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 .
Applicant’s response to Election/Restriction has been received on 4/16/26.Claims 7-19 are withdrawn. Claims 21-30 are cancelled.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S.C. code not included in this action can be found in the prior Office Action.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of claims 1-6 from Group 1, Subgroup 1A in the reply filed on 4/16/26 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d).
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 6/7/23 is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings submitted on 6/7/23 has been considered.
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.
Claims 5 and 6 are 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. Specifically, the limitation “10mc,” is unknown. Appropriate corrections and/or further clarification are required.
Claim 5 and 6 recites the limitation "10mc" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims depending from claims rejected under 35 U.S.C.112, second paragraph, are also rejected for the same.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 3, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Delnick (EP0814520).
Regarding claim 1, the Delnick reference discloses a method of printing a separator for an electrochemical cell, the method comprising providing an ink comprising particles of a separator-forming substance suspended therein, providing a medium, applying a layer of the ink to the medium in a printing process, and forming a separator from the separator-forming substance in the layer of ink ((5:5-10).
Regarding claim 2, the Delnick reference discloses wherein the ink comprises an electrolyte and wherein the separator-forming substance forms a separator that hosts at least some of the electrolyte (6:4-7).
Regarding claim 3, the Delnick reference discloses wherein the step of forming the separator comprises drying or curing the ink (6:9-12).
Regarding claim 20, the Delnick reference discloses a method of forming an electrochemical cell, the method comprising providing a first electrode, printing a separator on the first electrode in accordance with the method of claim 1 wherein the medium is the first electrode, and providing a second electrode, wherein the separator is located between the first and second electrodes in the so formed electrochemical cell.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 4, 20 s/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nitzan (WO2008/075348).
Regarding claim 1, the Nitzan reference discloses a method of printing a separator for an electrochemical cell, the method comprising providing an ink comprising particles of a separator-forming substance suspended therein, providing a medium, applying a layer of the ink to the medium in a printing process, and forming a separator from the separator-forming substance in the layer of ink (Page 6 ,Fig. 6 Example 1).
Regarding claim 3, the Nitzan reference discloses wherein the step of forming the separator comprises drying or curing the ink
Regarding claim 4, the Nitzan reference discloses wherein the separator- forming substance is an ionic conductor material (polyvalent anion or ammonium salt of Example 1).
Regarding claim 20, the Nitzan reference discloses a method of forming an electrochemical cell, the method comprising providing a first electrode, printing a separator on the first electrode in accordance with the method of claim 1 wherein the medium is the first electrode, and providing a second electrode, wherein the separator is located between the first and second electrodes in the so formed electrochemical cell. (method in figures).
Claim(s) 1- 4, 20 s/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kucherovsky et al. (6,379,835).
Regarding claim 1, the Kucherovsky et al. reference discloses a method of printing a separator for an electrochemical cell, the method comprising providing an ink comprising particles of a separator-forming substance suspended therein (6:15-40), providing a medium, applying a layer of the ink to the medium in a printing process (6:28-30), and forming a separator from the separator-forming substance in the layer of ink (6:18-20).
Regarding claim 2, the Kucherovsky et al. reference discloses wherein the ink comprises an electrolyte and wherein the separator-forming substance forms a separator that hosts at least some of the electrolyte (6:20-35).
Regarding claim 3, the Kucherovsky et al. reference discloses wherein the step of forming the separator comprises drying or curing the ink (6:15-20).
Regarding claim 4, the Kucherovsky et al. reference discloses wherein the separator- forming substance is an ionic conductor material (6:10-40).
Regarding claim 20, the Kucherovsky et al. reference discloses a method of forming an electrochemical cell, the method comprising providing a first electrode, printing a separator on the first electrode in accordance with the method of claim 1 wherein the medium is the first electrode (6:25-30), and providing a second electrode, wherein the separator is located between the first and second electrodes in the so formed electrochemical cell. (6:50-62).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HELEN OI CONLEY whose telephone number is (571)272-5162. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30 am - 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nicholas Smith can be reached at 5712728760. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Helen Oi K CONLEY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1752
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