Ex Parte Kish et alDownload PDFPatent Trial and Appeal BoardSep 23, 201311343099 (P.T.A.B. Sep. 23, 2013) Copy Citation UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARKOFFICE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE United States Patent and Trademark Office Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS P.O. Box 1450 Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450 www.uspto.gov APPLICATION NO. FILING DATE FIRST NAMED INVENTOR ATTORNEY DOCKET NO. CONFIRMATION NO. 11/343,099 01/30/2006 William Kish FIREgd-util 5511 41324 7590 09/23/2013 CHRISTOPHER JOHN RUDY 209 HURON AVENUE, SUITE 8 PORT HURON, MI 48060 EXAMINER AHVAZI, BIJAN ART UNIT PAPER NUMBER 1763 MAIL DATE DELIVERY MODE 09/23/2013 PAPER Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding. The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication. PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07) UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE ____________ BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD ____________ Ex parte WILLIAM KISH, KENNETH RUSK, KARLAN C. KASTENDIECK, KEITH G. KASTENDIECK, and MARK HARRISON ____________ Appeal 2012-005405 Application 11/343,099 Technology Center 1700 ____________ Before ROMULO H. DELMENDO, JAMES C. HOUSEL, and GEORGE C. BEST, Administrative Patent Judges. DELMENDO, Administrative Patent Judge. DECISION ON APPEAL Appeal 2012-005405 Application 11/343,099 2 The Appellants1 seek our review under 35 U.S.C. § 134(a) of a final rejection of claims 1-16, 19, and 21-27. We have jurisdiction under 35 U.S.C. § 6(b). We affirm. BACKGROUND The invention relates to a composition that is a fire retardant, stain protectant, and/or mold inhibitor when applied on textile. Specification (“Spec.”) 1, ll. 6-7. Representative claims 1, 19, and 21 are reproduced below: 1. A composition of matter comprising combined fire retardant and stain protectant components, wherein: the composition, after it is applied to, and dried and reached a constant mass on a flammable textile drapery material, can reduce surface burning characteristics by at least about 25%, when compared to the flammable textile drapery material that is untreated, as tested by ASTM E84 (Steiner Tunnel Test); and the stain protectant component is present in an amount that, when applied to an upholstery textile fabric in combination with the remainder of the composition, and after the composition is applied to, and dried and reached a constant mass on the upholstery textile fabric, provides stain repellant or soil releasing capability to the upholstery textile fabric. 19. A composition of matter comprising combined fire retardant and mold inhibitor components, which is suitable for spray-on application, wherein the fire retardant component includes ingredients in approximate percentages by weight as follows: Water 70~90%; 1 The Appellants identify the real party in interest as “No-Burn Investments, L.L.C., and No-Burn, Inc.” Appeal Brief filed September 23, 2011 (“App. Br.”) at 1. Appeal 2012-005405 Application 11/343,099 3 Phosphorous containing acid 5~15%; Ammonium base 5~15%; Wetting and/or other agent 0.05~0.2%; Preservative 0.01~0.1%; and wherein: the composition, after it is applied to, and dried and reached a constant mass on a flammable textile drapery material, can reduce surface burning characteristics by at least about 25%, when compared to the flammable textile drapery material that is untreated, as tested by ASTM E84 (Steiner Tunnel Test); and the mold inhibitor component, in combination with the composition, is present in an amount effective for kill, control, or prevention of growth of Stachybotrys chartarum after the composition is applied to, and dried and reached a constant mass on a substrate such that there is a reduction in the growth of the Stachybotrys chartarum by at least about 85% for at least about 30 days as tested by ASTM D5590-94 (Determination of Resistance of a Coating Material to Fungal Growth). 21. The composition of claim 19, wherein the mold inhibitor component includes a quaternary organic ammonium halide, which is present at about 0.1% to 15% by weight of the fire retardant component. App. Br. (Claims App’x, CA-1, CA-3, CA-4). The Examiner rejected the claims as follows: I. Claims 1-16, 19, and 21-27 under 35 U.S.C. § 112, ¶ 2, as indefinite; II. Claims 19 and 21 under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as unpatentable over Kish;2 2 U.S. Patent Application Publication 2005/0022466 A1 published February 3, 2005. Appeal 2012-005405 Application 11/343,099 4 III. Claims 1, 2, and 24 under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b) as anticipated by, or in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as unpatentable over Pearson;3 IV. Claims 19 and 21 under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as unpatentable over Kish; V. Claims 22 and 23 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as unpatentable over Kish; VI. Claims 1-3, 7-12, 19, and 21-25 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as unpatentable over Kish in view of Pearson; VII. Claims 4-6, 13-16, 26, and 27 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as unpatentable over Kish in view of Pearson and further in view of Harrison;4 and VIII. Claims 1-16, 19, and 21-27 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as unpatentable over Kish in view of the admitted prior art, Masurf® FP-815 Material Data Sheet (hereinafter “Masurf”),5 and Harrison. Examiner’s Answer entered December 12, 2012 (“Ans.”) 4-54.6 3 U.S. Patent 4,419,401 issued December 6, 1983. 4 U.S. Patent Application Publication 2004/0107505 published June 10, 2004. 5 “New” Masurf® FP-815 CP, Mason Chemical Company (exact publication date unknown). 6 Rejection II through VII were designated as new rejections in the Answer. Ans. 4-21. Appeal 2012-005405 Application 11/343,099 5 DISCUSSION I. Claims 1-16, 19, & 21-27 under 35 U.S.C. § 112, ¶ 2: We start with Rejection I. The Examiner stated: The boundaries limitation of “at least about [25%]” in independent claims 1, 19 and 24 and dependent claims 7-8, 25, not clearly defined, thus render the claim indefinite, since the word “about” permits some tolerance (see In re Ayers, 69 USPQ 109, and In re Erickson, 145 USPQ 207). Ans. 22-23 (emphasis in original). The Appellants, on the other hand, contend: The rejection of all the claims as indefinite for the term, “at least about,” is untenable since although the word, “about,” permits some tolerance, it is acceptable to any person skilled in the art, who is not without skill, who will read the supporting descriptions in light of his knowledge and skill for guidance on the level of that tolerance, and who is thus apprised to a reasonable degree the metes and bounds of the claim. See, e.g., In re Moore, 439 F.2d 1232 [169 USPQ 236, 238] (CCPA 1971). App. Br. 2-3. Consistent with the ruling in Ex parte Kish, available at http://e- foia.uspto.gov/Foia/ReterivePdf?system=BPAI&flNm=fd2011005781-01- 19-2012-1, at pages 6-7, where a similar rejection involving the same limitation (“at least about 25%”) was reversed, we agree with the Appellants that the Examiner’s rejection is not well founded. The mere fact that the term “about” permits some tolerance does not, in and of itself, support a rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 112, ¶ 2. In this case, the Examiner failed to explain why one skilled in the relevant art would not have been able to ascertain the scope of the claim in view of the recited term “about.” Cf. Amgen, Inc. v. Chugai Pharm. Co., Ltd., 927 F.2d 1200, 1218 (Fed. Cir. Appeal 2012-005405 Application 11/343,099 6 1991) (holding that a specific activity of “at least about 160,000” was indefinite where the scope of the limitation was in doubt, “especially when . . . there is close prior art,” but cautioning that the holding “should not be understood as ruling out any and all uses of this term in patent claims”). Accordingly, we cannot uphold Rejection I. II. Claims 19 & 21 under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)/103(a) over Kish: The subject application was filed January 30, 2006, claiming priority to two provisional applications—namely, Provisional Application 60/656,148 filed February 23, 2005 and Provisional Application 60/670,121 filed April 11, 2005. Even assuming that claims 19 and 21 are entitled to the earliest priority date (i.e., February 23, 2005), Kish is available as prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a) because it published February 3, 2005. The Examiner found that Kish describes, either explicitly or inherently, every limitation of claims 19 and 21. Ans. 4-6. The Appellants contend that Kish does not anticipate because “[n]o mold inhibitor was disclosed [in Kish] as going with the Form #2, #3 or #4 agents.” Reply Brief filed February 13, 2012 (“Reply Br.”) at 3. In addition, the Appellants contend that “Kish . . . is not available under 35 USC [§ ]102(e) since it was owned by the same entity as the present invention under the meaning of 35 USC[ §] 103(c).” Id. Neither argument is persuasive to show reversible error in the Examiner’s rejection. In re Jung, 637 F.3d 1356, 1365 (Fed. Cir. 2011) (explaining that even if the examiner had failed to make a prima facie case, the Board would not have erred in framing the issue as one of reversible Appeal 2012-005405 Application 11/343,099 7 error because it has long been the Board’s practice to require an appellant to identify the alleged error in the examiner’s rejections). The Appellants’ Specification informs one skilled in the relevant art that the “[a]mmonium base” component recited in claim 19 may be in the form of a 29% aqueous solution of ammonium hydroxide. Spec. 4, ll. 8-9. In addition, the Specification states that the “[w]etting and/or other agent” may be a 30% aqueous solution of coco amidopropyl betaine. Id. at 4, ll. 10- 12. Kish describes a fire retardant composition including a mixture of a substantially neutral ammonium phosphate salt and an active hydrogen- containing nitrogenous organic compound, which generally acts as a spumific, and a hydroxy-containing carbonific in various forms (i.e., Forms #1 through #4). ¶ 38. Kish explicitly teaches that a mold inhibitor such as a quaternary ammonium halide (e.g., didecyldimethylammonium chloride) may be present in the compositions in an amount of about 0.1 to 10% by weight. Id. Kish’s Form #3 is said to include: Water 70~90% by weight Polyphosphoric acid 5~15% by weight Ammonium hydroxide 5~15% by weight (29% aqueous solution) Coco amidopropyl betaine 0.05~0.2% by weight (30% aqueous solution) Preservative 0.01~0.1% by weight Id. at ¶ 43. Contrary to the Appellants’ argument, Reply Br. 3-4, we find that these disclosures in Kish constitute a sufficiently specific description of a composition containing every component recited in claims 19 and 21. Because Kish’s composition including, inter alia, 1~10% by weight of a Appeal 2012-005405 Application 11/343,099 8 quaternary ammonium halide is identical to the claimed composition in terms of ingredients and their respective amounts, it would reasonably appear that Kish’s composition would inherently or necessarily possess the same properties recited in claim 19. In re Best, 562 F.2d 1252, 1255 (CCPA 1977) (“Where . . . the claimed and prior art products are identical or substantially identical, or are produced by identical or substantially identical processes, the PTO can require an applicant to prove that the prior art products do not necessarily or inherently possess the characteristics of his claimed product.”). The Appellants’ reliance on the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 103(c) is misplaced. The common ownership exclusion of 35 U.S.C. § 103(c) applies only to prior art that is available under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e), (f), and (g). As we found above, however, Kish, is available as 35 U.S.C. § 102(a) prior art. Moreover, the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 103(c) relate to prior art that is applicable in the context of obviousness, not anticipation. For these reasons, we find no error in the Examiner’s rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a). Because claims 19 and 21 are anticipated by Kish, we conclude that the subject of these claims also would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of Kish. Structural Rubber Prods. Co. v. Park Rubber Co., 749 F.2d 707, 716 (Fed. Cir. 1984) (“a disclosure that anticipates under § 102 also renders the claim invalid under § 103”). III. Claims 1, 2, & 24 under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b)/103(a) over Pearson: The Appellants argue claims 1, 2, and 24 together. Reply Br. 4-5. Therefore, we confine our discussion to claim 1, which we select as representative. 37 C.F.R. § 41.37(c)(1)(vii). Appeal 2012-005405 Application 11/343,099 9 The Examiner found that Pearson describes, either explicitly or inherently, every limitation of claim 1. Ans. 7. The Appellants contend that Pearson does not suggest the claimed surface burning characteristic, as recited in claim 1. Reply Br. 5. Again, the Appellants’ argument does not persuade us of reversible error on the part of the Examiner. Specifically, Pearson describes fire retardant compositions suitable for application on textiles comprising: ammonium phosphate 35-65 parts by weight ammonium sulfate 10-30 parts by weight alkanolamine 40-60 parts by weight phosphoric acid 40-60 parts by weight aldehyde 20-40 parts by weight water 100-140 parts by weight Col. 1, l. 57 to col. 2, l. 4. Thus, the total amount for all ingredients ranges from 245-395 parts by weight. As acknowledged by the Appellants at page 5 of the Reply Brief, Pearson teaches the use of a wetting agent such as TRITON® X-100, col. 4, ll. 49-51, and a soil and stain resistant agent such as TEFLON® (polytetrafluoroethylene), col. 6, ll. 6-9. According to Pearson, 100% cotton ticking treated with the composition passed the vertical flame and soil and stain resistance tests with little or no loss of fire retardance. Col. 6, l. 62 to col. 7, l. 12. Though Pearson does not perform a Steiner Tunnel Test (surface burning characteristic) on a flammable drapery material, as recited in claim 1, the burden of proof was properly shifted to the Appellants to show that Pearson’s composition would not inherently or necessarily possess the claimed characteristic in view of the compositional similarities between Pearson’s composition and the claimed composition. “[C]hoosing to define an element functionally, i.e., by what it does, carries with it a risk.” In re Appeal 2012-005405 Application 11/343,099 10 Schreiber, 128 F.3d 1473, 1478 (Fed. Cir. 1997). Where the PTO has reason to believe that a functional limitation asserted to be critical may in fact be an inherent characteristic of the prior art, it possesses the authority to shift the burden of proof to the applicants to prove otherwise. Id. The “fairness [in shifting the burden of proof to the applicants] is evidenced by the PTO’s inability to manufacture products or to obtain and compare prior art products.” Best, 562 F.2d at 1255. For these reasons, we find no error in the Examiner’s anticipation rejection. Because the Appellants rely on the same argument for both anticipation and obviousness, Reply Br. 5, we also uphold the obviousness rejection. IV. Claims 19 & 21 under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e)/103(a) over Kish: Kish is also available as prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e) because it was filed on October 4, 2004, which is well before the Appellants’ earliest priority date of February 23, 2005. We affirm the rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e) of claims 19 and 21 over Kish based on the same factual findings with respect to Kish’s disclosure as discussed in II above. Because we have affirmed the anticipation rejection, we need not reach the 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) rejection. V. Claims 22 & 23 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) over Kish: With respect to the rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) of claims 22 and 23 over Kish, the Appellants argue: Kish . . . is silent as to the specific amounts and even the identities of the ingredients in the fire retardant component, being silent, for example, as to the narrow ranges of ingredients Appeal 2012-005405 Application 11/343,099 11 of the fire retardant component as well as the identity of the ammonium base as a hydroxide. Reply Br. at 4. The Appellants are incorrect. Claim 22 is reproduced below: 22. The composition of claim 21, wherein the fire retardant component includes that the water is present about from 76% to 82% by weight; the phosphorous containing acid includes being provided as a polyphosphoric acid, and is present about from 10% to12% by weight; the ammonium base includes being provided as a hydroxide, and is present about from 8% to 10% by weight. App. Br. (Claims App’x, CA-4). As we found in II above, Kish discloses ranges of amounts for the ingredients including water, polyphosphoric acid, and ammonium hydroxide that significantly overlap those recited in claim 22. Kish at ¶ 43. Therefore, we affirm Rejection V. VI. Claims 1-3, 7-12, 19, & 21-25 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) over Kish & Pearson: A. Claims 1, 2 & 24 With respect to claims 1, 2, and 24, the Appellants contend that Kish and Pearson are “disparate” and a person of ordinary skill in the art would not have combined them. Reply Br. 5. The Appellants further argue that the “the chemical arts are largely empirical and often highly difficult to predict.” Id. We disagree with the Appellants. Both references are directed to fire retardant compositions and are therefore not “disparate.” Kish at ¶ 38; Pearson at col. 1, l. 57 to col. 2, l. 4. Although Kish does not describe a stain protectant component, as recited in claim 1, we find no error in the Appeal 2012-005405 Application 11/343,099 12 Examiner’s obviousness analysis as set forth on pages 12-13 of the Answer., which we adopt as our own. Even if we assume that the art is unpredictable as alleged by the Appellants, only a reasonable expectation of success—not absolute predictability—is required to establish obviousness under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a). In re O’Farrell, 853 F.2d 894, 904 (Fed. Cir. 1988). B. Claim 3 The Appellants argue that Kish does not disclose a stain protectant component and Pearson does not disclose a fire retardant component with the ingredients and amounts as recited in claim 3. Reply Br. 5. As discussed in II above, Kish describes a fire retardant composition containing water, phosphoric acid, ammonium base, wetting and/or other agent, and preservative in amounts encompassed by the ranges recited in claim 3. As discussed in VI. A above, Pearson provides a reason for adding a stain protectant component into Kish’s composition. In re Merck & Co., Inc., 800 F.2d 1091, 1097 (Fed. Cir. 1986) (“Non-obviousness cannot be established by attacking references individually where the rejection is based upon the teachings of a combination of references.”). C. Claims 7 & 9 Claim 7 recites the presence of a mold inhibitor “in an amount effective for kill, control, or prevention of growth of Stachybotrys chartarum, after the composition is applied to, and dried and reached a constant mass on a substrate such that there is a reduction in the growth . . . by at least about 85% for at least about 30 days . . . .” As discussed in II above, Kish discloses the use of the same mold inhibitor in the same amounts as disclosed for the claimed invention. Kish at ¶38; claim 21. Appeal 2012-005405 Application 11/343,099 13 D. Claims 8 & 10-12 See VI. D above. E. Claim 19 See II above. F. Claim 21 See II above. G. Claims 22 & 23 See V above. H. Claim 25 See VI. C above. VII. Claims 4-6, 13-16, 26, & 27 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) over Kish, Pearson, & Harrison: Claims 4-6, 13-16, 26, and 27 all require a fluoroaliphatic polyacrylate fluoropolymer as a component. The Examiner found that although neither Kish nor Pearson discloses the particular fluoropolymer recited in claim 4, Harrison describes the use of such a polymer as a stain protectant in an aqueous detergent composition and therefore would have prompted a person of ordinary skill in the art to use such a fluoropolymer in Kish. Ans. 17-21, 40 (citing Harrison’s ¶¶ 2, 220). The Appellants argue that Harrison is not relevant because it does not relate to fire retardant compositions. Reply Br. 8. Furthermore, the Appellants contend that Harrison “disclose[s] use of a sulfonated copolymer, teaching away from a fluoraliphaticpolyacrylate fluoropolymer as required in claims 4 and 5.” Id. Appeal 2012-005405 Application 11/343,099 14 We agree with the Appellants that the Examiner’s rejection is not well founded. The Examiner failed to demonstrate that Harrison’s Repel-O-Tex PF 594 from Rhodia is in fact a fluoroaliphatic polyacrylate fluoropolymer as required by the rejected claims. Indeed, as pointed out by the Appellants, Repel-O-Tex PF 594 is disclosed as a “Soil-release sulfonated Copolyester.” Harrison at ¶ 220. For these reasons, we cannot uphold the stated rejection. VIII. Claims 1-16, 19, & 21-27 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) over Kish, Admitted Prior Art, Masurf, & Harrison A. Claims 1-3 & 24 The Examiner found, inter alia, that Kish does not describe a stain protectant component as recited in claim 1, but that Masurf teaches a fluoroaliphatic polyacrylate fluoropolymer, which is an effective carpet and upholstery protectant with exceptional soil release performance and dry soil resistance with water and oil repellency. Ans. 23. Alternatively, the Examiner again relied on Harrison’s Repel-O-Tex PF 594. Id. at 24. The Appellants contend that “since no [publication] date has been established for the Masurf FP-815 CP MDS, it cannot be considered to be prior art.” App. Br. 5. The Appellants further contend that Masurf does not relate to fire retardant compositions and therefore cannot be combined with Kish. Id. As we discussed in VII, the Examiner’s reliance on Harrison is misplaced. Nevertheless, we find the Examiner’s reliance on Masurf to be sound. As pointed out by the Examiner at page 38 of the Answer, the HTML version of Masurf indicates a copyright date of 2003, which is well before the earliest priority date of the current application. See Masurf 2. Appeal 2012-005405 Application 11/343,099 15 Thus, although the exact publication date is unknown, it would reasonably appear that Masurf was made accessible to the public in approximately 2003.7 The Appellants offered no evidence to the contrary. Having determined that Masurf is prior art, we find that Masurf discloses a 16% active fluoroaliphatic polyacrylate fluoropolymer in water/glycol solution as an effective protectant for carpet and upholstery, providing exceptional soil release performance, dry soil resistance, and water and oil repellency. See Masurf, 1. Thus, although Masurf does not disclose a flame retardant composition, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have been prompted to add Masurf’s fluoropolymer solution into Kish’s solution with a reasonable expectation of improving soil release performance, dry soil resistance, and water and oil repellency of textiles. Indeed, Kish’s Form #3 is applied to fabric, and therefore a person of ordinary skill in the art would have considered teachings in the field of textile treatment, including Masurf. ¶¶ 43, 56. KSR Int’l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 417 (2007) (“When a work is available in one field of endeavor, design incentives and other market forces can prompt variations of it, either in the same field or a different one.”); id. at 420 (“Common sense teaches . . . that familiar items may have obvious uses beyond their primary purposes, and in many cases a person of ordinary skill will be able to fit the teachings of multiple patents together like pieces of a puzzle.”). With respect to the properties recited in claim 1, it would reasonably appear that Kish would possess the same or similar surface burn 7 In addition, the current Specification acknowledges that the stain protectant described in Masurf was commercially obtainable from Mason Chemical. Spec. 5, ll. 11-14. Appeal 2012-005405 Application 11/343,099 16 characteristics in view of the similarities in the compositions. And, the stain repellant or soil release capability would be expected in view of the teachings of Masurf. B. Claims 4-6 The Appellants’ argument is limited to those against the Examiner’s reliance on Harrison. As discussed in VIII. A above, however, we find no error in the Examiner’s reliance on Masurf. C. Claims 7, 9, & 25 The Appellants argue that “nothing in the applied references suggests that a mold inhibitor effective against toxic black mold should be combined with a fire retardant and a stain protectant . . . .” App. Br. 7. We find this argument unpersuasive for the same reasons discussed in II above, where we found that Kish describes the inclusion of 1~10% by weight of a quaternary ammonium halide as a mold inhibitor. D. Claims 8 & 10-12 The Appellants rely on the same arguments for claims 1-6, which we have found unpersuasive. E. Claim 13 See V above. F. Claims 14 & 15 The Appellants repeat various arguments, which we have found unpersuasive. G. Claim 16 The Appellants repeat various arguments, which we have found unpersuasive. Appeal 2012-005405 Application 11/343,099 17 H. Claims 19 & 21 The Appellants repeat various arguments, which we have found unpersuasive. I. Claims 22 & 23 The Appellants repeat various arguments, which we have found unpersuasive. J. Claims 26 & 27 The Appellants repeat various arguments, which we have found unpersuasive. SUMMARY Rejections II through VI and VIII are affirmed. Rejections I and VII are reversed. No time period for taking any subsequent action in connection with this appeal may be extended under 37 C.F.R. § 1.136(a). AFFIRMED bar Copy with citationCopy as parenthetical citation