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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 1-19, as filed 11 February 2026, are examined herein.
Response to Arguments
The claim interpretation of claims 1, 10, and 11 regarding the limitation “the polyurethane resin being obtained by reacting a polyisocyanate compound (a), a compound (b) having two or more active hydrogen groups, a compound (c) having a hydrophilic group and one or more active hydrogen groups, and a chain extender (d)” is withdrawn in light of applicant’s arguments.
Applicant’s arguments are persuasive. The instant rejection includes new citations from Takahashi ‘616 and a new reference, Namura. This office action is a 2nd action non-final rejection.
Claim Interpretation
Claim 1 includes the limitation “an aqueous polyurethane resin dispersion for binders that are used in lithium secondary batteries”. The broadest reasonable interpretation of this limitation is determined to include a dispersion capable of being used as a binder.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-8, 10-12, and 14-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Takahashi ‘616 (US 20160181616 A1).
Regarding claims 1, 10, and 11, Takahashi teaches an aqueous polyurethane resin dispersion (abstract;[0020]) for binders that are used in lithium secondary batteries,
the aqueous polyurethane resin dispersion comprising a polyurethane resin dispersed in water, (abstract)
the polyurethane resin being obtained by reacting a polyisocyanate compound (a), a compound (b) having two or more active hydrogen groups, a compound (c) having a hydrophilic group and one or more active hydrogen groups, and a chain extender (d), ([0013],[0020] “a polyurethane formed of (A) a polyisocyanate, (B) a compound having two or more active hydrogen groups, (C) a compound having one or more active hydrogen groups and a hydrophilic group, and (D) a chain extending agent”) Examiner notes that at [0049], the components of the water dispersion are subjected to a reaction, therefore, the resin is obtained by reacting.
wherein the compound (b) contains a polyolefin (b1) having two or more active hydrogen groups and a polycarbonate (b2) having two or more active hydrogen groups and having 6 or less consecutive carbon atoms (abstract,[0020] “The (B) compound having two or more active hydrogen groups contains an olefinic polyol and/or a carbonate diol having a carbon number between carbonate bond chains of less than 6”, and [0086] “a polyurethane water dispersion comprising polybutadiene polyol… and polycarbonate polyol”)
a crosslink density per molecular weight of 1,000 of a resin solid component contained in the aqueous polyurethane resin dispersion is 0.02 mol/kg or more and 0.28 mol/kg or less. ( [0048] “the polyurethane has a crosslinking density of from 0.01 to 0.50 per 1000 molecular weight” This encompasses the claimed range. Further, Table 1, example 1J has a crosslinking density of 0.07, which falls within the claimed range.)
The binder for electrodes (claim 10) is taught at [0059] and the lithium secondary battery using the binder for electrodes (claim 11) is taught at [0060].
Regarding claims 2 and 12, Takahashi teaches all of the limitations as set forth above. Takahashi discloses at [0086] example 1J having polybutadiene polyol (172.8 grams) and polycarbonate polyol (43.2 grams). This creates a mass fraction of 20 parts relative to 100 parts by mass of a total blending amount of (b1) and (b2), which falls within the claimed range of 5 to 95 parts per 100.
Regarding claims 4 and 14, Takahashi teaches all of the limitations as set forth above, and further teaches wherein the polyisocyanate compound (a) includes at least one of an aromatic polyisocyanate and an alicyclic polyisocyanate. ([0016])
Regarding claims 5 and 15, Takahashi teaches all of the limitations as set forth above, and further teaches wherein the polyolefin (b1) includes a polyolefin containing two or more hydroxy groups. ([0023] “polybutadiene polyol, polyisoprene polyol, hydrogenated polybutadiene polyol, and hydrogenated polyisoprene polyol are preferred.”)
Regarding claims 6 and 16, Takahashi teaches all of the limitations as set forth above, and further teaches wherein the polycarbonate (b2) includes a polycarbonate containing two or more hydroxy groups. ([0027] 1,4 butanediol)
Regarding claims 7 and 17, Takahashi teaches all of the limitations as set forth above, and further teaches wherein the compound (c) includes a compound having an active hydrogen group and a carboxy group. ([0035] 2.2-dimethylol propionic acid)
Regarding claims 8 and 18, Takahashi teaches all of the limitations as set forth above, and further teaches wherein the chain extender (d) includes a triamine. ([0044] diethylenetriamine, dipropylenetriamine)
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) 9, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahashi ‘616 (US 20160181616 A1).
Regarding claims 9 and 19, Takahashi teaches all of the limitations as set forth above. Takahashi does not explicitly teach wherein an amount of the chain extender (d) is 0.2 parts by mass or more and 1 part by mass or less relative to 100 parts by mass of a total blending amount of the polyisocyanate compound (a), the compound (b), the compound (c), and the chain extender (d).
At [0078-0089], Takahashi discloses examples having compound (b1), compound (b2) or both. These examples have the chain extender (d) at 0.8 to 2.7 parts per 100, which overlaps the instant claim limitation. Takahashi does not explicitly state a range for the chain extender other than at [0045] “Thereafter, the (D) chain extending agent in a smaller equivalent amount to the residual isocyanate group (the equivalent ratio of the isocyanate group to the chain extending agent is 1:0.5 to 0.9) is added thereto”. Takahashi at [0045] contemplates that the chain extending agent increases crosslink density, forming a three-dimensional crosslinked structure which provides a coated film exhibiting excellent resistance to an electrolytic solution. At [0022] and [0024] Takahashi discloses that the isocyanate and the olefinic polyol provide the desirable feature of bindability.
A person of ordinary skill in the art would understand that as the chain extender is increased in the formulation, the amount of isocyanate and olefinic polyol would be decreased, resulting in reduced bindability. The person of ordinary skill would have been motivated to optimize the amount of chain extender, with a reasonable expectation of successfully achieving a coated film that is resistant to the electrolytic solution, while maintaining acceptable bindability, with a reasonable expectation of selecting a value within the claimed range.
Claim(s) 3 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Takahashi ‘616 (US 20160181616 A1) as set forth in claim 1, above, and in further view of Namura (WO 2019221088 A1, with paragraph numbering to US 20210230345 A1).
Regarding claims 3 and 13, Takahashi teaches all of the limitations as set forth above. Takahashi at [0014] discloses the polycarbonate diol having a carbon number of less than 6 is contained at a ratio of 50% by mass to 90% by mass with respect to the entire polyurethane composition. At [0024] Takahashi discloses that the olefinic polyol provides bindability and resistance to an electrolyte solution. However, Takahashi is silent as to an amount of the polycarbonate (b2) relative to 100 parts by mass of a total blending amount of the polyolefin (b1) and the polycarbonate (b2).
Namura, in the field of (abstract) polyurethane resin containing a polyol and a polycarbonate, discloses at [0007] that the use of a polycarbonate polyol provides cold-resistant flexibility. At [0026] Namura discloses that the polycarbonate diol is preferably 70% by mass of the polyol component. Examiner notes that batteries are commonly operated in low temperature conditions and therefore cold-resistant flexibility is desirable.
A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated, as of before the effective filing date of the instant invention, to optimize the polycarbonate diol amount in the resin of Takahashi, with a reasonable expectation of balancing the desirable features of bindability, chemical resistance, and cold-resistant flexibility, with a reasonable expectation of selecting a value falling within the claimed range.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CLAIRE A RUTISER whose telephone number is (571)272-1969. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM M-F.
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CLAIRE A. RUTISER
Examiner
Art Unit 1751
/C.A.R./Examiner, Art Unit 1751
/Haroon S. Sheikh/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1751
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