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 .
Status of Claims and Other Notes
Claims 1, 2, 4–7, 9, 12–15, and 18–20 are pending.
Claims 3, 8, 10, 11, 16, and 17 are canceled.
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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
The paragraph numbers cited in this Office Action in reference to the instant application are referring to the paragraph numbering of the PG-Pub of the instant application. See US 2023/0387549 A1.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 13 July 2026. These drawings are acceptable.
Applicants' amendments have overcome the objections to the drawings.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Applicants' amendments have overcome the rejections of claims 4, 9, and 15 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claims 1, 2, 4–7, 9, 12–15, and 18–20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han et al. (WO 2021/085927 A1; see English language equivalent, US 2022/0336867 A1; hereinafter Han).
Regarding claim 1, 2, 4, and 5, Han discloses a coating liquid for a porous film for a separator of a lithium ion cell, comprising:
alkali silicate (see sodium silicate, [0066]);
a first filler made of inorganic particles (see inorganic material, [0040]); and
a second filler (see binder, [0056]), a content of which is equal to or more than 0.05 weight% with respect to the inorganic particles (see binder, [0052]),
wherein a content of the alkali silicate is equal to or more than 0.05 weight % with respect to the inorganic particles (see gas generating agent, [0069]);
wherein a content of the second filler is equal to or less than 12.4 weight % with respect to the inorganic particles (see binder, [0052]),
wherein the coating film includes A2CO3 or AHCO3, and wherein a is any one of lithium, sodium, potassium, and rubidium (see sodium hydrogen carbonate, [0067]),
wherein a content of the A2CO3 or AHCO3 is equal to or more than 1 weight % and equal to or less than 50 weight % with respect to the coating liquid (see sodium hydrogen carbonate, [0085]);
wherein the inorganic particles are materials selected from nano silica, micro silica, carbon nanotube, talc, alumina, boehmite, aluminum hydroxide and glass fiber (see inorganic material, [0044]).
Han does not explicitly disclose a coating liquid further comprising:
wherein, the second filler is a cellulose in which a hydroxyl group is substituted with a carboxyl group; and
wherein the cellulose is a TEMPO-oxidized cellulose represented by the following formula:
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wherein X+ represents an alkali metal ion, and
n represent a number of 1 or more indicating an average degree of polymerization.
Noguchi discloses a coating liquid and coating film comprising a second filler, a content of the second filler is equal to or more than 0.05 weight % with respect to the inorganic particles (TABLE 1, [0037]; TABLE 2, [0037]), wherein the second filler is a cellulose in which a hydroxyl group is substituted with a carboxyl group (TABLE 1, [0037]; TABLE 2, [0037]), wherein a content of the second filler is equal to or less than 12.4 weight % with respect to the inorganic particles (TABLE 1, [0037]; TABLE 2, [0037]), wherein the second filler is a TEMPO-oxidized cellulose described below
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(TABLE 1, [0040]; TABLE 2, [0040]), wherein X+ represents an alkali metal ion, and n represent a number of 1 or more indicating an average degree of polymerization (TABLE 1, [0040]; TABLE 2, [0040]) to improve the insulating property of the separator (TABLE 3, [0064]; TABLE 4, [0064]). Han and Noguchi are analogous because they are directed to battery separators. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to make the coating liquid of Han with the second filler of Noguchi in order to improve the insulating property of the separator.
Regarding claim 6, 7, 9, and 12, Han discloses a porous film including a porous base substance and a coating film formed on a surface of the porous base substance (see separator, [0033]), wherein the coating film includes:
alkali silicate (see sodium silicate, [0066]);
a first filler made of inorganic particles (see inorganic material, [0040]); and
a second filler (see binder, [0056]), a content of which is equal to or more than 0.05 weight% with respect to the inorganic particles (see binder, [0052]),
wherein a content of the alkali silicate is equal to or more than 0.05 weight % with respect to the inorganic particles (see gas generating agent, [0069]);
wherein a content of the second filler is equal to or less than 12.4 weight % with respect to the inorganic particles (see binder, [0052]),
wherein the coating film includes A2CO3 or AHCO3, and wherein a is any one of lithium, sodium, potassium, and rubidium (see sodium hydrogen carbonate, [0067]),
wherein a content of the A2CO3 or AHCO3 is equal to or more than 1 weight % and equal to or less than 50 weight % with respect to the coating film (see sodium hydrogen carbonate, [0085]);
wherein the inorganic particles are materials selected from nano silica, micro silica, carbon nanotube, talc, alumina, boehmite, aluminum hydroxide and glass fiber (see inorganic material, [0044]).
Han does not explicitly disclose a coating liquid further comprising:
wherein, the second filler is a cellulose in which a hydroxyl group is substituted with a carboxyl group; and
wherein the cellulose is a TEMPO-oxidized cellulose represented by the following formula:
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media_image1.png
334
827
media_image1.png
Greyscale
wherein X+ represents an alkali metal ion, and
n represent a number of 1 or more indicating an average degree of polymerization.
Noguchi discloses a coating liquid and coating film comprising a second filler, a content of the second filler is equal to or more than 0.05 weight % with respect to the inorganic particles (TABLE 1, [0037]; TABLE 2, [0037]), wherein the second filler is a cellulose in which a hydroxyl group is substituted with a carboxyl group (TABLE 1, [0037]; TABLE 2, [0037]), wherein a content of the second filler is equal to or less than 12.4 weight % with respect to the inorganic particles (TABLE 1, [0037]; TABLE 2, [0037]), wherein the second filler is a TEMPO-oxidized cellulose described below
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334
827
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(TABLE 1, [0040]; TABLE 2, [0040]), wherein X+ represents an alkali metal ion, and n represent a number of 1 or more indicating an average degree of polymerization (TABLE 1, [0040]; TABLE 2, [0040]) to improve the insulating property of the separator (TABLE 3, [0064]; TABLE 4, [0064]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to make the coating liquid of Han with the second filler of Noguchi in order to improve the insulating property of the separator.
Regarding claims 13–15 and 18, Han discloses a lithium ion cell including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator and electrolyte solution (see battery, [0036]), comprising a porous film as the separator, wherein the porous film includes a porous base substance and a coating film formed on a surface of the porous base substance (see separator, [0033]), wherein the coating film includes:
alkali silicate (see sodium silicate, [0066]);
a first filler made of inorganic particles (see inorganic material, [0040]); and
a second filler (see binder, [0056]), a content of which is equal to or more than 0.05 weight% with respect to the inorganic particles (see binder, [0052]),
wherein a content of the alkali silicate is equal to or more than 0.05 weight % with respect to the inorganic particles (see gas generating agent, [0069]);
wherein a content of the second filler is equal to or less than 12.4 weight % with respect to the inorganic particles (see binder, [0052]),
wherein the coating film includes A2CO3 or AHCO3, and wherein a is any one of lithium, sodium, potassium, and rubidium (see sodium hydrogen carbonate, [0067]),
wherein a content of the A2CO3 or AHCO3 is equal to or more than 1 weight % and equal to or less than 50 weight % with respect to the coating film (see sodium hydrogen carbonate, [0085]);
wherein the inorganic particles are materials selected from nano silica, micro silica, carbon nanotube, talc, alumina, boehmite, aluminum hydroxide and glass fiber (see inorganic material, [0044]).
Han does not explicitly disclose a coating liquid further comprising:
wherein, the second filler is a cellulose in which a hydroxyl group is substituted with a carboxyl group; and
wherein the cellulose is a TEMPO-oxidized cellulose represented by the following formula:
PNG
media_image1.png
334
827
media_image1.png
Greyscale
wherein X+ represents an alkali metal ion, and
n represent a number of 1 or more indicating an average degree of polymerization.
Noguchi discloses a coating liquid and coating film comprising a second filler, a content of the second filler is equal to or more than 0.05 weight % with respect to the inorganic particles (TABLE 1, [0037]; TABLE 2, [0037]), wherein the second filler is a cellulose in which a hydroxyl group is substituted with a carboxyl group (TABLE 1, [0037]; TABLE 2, [0037]), wherein a content of the second filler is equal to or less than 12.4 weight % with respect to the inorganic particles (TABLE 1, [0037]; TABLE 2, [0037]), wherein the second filler is a TEMPO-oxidized cellulose described below
PNG
media_image1.png
334
827
media_image1.png
Greyscale
(TABLE 1, [0040]; TABLE 2, [0040]), wherein X+ represents an alkali metal ion, and n represent a number of 1 or more indicating an average degree of polymerization (TABLE 1, [0040]; TABLE 2, [0040]) to improve the insulating property of the separator (TABLE 3, [0064]; TABLE 4, [0064]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to make the coating liquid of Han with the second filler of Noguchi in order to improve the insulating property of the separator.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 2, 4–7, 9, 12–15, and 18–20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Sean P Cullen, Ph.D. whose telephone number is (571)270-1251. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday 6:00 am to 4:00 pm CT, Friday 6:00 am to 12:00 pm CT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Basia A Ridley can be reached at (571)272-1453. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Sean P Cullen, Ph.D./Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725
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