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 .
The pending claims are claims 1-7.
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)(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) 1-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Nakamoto et al., US 2016/0285129.
Regarding claim 1, Nakamoto et al., teaches a catalytic solution (solvent) (0030) for a halide ion battery (fluoride ion battery) (0006), which is an aqueous solution (electrolyte solution) (0006-0007) containing a quaternary ammonium halide salt (ammonium fluoride) (0022) thereof at 9.0 mol/kg to 11.0 mol/kg (10 mol/kg) (0120).
Regarding claim 2, Nakamoto et al., teaches wherein the quaternary alkylammonium halide salt (0022; 0051-0064) thereof contained in the aqueous solution is only one kind (0022; 0051-0064).
Regarding claim 3, Nakamoto et al., teaches wherein the quaternary ammonium halide salt (ammonium fluoride) (0022) thereof is a quaternary ammonium fluoride salt thereof (0022).
Regarding claim 4, Nakamoto et al., teaches which is an electrolytic solution (0006-0008; 0011-0012) for a fluoride ion battery (0011; 0130-0134).
Regarding claim 5, Nakamoto et al., teaches halide ion battery (fluoride ion battery) (0011; 0130-0134) comprising: the catalytic solution for a halide ion battery (0007-0012) according to claim 1.
Regarding claim 6, Nakamoto et al., teaches which is a fluoride ion battery (0011; 0130-0134).
Thus, the claims are anticipated.
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.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakamoto et al., US 2016/0285129.
Regarding claim 7, Nakamoto et al., teaches a method for producing the catalytic solution for a halide ion battery according to claim 1 (0011; 0130-0134), comprising: a step of dropping water (0008; 0011; 0030) to the quaternary ammonium halide salt (ammonium fluoride) (0022-0023; 0029),
Nakamoto does not teach wherein an amount of the water dropped is 13 to 30 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the quaternary ammonium halide salt or the hydrate thereof.
However, regarding the amount of water employed in the method of making catalytic solution for a halide ion battery, "[W]here the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation." In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955).
Conclusion
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ANGELA J. MARTIN
Examiner
Art Unit 1727
/ANGELA J MARTIN/Examiner, Art Unit 1727
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