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 § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1-13 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. Claims 1, 9, and 13 recite “the solvent includes a mixture of only a polymer and a diluent,” however the specification recites polymers which are not self-activating (EPDM, paragraph [0018]) and would require additional compounds to function, which excludes the limitation “only a polymer”. Any negative limitation or exclusionary proviso must have basis in the original disclosure...silence will not generally suffice to support a negative claim limitation" See MPEP 2175.05(i). In the instance case, because the only examples featuring only a polymer and a diluent are limited to epoxy, and some of the polymers cited are not self-activating, the instant disclosure does not provide support for the scope of amended claim 1, 9 and 13.
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) 1-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. (KR20190023539A, with English translation US20190379032A1), henceforth known as Park9032, in view of Cai et al.(CN109679552A).
As to claim 1, Park9032 discloses an electrode lead (12, [0055]) comprising: a first electrode lead (12a, [0055]) having one end connected to an electrode tab (11, [0055]) protruding from one side of an electrode assembly (figure 4); a second electrode (12b, [0055]) lead having one end connected to the other end of the first electrode lead and the other end protruding to the outside of a battery case accommodating the electrode assembly [0065]; and a connection part (connection part 15, [0065]) configured to connect the first electrode lead to the second electrode lead (one surface of the first electrode lead 12a and one surface of the second electrode lead 12b are bonded to each other through a connection part 15 and thus connected to each other., [0065] figure 4),
Park9032 discloses the connection part formed between the first electrode lead (12a) and the second electrode lead (12b), as discussed above (figure 4), but does not explicitly teach the connection part is formed by curing a cured adhesive applied between the first electrode lead and the second electrode lead.
Cai solves the technical problem of the laminate assembly between the cell plate electrode conductive material comprises conductive silver paste, tin solder strip or paste material. wherein, the welding strip is tin-lead solder, the solder welding temperature is high and harmful to the environment, easy to cause cell cracking and chipping, solder paste has high welding temperature, and poor toughness, large thermal stress, lowering the reliability of the battery [0088-0092], by applying a liquid metal conductive adhesive between the cell plates, (the invention claims a liquid metal conductive adhesive and application thereof… imbrications (overlapping) as connecting material of the imbrications (overlapping) assembly [0097-0101], where the liquid metal conductive adhesive used as connecting material between the battery plates would be analogous to the pertinent problem of applicant’s electrode lead connection utilizing an adhesive, (As exemplified in paragraph [0012] of the instant specification two electrode leads connected by a connection part formed by curing an adhesive applied between the first electrode lead and the second electrode lead,) As discussed above the disclosed electrode leads may be viewed as battery plate/sheet of Cai connected with liquid metal conductive adhesive.;
Cai further teaches a process of applying the connecting material or the liquid metal conductive adhesive which provides;
S1 imbrications (overlapping) battery piece conveying to the heating platform of battery substrate [0208]…S2 applying the liquid metal conductive adhesive at the precise location [0211-0214]…S3 build a battery sheet stack or battery strings [0215-0221]…S4 the whole into a closed curing device for curing… the curing temperature is 60-110 degrees centigrade. [0222-0228], as exemplified by paragraph [0072] of the instant specification, which meets the limitation of a cured adhesive. Cai further teaches, the liquid metal of the invention conductive adhesive curing temperature is low, it can reduce caused by high temperature of the battery sheet cracked and broken risk; at the same time, the conductive adhesive after curing has good flexibility, thermal stress can absorb battery sheet and improves the reliability of the imbrications (overlapping) assembly. [0238-0241]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time the application was filed to modify Park9032 with the cured liquid metal conductive adhesive of Cai to increase the connection flexibility, ability to absorb thermal stress, and improve the reliability of the overlapping layers.
The adhesive (liquid metal conductive adhesive, [Cai, 0108]), includes a mixture of a conductor (liquid metal, silver powder, [Cai, 0108]) and a solvent (matrix resin, [Cai, 0108]), the solvent (matrix resin) includes a mixture of a polymer (bisphenol A epoxy resin, [Cai, 0164]) and a diluent (diluting agent, [Cai, 0163]), and the solvent contains 5 wt% to 15 wt% of the diluent. (The matrix resin mixed according to the mass ratio of 100:15 -25: 0.5-2: 0.6-2.7: 5-15: 0.5-1: 0.2-0.6 of resin, curing agent, accelerator, coupling agent, diluting agent, antifoaming agent, antioxidant, [Cai, 0162-0163]. Where the diluting agent would have a mass ratio of 5-15 and would yield a percent of diluent in the solvent of 5/121.8 = 4.11% and 15/146.3 = 10.25% providing a range of 4.11% - 10.25% which overlaps the claimed range, and it should be noted in the case where the claimed ranges “overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art” a prima facie case of obviousness exists. In re Wertheim, 541 F.2d 257, 191USPQ 90 (CCPA 1976); In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 16 USPQ2d 1934 (Fed. Cir. 1990).
As to claim 2, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated, modified Park9032 discloses the solvent contains 5 wt% to 10 wt% of the diluent. (The matrix resin mixed according to the mass ratio of 100:15 -25: 0.5-2: 0.6-2.7: 5-15: 0.5-1: 0.2-0.6 of resin, curing agent, accelerator, coupling agent, diluting agent, antifoaming agent, antioxidant, [Cai, 0162-0163]). Where the diluting agent would have a mass ratio of 5-15 and would yield a percent of diluent in the solvent of 5/121.8 = 4.11% and 15/146.3 = 10.25% providing a range of 4.11% - 10.25% which overlaps the claimed range, and it should be noted in the case where the claimed ranges “overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art” a prima facie case of obviousness exists. In re Wertheim, 541 F.2d 257, 191USPQ 90 (CCPA 1976); In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 16 USPQ2d 1934 (Fed. Cir. 1990).
As to claim 3, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated, modified Park9032 discloses the diluent comprises a glycidyl ester-based material. (the diluent is an, polypropylene glycol diglycidyl ether [Cai, 0136] as exemplified by paragraph [0070] of the instant specification polypropylene glycol diglycidyl ether is a glycidyl ester-based material).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time the application was filed to modify Park9032 with the cured liquid metal conductive adhesive, including the diluent, of Cai to increase the connection flexibility, ability to absorb thermal stress, and improve the reliability of the overlapping layers. [0238-0241]
As to claim 4, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated, modified Park9032 discloses the adhesive contains 70 wt% to 85 wt% of the conductor and 15 wt% to 30 wt% of the solvent. (the liquid metal conductive adhesive comprises the following components by weight part: 50-60 parts of liquid metal, silver powder, 15-25 parts of matrix resin, 25-35 parts; [Cai, [0157-0159]) Where the conductor comprises the liquid metal and the silver powder providing in the combination 65 – 85 wt%, and the solvent or matrix resin 25-35 wt% would overlap the claimed ranges and it should be noted in the case where the claimed ranges “overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art” a prima facie case of obviousness exists. In re Wertheim, 541 F.2d 257, 191USPQ 90 (CCPA 1976); In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 16 USPQ2d 1934 (Fed. Cir. 1990).
As to claim 5, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated, modified Park9032 discloses the conductor (silver powder, [Cai, 0108]) comprises at least metal powder.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time the application was filed to modify Park9032 with the cured liquid metal conductive adhesive, including the silver powder, of Cai to increase the connection flexibility, ability to absorb thermal stress, and improve the reliability of the overlapping layers. [0238-0241]
As to claim 6, the rejection of claim 5 is incorporated, modified Park9032 discloses the conductor comprises silver. (the liquid metal is selected from the group consisting of silver, [Cai, 0113])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time the application was filed to modify Park9032 with the cured liquid metal conductive adhesive, including the silver, of Cai to increase the connection flexibility, ability to absorb thermal stress, and improve the reliability of the overlapping layers. [0238-0241]
As to claim 7, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated, modified Park9032 discloses the polymer comprises at least one of an epoxy resin (bisphenol A epoxy resin, [Cai, 0164]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time the application was filed to modify Park9032 with the cured liquid metal conductive adhesive, including the bisphenol A epoxy resin of Cai to increase the connection flexibility, ability to absorb thermal stress, and improve the reliability of the overlapping layers. [0238-0241]
As to claim 8, the rejection of claim 7 is incorporated, modified Park9032 discloses the polymer comprises an epoxy resin. (bisphenol A epoxy resin, [Cai, 0164]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time the application was filed to modify Park9032 with the cured liquid metal conductive adhesive, including the bisphenol A epoxy resin of Cai to increase the connection flexibility, ability to absorb thermal stress, and improve the reliability of the overlapping layers. [0238-0241]
As to claim 9, Park9032 discloses a pouch type secondary battery comprising: an electrode assembly comprising a positive electrode and a negative electrode and separators are stacked; a pouch-shaped battery case configured to accommodate the electrode assembly; an electrode tab connected to the electrodes and protruding from one side of the electrode assembly; a first electrode lead having one end connected to the electrode tab; a second electrode lead having one end connected to the other end of the first electrode lead and the other end protruding to the outside of the battery case; and a connection part configured to connect the first electrode lead to the second electrode lead [Abstract],
Park9032 discloses the connection part formed between the first electrode lead (12a) and the second electrode lead (12b), as discussed above (figure 4), but does not explicitly teach the connection part is formed by curing a cured adhesive applied between the first electrode lead and the second electrode lead.
Cai solves the technical problem of the laminate assembly between the cell plate electrode conductive material comprises conductive silver paste, tin solder strip or paste material. wherein, the welding strip is tin-lead solder, the solder welding temperature is high and harmful to the environment, easy to cause cell cracking and chipping, solder paste has high welding temperature, and poor toughness, large thermal stress, lowering the reliability of the battery [0088-0092], by applying a liquid metal conductive adhesive between the cell plates, (the invention claims a liquid metal conductive adhesive and application thereof… imbrications (overlapping) as connecting material of the imbrications (overlapping) assembly [0097-0101], where the liquid metal conductive adhesive used as connecting material between the overlapping battery plates would be analogous to the pertinent problem of applicant’s electrode lead connection utilizing an adhesive, (As exemplified in paragraph [0012] of the instant specification two electrode leads connected by a connection part formed by curing an adhesive applied between the first electrode lead and the second electrode lead,) As discussed above the disclosed electrode leads may be viewed as battery plate/sheet of Cai connected with liquid metal conductive adhesive.;
Cai further teaches a process of applying the connecting material or the liquid metal conductive adhesive which provides;
S1 imbrications (overlapping) battery piece conveying to the heating platform of battery substrate [0208]…S2 applying the liquid metal conductive adhesive at the precise location [0211-0214]…S3 build a battery sheet stack or battery strings [0215-0221]…S4 the whole into a closed curing device for curing… the curing temperature is 60-110 degrees centigrade. [0222-0228], as exemplified by paragraph [0072] of the instant specification, which meets the limitation of a cured adhesive. Cai further teaches, the liquid metal of the invention conductive adhesive curing temperature is low, it can reduce caused by high temperature of the battery sheet cracked and broken risk; at the same time, the conductive adhesive after curing has good flexibility, thermal stress can absorb battery sheet and improves the reliability of the imbrications (overlapping) assembly. [0238-0241]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time the application was filed to modify Park9032 with the cured liquid metal conductive adhesive of Cai to increase the connection flexibility, ability to absorb thermal stress, and improve the reliability of the overlapping layers.
The adhesive (liquid metal conductive adhesive, [Cai, 0108]), includes a mixture of a conductor (liquid metal, silver powder, [Cai, 0108]) and a solvent (matrix resin, [Cai, 0108]), the solvent (matrix resin) includes a mixture of a polymer (bisphenol A epoxy resin, [Cai, 0164]) and a diluent (diluting agent, [Cai, 0163]), and the solvent contains 5 wt% to 15 wt% of the diluent. (The matrix resin mixed according to the mass ratio of 100:15 -25: 0.5-2: 0.6-2.7: 5-15: 0.5-1: 0.2-0.6 of resin, curing agent, accelerator, coupling agent, diluting agent, antifoaming agent, antioxidant, [Cai, 0162-0163]. Where the diluting agent would have a mass ratio of 5-15 and would yield a percent of diluent in the solvent of 5/121.8 = 4.11% and 15/146.3 = 10.25% providing a range of 4.11% - 10.25% which overlaps the claimed range, and it should be noted in the case where the claimed ranges “overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art” a prima facie case of obviousness exists. In re Wertheim, 541 F.2d 257, 191USPQ 90 (CCPA 1976); In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 16 USPQ2d 1934 (Fed. Cir. 1990).
As to claim 10, the rejection of claim 9 is incorporated, Park9032 discloses comprising an insulation part (insulation part 14 may be made of a nonconductor, [0055]) configured to surround a portion where the first and second electrode leads are connected to each other through the connection part (As illustrated in FIG. 4, the insulation part 14 may surround all of the first electrode lead 12a, the connection part 15, and the second electrode lead 12b, [0071]) and configured to bond the first and second electrode leads to the battery case (when the repulsive force is applied to the first electrode lead 12a and the second electrode lead 12b, the bonding force between the first and second electrode leads 12a and 12b and the insulation part 14 may be maintained to maintain the sealing of the battery case 13, but the first and second electrode leads 12a and 12b may be detached from each other. [0075]). As shown in figure 5 electrode leads (12a) and (12b) may separate but are held to the battery case with insulation part (14).
As to claim 11, the rejection of claim 10 is incorporated, Park9032 discloses bonding force between each of the first and second electrode leads and the connection part is less than that between each of the first and second electrode leads and the insulation part. (When the repulsive force is applied to the first electrode lead 12a and the second electrode lead 12b, the bonding force between the first and second electrode leads 12a and 12b and the insulation part 14 may be maintained to maintain the sealing of the battery case 13, but the first and second electrode leads 12a and 12b may be detached from each other. [0075]). As shown in figure 5 electrode leads (12a) and (12b) may separate but are held to the battery case with insulation part (14), illustrating the bonding force between the electrode leads (12a,12b) is less than the bonding force between the electrode leads and the insulation part (14).
As to claim 12, the rejection of claim 10 is incorporated, Park9032 discloses the insulation part is made of at least one of a thermoplastic resin, a thermosetting resin, or a photocurable resin, which has electrical insulation. (The insulating portion 14 may be made of at least one of thermoplastic, thermosetting and photocurable resins having electrical insulation properties as a polymer resin, [0070])
As to claim 13, Park9032 discloses a method for manufacturing an electrode lead, the method comprising (Advantages and features of the present disclosure, and implementation methods thereof will be clarified through following embodiments described with reference to the accompanying drawings. [0048]):
providing a first electrode lead (12a, [0055]) and a second electrode (12b, [0055]);
applying an adhesive to at least one end of the first electrode lead or one end of the second electrode lead (As shown in figure 4, connection part (15) made of a polymer that is a conductive material [0066] is applied on the end of (12a, and 12b) and the polymer may be epoxy resin [0068] where epoxy resin provides an adhesive, as exemplified in paragraphs [0012]-[0019] of the instant specification the adhesive composed of a conductor and a solvent, and the solvent may contain epoxy resin;
bonding the other end of the first electrode lead to the one end of the second electrode lead to form a lead stack (The connection part 15 connecting the first and second electrode leads 12a and 12b to each other [0066] as shown figure 4 electrode lead (12a) and (12b) form a lead stack);
Park9032 discloses the connection part formed between the first electrode lead (12a) and the second electrode lead (12b), as discussed above (figure 4), but does not explicitly teach the connection part is formed by applying heat to the lead stack to cure adhesive applied between the first electrode lead and the second electrode lead.
Cai solves the technical problem of the laminate assembly between the cell plate electrode conductive material comprises conductive silver paste, tin solder strip or paste material. wherein, the welding strip is tin-lead solder, the solder welding temperature is high and harmful to the environment, easy to cause cell cracking and chipping, solder paste has high welding temperature, and poor toughness, large thermal stress, lowering the reliability of the battery [0088-0092], by applying a liquid metal conductive adhesive between the cell plates, (the invention claims a liquid metal conductive adhesive and application thereof… imbrications (overlapping) as connecting material of the imbrications (overlapping) assembly [0097-0101], where the liquid metal conductive adhesive used as connecting material between the overlapping battery plates would be analogous to the pertinent problem of applicant’s electrode lead connection utilizing an adhesive, (As exemplified in paragraph [0012] of the instant specification two electrode leads connected by a connection part formed by curing an adhesive applied between the first electrode lead and the second electrode lead,) As discussed above the disclosed electrode leads may be viewed as battery plate/sheet of Cai connected with liquid metal conductive adhesive.;
Cai further teaches a process of applying the connecting material or the liquid metal conductive adhesive which provides;
S1 imbrications (overlapping) battery piece conveying to the heating platform of battery substrate [0208]…S2 applying the liquid metal conductive adhesive at the precise location [0211-0214]…S3 build a battery sheet stack or battery strings [0215-0221]…S4 the whole into a closed curing device for curing… the curing temperature is 60-110 degrees centigrade. [0222-0228], as exemplified by paragraph [0072] of the instant specification.
Where in the combination, S3 provides the battery sheet stack of Park9032 (electrode lead 12a, connection part 15, electrode lead 12b as shown in figure 4) to be cured in S4 at temperature or heated meets the limitation of applying heat to the lead stack to cure the adhesive.
Cai further teaches, the liquid metal of the invention conductive adhesive curing temperature is low, it can reduce caused by high temperature of the battery sheet cracked and broken risk; at the same time, the conductive adhesive after curing has good flexibility, thermal stress can absorb battery sheet and improves the reliability of the imbrications (overlapping) assembly. [0238-0241]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time the application was filed to modify Park9032 with the applying heat to cure liquid metal conductive adhesive of Cai to increase the connection flexibility, ability to absorb thermal stress, and improve the reliability of the overlapping layers.
The adhesive (liquid metal conductive adhesive, [Cai, 0108]), includes a mixture of a conductor (liquid metal, silver powder, [Cai, 0108]) and a solvent (matrix resin, [Cai, 0108]), the solvent (matrix resin) includes a mixture of a polymer (bisphenol A epoxy resin, [Cai, 0164]) and a diluent (diluting agent, [Cai, 0163]), and the solvent contains 5 wt% to 15 wt% of the diluent. (The matrix resin mixed according to the mass ratio of 100:15 -25: 0.5-2: 0.6-2.7: 5-15: 0.5-1: 0.2-0.6 of resin, curing agent, accelerator, coupling agent, diluting agent, antifoaming agent, antioxidant, [Cai, 0162-0163]. Where the diluting agent would have a mass ratio of 5-15 and would yield a percent of diluent in the solvent of 5/121.8 = 4.11% and 15/146.3 = 10.25% providing a range of 4.11% - 10.25% which overlaps the claimed range, and it should be noted in the case where the claimed ranges “overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art” a prima facie case of obviousness exists. In re Wertheim, 541 F.2d 257, 191USPQ 90 (CCPA 1976); In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 16 USPQ2d 1934 (Fed. Cir. 1990).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 03/03/2026, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues, page 5, it is unclear how Cai is applied in the rejection of claim 14. The office relies on Cai in the rejection of claim 1 from which claim 14 depends.
Applicant argues, page 5-6, the amended language of “the solvent includes a mixture of only a polymer and a diluent,” is not taught by Collins. The office notes as explained by the above 112(a) rejection the claim lacks support for this limitation.
Applicant argues, page 6, Collins fails to teach. “ the solvent contains 5 wt% to 15 wt% of the diluent.” The office does not rely on Collins to teach this limitation.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Pan et al. (CN107674620A) Conductive adhesive.
Lang et al. (US2015/0207150A1) Epoxy adjusted viscosity with diluents.
Fukuda et al. (US2013/0108915A1) Polyallylamine adhesive layer.
Sayder et al. (US2008/0261107A1) Epoxy adhesive layer with silver.
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BART HORNSBY
Examiner
Art Unit 1728
/MATTHEW T MARTIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1728
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