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 .
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.
Claims 1-7, 9-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rahul R. Kamath et al (U. S. Patent Application: 2019/0355966, here after 966),
further in view of Nabae Yuta et al (Japanese Patent: 2015-229119, here after 119).
Claims 1-2 are rejected. 966 teaches a method of forming an electrode [abstract
line 1], the method comprising:
creating an electrode coating layer from an electrode slurry comprising silicon
and a polymer (carbon precursor, polyimide or polyamic acid);
fabricating a battery electrode by coating the slurry on a current collector
[abstract, 0014, 0009, 0011];
drying(curing) step [0016] increasing a temperature applied to the slurry and
maintain the temperature for a time [0049]; and
increasing to a pyrolyzation temperature from the curing temperature
target(110C) and pyrolyzing to yield a stable carbon matrix in a mechanically stable
electrode structure [0035, 0051, 0079]. 966 teaches a drying step (step one curing) and
a further drying step and applying pressure at 200C (step 2 curing) [0049], therefore
teaches drying(curing) happened incrementally over a plurality of curing temperature
targets, wherein one or more curing temperature targets of the plurality of curing
temperature targets correspond to a give component of the slurry (NMP), and
maintaining each curing temperature target for a predetermined dwell time incrementally
over a plurality of curing temperature targets [0049]. 966 does not teach three or more
curing stages. 119 teaches to avoid melting polyamic acid in carbonizing step gradually
raise the temperature in step of imidization comprising heating at 80-150C, then at 200-
500, and adding steps of heating to 5 steps and prior to carbonizing(pyrolyzing) [page
10 first paragraph]. Therefor it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the
art at the time of the invention was made to have the method of 966 where the curing of
polyamic acid is done in 3(2-5) stages between 100-400, because it helps avoiding
melting during pyrolyzing.
Claim 3 is rejected as 966 teaches the pyrolyzation temperature is greater than
400 degrees centigrade [0051].
Claim 4 is rejected as 966[0049], and 119 teach increasing a temperature
applied (from room temperature) to a first drying(curing) temperature target, and
inherently by a first temperature ramp rate (to ramp the temperature from room
temperature to first temperature) [page 10 first paragraph].
Claim 5 is rejected as 966 and 119 teach increasing the temperature applied to
from the first curing temperature target to a second curing temperature target [0049 of
966, and page 10 first paragraph of 119] of the plurality of curing temperature targets
and inherently by a second temperature ramp rate.
Claim 6 is rejected. 119 teaches increasing the temperature applied to from the
second temperature target to a third (curing) temperature target of the plurality of curing
temperature targets [page 10 first paragraph] and inherently by a third temperature
ramp rate.
Claim 7 is rejected. 119 teaches heating in 3 or 5 steps [page 10 first paragraph],
which in fact an ordinary skill in art can adjust the steps (temperature and duration) to
have same heating rate (for first and second steps) in absence of criticality.
Claim 9 is rejected. 119 teaches maintaining each curing temperature target for
the predetermined dwell time comprises the first curing temperature target for a first
dwell time [page 10 first paragraph].
Claim 10 is rejected as 119 teaches maintaining the second curing temperature
target for a second dwell time [page 10 first paragraph].
Claim 11 is rejected. 119 teaches heating in 3 or 5 steps [page 10 first
paragraph], which in fact an ordinary skill in art can adjust the steps (dwell time or
duration) to have same duration (for first and second steps) in absence of criticality.
Claim 12 is rejected as 119 teaches heating time of 3 min to 3 hours [page 10,
first paragraph], and an ordinary skill can choose the first dwell time less than the
second dwell time within 3 min-3 hrs is absence of criticality.
Claim 13 is rejected as 966 teaches maintaining the pyrolyzation temperature for
a third dwell time (1 hr) [0051].
Claim 14 is rejected as polyimide is an aqueous-based polymer.
Claim 15 is rejected. 966 teaches a method of forming an electrode, the method
comprising: creating an electrode coating layer from an electrode slurry comprising
silicon and a polymer (carbon precursor, polyimide or polyamic acid) [abstract, 0014];
fabricating a battery electrode by coating the slurry on a current collector; increasing
temperature applied to the slurry to a first curing(drying) temperature target(110C),
wherein the first curing temperate target corresponds to a first component of the first
slurry (NMP) [0049]; maintaining the first curing temperature target for a first dwell time (2 hrs); increasing the temperature applied to the slurry to a second curing temperature
target(200C), wherein the second curing temperature target corresponds to a second
component of the slurry (polyamic acid); maintaining the second curing temperature
target fora second dwell time (8-16 hrs)[0049]; and increasing the temperature applied to the slurry toa pyrolyzation temperature [0051] which in fact yield a stable carbon matrix in a mechanically stable electrode structure[0079]. 966 does not teach three or more curing stages. 119 teaches to avoid melting polyamic acid in carbonizing step gradually raise the temperature in step of imidization comprising heating at 80-150C, then at 200- 500, and maintain the temperature for 3 in-3 hrs and adding steps of heating to 5 steps and prior to carbonizing(pyrolyzing) [page 10 first paragraph]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to have the method of 966 where the curing of polyamic acid is done in 3(2-5) stages between 100-400, and maintain the temperature for 3 in-3 hrs because it helps avoiding melting during pyrolyzing.
Claims 16-17 are rejected as 699 teaches creating the electrode coating layer
further comprises including a conductive additive such as CNT's [0048].
Claim 18 is rejected as 699 teaches adding a solvent such as organic solvent
(NMP or dimethyl ether) [0049, 0047].
Claim 19 is rejected as polyimide is an aqueous-based polymer.
Claim 20 is rejected as 119 teaches the temperature is applied is thermal energy
source (heating in nitrogen atmosphere requires oven, chamber or tube with heating
source) [page 10 first paragraph].
Claims 8, and 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
Rahul R. Kamath et al (U. S. Patent Application: 2019/0355966, here after 966), Nabae
Yuta et al (Japanese Patent: 2015-229119, here after 119), further in view of Tian-xi Liu
et al (Chinese Patent: 105923622, here after 622).
Claim 8 is rejected. 966, and 119 teach the limitation of claim 15. 119 teaches
curing polyimide acid in 3-5 steps, and teaches dwell time in each step is 3 min to 3 hrs
[page 10 first paragraph], but did not teach the ramp rate. 622 teaches
imidization(curing) and carbonization process by heating rate or 1.5-2.5 degree/min (in
each step) [page 4 paragraph 6 lines 2-end]. Therefor it would have been obvious to
one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to have a method of
making electrode as 966, and 119 teach first and second ramping temperature is 1.5-
2.5 degree/min, because it is suitable rpm rate for heating substrate for curing polyimide
film and reaching to pyrolyzing step. It is to skill of an ordinary person in art to choose
the first temperature ramp less than the second one (within 1.5-2.5 degree/min) in
absence of criticality.
Claim 21 is rejected. 966, and 119 teach the limitation of claim 15. 119 teaches
curing polyimide acid in 3-5 steps, and teaches dwell time in each step is 3 min to 3 hrs
[page 10 first paragraph], but did not teach the ramp rate. 622 teaches imidization(curing) and carbonization process by heating rate of 2 degree/min (in each
step) and then heating rate of 5 degree /min to reach pyrolyzing temperature [page 7
lines 16-20]. Therefor it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the
time of the invention was made to have a method of making electrode as 966, and 119
teach first and second ramping temperature is 2 degree/min, and ramp to pyrolyzing
temperature is based on 622, because it is suitable rpm rate for heating substrate for
curing polyimide film and reaching to pyrolyzing step.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed 11/17/25, with respect to 35 U.S.C 112(b) have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 35 U.S.C 112(b) of claim 2 has been withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments filed 11/17/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The applicant argues Nabae does not teach first, second and third curing temperatures during single curing step. The examiner disagrees, Nabae clearly teaches breaking the curing step to 2-5 steps as claims require increasing temperature applied over three or more curing temperature targets between 100-400 degrees, and clearly claim do not require the target temperatures not to be identical. Nabae teaches increasing temperature at 80-150 for 3 minutes and then 200-500, and about 2 to 5 steps so that the operation where total time for heating at 80 ° C. or more and less than 500 ° C. is preferably 1 to 24 hours. Therefore there can be additional heating steps in between.
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 TABASSOM TADAYYON ESLAMI whose telephone number is (571)270-1885. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30-6.
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/TABASSOM TADAYYON ESLAMI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1718