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 .
The pending claims are claims 1-11.
Election/Restrictions
Claims 12-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected electrochemical apparatus, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 11/6/2025.
Applicant's election with traverse of Group I (claims 1-11) in the reply filed on 11/6/2025 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that “even though the inventions may fall under different classifications, a search for any one of them would naturally encompass prior art relevant to the others”. This is not found persuasive because these inventions fall under different classifications and would have a serious search burden and a serious examination burden.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kinoshita et al., JP 2014099321.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kinoshita et al., JP 2014099321.
Regarding claim 1 Kinoshita et al., teaches electrolyte (0008-0010), comprising a compound represented by formula III (Kinoshita; claim 1 of Kinoshita original document):
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wherein, R11, R12, R13 and R14 are each independently selected from a hydrogen atom (R1 and R2 of Kinoshita are in claim 2 of Kinoshita translation; R1 and R2 can be H, carbonyl, sulfonyl groups (claims 1, 3, of translation), substituted or unsubstituted Cl- -C20 hydrocarbyl groups, or substituted or unsubstituted C1-C20 organic functional groups containing heteroatoms (0028); and
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wherein: R15 and R17 are each independently selected from a single bond, substituted or unsubstituted CI-C4 alkylidene groups (0010; 0030), substituted or unsubstituted C2-C4 alkenylene groups (0010; 0030), or substituted or unsubstituted C6-C10 arylene groups (0010; 0018); and R16 and R18 are each independently selected from substituted or unsubstituted C1-C10 hydrocarbyl groups (0018) or substituted or unsubstituted C1-C10 organic functional groups containing heteroatoms (0027-0029); wherein the heteroatom is selected from at least one of oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, silicon, or aluminum; and when at least one of R11, R12, R13, R14, R15, R16, R17 or R18 is substituted, a substituent group is halogen (0029) or -CN. (0029 ). (R1 and R2 of Kinoshita are in claim 2 of Kinoshita translation; R1 and R2 can be H, carbonyl, sulfonyl groups) (claims 1, 3, of translation),
Regarding claim 2, Kinoshita et al., teaches electrolyte according to claim 1, wherein the compound represented by formula (I) comprises at least one of compounds represented by formula (Formula II; Kinoshita original document) and formula (Formula III; Kinoshita original document):
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(Formula II Kinoshita original document), formula (I-c), formula (I-d); wherein,
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Ra1, Ra2, Ra3, Rbi, Rb2, Rb3, Rc1, are each independently selected from a hydrogen atom (0010; 0018), substituted or unsubstituted CI-C20 alkyl groups (0010; 0018; 0029), substituted or unsubstituted C2-C20 alkenyl groups (0029-0030), substituted or unsubstituted C2-C20 alkynyl groups (0029), substituted or unsubstituted C6-C30 aryl groups (0010; 0018; 0029), substituted or unsubstituted C1-C20 alkoxy groups (0029), substituted or unsubstituted C6-C30 aryloxy groups (0029), carboxyl group (0029), ether group (0031), , a substituent group is halogen (0029), CI-C6 alkyl groups, or -CN (0010-0023).
Regarding claim 3, Kinoshita et al., teaches wherein the compound is represented by (0010-0027:
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(Formula 2-5 in Kinoshita et al., original document). Which is equivalent to the fourth formula of the fist line of formulas in claim 3 of the Application).
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Regarding claim 4, Kinoshita et al., teaches wherein based on a total weight of the electrolyte, a percentage of the compound represented by formula (I) is n wt%, wherein n is 0.01 to 6 (0010; 0065; 0067-0068).
Regarding claim 5, Kinoshita et al., teaches further comprising a first additive (0031), wherein the first additive comprises at least one of fluoroethylene carbonate (0066) or vinylene carbonate (0031); and based on the total weight of the electrolyte, a percentage of the first additive is m wt%, wherein n> 0, and -l<m-n< 18 (0010; 0022; 0044-0045; 0054) .
Regarding claim 6, Kinoshita et al., teaches further comprising a second additive, wherein the second additive comprises at least one of a compound represented by formula (II) (0024) or a compound represented by formula (Ill):
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wherein, R21 and R22 are each independently selected from substituted or unsubstituted C1-C20 alkyl groups, substituted or unsubstituted C2-C20 alkenyl groups, substituted or unsubstituted C2-C20 alkynyl groups, substituted or unsubstituted C6-C30 aryl groups, substituted or unsubstituted CI-C20 alkoxy groups, substituted or unsubstituted C2-C20 alkenyloxy groups, substituted or unsubstituted C2-C20 alkynyloxy groups, or substituted or unsubstituted C6-C30 aryloxy groups, and when at least one of R21 or R22 is substituted, a substituent group is halogen; R31 is selected from substituted or unsubstituted CI-C4 alkylidene groups or substituted or unsubstituted C2-C4 alkenylene groups; R32 is selected from a bond, substituted or unsubstituted C1-C2 alkyleneoxy groups, -O-, or -R33-SO2-R34-; R33 is selected from substituted or unsubstituted CI-C2 alkylidene groups; R34 is selected from a bond, substituted or unsubstituted C1-C2 alkylidene groups, or -O-; and when at least one of R31,R32, R33, or R34 is substituted, a substituent group is C1-C20 alkyl groups, C6-C30 aryl groups, halogen, or -CN; and based on a total weight of the electrolyte, a percentage of the second additive is 0.05wt% to 10wt% (0010; 0022; 0044-0045; 0054) .
Regarding claim 7, Kinoshita et al., teaches wherein the second additive comprises at least one of the following compounds (0025):
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(formulas from claim 7 which are equivalent to the following formulas from the original document of Kinoshita):
(0024 of Kinoshita-original document):
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(0024 of the original document of Kinoshita, which are equivalent to the formulas of Fig. 7 of the Application).
Regarding claim 8, Kinoshita et al., teaches further comprising a third additive (0010; 0045; 0048; 0089; 0099), wherein the third additive comprises at least one of a compound having two nitrile groups (0031; 0066) or a compound having three or more nitrile groups (0031; 0066); the compound having two nitrile groups comprises at least one of a compound represented by formula (IV) or a compound represented by formula (V); and the compound having three or more nitrile groups comprises at least one of a compound represented by formula (VI) or a compound represented by formula (VII) (nitrile; 0031; 0066) (cyano group; 0010; 0018; 0029; Formula 2-2 of original document of Kinoshita et al. (pyrazole in (0010; 0018))
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wherein, R41 is selected from substituted or unsubstituted CI-12 -C12 alkylidene groups (0010) are each independently selected from substituted or unsubstituted C1-C3 alkylidene groups (0010), RC is selected from a bond or substituted or unsubstituted C1-C3 alkylidene groups (0010), wherein A is an integer between 0 and 2 (0010); R51and R52 are each independently selected from a bond or substituted or unsubstituted CI-C122 alkylidene groups (0010); R61, R62, R63 are each independently selected from a bond, substituted or unsubstituted C1-C12 alkylidene groups, or substituted or unsubstituted C1-C12 alkyleneoxy groups (0010); R71 is selected from a bond, substituted or unsubstituted C1-C12 alkylidene groups, substituted or unsubstituted C2-C12 alkenylene groups (0010), substituted or unsubstituted C5- C12 cycloalkylene groups (0029), substituted or unsubstituted C6-C26 arylidene groups (0010), or substituted or unsubstituted C2-C12 heterocyclylene groups (0010; 0018; 0029); and when at least one of R41, or Rn is substituted, a substituent group is halogen (0029; 0039); and based on a total weight of the electrolyte, a percentage of the third additive is 0.1wt% to 12wt% (0010; 0022; 0044-0045; 0054) .
Regarding claim 9, Kinoshita et al., teaches wherein the third additive contains at least one of glutaronitrile (0031), adiponitrile (0031).
Regarding claim 10, Kinoshita et al., teaches wherein the third additive comprises the compound having two nitrile groups (0031; 0066) and the compound having three or more nitrile groups (0031; 0066): based on the total weight of the electrolyte, a percentage of the compound having two nitrile groups is x wt%, and a percentage of the compound having three or more nitrile groups is y wt%, wherein x-y> 0 (0045).
Regarding claim 11, Kinoshita et al., teaches electrolyte according to claim 1, further comprising a fourth additive (0010), wherein the fourth additive comprises at least one of LiCF SOs (0040), LiN(SO2CF3)2,(0040), LiC(SO2CF3)3: (0040) and based on a total weight of the electrolyte, a percentage of the fourth additive is 0.05wt% to 2wt% (0010; 0022; 0044-0045; 0054) .
Thus, the claims are anticipated.
Conclusion
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ANGELA J. MARTIN
Examiner
Art Unit 1727
/ANGELA J MARTIN/Examiner, Art Unit 1727
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