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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see remarks and amendments, filed 10/21/2025, with respect to the rejections under section 112 for claims 1-8, 10-15, 17-19 and 21-23 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The prior rejections under section 112 of claims 1-8, 10-15, 17-19 and 21-23 has been withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments filed 10/21/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that the Samant reference does not disclose “measuring a degradation temperature of the polymer”. However, the full limitation is disclose: “(c) characterizing a second material, wherein the second material is a polymer used for creating a part, and wherein the characterization of the second material includes:(i) measuring a degradation temperature of the polymer; and(ii) measuring a melting point/critical flow temperature of the polymer;”. Additionally claims are given their broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the specification during examination. See MPEP 2111.
During patent examination, the pending claims must be "given their broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the specification." The Federal Circuit’s en banc decision in Phillips v. AWH Corp., 415 F.3d 1303, 1316, 75 USPQ2d 1321, 1329 (Fed. Cir. 2005) expressly recognized that the USPTO employs the "broadest reasonable interpretation" standard:
The Patent and Trademark Office ("PTO") determines the scope of claims in patent applications not solely on the basis of the claim language, but upon giving claims their broadest reasonable construction "in light of the specification as it would be interpreted by one of ordinary skill in the art." In re Am. Acad. of Sci. Tech. Ctr., 367 F.3d 1359, 1364[, 70 USPQ2d 1827, 1830] (Fed. Cir. 2004). Indeed, the rules of the PTO require that application claims must "conform to the invention as set forth in the remainder of the specification and the terms and phrases used in the claims must find clear support or antecedent basis in the description so that the meaning of the terms in the claims may be ascertainable by reference to the description." 37 CFR 1.75(d)(1).
See also In re Suitco Surface, Inc., 603 F.3d 1255, 1259, 94 USPQ2d 1640, 1643 (Fed. Cir. 2010); In re Hyatt, 211 F.3d 1367, 1372, 54 USPQ2d 1664, 1667 (Fed. Cir. 2000).
In this case, Samant does disclose “(c) characterizing a second material, wherein the second material is a polymer used for creating a part, and wherein the characterization of the second material includes:(i) measuring a degradation temperature of the polymer; and(ii) measuring a melting point/critical flow temperature of the polymer;” under the broadest reasonable interpretation, because Samant discloses characterizing a material with these measurements, and previously taken measurements of the rubber state, the glass transition temperature, the crystallization temperature and the melting temperature would read on the measuring limitations that characterize the material under the broadest reasonable interpretation.
Additionally, applicant argues that the Samant reference does not achieve a hermetic seal; however, the Samant reference applies parallel lines and is capable of achieving the hermetic seal. Additionally, the “oriented perpendicular” portion of the limitation appears to be an intended use of the final product and not an actual method step. See also MPEP 2114 and 2115.
Additionally, the Yamaguchi reference, which is applied as a secondary reference to other claims, supports this conclusion. The Yamaguchi reference teaches in paragraph 0062 that “As for the physical properties of the difficult-to-melt polyimide film(s), the melting point and the thermal decomposition temperature are both 400° C. or higher, and the melting point and the thermal decomposition temperature are close or identical to each other.” Thus, for many plastics, measuring the melting and crystallization temperatures would serve as measurement for measuring the thermal degradation (or decomposition) temperature and therefore Samant reads on the claim language.
Applicant arguments as to the 103 rejections of claims 3, 4, 22, and 24 are based on substantially the same argument as above and unpersuasive for the same reason.
With respect to claims 5, 13, 17, applicant separately argues that Yamaguchi “has nothing to do with method for joining dissimilar materials such as polymer and metal to one another”. This argument is unpersuasive because paragraphs 0108-114 of Yamaguchi are directed to polyimide to metal bonding. See especially paragraph 0109 of Yamaguchi, reproduced below, which draws the connection between polyimide to polyimide bonding with polyimide to metal bonding.
[0109] As described above, thermal bonding of the difficult-to-melt polyimide was considered impossible. However, the present inventors have succeeded in bonding polyimide films to each other in First Embodiment above. Further, instead of bonding the polyimide films to each other, the present inventors have found it possible to bond a difficult-to-melt polyimide film directly to a metal by heating the polyimide film while a contact pressure is applied such that the polyimide film is tightly attached to a surface of the metal.
Therefore, a person of ordinary skill in the art would find Yamaguchi’s teachings are extendible to polymer to metal bonding, including the use of thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry.
With respect to claims 4, 17-19 and 21-23, the new reference of Zhao has been applied to alternatively address the limitations addressed to “nanoparticles of tungsten carbide”. As claims 4 and 17-19 are substantially unamended (except to address 112 rejections), these claims include rejections that are new rejections and following action is non-final.
Claim Objections
Claim 17 is objected to because of the following informalities: Reference is made to “the metallic nanoparticles” in line 14. This is the first instance of this limitation and appears to be a reference back to “nanoparticles of tungsten carbide” as used in line 12, and the examiner suggests that applicant use consistent language and either amend line 14 to recite “the nanoparticles of tungsten carbide” or alternatively amend line 12 to recite “metallic nanoparticles” or otherwise amend the language for consistency. Appropriate correction is required.
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 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.
Claim(s) 21, 22, and 23 is/are alternatively rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Samant (US 20240208164 A1), Furukawa (US 20160121435 A1) and Rau (UA 5093403 A).
As to claim 21, Samant discloses a method for joining dissimilar materials (see paragraph 0006, disclosing “Disclosed is a system and method for joining dissimilar materials”), comprising:
(a) etching (paragraph 0028, disclosing “A texture 14 is applied to a surface of the base material 1. Embodiments disclosed herein also describe methods to imprint the texture into the base material via squeezing, machining, pressing, forming, knurling, stamping, etching, forging, cutting, rolling, or other imprinting processes as known in the art.”) a predetermined micropattern into a surface of a first material, wherein the first material is a metal used for creating a part (paragraph 0021, disclosing “The base material can be metal, polymer, ceramic or any other material on which a texture could be applied”), and wherein the micropattern includes various microfeatures;
(b) characterizing the physical properties of the microfeatures (see paragraph 0030, disclosing “the texture may be provided with an average roughness depth that is capable of providing sufficient volume for the matrix material from the FRP to flow into the texture.”);
(c) characterizing a second material (see paragraph 0031, disclosing “FIG. 4 is a representation of a processing curve for a synthetic resin polymer which is usually chosen as the matrix material for the FRP.”), wherein the second material is a polymer used for creating a part (see paragraph 0022, disclosing “The resin can be polypropylene (PP), polyamide6 (PA6), polycarbonate (PC), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyaryletherketone (PAEK), or any other polymer material that meets the requirements of a matrix material.”), and wherein the characterization of the second material includes:
(i) measuring a degradation temperature of the polymer (see paragraph 0031, disclosing “glass transition temperature 24” and “a rubber state 25”. Figure 4 shows that these measurements have been obtained beforehand.); and
(ii) measuring a curing temperature of the polymer (see paragraph 0031, disclosing “the melting temperature 26”. Figure 4 shows that these measurements have been obtained beforehand. See also paragraph 0032, which discloses “After flowing into the textures, the matrix (in liquid form) is cooled back to room temperature 22 where it attains the final ordered or crystalline structure 29 due to solidification.”);
(e) flowing the polymer into the microfeatures to form a polymer-metal combination (paragraph 0028, disclosing “A texture 14 is applied to a surface of the base material 1. Embodiments disclosed herein also describe methods to imprint the texture into the base material via squeezing, machining, pressing, forming, knurling, stamping, etching, forging, cutting, rolling, or other imprinting processes as known in the art. The FRP 3 is then placed on top of the base material 14 and heated at a certain temperature for a specific amount of time to cause the polymer matrix to melt and flow into the textures.”); and
(e) applying gravitational or compressive force to the polymer-metal combination until the interface between the polymer and the metal has solidified and the materials have been joined (see paragraph 0025, disclosing “Such methods may include using a heated platen press to deliver a predetermined amount of heat for a predetermined amount of time and at a predetermined pressure. The press may be mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, etc. Any other method that can deliver a predetermined amount of heat for a predetermined amount of time and at a predetermined pressure to the matrix polymer can also be used.” See paragraph 0031,disclosing “After flowing into the textures, the matrix (in liquid form) is cooled back to room temperature 22 where it attains the final ordered or crystalline structure 29 due to solidification. At the end of the process, a laminate is created that has the FRP joined to the base material. The final ordered or crystalline structure 29 provides the strength to the laminate 16.”).
Samant does not disclose (d) applying nanoparticles of tungsten carbide to the microfeatures of the micropattern etched into the surface of the first material.
Furukawa discloses the use of metallic nanoparticles to improve bond strength and therefore makes obvious (d) applying metallic nanoparticles to the microfeatures of the micropattern etched into the surface of the first material. See especially paragraph 0010-11 and 0032, disclosing:
[0010] The present inventors have found, after studying hard, that by the use of aggregates of metal nanoparticles, members can be joined with high strength. When a metal paste containing aggregates of metal nanoparticles is coated on a member, dried and burned, a plurality of aggregates gather and form voids between the aggregates. Since the solvent of the metal paste can evaporate through the formed voids, the remaining rate of the solvent in the joined part decreases and high joining strength can be achieved.
[0011] Such formation of the voids can be represented also as a shrinkage rate of the metal paste during drying and burning the metal paste. That is, when the metal paste is dried and burned, the metal paste shrinks since the solvent contained in the metal paste is removed. However, when voids are formed in the inside of the metal paste during drying and burning, the metal paste is apparently suppressed from shrinking. Therefore, when the metal paste having, small shrinkage rate during drying and burning is used, the remaining solvent becomes scarce, and the members can be joined with high strength.\
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[0032] The aggregate of the metal nanoparticles is a secondary particle in which primary particles of the metal nanoparticles aggregated. An average particle size of the aggregates is 1 μm or more, preferably 1 to 5 μm, more preferably 1 to 3 μm and particularly preferably 1 to 2 μm. When the aggregates having such an average particle size are used, the joining strength of the member can further be improved.
Furukawa discloses that the materials to be joined can include metal and plastic. See paragraph 0062:
[0062] A kind of the members to be joined is not limited to particular one, and a metal material, a plastic material, and a ceramic material can be used. As the metal material, for example, a copper substrate, a gold substrate, and an aluminum substrate can be used. As the plastic material, for example, polyimide, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, and polyethylene naphthalate can be used. As the ceramic material, for example, glass and silicon can be used. Further, an electronic element can be used as the member. In particular, when the metal paste contains a refractory metal component, power device elements such as silicon carbide and gallium nitride can be used as the member.
Rau address the problem of polymer to metal bonds. Samant and Furukawa do not disclose wherein the metallic nanoparticles include tungsten carbide. Rau makes obvious wherein the metallic nanoparticles include tungsten carbide. Rau is directed to inventions that “generally to the field of bonding polymeric materials to metal materials and particularly to bonding fluorinated polymers and polyether resins to metals, including ferrous-based metals.” See column 1, line 13. Rau teaches that carbides are preferred additives. See column 8, line 12, which discloses:
With respect to the ceramic powder of additive (D) above, this includes fine particle size, inorganic crystalline material A ceramic powder is characterized typically by its ability to be converted by sintering into a chemically inert material. Examples of ceramic powders that can be used as additive (D) above are: refractory carbides such as silicon carbide, tungsten carbide, molybdenum disilicide and boron nitride; metal oxides such as alumina, chromic oxide, powdered quartz, cerium oxide, silicon oxide, beryllia and zirconium oxide; silicon nitride, titanium diboride and aluminum diboride.
The ceramic powder can be in various forms, for example, in the form of regularly or irregularly shaped crystals, whisker fibers, long fibers, and platelets.
Metal carbide powders are a preferred additive for use in the present invention. The preferred carbides include silicon carbide, zirconium carbide, tungsten carbide and boron carbide, silicon carbide being most preferred.
A consideration in selecting the type of ceramic powder to be used is its resistance to the corrosive effects of the chemical material with which the resin composite material is to be used. It is believed that alpha silicon carbide is the most corrosive resistant type of ceramic powder available in respect to corrosive attack by a very broad range of chemical materials. Thus, it is highly preferred. In addition, silicon carbide is a low-cost material. However, for a variety of reasons, such as cost factors, etc., another type of ceramic powder may be selected.
Rau discloses the benefits of these ceramic powders, teaching in column 9 that:
In general, it has been observed, most notably in the use of ceramic powders, particularly with fluorocarbon resins, that bond strength between the coating and an underlying metal substrate increases with increased quantities of ceramic powder in the composition. On the other hand, resistance to corrosion by chemical attack is observed to be highest where relatively small amounts of ceramic powder are added to the resin, corrosion resistance being observed to decrease as amounts of ceramic powder in the resin are further increased.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to have utilized (d) applying nanoparticles of tungsten carbide to the microfeatures of the micropattern etched into the surface of the first material as suggested by Furukawa and Rau so that the joining strength of the member can further be improved and because bond strength between the coating and an underlying metal substrate increases with increased quantities of ceramic powder in the composition and resistance to corrosion by chemical attack is observed to be highest where relatively small amounts of ceramic powder are added.
As to claim 22, Samant discloses wherein the predetermined micropattern includes a crosshatch pattern (“cross-hatches”), a herringbone pattern, a pattern of squares, a pattern of concentric squares, a pattern of circles (see Figure 6B, and “holes”), or a pattern of concentric circles (paragraph 0029, disclosing “concentric or non-concentric”). See paragraph 0029 and 0033, disclosing:
[0029] The texture 14 may have various configurations, and may be applied to base materials of any dimensions on either or both surfaces of the base material. For example, the textured surface 14 may include a pattern of male (raised) or female (depressed) features, and the features may include without limitation, teeth, knurls, protrusions, depressions, ridges, asperities, “cross-hatches,” parallel or non-parallel lines, star shapes, triangles, hexagons, holes, channels, etc, or a combination of two or more thereof. Thus, the texture may include various features having lines and/or various geometric shapes, arranged in parallel or non-parallel, concentric or non-concentric, and/or overlapping or non-overlapping configurations.
…
[0033] FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C represent a few different types of texture that can be applied on the base material. The texture 30 includes a plurality of protruding or depressed pyramids, texture 31 includes a number of holes while texture 32 includes a series of parallel channels of a certain depth and width. However, the texture may be differently configured. For example, the texture may be symmetrical or asymmetrical. Moreover, the texture may be non-randomly distributed on the base material 1 or may instead be randomly distributed on the base material 1. As will be appreciated, the textured surface may be formed via various processes without departing from the present disclosure. For example, the textured surface may be formed via squeezing, machining, pressing, forming, knurling, stamping, etching, forging, cutting, rolling, or other imprinting processes as known in the art.
In any event, Samant, while disclosing a cross-hatch pattern as well as circle “hole” patterns and concentric shapes, does not explicitly disclose every pattern. However, Samant does disclose “the textured surface 14 may include a pattern of male (raised) or female (depressed) features, and the features may include without limitation, teeth, knurls, protrusions, depressions, ridges, asperities, “cross-hatches,” parallel or non-parallel lines, star shapes, triangles, hexagons, holes, channels, etc, or a combination of two or more thereof. Thus, the texture may include various features having lines and/or various geometric shapes, arranged in parallel or non-parallel, concentric or non-concentric, and/or overlapping or non-overlapping configurations,” and additionally, changes in size and shape and rearrangement of parts is often obvious. MPEP 2144.04.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to have utilize each and every claimed pattern of wherein the predetermined micropattern includes a crosshatch pattern, a herringbone pattern, a pattern of squares, a pattern of concentric squares, a pattern of circles, or a pattern of concentric circles as an changes in size and shape and rearrangement of parts and because Samant discloses that “the textured surface 14 may include a pattern of male (raised) or female (depressed) features, and the features may include without limitation, teeth, knurls, protrusions, depressions, ridges, asperities, “cross-hatches,” parallel or non-parallel lines, star shapes, triangles, hexagons, holes, channels, etc, or a combination of two or more thereof. Thus, the texture may include various features having lines and/or various geometric shapes, arranged in parallel or non-parallel, concentric or non-concentric, and/or overlapping or non-overlapping configurations”.
As to claim 23, Samant discloses wherein the predetermined micropattern includes parallel lines (“parallel lines”) oriented perpendicular to any pressure gradient present in the part for achieving a hermetic seal between the metal and the polymer. See paragraph 0029 and 0033, disclosing:
[0029] The texture 14 may have various configurations, and may be applied to base materials of any dimensions on either or both surfaces of the base material. For example, the textured surface 14 may include a pattern of male (raised) or female (depressed) features, and the features may include without limitation, teeth, knurls, protrusions, depressions, ridges, asperities, “cross-hatches,” parallel or non-parallel lines, star shapes, triangles, hexagons, holes, channels, etc, or a combination of two or more thereof. Thus, the texture may include various features having lines and/or various geometric shapes, arranged in parallel or non-parallel, concentric or non-concentric, and/or overlapping or non-overlapping configurations.
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[0033] FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C represent a few different types of texture that can be applied on the base material. The texture 30 includes a plurality of protruding or depressed pyramids, texture 31 includes a number of holes while texture 32 includes a series of parallel channels of a certain depth and width. However, the texture may be differently configured. For example, the texture may be symmetrical or asymmetrical. Moreover, the texture may be non-randomly distributed on the base material 1 or may instead be randomly distributed on the base material 1. As will be appreciated, the textured surface may be formed via various processes without departing from the present disclosure. For example, the textured surface may be formed via squeezing, machining, pressing, forming, knurling, stamping, etching, forging, cutting, rolling, or other imprinting processes as known in the art.
These perpendicular lines would be capable of achieving the hermetic seal property.
In any event, Samant, while disclosing parallel lines, does not explicitly disclose that the lines appear capable of being oriented perpendicular to any pressure gradient present in the part for achieving a hermetic seal between the metal and the polymer,. However, Samant does disclose “the textured surface 14 may include a pattern of male (raised) or female (depressed) features, and the features may include without limitation, teeth, knurls, protrusions, depressions, ridges, asperities, “cross-hatches,” parallel or non-parallel lines, star shapes, triangles, hexagons, holes, channels, etc, or a combination of two or more thereof. Thus, the texture may include various features having lines and/or various geometric shapes, arranged in parallel or non-parallel, concentric or non-concentric, and/or overlapping or non-overlapping configurations,” and additionally, changes in size and shape and rearrangement of parts is often obvious. MPEP 2144.04.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to have oriented perpendicular to any pressure gradient present in the part for achieving a hermetic seal between the metal and the polymer as an changes in size and shape and rearrangement of parts and because Samant discloses that “the textured surface 14 may include a pattern of male (raised) or female (depressed) features, and the features may include without limitation, teeth, knurls, protrusions, depressions, ridges, asperities, “cross-hatches,” parallel or non-parallel lines, star shapes, triangles, hexagons, holes, channels, etc, or a combination of two or more thereof. Thus, the texture may include various features having lines and/or various geometric shapes, arranged in parallel or non-parallel, concentric or non-concentric, and/or overlapping or non-overlapping configurations”.
Claim(s) 21, 22, and 23 is/are alternatively rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Samant (US 20240208164 A1), Furukawa (US 20160121435 A1) and Zhao (US 20160136928 A1).
As to claim 21, Samant discloses a method for joining dissimilar materials (see paragraph 0006, disclosing “Disclosed is a system and method for joining dissimilar materials”), comprising:
(a) etching (paragraph 0028, disclosing “A texture 14 is applied to a surface of the base material 1. Embodiments disclosed herein also describe methods to imprint the texture into the base material via squeezing, machining, pressing, forming, knurling, stamping, etching, forging, cutting, rolling, or other imprinting processes as known in the art.”) a predetermined micropattern into a surface of a first material, wherein the first material is a metal used for creating a part (paragraph 0021, disclosing “The base material can be metal, polymer, ceramic or any other material on which a texture could be applied”), and wherein the micropattern includes various microfeatures;
(b) characterizing the physical properties of the microfeatures (see paragraph 0030, disclosing “the texture may be provided with an average roughness depth that is capable of providing sufficient volume for the matrix material from the FRP to flow into the texture.”);
(c) characterizing a second material (see paragraph 0031, disclosing “FIG. 4 is a representation of a processing curve for a synthetic resin polymer which is usually chosen as the matrix material for the FRP.”), wherein the second material is a polymer used for creating a part (see paragraph 0022, disclosing “The resin can be polypropylene (PP), polyamide6 (PA6), polycarbonate (PC), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyaryletherketone (PAEK), or any other polymer material that meets the requirements of a matrix material.”), and wherein the characterization of the second material includes:
(i) measuring a degradation temperature of the polymer (see paragraph 0031, disclosing “glass transition temperature 24” and “a rubber state 25”. Figure 4 shows that these measurements have been obtained beforehand.); and
(ii) measuring a curing temperature of the polymer (see paragraph 0031, disclosing “the melting temperature 26”. Figure 4 shows that these measurements have been obtained beforehand. See also paragraph 0032, which discloses “After flowing into the textures, the matrix (in liquid form) is cooled back to room temperature 22 where it attains the final ordered or crystalline structure 29 due to solidification.”);
(e) flowing the polymer into the microfeatures to form a polymer-metal combination (paragraph 0028, disclosing “A texture 14 is applied to a surface of the base material 1. Embodiments disclosed herein also describe methods to imprint the texture into the base material via squeezing, machining, pressing, forming, knurling, stamping, etching, forging, cutting, rolling, or other imprinting processes as known in the art. The FRP 3 is then placed on top of the base material 14 and heated at a certain temperature for a specific amount of time to cause the polymer matrix to melt and flow into the textures.”); and
(e) applying gravitational or compressive force to the polymer-metal combination until the interface between the polymer and the metal has solidified and the materials have been joined (see paragraph 0025, disclosing “Such methods may include using a heated platen press to deliver a predetermined amount of heat for a predetermined amount of time and at a predetermined pressure. The press may be mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, etc. Any other method that can deliver a predetermined amount of heat for a predetermined amount of time and at a predetermined pressure to the matrix polymer can also be used.” See paragraph 0031,disclosing “After flowing into the textures, the matrix (in liquid form) is cooled back to room temperature 22 where it attains the final ordered or crystalline structure 29 due to solidification. At the end of the process, a laminate is created that has the FRP joined to the base material. The final ordered or crystalline structure 29 provides the strength to the laminate 16.”).
Samant does not disclose (d) applying nanoparticles of tungsten carbide to the microfeatures of the micropattern etched into the surface of the first material.
Furukawa discloses the use of metallic nanoparticles to improve bond strength and therefore makes obvious (d) applying metallic nanoparticles to the microfeatures of the micropattern etched into the surface of the first material. See especially paragraph 0010-11 and 0032, disclosing:
[0010] The present inventors have found, after studying hard, that by the use of aggregates of metal nanoparticles, members can be joined with high strength. When a metal paste containing aggregates of metal nanoparticles is coated on a member, dried and burned, a plurality of aggregates gather and form voids between the aggregates. Since the solvent of the metal paste can evaporate through the formed voids, the remaining rate of the solvent in the joined part decreases and high joining strength can be achieved.
[0011] Such formation of the voids can be represented also as a shrinkage rate of the metal paste during drying and burning the metal paste. That is, when the metal paste is dried and burned, the metal paste shrinks since the solvent contained in the metal paste is removed. However, when voids are formed in the inside of the metal paste during drying and burning, the metal paste is apparently suppressed from shrinking. Therefore, when the metal paste having, small shrinkage rate during drying and burning is used, the remaining solvent becomes scarce, and the members can be joined with high strength.\
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[0032] The aggregate of the metal nanoparticles is a secondary particle in which primary particles of the metal nanoparticles aggregated. An average particle size of the aggregates is 1 μm or more, preferably 1 to 5 μm, more preferably 1 to 3 μm and particularly preferably 1 to 2 μm. When the aggregates having such an average particle size are used, the joining strength of the member can further be improved.
Furukawa discloses that the materials to be joined can include metal and plastic. See paragraph 0062:
[0062] A kind of the members to be joined is not limited to particular one, and a metal material, a plastic material, and a ceramic material can be used. As the metal material, for example, a copper substrate, a gold substrate, and an aluminum substrate can be used. As the plastic material, for example, polyimide, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, and polyethylene naphthalate can be used. As the ceramic material, for example, glass and silicon can be used. Further, an electronic element can be used as the member. In particular, when the metal paste contains a refractory metal component, power device elements such as silicon carbide and gallium nitride can be used as the member.
Zhao address the problem of polymer to metal bonds. Zhao teaches in paragraph 0001 that “However, polymers normally do not form strong chemical bonds with metals.” Paragraphs 0025-28 suggest micro or nano size particles as well as using carbides such as tungsten carbide in order to serve as an interface for polymer-metal bonds. See paragraphs 0026-28, disclosing:
[0025] The binder used to make the carbon composites can be micro- or nano-sized. In an embodiment, the binder has an average particle size of about 0.05 to about 250 microns, about 0.05 to about 50 microns, about 1 micron to about 40 microns, specifically, about 0.5 to about 5 microns, more specifically about 0.1 to about 3 microns. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that when the binder has a size within these ranges, it disperses uniformly among the carbon microstructures.
[0026] When an interface layer is present, the binding phase comprises a binder layer comprising a binder and an interface layer bonding one of the at least two carbon microstructures to the binder layer. In an embodiment, the binding phase comprises a binder layer, a first interface layer bonding one of the carbon microstructures to the binder layer, and a second interface layer bonding the other of the microstructures to the binder layer. The first interface layer and the second interface layer can have the same or different compositions.
[0027] The interface layer comprises one or more of the following: a C-metal bond; a C—B bond; a C—Si bond; a C—O—Si bond; a C—O-metal bond; or a metal carbon solution. The bonds are formed from the carbon on the surface of the carbon microstructures and the binder.
[0028] In an embodiment, the interface layer comprises carbides of the binder. The carbides include one or more of the following: carbides of aluminum; carbides of titanium; carbides of nickel; carbides of tungsten; carbides of chromium; carbides of iron; carbides of manganese; carbides of zirconium; carbides of hafnium; carbides of vanadium; carbides of niobium; or carbides of molybdenum. These carbides are formed by reacting the corresponding metal or metal alloy binder with the carbon atoms of the carbon microstructures. The binding phase can also comprise SiC formed by reacting SiO.sub.2 or Si with the carbon of carbon microstructures, or B.sub.4C formed by reacting B or B.sub.2O.sub.3 with the carbon of the carbon microstructures. When a combination of binder materials is used, the interface layer can comprise a combination of these carbides. The carbides can be salt-like carbides such as aluminum carbide, covalent carbides such as SiC and B.sub.4C, interstitial carbides such as carbides of the group 4, 5, and 6 transition metals, or intermediate transition metal carbides, for example the carbides of Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to have utilized (d) applying nanoparticles of tungsten carbide to the microfeatures of the micropattern etched into the surface of the first material as suggested by Furukawa and Zhao so that the joining strength of the member can further be improved and a polymer to metal bond can be achieved.
As to claim 22, Samant discloses wherein the predetermined micropattern includes a crosshatch pattern (“cross-hatches”), a herringbone pattern, a pattern of squares, a pattern of concentric squares, a pattern of circles (see Figure 6B, and “holes”), or a pattern of concentric circles (paragraph 0029, disclosing “concentric or non-concentric”). See paragraph 0029 and 0033, disclosing:
[0029] The texture 14 may have various configurations, and may be applied to base materials of any dimensions on either or both surfaces of the base material. For example, the textured surface 14 may include a pattern of male (raised) or female (depressed) features, and the features may include without limitation, teeth, knurls, protrusions, depressions, ridges, asperities, “cross-hatches,” parallel or non-parallel lines, star shapes, triangles, hexagons, holes, channels, etc, or a combination of two or more thereof. Thus, the texture may include various features having lines and/or various geometric shapes, arranged in parallel or non-parallel, concentric or non-concentric, and/or overlapping or non-overlapping configurations.
…
[0033] FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C represent a few different types of texture that can be applied on the base material. The texture 30 includes a plurality of protruding or depressed pyramids, texture 31 includes a number of holes while texture 32 includes a series of parallel channels of a certain depth and width. However, the texture may be differently configured. For example, the texture may be symmetrical or asymmetrical. Moreover, the texture may be non-randomly distributed on the base material 1 or may instead be randomly distributed on the base material 1. As will be appreciated, the textured surface may be formed via various processes without departing from the present disclosure. For example, the textured surface may be formed via squeezing, machining, pressing, forming, knurling, stamping, etching, forging, cutting, rolling, or other imprinting processes as known in the art.
In any event, Samant, while disclosing a cross-hatch pattern as well as circle “hole” patterns and concentric shapes, does not explicitly disclose every pattern. However, Samant does disclose “the textured surface 14 may include a pattern of male (raised) or female (depressed) features, and the features may include without limitation, teeth, knurls, protrusions, depressions, ridges, asperities, “cross-hatches,” parallel or non-parallel lines, star shapes, triangles, hexagons, holes, channels, etc, or a combination of two or more thereof. Thus, the texture may include various features having lines and/or various geometric shapes, arranged in parallel or non-parallel, concentric or non-concentric, and/or overlapping or non-overlapping configurations,” and additionally, changes in size and shape and rearrangement of parts is often obvious. MPEP 2144.04.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to have utilize each and every claimed pattern of wherein the predetermined micropattern includes a crosshatch pattern, a herringbone pattern, a pattern of squares, a pattern of concentric squares, a pattern of circles, or a pattern of concentric circles as an changes in size and shape and rearrangement of parts and because Samant discloses that “the textured surface 14 may include a pattern of male (raised) or female (depressed) features, and the features may include without limitation, teeth, knurls, protrusions, depressions, ridges, asperities, “cross-hatches,” parallel or non-parallel lines, star shapes, triangles, hexagons, holes, channels, etc, or a combination of two or more thereof. Thus, the texture may include various features having lines and/or various geometric shapes, arranged in parallel or non-parallel, concentric or non-concentric, and/or overlapping or non-overlapping configurations”.
As to claim 23, Samant discloses wherein the predetermined micropattern includes parallel lines (“parallel lines”) oriented perpendicular to any pressure gradient present in the part for achieving a hermetic seal between the metal and the polymer. See paragraph 0029 and 0033, disclosing:
[0029] The texture 14 may have various configurations, and may be applied to base materials of any dimensions on either or both surfaces of the base material. For example, the textured surface 14 may include a pattern of male (raised) or female (depressed) features, and the features may include without limitation, teeth, knurls, protrusions, depressions, ridges, asperities, “cross-hatches,” parallel or non-parallel lines, star shapes, triangles, hexagons, holes, channels, etc, or a combination of two or more thereof. Thus, the texture may include various features having lines and/or various geometric shapes, arranged in parallel or non-parallel, concentric or non-concentric, and/or overlapping or non-overlapping configurations.
…
[0033] FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C represent a few different types of texture that can be applied on the base material. The texture 30 includes a plurality of protruding or depressed pyramids, texture 31 includes a number of holes while texture 32 includes a series of parallel channels of a certain depth and width. However, the texture may be differently configured. For example, the texture may be symmetrical or asymmetrical. Moreover, the texture may be non-randomly distributed on the base material 1 or may instead be randomly distributed on the base material 1. As will be appreciated, the textured surface may be formed via various processes without departing from the present disclosure. For example, the textured surface may be formed via squeezing, machining, pressing, forming, knurling, stamping, etching, forging, cutting, rolling, or other imprinting processes as known in the art.
These perpendicular lines would be capable of achieving the hermetic seal property.
In any event, Samant, while disclosing parallel lines, does not explicitly disclose that the lines appear capable of being oriented perpendicular to any pressure gradient present in the part for achieving a hermetic seal between the metal and the polymer,. However, Samant does disclose “the textured surface 14 may include a pattern of male (raised) or female (depressed) features, and the features may include without limitation, teeth, knurls, protrusions, depressions, ridges, asperities, “cross-hatches,” parallel or non-parallel lines, star shapes, triangles, hexagons, holes, channels, etc, or a combination of two or more thereof. Thus, the texture may include various features having lines and/or various geometric shapes, arranged in parallel or non-parallel, concentric or non-concentric, and/or overlapping or non-overlapping configurations,” and additionally, changes in size and shape and rearrangement of parts is often obvious. MPEP 2144.04.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to have oriented perpendicular to any pressure gradient present in the part for achieving a hermetic seal between the metal and the polymer as an changes in size and shape and rearrangement of parts and because Samant discloses that “the textured surface 14 may include a pattern of male (raised) or female (depressed) features, and the features may include without limitation, teeth, knurls, protrusions, depressions, ridges, asperities, “cross-hatches,” parallel or non-parallel lines, star shapes, triangles, hexagons, holes, channels, etc, or a combination of two or more thereof. Thus, the texture may include various features having lines and/or various geometric shapes, arranged in parallel or non-parallel, concentric or non-concentric, and/or overlapping or non-overlapping configurations”.
Claim(s) 1, 3, and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Samant (US 20240208164 A1) and Furukawa (US 20160121435 A1)
As to claim 1, Samant discloses a method for joining dissimilar materials (see paragraph 0006, disclosing “Disclosed is a system and method for joining dissimilar materials”), comprising:
(a) etching (paragraph 0028, disclosing “A texture 14 is applied to a surface of the base material 1. Embodiments disclosed herein also describe methods to imprint the texture into the base material via squeezing, machining, pressing, forming, knurling, stamping, etching, forging, cutting, rolling, or other imprinting processes as known in the art.”) a predetermined micropattern (“texture”)into a surface of a first material, wherein the first material is a metal used for creating a part (paragraph 0021, disclosing “The base material can be metal, polymer, ceramic or any other material on which a texture could be applied”), and wherein the micropattern includes various microfeatures;
(b) characterizing the physical properties of the microfeatures (see paragraph 0030, disclosing “the texture may be provided with an average roughness depth that is capable of providing sufficient volume for the matrix material from the FRP to flow into the texture.”);
(c) characterizing a second material (see paragraph 0031, disclosing “FIG. 4 is a representation of a processing curve for a synthetic resin polymer which is usually chosen as the matrix material for the FRP.”), wherein the second material is a polymer used for creating a part (see paragraph 0022, disclosing “The resin can be polypropylene (PP), polyamide6 (PA6), polycarbonate (PC), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyaryletherketone (PAEK), or any other polymer material that meets the requirements of a matrix material.”), and wherein the characterization of the second material includes:
(i) measuring a degradation temperature of the polymer (see paragraph 0031, disclosing “glass transition temperature 24” and “a rubber state 25”. Figure 4 shows that these measurements have been obtained beforehand.); and
(ii) measuring a melting point/critical flow temperature of the polymer (see paragraph 0031, disclosing “the melting temperature 26”. Figure 4 shows that these measurements have been obtained beforehand.);
(e) placing the polymer on the microfeatures (“texture 14”) formed on the metal surface to form an interface between the polymer and the metal and to form a polymer-metal combination (paragraph 0028, disclosing “A texture 14 is applied to a surface of the base material 1. Embodiments disclosed herein also describe methods to imprint the texture into the base material via squeezing, machining, pressing, forming, knurling, stamping, etching, forging, cutting, rolling, or other imprinting processes as known in the art. The FRP 3 is then placed on top of the base material 14 and heated at a certain temperature for a specific amount of time to cause the polymer matrix to melt and flow into the textures.”);
(f) applying a predetermined amount of compressive force to the polymer-metal combination (see paragraph 0025, disclosing “Such methods may include using a heated platen press to deliver a predetermined amount of heat for a predetermined amount of time and at a predetermined pressure. The press may be mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, etc. Any other method that can deliver a predetermined amount of heat for a predetermined amount of time and at a predetermined pressure to the matrix polymer can also be used.”);
(g) for a predetermined period of time, heating the interface (see paragraph 0025, disclosing “Such methods may include using a heated platen press to deliver a predetermined amount of heat for a predetermined amount of time and at a predetermined pressure. The press may be mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, etc. Any other method that can deliver a predetermined amount of heat for a predetermined amount of time and at a predetermined pressure to the matrix polymer can also be used.”) to a temperature falling between the degradation temperature of the polymer and the melting point/critical flow temperature of the polymer (see paragraph 0031, disclosing “At room temperature 22, the matrix material is comprised of a combination of ordered or crystalline structure and disordered or amorphous structure (23). Once the temperature reaches glass transition temperature 24, the matrix turns into a rubber state 25. On further heating, the matrix reaches the melting temperature 26 and forms a low viscosity liquid 27 after it is held at the melting temperature for a certain period of time. At this stage of the process, the matrix material from the FRP in the liquid form flows into the texture applied on the surface of the base material.”);
(h) discontinuing heating the interface (see paragraph 0031,disclosing “After flowing into the textures, the matrix (in liquid form) is cool