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`Introduction
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`REMARKS
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`Claims 1-4, 7-10 and 15 are pending, of which claim 1 is independent.
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`Claims 5, 6 and 11-14 have been cancelled without prejudice. No new matter has been
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`added.
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`Patentability under 35 U.S.C. § 102
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`Claims 1-15 were rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yoshii
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`(WO 2017/110023). Without conceding any correctness of the rejections, Applicant traverses
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`these rejections for at least the following reasons.
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`Applicant submits that Yamato fails to disclose that a first proportion is lower than a
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`second proportion, where the first proportion is a proportion of a mass of the conductive agent
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`in a total mass of the manganese dioxide and the conductive agentin at least one wholepellet
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`positioned in a middle portion in a height direction of the stack, and the second proportion is a
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`proportion of a mass of the conductive agent in a total mass of the manganese dioxide and the
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`conductive agent in at least one whole pellet positioned in one of end portions in the height
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`direction of the stack, as recited by claim 1.
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`With respect to the first proportion and the second proportion of claim 1 above, the
`6666.
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`Examinerasserted
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`““‘with respect to 100 parts by mass of manganese dioxide” correspondsto a
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`directly proportional amountof the conductive agent in each pellet. In other words, when the
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`density of manganese dioxideis lowerin the central pellet(s), the conductive agent in these
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`pellets will be lower as well.), referring to paragraph [0044] of Yoshii.
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`However, the Examiner’s assertion is incorrect. Claim 1 recites that the first (second)
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`Application No.: 16/979,581
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`proportion is a proportion of a mass of the conductive agent in a total mass of the manganese
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`dioxide and the conductive agent in at least one whole pellet. Paragraph [0044] of Yoshii
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`discloses “Content of the electrically conductive agent in a positive electrode is 3-10 mass parts
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`with respect to 100 mass parts of manganese dioxide, Preferably it is 4-6 mass parts,” which
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`merely defines the amount of conductive agent with respect to the amount of manganese dioxide.
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`In other words, when the amount of manganese dioxide is small, the amount of conductive agent
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`is also small. Thus, even if the amount of manganese dioxide is small (which means the amount
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`of conductive agent is also small), the proportion of a mass of the conductive agent with respect
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`to the total mass of the manganese dioxide and the conductive agent is the same,i.c., 4-6 wt% as
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`disclosed at paragraph [0044]. As such, the Examiner’s assertion in the present Office Action is
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`incorrect and has no merit.
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`Assuch, claim 1 and all claims dependent thereon are patentable over the cited reference.
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`
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`Application No.: 16/979,581
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`CONCLUSION
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`Having fully respondedto all matters raised in the Office Action, Applicant submits that
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`all claims are in condition for allowance, an indication for whichis respectfully solicited. If
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`there are any outstanding issues that might be resolved by an interview or an Examiner’s
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`amendment, the Examineris requested to call Applicant’s attorney at the telephone number
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`shownbelow.
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`To the extent necessary, a petition for an extension of time under 37 C.F.R. § 1.136 is
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`hereby made. Please charge any shortage in fees due in connection with the filing of this paper,
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`including extension of time fees, to Deposit Account 500417 and please credit any excess fees to
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`such deposit account.
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`Respectfully submitted,
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`McDERMOTT WILL & EMERY LLP
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`/Takashi Saito/
`
`Takashi Saito
`Registration No. 69,536
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`Please recognize our Customer No. 53080
`as our correspondenceaddress.
`
`500 North Capitol Street, N.W.
`Washington, DC 20001-1531
`Phone: 202.756.8244 TS:lw
`Facsimile: 202.756.8087
`Date: June 29, 2023
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