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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Group 1, claims 16-24 in the reply filed on 12/30/2025 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground that ISA did not consider there to be a lack of unity. This is not found persuasive because MPEP 1893.03(d) states “when making a lack of unity requirement, the examiner must (1) list the different group of claims and (2) explain why each group lacks unity with each other group (i.e., why there is no single general inventive concept) specifically describing the unique special technical feature in each group. The examiner may make a lack of unity requirement in a national stage application even if no such requirement was made by the ISA or IPEA.”
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claims 25-30 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected invention/group, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 12/30/2025.
Claim Objections
Claims 17 and 22 are objected due to the following informalities:
Claim 17 contains several chemical formulas having typographical errors. For example: NaClO4 should be corrected to --NaClO4--. Another example: NaPF6 should be corrected to --NaPF6--. Correct all occurrences of incorrect chemical formulas.
Claim 22 recites a chemical formula that has a typographical error. The correct general formula for C1-C8 nitrile is: NC-(CH2)n-CN.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Regarding claims 22-23, the phrase "preferably" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear what is minimally required in claims 22-23.
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.
Claims 16-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by EP’191 (EP 3471191).
Regarding claims 16-20, [0013] of EP’191 discloses a non-aqueous electrolyte comprising:
at least a sodium salt,
at least one a solvent, and
a combination of additives.
[0023] lists suitable sodium salt including NaClO4, NaPF6, NaBF4, NaTFSI, NaFSI (claim 17).
[0013] and [0020] lists suitable solvents including ethylene carbonate (EC), propylene carbonate (PC), dimethyl carbonate (DMC), diethyl carbonate (DEC), and ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC) (claims 18-19).
The combination of additives includes NaODFB, at least a nitrile, 1,3-propane sulfone or ethylene sulfate, and vinylene carbonate [0013], [0025] (claim 20).
Regarding claims 21-23, [0013] teaches at least 1 nitrile and its chemical formula and [0016] lists suitable nitriles.
Regarding claim 24, see [0017].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KENDRA LY whose telephone number is (571)270-7060. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:00-5:00PM.
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/KENDRA LY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1749