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 Invention II, encompassing claims 17-23, in the reply filed on December 8, 2025 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that the applicants do not concede that any of the assertions or characterizations made by the Examiner in requiring restriction are correct. This is not found persuasive because the inventions are divergent subject matter as shown by their difference in classification. Additionally, different inventive concepts require different search queries and considerations.
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.
Claims 17-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Redey et al. (US Patent no. 7,632,384).
Regarding claim 17, Redey discloses a molten salt system (col. 1, lines 20-24) comprising:
a molten salt enclosure (32; figure 4; col. 7, lines 46-55);
a molten salt (25) disposed within the molten salt enclosure (32; col. 4, lines 41-48; col. 7, lines 46-55);
a working electrode (10) disposed at least partially within the molten salt (25; figure 4; col. 8, lines 28-33);
a counter electrode (11) disposed at least partially within the molten salt (25; col. 8, lines 28-33);
a separator barrier (outer tube 1; figures 2-4) disposed at least partially within the molten salt (25 – reference electrodes 7, 7’ are disposed within an outer tube/separator barrier 1; col. 3, lines 11-22);
a reference salt (6) disposed within the separator barrier (1; figure 2 - the reference electrodes are based on a molten salt system, where the electrode potential response depends on the concentration of dissolved lithium oxide in the molten salt; col. 2, lines 60-65); and
a reference wire (7, 7’) disposed within the reference salt (col. 3, lines 5-10).
Regarding claim 18, the molten salt of Redey comprises molten fluoride electrolytes (col. 6, lines 46-51; col. 7, lines 1-7). It is important to note that the electrolyte is the material worked upon by this apparatus and as such, its composition does not serve to structurally define the apparatus beyond imparting the limitation that the apparatus should be capable of containing an electrolyte which can be in contact with the electrodes. The system of Redey comprises molten fluoride electrolytes in contact with the electrodes and thus, it meets the claims.
Regarding claim 19, the molten salt of Redey comprises molten fluoride electrolytes (col. 6, lines 46-51; col. 7, lines 1-7). It is important to note that the electrolyte is the material worked upon by this apparatus and as such, its composition does not serve to structurally define the apparatus beyond imparting the limitation that the apparatus should be capable of containing an electrolyte which can be in contact with the electrodes. The system of Redey comprises molten fluoride electrolytes in contact with the electrodes and thus, it meets the claims.
Regarding claim 20, the molten salt of Redey comprises molten fluoride electrolytes (col. 6, lines 46-51; col. 7, lines 1-7). It is important to note that the electrolyte is the material worked upon by this apparatus and as such, its composition does not serve to structurally define the apparatus beyond imparting the limitation that the apparatus should be capable of containing an electrolyte which can be in contact with the electrodes. The system of Redey comprises molten fluoride electrolytes in contact with the electrodes and thus, it meets the claims.
Regarding claim 21, the molten salt of Redey comprises molten fluoride electrolytes (col. 6, lines 46-51; col. 7, lines 1-7). It is important to note that the electrolyte is the material worked upon by this apparatus and as such, its composition does not serve to structurally define the apparatus beyond imparting the limitation that the apparatus should be capable of containing an electrolyte which can be in contact with the electrodes. The system of Redey comprises molten fluoride electrolytes in contact with the electrodes and thus, it meets the claims.
Regarding claim 22, the reference salt of Redey comprises ions more reactive than metals in the reference wire (col. 3, line 43 to col. 4, line 41).
Regarding claim 23, Redey further teaches wherein the reference wire comprises a metal that is less reactive than ions in the reference salt (col. 3, line 43 to col. 4, line 41).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZULMARIAM MENDEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-9805. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-4:30p.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, James Lin can be reached at 571-272-8902. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ZULMARIAM MENDEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1794
Prosecution Insights