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 .
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.
Claims 1-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 as being unpatentable by Been et al. (KR102277754B1/ “Been”) in view of Zhou (CN105440066/ “Zhou”).
Regarding claims 1-4:
Been discloses a lithium secondary battery (i.e. rechargeable lithium battery) using an electrolyte (see paragraph [0094]). Been discloses that the lithium secondary battery (i.e. rechargeable battery) includes an electrolyte that includes ethylene carbonate (i.e. non-aqueous organic solvent) (see paragraph [0038]). Been discloses that the lithium secondary battery (i.e. rechargeable battery) includes LiPF6 (i.e. lithium salt) (see paragraph [0035]). Been discloses that the lithium secondary battery was prepared with 2,4,8,10-tetraoxa-3,9-dithiaspiro[5,5]undecane-3,3,9,9-tetraoxide (i.e. disultone based compound) in Example 4 (see paragraph [0103]).
Been does not disclose that the first additive comprises a borate-based lithium salt having a double bond between carbon atoms.
Zhou discloses a lithium-ion battery (see paragraphs [0002] - [0003]). Zhou discloses the use of 0.1% to 30% electrolyte mass fraction of lithium maleic acid difluoroborate (i.e. borate based lithium salt having a double bond between carbon atoms with same halogen elements) as an additive with traditional lithium salts in order to have good low-temperature conductivity and anode film-forming properties (see paragraphs [0005]-[0006], [0011], and [0032]).
Therefore, in light of the motivation to use lithium maleic acid difluoroborate disclosed by Zhou as set forth above, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the lithium maleic acid difluoroborate in the ranges as disclosed by Zhou in the electrolyte for a rechargeable lithium battery in Been in order to have good low-temperature conductivity and anode film-forming properties.
Regarding claims 5-6:
Been in view of Zhou discloses the electrolyte for the secondary lithium battery as set forth above.
Been discloses that the lithium secondary battery was prepared with 1 wt% of 2,4,8,10-tetraoxa-3,9-dithiaspiro[5,5]undecane-3,3,9,9-tetraoxide (i.e. disultone based compound) in Example 4 (see paragraph [0103]).
Regarding claim 7:
Been in view of Zhou discloses the electrolyte for the secondary lithium battery as set forth above.
Been discloses that the lithium secondary battery (i.e. rechargeable battery) includes an electrolyte that includes ethylene carbonate (i.e. non-aqueous organic solvent) (see paragraph [0038]).
Regarding claims 8-9:
Been in view of Zhou discloses the electrolyte for the secondary lithium battery as set forth above.
Been discloses that the lithium secondary battery (i.e. rechargeable battery) includes LiPF6 (i.e. lithium salt) with a concentration between 0.1M to 2.0M (see paragraph [0035]).
Regarding claims 10-12:
Been in view of Zhou discloses the electrolyte for the secondary lithium battery as set forth above.
Been discloses that the lithium secondary battery (i.e. rechargeable lithium battery) includes a positive electrode, negative electrode, and the electrolyte (i.e. the electrolyte in claim 1) (see paragraph [0019]). Been discloses that the positive electrode material includes (LiN(1-x-y)Co(x)M(y) where M can be aluminum (i.e. NCA-based lithium composite oxide) and the negative electrode material includes a carbon composite (i.e. carbon-based). (see paragraph 0086]).
Conclusion
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/Joshua J Zacharia/Examiner, Art Unit 1787
/CALLIE E SHOSHO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1787
