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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 6/8/26 has been entered.
The amendment filed 6/8/26 has been considered and entered. Claims 1-10 remain in the application for prosecution thereof.
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 Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 2, the condition (4) renders the claim unclear and confusing as the range recited includes thickness outside the claimed range already recited in claim 1 (1 < thickness < 7). The (0.3 < thickness < 1) and (7 < thickness < 10). Clarification is requested.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claims 1-3 and 7-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over EP 3343679 in combination with CN 2014050056.
EP 3343679 teaches a carbonaceous material for sodium ion secondary battery negative electrode whereby the negative electrode includes a natural carbon material and a binder applied to a negative electrode collector whereby the thickness is 10 microns (abstract, [0008]-[0011,[0032]).
EP 3343679 fails to teach the claimed thickness of the carbon layer to be within a range of 1 micron to 7 microns.
CN 2014050056 teaches a pole piece whereby an anode active slurry is applied to a coating thickness of 5-20 microns [0007] or 4 microns [0012].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified EP 3343679 anode layer to have a thickness within the range of 1-7 microns as evidenced by CN 2014050056 with the expectation of similar success.
Regarding claim 2, EP 3343679 teaches condition (1) a natural carbon [0011], condition (4) a thickness of 0.3 to 10 microns [0032] and conditions (2) and (3) of 90% mass ratio [0032]. CN 2014050056 teaches 5-20 microns or 4 microns which meets the limitation of within a range of 1-7 microns.
Regarding claim 3, EP 3343679 teaches condition (6) a metal plate or carbon collector [0032].
Regarding claim 7, EP 3343679 teaches the polymer binder to include carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) or styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) [0032].
Regarding claims 8 and 10, EP 3343679 teaches an electrochemical apparatus or electronic device (battery) which includes a positive electrode sheet, a negative electrode sheet and an electrolyte solution [0032]-[0036].
Regarding claim 9, EP 3343679 teaches a positive electrode sheet comprising a positive electrode current collector and positive electrode active material on the current collector including a sodium transition metal oxide [0034]-[0035].
Claims 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over EP 3343679 in combination with CN 2014050056 in combination with CN 108336301.
Features detailed above concerning the teachings of EP 3343679 in combination with CN 2014050056are incorporated here.
EP 3343679 in combination with CN 2014050056 fails to teach the negative electrode sheet to include a sodium metal layer thereon.
CN 108336301 teaches a high-performance negative electrode for sodium ion battery whereby a negative electrode material is coated with a layer of metal sodium by PVD (abstract).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified EP 3343679 in combination with CN 2014050056 negative electrode material to include a layer of metal sodium thereon as evidenced by CN 108336301 with the expectation of reducing loss of sodium ions as well as Kulun efficiency is improved.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over EP 3343679 in combination with CN 2014050056 in combination with CN 110100331.
Features detailed above concerning the teachings of EP 3343679 in combination with CN 2014050056 are incorporated here.
EP 3343679 fails to teach the carbon material to have an oxygen-containing group selected from carboxyl group, hydroxyl group and ether groups.
CN 110100331 teaches the carbon material for battery anodes including oxygen containing functional groups (abstract).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified EP 3343679 in combination with CN 2014050056 negative anode battery to include oxygen or carboxyl groups as evidenced by CN 110100331 with the advantages of providing long cycling performance.
Response to Amendment
Applicants’ arguments with respect to claims 1-10 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.
Applicant argued EP 3343679 teaches claimed thickness of 10 microns but not the newly claimed thickness of 9.2 or less.
CN 2014050056 teaches this as detailed above with thickness of 4 microns recited [0012]. With regards to unexpected results argued in the latest response filed 5/7/26, CN 2014050056 teaches a thickness of 4 microns which is fully within the claimed range and the Examiner takes the position would encompasses similar advantages of specific capacity associated therewith absent a showing to the contrary.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRIAN K TALBOT whose telephone number is (571)272-1428. The examiner can normally be reached Monday -Friday 7-4PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, MICHAEL CLEVELAND can be reached at 571-272-1418. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRIAN K TALBOT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1712
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