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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on September 17, 2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendments filed September 17, 2025 have been entered. Claims 1, 8, and 10 have been amended; support for the amendments can be found in cancelled claim 7. Claims 1-6 and 8-10 remain pending and have been examined on their merits in this office action.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed September 17, 2025 have been fully considered. Applicant argues that a) Zhou fails to disclose every element of the amended independent claim 1 and Yu fails to remedy the deficiencies of Zhou because the teachings of Yu are limited to the use of a pressing claw and do not disclose a positioning portion extending along the length direction of the limiting plates, nor the integration of the lifting assembly and transverse moving assembly in the manner recited in amended claim 1.
Regarding argument A, Yu teaches the lifting assembly 123 comprises a lifting table 1231, the first driving member 1232 and the first transmission member 1233 (see e.g., paragraph [0035]), and the transverse moving assembly 122 comprises a transverse supporting plate 1221, the second driving member 1222 and the second transmission member 1223 (see e.g., paragraph [0039]). Yu’s teachings are not necessarily limited to the use of the pressing claw as the positioning of the battery is also controlled by the lifting assembly and the transverse moving assembly. The combination of Zhou’s stacking apparatus and Yu’s lifting assembly and traverse moving assembly meet the recited claim limitation as well as Yu providing the motivation for the combination as Yu teaches the transverse moving assembly and lifting assembly improve the stability of the battery cells during lateral movement, reduce or even avoid the tipping over of the battery cell 200 due to acceleration, and thus help to improve the overall use quality and work efficiency of the battery cell glue coating and stacking device 100 (see e.g., paragraph [0043]). Therefore, Applicant’s arguments are fully considered but are not found persuasive.
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.
Claims 1-3 and 6-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou et al. (CN 111384427 A1), hereinafter referred to as Zhou, in view of Yu et al. (CN 113903974 A), hereinafter referred to as Yu.
Regarding claim 1, Zhou teaches a stacking apparatus (“a stacking apparatus”) (see e.g., Abstract), comprising:
a turntable mechanism 7 that includes a turntable 71 for installing a plurality of stacking fixtures 8 with a feeding side and a blanking side (“a base, provided with a feeding side and a blanking side”) (see e.g., Figure 11 and paragraph [0058]);
the turntable mechanism 7 includes a turntable rotating device 72 arranged at the lower part of the turntable 71 for driving the turntable to move (“a first drive element, wherein an output end of the first drive element is in connection with the base, and the first drive element is configured for driving a rotation of the base so as to switch between the feeding side and the blanking side”) (see e.g., Figure 11 and paragraph [0058]);
the stacking fixture 8 installed on the turntable 71 includes a limiting frame 81 (“a limiting mechanism, provided on the base, wherein both the feeding side and the blanking side are provided with at least one limiting mechanism”) (see e.g., paragraph [0057]),
the stacking fixture 8 includes a placement region formed by the frames of the limiting frame 81 (“a placement region is formed in the limiting mechanism”) (see e.g., Figure 10) and
the limiting frame 81 includes limiting plates arranged opposite to each other (“the limiting mechanism comprises limiting plates arranged to be opposite to each other”) (see e.g., Figure 10) that extend along a vertical direction perpendicular to the turntable 71 (“the limiting plates are arranged to extend along a vertical direction perpendicular to the base”) (see e.g., Figure 11) and the limiting frame 81 can limit the movement directions of the stacking (“at least one of the limiting plates moves relatively or oppositely, so as to adjust the length of the placement region”) (see e.g., paragraph [0057).
Zhou does not explicitly teach a positioning mechanism, comprising a positioning portion extending into the placement region.
However, Yu teaches a battery cell stacking and unloading system (see e.g., paragraph [0001]). Yu teaches a stacking mechanism 120 that includes a stacking platform 121, a transverse moving assembly 122, a lifting assembly 123 (see e.g., paragraph [0031]), and a transverse pressing assembly 124 to press and fit stacked battery cells in a transverse direction (“a positioning mechanism, comprising a positioning portion extending into the placement region”) to improve the stability of the battery cells during lateral movement, reduce or even avoid the tipping over of the battery cell 200 due to acceleration, and thus help to improve the overall use quality and work efficiency of the battery cell glue coating and stacking device 100 (see e.g., paragraph [0043]). Yu’s stacking mechanism comprises a transverse moving assembly 122 and a lifting assembly 123 (“wherein the positioning mechanism comprises a lifting assembly and a traversing assembly, a positioning portion is arranged to extend along a length direction of the limiting plates”) (see e.g., paragraph [0031]). Yu teaches the lifting assembly 123 moves along the height direction of the stacking plate form 121 (“the lifting assembly is able to drive the positioning portion to move vertically”) (see e.g., paragraph [0031]), and the transverse moving assembly 122 drives the battery cell to move along the length of the stacking platform (“and the traversing assembly is able to drive the positioning portion to move horizontally”) (see e.g., paragraph [0031]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that one of ordinary skill would modify the stacking fixture of Zhou to include a transverse pressing assembly, as taught by Yu, in order to improve the stability of the battery cells during lateral movement, reduce or even avoid the tipping over of the battery cell 200 due to acceleration, and thus help to improve the overall use quality and work efficiency of the battery cell glue coating and stacking device 100 (see e.g., paragraph [0043]).
Regarding claim 2, Zhou, as modified by Yu, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 1, as previously described.
Zhou teaches four stacking fixtures 8 installed on the turntable 71 wherein two are provided on the feeding side and on the blanking side (“wherein four limiting mechanisms are provided, and two limiting mechanisms are respectively provided on the feeding side and on the blanking side”) (see e.g., Figure 11).
Regarding claim 3, Zhou, as modified by Yu, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 1, as previously described.
Zhou teaches the stacking fixture 8 includes the limiting frame 81 (“a vertical plate”) and a stacking lifting plate 82 (“a bottom plate”) that moves up and down along the limiting frame 81 and is perpendicular to the limiting frame 81 (“wherein each of the limiting plate comprises a bottom plate and a vertical plate, the base is provided with a linear assembly, the bottom plate is able to slide along the linear assembly, and the vertical plate is arranged to be perpendicular to the bottom plate”) (see e.g., Figure 10 and paragraph [0057]).
Regarding claim 8, Zhou, as modified by Yu, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 7, as previously described.
The stacking mechanism 120 of Yu, as previously described in claims 1 and 7, includes the transverse moving assembly 122 that includes a transverse moving support plate 1221, a second driving member 1222 and a second transmission member 1223 (see e.g., paragraph [0039]). Yu teaches the transverse moving pallet 1221 is drivingly connected to the second driving member 1222 via the second transmission member 1223, and the second driving member 1222 drives the transverse moving pallet 1221 to move along the length direction of the stacking platform 121 (see e.g., paragraph [0039]). Yu teaches that under the driving action of the second driving member 1222, the stacked battery cells 200 are supported by the transverse support plate 1221, and then moved along the length direction of the stacking table 121 under the driving action of the second transmission member 1223, and enter the subsequent unloading and packaging operations (“wherein the positioning mechanism further comprises a sliding plate and a mounting plate, wherein the sliding plate is able to be driven by the traversing assembly to slide, one end of the mounting plate is detachably arranged on the sliding plate, and a bottom of the mounting plate is evenly provided with a plurality of pressing blocks to form the positioning portion”) (see e.g., paragraph [0039]).
Regarding claim 9, Zhou, as modified by Yu, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 8, as previously described.
The stacking mechanism 120 of Yu, as previously described in claims 1 and 7, includes the transverse pressing assembly 124 with a transverse pressing claw 1241, a transverse pressing screw 1242 and a fourth driving member 1243. The transverse pressing claw 1241 is driven and connected to the fourth driving member 1243 through the transverse pressing screw 1242, and the fourth driving member 1243 drives the transverse pressing claw 1241 to move along the length direction of the stacking table 121 to a second passing groove 144 (“wherein the stacking apparatus further comprises a fixing assembly provided on a top of the limiting plates, the fixing assembly comprises a second drive element and a fixing plate, the second drive element is able to drive the fixing plate to be pushed out for fixing, and the fixing plate is provided with an avoidance groove corresponding to the pressing blocks”) (see e.g., paragraph [0044]).
Regarding claim 10, Zhou, as modified by Yu, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 7, as previously described.
The stacking mechanism 120 of Yu, as previously described in claims 1 and 7, includes a lifting platform 1231, a first driving member 1232 and a first transmission member 1233 (see e.g., paragraph [0035]). Yu teaches the lifting platform 1231 is moved along the height direction of the stacking platform 121 and mounted on the lifting assembly (“wherein the stacking apparatus further comprises a bearing platform, wherein one end of the bearing platform is mounted on the lifting assembly and the other end of the bearing platform extends into the placement region”) (see e.g., paragraph [0035 and Figure 2).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou et al. (CN 111384427 A1) in view of Yu et al. (CN 113903974 A), and further in view of Yoo et al. (Published U.S. Patent Application US 2013/0011235 A1), hereinafter referred to as Yoo.
Regarding claim 4, Zhou, as modified by Yu, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 3, as previously described.
Zhou, as modified by Yu, does not explicitly teach wherein both limiting plates are provided with the linear assembly on a bottom thereof, and the limiting plates are able to slide linearly.
However, Yoo teaches a stacking apparatus (see e.g., Abstract). Yoo teaches the stacking apparatus comprises includes a first hand 110 (“limiting plate”) and a second hand 120 (“limiting plate”). Yoo teaches the first hand 110 is coupled to a drive unit for generating drive force and may be horizontally or vertically moved by operation of the drive unit to increase or decrease the distance from the second hand 120, and the movement of the first hand 110 may be limited to a certain direction by a guide rail which guides a moving path (see e.g., paragraph [0067]). Yoo teaches the second hand 120 is coupled to a drive unit for generating drive force and may be horizontally or vertically moved by operation of the drive unit to increase or decrease the distance from the first hand 110, and the movement of the second hand 120 may be limited to a certain direction by a guide rail which guides a moving path (see e.g., paragraph [0075]). Therefore, Yoo meets the claim limitation of “both limiting plates are provided with the linear assembly on a bottom thereof, and the limiting plates are able to slide linearly” because both the first hand 110 and the second 120 are coupled to a drive unit to move each hand horizontally or vertically from the other hand. Yoo teaches the movement of the first hand and the second hand to maintain positioning of the stacking material (see e.g., paragraph [0018]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that one of ordinary skill would modify the stacking fixture of Zhou, as modified by Yu, to include drive units to increase or decrease the distance between each hand, as taught by Yu, in order to maintain positioning of the stacking material (see e.g., paragraph [0018]).
Claims 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou et al. (CN 111384427 A1) in view of Yu et al. (CN 113903974 A), and further in view of Xu et al. (CN 115172844 A), hereinafter referred to as Xu.
Regarding claim 5, Zhou, as modified by Yu, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 3, as previously described.
Zhou, as modified by Yu, does not explicitly teach wherein the linear assembly comprises a linear guide rail and a sliding block, the linear guide rail is provided on the base, the sliding block is able to slide along the linear guide rail, and the sliding block is arranged under the bottom plate.
However, Xu teaches a battery stacking device (see e.g., Abstract). Xu teaches the battery stacking device comprising a stacking mechanism comprising a support frame, a moving mechanism, and a control mechanism (see e.g., paragraphs [0005]-[0007]). Xu teaches the moving mechanism 20 comprises a moving slide rail 24 located below the supporting frame 11 and set on the base 30 (“the linear assembly comprises a linear guide rail and the linear guide rail is provided on the base”) (see e.g., paragraph [0077]). Xu teaches the moving guide rail is connected with the moving slide block 25 (“linear assembly comprises a sliding block, the sliding block is able to slide along the linear guide rail, and the sliding block is arranged under the bottom plate”) (see e.g., paragraph [0077] and Figures 4-5). Xu teaches the moving mechanism comprising the moving slide rail 24 and moving slide block 25 allow for the stable movement of a single battery (see e.g., paragraph [0077]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that one of ordinary skill would modify the stacking fixture of Zhou, as modified by Yu, to include a moving mechanism comprising a moving slide rail and moving slide block, as taught by Xu, in order to allow for the stable movement of a single battery (see e.g., paragraph [0077]).
Regarding claim 6, Zhou, as modified by Yu and Xu, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 5, as previously described.
Zhou teaches the stacking fixture 8 installed on the turntable 71 includes the limiting frame 81 (“wherein each of the limiting plates is fixed by a fixing seat”) (see e.g., paragraph [0057]).
Zhou, as modified by Yu and Xu, does not explicitly teach wherein an outer side of the linear guide rail is provided with several first through holes arranged along a length of the linear guide rail, the first through holes are arranged to be evenly distributed with an interval therebetween, a fixing portion is provided by way of protruding from a bottom of the bottom plate, and the fixing seat comprises a horizontal portion and a connecting portion, wherein the horizontal portion is provided with a plurality of second through holes, the connecting portion and the fixing portion are connected fixedly via a bold, and the first through holes and the second through holes are fixed correspondingly.
However, Xu teaches the battery stacking device comprising:
the moving slide rail 24 has a plurality of through holes evenly distributed (“an outer side of the linear guide rail is provided with several first through holes arranged along a length direction of the linear guide rail” and “the first through holes are arranged to be evenly distributed with an interval therebetween”) (see e.g., Figure 5);
the moving mechanism further comprises a push plate 23 (“a fixing portion is provided by way of protruding from a bottom of the bottom plate”) (see e.g., paragraph [0077] and Figure 5),
the push plate 23 comprises a horizontal portion in which the battery is pushed and a connecting portion to the moving slide rail 24 and moving slide block 25 (“the fixing seat comprises a horizontal portion and a connecting portion”) (see e.g., Figure 5)
and the push plate 23 is provided with through holes in which it is connected to the moving slide rail 24 (“wherein the horizontal portion is provided with a plurality of second through holes, the connecting portion and the fixing portion are connected fixedly via a bolt, and the first through holes and the second through holes are fixed correspondingly”) (see e.g., Figure 5).
Xu teaches the push plate 23 improves the reliability of the moving mechanism and can stably push a single battery (see e.g., paragraph [0077]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that one of ordinary skill would modify the stacking fixture of Zhou, as modified by Yu, to include a push plate that is connected to a moving slide rail and moving slide block through a plurality of holes, as taught by Xu, in order to improve the reliability of the moving mechanism and stably push a single battery (see e.g., paragraph [0077]).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Katherine N Higgins whose telephone number is (703)756-1196. The examiner can normally be reached Mondays - Thursdays 7:30-4:30 EST, Fridays 7:30 - 11:30 EST.
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/KATHERINE N HIGGINS/Examiner, Art Unit 1728
/MATTHEW T MARTIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1728