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 1-2, 8, 14-16 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by Yu et al. (US 2022/0131184).
Regarding claim 1, Yu et al. discloses in Figs 1-6, a solid electrolyte ([0010], [0011], [0013]) for an all-solid-state battery ([0003], [0004], [0025], [0055]) comprising: a solid electrolyte ([0010], [0011], [0013]) comprising a sulfide-containing solid electrolyte ([0021], [0040], [0041]); and a modified layer ([0010], [0011], [0013]) on a surface of the solid electrolyte ([0010], [0011], [0013]), said modified layer comprising an amphiphilic compound ([0007], [0011], [0013], [0034], [0035]), wherein the amphiphilic compound comprises at least one hydrophilic group ([0034]) and at least one hydrophobic group ([0011], [0013], [0035]), wherein the hydrophilic group ([0034]) of the amphiphilic compound is at least a thiol group ([0034]), and wherein the hydrophobic group ([0011], [0013], [0035]) of the amphiphilic compound is a hydrocarbon group substituted with fluorine ([0011], [0013], [0035]) or an organosilicon compound ([0011], [0013], [0035]).
Regarding claim 2, Yu et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the solid electrolyte ([0010], [0011], [0013]) comprises a bond ([0030]) between the hydrophilic group ([0034]) of the amphiphilic compound and the surface of the sulfide-containing solid electrolyte ([0010], [0011], [0013], [0030]).
Regarding claim 8, Yu et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the sulfide-containing solid electrolyte comprises Li6PS5Cl ([0021]).
Regarding claim 14, Yu et al. discloses in Figs 1-6, an all-solid-state battery ([0004], [0045]) comprising a cathode ([0045], [0050]), an anode ([0045], [0050]), and the solid electrolyte ([0010], [0011], [0013], [0045]) as set forth above.
Regarding claim 15, modified Yu et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the solid electrolyte is positioned as a film ([0051]) having a layered structure ([0051]) between ([0050], separator is optional) the cathode ([0045], [0050]) and the anode ([0045], [0050]).
Regarding claim 16, modified Yu et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the solid electrolyte is mixed and contained in ([0056]) a cathode active material ([0056]).
Regarding claim 18, Yu et al. discloses in Figs 1-6, a battery module ([0003], EV vehicle inherently includes a battery module) comprising an all-solid-state battery ([0003], [0004], [0025], [0055]), wherein the all-solid-state battery ([0003], [0004], [0025], [0055]) comprises a positive electrode ([0045], [0050]), a negative electrode ([0045], [0050]) and a solid electrolyte membrane ([0045]) interposed between them, wherein the solid electrolyte membrane ([0045]) comprises: a solid electrolyte ([0010], [0011], [0013]) comprising a sulfide-containing solid electrolyte ([0021], [0040], [0041]); and a modified layer ([0010], [0011], [0013]) on a surface of the solid electrolyte ([0010], [0011], [0013]), said modified layer comprising an amphiphilic compound ([0007], [0011], [0013], [0034], [0035]), wherein the amphiphilic compound comprises at least one hydrophilic group ([0034]) and at least one hydrophobic group ([0011], [0013], [0035]), wherein the hydrophilic group ([0034]) of the amphiphilic compound is at least a thiol group ([0034]), and wherein the hydrophobic group ([0011], [0013], [0035]) of the amphiphilic compound is a hydrocarbon group substituted with fluorine ([0011], [0013], [0035]) or an organosilicon compound ([0011], [0013], [0035]).
Regarding claim 18, Yu et al. discloses in Figs 1-6, an electric vehicle ([0003]) comprising a battery module ([0003], EV vehicle inherently includes a battery module) comprising an all-solid-state battery ([0003], [0004], [0025], [0055]), wherein the all-solid-state battery comprises a positive electrode ([0045], [0050]), a negative electrode ([0045], [0050]) and a solid electrolyte membrane ([0045]) interposed between them, wherein the solid electrolyte membrane ([0045]) comprises: a solid electrolyte ([0010], [0011], [0013]) comprising a sulfide-containing solid electrolyte ([0021], [0040], [0041]); and a modified layer ([0010], [0011], [0013]) on a surface of the solid electrolyte ([0010], [0011], [0013]), said modified layer comprising an amphiphilic compound ([0007], [0011], [0013], [0034], [0035]), wherein the amphiphilic compound comprises at least one hydrophilic group ([0034]) and at least one hydrophobic group ([0011], [0013], [0035]), wherein the hydrophilic group ([0034]) of the amphiphilic compound is at least a thiol group ([0034]), and wherein the hydrophobic group ([0011], [0013], [0035]) of the amphiphilic compound is a hydrocarbon group substituted with fluorine ([0011], [0013], [0035]) or an organosilicon compound ([0011], [0013], [0035]).
Regarding claim 20, Yu et al. discloses in Figs 1-6, an electric vehicle ([0003]) as set forth above, wherein the electric vehicle is an electric vehicle (EV) ([0003]).
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.
Claim 9-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al. (US 2022/0131184) as applied to claim 1 above.
Regarding claim 9, Yu et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses a content of the amphiphilic compound is 99-1% by weight based on 100% by weight of the solid electrolyte for the all-solid-state battery ([0057], relative to amount of binder, etc.), which overlaps the 5 – 30% by weight of the instant claim. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing the invention to have selected the overlapping portion of the ranges disclosed by the reference because selection of overlapping portion of ranges has been held to be a prima facie case of obviousness. In re Malagari, 182 USPQ 549.
Regarding claims 10-12, Yu et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses a thickness of the modified layer comprising the amphiphilic compound is ≥1 nm ([0037]), which overlaps that of the thicknesses of the instant claims. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing the invention to have selected the overlapping portion of the ranges disclosed by the reference because selection of overlapping portion of ranges has been held to be a prima facie case of obviousness. In re Malagari, 182 USPQ 549.
Claims 3-7, 13 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al. (US 2022/0131184) as applied to claims 1 and 14 above, and further in view of Kim et al. (US 2020/0203759).
Regarding claims 3-7, 13 and 17, Yu et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above but does not explicitly disclose the amphiphilic compound is a perfluorothiol-containing compound which is CF3(CF2)7(CH2)2SH, wherein the hydrophilic group of the perfluorothiol-containing compound is bonded with the solid electrolyte, and the hydrophobic group of perfluorothiol-containing compound is located at an outermost part of the solid electrolyte and the electrolyte includes a liquid.
Kim et al. discloses in Figs 1-6, a lithium secondary battery (Abstract) including an electrolyte comprising 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecanethiol ([0026]) bonded to / part of the electrolyte ([0022], [0026]) with the hydrophobic group of perfluorothiol-containing compound is located at an outermost part of the solid electrolyte ([0022], [0026], material bonds to electrode material) and solvent ([0022]). This configuration allows the 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecanethiol to bond to one end of an electrode material ([0022]-[0026]) to enhance battery capacity, cycle life, and overall performance ([0020]-[0022]).
Yu et al. and Kim et al. are analogous since both deal in the same field of endeavor, namely, batteries.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to incorporate the 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecanethiol and solvent disclosed by Kim et al. into the electrolyte of Yu et al. to enhance bonding of the modified layer and therefore enhance battery capacity, cycle life, and overall performance.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Kim et al. (US 2019/0319272) discloses in Figs 1-7, a secondary battery (Abstract) including an electrolyte comprising 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecanethiol ([0022]).
Isojima et al. (US 2019/0319272) discloses in Fig 1, a secondary battery (Abstract) including an electrolyte comprising 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecanethiol ([0420]).
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.
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/KENNETH J DOUYETTE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725
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