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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Species I, claims 1-11 and 14-20, in the reply filed on May 4, 2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that search and examination of claims 12 and 13 will not require different fields of search or result in inapplicable prior art across different species. This is not found persuasive because references which disclose a polymer spin coating or spraying process do not necessarily also disclose a polymer electroplating process. The closest prior art of Jang, cited by Applicant, discloses a polymer spraying process but does not disclose a polymer electroplating process.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1, 4, 5, 7-11, 15, 16, 18 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jang (U.S. Pub. No. 2022/0190346 A1, cited by Applicant).
Regarding claims 1 and 9, Jang teaches a lithium secondary battery comprising a cathode, an anode, and a separator-electrolyte assembly (electrolyte) disposed between the cathode and the anode, wherein the anode comprises: (a) an anode current collector (current collector); and (b) a thin layer of a high-elasticity polymer composite (deformable layer) in ionic contact with the electrolyte and disposed between the anode current collector and the electrolyte (see paragraph 59). During a first charging procedure of the lithium battery, lithium comes out of the cathode active material (lithium intercalation material), migrates to the anode side, passes through the high-elasticity polymer composite layer and deposits on the anode current collector (lithium metal anode) (see paragraph 67).
Regarding claims 4 and 15, Jang teaches that the polymer composite has a thickness from 1 nm to 100 μm (see paragraph 59).
Regarding claims 5 and 16, Jang teaches that the high-elasticity polymer may form a mixture, blend, or semi-interpenetrating network with an electron-conducting polymer selected from polyaniline, polypyrrole, polythiophene, derivatives thereof, or a combination thereof (see paragraph 104).
Regarding claims 7 and 18, Jang teaches that the high-elasticity polymer can be mixed with a broad array of materials including carbon nanotubes or graphene sheets (see paragraph 99).
Regarding claim 8 and 19, Jang teaches that the high-elasticity polymer can be mixed with a broad array of materials including elastomers (see paragraph 99).
Regarding claim 10, Jang teaches that polymer layer formation can be accomplished by using one of several procedures well-known in the art such as spraying (see paragraph 89).
Regarding claim 11, as spray coating processes are well known in the art, it is well within the ambit of the ordinary artisan to control the thickness of the polymer layer of Jang during a spray formation thereof by controlling a viscosity and concentration of the polymer material and controlling a rotational speed of the current collector and a duration of deposition of the polymeric material.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 20 is allowed.
Claims 2, 3, 6, 14 and 17 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEPHAN J ESSEX whose telephone number is (571)270-7866. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 6:00 pm.
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/STEPHAN J ESSEX/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1727
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