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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 12/18/2025 has been entered.
This office action is in response to Applicant's remarks and amendments filed on 12/18/2025. Claims 1, 3, and 12 are currently amended. Claim 21 is newly added. Claims 1-4, 11-12, 17-19, and 21 are pending review in this action. The previous 35 U.S.C. 112(a) rejections are withdrawn in light of Applicant's amendment to Claim 1. The previous 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejections are withdrawn in light of Applicant's amendment to Claim 12. The previous 35 U.S.C. 102 rejections are withdrawn in light of Applicant's amendment to Claim 1, however the previously cited prior art has been upheld as reading upon select claim limitations. New grounds of rejection necessitated by Applicant's amendments are presented below.
Claim Interpretation
Claim 2 is given the broadest reasonable interpretation. A lithophilic material capable of lithium plating occurring thereon reads on the instant claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 1-4, 11-12, 17-19, and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yamamoto et al. (US 2011/0020536 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Yamamoto discloses a negative electrode (40) for lithium secondary batteries (lithium-ion secondary battery, 50), the negative electrode comprising: a negative electrode current collector (current collector, 11, and plurality of bumps, 12) (Figures 1C and 9, [0084, 0086, 0139]). Yamamoto further discloses a lithiophilic material (active material members, 18) on at least one surface of the negative electrode current collector (current collector, 11, and plurality of bumps, 12), wherein the lithiophilic material (active material members, 18) is dispersed over the negative electrode current collector (current collector, 11, and plurality of bumps, 12) (Figure 1C, [0090]). Yamamoto further discloses that the lithiophilic material (active material members, 18) comprises a metal oxide (SiOx) (Figure 1C, [0090]). Yamamoto further discloses that the negative electrode current collector (current collector, 11, and plurality of bumps, 12) may be formed of a copper foil, wherein following a heat treatment to form the lithiophilic material (active material members, 18), exposed regions of the negative electrode current collector (current collector, 11, and plurality of bumps, 12) surface (i.e., regions not covered by active material members, 18) are oxidized to form an oxide layer (resistor layer, 90) comprising copper oxide (Figures 1C and 15, [0134, 0192]).
The examiner notes that SiOx is described by the instant application as a lithiophilic material (see instant Claims 3-4, oxide of Si), and the instant specification further teaches that oxidation itself renders a material more lithiophilic [0018]. Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 1 are met.
Regarding Claim 2, Yamamoto teaches a lithium secondary battery (lithium-ion secondary battery, 50) which one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate operates by the movement of lithium ions from the positive electrode to the negative electrode. Therefore, Yamamoto’s negative electrode (40) of Claim 1 (see above) would be expected to be capable of lithium plating occurring on the lithiophilic material (active material members, 18) (Figure 1C and 9, [0003]). Furthermore, Yamamoto discloses that he lithiophilic material (active material members, 18) comprises a metal oxide (SiOx) (Figure 1C, [0090]), which is taught as suitable by the instant application (see instant Claims 3-4, oxide of Si). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 2 are met.
Regarding Claim 3, Yamamoto further discloses that the lithiophilic material (active material members, 18) is an oxidized product of a coating material (pillar-like deposits, 14) coated on the negative electrode current collector (current collector, 11, and plurality of bumps, 12), wherein the coating material (pillar-like deposits, 14) is Si metal particles (Figures 1B and 1C, [0088, 0090]). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 3 are met.
Regarding Claim 4, Yamamoto further discloses that the metal comprises Si [0088]. Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 4 are met.
Regarding Claim 11, Yamamoto further discloses an electrode assembly (negative electrode, 40, positive electrode, 39, and separator, 34) comprising the negative electrode (40) according to Claim 1 (Figure 9, [0139]). Thus, all of the limitations of claim 11 are met.
Regarding Claim 12, Yamamoto further discloses that the electrode assembly (negative electrode, 40, positive electrode, 39, and separator, 34) of Claim 11 is a mono-cell in which a positive electrode (39), a separator (34), and the negative electrode (40) are sequentially stacked (Figure 9, [0139]). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 12 are met.
Regarding Claim 17, Yamamoto further discloses an electrode assembly (negative electrode, 40, positive electrode, 39, and separator, 34) comprising the negative electrode (40) according to Claim 2 (Figure 9, [0139]). Thus, all of the limitations of claim 17 are met.
Regarding Claim 18, Yamamoto further discloses an electrode assembly (negative electrode, 40, positive electrode, 39, and separator, 34) comprising the negative electrode (40) according to Claim 3 (Figure 9, [0139]). Thus, all of the limitations of claim 18 are met.
Regarding Claim 19, Yamamoto further discloses an electrode assembly (negative electrode, 40, positive electrode, 39, and separator, 34) comprising the negative electrode (40) according to Claim 4 (Figure 9, [0139]). Thus, all of the limitations of claim 19 are met.
Regarding Claim 21, Yamamoto teaches a lithium secondary battery (lithium-ion secondary battery, 50) which one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate operates by the movement of lithium ions from the positive electrode to the negative electrode. Therefore, Yamamoto’s negative electrode (40) of Claim 1 (see above) would be expected to be capable of lithium plating occurring on the lithiophilic material (active material members, 18) (Figure 1C and 9, [0003]). Furthermore, Yamamoto discloses that he lithiophilic material (active material members, 18) comprises a metal oxide (SiOx) (Figure 1C, [0090]), which is taught as suitable by the instant application (see instant Claims 3-4, oxide of Si). Furthermore, Yamamoto discloses that the oxide layer (resistor layer, 90) comprises copper oxide (CuO) (Figures 1C and 15, [0134, 0192]), which is taught as suitable by the instant specification for use as a lithiophilic material [0055-0056]). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 21 are met.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/18/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The Applicant argues that Yamamoto et al. (US 2011/0020536 A1) fails to meet all of the limitations of the amended claims. Specifically, the Applicant argues that Yamamoto teaches the formation of pillar-like members (14) selectively on bumps (12) of the current collector (11) such that the pillar-like members (14) are disposed in a structured arrangement dictated by the predetermined bump pattern, thus, the pillar-like members (14) which ultimately become the lithiophilic material (active material members, 18) may not be considered “dispersed over the negative electrode current collector” as claimed by instant Claim 1. The Applicant further highlights the deliberate avoidance of depositing the pillar-like members (14) in a manner which would result in the formation of the lithiophilic material (active material members, 18) in the regions of the current collector (11) where the bumps (12) are not formed.
The examiner respectfully disagrees. While the examiner acknowledges that Yamamoto is deliberate in selecting the locations on which the lithiophilic material (active material members, 18) is formed on the current collector (11), the examiner disagrees that such deliberate positioning results in the lithiophilic material (active material members, 18) not being considered “dispersed” over the current collector (11).
The examiner notes that the instant application does not appear to provide a special definition of “dispersed”. The examiner points to the common definition of “dispersed” shown below (source: Cambridge Dictionary Webpage). The examiner further notes that the definition of “dispersed” does not require a uniform nor non-uniform dispersion, nor does it require dispersion to be randomized. As such, the examiner maintains that the limitation of Claim 1 requiring that “the lithiophilic material is dispersed over the negative electrode current collector”, is met.
PNG
media_image1.png
297
762
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EMILY E FREEMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-1498. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30AM-5:00PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Miriam Stagg can be reached at (571)-270-5256. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/E.E.F./Examiner, Art Unit 1724
/MIRIAM STAGG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1724
Prosecution Insights