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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 7/11/23 and 9/11/25 were filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements have been considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 7/11/23. These drawings are acceptable.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2020/175361 A1 (hereinafter “WO’361”) in view of US 9,627,722 B1 (hereinafter “US’722”).
As to Claim 1:WO’361 discloses:
a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte ([0012]–[0017]);
the negative electrode comprises a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode mixture layer formed on a surface of the current collector ([0017]);
the negative electrode mixture layer is divided in a thickness direction into a first region on the current-collector side and a second region on the surface side, corresponding to a first negative electrode mixture layer opposing the current collector and a second negative electrode mixture layer layered over the first ([0027]–[0029]);
the negative electrode active material includes graphite particles ([0019], [0022]); and
the graphite particles in the second (surface-side) region have higher porosity than the graphite particles in the first (collector-side) region, such that the porosity between graphite particles in the second negative electrode mixture layer is higher than that in the first negative electrode mixture layer ([0008]–[0010], [0027]–[0029]).
However, WO’361 does not disclose that the negative electrode mixture layer includes a highly dielectric material having a dielectric constant higher than that of graphite particles, nor does WO’361 disclose that a percentage content of such a highly dielectric material in the first negative electrode mixture layer is higher than a percentage content of the highly dielectric material in the second negative electrode mixture layer.
US’722 discloses battery electrodes including a current collector and an electrode layer incorporating high-dielectric ceramic materials, such as titanates and other ceramic oxides, which have dielectric constants higher than that of graphite (Col. 5, lines 3–20; Col. 12, lines 1–15). US’722 further teaches providing a ceramic or high-dielectric layer or region adjacent to the current collector, such that the dielectric material content is greater near the current collector than toward the outer surface of the electrode (Col. 19, lines 20–35; Col. 20, lines 1–15; Fig. 1).
WO’361 and US’722 are analogous arts because both references are directed to non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries and, more particularly, to the structure and material composition of negative electrodes formed on current collectors to improve electrochemical performance, durability, and interfacial stability.
It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to modify the negative electrode of WO’361 to further include a highly dielectric material, as taught by US’722, and to arrange the electrode such that a higher percentage content of the highly dielectric material is present in the first (collector-side) negative electrode mixture layer than in the second (surface-side) negative electrode mixture layer, while maintaining the porosity gradient taught by WO’361, in order to improve interfacial stability at the current collector and suppress degradation, with predictable results.
As to Claim 4: WO’361 discloses a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte ([0012]–[0017]). WO’361 further discloses that the negative electrode comprises a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode mixture layer formed on a surface of the current collector, the negative electrode mixture layer being divided in a thickness direction into a first (collector-side) negative electrode mixture layer and a second (surface-side) negative electrode mixture layer ([0017], [0027]–[0029]). WO’361 also discloses that the negative electrode mixture layer includes graphite particles as a negative electrode active material and that the porosity of graphite particles in the second negative electrode mixture layer is higher than that in the first negative electrode mixture layer ([0019], [0022], [0027]–[0029]). WO’361 additionally discloses that the negative electrode active material may further include a Si-based material, such as silicon or silicon oxide, serving as a negative electrode active material together with graphite ([0020]–[0024]).
However, WO’361 does not disclose that the negative electrode mixture layer further includes a highly dielectric material having a higher dielectric constant than graphite particles, nor does WO’361 disclose a layer-specific distribution of such a highly dielectric material as required by Claim 1 from which Claim 4 depends.
US’722 discloses battery electrodes including a current collector and an electrode layer incorporating high-dielectric ceramic materials, such as titanates and other ceramic oxides, which have dielectric constants higher than that of graphite, and which are provided adjacent to the current collector to improve interfacial stability and durability (Col. 5, lines 3–20; Col. 12, lines 1–15; Col. 19, lines 20–35).
It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to modify the negative electrode of WO’361, which already discloses a graphite-based negative electrode optionally including a Si-based active material, to further include a highly dielectric material as taught by US’722, while maintaining the layered structure and porosity gradient taught by WO’361, in order to improve interfacial stability at the current collector and suppress degradation, with predictable results.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2020/175361 A1 (hereinafter “WO’361”) in view of US 9,627,722 B1 (hereinafter “US’722”) and further in view of NPL, “Atomic layer deposition-strengthened lithiophilicity of ultrathin TiO2 film” by Tan et al.
As to Claim 2: WO’361 discloses a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte, wherein the negative electrode includes a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode mixture layer formed on the current collector ([0012]–[0017]). WO’361 further discloses that the negative electrode mixture layer is divided in the thickness direction into a first negative electrode mixture layer on the current-collector side and a second negative electrode mixture layer on the surface side ([0027]–[0029]). WO’361 also discloses that the negative electrode active material includes graphite particles and that the porosity of graphite particles in the second layer is higher than the porosity of graphite particles in the first layer ([0019], [0022], [0027]–[0029]). WO’361 therefore discloses all limitations of Claim 1 from which Claim 2 depends, except for the specific species of the highly dielectric material.
However, WO’361 does not disclose that the highly dielectric material includes at least one of titanium oxide or lithium titanate.
US’722 discloses battery electrodes including a current collector and an electrode region incorporating high-dielectric ceramic materials adjacent the current collector to improve electrical insulation and interfacial stability (Col. 5, lines 3–20; Col. 12, lines 1–15). US’722 thus teaches the general use of ceramic dielectric materials at the collector interface but does not expressly identify titanium oxide or lithium titanate as the dielectric species.
Tan et al. expressly discloses titanium oxide (TiO₂) deposited as an ultrathin ceramic film directly on a copper current collector by atomic layer deposition, forming an interfacial coating that is electronically insulating and has a dielectric constant higher than that of graphite (Tan et al., Abstract; Experimental section; Figs. 1–2). Tan et al. therefore teaches the use of titanium oxide as a dielectric/ceramic coating at the current-collector interface, rather than as an electroactive anode material.
WO’361, US’722, and Tan et al. are analogous arts because all are directed to non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries and, more particularly, to the structure and material composition of negative electrodes formed on current collectors to improve interfacial stability and electrochemical performance.
It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to modify the negative electrode of WO’361 to include titanium oxide as the highly dielectric material, as taught by Tan et al., and motivated by the general teaching of US’722 to employ ceramic dielectric materials at the current-collector interface, while maintaining the layered graphite-based negative electrode structure and porosity gradient disclosed in WO’361, in order to improve electrical insulation and interfacial stability with predictable results.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2020/175361 A1 (hereinafter “WO’361”) in view of US 9,627,722 B1 (hereinafter “US’722”), as applied to Claim 1 above, and further in view of US 2013/0224593 A1 (hereinafter “US’593”).
As to Claim 3: WO’361 discloses a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte, wherein the negative electrode includes a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode mixture layer formed on the current collector ([0012]–[0017]). WO’361 further discloses that the negative electrode mixture layer is divided in the thickness direction into a first negative electrode mixture layer on the current-collector side and a second negative electrode mixture layer on the surface side ([0027]–[0029]). WO’361 also discloses that the negative electrode active material includes graphite particles, that a highly dielectric material having a higher dielectric constant than graphite is included in the negative electrode mixture layer, that the porosity between graphite particles in the second layer is higher than that in the first layer, and that the percentage content of the highly dielectric material in the first layer is higher than that in the second layer ([0018]–[0022], [0027]–[0029]). Thus, WO’361 discloses all limitations of Claim 1 from which Claim 3 depends.
However, WO’361 does not disclose that the percentage content of the highly dielectric material in the first negative electrode mixture layer is specifically 1 mass%–10 mass% with respect to the mass of the negative electrode active material.
US’593 discloses electrode structures in which a ceramic or dielectric material is incorporated into an electrode-associated layer in minor amounts relative to the active material in order to improve interfacial stability and mechanical integrity while suppressing capacity loss ([0170]–[0172]). US’593 further discloses embodiments in which such ceramic or dielectric material is included in single-digit to about ten-percent weight ranges relative to other electrode components ([0179]–[0183]), which overlaps the claimed 1 mass%–10 mass% range.
WO’361 and US’593 are analogous arts because both are directed to non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries and, more particularly, to the material composition and structural configuration of negative electrodes formed on current collectors to achieve stable electrochemical performance.
It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to modify the negative electrode of WO’361 such that the highly dielectric material included in the first (current-collector-side) negative electrode mixture layer is present in an amount of 1 mass%–10 mass% relative to the negative electrode active material, as taught by US’593, in order to balance the interfacial insulating or reinforcing effect of the dielectric material with maintenance of battery capacity, with a reasonable expectation of success.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JIMMY K VO whose telephone number is (571)272-3242. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8 am to 6 pm EST.
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/JIMMY VO/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1723
/JIMMY VO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1723