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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Group I, claims 1-5 and 8-9 in the reply filed on 20 February 2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is based on the ground(s) that CN107275550 A (Liao) fails to discloses the layer density as amended. This is not found persuasive because Liao exemplifies a coating surface density of 7.8 g/m2 and a coating layer thickness of 6.4 µm (Fig.4, Example 1), thus a coating layer density of 1.2 g/cm3, calculated by the examiner, i.e., 7.8g/(10000cm2X0.0064cm), which meets the claimed density as amended. As such the shared technical feature is not a special technical feature and Group I, II and III lack of unity of invention under PCT rule 13.1.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claims 10-14 and 17-22 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected invention.
In response to Applicant’s request that CN10727559A be formally made of record on a PTO-892, the examiner notes that Applicant appears to have mistaken CN107275550A (Liao ), which has been correctly cited in the restriction requirement by the Office, for CN107275559A. The examiner further notes that CN107275550 A (Liao) is listed in Applicant’s information disclosure statement filed on 27 June 2023.
Claim Objections
Claim 2 is objected to because of the following informalities: claim 2 recites “wherein a density of the layer..”, which appears to be “wherein the density of the layer…”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-5 and 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN107275550 A (Liao).
Regarding claims 1, 2, 8 and 9, Liao teaches a separator comprises a porous polyolefin film and a coating layer comprising ceramic materials coated onto the porous film([0009]), wherein the thickness of the coating layer is 1.5-18 µm and the thickness of the porous film layer is 2 to 50 µm exemplified as 12 µm ([0010], [0011] and [0051]), which meets the claimed thickness of the layer comprising ceramic material and of porous film layer, respectively.
Liao further teaches that the ceramic material includes magnesium hydroxide and has a particle D50 of 20-2000nm( [0015]), i.e., 0.02 to 2 µm, which meets the claimed metal oxide microparticles and diameter, wherein the layer comprising the ceramic material has a coating surface density of 3 to 15 g/m2 and a layer thickness of 1.5 to 18 µm([0011]-[0012]), exemplified as a coating surface density of 7.8 g/m2 and a coating layer thickness of 6.4 µm (Fig. 4, Example 1), thus a coating layer density of 1.2 g/cm3, calculated by the examiner, i.e., 7.8g/(10000cm2X0.0064cm), which meets the claimed density.
Regarding claim 3, Liao teaches that the porosity of the polymer film is between 20 to 70% ([0010]), which meets the claimed porosity.
Regarding claims 4 and 5, Liao exemplifies a total surface density of the separator of 14.2g/m2 and a coating layer density of 7.8 g/ m2 (Fig. 4, Example 1), thus the porous film has a surface density of about 6.4 g/ m2, estimated by the examiner, i.e., (14.2-7.8) g/ m2, which meets the claimed weight of polymer porous film per unit area.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AIQUN LI whose telephone number is (571)270-7736. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00 am -4:00 pm.
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/AIQUN LI/ Ph.D., Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1766