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 Group II, claims 9-16, in the reply filed on 11-06-2025 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 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Park, et. al. (EPO Machine Translation of KR20140009015A).
Regarding Claim 9, Park recites an apparatus for manufacturing a secondary battery, the apparatus comprising: an electrode supply part (feeding conveyor 802) configured to supply an electrode; a first inspection part configured to detect the supplied electrode so as to distinguish a normal electrode portion and an abnormal electrode portion from each other (vision inspection unit 900; “a camera 910 for detecting the quality of the individual electrodes . . . [and detects] the defective electrode Sa’”); and a notching part (notching portion 500) configured to notch the electrode passing through the first inspection part, wherein the notching part notches the electrode through a laser (“[0093] Referring to FIG. 4C, the notching unit according to the present invention includes a pair of laser cutters 1310 and 1320 and a laser-only PC 1341.”) so that the normal electrode portion and the abnormal electrode portion, which are detected in the first inspection part, are divided from each other.1 (“[0134] The electrode pusher 1400 applies a laser beam emitted from the first and second laser cutters 1310 and 1320 to the band-shaped electrode S (S) so that the first cut region A and the second cut region B are formed ; “[0193] where the defective electrode Sa 'is detected, an electric signal is provided to the suction conveyor unit 1000 to remove the suction force of the suction conveyor 1010, and when the defective electrode Sa' (Sa ') is removed from the suction conveyor (1010) and removed to the outside.”). Park at [0010 (p. 1-3), 0093, 0190 - 196].
For the foregoing reasons, Claim 9 is anticipated by Park.
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.
Claims 10-13, 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park, in view of Kang, et. al. (KR20060034126A, see EPO Machine Translation for citation).
Regarding Claim 10, Claim 10 relies upon Claim 9. Claim 9 is anticipated by Park.
Park teaches the first inspection part divides the normal electrode portion and the abnormal electrode portion from each other through a vision sensor (camera 910) to transmit a notching signal (“[0193] an electrical signal is provided”). Park at [0193].
However, Park is silent as to “and the apparatus further comprises a main control system configured to receive the notching signal so as to be transmitted to the notching part.”
Kang teaches a collector electrode inspection device [0003], and teaches “[a] fault detection unit . . detects a defect of the electrode active material layer . . . it includes a search unit . . . [and] transfer[s]the captured image from the image pickup unit, the imaging unit detects a defect of the electrode active material layer [and] includes a control section for transmitting an operation signal to the defect marking units.” Kang at [0003, 13 (p. 2-3)]. Kang teaches its inspection device can be utilized to detect “bubble[s]”, “pinhole[s],” and “streak[s],” indicating a benefit to the ability to receive a captured image and transmit a signal based upon this captured image, by detecting the type of defect before the notching process. Id. at p.2.
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would find it obvious to modify the apparatus of Park such that its inspection part comprises a main control system (the “control section” of Kang) configured to receive the notching signal so as to be transmitted to the notching part, because Kang a benefit to the ability to receive a captured image and transmit a signal based upon this captured image, by detecting the type of defect before the notching process.
Claim 10 is obvious over Park, in view of Kang.
Regarding Claim 11, Claim 11 relies upon Claim 10. Claim 10 is obvious over modified Park.
Kang teaches its inspection device can be utilized to detect “bubble[s]”, “pinhole[s],” and “streak[s],” and that “the imaging unit detects a defect of the electrode active material layer [and] includes a control section for transmitting an operation signal to the defect marking units.” Kang at [0003, 13 (p. 2-4)]. Kang strongly implies this “operation signal,” is based upon the image detected. Id. at p.3.
For this reason, modified Park discloses the notching part notches the normal electrode portion and the abnormal electrode portion, which are distinguished from each other in the first inspection part (via the camera 910 of Park), in different shapes based on the received notching signal (wherein the imaging unit and control unit of Kang indicate that the image is detected, and the plurality of different shapes taught by Kang indicate this changes the signal generated.
Claim 11 is obvious over Park, in view of Kang.
Regarding Claim 12, Claim 12 relies upon Claim 11. Claim 11 is obvious over modified Park.
Park teaches “[0010] a notch portion for forming an electrode tab by forming a notch in the electrode behind the buffer portion,” and that “[0193] when the defective electrode Sa' (Sa ') is removed from the suction conveyor (1010) and removed to the outside.” Park at [0010, 0193]. Kang teaches “defect marking unit 220 may mark the defective mark (171 173) to any one of the slitting line 135, the electrode active material layer 130 and coated portion 150.” Kang at p.3. This indicates an electrode tab, and a portion that is either cut off or marked.
For this reason, modified Park discloses the normal electrode portion is notched to form an electrode tab, and the abnormal electrode portion is notched in the form of at least one of a marked shape, a shape having a hole, or a shape of a cut electrode tab.
Claim 12 is obvious over Park, in view of Kang.
Regarding Claim 13, Claim 13 relies upon Claim 9. Claim 9 is obvious over modified Park.
Regarding the meaning of the term, “adjust a supply rate . . . according to a speed,” under the broadest reasonable interpretation, this includes the supply rate being the same as or being proportional to the desired notching speed, because “adjust” means changing without limitations as to the value in the absence of additional claim language.
Park teaches “[0082] In order to minimize the positional change during electrode feeding, the guide rollers 431 use a normal roll when the speed is low at the set reference, and use an NIP roll or a suction roll when the speed is higher than the set reference.” Park at [0082]. This reads upon, “the electrode supply part is configured to adjust a supply rate of the electrode according to a speed of the notching performed in the notching part,” because this section of [082] describes a process of changing the roll type based upon the speed with respect to a reference, either increasing or decreasing the friction to make the speed proportional to the “set reference.”
Claim 13 is obvious over Park, in view of Kang.
Regarding Claim 15, Claim 15 relies upon Claim 9. Claim 9 is obvious over modified Park.
Park teaches “[0211] an electrode winding system including a first electrode and a second electrode,” and teaches the electrode passing through the notching part “[0010, p.2] the present invention is characterized in that the notching portion includes a mold top plate and a mold bottom plate through which the band-like electrodes move.” For this reason, Park teaches an electrode winding part configured to wind the electrode passing through the notching part.
Claim 15 is obvious over Park, in view of Kang.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park, in view of Kang, as applied to Claim 9, and further in view of Kim, et. al. (KR101926451B1 see EPO Machine Translation for citation).
Regarding Claim 14, Claim 14 relies upon Claim 9. Claim 9 is obvious over modified Park.
Park and Kang are silent as to the rotation speed of the rollers being adjusted to adjust the supply rate.
Kim teaches “[0005] an electrode working device for a secondary battery capable of continuously producing an electrode for a secondary battery of excellent quality and improving productivity.” Kim at [0005]. This apparatus comprises multiple rollers, wherein “[0043] The rotational speeds of the first and second upper rollers 110 and 210 and the first and second lower rollers 120 and 220 may be controlled through the controller 500. The controller 500 controls the first rotational speed V1 and the second rotational speed V2 corresponding to the conveyance speed VS of the electrode sheet S and controls the first and second upper rollers 110 and 210. . . . [0044] The control unit 500 may return the second rotation speed V2 of the first and second upper rollers 110 and 210 to the original shape when the patterning operation for forming one electrode through notching is completed. For example, it can be controlled at the second rotation speed in the first rotation.” Id. at [0043 – 44]. This reads upon an electrode supply part which comprises rollers that supply the electrode, wherein each of the rollers is adjusted in rotation speed to adjust the supply rate of the electrode. This adjustment for “improving productivity” by adjusting the rotation speeds when the patterning operation is in effect, before returning to ordinary operation when notching is completed.
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would find it obvious to modify the apparatus of modified Park, such that the control unit 300 of modified Park controls the rotational speed of the rollers “corresponding to the conveyance speed VS of the electrode sheet,” as with the controller 500 of Kim, because Kim teaches a beneficial improvement to productivity and the patterning operation, which as applied to Park would be expected to improve the notching apparatus.
Claim 14 is obvious over Park, in view of Kang, further in view of Kim.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park, in view of Kang, as applied to Claim 9, and further in view of Sakurai, et. al. (CN108496271A, see EPO Machine Translation for citation).
Regarding Claim 16, Claim 16 relies upon Claim 9. Claim 9 is obvious over modified Park.
Park teaches “[0193] 10, the vision inspection unit 900 includes a camera 910 for detecting the quality of the individual electrodes Sa as an image, and the image detected by the camera 910 is referred to as a standard image In the case where the defective electrode Sa 'is detected, an electric signal is provided to the suction conveyor unit 1000 to remove the suction force of the suction conveyor 1010, and when the defective electrode Sa' (Sa ') is removed from the suction conveyor (1010) and removed to the outside.” Park at [0193]. Park teaches this electrode is removed via the cutter 800. Id. at [0196]. These indicate modified Park teaches “a discharge part configured to discharge a defective cell comprising the abnormal electrode portion.” Kang teaches both a fault detection unit 210, and a defective marking search unit 230; this is alongside an image pickup section 211. Kang at p.2. This “search unit “is preferably made of a position sensor to search for the location of the electrode . . . to be marked.” Id. This indicates Kang teaches two inspection parts, and as applied to Park, Kang teaches “a second inspection part configured to detect an electrode portion notched as the abnormal electrode portion.” Id. The cutter is also a “cell cutting part.”
However, modified Park is silent as to a lamination part.
Sakurai teaches a “An electrode stacking apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention stacks an electrode supplied from a conveying device to form an electrode laminated body. . . .[a] laminating unit is disposed on the opposite side of the conveying device via the circulation member, and has a plurality of stacked portions in which electrodes are stacked . . . [and an] electrode supported by the electrode support portion is simultaneously pushed out to the multi-stage lamination portion, and the control portion controls the circulation and lifting of the circulation member and the operation of the push-out portion, and the control portion controls the operation of the push-out portion to control the ratio of the transfer portion.” Sakurai at [p.3]. Sakurai teaches its structure allows it “to suppress an increase in size of the apparatus and to increase the speed of lamination.” Id. Sakurai teaches this further comprises a lamination pattern wherein “The electrode assembly 3 has a structure in which a plurality of positive electrodes 8 and a plurality of negative electrodes 9 are alternately laminated via a separator 10 having a bag shape.” Id. at [p.8].
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would find it obvious to further modify the apparatus of modified Park, such that it comprises a lamination part (lamination unit 25 of Sakurai) configured to alternately stack the electrode and a separator to be laminated (Sakurai at p.3); a second inspection part (as taught by Kang; wherein the second inspection part is position sensor of Kang) the configured to detect an electrode portion notched as the abnormal electrode portion passing through the lamination part; a cell cutting part (the cutter 800 of Park) configured to cut a stack of the electrode and the separator, which are laminated, into a plurality of cells after passing through the second inspection part; and a discharge part configured to discharge a defective cell comprising the abnormal electrode portion, which is detected through the second inspection part, from the plurality of cells after passing through the cutting part (Park at [00193 – 196]), because Sakurai teaches a benefit to lamination speed and the suppression of a size increase.
Claim 16 is obvious over Park, in view of Kang, further in view of Sakurai.
Conclusion
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/K.R.H./Examiner , Art Unit 1725
/NICOLE M. BUIE-HATCHER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1725