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 .
Terminal Disclaimer
Terminal Disclaimer The terminal disclaimer filed on June 27, 2025 disclaiming the terminal portion of any patent granted on this application which would extend beyond the expiration date of 17/841,872 has been reviewed and is accepted. The terminal disclaimer has been recorded.
Information Disclosure Statement
Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statements (IDSs) submitted on April 1, 2025 and June 2, 2025 were filed after the mailing date of the non-final action, on March 10, 2025. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-4 and 6-7 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claims 1-4 and 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshida et al. (US PGPub 2020/0020936) in view of Watanabe (US PGPub 2022/0200046).
With regard to claims 1-4, 6 and 7, Yoshida et al. also teach the use of a binder in a battery comprising a cathode layer (1), an electrolyte layer (8), and an anode layer (2) in the order of the thickness direction (Fig. 1). The electrolyte layer (3) may include an inorganic solid electrolyte, for example, an inorganic solid electrolyte such as a sulfide solid electrolyte. See [0015], [0051] and [0067]. The cathode layer contains at least one of an electrolyte, a conductive material, and a binder. The electrolyte in the cathode layer (2) includes inorganic solid electrolytes such as sulfide solid electrolyte. See [0056], [0063], [0065], and [0067]. The anode layer (2) includes at least an electrolyte, a conductive material, a binder, and a polymer electrolyte. The polymer electrolyte preferably includes polyethylene oxide and polypropylene oxide. See [0051], [0054], [0065], [0067], and [0076].
Yoshida et al. teach substantially the claimed invention except for the proportion of the inorganic solid electrolyte with respect to all the solid electrolyte in the cathode layer is 70 volume% or more, the proportion of the inorganic solid electrolyte with respect to all the solid electrolyte in the solid electrolyte layer is 70 volume% or more,
and the proportion of the polymer electrolyte with respect to all the solid electrolyte in the anode layer is 70 volume% or more.
However, Watanabe teaches an all solid-state battery 10 shown in FIG. 1 comprises cathode layer 1, anode layer 2, solid electrolyte layer 3 formed between cathode layer 1 and anode layer 2. See [0009], and [0020]. The cathode layer 1 includes a complex cathode active material and halide solid electrolyte. See [0020]. The halide solid electrolyte is a solid electrolyte containing an X element wherein X is a halogen, as a main component of an anion. See [0020]. The cathode layer may include a solid electrolyte other than the halide solid electrolyte, and the former is preferable. In the latter case, the proportion of the halide solid electrolyte to all the solid electrolyte included in the cathode layer is, for example, 50 volume % or more, may be 70 volume % or more, and may be 90 volume % or more. See [0039]. Example of the solid electrolyte other than the halide solid electrolyte may include the solid electrolyte to be described in the “[0042] 2. Anode layer” section. The anode layer 2 includes a Si based anode active material. See [0043]. The anode layer may include only the sulfide solid electrolyte as the solid electrolyte, may include a solid electrolyte other than the sulfide solid electrolyte, and the former is preferable. Examples of the solid electrolyte other than the sulfide solid electrolyte may include inorganic solid electrolytes such as hydride solid electrolyte, oxide solid electrolyte, and nitride solid electrolyte. See [0048]. In the latter case, the proportion of the sulfide solid electrolyte to all the solid electrolyte included in the anode layer is, for example, 50 volume % or more, may be 70 volumes % or more, and may be 90 volume % or more. Watanabe further teaches that solid electrolyte other than the halide solid electrolyte may include the solid electrolyte under the “Anode layer’ section, such as a sulfide solid electrolyte. Further, Watanabe teaches that the solid electrolyte layer includes a solid electrolyte preferably a sulfide solid electrolyte. The kind and the proportion are similar to those described under the “[0042] 2. Anode layer’ description.
Watanabe further teaching that the components of the all solid-state battery are capable of suppressing the increase of the heating value such that the heating value in the cathode may be remarkably suppressed when the cathode layer includes a predetermined complex cathode active material and the solid electrolyte.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art the time the of filing of the claimed invention to solid electrolyte at the proportions taught by Watanabe in order to suppress the heating value of the all-solid-state battery as clearly taught by Watanabe.
With regard to claims 1 and 7, the in a plan view along with the thickness direction of the all-solid-state battery, an area of the anode layer is smaller than an area of the solid electrolyte layer and an area of the cathode layer and the S1/Sz is 1.05 or more and S3/Sz is 1.05 or more, where S:1 designates an area of the cathode layer, S2 designates an area of the anode layer, and Ss designates an area of the solid electrolyte layer. It has been noticed that the recitation of “an area’ in the claim appears to be arbitrary with respect to the total area of the respective layer. In other words, the particular structure of each of layers as well as it corresponding dimension to include its area is not restrictive to the entire surface of the layer, and may encompass a particular section thereof.
Therefore, as Watanabe teaches the same claimed layered structure, it would be expected that a particular sectional area of each of the layers meet the S1/S2 and S3/Se2 ratios as no particular structure/area for each of the layers has been established that would distinguish over the prior art.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
EP 3 605 664 to Fujino et al.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/MILTON I CANO/Supervisory Patent Examiner
Art Unit 1723
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