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 reply filed 7/10/2026 includes claim amendments and corresponding arguments. The 35 USC 112(a) Rejection set forth in the previous action has been withdrawn due to Applicant’s amendments. Applicant argues the art of record does not disclose all limitations set forth in amended Claim 1, which includes limitations requiring the active material layer to have “anisotropic voids,” and for the current collector layer to “contain[s] carbon and an active material.”
The art of record discloses the current collector layer contains carbon (Gruner, []). However, Examiner agrees the art of record does not disclose the current collector layer contains an active material, and also does not disclose the active material layer has anisotropic voids. After an updated search and consideration of the amended claim(s), the claimed invention remains obvious, but over new prior art to teach these additional limitations. See updated action below.
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.
Claims 1, 3-5, 8, 9, and 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoon et al, US 20160190546 A1, and further in view of Gruner et al., US 20150243452 A1 (previously cited), Sunagawa et al., US 20060159997 A1, and Yura et al., US 20190363357 A1.
Regarding Claims 1 and 8, Yoon discloses an all-solid-state battery (all-solid battery [0011-0015, 0026] Figs. 1-3) comprising:
an electrode layer having a current collector layer (metal current collector 200 [0026], Fig. 1) and an active material layer (layers/region of positive electrode composite 300 on metal current collector 200 [0026-0032], Fig. 1; see Examiner’s Drawing);
a solid electrolyte layer (layers/region of positive electrode composite 300 in contact with solid electrolyte layer 100 [0026-0032], Fig. 1; see Examiner’s Drawing); and
an intermediate layer provided at least in a part between the electrode layer and the solid electrolyte layer (central layers/region of positive electrode composite 300 not in contact with 100 or 200 [0026-0032], Fig. 2; see Examiner’s Drawing),
the active material layer consists of an active material and a conductive material (at the region coming in contact with the metal current collector 200, the electrolyte and the positive electrode material may be mixed at a ratio of about 0:100, conductive material may be present in the region at 1 to 10 wt % [0031]),
the intermediate layer has ionic conductivity (central region comprises the conductive material [0031], Fig. 2),
the content of the conductive material in the intermediate layer is less than the content in the active material layer (the content of the conductive material may be increased from the electrolyte layer 100 toward the metal current collector 200 [0028, 0031], Fig. 2),
wherein the conductive material contents in the active material layer, the solid electrolyte layer, and the intermediate layer are higher in the order of the active material layer, the intermediate layer, and the solid electrolyte layer (the content of the conductive material may be increased from the electrolyte layer 100 toward the metal current collector 200 [0028], Fig. 2), and
the conductive material content in the solid electrolyte layer is within the range of 100 ppm or
more and 10,000 ppm or less (at the region coming in contact with the electrolyte layer 100, the conductive material may be contained at a content of about 0 to 1 wt % [0031]; the claimed range is equivalent to a percent-based range of 0.01 % to 1.0 %).
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Yoon – Fig. 2
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Examiner’s Drawing using Yoon disclosure
Yoon does not disclose the conductive material is “a carbon material” (Claim 1); “the current collector contains carbon” (Claim 1); and also does not disclose “the carbon material contains at least one selected from graphite and carbon nanotubes” (Claim 8). However, these limitations are taught by Gruner.
Gruner teaches a cathode active material layer comprising an active material and carbon nanotubes a conductive additive ([0015, 0024, 0057-0066, 0199-0201]). Gruner teaches the cathode structure may further comprise a current collector made of a network of carbon nanotubes/nanowires ([0016, 0052], Fig. 35). Gruner teaches when the carbon nanotubes/nanowires are used in the composite electrode, the battery will have a reduced overall weight, while also exhibiting improved electrical conductivity ([0052-0054, 0061-0063, 0165]; Figs. 35-37).
Before the effective filing date of the present invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have carbon nanotubes/nanowires as a current collector and as the conductive material in the active material layer of Yoon, as Gruner teaches this material is conductive, lightweight, and improves electrical conductivity.
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Gruner – Fig. 35
Since the carbon nanotube/nanowire structure of Gruner accommodates the cathode active material particles (Gruner, [0052, 0161], Fig. 35), one would expect the surface of the nanowire current collector to have some amount of active material particles contained or embedded within. Should this aspect of modified Yoon’s electrode structure not meet the limitation “the current collector layer contains an active material” with sufficient specificity, the following rejection also applies.
Sunagawa teaches active material particles in a lower portion of an active material layer are embedded in an upper surface of a current collector ([0063-0064], Figs. 1-2). Sunagawa teaches this structure is advantageous because even though the active material particles may change size during repeated charging and discharging, the particles stay secured to the current collector, which enables favorable charge/discharge cycle characteristics ([0008-0011]).
Before the effective filing date of the present invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have the current collector of modified Yoon contain the active material particles, as Sunagawa teaches active material particles embedded into a current collector will remain adhered during repeated battery charging and discharging.
Modified Yoon does not disclose the active material layer has anisotropic voids. However, this limitation is taught by Yura et al.
Yura teaches a porous positive electrode active material layer having anisotropic pores with an aspect ratio of 1.2 or more ([0024]). Yura teaches an anisotropic pore shape will allow the electrode structure to disperse stress when a battery is bent and/or subject to repeated charge and discharge cycles, which enables high rapid charge characteristics in a lithium secondary battery ([0024, 0033]).
Before the effective filing date of the present invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have the active material layer of modified Yoon comprise anisotropic pores, as Yura teaches anisotropic pores help disperse stress during bending and charge/discharge cycles.
Regarding Claim 3, modified Yoon discloses all limitations as set forth above. Modified Yoon discloses the active material layer comprises 10,000 ppm to 100,000 ppm of carbon (Yoon, at the region coming in contact with the metal current collector 200, the conductive material may be present in the region at 1 to 10 wt % [0031]), and the solid electrolyte layer comprises 0 ppm to 10,000 ppm of carbon (at the region coming in contact with the electrolyte layer 100, the conductive material may be contained at a content of about 0 to 1 wt % [0031]).
As modified Yoon discloses the conductive material of the intermediate layer would have a content range between the ranges of the active material layer and solid electrolyte layer ([0028, 0031], Fig. 2), modified Yoon’s content would overlap with the claimed range (see Examiner’s Drawing).
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Examiner’s Drawing
Regarding Claim 4, modified Yoon discloses all limitations as set forth above. Modified Yoon discloses the intermediate layer is composed of elements contained the active material layer and elements contained in the solid electrolyte layer (Yoon, layer may comprise various amounts of conductive material/solid electrolyte/positive electrode active material [0016, 0028, 0031], Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 5, modified Yoon discloses all limitations as set forth above. Modified Yoon discloses the content of the carbon material in the active material layer increases as the distance from a surface of the active material layer that is in contact with the intermediate layer increases (Yoon, the content of the conductive material may be increased from the electrolyte layer 100 toward the metal current collector 200 [0028, 0031], Figs. 1-3).
Regarding Claims 9 and 11-13, modified Yoon discloses all limitations as set forth above. Modified Yoon discloses the carbon content in the active material layer is within the range of 5,000 ppm or more and 100,000 ppm or less (Yoon, at the region coming in contact with the metal current collector 200, the conductive material may be present in the region at 1 to 10 wt % [0031]; the claimed range is equivalent to a percent-based range of 0.5 % to 10 %).
In the case where the claimed ranges “overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art” a prima facie case of obviousness exists. In re Wertheim, 541 F.2d 257, 191 USPQ 90 (CCPA 1976); In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 16 USPQ2d 1934 (Fed. Cir. 1990) [MPEP 2144.05].
Claims 2 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over modified Yoon as applied to Claim 1, and further in view of Endo et al., US 20150243966 A1 (previously cited).
Regarding Claim 2, modified Yoon discloses all limitations as set forth above. Modified Yoon does not disclose “a ratio T1/ T2 of the thickness T1 of the intermediate layer to the thickness T2 of the active material layer satisfies 0.05 ≤ T1/T2 ≤ 1.2” as required by Claim 2. However, this limitation is taught by Endo et al.
Endo teaches a gradient-style positive electrode, wherein a ratio T1/ T2 of a thickness T1 of an intermediate layer (positive electrode active material layer 11) to a thickness T2 of an active material layer (positive electrode active material layer 12) is 0.1 ≤ T1/T2 ≤ 1.0 (1:10 to 5:5 [0023-0024], Annotated Fig. 1). Endo teaches a thickness within the range of 0.1 ≤ T1/T2 ≤ 1.0 results in a safe battery with high capacity, and a thickness ratio outside the range becomes difficult to manufacture or can result in poor current collector performance ([0024]).
Before the effective filing date of the present invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have a thickness ratio of the intermediate layer to the active material layer be within the claimed range, in the solid-state battery of modified Yoon, as Endo discloses an overlapping thickness ratio range brings capacity and safety benefits, while avoiding manufacturability issues and poor current collector performance.
In the case where the claimed ranges “overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art” a prima facie case of obviousness exists. In re Wertheim, 541 F.2d 257, 191 USPQ 90 (CCPA 1976); In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 16 USPQ2d 1934 (Fed. Cir. 1990) [MPEP 2144.05].
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Endo – Annotated Fig. 1
Regarding Claim 10, modified Yoon discloses all limitations as set forth above. Modified Yoon discloses the carbon content in the active material layer is within the range of 5,000 ppm or more and 100,000 ppm or less (Yoon, at the region coming in contact with the metal current collector 200, the conductive material may be present in the region at 1 to 10 wt % [0031]; the claimed range is equivalent to a percent-based range of 0.5 % to 10 %).
In the case where the claimed ranges “overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art” a prima facie case of obviousness exists. In re Wertheim, 541 F.2d 257, 191 USPQ 90 (CCPA 1976); In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 16 USPQ2d 1934 (Fed. Cir. 1990) [MPEP 2144.05].
Claims 14-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over modified Yoon as applied to the claims above, and further in view of Okada et al., “Improvement of High Rate Performances for Ti-Doped Li3V2(PO4)3 Cathode Materials”, Electrochemistry, 2015, 83 (10), pg. 828–830 (previously cited).
Regarding Claims 14-20, modified Yoon discloses all limitations as set forth above. Modified Yoon does not disclose the composition of the active material (Yoon, positive electrode material [0026-0027]). However, a “vanadium phosphate titanium lithium” active material is taught by Okada.
Okada teaches a positive electrode mixture layer comprising a conductive material and a vanadium phosphate titanium lithium cathode active material (Li3-2x(V1-xTix)2(PO4)3 and acetylene black; pg. 828). Okada discloses the titanium-doped lithium vanadium phosphate, in combination with an amount of carbon within the claimed range (8 wt % acetylene black is 80,000 ppm of carbon material; pg. 828), is a positive electrode composition that exhibits high conductivity and high discharge capacity (pg. 829-830).
Before the effective filing date of the present invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to use a vanadium phosphate titanium lithium as the positive active material, as taught by Okada, in the solid-state battery of modified Yoon, as Okada teaches this active material is favorably paired with carbon to produce a battery with high discharge capacity.
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 BETHANY C GARCIA whose telephone number is (571)272-2475. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri, 0800 - 1730 MT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Allison Bourke can be reached at 303-297-4684. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BETHANY C GARCIA/Examiner, Art Unit 1721
/ALLISON BOURKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1721
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