DETAILED ACTION
Introductory Notes
Any paragraph citation of the instant is in reference to the U.S. published patent application.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112(a)
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 35-41 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claim 35 recites the limitation “multilayer precursor structure” and this term cannot be found in the specification. What constitutes such a structure is not disclosed.
The remaining claims are rejected due to dependency.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112(b)
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 40-41 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 40 and 41 each recite the limitation “the solid-state ionic conductive material” which lacks antecedent basis. Inclusion of a statement such as ‘wherein the solid-state electrolyte layer comprises a solid-state ionic conductive material’ in a manner like claims 26 and 27 would overcome the rejection.
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 22-41 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by TAMIRISA (US 20220199978 A1).
Regarding independent claims 22 and 31, TAMIRISA discloses a solid-state battery (“solid-state battery” [0016]) comprising: a positive current collector (212); a negative current collector (222); a solid-state electrolyte layer between the positive current collector and the negative current collector (separator 250 wherein “solid-state electrolytes can be provided in the separator” [0018]); and at least one of:
(i) a composite cathode structure (as shown in Fig. 2, the 216 layers of the 210 positive electrode) disposed between the positive current collector and the solid-state electrolyte layer, the composite cathode structure comprising a cathode active material (active material 308, as well as “active material 216 consists of Silver Vanadium oxide (SVO) and carbon monofluoride (CFx) … one or more additional materials … lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) and/or one or more of Ni—Mn—Co— oxide and/or Ni—Co—Al oxide” [0021])
and [a/an argyrodite-structured sulfide] catholyte material (“solid-state electrolyte materials can include sulfide compounds (e.g. Argyrodite…” [0031]),
wherein the content of the [argyrodite-structured sulfide] catholyte material in the composite cathode structure proximate to the solid- state electrolyte layer is greater than the content of the [argyrodite-structured sulfide] catholyte material in the composite cathode structure proximate to the positive current collector (“the plurality of sheets form a gradient from lowest percentage of solid-state electrolyte at a sheet closest to the current collector to highest percentage of solid-state electrolyte at a sheet furthest from the current collector” [0005]); and
(ii) a composite anode structure … (as shown in Fig. 2 as components of the 220 negative electrode, with analogous components as the cathode structure discussed above; furthermore, one of the composite anode or cathode structures, as well as the associated dependent claims, are optional limitations).
Regarding independent claim 35, TAMIRISA discloses a multilayer precursor structure (multiple layers as shown in Fig. 2) for a solid-state battery (“solid-state battery” [0016]), the multilayer precursor structure comprising: a current collector (212 and/or 222); and a plurality of stacked layers disposed on the current collector (“plurality of sheets” [0005] on a current collector as shown in Fig. 2), the plurality of stacked layers comprising at least one of:
(i) a cathode active material (active material 308, as well as “active material 216 consists of Silver Vanadium oxide (SVO) and carbon monofluoride (CFx) … one or more additional materials … lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) and/or one or more of Ni—Mn—Co— oxide and/or Ni—Co—Al oxide” [0021])
and a catholyte material (“solid-state electrolyte materials can include sulfide compounds (e.g. Argyrodite…” [0031])
distributed across the plurality of stacked layers such that the content of the catholyte material increases with distance from the current collector (“the plurality of sheets form a gradient from lowest percentage of solid-state electrolyte at a sheet closest to the current collector to highest percentage of solid-state electrolyte at a sheet furthest from the current collector” [0005]); and
(ii) an anode active material … (active material 224 layers, with analogous components as the cathode structure discussed above; furthermore, one of the composite anode or cathode structures, as well as the associated dependent claims, are optional limitations)
Regarding claims 23 and 39, TAMIRISA discloses the catholyte material, when present, has an ionic conductivity greater than 10-7 S/cm, and wherein the anolyte material, when present, has an ionic conductivity greater than 10-7 S/cm.
TAMIRISA discloses in paragraph [0031] “example solid-state electrolyte materials” including among others: argyrodite, garnet structure oxides such as LLZO, NASICON-type phosphate glass ceramics such as LAGP, and anti-perovskite electrolytes such as Li3OCl. These match those of the instant in instant paragraphs [0144], [0134], [0140], and [0141] respectively. Because the underlying compounds are the same, read on the claimed property. Furthermore, these compounds have known ionic conductivities greater than 10-7 S/cm.
Regarding claims 24-25, and 37-38, TAMIRISA discloses the [catholyte/anolyte] material, when present, is selected from: … an argyrodite sulfide … (“solid-state electrolyte materials can include sulfide compounds (e.g. Argyrodite…” [0031]).
Regarding claims 26-27 and 40-41, TAMIRISA discloses the solid-state electrolyte layer comprises a solid-state ionic conductive material, and wherein the [catholyte/anolyte] material, when present is the same as the solid-state ionic conductive material of the solid-state electrolyte layer (“the plurality of sheets form a gradient from lowest percentage of solid-state electrolyte at a sheet closest to the current collector to highest percentage of solid-state electrolyte at a sheet furthest from the current collector” [0005]; wherein in TAMIRISA the electrolyte and the electrolyte component in the cathode/anode material is the same compound).
Regarding claims 28-29, 32-33 and 36, TAMIRISA discloses the [argyrodite-structured sulfide] [catholyte/anolyte] material, when present, is distributed across at least three layers in the composite [cathode/anode] structure, and the [argyrodite-structured sulfide] [catholyte/anolyte] material content increases from the layer adjacent the [positive/negative] current collector to the layer adjacent the solid-state electrolyte layer (as shown in Figs. 2-4 as well as “three electrode sheets 300, 302 and 304 are shown, it will be appreciated that any number of electrode sheets can be used” [0031]).
Regarding claims 30 and 34, TAMIRISA discloses both the composite cathode structure and the composite anode structure are present, and both comprise respective gradients in [argyrodite-structured sulfide / catholyte and anolyte material] content toward the solid-state electrolyte layer (as shown in Fig. 2 both positive and negative electrodes have layers as well as “embodiments provide a graded composition electrode … example embodiments may typically be used to provide cathodes … embodiments can also be used in the fabrication of anodes” [0026]).
Response to Arguments
Regarding art-based rejections, applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any interpretation applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
NAM (US 20220069279 A1) directed to an all-solid-state battery and a manufacturing method thereof where the solid-state electrolyte has a stepwise concentration gradient in which the concentration of the positive electrode active material to the solid-state electrolyte decreases from a side closer to the positive electrode current collector toward a side closer to the solid-state electrolyte layer.
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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/T.L.M./Examiner, Art Unit 1721
/ALLISON BOURKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1721