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 .
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 1-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Blokzijj et al, US 5,789,367.
Blokzijl et al teach a solid laundry detergent comprising surfactant, builder and a soil release polymer which is formed from terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, sulphoisophthalic acid, and ethylene glycol (see abstract). An example includes soap, nonionic surfactants, builders, and the SRP (example I). This appears to be precisely the invention claimed and so the reference is anticipatory.
In the alternative, if there is a minor difference in the SRP of the reference, such that it does not anticipate the SRP claimed, the reference teaches an anionically modified polyester with sulphoisophthalic acid precisely as claimed and so it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to formulate the polyester claimed based on the teachings of Blokzijl et al.
Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Wo, US 6,576,716.
Wo teaches sulfonated polyester compounds for use as a soil release agent (see abstract). An example of this sulfonated polyester is formed from polyethylene terephthalate, isophthalic acid, sodiosulfoisophthalic acid, and ethylene glycol (col. 5, example 1). This appears to be precisely the SRP claimed and so the reference is anticipatory.
In the alternative, if there is a minor difference in the SRP of the reference, such that it does not anticipate the SRP claimed, the reference teaches an anionically modified polyester with sodiosulfoisophthalic acid precisely as claimed and so it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to formulate the polyester claimed based on the teachings of Wo.
Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Goda et al, US 2009/0042031.
Goda et al teach an islands in sea spun fiber wherein the sea component is a modified sulfonated polyethylene terephthalate where polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene glycol, and sodiosulfoisophthalic acid are copolymerized (¶56, example 1). This appears to be precisely the SRP claimed and so the reference is anticipatory.
In the alternative, if there is a minor difference in the SRP of the reference, such that it does not anticipate the SRP claimed, the reference teaches an anionically modified polyester with sodiosulfoisophthalic acid precisely as claimed and so it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to formulate the polyester claimed based on the teachings of Goda et al.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The examiner notes that it is well-known to treat a PET polyester with sulphoisophthalic acid.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHARLES I BOYER whose telephone number is (571)272-1311. The examiner can normally be reached M-S 10-430.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Angela Brown-Pettigrew can be reached at 5712722817. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHARLES I BOYER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1761
