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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group II, claims 13-20, in the reply filed on 08-03-2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 1-12 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 08-03-2026.
Information Disclosure Statement
On the IDS dated 02-12-2025, Foreign Patent Document 2, KR 101823153 B1, is noted as corresponding to US 8,801,464 B2. This correspondence is not correct, and so the Examiner has lined through the note on the IDS.
Claim Objections
Claim 13 is objected to because of the following informalities: In line 5, it appears “form” should be --foam--. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
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.
Claim(s) 13-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cao ‘218 (US 2022/0106218 A1) in view of Scott ’23 (YouTube video clip entitled “Easy Glass Etching on Glass Coffee Mugs from Goodwill,” uploaded May 12, 2023 by “DiyDreaming with Hiedi Scott”. 5 pages of screen captures. Retrieved from the Internet: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gelcrVSrKlk>.).
Regarding claim 13, Cao ‘218 teaches:
providing a base part and a target substrate disposed on the base part (substrate 1101, Fig. 11, and whatever is supporting the substrate in space is considered to be a base part; ¶ [0235])
placing an etching solution on the target substrate (¶ [0236])
etching a portion of the target substrate to form a pattern on the target substrate (¶ [0236], forms recess 219, Figs. 2, 11).
Cao ‘218 is silent regarding:
placing an etching part, which comprises a support bar, a foam provided with a plurality of pores, and the etching solution provided in the pores, on the target substrate
the foam is coupled with one end of the support bar adjacent to the target substrate
moving the etching part alternately in one direction and in a direction opposite to the one direction to etch the portion of the target substrate.
In analogous art of glass etching, Scott ’23 suggests:
placing an etching part (foam brush, Description p. 1, screenshot p. 3) comprising a support bar (handle of foam brush, p. 3), a foam provided with a plurality of pores (black foam portion, Description p. 1, screenshot p. 3), and an etching solution provided in the pores (Armor Etch, p. 1) on a target substrate (foam brush on glass substrate, p. 2, 4, 5)
the foam is coupled with one end of the support bar adjacent to a target substrate (black foam portion coupled to handle of foam brush, adjacent to glass, p. 3-p. 5)
moving the etching part alternately in one direction and in a direction opposite to the one direction to etch a portion of the target substrate (video includes multiple instances of a back-and-forth motion of the foam brush from 6:20-7:50, including screenshots at 7:19, p. 4-p. 5, showing a motion toward the camera and then away from the camera)
as a known etching part for providing etchant to a glass substrate, and for the benefit of thoroughly covering the portion of the target substrate with the etchant. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Cao ‘218 by making the etching part comprise a support bar and a foam provided with a plurality of pores, and the etching solution provided in the pores, the foam being coupled with one end of the support bar adjacent to the target substrate, and moving the etching part alternately in one direction and in a direction opposite to the one direction to etch the portion of the target substrate, as a known etching part for providing etchant to a glass substrate, and for the benefit of thoroughly covering the portion of the target substrate with the etchant, as suggested by Scott ’23. While Scott ’23 does not explicitly describe “one direction” and “a direction opposite to the one direction”, it shows a wide variety of direction of motions, including repeated back-and-forth motions, and it is considered that such a limitation is sufficiently suggested to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. It is noted that both Cao ‘218 (¶ [0236]) and Scott ’23 (p. 1-2) describe applying a mask to the glass substrate before etching.
Regarding claim 14, Cao ‘218 and Scott ’23 are silent regarding a diameter of an area where the foam is in contact with the target substrate. However, Cao ‘218 suggests that a width of the central portion (pattern) that is subjected to etching is from 2.8-60 mm, which overlaps the claimed range (¶ [0222], Figs. 2, 11). Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Cao ‘218 and Scott ’23 by selecting a diameter of an area where the foam is in contact with the target substrate in order to define a size of the area contacted by the etching solution and subjected to etching, in order to achieve a desired width of the pattern, as suggested by Cao ‘218. It has been held that where the claimed range overlaps or lies inside ranges disclosed by the prior art, a prima facie case of obviousness exists. See MPEP 2144.05.
Regarding claim 15, Cao ‘218 and Scott ’23 are silent regarding a number of times that the etching part alternately moves in the one direction and the other direction opposite to the one direction, respectively, in the forming of the pattern. Scott ’23 illustrates multiple instances of repeated motion in the one direction and the other direction opposite to the one direction from 6:20-7:50, including screenshots at 7:19, p. 4-p. 5, showing a motion toward the camera and then away from the camera. It has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation. See MPEP 2144.05. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to select a number of times of moving the etching part alternately in the one direction and the other direction opposite to the one direction, respectively, in the forming of the pattern for the benefit of ensuring sufficient coverage and etching, as suggested by Scott ’23.
Regarding claim 16, Cao ‘218 further teaches the target substrate comprises a glass material (¶ [0175], [0235]).
Regarding claim 17, Cao ‘218 further teaches the target substrate comprises a first non-folding area (first portion 221, Figs. 2, 11), a second non-folding area spaced apart from the first non-folding area (second portion 231, Figs. 2, 11), and a folding area disposed between the first non-folding area and the second non-folding area in a plan view (central portion 251, Figs. 2, 11; fold plane 109, Fig. 2; ¶ [0173], [0174]), and the pattern is formed in the folding area (¶ [0183]-[0185], [0236]; Figs. 2, 11).
Regarding claim 18, Cao ‘218 further teaches the pattern is provided with a recess defined in the folding area and extending in a direction, and a depth of the recess is smaller than a thickness of the target substrate (recess 219, Fig. 2, 11; fold plane 109 extending in a direction, Figs. 1-2). In the combination of Cao ‘218 and Scott ’23 as described above, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the direction in which the recess extends to be the same as the one direction because that is the linear direction in which etchant would be applied in order to achieve a linear recess as desired by Cao ‘218.
Claim(s) 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cao ‘218 (US 2022/0106218 A1) and Scott ’23 (YouTube video clip entitled “Easy Glass Etching on Glass Coffee Mugs from Goodwill,” uploaded May 12, 2023 by “DiyDreaming with Hiedi Scott”. 5 pages of screen captures. Retrieved from the Internet: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gelcrVSrKlk>.) in view of Zhang ‘082 (CN 220072082 U – English language translation provided herewith and referenced herein).
Regarding claims 19-20, Cao ‘218 and Scott ’23 are silent regarding the etching part coupled with a moving part as claimed. In Scott ’23, the etching part is moved manually in the one direction and the direction opposite to the one direction. In analogous art of automated application of a liquid to a target substrate, Zhang ‘082 suggests:
coupling a liquid application part (spray gun 62, arm 63, Figs. 1-2; p. 3, lines 35-37) with a moving part (driving mechanism 5, pallet 4, guide rail slider mechanism 9, Figs. 1-5), the moving part being capable of moving the liquid application part in one direction or a direction opposite to the one direction (p. 3, lines 29-35; p. 3, line 55-p. 4, lien 12; p. 4, lines 19-23)
the moving part comprises:
a rail part comprising a first rail disposed adjacent to one side of a base part and extending in the one direction and a second rail disposed opposite to the first rail with respect to the base part and extending in the one direction (first guide rail 90 and second guide rail 91, Figs. 1-4)
a joint part comprising a first-rail joint part coupled with the first rail (first slide block 92, Figs. 2, 4), a second-rail joint part coupled with the second rail (second slide block 93, Figs. 2, 4), and a support bar joint part (pallet 4 and/or drive mechanism 5) coupled with a support bar (coupled with arm 63, Figs. 1-2; p. 3, lines 35; p. 4, lines 19-25)
for the benefit of automating application of a liquid to a target substrate in a linear reciprocating path. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Cao ‘218 and Scott ’23 by coupling the etching part with a moving part that moves the etching in the one direction or the direction opposite to the one direction, as suggested by Zhang ‘082, for the benefit of automating application of the etching solution to the target substrate in a linear reciprocating path. Further, it has been held that it is obvious to provide automatic or mechanical means to replace a manual activity which accomplishes the same result. See MPEP 2144.04.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Craft-e-Corner. “How to Glass Etch Casserole Dish Using Your Cricut”. September 16, 2020. Retrieved from the Internet: <https://www.craft-e-corner.com/blogs/project-inspiration/how-to-etch-onto-a-casserole-dish-using-cricut-explore-air-2?srsltid=AfmBOooyZ1KiWhUzq2kdkbcrlzPzH-I0P7SRlwtQ74udp1zoT9eJjbfs>. – p. 6 describes brushing etchant onto glass with “back and forth” and “up and down” motions.
CN 207647131 U (Yuan) – describes brushes (16) which move in a reciprocating motion along upper and lower rails 14 (Figs. 1-3)
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/ERIN SNELTING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1741
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