DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-2 and 4-7 are presented for examination, wherein claims 1 is currently amended; plus, claims 4-7 are withdrawn. Claim 3 is cancelled.
The rejection of claims 1-2 over Zhang in view of Hu is withdrawn, as a result of the amendment to claim 1, from which claim 2 depends. However, see infra.
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 § 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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al (US 2017/0317385) in view of Yang (CN106340622, published 2017).
Regarding newly amended independent claim 1, Zhang teaches a non-aqueous electrolyte solution for lithium ion batteries (e.g. ¶¶ 0001, 08, and 18), reading on “electrolyte solution,” said electrolyte comprising:
(1) an additive that may include an anhydride, wherein said anhydride includes cyclic propylphosphonic anhydride (e.g. ¶¶ 0007, 42-43, 64-65, and 87-88)
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said cyclic propylphosphonic anhydride severably establishing a prima facie case of obviousness of the claimed ranges, see also e.g. MPEP § 2144.05(I), reading on “a compound (1) represented by the following formula (1):
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197
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wherein R101s are the same as or different from each other and are each a C1-C6 hydrocarbon group optionally containing an unsaturated bond, and n101 is an integer of 2 to 5;” and,
(2) a lithium salt that may be e.g. LiPF6 used in an organic solvent,
wherein said organic solvent may be one or more selected from organic carbonates, sulfones, sulfoxides, esters, lactones, ethers and glymes; specific examples including e.g. ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, and diethyl carbonate (e.g. ¶¶ 0002, 08, 19-29, 86, and 89), but does not expressly teach the newly amended limitation “at least one compound (11) selected from the group consisting of
a lithium phosphate compound (b) excluding Li3PO4, LiPO2F2 and Li2PO3F and represented by the following formula (11b):
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wherein Xb11 and Xb12 are the same as or different from each other and are each –H, –F, –O, –OCN, an alkyl group optionally containing an ether bond, a fluorinated alkyl group optionally containing an ether bond, an alkoxy group optionally containing an ether bond, or a fluorinated alkoxy group optionally containing an ether bond; Xb11 and Xb12 optionally bind to each other to form a ring; and r is an integer of 1 to 3,
a compound (c) represented by the following formula (11c):
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wherein XC11 is –H,–Cl, an alkyl group optionally containing an ether bond, an alkoxy group optionally containing an ether bond, or a fluorinated alkoxy group optionally containing an ether bond, and
a phosphate/phosphite compound (d) represented by the following formula 11(d):
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wherein Rd11 is a C1-C6 alkyl group, and n11 is 0 or 1.”
However, Yang teaches a lithium-ion battery comprising a positive electrode, negative electrode, separator, and electrolyte, wherein said electrolyte comprises a non-aqueous organic solvent and a lithium salt,
wherein non-limiting specific examples of said non-aqueous organic solvent include at least one of ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, and diethyl carbonate; and,
wherein said lithium salt may be at least one of LiPO2(C2F5)2, LiCF3SO3, and LiPF6 (e.g. ¶¶ 0007-08, 19, 22, and 26).
As a result it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to substitute the LiPF6 electrolyte salt in the non-aqueous carbonate electrolyte solution of Zhang with at least one of LiPO2(C2F5)2 and LiCF3SO3 electrolyte lithium salt of Yang, since Yang teaches said LiPO2(C2F5)2, LiCF3SO3, and LiPF6 are equivalent lithium salts, suitable for use in non-aqueous electrolytes, see also e.g. MPEP § 2144.06(II).
Alternatively, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to substitute a portion of the LiPF6 electrolyte salt in the non-aqueous carbonate electrolyte solution of Zhang with at least one of LiPO2(C2F5)2 and LiCF3SO3 electrolyte lithium salt of Yang, since Yang teaches said LiPO2(C2F5)2, LiCF3SO3, and LiPF6 are equivalent lithium salts, suitable for use in non-aqueous electrolytes, see also e.g. MPEP § 2144.06(I).
Zhang as modified reading on the newly amended limitation, see also instant specification, at e.g. ¶0050.
Regarding claim 2, Zhang as modified teaches the electrolyte of claim 1, wherein Zhang teaches said electrolyte may include said cyclic propylphosphonic anhydride (e.g. supra), and further teaches a combination of said cyclic propylphosphonic anhydride additive and a cyclic sulfate compound is from about 0.01-15 wt% of said electrolyte, wherein a weight ratio of said cyclic sulfate compound to said cyclic propylphosphonic anhydride additive may be e.g. about 1:9, about 9:1, and ratios therebetween (e.g. ¶¶ 0061-63 and 88), so the cyclic propylphosphonic anhydride additive may be calculated to be e.g. 0.001-13.5 wt% of said electrolyte, establishing a prima facie case of obviousness of the claimed range, see also e.g. MPEP § 2144.05(I), reading on “the compound (1) is present in an amount of 0.001 to 15% by mass and the compound (11) is present in an amount of 0.001 to 10% by mass, relative to the electrolyte solution.”
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed January 21, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The applicant alleges the art does not expressly teach the newly amended limitation of claim 1, from which the other claims depend.
In response, the examiner respectfully refers supra.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YOSHITOSHI TAKEUCHI whose telephone number is (571)270-5828. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 8-4.
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/YOSHITOSHI TAKEUCHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1723
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