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 Amendment and Claim Status
The amendment filed 2 March 2026 has been entered. Applicant’s amendments to the claims have overcome each and every objection and 35 U.S.C. § 112 rejection set forth in the Office Action mailed 1 December 2025. Claims 1–4, 9, and 17 have been canceled. Claims 5–8, 10–16, 18, and 19 are pending in the application. Claims 13–16, 18, and 19 are withdrawn from consideration.
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 5–8 and 10–12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sella et al. (US 2019/0356013 A1).
Regarding Claims 5 and 7, Sella discloses a nonaqueous electrolyte solution (see electrolytes, [0017]; note that [0115] discloses the electrolytes as comprising organic solvents, i.e. they are nonaqueous) comprising an additive (see electrolyte additives, [0017]). Sella further discloses wherein the additive is comprising at least one compound represented by Chemical formula 1:
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101
200
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where R1 is an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms or phenyl group, R2 is an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms or phenyl group, R3 is an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms or phenyl group, R4 is an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms or phenyl group, and R5 is an alkylene group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, by teaching that the additive can comprise molecules of the formula (II) ([0031]):
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where Z1 is NR1R2 ([0031]), R1 and R2 are both alkyl or aryl ([0031]), L is a linker ([0031]), the linker is a functional group ([0085]), the functional group is alkylene —(CR1R2)n— and n is an integer between 1 and 10 ([0095]), and R1 and R2 of the alkylene are both H ([0075]); note that Sella further teaches ([0087]) that “alkyl” can include groups containing 1 to 100 carbon atoms.
Sella does not explicitly disclose wherein the additive is included in an amount of 0.1 to 1 mass% based on a total mass of the nonaqueous electrolyte solution, but does disclose ([0072]) that the additive can be included in an amount of 0.01 to 10 vol%, which would be reasonably expected to overlap with the claimed range.
Furthermore, Sella discloses ([0056]–[0061], FIG. 1–3) that that the amount of additive included in the nonaqueous electrolyte solution affects high C capacity, cell thickness, cycling rate, and cycling lifetime.
A result-effective variable is a variable which achieves a recognized result. The determination of the optimum or workable ranges of a result-effective variable is routine experimentation and therefore obvious (MPEP § 2144.05.II). In the instant case, the amount of additive included in the nonaqueous electrolyte solution is a variable that achieves the recognized result of affecting the high C capacity, cell thickness, cycling rate, and cycling lifetime, as disclosed by Sella, thus making the amount of additive included in the nonaqueous electrolyte solution a result-effective variable. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the nonaqueous electrolyte solution of Sella such that the additive is included in an amount of 0.1 to 1 mass% based on a total mass of the nonaqueous electrolyte solution via routine experimentation, for the purpose of achieving suitable high C capacity, cell thickness, cycling rate, and cycling lifetime.
Regarding Claims 6 and 8, modified Sella discloses the nonaqueous electrolyte solution as set forth above. It can be understood that Sella further discloses wherein the additive comprises at least one of bis(diethyldithiocarbamate)ethylene, bis(dipropyldithiocarbamate)ethylene, bis(dibutyldithiocarbamate)methylene, bis(dibutyldithiocarbamate)ethylene, bis(dipentyldithiocarbamate)methylene, bis(dipentyldithiocarbamate)ethylene, bis(dihexyldithiocarbamate)methylene, or bis(dihexyldithiocarbamate)ethylene (see table below prepared by the Examiner, which maps the variables (R1, R2, n, etc.) of Formula (II) disclosed by Sella (right columns) with the claimed compound (left column)).
claimed compound:
corresponds to Formula (II) ([0031]) of Sella:
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141
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wherein:
([0031])
Z1 = NR1R2,
R1 = R2 = alkyl with # carbon atoms =
([0031], [0075], [0085], [0087], [0095])
L = alkylene functional group —(CR1R2)n—,
R1 = R2 = H, n =
bis(diethyldithiocarbamate)ethylene
2, i.e. “ethyl”
2, i.e. “ethylene”
bis(dipropyldithiocarbamate)ethylene
3, i.e. “propyl”
2
bis(dibutyldithiocarbamate)methylene
4, i.e. “butyl”
1, i.e. “methylene”
bis(dibutyldithiocarbamate)ethylene
4
2
bis(dipentyldithiocarbamate)methylene
5, i.e. “pentyl”
1
bis(dipentyldithiocarbamate)ethylene
5
2
bis(dihexyldithiocarbamate)methylene
6, i.e. “hexyl”
1
bis(dihexyldithiocarbamate)ethylene
6
2
Regarding Claim 10, modified Sella discloses the nonaqueous electrolyte solution as set forth above. Sella further discloses wherein the nonaqueous electrolyte solution is further comprising a cyclic carbonate (see cyclic carbonates, [0115]) and a chain carbonate (see linear carbonates, [0115]; note [0115] discloses including the linear and cyclic carbonates in combination).
Regarding Claim 11, modified Sella discloses the nonaqueous electrolyte solution as set forth above. Sella further discloses wherein the nonaqueous electrolyte solution is further comprising a lithium salt (see lithium electrolyte salt(s), [0116]).
Regarding Claim 12, modified Sella discloses the nonaqueous electrolyte solution as set forth above. Sella further discloses wherein the lithium salt is LiPF6 (see LiPF6, [0116]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks filed 2 March 2026, with respect to the rejection of Claims 5–12 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground of rejection is made in view of Sella as set forth above.
Conclusion
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/J.M.F./Examiner, Art Unit 1725
/BASIA A RIDLEY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1725
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