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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see page 5, filed 08/30/2026, with respect to claims 2 and 3 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The objections of claims 2 and 3 have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, see page 5, filed 08/30/2026, with respect to claim 14 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of claim 14 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) has been withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments filed 08/30/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant states: “Wei neither discloses nor suggests utilizing the species as a self-sacrificial additive that undergoes reversible Br-/Br2 redox reactions during overcharging. With respect to the strongly alkaline embodiments disclosed in Wei, bromine species readily undergo disproportionation reactions rather than maintaining the reversible Br-/Br2 redox couple required by claim 1.”
Examiner respectfully disagrees. The redox reactions appear to come from the general inclusion of the bromine-based additive [0014 PGPub]. Wei states that the electrolyte may be an aqueous electrolyte with a broad possible pH value between 1 and 14 [0055]. While Br-/Br2 redox reactions are not explicitly recognized, the structural distinctions between Wei and the claimed invention configuration responsible for such Br-/Br2 redox reactions remain unclear.
Wei discloses an anode that comprises zinc [0038], a cathode that comprises manganese dioxide [0038, 0040]), and an organic additive [0032, 0058] that includes various ammonium bromide salts such as tetrabutyl-ammonium bromide [0058]. Because the effects of the organic additive modifies the morphology of zinc deposition and suppresses self-discharge of the zinc anode [0058] to ensure that the cycle life of the zinc-anode battery can reach more than 2000 cycles without deep cleaning zinc deposits [0032] when the additive concentration is controlled [0065], and because the aqueous battery describes the same anode, cathode, electrolyte, and additive composition as that of the claimed invention for achieving the claimed effects [see 0051, 0053, 0059, 0108, 0110, 0114], it appears that Wei inherently discloses a self-sacrificial additive to provide an enhanced cycling stability even at harsh conditions of 200% state-of-charge providing overcharge protection for a duration ranging from 500-700 hours, wherein the bromide-based additive undergoes reversible Br-/Br2 redox reactions during overcharging, thereby preventing overcharge-induced degradation.
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 1-3, 5-11, 13, 15-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wei et al. (PGPub 2018/0316064).
Considering Claim 1, Wei discloses an aqueous battery system (aqueous electrolyte battery [0055]) that comprises an electrolyte (aqueous electrolyte [0055]), wherein the electrolyte comprises zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) (electrolyte may include zinc sulfate as a selected electrolyte [0056], so selecting such a choice for predicted electrolyte function would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art). Wei discloses an anode that comprises zinc [0038], a cathode that comprises manganese dioxide [0038, 0040]), and an organic additive [0032, 0058] that includes various ammonium bromide salts such as tetrabutyl-ammonium bromide [0058]. Because the effects of the organic additive modifies the morphology of zinc deposition and suppresses self-discharge of the zinc anode [0058] to ensure that the cycle life of the zinc-anode battery can reach more than 2000 cycles without deep cleaning zinc deposits [0032] when the additive concentration is controlled [0065], and because the aqueous battery describes the same anode, cathode, electrolyte, and additive composition as that of the claimed invention for achieving the claimed effects [see 0051, 0053, 0059, 0108, 0110, 0114], it appears that Wei inherently discloses a self-sacrificial additive to provide an enhanced cycling stability even at harsh conditions of 200% state-of-charge providing overcharge protection for a duration ranging from 500-700 hours, wherein the bromide-based additive undergoes reversible Br-/Br2 redox reactions during overcharging, thereby preventing overcharge-induced degradation.
Considering Claim 2, Wei discloses one or more electrodes (an anode that comprises zinc [0038], a cathode that comprises manganese dioxide [0038, 0040]), wherein the self-sacrificial additive is impregnated in or coated on the electrodes (additives can be added into the electrolyte, the electrodes, or combination of both ways [0064]), the self-sacrificial additive undergoes oxidation before electrolyte decomposition, thereby offering protection against overcharging (because the effects of the organic additive modifies the morphology of zinc deposition and suppresses self-discharge of the zinc anode [0058] to ensure that the cycle life of the zinc-anode battery can reach more than 2000 cycles without deep cleaning zinc deposits [0032] when the additive concentration is controlled [0065], and because the aqueous battery describes the same anode, cathode, electrolyte, and additive composition as that of the claimed invention for achieving the claimed effects [see 0051, 0053, 0059, 0108, 0110, 0114], it appears that Wei inherently discloses additive oxidation before electrolyte composition to protect against overcharging).
Considering Claim 3, Wei discloses that the one or more electrodes are selected from the group consisting of manganese dioxide (MnO2) (manganese dioxide MnO2 [0038, 0040]).
Considering Claim 5, Wei discloses that the self-sacrificial additive comprises bromide-based additive (various ammonium bromide salts such as tetrabutyl-ammonium bromide [0058]) in a concentration range of 0.1 M to 2.0 M (additives added at concentration between 0.1 mg/L to about 10 g/L [0065] for purposes of ensuring a synergic corrosion inhibiting effect [0063], so routinely experimenting with and coming up with a concentration range of 0.1 M to 2.0 M would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art).
Considering Claim 6, Wei discloses that the bromide-additive is selected from organic bromides or bromide salts (an organic additive [0032, 0058] that includes various ammonium bromide salts such as tetrabutyl-ammonium bromide [0058]).
Considering Claim 7, Wei discloses that the organic bromides comprise alkyl bromide (an organic additive [0032, 0058] that includes various ammonium bromide salts such as tetrabutyl-ammonium bromide [0058]).
Considering Claim 8, Wei discloses that the bromide salts comprise bromide of alkali metals (sodium dodecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide [0058]).
Considering Claim 9, Wei discloses a complexing agent including tetrabutylammonium (combinations of bromide compound additives including tetrabutyl-ammonium bromide [0058]).
Considering Claim 10, Wei discloses adding an additive to an aqueous battery system (aqueous electrolyte battery [0055], an organic additive [0032, 0058] that includes various ammonium bromide salts such as tetrabutyl-ammonium bromide [0058]). The system comprises an electrolyte (aqueous electrolyte [0055]), wherein the electrolyte comprises zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) (electrolyte may include zinc sulfate as a selected electrolyte [0056], so selecting such a choice for predicted electrolyte function would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art).
Wei discloses an anode that comprises zinc [0038], a cathode that comprises manganese dioxide [0038, 0040]), and an organic additive [0032, 0058] that includes various ammonium bromide salts such as tetrabutyl-ammonium bromide [0058]. Because the effects of the organic additive modifies the morphology of zinc deposition and suppresses self-discharge of the zinc anode [0058] to ensure that the cycle life of the zinc-anode battery can reach more than 2000 cycles without deep cleaning zinc deposits [0032] when the additive concentration is controlled [0065], and because the aqueous battery describes the same anode, cathode, electrolyte, and additive composition as that of the claimed invention for achieving the claimed effects [see 0051, 0053, 0059, 0108, 0110, 0114], it appears that Wei inherently discloses a method wherein the additive is self-sacrificial and undergoes reversible Br-/Br2 redox reactions during overcharging, thereby preventing overcharge-induced degradation.
Considering Claim 11, Wei discloses that the self-sacrificial additive is added to an electrolyte in a concentration range effective for overcharge protection (additives added at concentration between 0.1 mg/L to about 10 g/L [0065] for purposes of ensuring a synergic corrosion inhibiting effect [0063]).
Considering Claim 13, Wei discloses that the self-sacrificial additive comprises a bromide-based additive (an organic additive [0032, 0058] that includes various ammonium bromide salts such as tetrabutyl-ammonium bromide [0058]), the bromide-based additive undergoes reversible redox reactions during charging and discharging, thereby preventing overcharge-induced degradation (because the effects of the organic additive modifies the morphology of zinc deposition and suppresses self-discharge of the zinc anode [0058] to ensure that the cycle life of the zinc-anode battery can reach more than 2000 cycles without deep cleaning zinc deposits [0032] when the additive concentration is controlled [0065], and because the aqueous battery describes the same anode, cathode, electrolyte, and additive composition as that of the claimed invention for achieving the claimed effects [see 0051, 0053, 0059, 0108, 0110, 0114], it appears that Wei inherently discloses that the bromide-based additive undergoes reversible Br-/Br2 redox reactions during overcharging, thereby preventing overcharge-induced degradation).
Considering Claim 15, Wei discloses that the self-sacrificial additive comprises bromide-based additive (various ammonium bromide salts such as tetrabutyl-ammonium bromide [0058]) in a concentration range of 0.1 M to 2.0 M (additives added at concentration between 0.1 mg/L to about 10 g/L [0065] for purposes of ensuring a synergic corrosion inhibiting effect [0063], so routinely experimenting with and coming up with a concentration range of 0.1 M to 2.0 M would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art).
Considering Claim 16, Wei discloses that the bromide-additive is selected from organic bromides or bromide salts (an organic additive [0032, 0058] that includes various ammonium bromide salts such as tetrabutyl-ammonium bromide [0058]).
Considering Claim 17, Wei discloses that the organic bromides comprise alkyl bromide (an organic additive [0032, 0058] that includes various ammonium bromide salts such as tetrabutyl-ammonium bromide [0058]).
Considering Claim 18, Wei discloses that the bromide salts comprise bromide of alkali metals (sodium dodecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide [0058]).
Claims 4 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wei et al. (PGPub 2018/0316064) and further in view of Wang et al. (PGPub 2019/0140270).
Considering Claims 4 and 12, Wei discloses an aqueous battery system (aqueous electrolyte battery [0055]). The additives can be added into the electrolyte, the electrodes, or combination of both ways [0064]. However, Wei is silent to an aqueous gel polymer electrolyte more specifically.
Wang discloses an analogous zinc ion battery comprising an aqueous electrolyte that comprises a polymer gel electrolyte [Abstract]. The battery contains a zinc electrode and an MnO2 electrode [0008]. The polymer gel electrolyte is compatible with a flexible battery application [0023] for flexible and wearable electronics [0020].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the aqueous battery system of Wei with the aqueous gel polymer electrolyte of Wang for compatibility with a flexible battery application [0023] for flexible and wearable electronics [0020].
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wei et al. (PGPub 2018/0316064) and further in view of Okuno et al. (PGPub 2023/0402663).
Considering Claim 14, Wei is silent to monitoring parameters to control the charge-discharge process and provide overcharge protection.
Okuno discloses a power supply apparatus [Abstract] with an analogous zinc anode and manganese dioxide cathode [0033]. The apparatus suppresses overcharging according to voltage [0037] and a communication apparatus [0056], and it performs necessary charge discharge controls [0027] without a traditional control circuit [0037].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of Wei with the overcharge control protection of Okuno in order to suppress overcharging without a traditional control circuit [0037].
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER P DOMONE whose telephone number is (571)270-7582. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-4:30 PM.
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/CHRISTOPHER P DOMONE/Primary Patent Examiner
Art Unit 1725
