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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of an electrolyte composition comprising component (A) comprising a combination of a 1st polymer (A1)
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, specifically in claim 4
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where R1 is -CH3 and Z1 is a -CH2 alkylene group and a 2nd polymer (A2)
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, specifically in claim 5
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and claim 6
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and further comprises a component (D) a ring-opening polymerization initiator comprising an ionic compound comprising LiBF2(C2O4) in the reply filed on 4-10-2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that it would not be a burden on the examiner to consider all species of the present application. This is not found persuasive because the electrolyte composition can comprise a combination of the 1st polymer (A1) where R1, R2 and Z1 have many different variations and the 2nd polymer (A2) where R3, R4, R5 and Z3 can have many different variations as claimed in claims 1-6 OR can comprise a polymer comprising a repeating unit of Formula (I), repeating unit of Formula (II) and a repeating unit of Formula (I) and Formula (II) which can also have many different variations.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claims 3 and 8-9 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 4-10-2026. Claim 3 is withdrawn because none of the repeating units comprise the elected species. Claims 8-9 are withdrawn because the elected species was a combination of the two polymers in a solution and the claims are claiming the situation when there is a polymer comprising the three polymers.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-2, 4-7 and 10-20 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 1 is objected to because the components defining Z3 should each be labeled. Claim 4 is objected to because each of the repeating units of Formula (I) should each be labeled. Claims 5-6 are objected to because each of the repeating units of Formula (II) should each be labeled as well as each of the components defining Z3 . Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 15-16 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. Claim 15 is rejected because it is unclear if the claim is claiming a product by process. It would be clearer if the claim was dependent in claim 12 claiming “A quasi-solid electrolyte comprising the electrolyte composition of claim 12 via ring-opening polymerization by the initiator” and claim 16 would be canceled.
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.
(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, 4-7, 10-12, 17-18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang et al. (CN 111253523, translation). Wang et al. teaches in claim 1, a non-combustible gel polymer electrolyte, wherein the polymer electrolyte is obtained by in-situ polymerization of the following components by mass fraction: 20-69 wt% of a vinyl phosphorous compound; 10-22.5 wt% vinyl compound [teaching claim 7]; 5-12 wt% of lithium salt; 15-45 wt% of a plasticizer and 0.05-0.5 wt% of an initiator where the gel polymer electrolyte is non-combustible during ignition. Wang et al. teaches in claim 2, wherein the vinyl phosphorous-containing compound contained in the polymer electrolyte is
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, specifically
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and teaches in claim 3, wherein the vinyl compound contained in the polymer electrolyte is at least one of glycidyl methacrylate, specifically
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. Wang et at teaches in claims 4-5, where the gel electrolyte solution comprises a solvent and a lithium salt. Wang et al. teaches in claims 9-10, a lithium battery an anode comprising Li, the gel polymer electrolyte and a separator comprising cellulose, polyethylene, polypropylene, etc. Wang et al. teaches in Examples 1-3, a battery comprising a positive electrode, a lithium negative electrode, a separator and a polymer added in an amount of 2-4 g to 0.76 g LiPF6 [claim 10] dissolved in a solution of EC:DMC or EC:DMC:EMC [claim 11] and adding 0.006 g of AlBN (an initiator).
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-6 and 10-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yu et al. (US 2016/0028110). Yu et al. teaches in claims 1-3, a gel polymer electrolyte obtained by polymerizing a composition for a gel polymer electrolyte comprising a polymerizable monomer, a polymerization initiator, an electrolyte salt and an electrolyte solvent where the electrolyte salt comprises LiFSI as the imide salt [teaching claim 10]. Yu et al. teaches in claims 4-5 wherein the polymerizable monomer is an acrylate-based compound comprising glycidyl methacrylate,
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[teaching the first polymer (A1). Yu et al. teaches in claim 6-8, with the polymerizable monomer further comprises a monomer containing a functional group selected from a phosphate group comprising
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or
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[teaching second polymer (A2)]. Yu et al. teaches in claims 12-13, that the gel polymer electrolyte further comprises LiBF4, LiPF6, LiSbF6, LiClO4, etc. [teaching claims 12-16] and teaches in claims 14-15, wherein the molar ratio of the lithium salt other than the imide salt: imide salt is 1:10 to 8:2 or 2:8 to 7:3. Yu et al. te4aches in Example 1, a composition for a gel polymer electrolyte comprising LiFSI dissolved in EC/EMC [teaching claim 11] , 5 wt% of mixed polymerizable monomers [teaching claim 1] and 0.25 wt% of the polymerization initiator [teaching claims 12 and 16][teaching claim 7]. Yu et al. teaches in claims 17-18, a secondary battery comprising a cathode, an anode and the gel polymer electrolyte. Yu et al. teaches in [0067-0068], that the cathode can comprise lithium oxide or a metal containing lithium oxide comprising Ni, Co, Mn, etc. [teaching claim 19] and [0079], an anode comprising carbon-coated SiO and graphite [teaching claim 18] and in [0071] that a separator maybe be inserted comprising polypropylene, etc.
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/LAURA S. WEINER/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1723
/Laura Weiner/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1723
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