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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 11/13/25 has been entered.
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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (CN 111146425) in view of Matsumura et al. WO 2019/146236 (see English US2020/0350626).
With respect to claim 1, Wang et al. discloses a composite cathode material for a lithium-ion battery, comprising a cathode material core and a halide cladding layer cladded on the surface of the cathode material core, wherein the halide comprises Li3YBr6. [Abstract; 0030; 0035; Claim 5; 0040-0041]
Wang et al. discloses wherein the halide is LiYCl6, and/or Li3YBr6. [Abstract]
Wang et al. does not disclose wherein the content of Y element in the Li3YX6 is 0.1% to 1% based on 100% of the mass of the cathode material core.
Matsumura et al. discloses a composite cathode material for a lithium-ion battery, comprising a cathode material core and a halide cladding layer cladded on the surface of the cathode material core [0111-0139], wherein the halide comprises Li3YX6 [Abstract], wherein X is at least one of halogens wherein the content of Y element in Li3YX6 is 0.1% to 0.3% based on 100% of the mass of the cathode material core. [0193-0197; 0227]
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the cathode material of Wang et al. to include wherein the content of Y element in Li3YX6 is 0.1% to 1% based on 100% of the mass of the cathode material core, as disclosed in Matsumura et al., in order to allow for good charge/discharge characteristic.
With respect to claim 4, Wang et al. discloses wherein the cathode material core comprises a lithium nickel manganate cathode material. [0010-0020]
With respect to claim 7, Wang et al. does not disclose wherein the content of Y element in the Li3YX6 is 0.1% to 0.3% based on 100% of the mass of the cathode material core.
Matsumura et al. discloses a composite cathode material for a lithium-ion battery, comprising a cathode material core and a halide cladding layer cladded on the surface of the cathode material core [0111-0139], wherein the halide comprises Li3YX6 [Abstract], wherein X is at least one of halogens wherein the content of Y element in Li3YX6 is 0.1% to 0.3% based on 100% of the mass of the cathode material core. [0193-0197; 0227]
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the cathode material of Wang et al. to include wherein the content of Y element in Li3YX6 is 0.1% to 0.3% based on 100% of the mass of the cathode material core, as disclosed in Matsumura et al., in order to allow for good charge/discharge characteristic.
With respect to claim 8, Wang et al. does not disclose wherein the cathode material core has a particle size D50 of 1µm to 5 µm.
Matsumura et al. discloses a composite cathode material for a lithium-ion battery, comprising a cathode material core and a halide cladding layer cladded on the surface of the cathode material core [0111-0139], wherein the halide comprises Li3YX6 [Abstract], wherein X is at least one of halogens, wherein the cathode material core has a particle size D50 of 1µm to 5 µm. [0135-0138]
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the cathode material of Wang et al. to include wherein the cathode material core has a particle size D50 of 1µm to 5 µm, as disclosed in Matsumura et al., in order to allow for good charge/discharge characteristic.
With respect to claim 10, Wang et al. discloses wherein the Li3YX6 has a particle size D50 of 5 nm to 500 nm. [0036; 0011]
Claim(s) 3 & 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (CN 111146425) ) in view of Matsumura et al. WO 2019/146236 (see English US2020/0350626) as applied to claims 1 & 4 above in further view of Ko et al. (“A Co-free layered LiN0.7Mn0.3O2 cathode material for high-energy and long-life lithium-ion batteries”)
With respect to claim 3, Wang et al. does not disclose wherein the cathode material core comprises a cobalt-free cathode material.
Ko et al. discloses a composite cathode material for a lithium-ion battery, comprising a cathode material core wherein the cathode material core comprises a cobalt-free cathode material. [Pages 96-101]
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the cathode material of Wang et al. to include a cobalt-free cathode material, as disclosed in Ko et al., in order to allow for long life and high energy.
With respect to claim 5, Wang et al. discloses wherein the lithium nickel manganate cathode material has a chemical formula of LiNixMnyO2, wherein x is greater than or equal to 0.55 and less than or equal to 0.95. [0010-0020] Wang et al. does not disclose wherein y is greater than or equal to 0.05 and less than or equal to 0.45.
Ko et al. discloses a lithium nickel manganate cathode material has a chemical formula of LiNixMnyO2, wherein x is greater than or equal to 0.55 and less than or equal to 0.95 and wherein y is greater than or equal to 0.05 and less than or equal to 0.45. [Abstract; Pages 96-101]
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the cathode material of Wang et al. to include a cobalt-free cathode material, as disclosed in Ko et al., in order to allow for long life and high energy.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 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.
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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/KIRAN QURAISHI AKHTAR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1751
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