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 § 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(s) 1, 4 and 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (US 2020/0185697), hereafter Kim.
Regarding claim 1, Kim at least at fig. 1 and 3 discloses a device for evaluating a positive electrode slurry for an all-solid-state battery, which evaluates a coating state of a positive electrode slurry in which at least a positive electrode active material and a solid electrolyte are kneaded and dispersed (electrode 10 made of 11,12 and 13), the device comprising: a flow path [electrode immersing process path] through which the positive electrode slurry flows [in an electrolyte solution, see S110 at fig. 3]; and a measurement unit [20,100, ¶0109] provided at the flow path and configured to measure an AC impedance of the positive electrode slurry, wherein the measurement unit includes a first channel unit [unit of 100 for first frequency] configured to measure the AC impedance [using 20,100] at a first predetermined frequency and a second channel unit [unit of 100 for second frequency different from first frequency] configured to measure the AC impedance [using 20,100] at a second predetermined frequency, and wherein the measurement unit includes an evaluation unit configured to evaluate the quality of the coating state of the solid electrolyte in the positive electrode active material based on an imaginary axis parameter of the AC impedance and a real axis parameter of the AC impedance measured by the first channel unit and the second channel unit [real and imaginary impedance, see ¶0061-0062].
Regarding claim 4, Kim at least at fig. 5 and 6 and Example 4 (see ¶0139-0146) discloses the device for evaluating a positive electrode slurry for an all-solid-state battery according to claims 1, wherein the first predetermined frequency [¶0142] corresponds to a second arc of a Nyquist diagram drawn based on an imaginary axis parameter of the AC impedance and a real axis parameter of the AC impedance measured by the first channel unit and the second channel unit [fig. 5, 6), and wherein the second predetermined frequency [¶0142] corresponds to a third arc of the Nyquist diagram drawn based on an imaginary axis parameter of the AC impedance and a real axis parameter of the AC impedance measured by the first channel unit and the second channel unit [fig. 5, 6).
Regarding claim 6, Kim at least at fig. 5 and 6 and Example 4 (see ¶0139-0146) discloses the device for evaluating a positive electrode slurry for an all-solid-state battery according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation unit evaluates the quality of the coating state based on the amount of polarization charge [see charge-discharge, ¶0058] derived from a real component of the AC impedance measured by the first channel unit and an imaginary component of the AC impedance measured by the second channel unit [fig. 5, 6].
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) 1, 4 and 6-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chiang et al. (US 2011/0200848 A1), hereafter Chiang in view of Kamaya et al. (US 2021/0305562 A1), hereafter Kamaya.
Regarding claim 1, Chiang at fig. 1 discloses a device for evaluating a positive electrode slurry for an all-solid-state battery, which evaluates a coating state of a positive electrode slurry 140 in which at least a positive electrode active material and electrolyte are kneaded and dispersed (fig. 1), the device comprising: a flow path [direction 165 as shown] through which the positive electrode slurry flows [140 in area/zone 115]; and a measurement unit [implicit to AC impedance Nyquist plot, see ¶0105] provided at the flow path and configured to measure an AC impedance of the positive electrode slurry, wherein the measurement unit includes a first channel unit [unit for selected frequency at ¶0161-0162, ¶0211 and fig. 13a-13b] configured to measure the AC impedance [implicit to AC impedance Nyquist plot, see ¶0105] at a first predetermined frequency and a second channel unit [unit for selected frequency at ¶0161-0162, ¶0211 and fig. 13a-13b] configured to measure the AC impedance [implicit to AC impedance Nyquist plot, see ¶0105] at a second predetermined frequency, and wherein the measurement unit includes an evaluation unit configured to evaluate the quality of the coating state of the solid electrolyte in the positive electrode active material [AC impedance spectroscopy measurement, ¶0230] based on an imaginary axis parameter of the AC impedance and a real axis parameter of the AC impedance measured by the first channel unit and the second channel unit [fig. 13B].
Chiang is silent about a positive electrode slurry in which said positive electrode active material and a solid electrolyte. Kamaya at ¶0107 and fig. 1 discloses producing positive electrode active material 11 and a solid electrolyte 12 to provide reducing resistance, as further stated in the disclosure. Kamaya also discloses “alternating current impedance measurement was carried out. Under an environment of 25° C., the SOC was adjusted to 50%, and then the measurement was performed at an AC voltage of 10 mV and a measurement frequency of 1 MHz to 0.1 Hz”. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to use positive electrode slurry as taught by Kamaya for slurry of Chiang to measure impedance of the reduced resistance positive electrode slurry for same advantages that Kamaya and Chiang have to offer.
Regarding claim 4, Chiang discloses the device for evaluating a positive electrode slurry for an all-solid-state battery according to claims 1, wherein the first predetermined frequency [one of the selected frequency, see fig. 13b] corresponds to a second arc of a Nyquist diagram [13b] drawn based on an imaginary axis parameter of the AC impedance and a real axis parameter of the AC impedance measured by the first channel unit and the second channel unit [unit for second one of selected frequency, see fig. 13A], and wherein the second predetermined frequency [second one of selected frequency, see fig. 13A] corresponds to a third arc of the Nyquist diagram drawn based on an imaginary axis parameter of the AC impedance and a real axis parameter of the AC impedance measured by the first channel unit and the second channel unit [fig. 13B].
Regarding claim 6, Chiang ¶0205,0206,¶0242 discloses the device for evaluating a positive electrode slurry for an all-solid-state battery according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation unit evaluates the quality of the coating state based on the amount of polarization charge derived from a real component of the AC impedance measured by the first channel unit and an imaginary component of the AC impedance measured by the second channel unit [fig. 13B].
Regarding claim 7, Chiang ¶0055, ¶0126, ¶0164, ¶0181, ¶0211 discloses the device for evaluating a positive electrode slurry for an all-solid-state battery according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit that causes the temperature adjusting unit to adjust the temperature of the positive electrode slurry so that the viscosity [¶0021] of the positive electrode slurry in the flow path measured by the viscosity measurement unit [implicit to fig. 13A] is within a predetermined range [¶0162, ¶0181], wherein the flow path has a viscosity measurement unit and a temperature adjusting unit [see operating range of temperature, ¶0081] upstream from the measurement unit.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 2 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: A device for evaluating a positive electrode slurry for an all-solid-state battery, which evaluates a coating state of a positive electrode slurry in which at least a positive electrode active material and a solid electrolyte are kneaded and dispersed, the device comprising: wherein the flow path has a first measurement area which is a measurement area of the first channel unit and a second measurement area which is a measurement area of the second channel unit, and wherein the first measurement area and the second measurement area are partitioned adjacent to each other in a direction in which the flow path extends. Dependent claims 3 and 5 are also allowed.
Please note: Examiner has cited particular columns, line numbers, and figures in the references as applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teaching of the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. Applicants are reminded that MPEP 2141.02 states: A prior art reference must be considered in its entirety, i.e., as a whole, including portions that would lead away from the claimed invention. W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. V. Garlock, Inc., 721 F.2d 1540, 220 USPQ 303 (Fed. Cir. 1983), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 851 (1984).
Conclusion
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/PARESH PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
August 6, 2026
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