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 .
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S.C. code not included in this action can be found in the prior Office Action.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the claim 11 limitation, “at a base position of each of the positive electrode tabs, an insulating layer or a protective layer is disposed” must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
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.
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.
Claims 1, 4, 5, 7-12 are 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. Specifically, the limitation “a plurality of negative electrode plate” in “a plurality of positive electrode plates and a plurality of negative plate” is unclear becasue it is unknown if “negative electrode plate” is plural. Appropriate corrections are required.
Claims 4, 5, 7-12 are dependent on the independent claims are also rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph for the same reasons.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Takatusk et al. (JP2014-049311), on claims 1, 4-8, 11, 12 are withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takatusk et al. in view of Suzuki et al., on claims 9 and 10 are withdrawn.
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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, 5, 7-8, 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable by Takatusk et al. (JP2014-049311) in view of Watanabe (CN104813511).
Regarding claims 1, the Takatsuka et al. reference discloses a secondary battery, comprising a multilayer electrode body obtained by laminating a plurality of electrode plates with a separator interposed in between (301-303), a plurality of electrode tabs protruding outward from first ends of the plurality of electrode plates (301c, 302c ), each of the plurality of electrode tabs having a bent portion (bent portion is the portion that is bent inward). An exterior body having an opening receiving the multilayer electrode body (1). A sealing plate that closes the opening (6), a collector (8a, 8b) disposed on the sealing plate and connected to the plurality of electrode tabs with a connector (42), and a binding member that binds the plurality of electrode tabs between the connector and the multilayer electrode body (WH) at a position away for the multilayer electrode body, the binding member binds the plurality of electrode tabs together at the bent portions and has a mechanism of claiming the plurality of the electrode tabs with resin member (Fig. 8,9; resin adhesive hot-melt). The Takatusk et al. reference also discloses wherein the positive electrode tab are wound and are bent inward in the lamination direction of the multilayer electrode body.
The Takatusk et al. reference discloses a wound battery with the plurality electrode plates with one positive electrode and the other a negative electrode separated by the separator but is silent in specifying the plurality of electrode plates includes a plurality of positive electrode plates and a plurality of negative electrode plates, wherein the plurality of positive electrode plates each have a positive electrode tab, wherein the positive electrode tab protrudes at the same position so that a plurality of positive electrode tabs of the plurality of positive electrode plates are arranged in a line at the same position in a lamination direction in the multilayer electrode body positive electrode tabs are bent inward. However, the Watanabe reference discloses that winding type batteries are known but by using flat laminated battery of Fig. 1, it can use simple heat pressing sealing technology to guarantee the long-term reliability, the cost aspect of operation is advantageous. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilized shapes such as flat laminated batteries disclosed by the Watanabe reference over wound batteries in order to produce a battery that is cost effective (P44). As a result, the Takatusk et al, in view of the Watanabe reference or the modified Takatusk et al. reference discloses a plurality of electrode plates includes a plurality of positive electrode plates and a plurality of negative electrode plates, wherein the plurality of positive electrode plates each have a positive electrode tab, wherein the positive electrode tab protrudes at the same position so that a plurality of positive electrode tabs of the plurality of positive electrode plates are arranged in a line at the same position in a lamination direction in the multilayer electrode body and a plurality of positive electrode tabs are bent inward in the lamination direction of the multilayer electrode body.
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Please note, the yellow square box indicates the portion in which is bent inward contrast to the area of the blue arrow (please see Fig. 3 in contrast to Fig 8) and the bent portion is bent inward in the lamination direction denoted by the yellow arrows.
Regarding claim 4, the modified Takatusk et al. reference discloses wherein the binding member has a mechanism of bonding the plurality of electrode tabs together with an adhesive (501, 502).
Regarding claim 5, the modified Takatusk et al. reference discloses wherein a first end of the binding member is fixed to the sealing plate (combinations of Fig. 1, 2, 4-8 ).
Regarding claim 7, the modified Takatusk et al. reference discloses wherein the plurality of negative electrode plates each have a plurality of negative electrode tab, wherein each of the plurality of negative electrode tabs protrude at the same position of all the negative electrode tabs, so that the plurality of negative electrode tabs are arranged in a line at the same position, in the lamination direction (lamination direction can be interpreted as the direction into the cell) in the multilayer electrode body.
Regarding claim 8, the modified Takatusk et al. reference discloses the plurality of electrode tabs are formed of a metal foil (301c, 302c).
Regarding claim 12, the modified Takatusk et al. reference discloses the binding member is attached to the sealing plate (Fig. 2, 502 indirectly attached to 6).
Claim(s) 9 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takatusk et al. (JP2014-049311) in view of in view of Watanabe (CN104813511) in further view of Suzuki et al. (US Publication 2017/0256821).
Regarding claims 9 and 10, the modified Takatusk et al. reference discloses the claimed invention above and further incorporated herein. The modified Takatusk et al. reference is silent in disclosing a thickness of each of the plurality of positive electrode tabs to be is 10 to 20 µm, a thickness of each of the plurality of negative electrode tabs is 5 to 15 µm. However, the Suzuki et al. reference discloses the positive electrode tabs to be 10 to 20 µm (P116, 0.02mm) and a thickness of the plurality of negative electrode tabs is 5 to 15 µm (P123, 0.01mm) in order to reduce the cross-sectional areas and electrical resistances of the respective parts (P39-P42). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the positive electrode tabs to be 10 to 20 µm (P116, 0.02mm) and a thickness of the plurality of negative electrode tabs is 5 to 15 µm (P123, 0.01mm) disclosed by the Suzuki et al. reference for the thickness of the tab/foils taught by the Takatusk et al. reference in order to reduce electrical resistances and applicable for varied size requirements of batteries.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takatusk et al. (JP2014-049311) in view of in view of Watanabe (CN104813511) in further view of YASUHIRO et al. (KR 20080103002)
Regarding claim 11, the modified Takatusk et al. reference discloses the claimed invention above and further incorporated herein. The modified Takatuck is silent in disclosing at a base position of each of the positive electrode tabs, an insulating layer or a protective layer is disposed. However, the Yashuhiro et al. reference disclsoes that at a base position of each of the positive electrode tabs, an insulating layer or a protective layer (35) is disposed in order to prevent short circuit of the battery. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of orridnary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate a base position of each of the positive electrode tabs, an insulating layer or a protective layer disclosed by the Yashuhiro et al. reference for the tabs dislcsoed by the modified Takatusk et al. reference for prevent short-circuiting the battery for efficiency.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 4, 5, 7-12 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on 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. US Publication 2020/0144583 to Kurita et al.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HELEN OI CONLEY whose telephone number is (571)272-5162. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30 am - 5:00 pm.
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/Helen Oi K CONLEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1752