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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (KR20170053011A).
As to claim 1, Lee discloses an apparatus for manufacturing a battery cell [Abstract], comprising: a plurality of rollers pressing at least a portion of an exterior material of the battery cell in a first direction (see figure 2 below [Abstract]), wherein the plurality of rollers are movable in the first direction (first direction axis of rotation of the rollers, see figures 3 , 4C) and include a first roller (1210) and a second roller (1220) having inclined surfaces inclined at different angles ([0030] figure 3). Wherein the first direction is perpendicular to a moving direction of the battery cell.
Examiner notes all rollers are movable (rotate) in the direction toward the battery cell when the battery is being drawn into the apparatus by the rollers, and further the rollers are arranged and movable along an axis of rotation perpendicular to the moving direction of the battery cell.
As to limitation “center axes of the plurality of rollers are movable,” it is noted, adjustability is not a patentable, MPEP 2144.04 V (d), In re Stevens, 212 F.2d 197, 101 USPQ 284 (CCPA 1954) (Claims were directed to a handle for a fishing rod wherein the handle has a longitudinally adjustable finger hook, and the hand grip of the handle connects with the body portion by means of a universal joint. The court held that adjustability, where needed, is not a patentable advance, and because there was an art-recognized need for adjustment in a fishing rod, the substitution of a universal joint for the single pivot of the prior art would have been obvious.).
As to claim 2, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated, Lee discloses the first roller (1210) and the second roller(1220) are arranged side by side in a second direction, and wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction (See annotated figure 2)
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(Lee, figure 2)
Claim(s) 3-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (KR20170053011A), in view of Park et al. (KR20210030591A with foreign priority of September 10, 2019)
As to claim 3, the rejection of claim 2 is incorporated, Lee does not explicitly disclose an elastic member connected to at least one of the first roller and the second roller to provide an elastic force in the first direction.
In the same field of endeavor Park discloses apparatus for laminating electrodes of a secondary battery [Abstract] and further teaches in this embodiment, the upper pressing roller 132 is preferably made of a material having elasticity, since it can prevent damage to the angled corners of the positive electrode 10. Specifically, it is preferable that the upper pressure roller 132 has a synthetic rubber coating film formed on its surface, since it can prevent the material from slipping and give elasticity. [0022]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time the application was filed to modify Lee with the addition of the synthetic rubber coating of Park to prevent the material from slipping and damaging of the electrode.
As to claim 4, the rejection of claim 2 is incorporated, modified Lee discloses the first roller (1210) and the second roller (1220) are each rotatable [0032] [0034] “axis of rotation” , and a rotation shaft of the first roller and a rotation shaft of the second roller are perpendicular to a reference plane (in the second direction) (see annotated figure 3).
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(Lee, figure 3)
As to claim 5, the rejection of claim 2 is incorporated, modified Lee discloses a third roller (1230) having a third inclined surface inclined at a different angle from a first inclined surface that is the inclined surface of the first roller (1210) and a second inclined surface that is the inclined surface of the second roller (1220), wherein the first roller, the second roller, and the third roller are sequentially arranged in the second direction ( [0030] see annotated figure 3 above).
As to claim 6, the rejection of claim 5 is incorporated, modified Lee discloses angles between each of the first inclined surface, the second inclined surface, and the third inclined surface and a reference plane constantly decrease in the second direction. [0034] The angle of the inclined surface of each conical roller is formed to be an acute angle, and the angle gradually increases from the front end portion to the rear end portion of the mount portion 1000. However with respect to a reference line in the second direction the corresponding angle with the a reference line in the second direction is decreasing as shown in annotated figure 3.
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(Lee, annotated figure 3)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-9, 11-15, and 16 are allowed. Claims 7 and 16 requires an upper roller with a inclined rotation shaft in relation to the axis of rotation of the lower roller which is not taught or reasonably suggested by Lee or Jeong, in combination with the other elements. Nothing would provide in the prior art the inclined rotation shaft as claimed in claimed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Otohata et al. (US2014/0182119) Laminating battery by rolling.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BART A HORNSBY whose telephone number is (313)446-6637. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00-6:00 EST.
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BART HORNSBY
Examiner
Art Unit 1728
/MATTHEW T MARTIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1728