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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 January 15, 2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-14 and 16 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Interpretation
In regards to the limitation of claim 1 which requires “the battery case has a pair of side walls opposing each other, with each of the pair of side walls being perpendicular to the winding axis direction”, the definition of a side wall being perpendicular to the winding axis is interpreted based on a hypothetical in-plane vector in the plane of the side wall. Here, if this in-plane vector is perpendicular to a vector that is parallel to the winding axis direction, then the side wall is found to be perpendicular to the winding axis direction. It is further noted that this means that the normal vector of the side wall is parallel to the winding axis direction.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites “negative electrode current electrode” in the final indent-section of the claim, rather than “negative electrode current collector”, as is discussed in the amendments and the specification.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-5, 7-8, 11, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 20110293977 A1), in view of Chen (US 20200235370 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Kim is an analogous art to the instant application, disclosing a secondary battery (Abstract, “Provided is a secondary battery including an electrode assembly.”) comprising a flat-shaped wound electrode body in which a positive electrode plate 20 and a negative electrode plate 30 are wound across a separator 40 (Paragraph 0012, “A positive electrode 20 and a negative electrode 30 are wound with a separator 40 therebetween.”), along with a battery case 10 that accommodates the wound electrode body (Paragraph 0010, “The case 10 accommodates the electrode assembly 50”). Additionally, Kim discloses structure wherein the flat-shaped wound electrode body has a pair of curved portions, the outer surfaces of which are curved, and a flat portion, the outer surface of which is flat and which connects the pair of curved portions, as depicted in Kim’s figure 3, which has a pair of curved end portions which have curved outer surfaces, and a flat portion which has a flat outer surface which is the middle span of the assembly, connecting the curved portions.
Additionally, Kim discloses structure wherein the positive electrode plate has a band-shaped positive electrode core body (Paragraph 0050, “a positive electrode collector 123”), depicted in their figure 5, which depicts structure wherein a positive electrode active material layer 124 is formed on at least one surface of the positive electrode core body 123 (Paragraph 0050, “a conductive material is uniformly applied on at least one surface of a positive electrode collector 123 of a positive electrode 120 from a position spaced a predetermined distance from the upper end of the positive electrode collector 123 to form a positive electrode active material coating portion 124 .”).
Additionally, Kim discloses structure wherein the negative electrode plate has a band-shaped negative electrode core body (Paragraph 0052, “a negative electrode collector 133”), depicted in their figure 5, which depicts structure wherein a negative electrode active material 134 is formed on at least one surface of the negative electrode core body 133 (Paragraph 0052, “a conductive material is uniformly applied on at least one surface of a negative electrode collector 133 of a negative electrode 130 from a position spaced a predetermined distance from the lower end of the negative electrode collector 133 to form a negative electrode active material coating portion 134.”).
Additionally, Kim discloses structure wherein a positive electrode tab group, which is a stack of positive electrode tabs of the exposed positive electrode body, is formed at one end option of the wound electrode, depicted in their figure 8 as positive electrode non-coating portion 125 (Paragraph 0054, “the positive electrode non-coating portion 125 and the negative electrode non-coating portion 135 are disposed in the lower and upper portions of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction, respectively.”). Additionally, Kim discloses structure which comprises a negative electrode tab group, which is a stack of negative electrode tabs of the exposed negative electrode core body formed at another end portion of the round electrode body in the winding axis direction, depicted in their figure 8 as negative electrode non-coating portion 135 (Paragraph 0054, “the positive electrode non-coating portion 125 and the negative electrode non-coating portion 135 are disposed in the lower and upper portions of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction, respectively.”).
Additionally, Kim discloses structure where the positive electrode tab group is bent in a state of being joined to a positive electrode collector which is a conductive member, depicted in their figure 9 where the positive electrode tab group 125 is bent in a state of being joined to a positive electrode collector 122 which is a conductive member (Paragraph 0078, “The positive and negative electrode non-coating portions 125 and 135 are connected to lead tabs 122 and 132 , respectively, as illustrated in FIG. 9.”). Additionally, the negative electrode tab group is bent in a state of being joined to a negative electrode collector which is a conductive member, depicted in their figure 9 where the negative electrode tab group 135 is bent in a state of being joined to a negative electrode collector 132 which is a conductive member (Paragraph 0078, “The positive and negative electrode non-coating portions 125 and 135 are connected to lead tabs 122 and 132, respectively, as illustrated in FIG. 9.”).
Additionally, Kim discloses structure wherein the separator has a band-shaped base material layer and a surface layer formed on at least one surface of the baste material layer containing inorganic particles and a binder (Paragraph 0058, “The separator 140 , which is disposed between the positive electrode 120 and the negative electrode 130 to insulate the positive electrode 120 and the negative electrode 130 , is a complex porous separator including a substrate coated with a binder polymer or a mixture of a binder polymer and inorganic particles.”).
Additionally, Kim discloses structure where at least one of the positive electrode plate and negative electrode plate in the flat portion is bonded to the surface layer of the separator (Paragraph 0077, “The positive and negative electrodes configured as described above and a separator disposed therebetween are wound in a jelly-roll shape as illustrated in FIG. 8.”).
Additionally, Kim discloses structure wherein the battery case has a pair of side walls opposing each other, shown in Kim’s figure 4, which comprises a plurality of side walls which each respectively oppose an opposite side wall through the structure of a prismatic battery cell (Paragraph 0017, “The electrode assembly configured as described above is accommodated in the prismatic type battery as illustrated in FIG. 4.”), as well as their figure 12, which depicts a plurality of side walls that are present in the structure of a pouch-type battery. Additionally, where the electrode body is accommodated in a box, as shown in their figure 4, this structure therefore includes side walls which are perpendicular to the winding axis direction of the electrode body.
Additionally, as shown in Kim’s figure 9, where the positive electrode tab group faces one direction, and the negative electrode tab group faces an opposite direction, the side walls that these tab groups face are the pair of side walls which are perpendicular to the winding axis direction, as well as resulting in structure wherein the positive electrode tba group faces one of the pair of side walls and the negative electrode group faces the other of the pair of side walls.
Additionally, in regards to the limitation which requires structure where, in a state where the positive electrode tab group is joined to the positive electrode current collector, the positive electrode tab group is bent so that a joining surface between the positive electrode tab group and the positive electrode current collector is disposed in a direction perpendicular to the winging axis direction, as well as parallel to and facing one of the pair of side walls of the battery case, Kim fails to disclose said structure, as the joining surface between their positive electrode tab 125 and their positive electrode current collector 122, though parallel to the winding axis direction, as shown in their figure 9, is perpendicular, rather than parallel, to the side wall which is perpendicular to the winding axis direction.
Therefore, we look to Chen, who discloses a secondary battery (Abstract, “The disclosure relates to a secondary battery and a battery module.”) comprising a wound electrode body accommodated in a battery case, shown in their figure 2, which further comprises a band-shaped positive electrode and band shaped negative electrode, shown in their figure 5, which are respectively coated with positive electrode and negative electrode active material (Paragraph 0056, “Further, the positive-electrode active material is coated onto the coating region of the positive electrode plate, and the negative-electrode active material is coated onto the coating region of the negative electrode plate.”).
Here, Chen discloses the use of a current collecting member 24, which connects to tabs 23b, which are the tabs of one respective electrode unit, positive or negative, on one side of their battery (Paragraph 0056, “The tab 23b of one electrode assembly 23 includes the sub-tabs 231b of the respective electrode units 231, that is, the tabs 231b having same electrode of all the respective electrode units 231 collectively converge to form the tab 23b”), as shown in their figure 4. Here, the curvature/bending of the electrode tabs 23b is such that a joining surface between the positive electrode tab group and the positive electrode current collector is disposed in a direction perpendicular to the winding axis direction, as well as being parallel to and facing one of the pair of side walls of the battery case, where the side walls are perpendicular to the winding axis direction. Here, Chen further discloses that this connection structure allows for interconnection of multiple electrode bodies, eliminates length redundancy in regards to tab length, and improves the compactness of the tabs, and therefore improves the energy density of the secondary battery (Paragraph 0057, “The two sub-tabs 231b having same electrode converge to form the tab 23b of the electrode assembly 23. In one embodiment, the sub-tab 231b of one electrode unit 231 extends in the axial direction X from the region of the sub-end face 231a adjacent to the other electrode unit 231, so that the respective sub-tabs 231b of the two electrode units 231 are close to each other and extend a short distance to converge into the tab 23b fixedly connected to the current collecting member 24. In this way, on the one hand, the sub-tab 231b does not suffer from length redundancy (such redundancy causes the sub-tab 231b be easily inserted inside the electrode assembly 23 when bent to result in short-circuit); on the other hand, the extending dimension of the sub-tab 231b is controlled within a small range, which is advantageous to improve the overall compactness of the tab 23b formed by the convergence of the respective sub-tabs 231b, to reduce the overall space occupancy of the tab 23b, and to improve the energy density of the secondary battery 20.”). Based on these benefits, it would be obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art to implement the connectivity structure between the positive electrode tabs and positive electrode collector of Chen into the invention of Kim, thereby reading upon and making obvious the limitations of the instant application.
Additionally, in regards to the limitation which requires that in a state where the negative electrode tab group is joined to the negative electrode current collector the negative electrode tab group is bent so that a joining surface between the negative electrode tab group and the negative electrode current collector is disposed in a direction perpendicular to the winding axis direction, and parallel to and facing the other of the pair of side walls of the battery case, the same rationale presented in regards to the positive electrode tab group and positive electrode collector applies to their negative electrode counterparts, as Chen specifically discloses that their structure and said benefits apply equally to both electrode-polarity components (Paragraph 0057, “The two sub-tabs 231b having same electrode converge to form the tab 23b of the electrode assembly 23…”). Accordingly, the rationale presented above makes obvious the limitation of the instant claim in regards to the negative electrode collector and negative electrode tab group joining region.
Regarding Claim 3, modified Kim makes obvious the invention of Claim 1. Additionally, Kim discloses structure wherein the surface layer contains at least one type of alumina particles and boehmite particles as the inorganic particles (Paragraph 0066, “Al2O3”).
Regarding Claim 4, modified Kim makes obvious the invention of Claim 1. Additionally, Kim discloses structure wherein the surface layer includes polyvinylidene fluoride as the binder (Paragraph 0060, “The binder polymer may include polyvinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene, polyvinylidene fluoride-co-trichloroethylene,”).
Regarding Claim 5, modified Kim makes obvious the invention of Claim 1. Additionally, Kim discloses structure wherein the surface layer has a mesh-like structure containing a plurality of voids through their disclosure of the inorganic particles of the surface layer being porous particles comprising a plurality of macropores (Paragraph 0062, “In the current embodiment, porous inorganic particles, in which a plurality of macropores having a uniform diameter of about 50 nm or greater and a uniform shape are disposed,”).
Regarding Claim 7, modified Kim makes obvious the invention of Claim 1. Additionally, though Kim does disclose structure where the wound electrode body is accommodated inside the battery (Paragraph 0076, “the case of FIG. 7 where a positive electrode non-coating portion and a negative electrode non-coating portion are disposed at the upper and lower portions of electrodes.”) they fail to disclose structure where the wound electrode body is provided in plural. However, the placement of multiple electrode bodies into a single battery cell is made obvious by Kim, through their disclosure that a goal of developing batteries is to improve capacity (Paragraph 0004, “improve their capacity and performance,”). Accordingly, where multiple electrode bodies represent an increase in capacity compared to a single electrode body, it would be obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art to achieve an increase in capacity by modifying structure such that the wound electrode body is provided in plural, thereby reading upon and making obvious the limitations of the instant claim.
Regarding Claim 8, modified Kim makes obvious the invention of Claim 7. Additionally, Kim discloses structure wherein the separator is disposed at an outermost periphery of the electrode body, as depicted in Kim’s figure 4, where the separator 140 is presented on the outermost portion of the wound electrode body. Additionally, as the separator is present on the outermost periphery of the electrode body, and whereas discussed above an obvious modification would be to include a plurality of electrode bodies so as to increase energy density, the electrode bodies would be in contact with each other within the battery case, where this contact represents them being bonded together through spatial proximity, they would therefore be bonded together by the outermost periphery layer of the wound electrode body which is the separator 140.
Regarding Claim 11, modified Kim makes obvious the invention of Claim 1. Additionally, Kim discloses structure wherein one end portion of the positive electrode plate in a longitudinal direction is disposed as a positive electrode start portion, as depicted in Kim’s figure 8 through their disclosure of a wound electrode body, where there must inherently be a portion of the positive electrode within the flat portion of the wound electrode body which is the positive electrode start portion. Additionally, Kim discloses structure where another end portion is disposed as a positive electrode termination portion, depicted in Kim’s figure 8 as the outermost portion of the wound positive electrode 120 which is outside the flat portion of the wound electrode body.
Additionally, Kim discloses structure wherein one end portion of the positive electrode plate in a longitudinal direction is disposed as a negative electrode start portion, as depicted in Kim’s figure 8 through their disclosure of a wound electrode body, where there must inherently be a portion of the negative electrode within the flat portion of the wound electrode body which is the negative electrode start portion. Additionally, Kim discloses structure where another end portion is disposed as a negative electrode termination portion, depicted in Kim’s figure 8 as the outermost portion of the wound negative electrode 130 which is outside the flat portion of the wound electrode body.
Regarding Claim 16, modified Kim makes obvious the invention of Claim 1. Additionally, where Tanaka makes obvious the structure of the positive electrode tabs, the structure made obvious includes structure wherein the positive electrode tabs are convex portions provided along a longitudinal direction of the band-shaped positive electrode core body, and are arranged in overlapping positions in the wound electrode body, based on Chen’s figures 4 and 5, where figure 4 depicts the placement of multiple tabs 231b which make up the tab group 23b (Paragraph 0056, “The tab 23b of one electrode assembly 23 includes the sub-tabs 231b of the respective electrode units 231,”). Accordingly, where the tabs 231b are protrusions, they are convex protrusions provided at intervals along a longitudinal direction of the band shaped positive electrode core body, based on unwinding the wound electrode, and are arranged in overlapping positions in the wound electrode body.
Additionally, where Tanaka makes obvious the structure of the negative electrode tabs, the structure made obvious includes structure wherein the negative electrode tabs are convex portions provided along a longitudinal direction of the band-shaped negative electrode core body, and are arranged in overlapping positions in the wound electrode body, based on Chen’s figures 4 and 5, where figure 4 depicts the placement of multiple tabs 231b which make up the tab group 23b (Paragraph 0056, “The tab 23b of one electrode assembly 23 includes the sub-tabs 231b of the respective electrode units 231,”). Accordingly, where the tabs 231b are protrusions, they are convex protrusions provided at intervals along a longitudinal direction of the band shaped negative electrode core body, based on unwinding the wound electrode, and are arranged in overlapping positions in the wound electrode body.
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 20110293977 A1) in view of Chen (US 20200235370) as applied to Claim 1 above, in further view of Sung (US 20210028428 A1).
Regarding Claim 2, modified Kim makes obvious the invention of Claim 1. Additionally, though Kim discloses that the surface layer of their separator comprises inorganic particles and a binder (Paragraph 0058, “The separator 140 , which is disposed between the positive electrode 120 and the negative electrode 130 to insulate the positive electrode 120 and the negative electrode 130 , is a complex porous separator including a substrate coated with a binder polymer or a mixture of a binder polymer and inorganic particles.”), Kim is silent in regards to the percentage composition of the coating layer.
Therefore, we look to Sung, which is an analogous art to the instant application, disclosing a separator comprising a porous coating layer which comprises binder particles and inorganic particles (Abstract, “A separator for an electrochemical device, including: a porous polymer substrate having a plurality of pores; and a porous coating layer on at least one surface of the porous polymer substrate, wherein the porous coating layer comprises boehmite particles and a binder polymer,”). Here, Sung discloses structure where the weight ratio of the inorganic particles to binder particles ranges from 80:20 to 50:50 (Paragraph 0075, “According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the weight ratio of the inorganic particles:total binder polymers may be 80:20-50:50.”), further disclosing an embodiment which comprises 70:30 inorganic particles to binder particles (Paragraph 0112, “Herein, the weight ratio of boehmite particles:carboxymethyl cellulose:poly polymethyl methacrylate-co-ethylhexyl acrylate was controlled to 70:1.4:28.6.”). Additionally, Sung discloses that when the weight ratio that they disclose is achieved, it is possible to prevent a decrease in pore size and porosity which results from an increase in the content of the binder polymer (Paragraph 0075, “When the weight ratio of the inorganic particles to the total binder polymers satisfies the above-defined range, it is possible to prevent the problem of a decrease in pore size and porosity of the resultant coating layer, caused by an increase in content of the binder polymer. It is also possible to solve the problem of degradation of peeling resistance of the resultant coating layer, caused by a decrease in content of the binder polymer.”).
Accordingly, based on this disclosure, it would be obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art to make use of the ratio of the embodiment disclosed by Sung discussed above (70:30), or a ratio which comprises less binder, up to the bound disclosed by Sung (80:20), which therefore makes obvious structure where the content of the inorganic particles relative to a total mass of the surface layer is from 70 to 80 mass percent.
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 20110293977 A1) in view of Chen (US 20200235370) as applied to Claim 5 above, in further view of Takahashi (US 20200235361 A1).
Regarding Claim 6, modified Kim makes obvious the invention of Claim 5. Additionally, in regards to the limitation of the instant claim which requires structure wherein a porosity of the surface layer of the separator disposed in a region not opposing the positive electrode plate or the negative electrode plate is 50% or higher, Kim is silent in regards to the porosity of their porous separator. Here, it is noted that the instant application’s specification defines the term “porosity of the surface layer of the separator disposed in a region not opposing the positive electrode plate or the negative electrode plate” as being directed towards the porosity of the surface layer of the separator before press molding (Specification paragraph 0016).
Accordingly, we look to Takahashi, which is an analogous art to the instant application, disclosing a separator for a lithium ion secondary battery (Paragraph 0001, “The present invention relates to a method of producing a separator, a separator, and a lithium ion secondary battery.”). Here, Takahashi discloses structure wherein their polypropylene-based separator during the initial formation of the separator, prior to molding or application to other electrode components(Paragraph 0136, “which was formed of a polypropylene-based resin; and a ceramic layer with a thickness of 7 μm, which was formed of aluminum oxide particles and provided on one surface of the porous resin layer was prepared.”), has a porosity of 50% (Paragraph 0136, “A separator (size of 20 cm×20 cm) including a porous resin layer with a thickness of 18 μm and a porosity of 50%, which was formed of a polypropylene-based resin;”). Here, Takahashi discloses that the selection of this porosity value is based on the functionality provided where the pores of the separator will become clogged in the event of a temperature elevation within a battery, thereby preventing thermal runaway (Paragraph 0051, “It is preferable that the resin layer 21 is a porous resin layer. In this manner, fine pores of the porous resin film are clogged so that the flow of a current can be blocked and thermal runaway of the battery can be avoided in a case where an abnormal current occurs in a lithium ion secondary battery or the temperature of the battery is increased.”). Accordingly, where Kim is silent in regards to their separator’s porosity, but does disclose that their separator is a polypropylene based porous separator (Paragraph 0105, “The separator was a complex porous separator including a polypropylene substrate”), it would therefore be obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art to apply the porosity of Takahashi to the invention of Kim, thereby reading upon and making obvious the limitation of the instant claim, which requires structure wherein the porosity is 50% or higher.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 20110293977 A1) in view of Chen (US 20200235370) as applied to Claim 1 above, in further view of Ueda (US 20210036380 A1).
Regarding Claim 9, modified Kim makes obvious the invention of Claim 1. Additionally, Tim discloses structure wherein the separator is disposed at the outmost periphery of the wound electrode body, as depicted in Kim’s figure 8, where the separator 140 extends to and is therefore disposed at an outermost periphery of the wound electrode body. Additionally, in regards to the limitation of the instant claim which requires structure wherein a termination portion of the separator is affixed to the outermost surface of the wound electrode body by a winding stop tape, Kim fails to disclose said structure.
Therefore, we look to Ueda, which is an analogous art to the instant application, disclosing structure which comprises a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprising a winding-type electrode body (Abstract, “In a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to one example of an embodiment, a winding type electrode body”), which comprises a tape adhered at an outermost circumferential surface of the electrode body (Abstract, “and is provided with a tape which is adhered on the outermost circumferential surface from a winding-finish side end portion of a negative electrode and past a winding-finish end of the electrode body.”).
Here, Ueda’s tape is disposed on a termination portion of their separator affixed to the outermost surface of the wound electrode body, as depicted in their figure 2, where the tape 50 is affixed to the electrode body 42. Here, Ueda further discloses that their winding stop tape has the benefit of allowing a tight binding of the wound electrode body, preventing the electrode body from loosening, making the insertion of the electrode body into a case difficult (Paragraph 0006, “On the other hand, when the winding-stop tape is not used, the winding structure of the electrode body is loosened, and as a result, it is difficult to insert the electrode body in the exterior package can.”), as well as reducing the internal resistance of the battery (Paragraph 0008, “a preferable contact state between the exposed portion of the negative electrode collector provided at the outermost circumferential surface of the electrode body and the inner circumferential surface of the exterior package can may be realized. Accordingly, for example, the internal resistance of the battery may be reduced.”).
Accordingly, Ueda makes obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art the application of a winding stop tape to the periphery of the wound electrode body, as depicted in Kim’s figure 8. Additionally, where Kim’s structure comprising the winding stop tape has the winding stop tape applied to the periphery of the wound electrode body as presented in Kim’s figure 8, the winding stop tape would be disposed on a straight line which joins the positive electrode tab group and the negative electrode tab group.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 20110293977 A1) in view of Chen (US 20200235370) as applied to Claim 1 above, in view of Ueda (US 20210036380 A1) and further in view of Kim-999 (US 20160293999 A1).
Regarding Claim 10, modified Kim makes obvious the invention of Claim 1. Additionally, Tim discloses structure wherein the separator is disposed at the outmost periphery of the wound electrode body, as depicted in Kim’s figure 8, where the separator 140 extends to and is therefore disposed at an outermost periphery of the wound electrode body. Additionally, in regards to the limitation of the instant claim which requires structure wherein a termination portion of the separator is affixed to the outermost surface of the wound electrode body by a winding stop tape, Kim fails to disclose said structure.
Therefore, we look to Ueda, which is an analogous art to the instant application, disclosing structure which comprises a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprising a winding-type electrode body (Abstract, “In a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to one example of an embodiment, a winding type electrode body”), which comprises a tape adhered at an outermost circumferential surface of the electrode body (Abstract, “and is provided with a tape which is adhered on the outermost circumferential surface from a winding-finish side end portion of a negative electrode and past a winding-finish end of the electrode body.”).
Here, Ueda’s tape is disposed on a termination portion of their separator affixed to the outermost surface of the wound electrode body, as depicted in their figure 2, where the tape 50 is affixed to the electrode body 42. Here, Ueda further discloses that their winding stop tape has the benefit of allowing a tight binding of the wound electrode body, preventing the electrode body from loosening, making the insertion of the electrode body into a case difficult (Paragraph 0006, “On the other hand, when the winding-stop tape is not used, the winding structure of the electrode body is loosened, and as a result, it is difficult to insert the electrode body in the exterior package can.”), as well as reducing the internal resistance of the battery (Paragraph 0008, “a preferable contact state between the exposed portion of the negative electrode collector provided at the outermost circumferential surface of the electrode body and the inner circumferential surface of the exterior package can may be realized. Accordingly, for example, the internal resistance of the battery may be reduced.”).
Accordingly, Ueda makes obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art the application of a winding stop tape to the periphery of the wound electrode body, as depicted in Kim’s figure 8.
Additionally, where the instant claim requires structure wherein a proportion of the thickness of the surface layer of the separator interposed between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate, relative to the thickness of the surface layer of the separator disposed in a region not opposing the positive electrode plate or the negative electrode plate is 0.9 or lower, Kim is silent in regards to thickness and thickness proportions of their separator. Therefore, we look to Kim-999, which is an analogous art to the instant application, disclosing structure which comprises a battery comprising an electrode assembly (Abstract, “The present invention relates to an electrode assembly, a method for preparing the same, and an electrochemical battery including the same,), which comprises a separator (Abstract, “and a separator interposed between the cathode and the anode.”).
Here, Kim-999 discloses structure where the portion of their electrode body which comprises the separator, positive electrode, and negative electrode are compressed with a thickness variation ratio greater than or equal to 10% (Paragraph 0034, “The electrode assembly according to the present example embodiment may have a compression thickness variation ratio of greater than or equal to 10% according to Equation 1.”). Here, Kim-999 discloses that this compression enhances the separator through excellent adherence, reducing a process inferiority rate, and achieving a long term storage (Paragraph 0035, “When the compression thickness variation ratio is within the range, the separator may be prevented from an escape in the electrode assembly due to excellent adherence during compression of the electrodes and the separator at a high temperature (ex. 100° C.) and thus deteriorate a process inferiority rate and accomplish a long term storage.”). Accordingly, based on this disclosure by Kim-999 it would be obvious to compress the electrode assembly portion which comprises the separator, positive electrode, and negative electrode by 10% or more, compared to the region of the separator which is not aligned with the positive and negative electrodes. Accordingly, this makes obvious structure where a proportion of the thickness of the surface layer of the separator interposed between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate, relative to the thickness of the surface layer of the separator disposed in a region not opposing the positive electrode plate or the negative electrode plate is 0.9 or lower.
Claim(s) 12-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 20110293977 A1) in view of Chen (US 20200235370) as applied to Claim 1 above, in further view of Kim-810 (US 20220102810 A1).
Regarding Claim 12, modified Kim makes obvious the invention of Claim 11. Additionally, in regards to the limitation of the instant claim which requires structure wherein an adhesive strength between the positive electrode start portion and the surface layer is larger than the adhesive strength between the positive electrode termination portion and the surface layer, Kim is silent in regards to the adhesive strength between the electrode and separator surface layer at different regions. Therefore, we look to Kim-810, which is an analogous art to the instant application, disclosing structure which is directed towards a coated porous separator for a lithium secondary battery (Abstract, “The present invention relates to a separator for a lithium secondary battery, and a lithium secondary battery including the same, the separator including a porous substrate and a coating layer located on at least one surface of the porous substrate,”).
Here, Kim-810 discloses structure wherein, in the attachment of the separator to the adjacent electrode layers, the separator comprises a binder which contains an adhesive binder and a heat-resistant binder (Paragraph 0087, “I n the separator according to an embodiment, the heat-resistant binder including the aforementioned (meth)acrylic copolymer serves to secure heat resistance to reduce the heat shrinkage rate at high temperature of the separator, and the adhesive binder secures adhesive strength to the electrode of the separator.”). Here, Kim-810 discloses that these binder components are in a trade-off relationship with each other (Paragraph 0087, “The heat resistance and adhesive strength are in a trade-off relationship with each other.”). Here, accordingly, where a balance is to be achieved between adhesion and heat-resistance, it would be obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art to make use of a higher content of heat-resistant binder in the outer portions of the wound separator, so as to insulate the separator and prevent or minimize the possibility of thermal runaway. Comparatively, it would then also be obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art to make use of a higher adhesive binder content inside the wound electrode body, to maintain the wound electrode body structure. Accordingly, this makes obvious structure where an adhesive strength between the positive electrode start portion and the surface layer is larger than the adhesive strength between the positive electrode termination portion and the surface layer.
Regarding Claim 13, modified Kim makes obvious the invention of Claim 11. Additionally, in regards to the limitation of the instant claim which requires structure wherein an adhesive strength between the negative electrode start portion and the surface layer is larger than the adhesive strength between the negative electrode termination portion and the surface layer, Kim is silent in regards to the adhesive strength between the electrode and separator surface layer at different regions. Therefore, we look to Kim-810, which is an analogous art to the instant application, disclosing structure which is directed towards a coated porous separator for a lithium secondary battery (Abstract, “The present invention relates to a separator for a lithium secondary battery, and a lithium secondary battery including the same, the separator including a porous substrate and a coating layer located on at least one surface of the porous substrate,”).
Here, Kim-810 discloses structure wherein, in the attachment of the separator to the adjacent electrode layers, the separator comprises a binder which contains an adhesive binder and a heat-resistant binder (Paragraph 0087, “I n the separator according to an embodiment, the heat-resistant binder including the aforementioned (meth)acrylic copolymer serves to secure heat resistance to reduce the heat shrinkage rate at high temperature of the separator, and the adhesive binder secures adhesive strength to the electrode of the separator.”). Here, Kim-810 discloses that these binder components are in a trade-off relationship with each other (Paragraph 0087, “The heat resistance and adhesive strength are in a trade-off relationship with each other.”). Here, accordingly, where a balance is to be achieved between adhesion and heat-resistance, it would be obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art to make use of a higher content of heat-resistant binder in the outer portions of the wound separator, so as to insulate the separator and prevent or minimize the possibility of thermal runaway. Comparatively, it would then also be obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art to make use of a higher adhesive binder content inside the wound electrode body, to maintain the wound electrode body structure. Accordingly, this makes obvious structure where an adhesive strength between the negative electrode start portion and the surface layer is larger than the adhesive strength between the negative electrode termination portion and the surface layer.
Regarding Claim 14, modified Kim makes obvious the invention of Claim 11. Additionally, though Kim does disclose structure where the wound electrode body is accommodated inside the battery (Paragraph 0076, “the case of FIG. 7 where a positive electrode non-coating portion and a negative electrode non-coating portion are disposed at the upper and lower portions of electrodes.”) they fail to disclose structure where the wound electrode body is provided in plural. However, the placement of multiple electrode bodies into a single battery cell is made obvious by Kim, through their disclosure that a goal of developing batteries is to improve capacity (Paragraph 0004, “improve their capacity and performance,”). Accordingly, where multiple electrode bodies represent an increase in capacity compared to a single electrode body, it would be obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art to achieve an increase in capacity by modifying structure such that the wound electrode body is provided in plural.
Additionally, Kim discloses structure wherein the separator is disposed at an outermost periphery of the electrode body, as depicted in Kim’s figure 4, where the separator 140 is presented on the outermost portion of the wound electrode body. Additionally, as the separator is present on the outermost periphery of the electrode body, and whereas discussed above an obvious modification would be to include a plurality of electrode bodies so as to increase energy density, the electrode bodies would be in contact with each other within the battery case, where this contact represents them being bonded together through spatial proximity, they would therefore be bonded together by the outermost periphery layer of the wound electrode body which is the separator 140.
Additionally, in regards to the limitation of the instant claim which requires structure wherein an adhesive strength between the negative electrode start portion and the surface layer is larger than the adhesive strength between the negative electrode termination portion and the surface layer, Kim is silent in regards to the adhesive strength between the electrode and separator surface layer at different regions. Therefore, we look to Kim-810, which is an analogous art to the instant application, disclosing structure which is directed towards a coated porous separator for a lithium secondary battery (Abstract, “The present invention relates to a separator for a lithium secondary battery, and a lithium secondary battery including the same, the separator including a porous substrate and a coating layer located on at least one surface of the porous substrate,”).
Here, Kim-810 discloses structure wherein, in the attachment of the separator to the adjacent electrode layers, the separator comprises a binder which contains an adhesive binder and a heat-resistant binder (Paragraph 0087, “I n the separator according to an embodiment, the heat-resistant binder including the aforementioned (meth)acrylic copolymer serves to secure heat resistance to reduce the heat shrinkage rate at high temperature of the separator, and the adhesive binder secures adhesive strength to the electrode of the separator.”). Here, Kim-810 discloses that these binder components are in a trade-off relationship with each other (Paragraph 0087, “The heat resistance and adhesive strength are in a trade-off relationship with each other.”). Here, accordingly, where a balance is to be achieved between adhesion and heat-resistance, it would be obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art to make use of a higher content of heat-resistant binder in the outer portions of the wound separator, so as to insulate the separator and prevent or minimize the possibility of thermal runaway. Comparatively, it would then also be obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art to make use of a higher adhesive binder content inside the wound electrode body, to maintain the wound electrode body structure. Accordingly, this makes obvious structure where an adhesive strength between the negative electrode start portion and the surface layer is larger than the adhesive strength between the negative electrode termination portion and the surface layer.
Conclusion
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/J.W.E./ Examiner, Art Unit 1725
/BASIA A RIDLEY/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1725