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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendments filed April 27, 2026 have been entered. Claims 1, 12-13, and 36-37 have been amended. Claim 38 is new. Support for the amendments and new claims can be found at least in Figures 2, 7, and 10-12. Claims 1-16, 33, and 35-38 remain pending and have been examined on their merits in this office action.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed April 27, 2026 have been fully considered. Applicant argues that the prior art of record does not teach or suggest “wherein the density of the adhesive applied to the lower separator and the density of the adhesive applied to the upper separator are different.” Applicant’s arguments have been fully considered but are considered moot in view of the new grounds of rejection below in view of Applicant’s amendments to the independent claims 1 and 12.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Applicant’s amendments to claims 12, 13, and 27 overcome the previous 112(b) rejections, and the previous 112(b) rejections are hereby withdrawn.
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.
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.
Claims 1, 3-16, 33, and 35-38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sato et al. (Published U.S. Patent Application US 20210344048 A1), hereinafter referred to as Sato, in view of Guan et al. (CN 110556495 A), hereinafter referred to as Guan, and further in view of Yamashita et al. (Published U.S. Patent Application US 20200136187 A1), hereinafter referred to as Yamashita.
Regarding claim 1, Sato teaches a method of producing a laminate for a secondary battery (“a method for manufacturing a unit cell in which a certain number of separators and electrodes are alternately stacked”) (see e.g., Abstract). Sato teaches the method includes a step (a1) of applying an adhesive material at an affixing surface of the negative electrode material 20A and separator webs 10A and 30 A that is to be affixed to the negative electrode material (see e.g., paragraph [0019] and annotated Figure 4A), wherein an adhesive is applied to a first separator web 10A and a second separator web 30A from a coating machine 51 and 52 (“an adhesive applying operation of continuously providing a lower separator at a relatively lower position and an upper separator at a relatively upper position and apply adhesive to a surface of at least one separator of the lower separator and the upper separator”) (see e.g., paragraph [0056] and annotated Figure 4A). Sato teaches the negative electrode 20A is inputted from a negative electrode roll (“an electrode inputting operation of inputting an electrode onto the lower separator”) (see e.g., paragraph [0056] and Figure 4A). Sato teaches the negative electrode is positioned and stacked between the first separator web 10A and the second separator web 30A by pressure bonding rollers 61 and 62 (“a stacking operation of positioning and stacking the electrode between the lower separator and the upper separator”) (see e.g., paragraph [0056]). Sato teaches the adhesive is applied to the separator webs 10A and 30A bond together to sandwich the negative electrode (“wherein the adhesive applied on the at least one separator allows the electrode to be bonded to the at least one separator or allows the other separator to be bonded to the at least one separator, thereby preventing the electrode from moving relative to at least one of the upper and lower separators”) (see e.g., paragraph [0081] And Figure 4A). Sato teaches the adhesive material is applied such that a first coated section including a region where the adhesive material has been applied with a coating weight M1 and a second coated section including a region where the adhesive material has been applied with a coating weight M2 that is at least 0.02 g/m2 more than the coating weight M1 are located alternately in the longitudinal direction of the affixed body (“wherein, in the adhesive applying operation, the adhesive is applied on the surface of the at least one separator at different densities at different regions of the at least one separator”) (see e.g., paragraph [0084]).
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Annotated Sato Figure 4A
Sato does not explicitly teach wherein a density of the adhesive applied to a region of the at least one separator at a tab of the electrode is denser than a density of the adhesive applied to another region of the at least one separator.
However, Guan teaches a lithium battery containing a separator (see e.g., paragraph [0002]), wherein the separator includes a first organic adhesive coating that provides a first fully coated area, a grid intermittent coated area, and a second fully coated area (see e.g., paragraph [0009] and Figure 4). Guan teaches the battery is formed by sequentially stacking a positive electrode, the separator, and a negative electrode and then winding them in the same direction, and an electrolyte thereof (see e.g., paragraph [0022]). Guan teaches the tabs are welded onto the positive electrode and the negative electrode before the assembly of the battery (see e.g., paragraphs [0044] and [0046]). Guan teaches the separator has a first fully coated area along the upper edge of the separator where the tab would be located when assembling that is more densely applied than that of the grid intermittent coated area elsewhere on the separator (“wherein a density of the adhesive applied to a region of the at least one separator at a tab of the electrode is denser than a density of the adhesive applied to another region of the at least one separator”) (see e.g., Figure 4 and paragraph [0025]). Guan teaches by fully coating the head and tail of the separator uniformly (higher density) improves adhesion and avoid deformation at the head and tail of the cell with the intermittent grid pattern (lower density) being conducive to the wetting of the electrolyte, it can store more electrolyte to provide replenishment during cycling and reduce battery polarization (see e.g., paragraph [0025]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that one of ordinary skill would modify the application of the adhesive of Sato to include a fully coated area at the top edge of the separator and an intermittent grid area elsewhere on the separator, as taught by Guan, in order to improve adhesion and avoid deformation at the head and tail of the cell because of the fully coated area and store electrolyte to provide replenishment during cycling and reduce battery polarization because of the intermittent grid pattern (see e.g., paragraph [0025]).
Sato, as modified by Guan, does not explicitly teach wherein the density of the adhesive applied to the lower separator and the density of the adhesive applied to the upper separator are different.
However, Yamashita teaches a method for manufacturing a cell, wherein the positions of the adhesive on an upper separator do not overlap with the positions of the adhesive on a lower separator (see e.g., Abstract). Yamashita teaches a separator 4 (“upper separator”) and another separator 6 (“lower separator”) disposed between electrodes (see e.g., paragraph [0015] and Figure 3). Yamashita teaches the adhesives 14A, 14B, and 14C and 20A, 20B, and 20C are disposed onto the separator 4 in a dot-like state by a dispenser (see e.g., paragraph [0018]). Yamashita teaches the adhesive 25A, 25B, and 25C are disposed onto the separator 6 in a dot-like state by a dispenser (see e.g., paragraph [0023]). Yamashita teaches the adhesives 14A, 14B, 14C, 20A, 20B, 20C, 25A, 25B, and 25C are disposed in different positions on the separator 4 and the separator 6 (see e.g., paragraph [0041] and Figure 5) in order to not excessively increase the thickness of the cell (see e.g., paragraph [0047]) and to prevent separation between the electrodes and separators (see e.g., paragraph [0048]-[0049]); therefore, Yamashita teaches the density of the adhesives on the separator 4 (“upper separator”) is different than the density of the adhesive applied to the separator 6 (“lower separator”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that one of ordinary skill would modify the application of the adhesive of Sato, as modified by Guan, to dispose a different density of adhesive on one separator than the other separator in the cell, as taught by Yamashita, in order to increase the thickness of the cell (see e.g., paragraph [0047]) and to prevent separation between the electrodes and separators (see e.g., paragraph [0048]-[0049]).
Regarding claim 3, Sato, as modified by Guan and Yamashita, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 1, as previously described.
Sato teaches an affixing surface 80 illustrated in Figures 5 and 6A-6B has first coated sections 81 and second coated sections 82 (see e.g., paragraph [0098]). Sato teaches the first coated sections include a coated region 81A wherein the positive electrode is projected when the positive electrode is projected in a stacking direction (“wherein, in the adhesive applying operation, the adhesive is applied to a region of the different regions in which the electrode is stacked”) (see e.g., paragraph [0099]). Sato teaches the second coated sections 82 include a coated region 82A bond the separators 10A and 30A together outside of the coated region 81A (“the electrode and one of the upper separator and the lower separator are bonded to each other over at least a portion of contact surfaces thereof”) (see e.g., paragraph [0100]).
Regarding claim 4, Sato, as modified by Guan and Yamashita, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 3, as previously described.
Sato teaches the affixing surface in which the negative electrode is positioned has an elongated rectangular shape (“wherein the electrode has a rectangular shape with two short sides being relatively shorter and two long sides being relatively longer”) (see e.g., paragraph [0098]). Sato teaches the second coated sections 82 that includes the coated regions 82A are applied to the short sides of the affixing surface (see e.g., Figures 5 and 6A) and the vertices of the affixing surface 80 (“in the adhesive applying operation, the adhesive is applied to a region of the different regions in which the short sides of the electrode is to be positioned”) (see e.g., Figure 6B).
Regarding claim 5, Sato, as modified by Guan and Yamashita, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 3, as previously described.
Sato teaches the affixing surface in which the negative electrode is positioned has an elongated rectangular shape (“wherein the electrode has a rectangular shape with two short sides being relatively shorter and two long sides being relatively longer”) (see e.g., paragraph [0098]). Sato teaches the second coated sections 82 that includes the coated regions 82A are applied to the vertices of the affixing surface 80 (“in the adhesive applying operation, the adhesive is applied to all regions in which four vertices connecting the short sides and the long sides of the electrode are to be positioned”) (see e.g., Figure 6B).
Regarding claim 6, Sato, as modified by Guan and Yamashita, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 3, as previously described.
Sato teaches the affixing surface in which the negative electrode is positioned has an elongated rectangular shape (“wherein the electrode has a rectangular shape with two short sides being relatively shorter and two long sides being relatively longer”) (see e.g., paragraph [0098]). Sato teaches the second coated sections 82 that includes the coated regions 82A are applied to the short sides of the affixing surface (see e.g., Figures 5 and 6A) and the first coated sections 81 that includes the coated region 81A are applied to the long sides of the affixing surfaces (“in the adhesive applying operation, the adhesive is applied to all regions in which the short sides and the long sides of the electrode are to be positioned”) (see e.g., Figures 5 and 6A-6B).
Regarding claim 7, Sato, as modified by Guan and Yamashita, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 6, as previously described.
Sato teaches the coated region 81A is applied to be parallel to the long sides of the negative electrode and is coated to the coated region 82A that is connected to the short sides of the negative electrodes (“wherein in the adhesive applying operation, the adhesive is further applied to a region of the different regions which is parallel to the long sides of the electrode and has both ends respectively connected to the short sides”) (see e.g., Figures 5 and 6A).
Regarding claim 8, Sato, as modified by Guan and Yamashita, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 1, as previously described.
Sato teaches affixing the separators 10A and 30A with the electrode 20A is performed using pressure bonding rollers 61 and 62 (“further comprising a roller passing operation of allowing the lower separator, the upper separator, and the electrode, which are stacked on each other, to pass through between nip rollers that face each other, thereby pressing the lower separator, the upper separator, and the electrode”) (see e.g., paragraph [0056]).
Regarding claim 9, Sato, as modified by Guan and Yamashita, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 1, as previously described.
Sato teaches the application of the adhesive material using a coating machine can be performed by a known application method such as an inkjet and spraying (“wherein, in the adhesive applying operation, the adhesive is applied by being sprayed in the form of small particles together with compressed air”) (see e.g., paragraph [0080]).
Regarding claim 10, Sato, as modified by Guan and Yamashita, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 1, as previously described.
Sato teaches the application of the adhesive material using a coating machine can be performed by a known application method such as an inkjet and spraying (“wherein, in the adhesive applying operation, the adhesive is applied by being ejected by a change in volume of a pressure chamber that stores the adhesive”)(see e.g., paragraph [0080]).
Regarding claim 11, Sato, as modified by Guan and Yamashita, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 1, as previously described.
Sato teaches after the affixing step, the resultant affixed body is subsequently cut by a cutting machine 70 (“wherein, after the adhesive applying operation, an individual unit cell, in which a certain number of upper separators, lower separators, and electrodes are alternately stacked, is provided through a cutting process”) (see e.g., paragraph [0007 and Figure 4A).
Regarding claim 12, Sato teaches a method of producing a laminate for a secondary battery (“a method for manufacturing a unit cell in which a certain number of separators and electrodes are alternately stacked”) (see e.g., Abstract). Sato teaches method in which an elongated negative electrode web 20A, an elongated first separator web 10A, a positive electrode 40 that has been cut in advance, and an elongated second separator web 30A are stacked and affixed in stated order, and then the second separator web 30A, the first separator web 10A, and the negative electrode web 20A of the resultant affixed body are cut by a cutting machine 70 (refer to FIG. 4C) (see e.g., paragraph [0009]). Sato teaches the elongated first separator web 10A that has been fed from a first separator web roll (“an operation of continuously conveying and supplying, in a longitudinal direction, a lower separator which is located at a relatively lower position”), and an adhesive is applied to the elongated first separator web 10A by the coating machine 52 (“an operation of applying an adhesive to a portion of a top surface of the lower separator”) (see e.g., paragraph [0060] and Annotated Figure 4C). Sato teaches precut positive electrodes 40 are affixed to a surface of the first separator web 10A (“an operation of mounting, on the lower separator, a first electrode which is cut into a predetermined size and located on one side of the lower separator”) (see e.g., paragraph [0060] and Annotated Figure 4C). Sato teaches the elongated second separator web 30A is fed from a second separator web roll is affixed to a surface of the first separator web 10A and the positive electrodes 40 (“an operation of continuously conveying and supplying an upper separator which is located at a relatively upper position”), and an adhesive is applied to the elongated second separator web 30A by coating machine 53 (“an operation of applying an adhesive to a portion of one surface of the upper separator” (see e.g., paragraph [0060] and Annotated Figure 4C). Sato teaches the adhesive material is applied such that a first coated section including a region where the adhesive material has been applied with a coating weight M1 and a second coated section including a region where the adhesive material has been applied with a coating weight M2 that is at least 0.02 g/m2 more than the coating weight M1 are located alternately in the longitudinal direction of the affixed body (“wherein, in the operation of applying the adhesive to the portion of one surface of the upper separator, the adhesive is applied on the one surface of the upper separator, the adhesive is applied on the one surface of the upper separator at different densities at different regions of the one surface of the upper separator” ) (see e.g., paragraph [0084]).
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Annotated Sato Figure 4C
In other embodiments, Sato teaches the separator 10A is supplied from the upper side in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the separator 30A, and the adhesive is applied vertically from the coating machine 51 (“wherein the upper separator is supplied from an upper side in a direction perpendicular to a traveling direction of the lower separator, and is horizontally conveyed while the adhesive is applied so that the adhesive is applied vertically from the upper side” and “wherein the upper separator is stacked on the first electrode such that one surface of the upper separator on which the adhesive has been applied is placed on a top surface of the first electrode”) (see e.g., Figures 4A and 4B).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that one of ordinary skill would modify the embodiment of Figure 4C to have the separator 10A is supplied from the upper side in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the separator 30A, and the adhesive is applied vertically from the coating machine 51 as taught in the embodiments of Figure 4A and 4B in order to better adhere the laminate to each other (see e.g., paragraph [0119]).
Sato does not explicitly teach wherein a density of the adhesive applied to a region of the one surface of the upper separator at a tab of the first electrode is denser than a density of the adhesive applied to another region of the one surface of the upper separator.
However, Guan teaches a lithium battery containing a separator (see e.g., paragraph [0002]), wherein the separator includes a first organic adhesive coating that provides a first fully coated area, a grid intermittent coated area, and a second fully coated area (see e.g., paragraph [0009] and Figure 4). Guan teaches the battery is formed by sequentially stacking a positive electrode, the separator, and a negative electrode and then winding them in the same direction, and an electrolyte thereof (see e.g., paragraph [0022]). Guan teaches the tabs are welded onto the positive electrode and the negative electrode before the assembly of the battery (see e.g., paragraphs [0044] and [0046]). Guan teaches the separator has a first fully coated area along the upper edge of the separator where the tab would be located when assembling that is more densely applied than that of the grid intermittent coated area elsewhere on the separator (“wherein a density of the adhesive applied to a region of the one surface of the upper separator at a tab of the first electrode is denser than a density of the adhesive applied to another region of the one surface of the upper separator”) (see e.g., Figure 4 and paragraph [0025]). Guan teaches by fully coating the head and tail of the separator uniformly (higher density) improves adhesion and avoid deformation at the head and tail of the cell with the intermittent grid pattern (lower density) being conducive to the wetting of the electrolyte, it can store more electrolyte to provide replenishment during cycling and reduce battery polarization (see e.g., paragraph [0025]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that one of ordinary skill would modify the application of the adhesive of Sato to include a fully coated area at the top edge of the separator and an intermittent grid area elsewhere on the separator, as taught by Guan, in order to improve adhesion and avoid deformation at the head and tail of the cell because of the fully coated area and store electrolyte to provide replenishment during cycling and reduce battery polarization because of the intermittent grid pattern (see e.g., paragraph [0025]).
Sato, as modified by Guan, does not explicitly teach wherein the density of the adhesive applied to the lower separator and the density of the adhesive applied to the upper separator are different.
However, Yamashita teaches a method for manufacturing a cell, wherein the positions of the adhesive on an upper separator do not overlap with the positions of the adhesive on a lower separator (see e.g., Abstract). Yamashita teaches a separator 4 (“upper separator”) and another separator 6 (“lower separator”) disposed between electrodes (see e.g., paragraph [0015] and Figure 3). Yamashita teaches the adhesives 14A, 14B, and 14C and 20A, 20B, and 20C are disposed onto the separator 4 in a dot-like state by a dispenser (see e.g., paragraph [0018]). Yamashita teaches the adhesive 25A, 25B, and 25C are disposed onto the separator 6 in a dot-like state by a dispenser (see e.g., paragraph [0023]). Yamashita teaches the adhesives 14A, 14B, 14C, 20A, 20B, 20C, 25A, 25B, and 25C are disposed in different positions on the separator 4 and the separator 6 (see e.g., paragraph [0041] and Figure 5) in order to not excessively increase the thickness of the cell (see e.g., paragraph [0047]) and to prevent separation between the electrodes and separators (see e.g., paragraph [0048]-[0049]); therefore, Yamashita teaches the density of the adhesives on the separator 4 (“upper separator”) is different than the density of the adhesive applied to the separator 6 (“lower separator”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that one of ordinary skill would modify the application of the adhesive of Sato, as modified by Guan, to dispose a different density of adhesive on one separator than the other separator in the cell, as taught by Yamashita, in order to increase the thickness of the cell (see e.g., paragraph [0047]) and to prevent separation between the electrodes and separators (see e.g., paragraph [0048]-[0049]).
Regarding claim 13, Sato, as modified by Guan and Yamashita, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 12, as previously described.
Sato, as modified by Guan and Yamashita, does not explicitly teach wherein the upper separator is conveyed along a nip roller pressing the lower separator and the first electrode and along a guide roller disposed above the nip roller, and both surfaces of the upper separator are reversed after being conveyed by the nip roller and wherein, when the one surface of the upper separator is laid horizontally while conveyed along the guide roller, the adhesive is applied onto the one surface, and the upper separator is input between the nip roller and the first electrode such that the one surface on which the adhesive has been applied covers the top surface of the first electrode.
However, Yamashita teaches a sheet-like separator 4 is laid horizontally (see e.g., Figure 1) and is provided with a pair of upper and lower conveyance rollers 9, an absorption drum 10 for the negative electrode which is positioned on the downstream side of conveyance rollers 9, a nip roller 11 positioned on the upper side of this negative electrode absorption drum 10, an absorption drum 12 for the positive electrode which is positioned on the downstream side of nip roller 11, and a nip roller 13 positioned on the lower side of positive electrode absorption drum 12 (“wherein the upper separator is conveyed along a nip roller pressing the lower separator and the first electrode and along a guide roller disposed above the nip roller, and both surfaces of the upper separator are reversed after being conveyed by the nip roller”) (see e.g., paragraph [0016]). Yamashita teaches the upper surface of the sheet-like separator 4 has adhesive applied to it in a dot-like state by a second dispenser 21 (“wherein, when the one surface of the upper separator is laid horizontally while conveyed along the guide roller, the adhesive is applied onto the one surface, and the upper separator is input between the nip roller and the first electrode such that the one surface on which the adhesive has been applied covers the top surface of the first electrode”) (see e.g., paragraph [0020] and Figure 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that one of ordinary skill in the art would modify the method for manufacturing a unit cell of Sato, as modified by Guan and Yamashita, by having the upper separator be reversed after being conveyed and having the adhesive applied onto the one surface when that surface is being conveyed along the guide roller, as taught by Yamashita, to prevent the thickness of the monocell from becoming excessively large with inefficient application of adhesive when joining the separators and electrodes (see e.g., paragraph [0003]).
Regarding claim 14, Sato, as modified by Guan, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 13, as previously described.
Sato teaches the upper surface of the separator 10A has adhesive applied to it by a coating machine 53 after the separators 10A and negative electrode 20A are assembled (“further comprising an operation of further applying the adhesive to a portion of reverse surface of the upper separator after the upper separator is stacked on the first electrode”) (see e.g., Figure 4A).
Regarding claim 15, Sato, as modified by Guan, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 14, as previously described.
Sato teaches after the upper surface of the separator 10A is applied with adhesive by the coating machine 53, a positive electrode 40 is affixed on the surface (“further comprising, after the operation of further applying the adhesive to the portion of the reverse surface of the upper separator, an operation of further mounting a second electrode onto the reverse surface of the upper separator on which the adhesive has been applied, and wherein the second electrode mounted on the reverse surface of the upper separator has a different polarity from the first electrode stacked between the upper separator and the lower separator”) (see e.g., Figure 4A).
Regarding claim 16, Sato, as modified by Guan, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 15, as previously described.
Sato teaches after the separators 10A and 30A and the positive and negative electrodes are assembled, the stack passing through pressure bonding rollers 61 and 62 (“further comprising an operation of allowing the lower separator, the first electrode, the upper separator, and the second electrode, which are stacked in this order form a lower side to the upper side, to pass through between a pair of additional nip rollers, thereby pressing the lower separator, the first electrode, the upper separator, and the second electrode”) (see e.g., Figure 8).
Regarding claim 33, Sato, as modified by Guan and Yamashita, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 1, as previously described.
Sato teaches the adhesive material can be applied in a dotted shape (“wherein the adhesive is applied in a mesh shape or a dot shape”) (see e.g., paragraph [0081]).
Regarding claim 35, Sato, as modified by Guan and Yamashita, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 12, as previously described.
Sato teaches the adhesive material can be applied in a dotted shape (“wherein the adhesive is applied in a mesh shape or a dot shape”) (see e.g., paragraph [0081]).
Regarding claim 36, Sato, as modified by Guan and Yamashita, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 1, as previously described.
As previously described in claim 1, the application of the adhesive as taught by Sato, as modified by Guan and Yamashita, the separator has a first fully coated area along the upper edge of the separator where the tab would be located when assembling that is more densely applied (greater amount of adhesive) than that of the grid intermittent coated area elsewhere on the separator (“wherein an amount of adhesive applied to the region of the at least one separator at the tab of the electrode is greater than an amount of the adhesive applied to the another region of the at least one separator”) (see e.g., Figure 4 and paragraph [0025]).
Regarding claim 37, Sato, as modified by Guan and Yamashita, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 12, as previously described.
As previously described in claim 12, the application of the adhesive as taught by Sato, as modified by Guan, the separator has a first fully coated area along the upper edge of the separator where the tab would be located when assembling that is more densely applied (greater amount of adhesive) than that of the grid intermittent coated area elsewhere on the separator (“wherein an amount of adhesive of the one surface of the upper separator at the tab of the first electrode is greater than an amount of the adhesive applied to the another region of the one surface of the upper separator”) (see e.g., Figure 4 and paragraph [0025]).
Regarding claim 38, Sato, as modified by Guan and Yamashita, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 12, as previously described.
As previously described in claim 12, Yamashita teaches the adhesives 14A, 14B, and 14C and 20A, 20B, and 20C are disposed onto the separator 4 (“upper separator”) in a dot-like state by a dispenser (see e.g., paragraph [0018]). Yamashita teaches the adhesive 25A, 25B, and 25C are disposed onto the separator 6 (“lower separator”) in a dot-like state by a dispenser (see e.g., paragraph [0023]). Yamashita teaches the adhesives 14A, 14B, 14C, 20A, 20B, 20C, 25A, 25B, and 25C are disposed in different positions on the separator 4 and the separator 6 (see e.g., paragraph [0041] and Figure 5); therefore, Yamashita teaches the adhesive is applied to only one surface of the separator 6 (“lower separator”) and the adhesive is applied to both surfaces of the separator 4 (“upper separator”). Yamashita teaches since the negative electrode 3 is formed to be thinner than the positive electrode 5, it tends to separator from separator 4 more easily than positive electrode 5, and by disposing adhesives on both sides of the negative electrode 3, separation can be prevented (see e.g., paragraph [0048]).
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sato et al. (Published U.S. Patent Application US 20210344048 A1) in view of Guan et al. (CN 110556495 A) and Yamashita et al. (Published U.S. Patent Application US 20200136187 A1), and further in view of Oiwa et al. (JP 2012209054 A), hereinafter referred to as Oiwa.
Regarding claim 2, Sato, as modified by Guan and Yamashita, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 1, as previously described.
Sato, as modified by Guan and Yamashita, does not explicitly teach wherein, in the adhesive applying operation, the adhesive is applied to a region of the different regions except for a region in which the electrode is stacked, and the upper and lower separators with the electrode therebetween are bonded to each other.
However, Oiwa teaches a method for manufacturing a unit cell wherein in the adhesive applying operation, a separator bonding portion 6 is positioned at the corners of the rectangular positive electrode 3 and the negative electrode 4 and the separator joint 6 is formed in a substantially L shape that continues along the two sides of the positive electrode 3 and the negative electrode 4 (“wherein, in the adhesive applying operation, the adhesive is applied to a region of the different regions except for a region in which the electrode is stacked”) (see e.g., Figure 4 and paragraph [0023]), and the separator joint 6 is placed on the separator 5 to bond both upper and lower separators together ( “the upper and lower separators with the electrode therebetween are bonded to each other”) (see e.g., paragraph [0023]). Oiwa teaches the placement of the separator bonding portion restricts the movement of the electrodes and prevent fluctuations of the placement of the electrodes (see e.g., paragraph [0023]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that one of ordinary skill in the art would apply the adhesive on the surface of the separators of Sato, as modified by Guan and Yamashita, to a region except for a region in which the electrode is stacked and the upper and lower separators with the electrode are bonded together, as taught by Oiwa, to restrict the movement of the electrodes and prevent fluctuations of the placement of the electrodes (see e.g., paragraph [0023]).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Katherine N Higgins whose telephone number is (703)756-1196. The examiner can normally be reached Mondays - Thursdays 7:30-4:30 EST, Fridays 7:30 - 11:30 EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew T Martin can be reached at (571) 270-7871. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/KATHERINE N HIGGINS/Examiner, Art Unit 1728
/MATTHEW T MARTIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1728
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