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 statement (IDS) submitted on 4/15/24 and 6/21/26 have been considered by the examiner.
Claim Interpretation
Claims 14-16 are directed toward a sodium or potassium ion battery produced according to the method of claim 1. Claims 14-16 are product by process claims wherein the process limitations, as recited by claim 1, have not been given patentable weight. See MPEP 2113.
Claims 15-16 recite limitations obtained from an electrochemical cycling curve, which have not been given patentable weight. The claims are not directed toward a method of cycling.
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 and 16 are 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.
Each of claims 15 and 16 recite an electrochemical cycling curve for a sodium or potassium ion battery cell. However, the claims do not recite the structure of the sodium ion or potassium ion battery cell that provides the electrochemical cycling curve. Note Example 2 of the present specification discloses “a carbon-based anode; i.e. hard carbon” was utilized. Example 2 does not recite a specific electrolyte and electrolyte composition effects a cycling curve. It is unclear what cell structure provides the cycling curve having the claimed voltage plateau.
To the extent the claims are understood in view of the 35 USC 112 rejections above, note the following prior art rejections.
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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 14-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/103 as being anticipated by, and alternatively unpatentable over, Zhang CN 109065883 A.
Zhang teaches a sodium-ion battery comprising a dehydrated
Prussian blue analogue cathode material. The battery is dried up to dehydration of the
Prussian blue analogue material. The sodium-ion battery includes the cathode, an anode and a separator forming an electrode stack. The battery includes a battery casing and an electrolyte. See example 1 and [0010-0025]. Thus, the claims are anticipated.
The claims are alternatively unpatentable. Zhang does not teach the method recited by claim 1. However, the battery of Zhang is indistinguishable since it is equally dried up to dehydration of the Prussian blue analogue material, despite it being obtained by another method. Product by process limitations, in the absence of unexpected results, have not been given patentable weight. See MPEP2113. Note limitations regarding cycling have not been given patentable weight. In addition, claims 15 and 16 have been rejected as indefinite. See above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-13 are allowed. The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the claims are directed toward a method for manufacturing a sodium or potassium ion battery cell comprising:
a) providing a slurry comprising a Prussian Blue analogue, wherein said Prussian Blue analogue can exist in a first, hydrated phase, and a second, dehydrated phase, wherein said slurry comprises said first, hydrated phase of the Prussian Blue analogue,
b) applying said slurry to a current collector to form a cathode,
c) assembling said cathode with an anode and a separator to form an electrode stack,
d) arranging said electrode stack in a battery casing,
e) drying said battery casing comprising said electrode stack under conditions that allow for said Prussian Blue analogue to convert from said first, hydrated phase to said second, dehydrated phase,
f) adding an electrolyte to said battery casing, and
g) sealing said battery casing to form a battery cell, wherein said steps f) and g) are performed under inert conditions.
The prior art does not teach or suggest the method of claims 1-13. Zhang teaches a sodium-ion battery comprising a dehydrated Prussian blue analogue cathode material. However, Zhang does not teach the dehydration of the Prussian Blue analogue (PBA) material is performed in an assembled cell, rather than on the pure material. Such treatment simplifies handling of a PBA material as active material (page 2, lines 3-22 of the present disclosure).
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Peng (CN111377462A) teaches a Prussian Blue cathode material for a sodium ion battery. Peng does not teach or suggest the method of the claimed invention.
Buckel (WO2024/110490A1) teaches a method for manufacturing a sodium or potassium ion battery cell comprising a Prussian Blue analogue (PBA) as an active cathode material. Buckel is not available prior art against the present invention.
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/TRACY M DOVE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725
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