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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-13 in the reply filed on 9/26/25 is acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-6,9,13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) as being anticipated by Brenner et al. (EP2690687A).
As to claim 1, Brenner et al. discloses a microbattery (figure 1) comprising: a case having a width of not more than two mm (paragraph 0032), the case including a first terminal (104a) and a second terminal (104b); a first electrode (118) that is electrically connected to the first terminal of the case; and a second electrode (112) having a conductive lip that makes a press fit contact to the case (paragraph 0016), whereby the second electrode (112) is electrically connected to the second terminal (104b) of the case.
As to claim 2, Brenner et al. discloses wherein the first electrode comprises first electrode material mounted on a conductive carrier that contacts a base of the case (figure 1 number 118).
As to claim 3, Brenner et al. discloses wherein the second electrode comprises second electrode material mounted on a conductive carrier, and the conductive lip is part of the conductive carrier (figure 1 number 112, paragraph 0038).
As to claim 4, Brenner et al. discloses further comprising: a separator between the first electrode and the second electrode (paragraph 0047).
As to claim 5, Brenner et al. discloses wherein the case comprises an insulator on a bottom of the case that electrically separates the first terminal and the second terminal of the case (figure 1 number 108).
As to claim 6, Brenner et al. discloses wherein the case comprises an insulator on a side of the case that electrically separates the first terminal and the second terminal of the case (figure 1 number 108).
As to claim 9, Brenner et al. discloses wherein the case has a thickness of not more than one mm (paragraph 0033).
As to claim 13, Brenner et al. discloses wherein the battery stack occupies more than fifteen percent (15%) of an interior volume of the case (figure 1).
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.
Claim(s) 7-8,11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brenner et al. in view of Martin (FR3080953A1).
Brenner et al. discloses the microbattery described above. Brenner et al. fail to disclose wherein the case further includes a third terminal, the microbattery further comprising: a third electrode that is electrically connected to the third terminal of the case; wherein the first electrode and the second electrode form a first battery cell having the first terminal and second terminal as terminals, and the second electrode and the third electrode form a second battery cell having the second terminal and third terminal as terminals and wherein the first and second battery cells are independent of each other.
Martin teaches wherein the case further includes a third terminal, the microbattery further comprising: a third electrode that is electrically connected to the third terminal of the case; wherein the first electrode and the second electrode form a first battery cell having the first terminal and second terminal as terminals, and the second electrode and the third electrode form a second battery cell having the second terminal and third terminal as terminals and wherein the first and second battery cells are independent of each other for the purpose of providing greater volume energy density (pages 6-7).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time applicant's invention was made to Brenner et al. with wherein the case further includes a third terminal, the microbattery further comprising: a third electrode that is electrically connected to the third terminal of the case; wherein the first electrode and the second electrode form a first battery cell having the first terminal and second terminal as terminals, and the second electrode and the third electrode form a second battery cell having the second terminal and third terminal as terminals and wherein the first and second battery cells are independent of each other for the purpose of providing greater volume energy density (pages 6-7).
As to claim 11, Brenner et al. discloses a microbattery (figure 1) comprising: a case comprising a base (104a), a side (109) and a cap (104b), the base of the case including a first terminal (104a), the side of the case including a second terminal (109), and the cap of the case including a third terminal (104b);a battery stack inside the case, the battery stack comprising, in order from the base to the cap: a flat first electrode (118) comprising first electrode material mounted on a first conductive carrier that contacts the base of the case, so that the first electrode is electrically connected to the first terminal (104a); a flat first separator (paragraph 0090);a flat second electrode (112) comprising second electrode material mounted on both sides of a flexible second conductive carrier that has a conductive lip that contacts the side of the case, so that the second electrode is electrically connected to the second terminal (104b); a flat second separator (paragraph 0093); and the second electrode is the other of anode or cathode; and an electrolyte occupying an interior of the case (paragraph 0092).
Brenner et al. fail to disclose and a flat third electrode comprising third electrode material mounted on a third conductive carrier that contacts the cap of the case, so that the third electrode is electrically connected to the third terminal of the case; wherein the first and third electrodes are both either anode or cathode.
Martin teaches a flat third electrode comprising third electrode material mounted on a third conductive carrier that contacts the cap of the case, so that the third electrode is electrically connected to the third terminal of the case; wherein the first and third electrodes are both either anode or cathode for the purpose of providing greater volume energy density (pages 6-7).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time applicant's invention was made to Brenner et al. with a flat third electrode comprising third electrode material mounted on a third conductive carrier that contacts the cap of the case, so that the third electrode is electrically connected to the third terminal of the case; wherein the first and third electrodes are both either anode or cathode for the purpose of providing greater volume energy density (pages 6-7).
As to claim 12, Brenner et al. fail to disclosed wherein: the electrodes comprise at least one of carbon, lithium, lithium cobalt oxide, nickel cobalt manganese or nickel cobalt aluminum; the electrolyte comprises a mixture of an organic compound and a salt; and the separators comprise at least one of a porous polypropylene or polyethylene separator.
Martin teaches wherein: the electrodes comprise at least one of carbon, lithium, lithium cobalt oxide, nickel cobalt manganese or nickel cobalt aluminum; the electrolyte comprises a mixture of an organic compound and a salt; and the separators comprise at least one of a porous polypropylene or polyethylene separator for the purpose of providing high volume energy density storage device (pg 1, 8-9).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time applicant's invention was made to provide Brenner et al. with wherein: the electrodes comprise at least one of carbon, lithium, lithium cobalt oxide, nickel cobalt manganese or nickel cobalt aluminum; the electrolyte comprises a mixture of an organic compound and a salt; and the separators comprise at least one of a porous polypropylene or polyethylene separator for the purpose of providing high volume energy density storage device (pg 1, 8-9).
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brenner et al. (EP2690687A1).
Brenner et al. discloses the microbattery described above. Brenner et al. fail to disclose wherein the case is small enough to fit into an electronic contact lens. Brenner et al. teaches that the body can have a width of 2mm and a height of 0.1mm (paragraph 0032-0033). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time applicant's invention was made to provide Brenner et al. with wherein the case is small enough to fit into an electronic contact lens in order to provide optimal value in absence of unexpected results.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JANE J RHEE whose telephone number is (571)272-1499. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday (10-6:30).
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/JANE J RHEE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1724