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 .
Summary
This is the initial Office Action based on Application 18/240,090 filed 08/30/2023 by Kenji Okamoto and Hideyuki Fukui.
Claims 1-7 are currently pending and have been fully considered.
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over FUKUI (US 2018/0198169 A1) in view of NAGAI (JP 2011-124084 A) and KITAURA (JP 2014-127463 A) or IWANO (US 2017/0352923 A1).
With respect to claim 1. FUKUI teaches an all solid state battery and a method of forming it (abstract). The battery 1 includes a laminate and is constituted by a positive electrode collector 11 and a negative electrode collector 21 (paragraph 0025). The laminate includes a positive electrode layer 12, solid electrolyte layer 32, and negative electrode layer 22 (paragraph 0025). The positive electrode layer and the negative electrode layer are made of a powdery composite electrode material, and the solid electrolyte layer is also made of a powder material (paragraph 0029).
FUKUI does not explicitly teach an absorption layer, which may be a hydrogen sulfide or moisture absorption layer.
NAGAI teaches an all solid state battery comprising a pair of current collectors, and a power generation element including at least a positive and negative electrode layers, and a solid electrolyte layer (paragraph 0010). There is a hydrogen sulfide gas absorption section containing a hydrogen sulfide gas absorbent disposed between the pair of the current collectors and at least a portion of the periphery of the power generation element, which includes the electrode layers and the solid electrolyte layer (paragraph 0010). As seen in Figure 1, the hydrogen sulfide gas absorption section 6 is disposed around the periphery of the cell, and the outer periphery of the electrode layers 1 and 3 (see also paragraph 0016). Since hydrogen sulfide gas can be absorbed near the source of the hydrogen sulfide gas within the cell, deterioration of components due to the gas can be suppressed, resulting in a highly reliable battery (paragraph 0017).
Therefore at the time the invention was filed one having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to include the hydrogen sulfide gas absorption layer covering the outer periphery of the electrodes as taught by NAGAI for the solid state battery of FUKUI as this is a combination of known prior art elements in order to achieve predictable results. Specifically NAGAI teaches that such an inclusion is beneficial to result in a deterioration of the battery components due to a hydrogen sulfide gas (see NAGAI paragraph 0017).
FUKUI does not explicitly teach a thickness of the periphery part of the powder laminate is greater than the center part.
KITAURA teaches an all solid state battery including an electrode assembly including a positive electrode layer, a solid electrolyte layer, and a negative electrode layer (paragraph 0010). The negative electrode layer has a shape in which the outer periphery is thicker than the center (paragraph 0010). The electrode layer is formed so that its outer periphery is thicker than its central portion, taking into consideration the amount of which the electrode layer is pushed outward by pressing (paragraph 0021). This helps form the electrode layer with uniform density and thickness (paragraph 0021). Figure 12 shows the laminated battery which includes the positive electrode layer 1, solid electrolyte layer 2, and negative electrode layer 3 (paragraph 0040). Then as seen this includes the periphery edge part is thicker than the center.
At the time the invention was filed one having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to form the electrode layer of FUKUI to have to have the outer periphery be formed thicker as taught by KITAURA, as this is a combination of prior art elements in order to achieve predictable results, specifically KITAURA teaches by forming it thicker at the periphery allows for during the pressing, the formed electrode has a more uniform thickness and density.
In the alternative, IWANO teaches a manufacturing method for an all solid state battery, that includes a laminate of current collector, positive electrode, negative electrode and solid electrolyte layers (abstract). For the laminated battery, a resin 7’ is applied to the side surface of the battery (paragraph 0052). Thus a cured resin 7 is provided on the side surface of the laminated battery, and the all solid state battery is produced (paragraph 0077). The resin formed on the outside of the battery, and held by the collectors so that moisture does not penetrate into the battery (paragraph 0027). As seen in Figure 5B, the resin layer 7 extends beyond the electrode layers, and with the current collectors seals the battery 6. Therefore the outermost periphery of the laminate has a thickness greater than the center part, as it overlaps the current collectors in order to prevent moisture from penetrating into the battery (paragraph 0027 and Figure 5B).
FUKUI and NAGAI teaches the all solid state battery with a hydrogen gas absorbent layer on the outer periphery of the laminate. IN view of IWANO then it would be obvious to form the hydrogen gas absorption part 6 to overlap at least part of the current collectors as well, as IWANO teaches that this would be beneficial to seal the battery from moisture. Therefore the combination of FUKUI, NAGAI, and IWANAO would form the hydrogen gas absorption part on the outermost edge to have a thicker than the center of the powder laminate. The Examiner notes that the powder laminate is defined by the positive electrode layer, negative electrode layer, solid electrolyte layer, and the absorption layer, excluding the current collectors.
With respect to claim 2. FUKUI teaches a positive electrode collector 11, a positive electrode layer 12, a solid electrolyte layer 32, a negative electrode layer 22 and a negative electrode current collector 21 (paragraph 0025). As seen in Figure 1 the positive electrode layer 11 has a surface in contact with the collector 11, with a higher area than a surface that contacts the electrolyte. The negative electrode layer 22 then has a surface contacting the negative electrode current collector 21, and an opposite surface which contacts the electrolyte 32 (figure 1). As seen in Figure 1 the surface of the negative electrode layer 22 that contacts the current collector, curves with the current collector, and is taken to have a larger surface area in contact with the surface area, the opposite side then is in contact with the electrolyte is taken to have a smaller surface area.
With respect to claim 3. FUKUI teaches a solid electrolyte layer 32 which covers a surface of the negative electrode layer (Figure 1). Then as seen in Figure 1 of NAGAI, the absorption layer 6 surrounds the surface of the positive electrode layer.
Further with respect to claim 4. FUKUI teaches a portion of the solid electrolyte layer, formed over the edge portion 41b which is taken to be the claimed solid electrolyte third portion.
With respect to claim 5. FUKUI teaches the electrolyte layer is a powder (paragraph 0029). Further the entire laminate is pressed (abstract) and therefore this is taken to be a pressed powder. NAGAI then teaches the hydrogen sulfide gas absorbent layer 6 which includes a gas absorbent (paragraph 0010). This is taken to be a solid component and would similarly be pressed as taught by FUKUI.
With respect to claims 6-7. FUKUI teaches bonding an insulating member 41 having an opening part 41c on the current collector via an adhesive 51 (paragraph 0034 and Figure 1). The positive electrode layer 12 is disposed on the current collector 11 in the opening part 41c (paragraph 0036). A solid electrolyte layer 32 is formed on the positive electrode layer (paragraph 0037) and is formed to bury the positive electrode layer (Figure 4). The negative electrode layer 22 is then formed on the surface of the soldi electrolyte layer (paragraph 0038). A negative electrode current collector is formed on the electrode layer 22 (paragraph 0039). The whole assembly is then pressed (paragraph 0039-0040).
NAGAI then teaches disposing the hydrogen sulfide layer as seen in Figure 4 (paragraph 0027) and is formed on at least a part of the solid electrolyte layer 2 (see Figure 1).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. The claims recite “an absorption layer”. However, the present specification does not recite an absorption layer. Instead the specification as originally filed recites an adsorption layer. Nowhere in the specification is there an absorption layer. Therefore this is new matter.
Conclusion
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/JONATHAN G JELSMA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1722