CTNF 18/441,150 CTNF 95686 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 1-4 and 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suzuki (JP2018174038A, as given in the 02/14/2024 and 04/29/2025 IDS, using the provided machine English translation from Espacenet) in view of Kawakami (US 20170200943 A1) . Regarding claims 1 and 6-7 , Suzuki discloses a secondary battery which is a lithium-ion secondary battery (secondary battery 100 in Fig. 1; see entire disclosure and especially P1, 21, 26-27, 61) comprising: a positive electrode (10 in Fig. 1; see entire disclosure and especially P21, 28); a negative electrode (20 in Fig. 1; see entire disclosure and especially P20-21, 28); and an electrolytic solution (see entire disclosure and especially P62-65), wherein the negative electrode includes a polyrotaxane (negative electrode including a binder of polyrotaxane; see entire disclosure and especially P43, 54). Suzuki discloses wherein the negative electrode can also include an active material of silicon (see entire disclosure and especially P20). However, Suzuki does not disclose wherein the negative electrode includes an organic fiber compound. In a similar field of endeavor, Kawakami teaches an electrode including an active material of silicon (201 in Fig. 2), a binder (203 in Fig. 2), and a fiber-shaped reinforcing material (204 in Fig. 2; P59). Kawakami teaches the fiber-shaped reinforcing material can be a cellulose nanofiber, a chitin nanofiber, or a chitosan nanofiber (P60). Kawakami teaches by mixing the fiber-shaped material with the binder, it is possible to improve the mechanical strength, as well as to improve the strength against stress associated with the expansion or contraction of the volume which occurs when the active material containing silicon as a main component stores or releases lithium (P60). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized the teaching of Kawakami and provided wherein the negative electrode of Suzuki further includes an organic fiber compound, such as a cellulose nanofiber material, a chitin nanofiber material, or a chitosan nanofiber material, given Suzuki discloses wherein their negative electrode active material can be silicon and Kawakami teaches by mixing these fiber materials with a binder, it is possible to improve the mechanical strength, as well as to improve the strength against stress associated with the expansion or contraction of the volume which occurs when the active material containing silicon as a main component stores or releases lithium. Regarding claim 2 , modified Suzuki meets the limitation wherein the organic fiber compound includes at least one of cellulose, chitin, or chitosan (a cellulose nanofiber, a chitin nanofiber, or a chitosan nanofiber material; see the rejection of claim 1). Regarding claim 3 , Suzuki discloses wherein the polyrotaxane includes a cyclic molecule and a linear molecule penetrating the cyclic molecule (“Generally, a molecule in which a linear molecule passes through the ring of a cyclic molecule and both ends of the linear molecule are fixed by large terminal groups, is called a polyrotaxane”, P54), the linear molecule has an end group that serves as a steric hindrance to the cyclic molecule at each of opposite ends (“This polymer is characterized by a cyclic molecule (cyclodextrin) penetrating a linear polymer (polyethylene glycol), with the linear polymer having sterically hindering end groups at both ends”, P54), the cyclic molecule includes at least one of a cyclodextrin, a crown ether, a thiocrown ether, a cyclophane, a calixarene, a thiocalixarene, a cucurbituril, a pillararene, or a cyclic amide (cyclodextrin, “Cyclodextrins, which are cyclic molecules, can be crosslinked with compounds selected from the group consisting of isocyanate groups, thioisocyanate groups, oxirane groups, oxetane groups, carbodiimide groups, silanol groups, oxazoline groups, and aziridine groups”, P54), the linear molecule includes at least one of polyethylene glycol, polyoxymethylene, polypropylene oxide, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylidene difluoride, a straight-chain alkane, an amide, or ammonium (“Linear polymers are selected from the group consisting of, for example, polyolefin resins such as polyethylene glycol, polyethylene oxide, polypropylene glycol, polypropylene oxide, polyethylene, polypropylene, and copolymer resins with other olefin monomers; polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyvinylpyrrolidone, poly(meth)acrylic acid, casein, polyester resins; polystyrene resins such as polystyrene and acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer resins; acrylic resins such as polymethyl methacrylate and (meth)acrylic acid ester copolymers and acrylonitrile-methyl acrylate copolymer resins; polyvinyl butyral resin, polyisobutylene, polytetrahydrofuran, polyaniline, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS resin), nylon, and other polyamides and polyimides”, P54), and the end group includes at least one of a dinitrophenyl group, a cyclodextrin group, an adamantyl group, a trityl group, a fluoresceinyl group, a pyrenyl group, or an anthracenyl group (“The terminal groups are selected from the group consisting of dinitrophenyl groups, cyclodextrins, adamantane groups, trityl groups, fluoresceins, silsesquioxanes, pyrenes, and benzenes”, P54). Regarding claim 4 , modified Suzuki meets the limitation wherein the negative electrode includes a negative electrode active material layer, and the negative electrode active material layer includes a negative electrode active material which an electrode reactant is insertable into and extractable from, the polyrotaxane, and the organic fiber compound (Suzuki discloses the negative electrode 20 includes negative electrode mixture layer 24 in Fig. 1; the negative electrode mixture layer contains a negative electrode active material, which can be silicon, and a binder, which includes polyrotaxane; see entire disclosure and especially P20, 40, 42-51, 54; the combination of Suzuki and Kawakami in the rejection of claim 1 incorporated a cellulose nanofiber, a chitin nanofiber, or a chitosan nanofiber material with the binder; see the rejection of claim 1) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 1 and 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong et al (US 20160164078 A1) in view of Zhamu et al (US 20190051905 A1) in view of Wang et al (US 20210336250 A1) . Regarding claims 1 and 5-7 , Hong discloses a lithium-ion secondary battery comprising: a positive electrode; a negative electrode; and an electrolytic solution (“there is provided a lithium secondary battery including a cathode, an anode, a separator interposed between the cathode and the anode, and an electrolyte solution”, P22). Hong discloses a negative electrode wherein the negative electrode includes a negative electrode active material which an electrode reactant is insertable into and extractable from (electrode active material which can be an anode active material; see entire disclosure and especially P32, 35), the negative electrode active material includes a center part which the electrode reactant is insertable into and extractable from (core which can be a lithium metal; see entire disclosure and especially P32), and a covering part covering a surface of the center part (shell including lithium metal oxide particles and a polymer; see entire disclosure and especially P32, 34, 44; as drawn to claim 5). Hong discloses a side reaction with an electrolyte solution can be reduced due to the covering part including a polymer, thereby improving safety and stability (P44). However, Hong does not disclose wherein the covering part includes polyrotaxane and an organic fiber compound (as drawn to claims 1, 5, and 7). In a similar field of endeavor, Zhamu teaches an anode-protecting layer disposed between an anode active material layer and a separator of a battery (see Fig. 2; P48, 57, 62). Zhamu teaches the anode active material layer can include a layer or lithium or lithium alloy (P13). Zhamu teaches the anode-protecting layer includes a polyrotaxane network (P79-82). Zhamu teaches an issue with lithium anodes is the continuing reactions between an electrolyte and the lithium, leading to repeated formation of “dead lithium-containing species” that cannot be re-deposited back to the anode and become isolated from the anode (P10). Zhamu teaches these reactions continue to irreversibly consume electrolyte and lithium metal, resulting in rapid capacity decay (P10). Zhamu teaches their anode-protecting layer was formed as an effective way to overcome the lithium metal dendrite and reaction problems in all types of Li metal batteries having a lithium metal anode (P12). Zhamu teaches their anode-protecting layer eliminates the formation of dendrites, provides uniform deposition of lithium back to an anode side of the battery, ensures smooth an uninterrupted transport of lithium ions with minimal interfacial resistance, and cycle stability can be significantly improved and cycle life increased (P60). While the polyrotaxane network forming the anode-protecting layer of Zhamu is used in a film rather than a coating for an active material particle, the polyrotaxane is the material of the anode-protecting layer providing the benefits as taught by Zhamu. If a technique has been used to improve one device (utilize a polyrotaxane network within a film provided to an anode active material layer to eliminate formation of dendrite, provide uniform deposition of lithium back to an anode, ensure smooth and uninterrupted transport of lithium ions with minimal interfacial resistance, and cycle stability can be significantly improved and cycle life increased), and a person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that it would improve similar devices in the same way (utilize a polyrotaxane network within a coating provided on an anode active material core to eliminate formation of dendrite, provide uniform deposition of lithium back to an anode, ensure smooth and uninterrupted transport of lithium ions with minimal interfacial resistance, and cycle stability can be significantly improved and cycle life increased), using the technique is obvious unless its actual application is beyond his or her skill. SEE MPEP § 2141 (III) Rationale C, KSR v. Teleflex (Supreme Court 2007). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized the teaching of Zhamu and selected the covering part of Hong to include a polymer including a polyrotaxane network, given Hong desires their covering part to reduce a side reaction with the electrolytic solution, Zhamu teaches a polyrotaxane network-containing anode-protecting layer can eliminate the formation of dendrites, provide uniform deposition of lithium back to an anode side of the battery, ensure smooth an uninterrupted transport of lithium ions with minimal interfacial resistance, improve cycle stability, and increase cycle life, and the selection of a known material, which is based upon its suitability for the intended use, is within the ambit of one of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Leshin , 125 USPQ 416 (CCPA 1960) (see MPEP § 2144.07). However, Hong does not disclose wherein the covering part includes an organic fiber compound (as drawn to claims 1, 5, and 7). In a similar field of endeavor, Wang teaches an anode layer can include a reinforcing filler that can comprise fibrous cellulose to improve cohesion and mechanical properties (P26-27). While Wang teaches the fibrous cellulose as a reinforcing filler for an anode layer in general rather than for a covering part of a negative electrode active material center part, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize how beneficial it would be to provide the covering part with improved cohesion and mechanical properties. If a technique has been used to improve one device (utilize a reinforcing filler of fibrous cellulose in an anode layer to improve cohesion and mechanical properties of the anode layer), and a person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that it would improve similar devices in the same way (utilize a reinforcing filler of fibrous cellulose in a negative electrode active material covering layer to improve cohesion and mechanical properties of the negative electrode active material covering layer), using the technique is obvious unless its actual application is beyond his or her skill. SEE MPEP § 2141 (III) Rationale C, KSR v. Teleflex (Supreme Court 2007). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized the teaching of Wang and provided wherein the covering part includes an organic fiber compound, such as fibrous cellulose, given Wang teaches fibrous cellulose provided within a layer can improve cohesion and mechanical properties. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Mary Harris whose telephone number is (571)272-0690. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 am-5 pm 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, Ula Ruddock can be reached at (571)272-1481. 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. /MARY GRACE HARRIS/Examiner, Art Unit 1729 Application/Control Number: 18/441,150 Page 2 Art Unit: 1729 Application/Control Number: 18/441,150 Page 3 Art Unit: 1729 Application/Control Number: 18/441,150 Page 4 Art Unit: 1729 Application/Control Number: 18/441,150 Page 5 Art Unit: 1729 Application/Control Number: 18/441,150 Page 7 Art Unit: 1729 Application/Control Number: 18/441,150 Page 8 Art Unit: 1729 Application/Control Number: 18/441,150 Page 9 Art Unit: 1729
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