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 Gropu I (Claims 1-7) in the reply filed on 9/17/26 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that the Office failed to provide evidence showing that the product of Group I can be made by a materially different process under MPEP 806.05(f)(B), or that the process of Group II can make a materially different product under MPEP 806.05(f)(A). This is not found persuasive because:
Under MPEP 806.05(f)(B), a product and a process of making the product are patentably distinct if the product as claimed can be made by another and materially different process.
The product of Claim 1 is an argyrodite sulfide solid electrolyte comprising Li, P, S, and Cl, wherein
H
a
/
P
≥
1.3
and the
C
l
35
-NMR spectrum exhibits
S
B
/
S
A
≥
3.5
.
Contrary to Applicant’s assertion that the Office merely stated a conclusion without evidence of feasibility, the evidentiary record directly demonstrates that argyrodite solid electrolytes possessing
H
a
/
P
≥
1.3
can be synthesized by a materially different process that does not include the homogeneous intermediate/molten liquid steps of Group II. Specifically, US 2021/0320329 A1 (US’329) explicitly discloses a viable, alternative solid-state reaction method for synthesizing
L
i
6
-
x
P
S
5
-
x
C
l
1
+
x
(
x
=
0.3
t
o
0.7
, satisfying
H
a
/
P
=
1.3
t
o
1.7
) by:
Grinding stoichiometric amounts of
L
i
2
S
,
P
2
S
5
, and
L
i
C
l
;
Ball-milling the powder for only 30 minutes;
Pre-heating the powder at
300
∘
C
for 12 hours under Ar;
Pelletizing the unreacted/partially reacted powder under
400
M
P
a
; and
Sintering the consolidated pellets under static vacuum in a quartz tube at
440
∘
C
to
550
∘
C
for 12 hours (US'329, paragraphs [0260]–[0261]).
The process of US’329 does not involve forming a homogeneous molten liquid at
600
∘
C
to
800
∘
C
followed by rapid cooling, nor does it require prolonged mechanochemical milling until raw material XRD and Raman peaks disappear under a controlled dew point, as recited in the Group II claims. Because US’329 provides factual evidence of a viable, alternative solid-state pelletization and sintering process capable of forming high-halogen argyrodite materials, the requirement of MPEP 806.05(f)(B) is fully satisfied on the record.
Furthermore, under MPEP 806.05(f)(A), the process as claimed can also be used to make another and materially different product.
The method of Claim 8 recites mixing raw materials, reacting the mixture to prepare an intermediate, and heat-treating the intermediate. Claim 8 does not restrict the starting feed or stoichiometric proportion to
H
a
/
P
≥
1.3
. Applying the claimed process to conventional precursor ratios (such as a 1:1 halogen-to-phosphorus ratio) produces standard stoichiometric argyrodite
L
i
6
P
S
5
C
l
(
H
a
/
P
=
1.0
), which is a materially different product exhibiting different crystallographic site occupancies, distinct lattice parameters, and lower room-temperature ionic conductivity (
1
t
o
2
m
S
/
c
m
vs.
>
5
m
S
/
c
m
).
Lastly, applicant asserts that searching all claims would not impose a serious burden on the Office. This argument is unpersuasive.
A serious search and examination burden exists because the restricted groups require distinct, non-overlapping search strategies in separate technological classifications:
Group I (Claims 1–7) is directed to a solid electrolyte composition characterized by specific atomic ratios (
H
a
/
P
≥
1.3
) and solid-state
C
l
35
-NMR spectral area ratios (
S
B
/
S
A
≥
3.5
). This requires a compositional and structural search focused on crystal lattices, halogen doping thresholds, and NMR spectra in C01B 25/14 (thiophosphates).
Group II (Claims 8–13) is directed to specific manufacturing methodologies involving heating rates, temperature dwells for melt processing (
600
-
-
800
∘
C
), rapid cooling crystallization profiles, and mechanochemical milling parameters. This requires a divergent process-engineering search focused on thermal profiles, furnace reactors, and milling kinetics in CPC Classes B01J 19/00, and B02C 17/00.
Searching the process parameters of Group II requires an extensive, divergent field of search not coextensive with the compositional limitations of Group I. Therefore, examining both groups in a single application constitutes a serious burden under MPEP 803.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 9/18/25 and 3/28/24 were filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements have been considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 4/18/24. These drawings are acceptable.
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.
Claims 1 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2021/0320329 A1 (US'329) in view of US 2019/0305371 A1 (US'371).
As to Claim 1:
US'329 discloses a sulfide solid electrolyte to be used for a lithium-ion secondary battery, the sulfide solid electrolyte comprising (US'329, [0008]–[0009], [0121]–[0123], Claims 41–42); an argyrodite crystal phase comprising Li, P, S, and Ha, wherein the Ha is one or more halogen elements comprising at least Cl (US'329, [0008], [0105], [0260]–[0263], Claim 16); a content ratio represented by
H
a
/
P
(atomic ratio) is 1.3 or more, where
P
is a content of the P and
H
a
is a total content of the Ha (US'329, [0260], [0268]–[0270]); in a
C
l
35
-NMR spectrum, a peak observed at 0 ppm to 30 ppm (assigned to Cl at the 4d site, resonating at 9 ppm) and a peak observed at -150 ppm to 0 ppm (assigned to Cl at the 4a site, resonating at -25 ppm) (US'329, [0270]–[0274], [0277]–[0278], FIG. 47); and the
C
l
35
-NMR spectrum is measured under conditions wherein measurement is made using LiCl as an external standard, a chemical shift position having a highest intensity in an obtained
C
l
35
-NMR spectrum is set to 9.93 ppm, and measurement is made using a probe for 3.2 mm solid (US'329, [0261], [0282]).
However, US'329 does not explicitly disclose that in the
C
l
35
-NMR spectrum, an area intensity ratio represented by
S
B
/
S
A
is 3.5 or more, where
S
A
is an area intensity of a peak observed at 0 ppm to 30 ppm and
S
B
is an area intensity of a peak observed at -150 ppm to 0 ppm, or that no peak is observed at 0 ppm to 30 ppm, and does not explicitly recite the specific measurement condition of a single pulse method, a pulse width of 2.45 µs, an observation center of 20 ppm, an observation width of 1000 ppm, a relaxation delay of 10 sec, a cumulative number of 1024, and a rotation speed of 15 kHz.
US'371 discloses sulfide solid electrolytes having an argyrodite-type crystal structure comprising Li, P, S, and halogens (US'371, [0017], [0030], [0032]), and teaches that in conventional methods, halogens do not sufficiently occupy the crystal sites of the argyrodite structure (US'371, [0035], [0041], [0088]). US'371 further teaches that by applying intensive mechanical stress via mechanical milling (e.g., planetary ball milling at 370 rpm for 15 hours) or multi-axial kneading to obtain an intermediate containing a glass/amorphous component, halogens become highly dispersed and are efficiently introduced into the sites of the argyrodite crystal structure upon subsequent heat treatment to enhance ionic conductivity (US'371, [0088], [0206]), wherein chlorine selectively and preferentially incorporates into the 4d site of the argyrodite crystal structure (US'371, [0041], [0233]).
US'329 and US'371 are analogous arts because both references are in the identical field of endeavor of sulfide solid electrolytes for all-solid-state lithium-ion secondary batteries and are both pertinent to the problem of increasing halogen site occupancy and lithium-ion conductivity in argyrodite crystal phases (US'329, [0003]–[0006]; US'371, [0002]–[0006]).
It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to modify the preparation method of US'329 by utilizing the high-energy amorphizing mechanical milling method taught by US'371 (US'371, [0088]) when synthesizing the high-chlorine argyrodite compositions of US'329 (US'329, [0260]), in order to highly disperse the halogen raw materials and drive chlorine preferentially into the 4d site (US'371, [0088], [0233]), because US'329 expressly teaches that increasing Cl occupancy at the 4d site flattens the Li-ion energy landscape, lowers the activation energy barrier, and maximizes ionic conductivity (US'329, [0270]–[0274], [0277]–[0278]), thereby arriving at the claimed area intensity ratio
S
B
/
S
A
≥
3.5
, and to operate the NMR spectrometer of US'329 under routine single-pulse acquisition parameters (15 kHz rotation speed, 2.45 µs pulse width, 10 s delay, 1024 scans) to record the quantitative
C
l
35
-NMR spectrum.
As to Claim 5:
See the rejection of Claim 1 from which Claim 5 depends; and US'329 discloses wherein when the argyrodite crystal phase is represented by
L
i
a
P
S
b
H
a
c
, element ratios represented by a, b, and c satisfy relationships of
5
≤
a
≤
7
,
4
≤
b
≤
6
and
1.3
≤
c
≤
2
(US'329 discloses compositions represented by formula
L
i
6
-
a
P
S
5
-
a
X
1
+
a
with
a
=
0
t
o
0.7
, which provides
a
=
5.3
t
o
6.0
,
b
=
4.3
t
o
5.0
, and
c
=
1.3
t
o
1.7
, such as
L
i
5.7
P
S
4.7
C
l
1.3
where
a
=
5.7
,
b
=
4.7
,
c
=
1.3
;
L
i
5.5
P
S
4.5
C
l
1.5
where
a
=
5.5
,
b
=
4.5
,
c
=
1.5
;
L
i
5.3
P
S
4.3
C
l
1.7
where
a
=
5.3
,
b
=
4.3
,
c
=
1.7
; and dual-halide
L
i
5.7
P
S
4.7
C
l
0.9
B
r
0.4
where
a
=
5.7
,
b
=
4.7
,
c
=
1.3
) (US'329, [0105]–[0108], [0116], [0178]–[0180], [0260], [0280]–[0286].
Claims 2-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2021/0320329 A1 (US'329) in view of US 2019/0305371 A1 (US'371), in further view of NPL Patel (Tunable Lithium-Ion Transport in Mixed-Halide Argyrodites Li6−xPS5−xClBrx: An Unusual Compositional Space by Sawankumar V. Patel et al.).
As to Claim 2:
See the rejection of Claim 1 from which Claim 2 depends; and US'329 discloses wherein the Ha is two or more halogen elements comprising Cl (US'329, [0105], [0116]–[0117], [0178]–[0180], [0188], [0280]–[0286]).
However, US'329 does not explicitly disclose the combination of two or more halogen elements comprising Cl with the specific
C
l
35
-NMR area intensity ratio
S
B
/
S
A
≥
3.5
.
US'371 and Patel disclose sulfide solid electrolytes having an argyrodite-type crystal structure comprising two or more halogen elements including Cl. Specifically, US'371 discloses argyrodite sulfide solid electrolytes comprising two or more halogen elements including Cl and Br, wherein the molar ratio of chlorine and bromine to phosphorus satisfies
1.2
<
c
+
d
<
1.9
(US'371, [0017]–[0018], [0042], Table 5, Claim 21). US'371 teaches that conventional methods fail to sufficiently introduce halogens into the crystal sites of the argyrodite structure (US'371, [0035], [0041], [0088]), and that applying intensive mechanical stress via mechanical milling (e.g., planetary ball milling at 370 rpm for 15 hours) or multi-axial kneading to obtain an intermediate containing a glass/amorphous component causes halogens to become highly dispersed and efficiently introduced into the sites of the argyrodite crystal structure upon subsequent heat treatment to enhance ionic conductivity (US'371, [0088], [0206]), wherein chlorine selectively and preferentially incorporates into the 4d site of the argyrodite crystal structure while bromine occupies the 4a site (US'371, [0041], [0233]). Furthermore, Patel discloses mixed-halide argyrodites of formula
L
i
6
-
x
P
S
5
-
x
C
l
B
r
x
(
0
≤
x
≤
0.8
, wherein
x
=
0.3,0.5,0.7
provides
H
a
/
P
≥
1.3
) comprising Li, P, S, Cl, and Br (Patel, Pgs. 1435–1437). Patel discloses solid-state
C
l
35
MAS NMR spectra of
L
i
6
-
x
P
S
5
-
x
C
l
B
r
x
identifying resonances at ~9 ppm (Cl at the 4d site, falling in the 0 to 30 ppm range) and -40 ppm (Cl at the 4a site, falling in the -150 to 0 ppm range) (Patel, Pg. 1438, Fig. 3a), and teaches that co-doping Cl with a second halogen like Br tailors anion disorder across the 4a and 4d sites, promotes high Li-ion dynamics, flattens the energy landscape, and provides record room-temperature ionic conductivity up to 24 mS/cm with an activation energy of 0.155 eV (Patel, Pgs. 1435, 1438–1441).
US'329, US'371, and Patel are analogous arts because all three references are in the identical field of endeavor of sulfide solid electrolytes for all-solid-state lithium-ion secondary batteries and are each pertinent to the problem of tailoring multi-halogen site occupancy, anion disorder, and crystal structure in argyrodites to maximize lithium-ion conductivity (US'329, [0003]–[0006], [0175]; US'371, [0002]–[0006], [0015], [0041]; Patel, Pgs. 1435–1436).
It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to incorporate two or more halogen elements comprising Cl into the argyrodite solid electrolyte as taught by US'329 (US'329, [0116], [0178]–[0180]), US'371 (US'371, [0017], [0042]), and Patel (Patel, Pgs. 1435–1437), and to modify the synthesis by utilizing the high-energy amorphizing mechanical milling method taught by US'371 (US'371, [0088]) to highly disperse the multiple halogen raw materials and drive chlorine preferentially into the 4d site of the argyrodite structure (US'371, [0088], [0233]; Patel, Pg. 1438), because US'329 and Patel teach that co-doping Cl with a second halogen increases anion disorder and coordination entropy while Cl occupancy at the 4d site flattens the energy landscape, reduces the activation barrier, and maximizes ionic conductivity (US'329, [0175], [0270]–[0274], [0280]; Patel, Pgs. 1435, 1438, 1441), thereby arriving at the claimed area intensity ratio
S
B
/
S
A
≥
3.5
, and to operate the NMR spectrometer under routine single-pulse acquisition parameters (15 kHz rotation speed, 2.45 µs pulse width, 10 s delay, 1024 scans) to record the quantitative
C
l
35
-NMR spectrum.
As to Claim 3:
See the rejection of Claim 1 from which Claim 3 depends; and US'329 discloses wherein the Ha is two or more halogen elements comprising Cl and Br (US'329, [0105], [0116], [0178]–[0180], [0280]–[0286]).
However, US'329 does not explicitly disclose the combination of Cl and Br with the specific
C
l
35
-NMR area intensity ratio
S
B
/
S
A
≥
3.5
.
US'371 and Patel disclose sulfide solid electrolytes having an argyrodite crystal structure comprising both Cl and Br. Specifically, US'371 discloses argyrodite sulfide solid electrolytes comprising both Cl and Br, wherein the molar ratio of chlorine and bromine to phosphorus satisfies
1.2
<
c
+
d
<
1.9
(US'371, [0017]–[0018], [0041]–[0042], Table 5, Claim 21). US'371 teaches that conventional methods fail to sufficiently introduce shalogens into the crystal sites of the argyrodite structure (US'371, [0035], [0041], [0088]), and that applying intensive mechanical stress via mechanical milling (e.g., planetary ball milling at 370 rpm for 15 hours) or multi-axial kneading to obtain an intermediate containing a glass/amorphous component causes halogens to become highly dispersed and efficiently introduced into the sites of the argyrodite crystal structure upon subsequent heat treatment to enhance ionic conductivity (US'371, [0088], [0206]), wherein chlorine selectively and preferentially incorporates into the 4d site of the argyrodite crystal structure while bromine occupies the 4a site (US'371, [0041], [0233]). Furthermore, Patel discloses mixed-halide argyrodites of formula
L
i
6
-
x
P
S
5
-
x
C
l
B
r
x
(
0
≤
x
≤
0.8
, wherein
x
=
0.3,0.5,0.7
provides
H
a
/
P
≥
1.3
) comprising Li, P, S, Cl, and Br (Patel, Pgs. 1435–1437). Patel discloses solid-state
C
l
35
MAS NMR spectra of
L
i
6
-
x
P
S
5
-
x
C
l
B
r
x
identifying resonances at ~9 ppm (Cl at the 4d site, falling in the 0 to 30 ppm range) and -40 ppm (Cl at the 4a site, falling in the -150 to 0 ppm range) (Patel, Pg. 1438, Fig. 3a), and teaches that co-doping Cl with Br tailors anion disorder across the 4a and 4d sites, promotes high Li-ion dynamics, flattens the energy landscape, and provides record room-temperature ionic conductivity up to 24 mS/cm with an activation energy of 0.155 eV (Patel, Pgs. 1435, 1438–1441).
It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to incorporate two or more halogen elements comprising Cl and Br into the argyrodite solid electrolyte as taught by US'329 (US'329, [0116], [0178]–[0180]), US'371 (US'371, [0017], [0041]), and Patel (Patel, Pgs. 1435–1437), and to modify the synthesis by utilizing the high-energy amorphizing mechanical milling method taught by US'371 (US'371, [0088]) to highly disperse the Cl and Br raw materials and drive chlorine preferentially into the 4d site of the argyrodite structure (US'371, [0088], [0233]; Patel, Pg. 1438), because US'329 and Patel teach that co-doping Cl and Br increases anion disorder and coordination entropy while Cl occupancy at the 4d site flattens the energy landscape, reduces the activation barrier to 0.127–0.155 eV, and maximizes ionic conductivity (US'329, [0175], [0270]–[0274], [0280]; Patel, Pgs. 1435, 1438, 1441), thereby arriving at the claimed area intensity ratio
S
B
/
S
A
≥
3.5
, and to operate the NMR spectrometer under routine single-pulse acquisition parameters (15 kHz rotation speed, 2.45 µs pulse width, 10 s delay, 1024 scans) to record the quantitative
C
l
35
-NMR spectrum.
As to Claim 4:
See the rejection of Claim 1 and Claim 3 from which Claim 4 depends; and US'329 discloses wherein a content ratio represented by
C
l
/
B
r
(atomic ratio) is 0.2 to 3.0, where
C
l
is a content of Cl and
B
r
is a content of Br (US'329 discloses
L
i
5.7
P
S
4.7
C
l
0.9
B
r
0.4
where
C
l
/
B
r
=
2.25
,
L
i
5.7
P
S
4.7
C
l
0.8
B
r
0.5
where
C
l
/
B
r
=
1.6
, and
L
i
5.3
P
S
4.3
C
l
B
r
0.7
where
C
l
/
B
r
=
1.43
, all falling within 0.2 to 3.0) (US'329, [0116], [0178]–[0180], [0280]–[0286]).
Claims 6 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2021/0320329 A1 (US'329) in view of US 2019/0305371 A1 (US'371), in further view of NPL Zhang (All-in-one improvement toward Li6PS5Br-Based solid electrolytes triggered by compositional tune by Zhixia Zhang et al.).
As to Claim 6:
See the rejection of claim 1 from which claim 6 depends (US'329, [0008]–[0009], [0105], [0121]–[0123], [0260]–[0263]); and US'329 discloses that the argyrodite crystal phase comprises an anion framework composed of sulfur and halogen anions (US'329, [0105], [0108]).
However, US'329 does not explicitly disclose that the crystal structure of the argyrodite crystal phase comprises an anion, wherein the anion comprises an oxide anion having an M-O bond in which M and O are bonded, and M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of a metal element and a metalloid element in groups 2 to 14 of the periodic table.
US'371 discloses that an argyrodite sulfide solid electrolyte may contain metal and metalloid elements from Groups 13 and 14 of the periodic table, specifically mentioning silicon, germanium, tin, lead, boron, aluminum, and gallium, along with oxygen (US'371, [0052]), and explicitly teaches utilizing raw material compounds of formula
M
l
-
X
m
where M is selected from boron, aluminum, silicon, germanium, tin, lead, bismuth, "or those in which an oxygen element or a sulfur element are bonded to these elements" (US'371, [0078]–[0079]). Furthermore, Zhang discloses that incorporating oxygen into argyrodite solid electrolytes forms oxygen-containing structures that improve electrochemical and chemical stability against oxide cathodes and metallic lithium while enhancing structural properties (Zhang, Pgs. 1–2, 3–4).
US'329, US'371, and Zhang are analogous arts because each reference is in the identical field of endeavor of sulfide solid electrolytes for all-solid-state lithium-ion secondary batteries and is pertinent to the problem of improving structural stability, interfacial compatibility, and ionic transport in argyrodite crystal phases through compositional tuning and hetero-anion/metal incorporation (US'329, [0003]–[0006]; US'371, [0002]–[0006], [0052]; Zhang, Pgs. 1–2).
It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to incorporate metal and metalloid elements and oxide anions having M-O bonds (where M is in Groups 2 to 14) into the argyrodite solid electrolyte of US'329, using the precursor compounds and compositional options taught by US'371 (US'371, [0052], [0078]–[0079]) in view of Zhang's teachings on oxygen incorporation for enhanced stability (Zhang, Pgs. 1–2), in order to improve the interfacial compatibility and electrochemical stability of the argyrodite solid electrolyte while maintaining high ionic conductivity.
As to Claim 7:
See the rejection of the claim that this claim is depended on (see rejections of Claims 1 and 6); US'329 discloses a sulfide solid electrolyte to be used for a lithium-ion secondary battery comprising an argyrodite crystal phase (US'329, [0008]–[0009], [0121]–[0123], [0260]), wherein the solid electrolyte consists primarily of these constituent components (US'329, [0260]–[0263]).
However, US'329 does not explicitly disclose wherein a total content of the elements of Li, P, S, Ha, M, and O is 90 mass% or more.
US'371 and Zhang disclose that sulfide solid electrolytes in the argyrodite family incorporate metal and metalloid elements and oxygen, such as through oxygen doping and M-O bond formation, while maintaining high phase purity and a total elemental content above 90 mass% (US'371, [0052], [0078]–[0079]; Zhang, Pgs. 1–2, 3–4).
It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to modify the argyrodite solid electrolyte of US'329 by incorporating the M-O precursor compounds and M and O constituent elements taught by US'371 in view of Zhang, in order to provide an oxide anion having an M-O bond within the argyrodite crystal phase and maintain the total content of the elements Li, P, S, Ha, M, and O at 90 mass% or more, thereby enhancing stability and electrochemical performance.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JIMMY K VO whose telephone number is (571)272-3242. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8 am to 6 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, Barbara Gilliam can be reached at (571) 272-1330. 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.
/JIMMY VO/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1723
/JIMMY VO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1723