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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 04/11/02024 and 12/05/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 15-17, 19 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 15 contains the limitation “a third structural unit of a (meth)acrylic acid or a (meth)acrylate; a fourth cyano group-containing structural unit; and a fifth structural unit of a (meth)acrylamidosulfonic acid or a salt thereof”. It is unclear if the compound claimed in claim 15 requires 5 structural units or if it requires 3 structural units and the terminology “third, fourth, and fifth” is being used merely to differentiate the structural units. For purposes of examination it is considered that claim 15 is requiring three structural units.
Claims 16-17 are rejected at least by virtue of their dependence on claim 15.
Claim 16 contains the limitation “…the third structural unit….the fourth structural unit…the fifth structural unit…”. It is unclear if the compound claimed in claim 16 requires 5 structural units or if it requires 3 structural units and the terminology “third, fourth, and fifth” is being used merely to differentiate the structural units. For purposes of examination it is considered that claim 16 is requiring three structural units.
Claim 17 is rejected at least by virtue of its dependence on claim 16.
Claim 19 contains the limitation “wherein the heat resistant layer and the adhesive layer are respectively on two opposite surfaces of the substrate”. It is unclear if the heat resistant layer is present on one surface of the separator while the adhesive layer is present on an opposite surface or if both the heat resistant layer and the adhesive layer are present on two surfaces of the separator. For purposes of examination it is considered that claim 19 requires both the heat resistant layer and the adhesive layer are present on two surfaces of the separator.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4, 9, 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ko et al. (KR 102071386 B1) in view of Ha et al. (KR 101662638 B1). Reference is made to the enclosed English machine translations.
Regarding claim 1, Ko teaches a separator for a rechargeable lithium battery, the separator comprising: a substrate ([0005]; [0016]-[0019]); a heat resistant layer on the substrate; and an adhesive layer on the heat resistant layer ([0016]; [0005]), wherein: the heat resistant layer includes two types of inorganic particles with different D50 particle diameters, and a salt-based heat resistant binder ([0091] “two or more types that are different in type or size”; [0064] “the alkali metal may be combined with the acrylic heat-resistant binder and exist in the form of a salt”; [0020]-[0022]; [0060]), and the adhesive layer includes: a PVdF first adhesive binder ([0093]; [0005]; [0016]). Ko teaches wherein the adhesive layer may further include a binding binder ([0098]).
Ko does not teach wherein the adhesive layer also includes a cyano group (-CN)-containing acrylic second adhesive binder.
However, Ha teaches a separator for a rechargeable lithium battery, the separator comprising: a substrate ([0018]-[0019]); an inorganic layer on the substrate; and an adhesive layer on the inorganic layer ([0014]; [0018]; [0052] “binder layer exists as a binder layer at the outermost edge of the porous coating layer”), wherein: the inorganic layer includes two types of inorganic particles ([0044]-[0049]) and the adhesive layer includes: a PVdF first adhesive binder ([0021]-[0029]; Chemical Formula 1-2, reproduced below), and a cyano group (-CN)-containing acrylic second adhesive binder ([0034]-[0037] the case where a functional group is a CN group; [0043]; [0082]). Ha teaches that addition of an acrylic copolymer contributes to improved dispersibility and adhesion thereby contributing to the stability of a separator and an electrochemical device using the separator ([0034]-[0036]).
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Ko teaches an adhesive layer comprising a PVdF binder on a heat-resistant layer comprising inorganic particles. Ko contemplates the use of an additional binder component in the adhesive layer. Ha teaches an adhesive layer comprising a PVdF binder and an acrylic copolymer on a layer comprising inorganic particles, the acrylic copolymer having, for example, a CN group.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the adhesive layer taught by Ko by including an acrylic copolymer having, for example, a CN group, as taught by Ha.
One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to modify the adhesive layer taught by Ko by including an acrylic copolymer having, for example, a CN group, as taught by Ha to improve adhesion thereby contributing to the stability of a separator and an electrochemical device using the separator ([0034]-[0036]).
Regarding claim 2, modified Ko teaches the separator as claimed in claim 1. Ko further teaches wherein the two types of inorganic particles each independently include boehmite, silica (SiO2), alumina (Al2O3), titania (TiO2), BaSO4, MgO, Mg(OH)2, or a combination thereof ([0090]).
Regarding claim 4, modified Ko teaches the separator as claimed in claim 1. Ko teaches wherein the salt-based heat-resistant binder includes an acrylic salt-based binder including nitrogen (N) ([0021]-[0022] “(meth)acrylate or (meth)acrylic acid, cyano group-containing units, and sulfonate group-containing units”; cyano group contains nitrogen, N; [0033]-[0042]; [0143]; [0064]).
Regarding claim 9, modified Ko teaches the separator as claimed in claim 1. Ko teaches wherein the heat-resistant layer includes: 80% to 99% by weight of the two types of inorganic particles entire based on a total weight of the heat resistant layer ([0092]).
Ko does not explicitly teach where the heat-resistant layer includes about 1 to about 30 wt% of the heat-resistant binder, based on a total weight of the heat-resistant layer.
However, Ko teaches that the heat-resistant layer is made up of inorganic particles and heat-resistant binder ([0161]; [0020]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to set the amount of heat-resistant binder to between 1-20 wt% thereby totaling 100% of the heat resistant layer (composed of 80-99wt% inorganic particles and 1-20wt% heat resistant binder).
Regarding claim 18, modified Ko teaches the separator as claimed in claim 1.
Modified Ko teaches wherein the adhesive layer includes: about 70 to about 99 wt% of the PVdF first adhesive binder, and about 1 to about 30 wt% of the cyano group (-CN)-containing acrylic second adhesive binder, all wt% being based on the total amount of the adhesive layer (Ha [0082]-[0084])1.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to further modify the adhesive layer taught by modified Ko by including an acrylic copolymer having, for example, a CN group, as taught by Ha at the amount taught by Ha.
One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to modify the adhesive layer taught by Ko by including an acrylic copolymer having, for example, a CN group, as taught by Ha at the amount taught by Ha to improve adhesion thereby contributing to the stability of a separator and an electrochemical device using the separator ([0034]-[0036]).
Regarding claim 19, modified Ko teaches the separator as claimed in claim 1. Ko further teaches wherein the heat-resistant layer and the adhesive layer are respectively on two opposite surfaces of the substrate ([0016]; Fig. 1 annotated below; For purposes of examination it is considered that claim 19 requires both the heat resistant layer and the adhesive layer are present on two surfaces of the separator).
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Regarding claim 20, modified Ko teaches the separator as claimed in claim 1. Ko further teaches a rechargeable lithium battery, comprising: a positive electrode; a negative electrode; and the separator between the positive electrode and the negative electrode ([0122]-[0124]; [0006]).
Claim(s) 3, 5-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ko et al. (KR 102071386 B1) in view of Ha et al. (KR 101662638 B1), as applied above, in further view of Lee et al. (US 20220037741 A1) cited on the IDS filed 12/5/2025. Reference is made to the enclosed English machine translations.
Regarding claim 3, modified Ko teaches the separator as claimed in claim 1. Ko teaches the average particle size of the filler may be about 1 nm to 2500 nm, 100 nm to 2000nm or 200 nm to 1000 nm within the above range, and, for example, about 300 nm to 800 nm and the filler may be formed by mixing two or more types that are different in type or size ([0091]).
Modified Ko does not teach wherein the two types of inorganic particles include: first inorganic particles having a D50 particle diameter of greater than or equal to about 1 nm and less than about 200nm; and second inorganic particles having a D50 particle diameter of greater than or equal to about 200 nm and less than about 500 nm.
However, Lee teaches a separator for a rechargeable lithium battery, the separator comprising: a substrate ([abstract]; [0025]); a heat-resistant layer on the substrate wherein: the heat-resistant layer includes two types of inorganic particles with different D50 particle diameters and a salt-based heat-resistant binder ([0005]; [0027]; [0037]-[0038]). Lee teaches wherein inorganic particles with an average particle diameter of 400-600nm and inorganic particles with an average diameter of 50-200nm are included in the heat-resistant layer ([0127]; [0037]-[0038]). Lee teaches that separators, including a bimodal system of inorganic material, had excellent adhesive strength and simultaneously exhibited improved wet heat shrinkage rate ([0146]-[0147]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the separator taught by modified Ko by utilizing both inorganic particles with an average particle diameter of 400-600nm and inorganic particles with an average diameter of 50-200nm as taught by Lee.
One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to modify the separator taught by modified Ko by utilizing both inorganic particles with an average particle diameter of 400-600nm and inorganic particles with an average diameter of 50-200nm as taught by Lee to improve adhesive strength and wet heat shrinkage rate ([0146]-[0147]). The range taught by Lee overlaps with the claimed range. In the case where the claimed ranges "overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art" a prima facie case of obviousness exists. In re Wertheim, 541 F.2d 257, 191 USPQ 90 (CCPA 1976) (see MPEP §2144.05).
Regarding claim 5, modified Ko teaches the separator as claimed in claim 4. Modified Ko teaches, for example, a binder composed of acrylic acid, acrylonitrile, and 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid. Modified Ko teaches that an alkali metal may be combined with the acrylic heat-resistant binder and exist in the form of a salt and improves adhesion, heat resistance, air permeability, and oxidation resistance ([0064]).
Modified Ko does not teach wherein the salt-based heat-resistant binder includes: a first structural unit including a structural unit of a (meth)acrylic acid or (meth)acrylate and a structural unit of a (meth)acrylamide; and a second structural unit of a (meth)acrylamidosultonic acid or a salt thereof.
However, Lee teaches wherein the salt-based heat resistant binder includes an acrylic salt-based binder including nitrogen (N)([0027]-[0028] (meth)acrylamide contains nitrogen, N) and wherein the salt-based heat resistant binder includes: a structural unit of a (meth)acrylic acid or (meth)acrylate and a structural unit of a (meth)acrylamide; and a structural unit of a (meth)acrylamidosulfonic acid or a salt thereof ([0027]-[0031]; [0126]). Lee teaches that including a structural unit derived from (meth)acrylamide may improve adherence characteristics of the porous substrate and the electrode, and by forming hydrogen bonds with the OH group of the inorganic particles the inorganic particles may be more firmly fixed in the coating layer improving heat resistance of the separator ([0028]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the separator taught by modified Ko by substituting the heat-resistant binder for the heat-resistant binder taught by Lee.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to substituting the heat resistant binder taught by Ko for the heat resistant binder taught by Lee because including a structural unit derived from (meth)acrylamide may improve adherence characteristics of the porous substrate and the electrode, and by forming hydrogen bonds with the OH group of the inorganic particles the inorganic particles may be more firmly fixed in the coating layer improving heat resistance of the separator ([0028]). Further, 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).
Regarding claim 6-7, Chemical Formula 1 of Lee corresponds to Chemical Formula 4 of claim 6; Chemical Formula 3 of Lee corresponds to Chemical Formula 1 of claim 6, and Chemical Formula 4-6 of Lee correspond with Chemical Formulas 5-7 of claim 6 ([0062]-[0072]). Lee further teaches wherein the heat-resistant binder is poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide-co-2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid) sodium salt ([0126]) thereby meeting the claim limitations of claims 6-7.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ko et al. (KR 102071386 B1) in view of Ha et al. (KR 101662638 B1), as applied above, in further view of Kim et al. (US 20190280274 A1). Reference is made to the enclosed English machine translations.
Regarding claim 8, modified Ko teaches the separator as claimed in claim 1.
Modified Ko does not teach wherein the heat-resistant layer further includes a swellable binder with a core-shell structure.
However, Kim teaches a separator comprising a substrate and a coating layer wherein the coating layer includes organic particles having adhesive properties and may further include inorganic particles and binder (abstract; [0048]; [0058]). Kim teaches adhesive organic particles having a suitable degree of swelling in an electrolyte solution ([0042]-[0043]). Kim further teaches that the organic particles may have a core-shell structure ([0053]-[0054) and the core portion may also include a material capable of affecting battery shutdown by melting at a certain or predetermined temperature ([0054]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the heat-resistant layer taught by modified Ko to include a swellable binder with a core-shell structure as taught by Kim.
One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to modify the heat-resistant layer taught by modified Ko to include the swellable binder with a core-shell structure as taught by Kim to increase safety ([0054]).
Claim(s) 10-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ko et al. (KR 102071386 B1) in view of Ha et al. (KR 101662638 B1), as applied above, in further view of Yoo et al. (US 20200243826 A1). Reference is made to the enclosed English machine translations.
Regarding claim 10, modified Ko teaches the separator as claimed in claim 1. Ko teaches wherein the PVdF based adhesive binder may be poly(vinylidene-hexafluoropropylene (PVdF-HFP) ([0093]-[0094]).
Modified Ko does not teach wherein the PVdF first adhesive binder includes poly(vinylidene-hexafluoropropylene(P(VdF-HFP)) including a COOH functional group
However, Yoo teaches a separator for a rechargeable lithium battery, the separator comprising: a substrate (abstract; [0024]); a ceramic layer and a PVdF based binder layer ([0050]; [0026]; [0005]-[0007]). Yoo teaches wherein the PVdF binder includes poly(vinylidene-hexafluoropropylene(P(VdF-HFP)) including a COOH functional group ([0026]; [0030] carboxyl group). Yoo teaches a blend of first and second PVdF-HFP copolymers having different properties ([0037]). Yoo teaches that the presence of these functional groups can improve bonding of the PVdF-HFP copolymer to components contacted by the binder ([0030]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the adhesive layer taught by modified Ko to further include a poly(vinylidene-hexafluoropropylene(P(VdF-HFP)) including a COOH functional group as taught by Yoo.
One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to include a poly(vinylidene-hexafluoropropylene(P(VdF-HFP)) including a COOH functional group as taught by Yoo to improve bonding ([0030]).
Regarding claim 11, modified Ko in view of Yoo teaches the separator as claimed in claim 10.
Modified Ko in view of Yoo does not explicitly teach wherein the poly(vinylidene-hexafluoropropylene)(P(VdF-HFP)) including a COOH functional group has a crystallinity of about 35-50%.
However, Yoo further teaches that in a PVdF-HFP copolymer binder PVdF is a semi crystalline polymer material with a relatively high melting temperature and low swelling in an electrolyte ([0026]). Yoo teaches that progressive incorporation of HFP into the semi crystalline PVdF yields a copolymer of increasing amorphous content, decreasing melting temperature, and increasing swelling in electrolyte fluid and by selecting the molecular weight and the weight percent of HFP, these properties can be manipulated to better suit the copolymer to wet lamination processing, dry lamination processing, or both ([0026]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the HFP content and thereby modify the amorphous content of the PVdF-HFP copolymer in the adhesive binder taught by modified Ko in view of Yoo, such that, the crystallinity of the PVdF-HFP copolymer is, for example, 35-50% (one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that amorphous content is directly related to crystallinity).
One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to modify the HFP content and thereby modify the amorphous content of the PVdF-HFP copolymer in the adhesive binder taught by modified Ko in view of Yoo, such that, the crystallinity of the PVdF-HFP copolymer is, for example, 35-50% to allow the copolymer to be appropriately suited for desired processing conditions.
Regarding claim 12, modified Ko in view of Yoo teaches the separator as claimed in claim 10.
Modified Ko in view of Yoo does not explicitly teach wherein the PVdF first adhesive binder further includes (poly(vinylidene-co-hexafluoropropylene)(P(VdF-HFP)) not including a COOH group.
However, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that PVdF-HFP does not contain any COOH groups. Further, Yoo teaches that modified PVdF-HFP has an acid value of 1.5 to 15 milligrams of potassium hydroxide per gram of copolymer ([0031]-[0032]) while conventional PVdF-HFP has an acid value of 1 milligram of potassium hydroxide per gram of copolymer corresponding to a lack of COOH groups ([0031]; [0052]).
Therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the PVdF-HFP in the adhesive layer taught by modified Ko would lack a COOH group thereby meeting the claimed limitation.
Regarding claim 13, modified Ko in view of Yoo teaches the separator as claimed in claim 13.
Modified Ko in view of Yoo does not explicitly teach wherein the poly(vinylidene-hexafluoropropylene)(P(VdF-HFP)) including a COOH functional group has a crystallinity of about 10-30%.
However, Yoo further teaches that in a PVdF-HFP copolymer binder PVdF is a semi crystalline polymer material with a relatively high melting temperature and low swelling in an electrolyte ([0026]). Yoo teaches that progressive incorporation of HFP into the semi crystalline PVdF yields a copolymer of increasing amorphous content, decreasing melting temperature, and increasing swelling in electrolyte fluid and by selecting the molecular weight and the weight percent of HFP, these properties can be manipulated to better suit the copolymer to wet lamination processing, dry lamination processing, or both ([0026]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the HFP content and thereby modify the amorphous content of the PVdF-HFP copolymer in the adhesive binder taught by modified Ko in view of Yoo, such that the crystallinity of the PVdF-HFP copolymer is, for example, 10-30% (one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that amorphous content is directly related to crystallinity).
One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to modify the HFP content and thereby modify the amorphous content of the PVdF-HFP copolymer in the adhesive binder taught by modified Ko in view of Yoo, such that, the crystallinity of the PVdF-HFP copolymer is, for example, 10-30% to allow the copolymer to be appropriately suited for desired processing conditions.
Regarding claim 14, modified Ko in view of Yoo teaches the separator as claimed in claim 12.
Modified Ko in view of Yoo does not explicitly teach wherein a weight ratio of the poly(vinylidene-co-hexafluoropropylene)(P(VdF-co-HFP)) including a COOH function group and the poly(vinylidene-co-hexafluoropropylene)(P(VdF-co-HFP)) not including a COOH functional group is about 1:99 to about 99:1.
However, the adhesive layer taught by modified Ko in view of Yoo teaches a poly(vinylidene-co-hexafluoropropylene)(P(VdF-co-HFP)) including a COOH function group and the poly(vinylidene-co-hexafluoropropylene)(P(VdF-co-HFP)) not including a COOH, as described above. The claimed ratio encompasses a wide range of values such that one of ordinary skill in the art producing the adhesive layer of modified Ko in view of Yoo could readily select a ratio overlapping with the claimed ratio.
Claim(s) 15-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ko et al. (KR 102071386 B1) in view of Ha et al. (KR 101662638 B1), as applied above, in further view of Seo et al. (US 20180337381 A1). Reference is made to the enclosed English machine translations.
Regarding claim 15, modified Ko teaches the separator as claimed in claim 1.
Modified Ko does not teach wherein the cyano group -(CN)- containing acrylic second adhesive binder includes: a third structural unit of a (meth)acrylic acid or a (meth)acrylate; a fourth cyano group-containing structural unit; and a fifth structural unit of a (meth)acrylamidosulfonic acid or a salt thereof.
However, Seo teaches a separator (abstract) including a water-soluble polymer binder ([0087]), an acryl-based binder that includes a structural unit derived from (meth)acrylate or (meth)acrylic acid, a cyano group-containing structural unit and a sulfonate group-containing structural unit, such as 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (abstract; [0043]-[0057]), and a non-cross-linkable binder such as PVdF-HFP ([0098]-[0100]). Seo teaches a mixture of a heat-resistant binder and a binding force binder in order to realize excellent heat resistance and binding force ([0088]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the adhesive layer taught by modified Ko by including the heat-resistant binder taught by Seo.
One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to modify the adhesive layer taught by modified Ko by including the heat-resistant binder taught by Seo to realize heat-resistance ([0088]).
Regarding claims 16-17, Seo teaches wherein the cyano group (-CN)- containing acrylic second adhesive binder includes poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylonitrile-co-2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid) sodium salt ([0140]). Further, Chemical Formulas 1-3 of Seo correspond to claimed Chemical Formulas 11-13; Chemical Formula 4 of Seo corresponds to claimed Chemical Formula 14; Chemical Formula 5-7 corresponds to claimed Chemical Formulas 15-17 ([0025]-[0039]).
Conclusion
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/F.B.A./Examiner, Art Unit 1728
/MATTHEW T MARTIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1728
1 the total amount of the first binder, second binder, and dispersant is 20 parts by weight and the dispersant is included at 1 part by weight equating to 5%. The PVdF based binder is included at 95%.