3D printing techniques, as disclosed by Yang, further including the aspect ratio calculations as taught by Inoue for the purpose to make the composition easier to mold (Inoue, page 9, 11th paragraph).
Claims 2-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al (Materials Letters, 2020) in view of Inoue et al (JPH 10204305 A) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Shirata (US 2022/0061198 A1).
Regarding Claim 2, Yang teaches the particles are magnetic particles [page 1, right column, last paragraph for combinations of spherical carbonyl iron powder, with a particle size of 1–3mm],
Yang fails to explicitly teach and the magnetic particles are particles of a hexagonal ferrite.
Shirata has a radio wave absorber including a powder of a hexagonal ferrite (abstract) and teaches the magnetic particles are particles of a hexagonal ferrite [0010 for hexagonal ferrite can have a composition].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the 3D printing techniques, as disclosed by Yang, further including the powder calculations as taught by Shirata for the purpose of exhibiting excellent radio wave absorbability (Shirata, 0015).
Regarding Claim 3, Yang fails to explicitly teach the hexagonal ferrite is a substitution-type hexagonal ferrite.
Shirata has a radio wave absorber including a powder of a hexagonal ferrite (abstract) and teaches the hexagonal ferrite is a substitution-type hexagonal ferrite [0010 for hexagonal ferrite can have a composition].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the 3D printing techniques, as disclosed by Yang, further including the powder calculations as taught by Shirata for the purpose of exhibiting excellent radio wave absorbability (Shirata, 0015).
Regarding Claim 4, Yang fails to explicitly teach the substitution-type hexagonal ferrite is a magnetoplumbite-type hexagonal ferrite having a composition represented by Formula 1, Formula 1 AF e (12-x) AIx019 in Formula 1, A represents one or more kinds of atoms selected from the group consisting of Sr, Ba, Ca, and Pb, and x satisfies 0.50<x<8.00.
Shirata has a radio wave absorber including a powder of a hexagonal ferrite (abstract) and teaches the substitution-type hexagonal ferrite is a magnetoplumbite-type hexagonal ferrite having a composition represented by Formula 1, Formula 1 AF e (12-x) AIx019 in Formula 1, A represents one or more kinds of atoms selected from the group consisting of Sr, Ba, Ca, and Pb, and x satisfies 0.50<x<8.00 [0010-0011 for hexagonal ferrite can have a composition].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the 3D printing techniques, as disclosed by Yang, further including the powder calculations as taught by Shirata for the purpose of exhibiting excellent radio wave absorbability (Shirata, 0015).
Regarding Claim 5, Yang fails to explicitly teach in Formula 1, the atom represented by A includes Sr.
Shirata has a radio wave absorber including a powder of a hexagonal ferrite (abstract) and teaches in Formula 1, the atom represented by A includes Sr [011 for hexagonal ferrite can have a composition with Sr].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the 3D printing techniques, as disclosed by Yang, further including the powder calculations as taught by Shirata for the purpose of exhibiting excellent radio wave absorbability (Shirata, 0015).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shirata (US 2022/0061198 A1) as applied to claim 7 above, in view of Inoue et al (JPH 10204305 A).
Regarding Claim 8, Shirita teaches an aspect ratio of the magnetic particles is 3.0 or less.
Inoue has electromagnetic wave shielding resin composition which is easy to mold, can obtain a molded article with excellent precision and appearance (abstract) and teaches an aspect ratio of the magnetic particles is 3.0 or less [0069 for Carbon black average particle size 0.03 μm, spherical shape and page 9, 10th paragraph for an aspect ratio of 10 or less (3 is less)].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the 3D printing techniques, as disclosed by Yang, further including the aspect ratio calculations as taught by Inoue for the purpose to make the composition easier to mold (Inoue, page 9, 11th paragraph).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Espiau et al (US 2016/0263823 A1) has a 3D structure, having multiple regions, is produced using a 3D printer having at least one extruder formed to receive a printer filament.
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/SAMARINA MAKHDOOM/
Examiner, Art Unit 3648
