DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is responsive to the February 3rd, 2026 arguments and remarks (“Remarks”).
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 Amendments
In response to the amendments received in the Remarks on February 3rd, 2026:
Claims 25-44 are pending in the current application. Claims 25 and 31 have been amended. Claims 36-44 stand withdrawn. Claims 1-24 have been cancelled.
The previous objection to the claims has been overcome in light of the amendment.
The previous rejection under 35 USC 112 is overcome in light of the amendment.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed with the Remarks on February 3rd, 2026 with respect to Claims 25-35 are acknowledged, however, Applicant’s arguments are not persuasive.
Applicant’s argument that the interpretation of the claim limitation “with an interposition” is overly restrictive and inconsistent with the express claim language and the disclosure is not persuasive.
The claims as written in the original disclosure, and as addressed in the Non-Final Rejection mailed on November 3rd, 2025 (“Non-Final Rejection”), were written such that the limitation “and/or” (line 23 of Claim 25) was really forced to be an and limitation. In that the original disclosure required an interposition for each of a frontal region of the primary encapsulation system and a lateral region of the primary encapsulation system. In other words, by requiring the interposition of the supplemental encapsulation with the respective frontal region of the primary encapsulation system as well as an interposition of a respective lateral region of the primary encapsulation system, the claims were requiring the primary encapsulation system to be on at least these two faces. If it was on the one front face, then it had to be on the other as required in the original Claim 25; the same is true for the lateral encapsulation region.
The amendment to Claim 25 as currently filed now appropriately allows for the “and/or” statement to be interpreted as an “and/or” statement. And, thereby, allows for alternative coverage configurations:
a configuration in which the primary encapsulation system covers the two frontal faces;
a configuration in which it covers the two lateral faces; or
a configuration in which it cover all four faces.
Applicant’s argument that it would not have been obvious to modify Gaben such that the anode and cathode contact members are covered is not persuasive.
Applicant points to paragraphs [0145]-[0146] to highlight that the anode and cathode contact members of Gaben are installed after the primary encapsulation and argues that this is justification for there being no covering of the contact members. However, the claim limitations require the coverage of the contact members from the supplemental encapsulation system. So, while, the contact members may not be covered during the primary encapsulation system, that is not a requirement of the claim limitations as currently written. And a person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to encapsulate the contact members after installing and metallizing them in order to obtain unitary battery components and establish alternatively positive and negative electrical connections on each of the ends of the battery (see Gaben [0146] and Page 8 of the Non-Final Rejection). Further, a person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize that simultaneously encapsulating the anode and cathode contact members and lateral regions (through techniques including deposition or immersion, as taught by Gaben in [0146]), would result in a surface continuity.
Therefore, the arguments are not persuasive and the rejection of record is maintained. Any modifications to the rejection are as necessitated by the amendment.
Prior Art
Previously cited Gaben US PG Publication 2017/0162911 (“Gaben”)
Previously cited Young US PG Publication 2017/0301897 (“Young”)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office Action.
Claims 25-33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gaben US PG Publication 2017/0162911.
Regarding Claim 25, Gaben discloses an all-solid battery (Abstract, entire disclosure depended upon), comprising:
an anode [layer] that includes at least one anode conductive substrate (corresponding to the claimed current-collecting substrate), at least one layer of an anode active material deposited on the at least one anode current-collecting substrate, and a layer of a solid electrolyte material (which meets the claim limitation of an electrolyte material or a separator impregnated with an electrolyte) ([0008]-[0014]);
a cathode [layer] that includes at least one cathode conductive substrate (current-collecting substrate), at least one layer of a cathode active material deposited on the at least one cathode conductive substrate and a layer of a solid electrolyte material (which meets the claim limitation of an electrolyte material or a separator impregnated with an electrolyte) ([0008]-[0014]),
a stack, defining a plurality of faces, formed by alternating between at least one anode and at least one cathode, each formed by a stack of layers that successively includes the at least one anode current-collecting substrate, the at least one layer of the anode active material deposited on the at least one anode current-collecting substrate, the at least one layer of the electrolyte material, the at least one layer of the cathode active material deposited on the at least one cathode current-collecting substrate ([0008]-[0014]),
wherein, the plurality of faces include:
two frontal faces (i.e. the “top” and “bottom” of the stack) that are opposite and parallel to one another, parallel to the layers of the anode active material, the layers of electrolyte material, and the layers of the cathode active material ([0008]-[0014]), and
four lateral faces (i.e. the “sides” of the stack) that are opposite and parallel to one another in pairs ([0008]-[0014]),
at least one primary encapsulation system, entirely covering four of the six faces of the stack and at least partially covering the two remaining faces (which falls within and therefore anticipates the claimed range of at least two faces) ([0051]-[0055]), and including two frontal encapsulation regions (as defined by the region of the frontal faces covered by the at least one primary encapsulation system) covering at least in part the frontal faces (i.e. Gaben teaches that each of the six faces is at least partially covered by the at least one primary encapsulation layer) ([0052]) (which reads on the claim limitation including two frontal encapsulation regions covering at least in part the frontal faces, and/or two lateral encapsulation regions covering at least in part two of the lateral faces, the lateral encapsulation regions being opposite and parallel to one another);
at least one anode terminal (contact member) to establish an electrical contact between the stack and an external conductive element ([0051]-[0054], [0144]-[0146]), the at least one anode contact member covering at least in part a first face of the two lateral faces not covered by the primary encapsulation system, the first face defining at least one anode contact zone (connection zone) ([0051]-[0054], [0142]-[0146]);
at least one cathode terminal (contact member), arranged opposite and parallel to the at least one anode contact member ([0051]-[0054]), to establish an electrical contact between the stack and another external conductive element ([0051]-[0054], [0144]-[0146]), the at least one cathode contact member covering at least in part a second face of the two lateral faces not covered by the primary encapsulation, the second face defining at least one cathode contact zone (connection zone) ([0051]-[0054], [0142]-[0146]); and
a second (supplemental) encapsulation system that includes two frontal regions that respectively cover a frontal face of the stack with an interposition (which meets the claim limitation of an interposition or not) of a respective frontal region of the primary encapsulation system, two lateral regions that respectively cover a lateral face of the stack with an interposition (which meets the claim limitation of an interposition or not) of a respective lateral region of the primary encapsulation system that is devoid of any contact member (i.e. the second encapsulation system is deposited on top of the primary encapsulation system after the stack has been assembled but prior to the addition of the terminals) ([0141]-[0142]).
While Gaben does not explicitly disclose wherein each of the two frontal regions of the supplemental encapsulation system further cover the respective frontal ends of the anode contact members and the cathode contact members and form a surface continuity with the lateral regions of the supplemental encapsulation system, Gaben does disclose that it is beneficial to immerse, coat, and/or deposit a material over the anode and cathode contact members ([0146]) and that it is beneficial for an encapsulation layer to cover at least in part each of the six faces of the stack ([0052]) in order to obtain unitary battery components and establish alternatively positive and negative electrical connections on each of the ends of the battery ([0146]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the instant application to modify the supplemental encapsulation system of Gaben such that the two frontal regions of the supplemental encapsulation system at least in part further cover the respective frontal ends of the anode contact members and the cathode contact members and form a surface continuity with the lateral regions of the supplemental encapsulation system in order to obtain unitary battery components and establish alternatively positive and negative electrical connections on each of the ends of the battery, as taught by Gaben.
Regarding Claim 26, Gaben teaches the instantly claimed battery according to Claim 25, and Gaben discloses wherein said primary encapsulation system comprises:
two frontal encapsulation regions covering at least part of said frontal faces, and two lateral encapsulation regions covering at least part of said lateral faces ([0052]).
Regarding Claim 27, Gaben teaches the instantly claimed battery according to Claim 26, and Gaben discloses wherein each of the two frontal regions of the supplemental encapsulation system delimits two projecting edges (as defined by the cutting planes) that respectively project from a respective frontal region of the primary encapsulation system along a lateral axis of the stack, each projecting edge covering a respective end of the anode contact member or the cathode contact member (via the extension of the supplemental encapsulation system that incorporates the immersed/coated/deposited material on the positive and negative terminals) ([0146]).
Regarding Claim 28, Gaben teaches the instantly claimed battery according to Claim 27, and Gaben discloses wherein said primary encapsulation system extends to a respective inner face of the anode contact member and the cathode contact member along said lateral axis of the stack (i.e. the terminals are added in the space where the primary encapsulation system is not covering the respective current collectors) ([0145]),
said supplemental encapsulation system extends beyond said inner face as far as a respective outer face of the anode contact member and the cathode contact member (via the extension of the supplemental encapsulation system that incorporates the immersed/coated/deposited material on the positive and negative terminals) ([0146]),
each of the two frontal regions of the supplemental encapsulation system delimits two projecting rims which projects along another lateral axis of the stack, both from a respective frontal region of the primary encapsulation system and from the anode contact member and the cathode contact member (i.e. around the periphery of the stack, wherein each of the peripheral edges defines a projecting rim) ([0052], [0143]-[0146]), and
said projecting rims ensure surface continuity between the frontal regions and the lateral regions of the supplemental encapsulation system (by wrapping the stack with the encapsulation system to surround the stack) ([0052], [0142]-[0143]).
Regarding Claim 29, Gaben teaches the instantly claimed battery according to Claim 25, and Gaben discloses wherein said primary encapsulation system comprises only two frontal encapsulation regions covering at least part of said frontal faces (wherein each of the frontal faces comprise only one encapsulation region that incorporates the entire frontal face) ([0052]).
Regarding Claim 30, Gaben teaches the instantly claimed battery according to Claim 25, and Gaben discloses wherein said primary encapsulation system comprises only two lateral encapsulation regions covering at least part of said lateral faces (wherein of the four lateral faces of the stack, there are two pairs of adjacent faces. Each pair of adjacent faces comprises only one lateral encapsulation region that incorporates the entirety of the respective pair of adjacent lateral faces) ([0052]).
Regarding Claim 31, Gaben teaches the instantly claimed battery according to Claim 25, and Gaben discloses wherein opposite ends of each respective anode contact member and cathode contact member are flush with the frontal regions of the primary encapsulation system (i.e. where the encapsulation system and the terminals meet) ([0145]-[0146).
Regarding Claim 32, Gaben teaches the instantly claimed battery according to Claim 25, and Gaben discloses wherein the primary encapsulation system comprises at least one first cover layer disposed on the stack, the at least one first cover layer being chosen from a group comprising epoxy resin (which reads on the claim limitation of parylene, parylene F, polyimide, epoxy resins, silicone, polyamide, sol-gel silica, organic silica and/or mixtures thereof) ([0141]).
Regarding Claim 33, Gaben teaches the instantly claimed battery according to Claim 25, and Gaben discloses wherein each of the anode contact member and the cathode contact member comprises a first electrical connection layer composed of a material filled with electrically conductive particles ([0046]), and a second electrical connection layer (over the sub-layer) ([0046]) comprising a metal layer of tin (which meets the claim limitation of a metal foil or a metal layer) disposed on the first electrical connection layer ([0046]).
Claims 34-35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gaben US PG Publication 2017/0162911 in view of Young US PG Publication 2017/0301897.
Regarding Claims 34-35, Gaben teaches the instantly claimed battery according to Claim 25, and Gaben discloses wherein the supplemental encapsulation system comprises an encapsulation layer composed of at least one of glasses or ceramics (which meets the claim limitation of glasses, ceramics, or glass ceramics) ([0051]), wherein the encapsulation layer is preferably silicon ([0051]).
Additionally, Young discloses a thin film encapsulant covering a battery (Fig. 2A, [0014], entire disclosure dependent upon). Young teaches the use of multiple encapsulant layers including one polymer layer of SiO2 in order to reduce localized high stress points of the encapsulant layers below ([0029]-[0030]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the instant application to modify the supplemental encapsulation system of Gaben such that the glass or ceramic material is SiO2 (which meets the claim limitation of selected from a group consisting of: low melting point glasses that includes SiO2-B2O3; Bi2O3-B2O3, ZnO-Bi2O3-B2O3, TeO2-V2O5, and PbO-SiO2, and oxides and/or nitrides and/or Ta2O5 and/or alumina (Al2O3) and/or oxynitrides and/or SixNy and/or SiO2 and/or SiON and/or amorphous silicon and/or SiC) in order to reduce localized high stress points of the primary encapsulation system deposited below the supplemental encapsulation system, as taught by Young.
The skilled artisan would recognize that the SiO2 of Gaben in view of Young would have a water vapor permeance of less than 10-5g/m2d as evidenced by paragraphs [0048]-[0051] of Applicant’s own PG Publication.
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
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/O.M.M./Examiner, Art Unit 1729
/ULA C RUDDOCK/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1729
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