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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-3 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsui et al (US 2008/0254363 A1) in view of Sun et al (CN 110137561 A).
A machine translation is being used as the English translation for Sun et al (CN 110137561 A).
Regarding claim 1, Matsui discloses a lithium ion conductor (ammonium salt and lithium salt in non-aqueous electrolytic solution; paragraph [0033]) comprising: a first compound (lithium salt; paragraph [0033]) and a second compound (ammonium salt; paragraph [0033]); wherein the second compound is tetrabutylammonium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (ammonium salt is tetrabutylammonium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide; paragraph [0075]) and an electrochemical energy storage device containing the non-aqueous electrolytic solution (paragraphs [0015] and [0033]).
Matsui does not disclose the lithium ion conductor comprising the first compound is a complex halide indicated by LiGaX4 where X is one or more halogens.
However, Sun discloses a lithium ion battery (lithium secondary battery; paragraph [0030]) comprising a positive electrode, an electrolyte layer and a negative electrode (paragraph [0030]), a first compound being a complex halide indicated by LiGaX4 where X if F, Cl, Br and I (lithium secondary battery additive having a formula LibMaXc where 0.2 ≤ b ≤ 6, 1 ≤ a ≤ 3, 1 ≤ c ≤ 9, M is selected from Ga and X is selected from Br; paragraphs [0009]-[0010]) and wherein the lithium secondary battery additive is contained in the electrolyte layer (paragraph [0030]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the lithium ion battery of Matsui to substitute the lithium salt of Matsui for the lithium secondary battery additive having a formula LibMaXc where 0.2 ≤ b ≤ 6, 1 ≤ a ≤ 3, 1 ≤ c ≤ 9, M is selected from Ga and X is selected from Br because having the required lithium secondary battery additive provides improved rapid transport of electrode ions, increased electrode loading and thickness and compatibility with existing lithium secondary battery electrode materials (paragraph [0007] of Sun).
Matsui does not disclose a lithium ion conductor wherein the ratio of the second compound to a sum of the first compound and the second compound that is more than 0 mol% and 30 mol% or less.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to adjust the ratio of ammonium salt to the total of ammonium salt and lithium salt to be more than 0 mol% and 30 mol% or less because doing so provides improved energy density and suppresses the reaction of inserting ammonium ions into the interlayers existing in the carbon material of the negative electrode (paragraph [0033]).
Regarding claim 2, Matsui and Sun discloses the lithium ion conductor of claim 1 as noted above.
Matsui does not disclose the lithium ion conductor comprising the complex halide including Br.
However, Sun discloses a lithium ion battery (lithium secondary battery; paragraph [0030]) comprising a positive electrode, an electrolyte layer and a negative electrode (paragraph [0030]), a first compound being a complex halide indicated by LiGaX4 where X if F, Cl, Br and I (lithium secondary battery additive having a formula LibMaXc where 0.2 ≤ b ≤ 6, 1 ≤ a ≤ 3, 1 ≤ c ≤ 9, M is selected from Ga and X is selected from Br and complex halide including Br; paragraphs [0009]-[0010]) and wherein the lithium secondary battery additive is contained in the electrolyte layer (paragraph [0030]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the lithium ion battery of Matsui to substitute the lithium salt of for the lithium secondary battery additive having a formula LibMaXc where 0.2 ≤ b ≤ 6, 1 ≤ a ≤ 3, 1 ≤ c ≤ 9, M is selected from Ga and X is selected from Br because having the required lithium secondary battery additive provides improved rapid transport of electrode ions, increased electrode loading and thickness and compatibility with existing lithium secondary battery electrode materials (paragraph [0007] of Sun).
Regarding claim 3, Matsui disclose a lithium ion battery (electrochemical energy storage device; paragraph [0015]) comprising: a positive electrode (paragraph [0015]); an electrolyte layer (non-aqueous electrolytic solution in the form of a stable film; paragraphs [0015] and [0027]; and a negative electrode (paragraph [0015]) and wherein the electrolyte layer includes the lithium ion conductor according to claim 1 (ammonium salt in non-aqueous electrolytic solution of Matsui combined with lithium secondary battery additive having a formula LibMaXc where 0.2 ≤ b ≤ 6, 1 ≤ a ≤ 3, 1 ≤ c ≤ 9, M is selected from Ga and X is selected from Br).
Regarding claim 5, Matsui disclose a lithium ion battery (electrochemical energy storage device; paragraph [0015]) comprising: a positive electrode (paragraph [0015]); an electrolyte layer (non-aqueous electrolytic solution in the form of a stable film; paragraphs [0015] and [0027]; and a negative electrode (paragraph [0015]) and wherein the electrolyte layer includes the lithium ion conductor according to claim 2 (ammonium salt in non-aqueous electrolytic solution of Matsui combined with lithium secondary battery additive having a formula LibMaXc where 0.2 ≤ b ≤ 6, 1 ≤ a ≤ 3, 1 ≤ c ≤ 9, M is selected from Ga and X is selected from Br).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsui et al (US 2008/0254363 A1) in view of Sun et al (CN 110137561 A) in further view of Watanabe et al (US 2020/0099104 A1).
A machine translation is being used as the English translation for Sun et al (CN 110137561 A).
Regarding claim 4, Matsui and Sun discloses the lithium ion battery as noted above and discloses the lithium ion battery comprising the electrolyte layer including the lithium ion conductor according to claim 2 (ammonium salt in non-aqueous electrolytic solution of Matsui combined with lithium secondary battery additive having a formula LibMaXc where 0.2 ≤ b ≤ 6, 1 ≤ a ≤ 3, 1 ≤ c ≤ 9, M is selected from Ga and X is selected from Br).
Matsui and Sun does not disclose the lithium ion battery comprising the electrolyte layer comprising a sulfide solid electrolyte.
However, Watanabe discloses a lithium ion battery (lithium secondary battery; paragraph [0047]) comprising the electrolyte layer comprising a sulfide solid electrolyte (paragraph [0049]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the lithium ion battery of Matsui and Sun to include the sulfide solid electrolyte of Watanabe in the non-aqueous electrolyte solution of Matsui because having the sulfide solid electrolyte inhibits reduction in charge-discharge capacity while minimizing short circuiting (paragraph [0050] of Watanabe).
Conclusion
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/SATHAVARAM I REDDY/Examiner, Art Unit 1785