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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 12/03/2025 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Support for the amendments to claims 1 can be found in Applicant’s Fig. 4-5.
The amendments to the claims have been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks Pages 8-10, filed 12/03/2025, with respect to the rejections under 35 U.S.C 102/103 have been fully considered. The rejections have been withdrawn in light of the amendments to the claims.
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 1-14 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al (US 20230327303 A1) in view of Mori et al (US 20060063063 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses a battery cell (see Fig. 9), comprising:
a housing with an opening (cylindrical battery can 51 in Fig. 9; see entire disclosure and especially P181);
an electrode assembly accommodated in the housing (electrode assembly 71 in Fig. 9; see entire disclosure and especially P181);
an end cover covering the opening and being connected to the housing in a sealed manner (cap plate 74a in Fig. 9; see entire disclosure and especially P183); and
a current collecting member accommodated in the housing and being located on a side of the electrode assembly facing the end cover (second current collecting plate 31/78 in Fig. 9; see entire disclosure and especially P53, 189),
wherein the current collecting member is configured to be connected to the housing and the electrode assembly, so that the electrode assembly is electrically connected to the housing (see entire disclosure and especially P181, 188-189);
wherein the electrode assembly comprises a first tab, and the first tab is configured to be connected to the current collecting member (non-coated portion 72 in Fig. 9; see entire disclosure and especially P155, 181, 188-189);
the battery cell further comprises an insulating element, in a thickness direction of the end cover, the insulating element is located between the first tab and the end cover (sealing gasket 74b in Fig. 9; see entire disclosure and especially P183-184; see the annotated Fig. below),
wherein the current collecting member comprises a first connection portion (see the annotated Fig. below),
in the thickness direction of the end cover, at least a part of the first connection portion is located between the end cover and the electrode assembly, and the first connection portion is configured to be connected to the electrode assembly (see the annotated Fig. below),
a portion of the insulating element is located between the first connection portion and the end cover, and the portion of the insulating element contacts both the first connection portion and the end cover (see the annotated Fig. below and Fig. 9).
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Annotated Fig. 9 of Kim
Kim also discloses a cavity (80 in Fig. 9) at the core of the electrode assembly (P180).
However, Kim does not disclose a projection of the insulating element along the thickness direction of the end cover covers the entirety first tab, wherein the insulating element is provided with a first through hole, the first connection portion is provided with a second through hole, a pressure relief mechanism is disposed on the end cover, both the first through hole and the second through hole are arranged opposite to the pressure relief mechanism, so that when an internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell reaches a threshold, the pressure inside the battery cell is released through the pressure relief mechanism.
In a similar field of endeavor, Mori teaches a lithium secondary battery including an inner electrode member (6 in Fig. 1, P55) that is wound type inner electrode member constituted by winding a cathode plates and a anode plates around a core member (4 in Fig. 1, P55). Mori teaches the core member is shaped in such a manner as to have an inner space (8 in Fig. 1) and at least one through-hole (7 in Fig. 1) which communicates with the inner space (P56). Mori teaches a cathode current collector member (16 in Fig. 1) includes a through-hole that communicates with the at least one through-hole (7) and the inner space (see Fig. 1, P80).
Mori teaches the end portion of the inner space communicates with a pressure release hole (9 having metal foil 19 and pressure release valve 20 in Fig. 1; P56). Mori teaches in the lithium secondary battery, when the inner pressure of the battery case (10 in Fig. 1) rises to a predetermined pressure or more by a gas generated inside the inner electrode member, the pressure/gas flows through the through-holes (7) down the core member (4) to the pressure relief hole (9) to break through the metal foil (19) of the pressure relief valve (20; P56-58, 61). Accordingly, Mori teaches this creates a gas flow channel to release the gas pressure from the battery (P56-58, 61).
Mori teaches a gas generated inside the inner electrode member is prevented from being accumulated inside the battery before reaching a pressure releasing mechanism, and can be smoothly released, therefore, a battery superior in safety and which has a high energy density can be formed (P11).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized the teaching of Mori and modified Kim such that the cavity includes a core member having through-holes and an inner space, the first connection member includes a through-hole communicating with the cavity and opposite to the cavity, and the notches of Kim are substituted with a metal foil communicating with the cavity and through-hole of the first connection member and opposite to both, given Mori teaches this provides a gas release channel from the ‘core’ of an electrode assembly to outside of the battery case, therefore, a battery superior in safety and which has a high energy density can be formed. Further, in regards to the metal foil, the simple substitution of one known element for another is likely to be obvious when predictable results are achieved. See KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007) (see MPEP § 2143, B.).
Furthermore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have changed the form/shape of the insulating element such that a projection of the insulating element along the thickness direction of the end cover covers the entirety first tab, in order to, for example, provide a streamlined gas channel following from Kim’s cavity to metal foil to direct the pressurized gas out of the battery housing of Kim because the change in form or shape, without any new or unexpected results, is an obvious engineering design. See In re Dailey, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1976) (see MPEP § 2144.04).
See the figure below for Examiner’s interpretation of modified Kim.
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Examiner’s interpretation of Modified Kim
Therefore, modified Kim meets the limitation a projection of the insulating element along the thickness direction of the end cover covers the entirety first tab, wherein the insulating element is provided with a first through hole, the first connection portion is provided with a second through hole, a pressure relief mechanism is disposed on the end cover, both the first through hole and the second through hole are arranged opposite to the pressure relief mechanism, so that when an internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell reaches a threshold, the pressure inside the battery cell is released through the pressure relief mechanism.
Regarding claim 2, Kim discloses wherein the current collecting member is connected to an inner side surface of the housing (see Fig. 9).
Regarding claim 3, Kim discloses wherein an outer side surface of the end cover is arranged opposite to the inner side surface of the housing; and at least a part of the current collecting member is located between the outer side surface of the end cover and the inner side surface of the housing (see the annotated Fig. below). Furthermore, the end cover of Kim indirectly abuts a part of the current collecting member against the inner side surface of the housing (through sealing gasket 74b in Fig. 9).
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Annotated Kim Fig. 9
Regarding claim 4, Kim discloses wherein the current collecting member comprises a second connection portion (part 78a in Fig. 9; also see annotated Fig. below; see entire disclosure and especially P189-190); the second connection portion is connected to the first connection portion and extends, departing from the electrode assembly, from the first connection portion along the thickness direction of the end cover, and the second connection portion is configured to be connected to the housing (see the annotated Fig. provided below).
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Annotated Kim Fig. 9
Regarding claim 5, Kim discloses wherein the second connection portion is an annular structure connected to an outer edge of the first connection portion (the battery cell of Kim is a cylindrical battery cell, therefore the second connection portion would be an annular structure, see also Figs. 9 and 13; see entire disclosure and especially P181).
Regarding claim 6, Kim discloses wherein the housing is provided with a limiting portion at one end of the opening; and the limiting portion is configured to restrict the end cover from separating from the housing along a direction departing from the electrode assembly (see the annotated Fig. below).
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Annotated Kim Fig. 9
Regarding claim 7, Kim discloses wherein in the thickness direction of the end cover, at least a part of the end cover is located between the limiting portion and the current collecting member, and the limiting portion and the current collecting member jointly restrict the end cover from moving in the thickness direction of the end cover (the limiting portion and the current collecting member work alongside sealing gasket 74b to restrict the end cover from moving in a thickness direction of the end cover, also see the annotated Fig. below).
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Annotated Kim Fig. 9
Regarding claim 8, Kim discloses wherein an inner surface of the housing comprises a stepped face; and in the thickness direction of the end cover, at least a part of the end cover is located between the limiting portion and the stepped face, and the limiting portion and the stepped face jointly restrict the end cover from moving in the thickness direction of the end cover (the limiting portion and the stepped face work alongside sealing gasket 74b and the current collecting member to restrict the end cover from moving in a thickness direction of the end cover, also see the annotated Fig. below).
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Annotated Kim Fig. 9
Regarding claim 9, Kim discloses wherein the limiting portion is in an annular structure (the battery cell of Kim is a cylindrical battery cell, therefore the casing, and such the limiting portion, is an annular structure, see also Figs. 9 and 13; see entire disclosure and especially P181).
Regarding claim 10, Kim discloses wherein the limiting portion is in a flanging structure in which the housing is partially folded inward (see Fig. 9).
Regarding claim 11, Kim discloses wherein an inner surface of the housing comprises a stepped face; and the current collecting member abuts against the stepped face along a direction facing the electrode assembly (see the annotated Fig. below).
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Annotated Kim Fig. 9
Regarding claim 12, Kim discloses a sealing element; and the end cover is connected to the housing in a sealed manner through the sealing element; and wherein the sealing element is configured to insulate and isolate the housing from the end cover (given the claims do not state that the sealing element is a separate and non-integral piece to the insulating element, the top of sealing gasket 74b that meets the limitation “a portion of the insulating element is located between the first connection portion and the end cover, and the portion of the insulating element contacts both the first connection portion and the end cover”, in the rejection of claim 1 above, can be drawn to the insulating element, and the bottom of sealing gasket 74b, that connects the end cover to the housing in a sealed manner and insulates and isolates the housing from the end cover, can be drawn to the sealing element, see the annotated Fig. below).
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Annotated Kim Fig. 9
Also, it would have been obvious to separate the sealing gasket 74b of Kim into two separate pieces, a top separate piece drawn to the insulating element and a bottom separate piece drawn to the sealing gasket in order to, for example, allow for easy and quick replacement of the top or bottom of the sealing gasket if damage such as a tear or warpage occurs during manufacturing or in-use, because the Courts have held that making known elements separable is within the skill of a person of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Dulberg, 129 USPQ 348 (CCPA 1961) (see MPEP § 2144.04).
Regarding claim 13, Kim discloses wherein the sealing element is configured to wrap the end cover along a circumferential direction of the opening (the battery cell of Kim is a cylindrical battery cell, therefore the sealing element wraps the end cover along a circumferent direction of the opening, see Figs. 9 and 13).
Regarding claim 14, Kim discloses wherein the housing is provided with a limiting portion at one end of the opening (see the annotated Fig. below), and in the thickness direction of the end cover, at least a part of the sealing element is located between the end cover and the limiting portion, so as to realize sealing connection between the end cover and the housing (see the annotated Fig. below); and wherein the sealing element comprises an enclosing body and a third connection portion, and the third connection portion is connected to the enclosing body; and at least a part of the end cover is located in the enclosing body, and in the thickness direction of the end cover, the third connection portion is located between the end cover and the limiting portion, so as to realize sealing connection between the end cover and the housing (see the annotated Fig. below).
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Annotated Kim Fig. 9
Regarding claim 16, Kim discloses wherein the electrode assembly comprises a main body, the first tab is in a cylindrical structure, one end of the first tab is connected to the main body, and the other end of the first tab is welded to the current collecting member (see Figs. 9 and 13; see entire disclosure and especially P155, 173).
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al (US 20230327303 A1) in view of Mori et al (US 20060063063 A1) as applied to claim 1, further in view of Nestle et al (US 20200196450 A1), in view of Hwangbo (US 20220231345 A1), and Satou et al (US 6117589 A).
Regarding claim 17, modified Kim does not meet the limitation wherein the current collecting member is welded to the housing; and wherein a melting point of the current collecting member is lower than a melting point of the housing.
In a similar field of endeavor, Nestle teaches current collectors can be directly welded to inner faces of a battery housing to electrically connect electrodes to a housing (P14, 30).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized the teaching of Nestle and provided wherein the current collecting member is welded to the housing, given Nestle teaches this can facilitate electrical connection between electrodes and a battery housing.
However, modified Kim does not meet the limitation wherein a melting point of the current collecting member is lower than a melting point of the housing.
In a similar field of endeavor, Hwangbo teaches wherein a battery housing can be made of steel (P179).
In a similar field of endeavor, Satou teaches a positive current collector is typically made from an aluminum foil and the negative electrode collector is typically made from a copper foil (C4 / L46-50).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to select the material of the housing to be steel and the material of the current collector to be aluminum or copper, depending upon whether or not the current collecting member is used as a positive collector or a negative collector, given Hwangbo teaches a battery housing can be made from steel and Satou teaches aluminum and copper are typical materials for current collectors, and the selection of a known material, which is based upon its suitability for the intended use, is within the ambit of one of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416 (CCPA 1960) (see MPEP § 2144.07).
One of ordinary skill in the art would know that the melting point of steel is higher than both aluminum and copper.
Claim 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al (US 20230327303 A1) in view of Mori et al (US 20060063063 A1) as applied to claim 4, further in view of Nestle et al (US 20200196450 A1).
Regarding claim 21, Kim discloses wherein an inner side surface of the housing is approximately parallel to the second connection portion (see the annotated Fig. provided below), wherein an inner surface of the housing comprises a stepped face connected to the inner side surface, and the first connection portion abuts against the stepped face in a direction facing the electrode assembly (see the annotated Fig. provided below).
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Annotated Kim Fig. 9
However, Kim does not disclose the second connection portion is welded to the inner side surface of the housing.
In a similar field of endeavor, Nestle teaches current collectors can be directly welded to inner faces of a battery housing to electrically connect electrodes to a housing (P14, 30).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized the teaching of Nestle and provided wherein the current collecting member is welded to the inner side surface of the housing, for example, welding the second connection portion of the current collecting member to the inner side surface of the housing, given Nestle teaches this can facilitate electrical connection between electrodes and a battery housing.
Conclusion
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/MARY GRACE BYRAM/Examiner, Art Unit 1729