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 claims 1-27 in the reply filed on 6/26/26 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that there is no search burden. This is not found persuasive because there would be a search burden on the Examiner.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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 of this title, 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.
1. Claims 1-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
Qi et al. (US 20240421431, PCT Filed 10/20/2022)
2. Regarding claims 1-27, Qi polymer composite separator for use in a lithium battery, the composite separator (A lithium ion battery, characterized in that the lithium ion battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, an electrolyte and a separator, wherein the separator is the coated modified composite separator [0152]) comprising (i) a first thermally stable polymer; and (ii) from 30% to 99% by weight of multiple fibers (weight of high temperature resistant polymer nanofibers is 1-64 weight% [0076]) selected from the group consisting of polymer fibers, glass fibers, ceramic fibers, and combinations thereof, wherein the fibers (the unmodified high temperature resistant polymer nanofibers [0082]) are coated with, encapsulated by , or bonded (surface modified high temperature resistant polymer nanofibers [0083]) by the first thermally stable polymer (a high temperature resistant polymer coated modified composite separator [0019]) and the composite separator has a thickness from 50 nm to 250 μm (The total thickness of the modified composite separator is 2.0-45 μm, preferably 2.5-40 μm, and most preferably 3-36 μm [0009]) and the first thermally stable polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyimide (by coating with polyimide [0030]).
wherein said separator further comprises from 0.1% to 30% by weight of a lithium salt (0.3 g salt [0273]) dispersed in the first thermally stable polymer (lithium stearate [0191]).
wherein said multiple fibers are in a form of a mat, nonwoven fabric, woven fabric, braded structure, or knitted structure (P84 nanofibers fabric [0082]).
wherein said multiple fibers intersect one another at multiple intersections and said multiple fibers are bonded together by the first thermally stable polymer at said intersections (PAN nanofibers were prepared therefrom by electrospinning method [0333]).
wherein said polymer fibers comprise natural or biopolymer fibers, synthetic fibers, or a combination thereof (P84 nanofibers fabric is a synthetic fiber [0082])
wherein said polymer fibers comprise fibers of a polymer selected from poly(acrylonitrile) (the unmodified high temperature resistant polymer nanofibers polyacrylonitrile nanofibers [0082])
wherein the first thermally stable polymer forms a mixture, blend, copolymer, or interpenetrating network with a lithium ion-conducting polymer selected from poly(vinylidene fluoride)-hexafluoropropylene (polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene [0067]).
wherein said polymer fibers comprise fibers of a second thermally stable polymer polyamic acid (preparing a polyamic acid solution [0100-0102])
wherein said polymer fibers comprise fibers of a polymer selected from the group consisting of Cellulose (sodium carboxymethylcellulose [0107]).
wherein said separator further comprises an inorganic material selected from phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON), Garnet-type, lithium superionic conductor (LISICON) type (LISICON type, garnet type and LiPON type electrolyte [0070-0072])
wherein said lithium salt is selected from LiOH (lithium hydroxide [0229])
wherein said separator has a porosity level from 5% to 95% by volume (57.1%, Table 2).
wherein said separator further comprises a flame-retardant additive [0191].
wherein said flame-retardant additive is selected from a halogenated flame retardant, phosphorus-based flame retardant, melamine flame retardant, metal hydroxide flame retardant, silicon-based flame retardant, phosphate flame retardant, biomolecular flame retardant, or a combination thereof [0191].
wherein the separator or the electrolyte comprises a lithium salt selected from lithium nitrate, LiNO3 (lithium hydroxide [0229])
wherein said cathode comprises a cathode active material selected from an inorganic material, an organic material, a polymeric material, or a combination thereof (positive electrode materials used include any positive electrode materials that can be used in lithium-ion batteries, such as lithium cobaltate (LiCoO2) [0234]).
wherein said inorganic material, as a cathode active material, is selected from a metal oxide, metal phosphate, metal silicide, metal selenide, transition metal sulfide, metal fluoride, metal chloride, sulfur, selenium, or a combination thereof (positive electrode materials used include any positive electrode materials that can be used in lithium-ion batteries, such as lithium cobaltate (LiCoO2) [0234]).
wherein said inorganic material is selected from a lithium cobalt oxide (positive electrode materials used include any positive electrode materials that can be used in lithium-ion batteries, such as lithium cobaltate (LiCoO2) [0234]).
The Examiner notes that instant claims are directed to conventionally components and materials of a battery, and as a result, the teachings are not inventive, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Qi with a composite separator that boosts the battery's energy density, lowers the probability of occurrence of thermal runaway, and improves battery safety (abstract).
Conclusion
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/OLATUNJI A GODO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1752
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