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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-10 are pending in this application.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
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, 3, 6-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uchiyama et al. (JP 2008103136) in view of JPH01184299 (see English Translation) and vice versa.
Uchiyama teaches a method of manufacturing a fuel cell having a hydrogen electrode separator and an oxygen electrode separator (abstract). The fuel cell separators must have good electrical conductivity and low contact resistance in addition to good corrosion resistance (p.2 paragraph 7). The corrosion resistance is measured by ICP-MS plasma emission-mass spectrometer (p.14 paragraph 2) at intervals (p.15 paragraph 2). However, the reference fails to teach spraying and immersion.
JP’299 teaches chromium plating over a platinum coating surface of a base materials (purpose) having good corrosion resistance (p.1 last paragraph). In one example, the platinum coated substrate has a coating liquid that is spray coated followed by immersion in chromic acid (p.4). It would have been obvious to utilize an immersed spray coated material in Uchiyama with the expectation of success depending on the desired final product. In addition, it would have been obvious to utilize the corrosion resistance method of Uchiyama in JP’299 with the expectation of determining the corrosion resistance of the spray coated material.
Regarding claim 3, the applicant requires a specific thickness. It is noted that JP’299 teaches a thickness of 1 um (claim 7). To utilize the claimed thickness would have been obvious in the absence of a showing of criticality.
Regarding claim 6, JP’299 teaches hydrochloric acid (p.4).
Regarding claim 7, the applicant requires a specific timeframe. It is noted that JP’299 teaches 3 hours (p.4). To utilize the claimed timeframe would have been obvious in the absence of a showing of criticality.
Regarding claim 8, the applicant requires specific time intervals. It is noted that Uchiyama does corrosion testing. To utilize testing at regular time intervals would have been obvious in the absence of a showing of criticality.
Regarding claim 9, Uchiyama teaches ICP-MS plasma emission-mass spectrometer (p.14 paragraph 2) and JP’299 teaches spray coating (p.4).
Claims 2, 4-5, 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uchiyama et al. (JP 2008103136) and JPH01184299 (see English Translation) and further in view of Navet et al. (WO 2019/149684). The combination of Uchiyama/JP’299 fails to teach the appropriate spraying technique.
Navet teaches thermal spraying techniques including plasma spraying, detonation spraying, wire arc spraying, flame spraying, high velocity oxygen-fuel spraying, warm spraying, and cold spraying (0033). It would have been obvious to use flame spraying in the combination with the expectation of success because Navet teaches of using different thermal spraying techniques.
Regarding claim 4, Navet teaches masking (0051).
Regarding claim 5, Navet teaches a PTFE mask (0051).
In independent claim 10, the applicant requires a specific thickness and masking. Navet teaches masking (0051). The issue of thickness has been addressed above.
Yano et al. (TW 201703330) teaches a product which is spray coated and subsequently immersed and has been cited as relevant art.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRET CHEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1417. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-8:30 MT.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Gordon Baldwin can be reached at (571) 272-5166. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRET P CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1718 09/23/2026
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