Document YDVwJxYgw6JLV2vE419d5LDwK
ESTABLISHED 1802
E. I. d u Po n t d e Ne mo u r s & Co mp a n y
Wil min g t o n , De l a w a r e 19898
LEGAL DEPARTMENT DAVID J. GOULD CORPORATE COUNSEL
November 10, 1989
David C. Woodcraft, Esq. Brookes & Martin High Holborn House 52/54 High Holborn London WC1V, 6SE ENGLAND
Dear Mr. Woodcraft:
European Patent Application No. 87 303 681.8 Your ref.: DCW/VSW - Our ref: CH-1371
This is in response to the first official action for this application
As specified in our claims, our invention comprises a pigment consisting essentially of rutile Ti02 particles bearing coatings of alumina or alumina silica. The particle surfaces of the Ti02 also have associated therewith 0.05-2 percent, by weight of the Ti02, of cerium cations and an associated quantity of (a) borate and ions or (b) polyfunctional organic acid ions having a solubility in water of at least 10 grams per liter at 25"C.
The Laporte patent similarly discloses Ti02 having surface coatings of alumina. However, as is disclosed at page 2, starting at line 18, the pigment can have a further surface coating of inorganic oxides including cerium oxide. In contrast, our claims specify cerium cations with an associated quantity of (a) borate ions or (b) polyfunctional organic acid ions. Furthermore, Dr. Jacobson, the inventor for this application, assures me that the conditions specified at the paragraph bridging the bottom of page 4 and the top of page 5 specify conditions wherein neither cerium oxides nor hydroxides would be formed.
Please let me know if you need anything else from me to respond to the Examiner
Very truly yours
FILE CHECKED
DJGsndf
DEC 2 1
David J. Gould
BETTER THINGS FOR BETTER LIVING
1999
N 30966
LG-4978 REV. 10-S3
ESTABLISHED >802
E. 1. d u Po n t d e Ne mo u r s & Co mp a n y
INCORPORATED
Wil min g t o n . De l a w a r e 19898
LEGAL DEPARTMENT
4
October 18, 1989
f
H. W. JACOBSON CHEMICALS AND PIGMENTS JACKSON LABORATORY
CH 1371 EPO
Attached are copies of: (1) An action from the EPO rejecting all claims, (2) the cited reference (British Patent 1,580,882) (3) amendments suggested by our foreign agent, and (4) a copy of the application and claims.
I would appreciate your comments at your earliest convenience and by November 1st if possible.
DJGrndf Attachs.
D. J. GOULD
DUP050449575
Europaisches Patentamt
Generaldirektion 2
European Patent Office
fu.:. Directorate General 2
r
Office europden des brevets Direction g6n6rale 2
i
ErhardistraBe'27 D-8000 Munchen 2 (089) 2399-0 Telex 523656 epmu d
Datum/Date
20.09 89
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2eichen/Re//Re?
Anmeldung Nr. /Application No. /Demande n //Patent Nr. /Patent No. /Brevetn 1:1) Ml . 3- -> "/
AnmeWer/Applicant /DemandeurZ/Patenfcnhaber /Proprietor /Titu/aire
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Communication pursuant to Article 96(2} and Rule 51(2) EPC
The /further/ examination of the above-identified application has revealed that it does not meet the requirements of the European Patent Convention for the reasons enclosed herewith. If the deficiencies Indicated are not rectified the application may be refused pursuant to Article 97(1) EPC. You are invited to file your observations and insofar as the deficiencies are such as to be rectifiable, to correct the indicated deficiencies within ^-period
of ->/'lD'ic~______ months
from the notification of this communication, this period being computed in accordance with Rules 78(3) and 83(2) and (4) EPC.
Amendments to the description, claims and drawings are to be filed where appropriate within the said period in three copies on separate sheets (Rule 36(1) EPC).
Failure to comply with this invitation in due time will result in the application being deemed to be withdrawn (Article 96(3) EPC).
C. O^nhsusen
Telephone numbers:
Primary examiner for the Examining Division
Primary examiner
(substantive examination)
(0 89) 2399-
Formalities officer
(0 89) 2399-
(Formalities including extension oltime limns)
Enclosures:.
Examiners' clerk
(other matters)
. page/s reasons (Form 2044/2906)
(089) 2399_. ---
-i . ?, I'1' ' 1 "7
Registered letter
EPO Form 8001.1 07.88
2hSEr-ma u t;
(
N 30966.01
DUP050449577
ErgSnzung zum.Bescheid vom Supplement to the c^mmunicatio Complement de la notification du
-------------------------------------2-8.09--83
Blatt Sheet Feuille
1 Anmeldun^ftJJr : *i Appiicati$jj||Si.
1 Demand rt.
87 303 681.8
The examination is being carried out on the following application documents (description, claims and, where appropriate, drawings):
0 the application documents as published
description, pages description, pages description, pages description, pages
claims, Nos. claims. Nos, claims. Nos. claims, Nos,
drawings, sheet/fig. drawings, sheet/fig. drawings, sheet/fig. drawings, sheet/fig.
as published filed with your tetter of filed with your letter of filed with your letter of
as published filed with your letter of filed with your letter of filed with your letter of
as published filed with your letter of filed with your letter of filed with your letter of
I I with the amendments, suggested in your letter of........................... .................... .. to the description/ the claims/ the drawings
1. GB-A-1580882 (Dl) describes a pigment composition consisting essentially of alumina coated rutile titanium dioxide particles, said pigment composition being suitable for incorporation into paints or other surface coating media (page 1, lines 5-7, page 2, lines 3-16).
The particle surfaces have associated therewith for example cerium (page 2, lines 17-29) and a polyfunctional organic acid "having a solubility in water of at least 10g/l at 25C (page 3, lines 13-51).
Dl does not give the weight percentage of cerium in relation to the titanium dioxide. However, if the composition being described in the application is novel at all in view of the subject-matter being described in Dl, the Applicant has to provide convincing arguments for the inventive step of his invention (Articles 54(2), 56 and 52(1) EPC).
2. If the Applicant succeeds in overcoming the objection raised above, a short resume of Dl is to be inserted into the description (Rule 27(1)(c) EPC).
EPO Form 2044 02.84
DUP050449578