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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claims 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by Suzuki et al. (US 2022/0255065).
Regarding claim 1, Suzuki et al. discloses in Figs 1-7, a positive electrode plate (ref 10) comprising an active material layer (refs 1, 2) and a core body (ref 11), wherein the active material layer (refs 1, 2) includes an active material particle (depicted in Fig 3), the active material particle includes a large particle and a small particle (both large and small depicted in Fig 3), and a larger amount (at bottom of ref 2 near ref 11, Fig 3) of the large particle is present in a vicinity of a surface (at bottom of ref 2 near ref 11, Fig 3) of the active material layer (refs 1, 2) on the core body side (ref 11) than in a vicinity of a surface (at ref 1, top Fig 3) of the active material layer opposite to the core body (ref 11).
Regarding claim 2, Suzuki et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses in a cross section of the active material layer, a ratio of a total area of the large particle present in the vicinity of the surface opposite to the core body to a total area of the large particle present in the vicinity of the surface on the core body side is 0.2 or more and less than 1.0 (large particle content at surface of ref 11 at least meets these limitations as depicted in Fig 3).
Regarding claim 3, Suzuki et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the small particle includes a single-crystal particle ([0076]-[0077])
Regarding claim 4, Suzuki et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the large particle has a grain boundary (grains depicted in Fig 3).
Regarding claim 5, Suzuki et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the large particle includes a secondary particle in which a primary particle is aggregated ([0075]).
Regarding claim 6, Suzuki et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses a particle packing density of the active material layer is 3.0 to 3.8 g/cm3 ([0047]).
Regarding claim 7, Suzuki et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the active material layer has a deep layer (at ref 2) disposed on the core body side (ref 11), and a surficial layer (at ref 1) disposed on a side of the deep layer opposite to (Fig 3) the core body side (ref 11).
Regarding claim 8, Suzuki et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses a mass ratio (a surficial layer / a deep layer) of the large particle in the surficial layer and the large particle in the deep layer is more than 1/9 and less than 1 (large particle content in deep layer / at surface of ref 11 at least meets these limitations as depicted in Fig 3).
Regarding claim 9, Suzuki et al. discloses in Figs 1-7, a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery (ref 100) comprising the positive electrode plate (ref 10) as set forth above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Yamamoto et al. (US 2023/0047021) discloses in Figs 1-2, a positive electrode for a secondary battery (Abstract) including a positive electrode active material including first and second mixture layers, each having different particle size / attributes (Abstract).
Hashimoto et al. (US 2015/0255786) discloses in Figs 1-5, a secondary battery (ref 1) including a positive electrode (ref 13a) having first and second mixture layers (refs 22A, 22B) each having different particle / size attributes ([0050]-[0052]).
Matsui et al. (US 2014/0370337) discloses in Figs 1-12, a secondary battery ([0009]) including a positive electrode having a positive active material layer comprising particle sizes that vary as distance from a current collector increases (Abstract).
Chiang et al. discloses in Figs 1-29, a secondary battery (Abstract) including a positive electrode having active material particles having a size gradient based on distance from a current collector ([0227]).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KENNETH J DOUYETTE whose telephone number is (571)270-1212. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8A - 4P EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Basia Ridley can be reached at 571-272-1453. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/KENNETH J DOUYETTE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725
Prosecution Insights