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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 2/19/2026 has been entered.
This office action addresses pending claims 7-18. Claims 1-6 were cancelled and claims 7-18 were added in the response filed 2/19/2026.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 2/19/2026 and 3/4/2026 was filed after the mailing date of the final office action on 12/22/2025. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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) 7-11 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suzuki (WO 2021/024785, see English language equivalent US 2022/0246983, which have foreign priority to 8/7/2019) in view of Tsuchida et al. (US 2014/0287324).
Regarding claim 7, Suzuki discloses a battery 10 comprising a positive electrode 1, a negative electrode 2, and a solid electrolyte layer 3 disposed between the positive electrode and negative electrode ([0101], Fig 1).
The solid electrolyte includes a compound composited of an alkali metal, at least one of a metal element and a metalloid element having a valence of 1 to 6, an element belonging to group XVII of the periodic table and an element belonging to Group XVI of the periodic table (abstract). The solid electrolyte can be represented by the formula A2+aE1-b+αGbDeXd, wherein A is one element of Li, K, and Na, E is at least one tetravalent element selected from Zr, Hf, Ti, and Sn, G is at least one element selected from B, Si, Mg, Ca, Sr, Cs, Ba, Y, Al, Sc, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Cu, Au, Pb, Bi, In, Sn, Sb, Nb, Ta and W ([0025]). D is at least one element selected from the group consisting of O, Se and Te ([0025]). X is at least one selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br and I ([0025]); a is -2b in a case where G is a hexavalent element, a is -b in a case where G is a pentavalent element, a is zero in a case where G is a tetravalent element or G is not contained, a is b in a case where G is a trivalent element, a is 2b in a case where G is a divalent element and a is 3b in a case where G is a monovalent element. b is 0 to 0.5. a is −0.3 to 0.3. c is 0.01 to 3. d is 0.1 to 6.1 ([0025]).
In an example, Suzuki teaches the electrolyte is Li2ZrOCl4 (Example 16 in Table 5, and [0150]). This composition reads on a material comprising Li, M, O, and X (wherein M is Zr, X is Cl). The molar ratio is Li to the M (Zr) is 2 [2:1], which is within the claimed range of 1.0 or more and 3.0 or less; and the molar ratio of O to the X is 0.25 [1:4], which is within the claimed range of 0.10 or more and 0.50 or less. Suzuki further provides examples of Li2HfOCl4 and Li2TiOCl4 (Examples 21-22 in Table 5), and Li2ZrOBr4 and Li2ZrOI4 (Examples 66-67 in Table 8); therefore, Suzuki further teaches embodiments where M is Ti or Hf, and X is Br or I.
While Suzuki teaches the solid electrolyte may be included in the positive electrode or negative electrode ([0048], [0106], [0120]) {and therefore reasonably suggests adding the solid electrolyte into the positive and/or negative electrode for the purpose of increasing ionic conductivity in the electrodes [0051]}, and teaches that the positive electrode ([0106]-[0107]) and negative electrode ([0118]-[0122]) both have active material particles, Suzuki does not explicitly disclose wherein at least one selected from the group consisting of the positive electrode or negative electrode comprises electrode active material particles each having a coating layer, wherein the coating layer is the contains Li, M, O, and X.
Tsuchida discloses an electrolyte-coated cathode active material particles capable of increasing the discharge capacity of an all solid state battery and of enhancing the battery efficiency (abstract). The electrolyte used to coat the active material can be the same as the material used in the solid electrolyte layer ([0107]-[0108]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to coat the cathode active material particles with electrolyte as taught by Tsuchida with the positive electrode [cathode] material particles of Suzuki for the purpose of increasing the discharge capacity and enhancing the battery efficiency. In addition, because Tsuchida teaches that the material of the solid electrolyte layer can be used as the electrolyte coating, it would have been obvious to use any electrolyte disclosed by Suzuki (including any of Li2ZrOCl4 [0150], Li2ZrOBr4, or Li2ZrOI4 in Tables 5 and 8; Examples 16, 21-22, 66-67) as the electrolyte coating.
Regarding claims 8-9, modified Suzuki discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Suzuki teaches the electrolyte is Li2ZrOCl4 (Example 16 in Table 5, and [0150]) and Li2HfOCl4 and Li2TiOCl4 (Examples 21-22 in Table 5), and therefore the M comprises Zr, and the X comprises Cl.
Regarding claims 10-11, modified Suzuki discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Suzuki teaches the electrolyte is Li2ZrOCl4 (Example 16 in Table 5, and [0150]), Li2ZrOBr4 and Li2ZrOI4 (Examples 66-67 in Table 8), and Li2HfOCl4 and Li2TiOCl4 (Examples 21-22 in Table 5), and therefore the molar ratio of the O to the X is 0.25 [1:4], which is within the claimed range of (claim 10) 0.20 or more and 0.30 or less, and (claim 11) 0.24 or more and 0.26 or less.
Regarding claim 13, modified Suzuki discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Tsuchida discloses that the positive electrode [cathode] active material particles are coated with electrolyte (abstract). In addition, Tsuchida teaches that the solid electrolyte layer can include a sulfide solid electrolyte or another ([0108]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the sulfide solid electrolyte of Tsuchida with the solid electrolyte of Suzuki for the purpose of providing lithium ion conductivity (Tsuchida at [0108]).
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suzuki (WO 2021/024785, see English language equivalent US 2022/0246983, which have foreign priority to 8/7/2019) in view of Tsuchida et al. (US 2014/0287324), as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of Asano et al. (US 2019/0088995).
Regarding claim 12, modified Suzuki discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Tsuchida discloses that the positive electrode [cathode] active material particles are coated with electrolyte (abstract). While Suzuki discloses a broad range of positive electrode active materials (including transition metal oxides, [0107]-[0109]), modified Suzuki does not explicitly disclose wherein the positive electrode active material particles comprise a transition metal oxyfluoride.
Asano discloses a battery 1000 including a positive electrode 201, a negative electrode 203, and an electrolyte 202, wherein the positive electrode 201 includes positive electrode active material particles 204 ([0208]-[0209], Fig 1). Asano teaches the positive electrode active materials can include lithium-containing transition metal oxides (e.g., Li(NiCoAl)O2 and LiCoO2), transition metal fluorides, polyanion and fluorinated polyanion materials, transition metal sulfides, transition metal oxyfluorides, transition metal oxysulfides, and transition metal oxynitrides ([0215]). That is, Asano recognizes these materials (transition metal oxide fluorides and transition metal oxides) are suitable for positive electrode active materials in an all-solid-state secondary battery ([0023]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a transition metal oxyfluoride as the positive electrode active material as taught by Asano as the positive electrode active material of Suzuki for because Asano recognizes these materials as suitable for a positive electrode active material, and the modification amounts to a simple substitution of one known element for another to obtain a predictable result.
Claim(s) 14-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suzuki (WO 2021/024785, see English language equivalent US 2022/0246983, which have foreign priority to 8/7/2019) in view of Asano et al. (US 2019/0088995).
Regarding claim 14, Suzuki discloses a battery 10 comprising a positive electrode 1, a negative electrode 2, and a solid electrolyte layer 3 disposed between the positive electrode and negative electrode ([0101], Fig 1).
The solid electrolyte includes a compound composited of an alkali metal, at least one of a metal element and a metalloid element having a valence of 1 to 6, an element belonging to group XVII of the periodic table and an element belonging to Group XVI of the periodic table (abstract). The solid electrolyte can be represented by the formula A2+aE1-b+αGbDeXd, wherein A is one element of Li, K, and Na, E is at least one tetravalent element selected from Zr, Hf, Ti, and Sn, G is at least one element selected from B, Si, Mg, Ca, Sr, Cs, Ba, Y, Al, Sc, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Cu, Au, Pb, Bi, In, Sn, Sb, Nb, Ta and W ([0025]). D is at least one element selected from the group consisting of O, Se and Te ([0025]). X is at least one selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br and I ([0025]); a is -2b in a case where G is a hexavalent element, a is -b in a case where G is a pentavalent element, a is zero in a case where G is a tetravalent element or G is not contained, a is b in a case where G is a trivalent element, a is 2b in a case where G is a divalent element and a is 3b in a case where G is a monovalent element. b is 0 to 0.5. a is −0.3 to 0.3. c is 0.01 to 3. d is 0.1 to 6.1 ([0025]).
In an example, Suzuki teaches the electrolyte is Li2ZrOCl4 (Example 16 in Table 5, and [0150]). This composition reads on a material comprising Li, M, O, and X (wherein M is Zr, X is Cl). The molar ratio is Li to the M (Zr) is 2 [2:1], which is within the claimed range of 1.0 or more and 3.0 or less; and the molar ratio of O to the X is 0.25 [1:4], which is within the claimed range of 0.10 or more and 0.50 or less. Suzuki further provides examples of Li2HfOCl4 and Li2TiOCl4 (Examples 21-22 in Table 5), and Li2ZrOBr4 and Li2ZrOI4 (Examples 66-67 in Table 8); therefore, Suzuki further teaches embodiments where M is Ti or Hf, and X is Br or I.
Suzuki teaches the solid electrolyte may be included in the positive electrode or negative electrode ([0048], [0106], [0120]) and teaches that the positive electrode ([0106]-[0107]) and negative electrode ([0118]-[0122]) both have active material particles. Therefore, Suzuki reasonably suggests adding the solid electrolyte into the positive electrode for the purpose of increasing ionic conductivity in the positive electrode ([0051]).
While Suzuki discloses a broad range of positive electrode active materials (including transition metal oxides, [0107]-[0109]), modified Suzuki does not explicitly disclose wherein the positive electrode active material particles comprise a transition metal oxyfluoride.
Asano discloses a battery 1000 including a positive electrode 201, a negative electrode 203, and an electrolyte 202, wherein the positive electrode 201 includes positive electrode active material particles 204 ([0208]-[0209], Fig 1). Asano teaches the positive electrode active materials can include lithium-containing transition metal oxides (e.g., Li(NiCoAl)O2 and LiCoO2), transition metal fluorides, polyanion and fluorinated polyanion materials, transition metal sulfides, transition metal oxyfluorides, transition metal oxysulfides, and transition metal oxynitrides ([0215]). That is, Asano recognizes these materials (transition metal oxide fluorides and transition metal oxides) are suitable for positive electrode active materials in an all-solid-state secondary battery ([0023]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a transition metal oxyfluoride as the positive electrode active material as taught by Asano as the positive electrode active material of Suzuki for because Asano recognizes these materials as suitable for a positive electrode active material, and the modification amounts to a simple substitution of one known element for another to obtain a predictable result.
Regarding claims 15-16, modified Suzuki discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Suzuki teaches the electrolyte is Li2ZrOCl4 (Example 16 in Table 5, and [0150]) and Li2HfOCl4 and Li2TiOCl4 (Examples 21-22 in Table 5), and therefore the M comprises Zr, and the X comprises Cl.
Regarding claims 17-18, modified Suzuki discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Suzuki teaches the electrolyte is Li2ZrOCl4 (Example 16 in Table 5, and [0150]), Li2ZrOBr4 and Li2ZrOI4 (Examples 66-67 in Table 8), and Li2HfOCl4 and Li2TiOCl4 (Examples 21-22 in Table 5), and therefore the molar ratio of the O to the X is 0.25 [1:4], which is within the claimed range of (claim 17) 0.20 or more and 0.30 or less, and (claim 18) 0.24 or more and 0.26 or less.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 7 and 14 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 JACOB BUCHANAN whose telephone number is (571)270-1186. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00 PM (ET).
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/JACOB BUCHANAN/ Examiner, Art Unit 1725
/NICOLE M. BUIE-HATCHER/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1725