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 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-4, 7-8, 10-12, and 14-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2003/0124433 hereinafter Kim in view of U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2018/0233778 hereinafter Park and U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2008/0090154 hereinafter Ihara.
Regarding Claim 1, Kim teaches a lithium secondary battery comprising: a positive electrode (cathode); a negative electrode (anode); a separator disposed between the electrodes; and an electrolyte solution (paragraphs 44-52), the electrolyte solution comprising: a lithium salt [LiPF6] (paragraph 35); an organic solvent (paragraph 36); an additive (polymer adsorbent) including polyethylene glycol dimethyl ether (PEGDME) (paragraphs 26, 37); and a solvent (auxiliary) additive (paragraphs 36, 41), wherein the polyethylene glycol dimethyl ether (PEGDME) has a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of 2,000, and is included in an amount of 1 part by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the total weight electrolyte solution used (paragraphs 27-30, see Examples 1-3 and 5).
Kim specifically discloses that the negative electrode (anode) active material comprises carbon material or metallic lithium (paragraph 48) and the simple substitution of one known element (i.e., metallic lithium as the anode material) for another (i.e., carbon material) is likely to be obvious when predictable results are achieved. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S._,_, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395 - 97 (2007) (see MPEP § 2143, B.).
Kim does not specifically disclose that the solvent (auxiliary) additive includes a fluorine-containing lithium phosphate compound, and at least one of a fluorine-containing cyclic carbonate compound, a sultone compound, and a cyclic sulfate compound.
However, Park teaches a lithium secondary battery comprising an electrolyte solution (paragraph 37), the electrolyte solution comprising: a lithium salt (paragraph 70); an organic solvent (paragraphs 67-69); an additive (paragraph 65). Park further teaches that the additive comprises lithium tetrafluoro(oxalato)phosphate (LiTFOP), lithium difluoro bis(oxalato)phosphate (LiDFOP), and propane sultone (PS) (paragraph 65).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art to include such additive (i.e., LiTFOP, LiDFOP, and PS) in the electrolyte before the effective filing date of the claimed invention because Park discloses that such configuration can efficiently suppress gas generated by the decomposition reaction with the electrolyte solvent on the cathode surface, which is effective since the lifespan characteristic and high-temperature storage characteristic of the battery may be further improved (paragraph 66).
The use of a known technique (i.e., including an additive that comprises LiTFOP, LiDFOP, and PS in the electrolyte) to improve similar products (methods) in the same way is likely to be obvious (see MPEP 2143, C).
The combination teaches that the amount of the additive is 0.5 to 3 percent by weight (paragraph 34 of Ihara).
Regarding Claims 2-4, Kim teaches that the additive (polymer adsorbent) includes polyethylene glycol dimethyl ether (PEGDME) (paragraphs 27-30, see Examples 1-3 and 5).
Regarding Claim 7, Kim teaches that the additive (polymer adsorbent) includes polyethylene glycol dimethyl ether (PEGDME) (paragraphs 27-30, see Examples 1-3 and 5).
Regarding Claims 8 and 10-12, the combination teaches that the organic solvent includes at least one linear carbonate solvent [dimethyl carbonate] and at least one cyclic carbonate solvent [ethylene carbonate] (paragraph 36, see Examples 1-3, 5 and 6 of Kim), and the electrolyte further comprises an additive including lithium tetrafluoro(oxalato)phosphate (LiTFOP), lithium difluoro bis(oxalato)phosphate (LiDFOP), and propane sultone (PS) (paragraph 65 of Park), wherein the mixing ratio of the additive and auxiliary additive is 1:1 (paragraph 66 of Park).
Regarding Claim 14, the combination teaches that the positive electrode (cathode) includes a cathode active material including a lithium-transition metal oxide with 80 mol% or more of nickel based on the total number of moles of all elements except for lithium and oxygen (paragraph 46 of Kim).
Regarding Claim 15, the combination teaches that the additive comprises propane sultone (PS) (paragraph 65 of Park).
Regarding Claim 16, Kim teaches a lithium secondary battery comprising: a positive electrode (cathode); a negative electrode (anode); a separator disposed between the electrodes; and an electrolyte solution (paragraphs 44-52),the electrolyte solution comprising: a lithium salt [LiPF6] (paragraph 35); an organic solvent (paragraph 36); an additive (polymer adsorbent) including polyethylene glycol dimethyl ether (PEGDME) (paragraphs 26, 37); and a solvent (auxiliary) additive (paragraphs 36, 41), wherein the polyethylene glycol dimethyl ether (PEGDME) has a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of 2,000, and is included in an amount of 1 part by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the total weight electrolyte solution used (paragraphs 27-30, see Examples 1-3 and 5).
Kim specifically discloses that the negative electrode (anode) active material comprises carbon material or metallic lithium (paragraph 48) and the simple substitution of one known element (i.e., metallic lithium as the anode material) for another (i.e., carbon material) is likely to be obvious when predictable results are achieved. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S._,_, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395 - 97 (2007) (see MPEP § 2143, B.).
Kim does not specifically disclose that the solvent (auxiliary) additive comprises at least one of a fluorine-containing lithium phosphate compound, a fluorine-containing cyclic carbonate compound, a sultone compound, and a cyclic sulfate compound.
However, Park teaches an electrolyte solution for a lithium secondary battery (paragraph 37), the electrolyte solution comprising: a lithium salt (paragraph 70); an organic solvent (paragraphs 67-69); an additive (paragraph 65). Park further teaches that the additive comprises lithium tetrafluoro(oxalato)phosphate (LiTFOP), lithium difluoro bis(oxalato)phosphate (LiDFOP), and propane sultone (PS) (paragraph 65).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art to include such additive (i.e., LiTFOP, LiDFOP, and PS) in the electrolyte before the effective filing date of the claimed invention because Park discloses that such configuration can efficiently suppress gas generated by the decomposition reaction with the electrolyte solvent on the cathode surface, which is effective since the lifespan characteristic and high-temperature storage characteristic of the battery may be further improved (paragraph 66).
The use of a known technique (i.e., including an additive that comprises LiTFOP, LiDFOP, and PS in the electrolyte) to improve similar products (methods) in the same way is likely to be obvious (see MPEP 2143, C).
The combination teaches that the amount of the additive is 0.5 to 3 percent by weight (paragraph 34 of Ihara).
Regarding Claims 17-18, the combination teaches a positive electrode that comprises lithium complex oxide with Ni content of 80 mol% or more (paragraph of 73 of Ihara).
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 OSEI K AMPONSAH whose telephone number is (571)270-3446. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, NICHOLAS A SMITH can be reached at (571)272-8760. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/OSEI K AMPONSAH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1752
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