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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 02/11/2025 and 07/10/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-2, 4-5 and 8-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ASADA et al (US PGPUB 2021/0396648) in view of ASADA et al. (JP 2020118468A).
Regarding claim 1, ASADA et al. teaches a corrosion resistance test method for a coated metal material (1) including a metal base (2) and a surface treatment film (4) provided on the metal base (as disclosed in para. 0072), the method comprising: a preparation step of arranging one or two containers (30) holding a water-containing material (6) such that the water-containing material is in contact with the surface treatment film (4) at a test target portion of the coated metal material (1) (as disclosed in para. 0089) and one electrode (12) in contact with the water-containing material (6) in the one container (30) (as disclosed in para. 0125) or two electrodes in contact with the respective water-containing materials in the two containers, and electrically connecting, through an external circuit (7), the electrode (12) and the metal base (2) to each other (as disclosed in para. 0130) or the two electrodes to each other; a current supply step of applying a constant current or a constant voltage (as disclosed in para. 0190), with a current supplier (8) provided on the external circuit (7) (as shown in fig. 1-2), between the electrode (12) serving as an anode and the metal base (2) serving as a cathode (as disclosed in para. 0170) or between one of the two electrodes serving as an anode and the other one of the two electrodes serving as a cathode to cause corrosion of the coated metal material to progress; and a calculation step (steps S5, S10 and S11, as shown in fig. 4 and disclosed in para. 0290-0292) of calculating a progress degree of the corrosion based on at least one of a temporal change in a current value (as disclosed in para. 0257-0259), a temporal change in a voltage value, or a temporal change in a resistance value, where each temporal change occurs between the electrode (12) and the metal base (2) (as disclosed in para. 0148 and 0258) or between the one of and the other one of the two electrodes when the constant current or the constant voltage is applied in the current supply step (step S9, as shown in fig. 4).
ASADA et al. fails to specifically teach a current supply step of applying a DC constant current or a DC constant voltage. However, ASADA et al. teaches a current supply step of applying a DC constant current (8) or a DC constant voltage (as shown in fig. 1).
It would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine and have the current supply step of applying a DC constant current or a DC constant voltage as taught by ASADA et al. with the invention of ASADA et al. in order to energize the sample and promote changes to be inspected.
Regarding claim 2, the combination of ASADA et al. and ASADA et al. teaches the limitations of claim 1, in addition, ASADA et al. teaches wherein in the calculation step (steps S5, S10 and S11, as shown in fig. 4 and disclosed in para. 0290-0292), the progress degree of corrosion is calculated based on at least one of a fluctuation range of unevenness in a waveform along the temporal change (as shown in fig. 6-7); a difference between values at any two points along the temporal change; and an integrated value from a start of current supply to an end of current supply along the temporal change.
Regarding claim 4, the combination of ASADA et al. and ASADA et al. teaches the limitations of claim 1, in addition, ASADA et al. teaches wherein the coated metal material (1) has, at the test target portion, one or two damaged portions (5) reaching the metal base (2) through the surface treatment film (4) (as shown in fig. 2 and disclosed in para. 0073), and the one or two containers (30) are disposed such that the water-containing material (6) is in contact with the one damaged portion or the two damaged portions (5) (as disclosed in para. 0075).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of ASADA et al. and ASADA et al. teaches the limitations of claim 2, in addition, ASADA et al. teaches wherein the coated metal material (1) has, at the test target portion, one or two damaged portions (5) reaching the metal base (2) through the surface treatment film (4) (as shown in fig. 2 and disclosed in para. 0073), and the one or two containers (30) are disposed such that the water-containing material (6) is in contact with the one damaged portion or the two damaged portions (5) (as disclosed in para. 0075).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of ASADA et al. and ASADA et al. teaches the limitations of claim 1, in addition, ASADA et al. teaches wherein the surface treatment film (4) is a resin coating film (as disclosed in para. 0072).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of ASADA et al. and ASADA et al. teaches the limitations of claim 2, in addition, ASADA et al. teaches wherein the surface treatment film (4) is a resin coating film (as disclosed in para. 0072).
Regarding claim 10, ASADA et al. teaches a corrosion resistance test apparatus for a coated metal material (1) including a metal base (2) and a surface treatment film (4) provided on the metal base (as disclosed in para. 0072), the apparatus comprising: one or two containers (30) holding a water-containing material (6) such that the water-containing material is in contact with the surface treatment film (4) at a test target portion of the coated metal material (1) (as disclosed in para. 0089); one electrode (12) in contact with the water-containing material (6) in the one container (30) (as disclosed in para. 0125) or two electrodes in contact with the respective water-containing materials in the two containers; an external circuit (7) electrically connecting the electrode (12) and the metal base (2) to each other (as disclosed in para. 0130) or the two electrodes to each other; a current supplier (8) provided on the external circuit (7) to apply a constant current or a constant voltage between the electrode (12) serving as an anode and the metal base (2) serving as a cathode (as disclosed in para. 0170 and 0190) or between one of the two electrodes serving as an anode and the other one of the two electrodes serving as a cathode to cause corrosion of the coated metal material to progress; and a calculation unit (9) configured to calculate a progress degree of the corrosion based on at least one of a temporal change in a current value (as disclosed in para. 0257-0259), a temporal change in a voltage value, or a temporal change in a resistance value, where each temporal change occurs between the electrode (12) and the metal base (2) or between the one of and the other one of the two electrodes when the constant current or the constant voltage is applied (step S9, as shown in fig. 4 and disclosed 0290-0292).
ASADA et al. fails to specifically teach a DC constant current or a DC constant voltage. However, ASADA et al. teaches a DC constant current (8) or a DC constant voltage (as shown in fig. 1).
It would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine and have the DC constant current or the DC constant voltage as taught by ASADA et al. with the invention of ASADA et al. in order to energize the sample and promote changes to be inspected.
Regarding claim 11, the combination of ASADA et al. and ASADA et al. teaches the limitations of claim 10, in addition, ASADA et al. teaches wherein the calculation unit (9) calculates (S5, S10 and S11, as shown in fig. 4 and disclosed in para. 0290-0292) the progress degree of corrosion based on at least one of a fluctuation range of unevenness in a waveform along the temporal change (as shown in fig. 6-7); a difference between values at any two points along the temporal change; and an integrated value from a start of current supply to an end of current supply along the temporal change.
Claims 3, 6-7 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ASADA et al (US PGPUB 2021/0396648) and ASADA et al. (JP 2020118468A) as applied to claims 1-2, 4-5 and 11 above, and further in view of JP 6835279 B1.
Regarding claim 3, the combination of ASADA et al. and ASADA et al. teaches the limitations of claim 2.
The combination of ASADA et al. and ASADA et al. fails to specifically teach wherein in the current supply step, progress of the corrosion of the coated metal material appears as swelling of the surface treatment film, and in the calculation step, the progress degree of corrosion is calculated based on a correlation among at least one of the fluctuation range of unevenness, the difference between the values at the two points, or the integrated value; at least one of the fluctuation range of unevenness acquired in advance, the difference between the values at the two points acquired in advance, or the integrated value acquired in advance; and a size of swelling of the surface treatment film or a rate at which the swelling progresses. However, JP 6835279 B1 teaches wherein in the current supply step (S9), progress of the corrosion of the coated metal material appears as swelling of the surface treatment film (4) (as disclosed in the description), and in the calculation step, the progress degree of corrosion is calculated based on a correlation among at least one of the fluctuation range of unevenness, the difference between the values at the two points, or the integrated value; at least one of the fluctuation range of unevenness acquired in advance (step S5, as shown in fig. 4), the difference between the values at the two points acquired in advance, or the integrated value acquired in advance; and a size of swelling of the surface treatment film or a rate at which the swelling progresses (step S10, as shown in fig. 4).
It would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine and have in the current supply step, progress of the corrosion of the coated metal material appears as swelling of the surface treatment film, and in the calculation step, the progress degree of corrosion is calculated based on a correlation among at least one of the fluctuation range of unevenness, the difference between the values at the two points, or the integrated value; at least one of the fluctuation range of unevenness acquired in advance, the difference between the values at the two points acquired in advance, or the integrated value acquired in advance; and a size of swelling of the surface treatment film or a rate at which the swelling progresses as taught by JP 6835279 B1 with the invention of the combination of ASADA et al. and ASADA et al. in order to improve the quantitativeness and reliability of the corrosion resistance test (JP 6835279 B1 description).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of ASADA et al. and ASADA et al. teaches the limitations of claim 4.
The combination of ASADA et al. and ASADA et al. fails to specifically teach wherein in the current supply step, progress of the corrosion of the coated metal material appears as swelling of the surface treatment film that occurs around the damaged portion, and the progress degree of corrosion is expressed by a size of swelling of the surface treatment film or a rate at which the swelling progresses. However, JP 6835279 B1 teaches wherein in the current supply step (S9), progress of the corrosion of the coated metal material appears as swelling of the surface treatment film (4) that occurs around the damaged portion (as disclosed in the description), and the progress degree of corrosion is expressed by a size of swelling of the surface treatment film (4) (step S10, as shown in fig. 4) or a rate at which the swelling progresses.
It would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine and have in the current supply step, progress of the corrosion of the coated metal material appears as swelling of the surface treatment film that occurs around the damaged portion, and the progress degree of corrosion is expressed by a size of swelling of the surface treatment film or a rate at which the swelling progresses as taught by JP 6835279 B1 with the invention of the combination of ASADA et al. and ASADA et al. in order to improve the quantitativeness and reliability of the corrosion resistance test (JP 6835279 B1 description).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of ASADA et al. and ASADA et al. teaches the limitations of claim 5.
The combination of ASADA et al. and ASADA et al. fails to specifically teach wherein in the current supply step, progress of the corrosion of the coated metal material appears as swelling of the surface treatment film that occurs around the damaged portion, and the progress degree of corrosion is expressed by a size of swelling of the surface treatment film or a rate at which the swelling progresses. However, JP 6835279 B1 teaches wherein in the current supply step (S9), progress of the corrosion of the coated metal material appears as swelling of the surface treatment film (4) that occurs around the damaged portion (as disclosed in the description), and the progress degree of corrosion is expressed by a size of swelling of the surface treatment film (4) (step S10, as shown in fig. 4) or a rate at which the swelling progresses.
It would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine and have in the current supply step, progress of the corrosion of the coated metal material appears as swelling of the surface treatment film that occurs around the damaged portion, and the progress degree of corrosion is expressed by a size of swelling of the surface treatment film or a rate at which the swelling progresses as taught by JP 6835279 B1 with the invention of the combination of ASADA et al. and ASADA et al. in order to improve the quantitativeness and reliability of the corrosion resistance test (JP 6835279 B1 description).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of ASADA et al. and ASADA et al. teaches the limitations of claim 11.
The combination of ASADA et al. and ASADA et al. fails to specifically teach wherein the progress of the corrosion of the coated metal material appears as swelling of the surface treatment film, and the calculation unit calculates the progress degree of corrosion based on a correlation among at least one of the fluctuation range of unevenness, the difference between the values at the two points, or the integrated value; at least one of the fluctuation range of unevenness acquired in advance, the difference between the values at the two points acquired in advance, or the integrated value acquired in advance; and a size of swelling of the surface treatment film or a rate at which the swelling progresses. However, JP 6835279 B1 teaches wherein the progress of the corrosion of the coated metal material (1) appears as swelling of the surface treatment film (4) (as disclosed in the description), and the calculation unit (91) calculates the progress degree of corrosion based on a correlation among at least one of the fluctuation range of unevenness, the difference between the values at the two points, or the integrated value; at least one of the fluctuation range of unevenness acquired in advance (step S5, as shown in fig. 4), the difference between the values at the two points acquired in advance, or the integrated value acquired in advance; and a size of swelling of the surface treatment film or a rate at which the swelling progresses (step S10, as shown in fig. 4).
It would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine and have the progress of the corrosion of the coated metal material appear as swelling of the surface treatment film, and the calculation unit calculates the progress degree of corrosion based on a correlation among at least one of the fluctuation range of unevenness, the difference between the values at the two points, or the integrated value; at least one of the fluctuation range of unevenness acquired in advance, the difference between the values at the two points acquired in advance, or the integrated value acquired in advance; and a size of swelling of the surface treatment film or a rate at which the swelling progresses as taught by JP 6835279 B1 with the invention of the combination of ASADA et al. and ASADA et al. in order to improve the quantitativeness and reliability of the corrosion resistance test (JP 6835279 B1 description).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERTO VELEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-8597. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 5:30am-3:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Phan can be reached at (571)272-7924. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ROBERTO VELEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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