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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 10 September 2025 has been entered.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a) because they fail to show an extension portion or a first direction as described in the specification. Any structural detail that is essential for a proper understanding of the disclosed invention should be shown in the drawing. MPEP § 608.02(d). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance. For purposes of examination, the first direction and extension portion will be interpreted following Instant Fig. 1A and applicant’s interpretation in the response filed 10 September 2025.
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.
Claim 17 is 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.
Claim 17 recites the limitation "the other end" in lines 1-2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The examiner is interpreting the limitation as “an other end” to advance prosecution.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 11-13, 15-16 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guo WO2018000189A1 (using US20190097259A1 as English translation) in view of Zeng CN206250284U (using machine English translation provided).
Regarding claim 11, Guo discloses an electrode assembly (Guo, [0055], Fig. 1, cell), comprising
an anode plate (Guo, Fig. 1, anode electrode 1), the anode plate comprises an anode current collector (Guo, Fig. 1, collector 11) and an anode active layer (Guo, Fig. 1, layer 12) arranged at a surface of the anode current collector (Guo, Fig. 1, collector 11, layer 12), and an end portion of the anode active layer comprises an indentation at a margin area (Guo, Fig. 1, layer 12, groove G11; layer 12 has an end portion at groove G11)
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and a cathode plate (Guo, Fig. 1, cathode electrode 3), the cathode plate comprising: a first winding end (Guo, Fig. 2a, left side of electrode 3) and a second winding end (Guo, Fig. 2a, right side of electrode 3) along a length direction (Fig. 2a, electrode 3),
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a cathode current collector (Guo, Fig. 2a, collector 31), a first cathode active layer (Guo, Fig. 2a, layer 32 on side of collector 31) being arranged on a surface of the cathode current collector (Guo, Fig. 2a, collector 31, layer 32), the first cathode active layer comprising a first end portion located at the first winding end (Guo, Fig. 2a, first end portion), and the first end portion having a first cutout (Guo, Fig. 2a, groove G31),
wherein, the electrode assembly is formed by winding the anode plate and the cathode plate (Guo, Fig. 1, wound cell, anode electrode 1, cathode electrode 3),
and the first cutout corresponds to the indentation at the margin area of the end portion of the anode active layer (Guo, [0076-0077], Fig. 1, groove G11, groove G31),
wherein the cathode plate further comprises a plurality of tabs arranged at an edge of the cathode current collector (Guo, Fig. 2a, tabs 4, collector 31), such that,
in a first direction (Guo, Figs. 2a and b, first direction), an edge of the first cathode active layer (Guo, Fig. 2a, edge of layer 32), the edge of the cathode current collector (Guo, Fig. 2a and b, edge of current collector 31), and the plurality of tabs are arranged in sequence (Guo, Figs. 2a and b, tabs 4), and the plurality of tabs protrude from the edge of the cathode current collector in the first direction (Guo, Fig. 2a and b, edge of current collector, tabs 4, first direction),
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wherein in the first direction, the first cutout and the plurality of tabs are located at a same side of the cathode plate (Guo, Figs. 2a and b, groove G31, tabs 4 on same side of cathode plate 3),
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wherein the edge of the cathode current collector, where the tabs are arranged, extends beyond the edge of the first cathode active layer in the first direction to form an extension portion (Guo, Figs. 2a and b, collector 31, portion that extends beyond the edge of the first cathode active layer in the first direction).
Guo however does not teach wherein an insulating layer is provided on the extension portion.
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Zeng teaches the cathode plate (Zeng, Fig. 8, cathode 20) comprising: a first winding end and a second winding end along a length direction (Zeng, Fig. 8, left and right sides of cathode 20), a cathode current collector (Zeng, Fig. 8, collector 21), a first cathode active layer (Zeng, Fig. 8, active material 23) being arranged on a surface of the cathode current collector (Zeng, [0015], Fig. 8, collector 21, active material 23). Zeng further teaches wherein an insulating layer (Zeng, Fig. 8, layer 30) is provided on the extension portion (Zeng, [0016], Fig. 8, layer 30).
Therefore it would be obvious to the skilled artisan before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the extension portion of Guo with the teaching of Zeng wherein an insulating layer is provided on the extension portion, thereby preventing burrs generated by the cathode current collector during the cutting process from piercing the diaphragm (Zeng, [0021]).
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Regarding claim 12, modified Guo further teaches wherein the first cathode active layer further comprises a second end portion located at the second winding end, and the second end portion has a second cutout provided at a margin area (Guo, Fig. 2a, second end portion).
Regarding claim 13, modified Guo also teaches wherein the cathode plate further comprises a second cathode active layer (Guo, Fig. 2a, layer 32 on the top side of collector 31),
the cathode current collector is arranged between the first cathode active layer and the second cathode active layer (Guo, Fig. 2a, collector 31, layers 32),
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and the second cathode active layer comprises a third end portion located at the first winding end (Guo, Fig. 2a, third end portion) and a fourth end portion located at the second winding end (Guo, Fig. 2a, fourth end portion),
the third end portion has a third cutout provided at a margin area (Guo, Fig. 2a, groove G33), and/or the fourth end portion has a fourth cutout or a fourth barrier layer provided at a margin area (Guo, Fig. 2a, fourth end portion cutout).
Regarding claim 15, while Guo as modified above does not teach wherein the first end portion is misaligned with the third end portion to form a first single-sided area on the cathode current collector, Guo does teach wherein the first end portion is misaligned with the third end portion to form a first single-sided area on the cathode current collector (Guo, Fig. 8a, layers 32 on the left hand side). Therefore it would be obvious to the skilled artisan to substitute the misaligned first and third end portions of Guo in modified Guo, thereby improving the deformation during the cycle of charge and discharge, reducing the DC resistance, and increasing the capacity density (Guo, [0006]).
Regarding claim 16, modified Guo also teaches wherein the first end portion is flush with the third end portion to form a first double-sided area on the cathode current collector (Guo, Fig. 2a, layers 32 on the left hand side).
Regarding claim 18, modified Guo additionally teaches wherein, the second end portion is misaligned with the fourth end portion to form a second single-sided area on the cathode current collector (Guo, Fig. 2a, layers 32 on the right hand side).
Claim(s) 14 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guo WO2018000189A1 (using US20190097259A1 as English translation) in view of Zeng CN206250284U (using machine English translation provided), as applied to claim 13 above, and further in view of Lee US20100285342A1 (cited in office action mailed 03 January 2024).
Regarding claim 14, while modified Guo teaches it is well known in the art wherein one end of the cathode current collector extends beyond the first end portion and the third end portion to form a first blank area at the first winding end (Guo, Fig. 11, blank area on left hand side of collector 31), modified Guo does not teach wherein one end of the cathode current collector extends beyond the first end portion and the third end portion to form a first blank area at the first winding end.
Lee teaches wherein one end of the cathode current collector (Lee, Fig. 3, uncoated collector 10) extends beyond the first end portion (Fig. 3, layer 20a) and the third end portion (Fig. 3, layer 20b) to form a first blank area at the first winding end (Lee, Fig. 3, uncoated collector 10 on the left hand side). Therefore it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the first winding end of modified Guo with the first blank area at the first winding end of Lee, thereby achieving safety of the battery (Lee, [0102]).
Regarding claim 17, modified Guo further teaches wherein an other end of the cathode current collector extends beyond the second end portion and the fourth end portion to form a second blank area at the second winding end (Guo, Fig. 2a, collector 31, layers 32 on the right hand side).
Claim(s) 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guo WO2018000189A1 (using US20190097259A1 as English translation) in view of Nagayama JP2003068278A (using machine English translation provided).
Regarding claim 11, Guo discloses an electrode assembly (Guo, [0055], Fig. 1, cell), comprising
an anode plate (Guo, Fig. 1, anode electrode 1), the anode plate comprises an anode current collector (Guo, Fig. 1, collector 11) and an anode active layer (Guo, Fig. 1, layer 12) arranged at a surface of the anode current collector (Guo, Fig. 1, collector 11, layer 12), and an end portion of the anode active layer comprises an indentation at a margin area (Guo, Fig. 1, layer 12, groove G11; layer 12 has an end portion at groove G11)
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and a cathode plate (Guo, Fig. 1, cathode electrode 3), the cathode plate comprising: a first winding end (Guo, Fig. 2a, left side of electrode 3) and a second winding end (Guo, Fig. 2a, right side of electrode 3) along a length direction (Fig. 2a, electrode 3),
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a cathode current collector (Guo, Fig. 2a, collector 31), a first cathode active layer (Guo, Fig. 2a, layer 32 on side of collector 31) being arranged on a surface of the cathode current collector (Guo, Fig. 2a, collector 31, layer 32), the first cathode active layer comprising a first end portion located at the first winding end (Guo, Fig. 2a, first end portion), and the first end portion having a first cutout (Guo, Fig. 2a, groove G31),
wherein, the electrode assembly is formed by winding the anode plate and the cathode plate (Guo, Fig. 1, wound cell, anode electrode 1, cathode electrode 3),
and the first cutout corresponds to the indentation at the margin area of the end portion of the anode active layer (Guo, [0076-0077], Fig. 1, groove G11, groove G31),
wherein the cathode plate further comprises a second cathode active layer (Guo, Fig. 2a, layer 32 on the bottom side of collector 31),
the cathode current collector is arranged between the first cathode active layer and the second cathode active layer (Guo, Fig. 2a, collector 31, layers 32),
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wherein the second cathode active layer comprises a third end portion located at the first winding end (Guo, Fig. 2a, third end portion),
wherein the first end portion and the third end portion are both flush with the first winding end wherein the first end portion is flush with the third end portion to form a first double-sided area on the cathode current collector (Guo, Fig. 2a, first end portion, third end portion, collector 31), such that end faces of the first end portion, the third end portion, and the first winding end are aligned in a plane, thereby forming a first double-sided area on the cathode current collector at the first winding end (Guo, Fig. 2a, first end portion, third end portion, first winding end, collector 31). Guo however does not teach wherein the first cutout comprises a triangle shape.
Nagayama teaches an end portion having a first cutout provided at a margin area (Nagayama, [0017], Fig. 4, cutouts at corners 21c and 23c) and wherein the first cutout comprises a triangle shape (Nagayama, [0008], [0013], Fig. 4, triangular shape cutouts at corners 21c and 23c). Therefore it would be obvious to modify the first cutout portion of modified Guo with the triangle shape of Nagayama, thereby improving the capacity density (Nagayama, [0007-0008], [0079]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 11 and 21 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kelm US5486215A (discloses a substantially similar structure to that of the claimed invention as currently drafted in claim 11).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JARED HANSEN whose telephone number is (571)272-4590. The examiner can normally be reached M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tiffany Legette can be reached at 571-270-7078. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JARED HANSEN/Examiner, Art Unit 1723 /TIFFANY LEGETTE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1723