DETAILED ACTION
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
In response to the amendment received 07/28/2026, the following objections and rejections have been withdrawn from the previous office action:
Objection to claim 15
35 U.S.C. 103 rejection of claims 4 and 15
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) 1-3, 5-6, 10, 13, 14, and 16-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Foreign Publication JP2003308874A (supplied by applicant, used previously attached machine translation), hereafter Inamasu, in view of Foreign Publication WO2019212153A1 (used previously attached machine translation), hereafter Kim.
Regarding claim 1, Inamasu discloses an electrolyte solution ([0031] electrolyte solution) for a lithium secondary battery ([0023] improved lithium conductivity, nonaqueous electrolyte battery having high charge/discharge efficiency), the electrolyte solution comprising a lithium salt ([0041] Li salt); a non-aqueous solvent ([0039] organic solvent); and an additive ([0031] benzo-1,4-dioxin and benzo-1,3-dioxole),
wherein the additive contains a benzodioxole-based compound or benzodioxane-based compound ([0031] benzo-1,4-dioxin and benzo-1,3-dioxole), and
the benzodioxole-based compound or benzodioxane-based compound has two methyl groups substituted at a carbon between two oxygen atoms (see Formulas 1 and 2 of Inamasu below:
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; [0013] X1-X8 are a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a fluoroalkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a phenyl group, an aryl group, an alkylphenyl group, or a derivative thereof; the examiner notes that X5-X8 each being “an alkyl group having 1 carbon atom” meets the claimed limitation of “two methyl groups substituted at a carbon between two oxygen atoms”), and
the non-aqueous solvent comprises a linear ether ([0039] dimethoxyethane) and a cyclic ether ([0039] tetrahydrofuran derivative, 1,3-dioxane; solvent may be present as mixture of two solvents).
Inamasu is silent on the tetrahydrofuran derivative being 2-methylfuran, and wherein a volume ratio of the linear ether to the cyclic ether is 9:1 to 1:9.
In the analogous art of lithium battery electrolytes, Kim discloses the non-aqueous solvent comprises a mixture of a linear ether and a cyclic ether ([0056] dimethoxyethane; [0057] methylfuran), and a volume ratio of the linear ether (dimethoxyethane) to the cyclic ether (methylfuran) is 9:1 to 1:9 ([0058] mixed electrolyte solvent of cyclic ether and linear ether with a volume ratio of 1:0.3 to 1:2 to exhibit improved energy density).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the present invention, to modify the invention of Inamasu to select a linear ether to cyclic ether ratio in the mixed solvent of 1:0.3 to 1:2 as disclosed by Kim in order to exhibit improved energy density of the battery, as suggested by Kim.
Regarding claim 2, Inamasu discloses wherein the benzodioxole-based compound or benzodioxane-based compound is a compound represented by the following Chemical Formula 1:
[Chemical Formula 1]
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(see Formulas 1 and 2 of Inamasu)
wherein R is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl group having 5 to 10 carbon atoms ([0013] X1-X8 are a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a fluoroalkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a phenyl group, an aryl group, an alkylphenyl group, or a derivative thereof),
Ra groups are the same, and each independently is one methyl group of the two methyl groups ([0013] X5-X8 each may be an alkyl group having 1 carbon atom), and
n is an integer of 1 to 3 (Formulas (1) and (2), n=2).
Regarding claim 3, Inamasu discloses wherein each of the Ra groups is independently a substituent having a Hammet substituent constant of 0 or less (page 11 of applicant's specification states an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms as an example of a substituent having a substituent constant of 0 or less, and [0013] of Inamasu states X5-X8 may each be an alkyl group having one carbon atom).
Regarding claim 5, Inamasu discloses wherein the compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 above is a compound represented by the following Chemical Formula 1-1:
[Chemical Formula 1-1]
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(see Formula 2 of Inamasu; [0013] X5 and X6 may be an alkyl group having 1 carbon atom)
Regarding claim 6, Inamasu discloses wherein the lithium salt Is LiBr ([0041]).
Regarding claim 10, Inamasu discloses wherein a content of the benzodioxole-based compound or benzodioxane-based compound is from 0.1 % by weight to 10 % by weight based on the total weight of the electrolyte solution ([0084] 2 wt % of benzo-1,4-dioxin).
Regarding claim 13, Inamasu discloses a lithium secondary battery ([0023] improved lithium conductivity, nonaqueous electrolyte battery having high charge/discharge efficiency) comprising the electrolyte solution of claim 1 (see above rejection of claim 1); a positive electrode ([0031]); a negative electrode ([0031]); and a separator ([0031]).
Regarding claim 14, Inamasu discloses wherein the lithium secondary battery is a lithium-sulfur secondary battery ([0046] positive active material is Li-containing sulfate).
Regarding claim 16, modified Inamasu discloses the non-aqueous solvent consists of 1,2-dimethoxyethane ([0039] dimethoxyethane) and a tetrahydrofuran derivative ([0039] tetrahydrofuran derivative; solvent may be present as mixture of two solvents), and wherein a volume ratio of the 1,2-dimethoxyethane to the tetrahydrofuran derivative is 9:1 to 1:9 (Kim, [0058] mixed electrolyte solvent of cyclic ether and linear ether with a volume ratio of 1:0.3 to 1:2).
Inamasu is silent on the tetrahydrofuran derivative being 2-methylfuran.
In the analogous art of lithium battery electrolytes, Kim discloses the non-aqueous solvent consists of 1,2-dimethoxyethane and 2-methylfuran ([0056] dimethoxyethane; [0057] methylfuran).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the present invention, to modify the invention of Inamasu to select 2-methylfuran (also known as methylfuran) as the tetrahydrofuran derivative as disclosed by Kim as a selection of a known material based on its suitability for the intended use (MPEP 2144.07).
Regarding claim 17, modified Inamasu discloses wherein the volume ratio of the 1,2-dimethoxyethane to the 2-methylfuran is 1:0.3 to 1:2 (Kim, [0058] mixed electrolyte solvent of cyclic ether and linear ether with a volume ratio of 1:0.3 to 1:2), which encompasses the claimed volume ratio of the 1,2-dimethoxyethane to the 2-methylfuran of 7:3. In the case where the claimed ranges "overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art" a prima facie case of obviousness exists (MPEP 2144.05 (I)).
Regarding claim 18, Inamasu discloses wherein the linear ether is dimethoxyethane ([0039] dimethoxyethane).
Regarding claim 19, modified Inamasu discloses wherein the cyclic ether is dioxane ([0039] 1,3-dioxane).
Claim(s) 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Foreign Publication JP2003308874A (supplied by applicant, used attached machine translation), hereafter Inamasu, in view of Foreign Publication WO2019212153A1 (used previously attached machine translation), hereafter Kim, as stated above for claim 1, and further in view of Foreign Publication KR20180114631A (supplied by applicant, used previously attached machine translation), hereafter Park.
Regarding claim 11, Inamasu is silent on wherein the electrolyte solution further comprises a nitric acid-based compound.
In the analogous art of secondary batteries, Park discloses wherein the electrolyte solution further comprises a nitric acid-based compound ([0054] electrolyte may contain compound with an intramolecular N-O bond, which has the effect of forming a stable film on the lithium electrode and greatly improving charge/discharge efficiency; [0055] nitric acid compound).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the present invention, to modify the invention of Inamasu to include a nitric acid-based compound in the electrolyte solution, as disclosed by Park, in order to form a stable film on the electrode and improve charge/discharge efficiency, as suggested by Park.
Regarding claim 12, Park further discloses wherein the nitric acid-based compound is lithium nitrate ([0055]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 0 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant’s argument regarding claim 1 on page 7 of applicant’s remarks that while Inamasu broadly discloses that substituents on the benzodioxole or benzodioxane compounds may include alkyl groups, Inamasu does not specifically teach or suggest compounds having two methyl groups substituted at the carbon between the two oxygen atoms (the acetal carbon position) as recited in amended claim 1, the examiner notes that a reference may be relied upon for all that it would have reasonably suggested to one having ordinary skill in the art, including nonpreferred embodiments (MPEP 2123 (I)).
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 TIMOTHY HEMINGWAY whose telephone number is (571)272-0235. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 6-4.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Susan Leong can be reached at (571) 270-1487. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/T.G.H./Examiner, Art Unit 1754
/SUSAN D LEONG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1754
