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 without traverse of Group I, claims 1-4 and 15 in the reply filed on 7/9/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 18-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
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 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Shi et al. (CN 110970667 A). It is noted that the disclosures of Shi et al. are based on a machine translation of the reference included with this action.
Regarding claims 1 and 15:
Shi et al discloses anhydrous yttrium chloride and anhydrous lithium bromide, or anhydrous yttrium chloride, anhydrous lithium bromide and anhydrous lithium bromide, are mixed according to the chemical formula Li3YClxBr6-x, wherein 3≤x<6, i.e. M is Y and X is Cl and Br. The resulting mixture is ball-milled in a ball mill jar, i.e. pulverized, and forms a pre-crystallized composite material (0041).
Shi et al. also discloses the pre-crystallized composite material can be calcined in a nitrogen or argon atmosphere at a temperature of 300–600°C for 3–5 hours to obtain a composite halide solid electrolyte (0044), i.e. heat treatment.
Further, Shi et al. also discloses a negative electrode sheet, positive electrode sheet, and the solid electrolyte were assembled into a CR2032 battery (0077).
Given the processes and materials disclosed by Shi et al. as set forth above are the same as the process of the present specification, the products obtained therefrom would necessarily possess a coefficient of variation of a content of the M is less than or equal to 10 and a coefficient of variation of a content of the X is less than or equal to 15.
Regarding claim 2:
Given the processes and materials disclosed by Shi et al. as set forth above are the same as the process of the present specification and the materials as presently claimed, the products obtained therefrom would necessarily possess an average value of a content of O atoms relative to a total of all atoms other than Li atoms is less than or equal to 2.5 atom%.
Alternatively, given that no oxide is present in the starting materials, the solid electrolyte product would necessarily possess an average value of a content of O atoms relative to a total of all atoms other than Li atoms is less than or equal to 2.5 atom%.
Regarding claim 3:
Given the processes and materials disclosed by Shi et al. as set forth above are the same as the process of the present specification and the materials as presently claimed, a content of atoms of the M determined by an electron probe micro analyzer would necessarily satisfy AM - 3σM ≤ content of M atoms ≤ AM + 3σM.
Regarding claim 4:
Given the processes and materials disclosed by Shi et al. as set forth above are the same as the process of the present specification and the materials as presently claimed, a content of atoms of the X determined by an electron probe micro analyzer would necessarily satisfy AX - 3σX ≤ content of X atoms ≤ AX + 3σX.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MADISON E. BROWN whose telephone number is (571)775-5984. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 8am-6pm.
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/MADISON ELIZABETH BROWN/Examiner, Art Unit 1787
/CALLIE E SHOSHO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1787
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