DETAILED ACTION
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 07/30/2026 has been entered.
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, with respect to claims 1, 2, and 8-11 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, all previous prior art rejections have been withdrawn.
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 2 and 8-10 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. Claims 2 and 8-10 recites the limitation “the material including a silicon material”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Instant limitation was struck out in line 5 of claim 1.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 and 11 are allowed.
Claims 2 and 8-10 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: no prior art was found teaching or disclosing the recited negative electrode material including a negative electrode active material, water-based binder and carbon nanotubes in the recited amounts and dimensions.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Cao et al. (US 2023/0187611) teaches a silicon composite material including silicon nanoparticles 1, carbon nanotubes 2, and silicon oxide, lithium oxide and lithium silicate 3 (Fig. 1).
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/CARLOS BARCENA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1723
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