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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 1-5 of Pre-Appeal Brief Request for Review, filed 05-08-2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-7 and 9-21 under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of CN 115863760 (A).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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(s) 1-7, 9-16, and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 115863760 (A) [English equivalent US 2025/0266502] hereinafter Fan in view of CN 107785603 (A) hereinafter Chen.
Regarding Claim 1-7, 9-16, and 21, Fan teaches an electrolytic solution for a lithium-ion battery (paragraph 10), the electrolytic solution comprising: a solvent (paragraphs 55-57 teach TTE as the solvent); an electron withdrawing compound (paragraphs 58, 62 teach BFE as the electron withdrawing compound); a performance-enhancing additive (paragraphs 38-40 teach acetonitrile as the performance-enhancing additive); and a lithium ion-transporting compound (paragraphs 43, 49 teach LiFSI as the lithium salt).
Fan does not specifically disclose that the electrolytic solution comprises a chalcogenide.
However, Chen teaches an electrolyte for a lithium-ion battery (paragraph 4), wherein the electrolyte comprises a selenium ether additive such as diphenyl diselenide in an amount of 0.1 to 10% (paragraphs 29-30). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include such selenium ether additive in the electrolyte for a lithium-ion battery before the effective filing date of the claimed invention because Chen discloses that such configuration can form complexes with polysulfides, reducing polysulfide loss and improving battery capacity retention; and improving the cycle performance and the battery's discharge specific capacity and cycle stability (paragraph 26).
Fan teaches that the other solvents can account for 30 wt % of the solvent and as such the linear compound is 70 wt % of the solvent (paragraph 59).
Fan teaches that the bis(2-fluorethyl) ether (BFE) as the electron withdrawing compound and can be included in an amount of 30 wt % of the solvent (paragraphs 58-59, 62).
Fan teaches acetonitrile as the performance-enhancing additive and can be included in an amount of 0 to 10 wt % of the electrolytic solution (paragraphs 37, 39).
Fan teaches LiFSI as the lithium salt having a concentration of 0.5 to 3 M (paragraphs 43, 49).
The combination teaches a lithium-ion battery comprising the electrolytic solution as described above (paragraph 81 of Fan).
Claim(s) 17-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fan and Chen as applied above, and further in view of U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2013/0230770 hereinafter Oya.
Regarding Claims 17-20, the combination of Fan and Chen teach a lithium-ion battery comprising the electrolytic solution as described above (paragraph 81 of Fan).
Oya further teaches that the lithium battery is characterized by a cylindrical, prismatic, pouch or coin configuration (paragraph 167 of Oya). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use such battery enclosure before the effective filing date of the claimed invention because such configuration can secure the battery assembly (paragraph 167).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OSEI K AMPONSAH whose telephone number is (571)270-3446. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm EST.
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/OSEI K AMPONSAH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1752
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