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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 03/30/2026 has been entered.
Status of Claims
The Applicant’s amendment and arguments, filed 03/30/2026, has been entered. Claims 1, 16-17, and 19 are amended; claims 3, 5, 7-11, and 18 stand as originally or previously presented; claims 12-15 are withdrawn; claims 2, 4, 6 are cancelled; and claims 20-21 are new. Support for the amendments is found in the original filing, and there is no new matter.
Upon considered said amendments and arguments, the previous 35 U.S.C.103 rejection set forth in Office Action mailed 12/29/2025 has been withdrawn, and amended and new grounds of rejections under 35 U.S.C. 103 citing to the originally cited art and newly cited art are set forth below as necessitated by the claim amendments.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
Claims 1 and 3, 5, 7-8, 10, and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Byun et al. (US 20100216001 A1, hereinafter Byun), in view of Oh et al. (US 20050003264 A1, hereinafter Oh), Kozuki et al. (US 20100304199 A1, hereinafter Kozuki), Tsuji et al. (US 20170047575 A1, hereinafter Tsuji), and Muraoka et al. (US 20180097219 A1, hereinafter Muraoka).
Regarding Claim 1, Byun discloses the limitations regarding a secondary battery (Byun, rechargeable battery, Abstract) comprising:
an electrode wound body that has a positive electrode and a negative electrode stacked with a separator interposed therebetween and has a wound structure (Byun, electrode assembly may be formed by winding a thin plate first electrode plate, separator and second electrode plate, wherein the first electrode plate and second electrode plate may serve as a positive electrode and negative, respectively, [0058]); and
a positive electrode current collecting plate and a negative electrode current collecting plate (Byun, first current collector plate and second current collector plate, [0057]), wherein
the electrode wound body, the positive electrode current collecting plate and the negative electrode current collecting plate are accommodated in an exterior can (Byun, rechargeable battery may further include a case receiving the electrode assembly, the first and second collector plate and an electrolyte solution, [0057]),
wherein the positive electrode includes a first covered part covered with a positive electrode active material layer (Byun, first electrode plate may include a first electrode current collector and a first electrode active material layer coated on both surfaces of the first electrode current collector, [0059]) and a positive electrode active material non-covered part on a positive electrode foil (Byun, first electrode uncoated portion, not including the first electrode active material, may also be formed on the first electrode current collector, [0059]),
the negative electrode comprises a second covered part covered with a negative electrode active material layer (Byun, the second electrode plate may include a second electrode current collector and a second electrode active material layer coated on both surfaces of the second electrode current collector, [0061]) and a negative electrode active material non-covered part on a negative electrode foil (Byun, second electrode uncoated portion not including the second electrode active material may also be formed on the second electrode current collector, [0061]),
the positive electrode active material non-covered part is joined to the positive electrode current collecting plate (Byun, the first current collector plate may be joined to the first electrode uncoated portion, [0067] at one end of the electrode wound body (Byun, the first current collector plate and the second current collector plate may be respectively joined to upper and lower ends of the electrode assembly so that they are electrically connected to the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate, [0066], Figure 2),
the negative electrode active material non-covered part is joined to the negative electrode current collecting plate (Byun, the second current collector plate may be joined to the second electrode uncoated portion, [0068]) at the other end of the electrode wound body (Byun, the first current collector plate 20 and the second current collector plate may be respectively joined to upper and lower ends of the electrode assembly so that they are electrically connected to the first electrode plate 11 and the second electrode plate 12, [0066], Figure 2),
one or both of the positive electrode active material non-covered part and the negative electrode active material non-covered part have a flat surface formed by bending toward a central axis of the wound structure and overlapping each other (Byun, Uncoated current collector portions bent towards the central axis, overlapping each other, and forming a flat surface, Annotated Figure 2 below).
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a portion of the positive electrode active material non-covered part includes a positive electrode active material non-covered end part (Byun, positive and negative electrode non-covered end part protruding outward from separator, Annotated Figure 2 above).
Byun is silent regarding a width (A) of positive electrode active material non-covered part is larger in width than a width (B) of the negative electrode active material non-covered part.
Oh discloses a secondary battery (Oh, secondary battery, Title) comprising:
an electrode wound body that has a positive electrode and a negative electrode stacked with a separator interposed therebetween and has a wound structure (Oh, a jelly-roll type electrode having a negative electrode plate having a negative electrode coated portion coated with a negative electrode active material layer, and a negative electrode uncoated portion disposed at an end of the negative electrode plate, a positive electrode plate having a positive electrode coated portion coated with a positive electrode active material layer, and a positive electrode uncoated portion disposed at an end of the positive electrode plate, and a separator interposed between the negative electrode plate and the positive electrode plate, [0015, 0019]), wherein
a width (A) of positive electrode active material non-covered part is larger in width than a width (B) of the negative electrode active material non-covered part (Oh, the width of the positive electrode uncoated portion is approximately 1.5 to 3 times wider than that of the negative electrode uncoated portion, [0018]).
Oh teaches that deformation of the negative electrode uncoated portion can be minimized while winding (Oh, [0048]).
Byun and Oh are analogous to the current invention as they are all directed towards a rolled battery comprising uncoated electrodes parts.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the uncoated portions of Byun so that the width of the positive electrode uncoated portion is approximately 1.5 to 3 times wider than that of the negative electrode uncoated portion, as taught by Oh, in order to minimize the deformation of the negative electrode uncoated portion during winding.
Kozuki discloses the limitations for a secondary battery (Kozuki, secondary battery, Title) comprising:
an electrode wound body that has a positive electrode and a negative electrode stacked with a separator interposed therebetween and has a wound structure (Kozuki, the structure of a secondary battery formed by winding the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate with the porous insulating layer interposed therebetween, [0129]; the Examiner notes that the porous insulating layer is analogous to the claimed separator); and
the positive electrode includes a first covered part covered with a positive electrode active material layer and a positive electrode active material non-covered part on a positive electrode foil (Kozuki, a positive electrode plate 1 including a positive electrode current collector having a portion 1b coated with a positive electrode material mixture in a direction of its width and a portion 1a uncoated with the positive electrode mixture, Figure 2a, [0088]),
the negative electrode comprises a second covered part covered with a negative electrode active material layer and a negative electrode active material non-covered part on a negative electrode foil (Kozuki, a negative plate 2 including a negative electrode current collector having a portion 2b coated with a negative electrode material mixture in a direction of its width and a portion 2a uncoated with the negative electrode material mixture, Figure 2b, [0088]), wherein
a width (A) of positive electrode active material non-covered part is larger in width than a width (B) of the negative electrode active material non-covered part. (Kozuki, the positive electrode plate had a 6 mm wide uncoated portion, and the negative electrode plate had a 5 mm wide uncoated portion, [0144]; the Examiner notes that the uncoated width of 6 mm of the positive electrode plate is larger than the uncoated width of 5 mm of the negative electrode plate).
Kozuki teaches that the uncoated portions of the positive electrode plate and negative electrode plate, each having their own width, must protrude from the separator in the opposite directions, which allows for the uncoated portion to be joined to the current collector plates to reduce electrical resistance (Kozuki, [0005, 0088-0089]).
Modified Byun and Kozuki are analogous to the current invention as they are all directed towards a wound secondary battery.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to routinely design the uncoated portions of the positive electrode and negative electrode current collectors of modified Byun to have varying uncoated region widths, as taught by Kozuki, because the uncoated portion of the positive and negative electrode current collectors must protrude from the separator in order for the uncoated portion to be joined with the current collector plate to reduce electrical resistance.
Modified Byun discloses the positive electrode active material non-covered end part and the negative electrode active material non-covered end part are each protruded outward from the separator (Byun, the electrode assembly 10 may be formed by, e.g., layering and winding the first electrode plate 11, the separator 13, and the second electrode plate 12 so that the first electrode uncoated portion and the second electrode uncoated portion extend outward, respectively, from upper and lower ends of the electrode assembly, [0065], Figure 2), and
a width (C) of the positive electrode active material non-covered end part protruded from an end of the separator is larger than a width (D) of the negative electrode active material non-covered end part protruded from an other end of the separator (Kozuki, an end portion of the positive electrode plate and negative electrode plate protrude from the porous insulating layer, and the positive electrode plate had a 6 mm wide uncoated portion, and the negative electrode plate had a 5 mm wide uncoated portion, [0089, 0144]) (Oh, the width of the positive electrode uncoated portion is approximately 1.5 to 3 times wider than that of the negative electrode uncoated portion, [0018]).
The Examiner notes that modified Byun discloses both the positive and negative non-covered end portions are protruding outwards from the separator (Byun, Annotated Figure 2 above), and the non-covered portion of the positive electrode plate has is approximately 1.5 to 3 times wider than the non-covered portion of the negative electrode plate (Oh, [0018]); thus, the protruded non-covered end part of the positive electrode plate is larger than the protruded non-covered end part of the negative electrode plate.
Modified Byun is silent regarding a part of the positive electrode active material non-covered part, that faces the negative electrode with the separator interposed therebetween, includes an insulating layer disposed on a surface of the positive electrode foil.
Tsuji discloses a wound battery (Tsuji, Abstract), wherein a part of the positive electrode (Tsuji, the first electrode is a positive electrode, [0027]) active material non-covered part, that faces the negative electrode with the separator interposed therebetween, includes an insulating layer disposed on a surface of the positive electrode foil (Tsuji, the first uncoated region 40a of the electrode is covered with the insulating layers 5 applied from the front and back sides. The insulating layers 5 are provided in the form of a strip that extends along the first end so as to cover the end face 40c of the first end. As a result, the portion of the first uncoated region 40a that is overlapped by the positive electrode current collector lead 24 is covered with the insulating layers 5, [0032], Figure 2]).
Tsuji teaches that this configuration reduces the risk that internal short circuits will be caused by the presence of the first uncoated region 40a, and also ensures that the root of the positive electrode current collector lead 24 is fixed by the insulating layers 5 and the movement of the positive electrode current collector lead 24 is restrained, resulting in the reduction of the risk of internal short circuits caused by the positive electrode current collector lead 24 (Tsuji, [0032], Figure 2).
Modified Byun and Tsuji are analogous to the current invention as they are directed towards a wound battery comprising a positive electrode with an uncoated region.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention for the part of the positive electrode active material non-covered part of modified Byun is covered with the insulating layers 5 applied from the front and back sides, as taught by Tsuji, in order to reduce the risk of an internal short circuit occurring.
Modified Byun is silent regarding a Young's modulus of the positive electrode is lower than a Young's modulus of the negative electrode.
Muraoka discloses a secondary battery that is a wound electrode body (Muraoka, [0026]), wherein the positive electrode collector is formed of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and has a Young’s Modulus within the range of 65 GPa or more to 75 GPa or less, and the negative electrode collector is formed of copper or a copper alloy and the Young’s Modulus is within the range of 110 GPa or more to 130 GPa or less (Muraoka, [0061-0062]). Muraoka teaches that the Young’s Modulus is a value that is specific to the material and affects the bending strength of the collector (Muraoka, [0061-0062]), and the impact absorbability ability of the battery can be increased due to the bending and deformation of the electrode (Muraoka, [0049]).
Modified Byun and Muraoka are analogous to the current invention as they are directed to a battery and a wound electrode body.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention for the positive electrode and negative electrode of negative Byun to have a Young’s Modulus of 65 GPa – 75 GPa and 110 -130 GPa, respectively, as taught by Muraoka, in order to increase the impact absorbability. In addition, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that aluminum, which is commonly used in positive electrode, generally has a lower Young’s Modulus than copper, which is commonly used in the negative electrode, because Young’s Modulus is specific to the material, as taught by Muraoka.
Regarding Claims 3, modified Kozuki discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Modified Kozuki discloses the limitations for a secondary battery (Kozuki, secondary battery, Title), wherein the positive electrode foil has a thickness of 5 µm or more and 20 µm or less (Kozuki, a positive electrode current collector made of a 15 µm thick, 56 mm wide aluminum foil, [0144]; the disclosed thickness of 15 µm falls within the claimed range of 5 µm to 20 µm), and
the negative electrode foil has a thickness of 5 µm or more and 20 µm or less (Kozuki, the negative electrode current collector made of a 10 µm thick, 57 mm wide copper foil, [0146]; the disclosed thickness of 10 um falls within the claimed range of 5 µm to 20 µm).
Regarding Claims 5 and 7, modified Byun discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Modified Byun discloses the limitations for a secondary battery (Byun, rechargeable battery, Abstract), wherein a material of the positive electrode foil includes aluminum or an aluminum alloy (Byun, the first electrode current collector may be formed in a foil shape and may include, e.g., an aluminum (Al) material, [0060]).
Regarding Claim 8, modified Byun discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Modified Byun discloses the limitations for a secondary battery (Byun, rechargeable battery, Abstract), wherein a material of the negative electrode foil includes a simple substance of nickel, a nickel alloy, copper, a copper alloy, or a composite thereof (Byun, the second electrode current collector may be formed in a foil shape and may include, e.g., a nickel or copper (Cu) material, [0062]).
Regarding Claim 10, modified Byun discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Modified Byun discloses the limitations for an electronic device comprising the secondary battery (Byun, the rechargeable battery may be suitable for use as a large capacity battery, e.g., a hybrid electric vehicle battery, [0069]).
Regarding Claim 18, modified Byun discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Modified Byun discloses the limitations for a secondary battery (Byun, rechargeable battery, Abstract), wherein the positive electrode foil includes aluminum or an aluminum alloy (Byun, the first electrode current collector may be formed in a foil shape and may include, e.g., an aluminum (Al) material, [0060]), and wherein the negative electrode foil includes a simple substance of nickel, a nickel alloy, copper or a copper alloy or a composite thereof (Byun, the second electrode current collector may be formed in a foil shape and may include, e.g., a nickel or copper (Cu) material, [0062]).
Regarding Claim 19, modified Byun discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Modified Byun discloses the limitations for a secondary battery (Byun, rechargeable battery, Abstract), wherein the positive electrode active material non-covered part, the negative electrode active material non-covered part or both face the separator (Byun, the positive electrode uncoated portion 11c and negative electrode uncoated portion 12c both face the separator, Figure 3).
Regarding Claim 20, modified Byun discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Modified Byun discloses the limitations for a secondary battery (Byun, rechargeable battery, Abstract), wherein the width (A) = 7 mm, the width (B) = 4 mm, the width (C) = 4.5 mm, and the width (D) = 3 mm (Kozuki, the positive electrode plate had a 6 mm wide uncoated portion, and the negative electrode plate had a 5 mm wide uncoated portion, [0144]; the Examiner notes that the uncoated width of 6 mm of the positive electrode plate is larger than the uncoated width of 5 mm of the negative electrode plate) (Oh, the width of the positive electrode uncoated portion is approximately 1.5 to 3 times wider than that of the negative electrode uncoated portion, [0018]).
Therefore, absent evidence of unexpected results obtained from utilizing the claimed widths (A), (B), (C), and (D), it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to have optimized the widths of the positive and negative electrode uncoated portions in order to arrive at a desired control of minimize deformation while winding the electrodes of the battery, since lengths and ratio of the uncoated portions of the positive and negative electrodes are directly related to the ratios of Oh which optimizes the minimization of deformation of the electrodes while winding the electrodes of the battery, as recognized by Oh and Kozuki, as noted above (see MPEP 2144.05 (II).
Claims 9 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Byun et al. (US 20100216001 A1, hereinafter Byun), in view of Oh et al. (US 20050003264 A1, hereinafter Oh), Kozuki et al. (US 20100304199 A1, hereinafter Kozuki), Tsuji et al. (US 20170047575 A1, hereinafter Tsuji), and Muraoka et al. (US 20180097219 A1, hereinafter Muraoka), as applied to Claim 1 above, and further in view of Hirose et al. (US 20120328915 A1, hereinafter Hirose).
Regarding Claim 9, modified Byun discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Modified Byun discloses the limitations for a secondary battery (Byun, secondary battery, Abstract). Modified Byun is silent regarding a battery pack comprising: the secondary battery; a controller configured to control the secondary battery; and an exterior body that encloses the secondary battery.
Hirose discloses a secondary battery comprising of a battery can comprising of a spirally wound electrode body (Hirose, [0148]), and a battery pack (Hirose, battery pack, Claim 16) comprising:
the secondary battery (Hirose, secondary battery, Claim 16);
a controller configured to control the secondary battery (Hirose, controller configured to control the usage state of the secondary battery, Claim 16); and
an exterior body that encloses the secondary battery (Hirose, positive-electrode terminal 71 and a negative-electrode terminal 72 in a housing 60, Figure 10, [0178]).
Hirose teaches that the controller controls the overall operation of the battery pack, such as the usage state of the power source (Hirose, [0179]).
Modified Byun and Hirose are analogous to the current invention as they are both directed towards a wound structure secondary battery.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include the secondary battery of modified Byun in the battery pack comprising of a controller of Hirose, in order to control the usage state of the secondary battery.
Regarding Claim 11, modified Byun discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Modified Byun discloses the limitations for an electronic device comprising the battery pack (Hirose, battery pack refers to a power source including the lithium-ion secondary batteries, and the electric vehicle, e.g. a hybrid vehicle, operates using the lithium-ion secondary battery as a power source for operation, [0176]).
Claims 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Byun et al. (US 20100216001 A1, hereinafter Byun, in view of Oh et al. (US 20050003264 A1, hereinafter Oh), Kozuki et al. (US 20100304199 A1, hereinafter Kozuki), Tsuji et al. (US 20170047575 A1, hereinafter Tsuji) and Muraoka et al. (US 20180097219 A1, hereinafter Muraoka), as applied to Claim 1 above, and further in view of Mori et al. (US 20140113185 A1, hereinafter Mori).
Regarding Claim 16, modified Byun discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Modified Byun discloses the limitations for a secondary battery (Byun, rechargeable battery, Abstract), compressed and molded toward the center of the battery element 4, [0134], Figure 12C.
Modified Byun is silent regarding the flat surface has a groove extending radially from a center of the electrode wound body, wherein the groove separates the flat surface into a plurality of flat surfaces.
Mori discloses the limitations regarding a secondary battery (Mori, electricity storage device, Abstract) comprising
an electrode wound body (Mori, battery element that is wound comprising a positive electrode part and negative electrode part, [0066]), wherein
one or both of the positive electrode active material non-covered part and the negative electrode active material non-covered part (Mori, an uncoated part that is an electrode protrusion of each of the current collector for the positive electrode side and the negative electrode side is formed into each positive electrode part and negative electrode part, [0139]) have a flat surface formed by bending toward a central axis of the wound structure and overlapping each other (Mori, each of the positive electrode part 12 and negative electrode part 14 of the battery element 4 is equally divided by 60 degrees, is folded toward an element center 40, is compressed and is molded, [0070], Figure 16B), and
the flat surface has a groove extending radially from a center of the electrode wound body (Mori, a depression 84 that is a sunken part of each positive electrode part 12 and negative electrode part 14 by 60 degrees in area, and the depression extends radially from a center of the wound body, [0134], Figure 12B-12C; the Examiner notes that the depressions correspond to the claimed grooves), wherein the groove separates the flat surface into a plurality of flat surfaces (Mori, the depressions 84 separates the protrusions 86, which are electrode parts that are compressed and molded toward the center of the battery element 4 , [0134], Figure 12C).
Mori teaches that the battery structure with depressions allows for specific areas of an electrode part to be connected to a current collector plate (Mori, [0131-0134], Figure 12B).
Modified Byun and Mori are analogous to the current invention as they are directed towards a battery comprising a wound electrode structure with a bent uncoated current collector region.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include the depressions Mori in the positive and negative electrode uncoated region of Byun, in order to allow for specific areas of an electrode part to be connected to a current collector plate.
Claims 17 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Byun et al. (US 20100216001 A1, hereinafter Byun), in view of Oh et al. (US 20050003264 A1, hereinafter Oh), Kozuki et al. (US 20100304199 A1, hereinafter Kozuki), Tsuji et al. (US 20170047575 A1, hereinafter Tsuji) and Muraoka et al. (US 20180097219 A1, hereinafter Muraoka).
Regarding Claim 17, Byun discloses the limitations regarding a secondary battery (Byun, rechargeable battery, Abstract) comprising:
an electrode wound body that has a positive electrode and a negative electrode stacked with a separator interposed therebetween and has a wound structure (Byun, electrode assembly may be formed by winding a thin plate first electrode plate, separator and second electrode plate, wherein the first electrode plate and second electrode plate may serve as a positive electrode and negative, respectively, [0058]); and
a positive electrode current collecting plate and a negative electrode current collecting plate (Byun, first current collector plate and second current collector plate, [0057]), wherein
the electrode wound body, the positive electrode current collecting plate and the negative electrode current collecting plate are accommodated in an exterior can (Byun, rechargeable battery may further include a case receiving the electrode assembly, the first and second collector plate and an electrolyte solution, [0057]),
wherein the positive electrode includes a first covered part covered with a positive electrode active material layer (Byun, first electrode plate may include a first electrode current collector and a first electrode active material layer coated on both surfaces of the first electrode current collector, [0059]) and a positive electrode active material non-covered part on a positive electrode foil (Byun, first electrode uncoated portion, not including the first electrode active material, may also be formed on the first electrode current collector, [0059]),
the negative electrode comprises a second covered part covered with a negative electrode active material layer (Byun, the second electrode plate may include a second electrode current collector and a second electrode active material layer coated on both surfaces of the second electrode current collector, [0061]) and a negative electrode active material non-covered part on a negative electrode foil (Byun, second electrode uncoated portion not including the second electrode active material may also be formed on the second electrode current collector, [0061]),
the positive electrode active material non-covered part is joined to the positive electrode current collecting plate (Byun, the first current collector plate may be joined to the first electrode uncoated portion, [0067] at one end of the electrode wound body (Byun, the first current collector plate and the second current collector plate may be respectively joined to upper and lower ends of the electrode assembly so that they are electrically connected to the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate, [0066], Figure 2),
the negative electrode active material non-covered part is joined to the negative electrode current collecting plate (Byun, the second current collector plate may be joined to the second electrode uncoated portion, [0068]) at the other end of the electrode wound body (Byun, the first current collector plate 20 and the second current collector plate may be respectively joined to upper and lower ends of the electrode assembly so that they are electrically connected to the first electrode plate 11 and the second electrode plate 12, [0066], Figure 2),
one or both of the positive electrode active material non-covered part and the negative electrode active material non-covered part have a flat surface formed by bending toward a central axis of the wound structure and overlapping each other (Byun, Uncoated current collector portions bent towards the central axis, overlapping each other, and forming a flat surface, Annotated Figure 2 below).
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a portion of the positive electrode active material non-covered part includes a positive electrode active material non-covered end part (Byun, positive and negative electrode non-covered end part protruding outward from separator, Annotated Figure 2 above), and
at least one of the positive current collecting plate and the negative current collecting plate is welded to the corresponding positive electrode active material non-covered part flat surface or negative electrode active material non-covered part flat surface, respectively (Byun, the first and second current collector plate may be joined to the first electrode uncoated portion and second electrode uncoated portion through, e.g., laser welding, respectively, thus enabling a reduction in length of the electrode uncoated portion extending from the electrode assembly, [0067-0068]).
Byun is silent regarding a width (A) of positive electrode active material non-covered part is larger in width than a width (B) of the negative electrode active material non-covered part.
Oh discloses a secondary battery (Oh, secondary battery, Title) comprising:
an electrode wound body that has a positive electrode and a negative electrode stacked with a separator interposed therebetween and has a wound structure (Oh, a jelly-roll type electrode having a negative electrode plate having a negative electrode coated portion coated with a negative electrode active material layer, and a negative electrode uncoated portion disposed at an end of the negative electrode plate, a positive electrode plate having a positive electrode coated portion coated with a positive electrode active material layer, and a positive electrode uncoated portion disposed at an end of the positive electrode plate, and a separator interposed between the negative electrode plate and the positive electrode plate, [0015, 0019]), wherein
a width (A) of positive electrode active material non-covered part is larger in width than a width (B) of the negative electrode active material non-covered part (Oh, the width of the positive electrode uncoated portion is approximately 1.5 to 3 times wider than that of the negative electrode uncoated portion, [0018]).
Oh teaches that deformation of the negative electrode uncoated portion can be minimized while winding (Oh, [0048]).
Byun and Oh are analogous to the current invention as they are all directed towards a rolled battery comprising uncoated electrodes parts.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the uncoated portions of Byun so that the width of the positive electrode uncoated portion is approximately 1.5 to 3 times wider than that of the negative electrode uncoated portion, as taught by Oh, in order to minimize the deformation of the negative electrode uncoated portion during winding.
Kozuki discloses the limitations for a secondary battery (Kozuki, secondary battery, Title) comprising:
an electrode wound body that has a positive electrode and a negative electrode stacked with a separator interposed therebetween and has a wound structure (Kozuki, the structure of a secondary battery formed by winding the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate with the porous insulating layer interposed therebetween, [0129]; the Examiner notes that the porous insulating layer is analogous to the claimed separator); and
the positive electrode includes a first covered part covered with a positive electrode active material layer and a positive electrode active material non-covered part on a positive electrode foil (Kozuki, a positive electrode plate 1 including a positive electrode current collector having a portion 1b coated with a positive electrode material mixture in a direction of its width and a portion 1a uncoated with the positive electrode mixture, Figure 2a, [0088]),
the negative electrode comprises a second covered part covered with a negative electrode active material layer and a negative electrode active material non-covered part on a negative electrode foil (Kozuki, a negative plate 2 including a negative electrode current collector having a portion 2b coated with a negative electrode material mixture in a direction of its width and a portion 2a uncoated with the negative electrode material mixture, Figure 2b, [0088]), wherein
a width (A) of positive electrode active material non-covered part is larger in width than a width (B) of the negative electrode active material non-covered part. (Kozuki, the positive electrode plate had a 6 mm wide uncoated portion, and the negative electrode plate had a 5 mm wide uncoated portion, [0144]; the Examiner notes that the uncoated width of 6 mm of the positive electrode plate is larger than the uncoated width of 5 mm of the negative electrode plate).
Kozuki teaches that the uncoated portions of the positive electrode plate and negative electrode plate, each having their own width, must protrude from the separator in the opposite directions, which allows for the uncoated portion to be joined to the current collector plates to reduce electrical resistance (Kozuki, [0005, 0088-0089]).
Modified Byun and Kozuki are analogous to the current invention as they are all directed towards a wound secondary battery.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to routinely design the uncoated portions of the positive electrode and negative electrode current collectors of modified Byun to have varying uncoated region widths, as taught by Kozuki, because the uncoated portion of the positive and negative electrode current collectors must protrude from the separator in order for the uncoated portion to be joined with the current collector plate to reduce electrical resistance.
Modified Byun discloses the positive electrode active material non-covered end part and the negative electrode active material non-covered end part are each protruded outward from the separator (Byun, the electrode assembly 10 may be formed by, e.g., layering and winding the first electrode plate 11, the separator 13, and the second electrode plate 12 so that the first electrode uncoated portion and the second electrode uncoated portion extend outward, respectively, from upper and lower ends of the electrode assembly, [0065], Figure 2), and
a width (C) of the positive electrode active material non-covered end part protruded from an end of the separator is larger than a width (D) of the negative electrode active material non-covered end part protruded from an other end of the separator (Kozuki, an end portion of the positive electrode plate and negative electrode plate protrude from the porous insulating layer, and the positive electrode plate had a 6 mm wide uncoated portion, and the negative electrode plate had a 5 mm wide uncoated portion, [0089, 0144]) (Oh, the width of the positive electrode uncoated portion is approximately 1.5 to 3 times wider than that of the negative electrode uncoated portion, [0018]).
The Examiner notes that modified Byun discloses both the positive and negative non-covered end portions are protruding outwards from the separator (Byun, Annotated Figure 2 above), and the non-covered portion of the positive electrode plate has is approximately 1.5 to 3 times wider than the non-covered portion of the negative electrode plate (Oh, [0018]); thus, the protruded non-covered end part of the positive electrode plate is larger than the protruded non-covered end part of the negative electrode plate.
Modified Byun is silent regarding a part of the positive electrode active material non-covered part, that faces the negative electrode with the separator interposed therebetween, includes an insulating layer disposed on a surface of the positive electrode foil.
Tsuji discloses a wound battery (Tsuji, Abstract), wherein a part of the positive electrode (Tsuji, the first electrode is a positive electrode, [0027]) active material non-covered part, that faces the negative electrode with the separator interposed therebetween, includes an insulating layer disposed on a surface of the positive electrode foil (Tsuji, the first uncoated region 40a of the electrode is covered with the insulating layers 5 applied from the front and back sides. The insulating layers 5 are provided in the form of a strip that extends along the first end so as to cover the end face 40c of the first end. As a result, the portion of the first uncoated region 40a that is overlapped by the positive electrode current collector lead 24 is covered with the insulating layers 5, [0032], Figure 2]).
Tsuji teaches that this configuration reduces the risk that internal short circuits will be caused by the presence of the first uncoated region 40a, and also ensures that the root of the positive electrode current collector lead 24 is fixed by the insulating layers 5 and the movement of the positive electrode current collector lead 24 is restrained, resulting in the reduction of the risk of internal short circuits caused by the positive electrode current collector lead 24 (Tsuji, [0032], Figure 2).
Modified Byun and Tsuji are analogous to the current invention as they are directed towards a wound battery comprising a positive electrode with an uncoated region.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention for the part of the positive electrode active material non-covered part of modified Byun is covered with the insulating layers 5 applied from the front and back sides, as taught by Tsuji, in order to reduce the risk of an internal short circuit occurring.
Modified Byun is silent regarding a Young's modulus of the positive electrode is lower than a Young's modulus of the negative electrode.
Muraoka discloses a secondary battery that is a wound electrode body (Muraoka, [0026]), wherein the positive electrode collector is formed of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and has a Young’s Modulus within the range of 65 GPa or more to 75 GPa or less, and the negative electrode collector is formed of copper or a copper alloy and the Young’s Modulus is within the range of 110 GPa or more to 130 GPa or less (Muraoka, [0061-0062]). Muraoka teaches that the Young’s Modulus is a value that is specific to the material and affects the bending strength of the collector (Muraoka, [0061-0062]), and the impact absorbability ability of the battery can be increased due to the bending and deformation of the electrode (Muraoka, [0049]).
Modified Byun and Muraoka are analogous to the current invention as they are directed to a battery and a wound electrode body.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention for the positive electrode and negative electrode of negative Byun to have a Young’s Modulus of 65 GPa – 75 GPa and 110 -130 GPa, respectively, as taught by Muraoka, in order to increase the impact absorbability. In addition, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that aluminum, which is commonly used in positive electrode, generally has a lower Young’s Modulus than copper, which is commonly used in the negative electrode, because Young’s Modulus is specific to the material, as taught by Muraoka.
Regarding Claim 21, modified Byun discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Modified Byun discloses the limitations for a secondary battery (Byun, rechargeable battery, Abstract), wherein the width (A) = 7 mm, the width (B) = 4 mm, the width (C) = 4.5 mm, and the width (D) = 3 mm (Kozuki, the positive electrode plate had a 6 mm wide uncoated portion, and the negative electrode plate had a 5 mm wide uncoated portion, [0144]; the Examiner notes that the uncoated width of 6 mm of the positive electrode plate is larger than the uncoated width of 5 mm of the negative electrode plate) (Oh, the width of the positive electrode uncoated portion is approximately 1.5 to 3 times wider than that of the negative electrode uncoated portion, [0018]).
Therefore, absent evidence of unexpected results obtained from utilizing the claimed widths (A), (B), (C), and (D), it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to have optimized the widths of the positive and negative electrode uncoated portions in order to arrive at a desired control of minimize deformation while winding the electrodes of the battery, since lengths and ratio of the uncoated portions of the positive and negative electrodes are directly related to the ratios of Oh which optimizes the minimization of deformation of the electrodes while winding the electrodes of the battery, as recognized by Oh and Kozuki, as noted above (see MPEP 2144.05 (II).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Pages 8-9, filed 03/30/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1, 3-8, 10, 16, and 18-19 under 35 USC 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Byun et al. (US 20100216001 A1, hereinafter Byun), in view of Oh et al. (US 20050003264 A1, hereinafter Oh), Kozuki et al. (US 20100304199 A1, hereinafter Kozuki), Tsuji et al. (US 20170047575 A1, hereinafter Tsuji), and Muraoka et al. (US 20180097219 A1, hereinafter Muraoka), as noted above.
Conclusion
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/K.N./Examiner, Art Unit 1752
/OSEI K AMPONSAH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1752
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