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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the communication filed on 11/17/25. Applicant’s arguments have been considered but are not found persuasive. Claims 1-4 are pending. Claims 1-3 are withdrawn. This Action is FINAL.
Claims Analysis
Claim 4 recites “a method of manufacturing an electrode”, “in the following sequence”, “a pressing step…to form the electrode” and “vacuum drying…the electrode formed by the pressing step”. The claim recites “the electrode” is formed during the pressing step. Thus, steps occurring after the claimed electrode is formed have not been given patentable weight.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Makino et al., US 2018/0090787 A1.
Makino teaches a solid electrolyte composition containing at least one dendritic polymer selected from the group consisting of dendrons, dendrimers, and hyperbranched polymers and a specific inorganic solid electrolyte, in which the dendritic polymer has at least one specific functional group, an electrode sheet for an all-solid state secondary battery and an all-solid state secondary battery for which the solid electrolyte composition is used, a method for manufacturing an electrode sheet for an all-solid state secondary battery, and a method for manufacturing an all-solid state secondary battery (abstract). The solid electrolyte composition is capable of enhancing the binding property among solid particles in layers by being used to form the layers (positive electrode active material layers, solid electrolyte layers, and/or negative electrode active material layers) of all-solid state secondary batteries [0008]. The all-solid state secondary battery may be a lithium ion secondary battery [0052].
The electrode layers contain active materials. For improving ion conductivity, the electrode layers preferably contain the inorganic solid electrolyte. In addition, for improving the bonding properties between solid particles, between the electrodes, and between the electrode and the collector, the electrode layers preferably contain a dendritic polymer and also preferably contain a binder [0329].
Examples of dendritic polymers are provided at [0065]. Specific examples include polyester-8-hydroxyl-1-carboxyl bis-MPA dendron; polyester-16-hydroxyl-1-carboxyl bis-MPA dendron; and polyester-32-hydroxyl-1-carboxyl bis-MPA dendron.
Acetylene black, N-methyl pyrrolidone, a positive electrode active material and a solid electrolyte composition described for examples of the composition for a positive electrode in Table 3 were added to a planetary mixer and stirred at a rotation speed of 40 rpm and a temperature of 25°C for one hour, thereby preparing each of compositions for a positive electrode shown in Table 3 [0398].
Acetylene black, N-methyl pyrrolidone, a negative electrode active material and a solid electrolyte composition described for examples of the composition for a negative electrode in Table 3 were added to a planetary mixer and stirred at a rotation speed of 40 rpm (agitation) and a temperature of 25°C for one hour, thereby preparing each of compositions for a negative electrode shown in Table 3 [0400].
The composition for a positive electrode prepared above was applied onto a 20 μm-thick aluminum foil (collector) using the applicator, heated at 80°C for one hour, and then further heated at 110°C for one hour, thereby drying the coating solvent (drying the mixture after the agitation step). After that, the composition was heated (at 120°C; first temperature) and pressurized (350 MPa for one minute) using a heat pressing machine, thereby obtaining a 170 μm-thick positive electrode sheet for an all-solid state secondary battery having a laminated structure of a positive electrode active material layer and the aluminum foil [0416].
Makino does not explicitly teach vacuum drying the electrode after being formed. Note the limitation has been rejected as indefinite. Makino teaches the disclosed compositions may be applied using an ordinary method. At this time, the composition for forming the positive electrode active material layer, the composition for forming the inorganic solid electrolyte layer, and the composition for forming the negative electrode active material layer may be dried after being applied respectively or may be dried after being applied to multiple layers. The drying temperature is not particularly limited. Meanwhile, the lower limit is preferably 30° C. or higher and more preferably 60° C. or higher, and the upper limit is preferably 300° C. or lower and more preferably 250° C. or lower. In a case in which the compositions are heated in the disclosed temperature range, it is possible to remove the dispersion medium and form a solid state [0332-0333].
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 11/17/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The prior 35 USC 112 rejection of claim 4 has been withdrawn.
Applicant argues Makino does not disclose that the vacuum drying step of the present claims is carried out after the heating and pressuring step. However, the claim recites the electrode is formed during the pressurizing step. Thus, the claimed vacuum drying step occurs after the electrode is already formed, thus, the vacuum drying has not been given patentable weight.
Applicant further argues the heating and pressurizing step of Makino involves heating at 80°C for one hour after coating, and then heating at 110°C for one hour to dry out the coating solvent, which differs from the drying step of the present specification. Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993). Furthermore, claim 4 recites drying the mixture at a temperature from 100°C to 200°C after the agitation step. Makino teaches the mixture is agitated, then after the agitation step, the mixture is heated at 110°C to dry out the coating solvent. Thus, Makino clearly teaches the drying step recited in lines 14-15 of claim 4.
Applicant’s arguments bridging pages 5-6 of the amendment are not commensurate in scope with the claimed invention. The claim does not require “the electrode active material, with the dendritic polymer chemically bonded to its surface, is mixed with the binder”. Furthermore, evidence of unexpected results must distinguish the claimed invention over the prior art of record. No evidence of unexpected results has been provided by Applicant.
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.
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/TRACY M DOVE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725