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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on January 6, 2026, has been entered.
Response to Arguments
The rejections under 35 USC 112(b) have been overcome by the amendments and are withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, see pp. 12-13, filed January 6, 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1, 3, and 21 under 35 USC 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Hattori, Tsunaki, De Luccia, Heebink, and Yamada et al. (US 2014/0242440 A1).
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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6, 8-10, 13-16, and 18-21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hattori et al. (US 2014/0242439 A1) in view of Tsunaki et al. (US 2016/0254517 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Hattori teaches an energy storage device (secondary battery) comprising an electrode assembly, a case (outer body), and a metal external terminal in the case comprising a flange member (external conduction member 21) with a recessed portion opposite the case (stepped through hole 21 a) and a shaft portion (electrode terminal member 14) penetrating the through hole in the flange member to contact the electrode assembly. The shaft portion includes an enlarged diameter portion spreading along a surface of the flanged portion on the case side (flange portion 14d) and a swaged portion (caulked portion 14e) spreading along a surface of the flange portion and sandwiching the rim of the through hole between the swaged portion and the enlarged diameter portion, and the recessed portion has a larger diameter than the swaged portion (Hattori Fig. 4B).
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Hattori does not teach that the flange member is formed of a clad material including a plurality of metal layers stacked in the penetrating direction.
Tsunaki teaches that using a flange portion (external terminal 105) comprising clad materials of stacked, dissimilar metals can reduce the contact resistance in connections between terminals (Tsunaki [0012]-[0014] and Fig. 8B). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to use the flange portion of Tsunaki in the battery of Hattori in order to reduce contact resistances in connections between terminals. Forming the stepped through hole of Hattori in the external terminal of Tsunaki would necessarily involve forming a recess or through hole in the first metal layer (aluminum layer 105a).
The first metal layer of Tsunaki is aluminum (aluminum layer 105a), and the second metal layer is copper (copper layer 105b) (Tsunaki Fig. 8B).
Hattori does not teach the presence of a convex portion between the peripheral edge of the swaged portion and the facing peripheral edge of the convex part in a direction orthogonal of the penetrating direction. Hattori teaches that the swaging portion is formed by deforming the ends of the penetrating member (12e) with a caulking tip (31) that presses it against the flange portion (18) (Hattori Fig. 7 and [0053]-[0055]), and that the pieces are made of aluminum or copper (Hattori [0069]). Any pressure sufficient to deform the penetrating member will also necessarily deform the flange member against which it is pressed, resulting a convex portion between the swaged portion and the peripheral edge of the convex part. The convex part is therefore inherent to the disclosure of Hattori.
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Hattori does not teach that a bus bar is welded to the flange. Tsunaki teaches that battery modules are typically formed by connecting bus bars to the terminals with nuts and bolts or by welding (Tsunaki [0004]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to use any conventional means for assembling the batteries, including bus bars welded to the flanges.
Regarding claim 2, the first metal layer of modified Hattori is aluminum (aluminum layer 105a), and the second metal layer is copper (copper layer 105b) (Tsunaki Fig. 8B), which has a lower resistance than aluminum.
Regarding claim 3, Hattori teaches an energy storage device (secondary battery) comprising an electrode assembly, a case (outer body), and a metal external terminal in the case comprising a flange member (external conduction member 21) with a recessed portion opposite the case (stepped through hole 21 a) and a shaft portion (electrode terminal member 14) penetrating the through hole in the flange member to contact the electrode assembly. The shaft portion includes an enlarged diameter portion spreading along a surface of the case (flange portion 14d) and a swaged portion (caulked portion 14e) spreading along a surface of the flange portion and sandwiching the rim of the through hole between the swaged portion and the enlarged diameter portion, and the recessed portion has a larger diameter than the swaged portion (Hattori Fig. 4B).
Hattori does not teach that the flange member is formed of a clad material including a plurality of metal layers stacked in the penetrating direction. Tsunaki teaches that using a flange portion (external terminal 105) comprising clad materials of stacked, dissimilar metals can reduce the contact resistance in connections between terminals (Tsunaki [0012]-[0014] and Fig. 8B). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to use the flange portion of Tsunaki in the battery of Hattori in order to reduce contact resistances in connections between terminals. Forming the stepped through hole of Hattori in the external terminal of Tsunaki would necessarily involve forming a recess or through hole in the first metal layer (aluminum layer 105a).
The first metal layer of modified Hattori is aluminum (aluminum layer 105a), and the second metal layer is copper (copper layer 105b) (Tsunaki Fig. 8B)
Hattori does not teach the presence of a convex portion between the peripheral edge of the swaged portion and the facing peripheral edge of the convex part in a direction orthogonal of the penetrating direction. Hattori teaches that the swaging portion is formed by deforming the ends of the penetrating member (12e) with a caulking tip (31) that presses it against the flange portion (18) (Hattori Fig. 7 and [0053]-[0055]), and that the pieces are made of aluminum or copper (Hattori [0069]). Any pressure sufficient to deform the penetrating member will also necessarily deform the flange member against which it is pressed, resulting a convex portion between the swaged portion and the peripheral edge of the convex part. The convex part is therefore inherent to the disclosure of Hattori.
Hattori does not teach that a bus bar is welded to the flange. Tsunaki teaches that battery modules are typically formed by connecting bus bars to the terminals with nuts and bolts or by welding (Tsunaki [0004]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to use any conventional means for assembling the batteries, including bus bars welded to the flanges.
Regarding claim 4, the first metal layer of modified Hattori is aluminum (aluminum layer 105a), and the second metal layer is copper (copper layer 105b) (Tsunaki Fig. 8B and [0053]), which has a lower resistance than aluminum.
Regarding claim 6, the flange portion of modified Hattori includes a convex portion (convex portion 21e) in the recess between the outer rim of the recess and a peripheral edge of the swaged portion (Hattori Fig. 4B). The through hole penetrates the entire flange portion and therefore necessarily penetrates the first layer.
Regarding claim 8, the external terminal of modified Hattori is a negative electrode (Hattori Fig. 4B and [0021]), the first layer is aluminum, and the second layer is copper (Tsunaki Fig. 8B and [0053]).
Regarding claims 9 and 10, the only possible options for the relative thicknesses of the layers is a thinner first metal layer, a thicker first metal layer, or a first metal layer of the same thickness as the second metal layer. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to try any of the limited number of available configurations, including a first layer thinner than the second layer.
Regarding claim 13, modified Hattori does not teach that the convex part is a deformed portion of the first metal layer. However, the first metal layer of modified Hattori is aluminum (Tsunaki Fig. 8B and [0053]), which will necessarily deform during swaging to form a convex portion.
Regarding claim 14, the flange of modified Hattori has a thin portion defining the interior of the concave part and a thicker portion defining the edges of the concave part (Hattori Fig. 3). That concave part must necessarily be cut into either or both of the flange layers. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to select either the first or the second layer to define the thin portion, since there are only two options.
Regarding claim 15, the step boundary between the thin and thick portions defines the concave part (Hattori Fig. 3).
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Regarding claim 16, Hattori gives examples in which the convex portion does not touch the peripheral edge of the concave portion (Hattori Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 18, the first metal layer of modified Hattori is aluminum (aluminum layer 105a), and the second metal layer is copper (copper layer 105b) (Tsunaki Fig. 8B). The flange of modified Hattori has a thin portion defining the interior of the concave part and a thicker portion defining the edges of the concave part (Hattori Fig. 3). That concave part must necessarily be cut into either or both of the flange layers. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to select either the first or the second layer to define the thin portion, since there are only two options. If the uppermost layer is aluminum, it will necessarily deform during swaging to form a convex portion.
Regarding claim 19, the external terminal of modified Hattori is a negative terminal (Hattori [0021]). The swaged portion is formed by deforming an end of the shaft after insertion through the hole (Hattori Fig. 7). Modified Hattori does not teach that the convex part is a deformed portion of the first metal layer. However, the first metal layer of modified Hattori is aluminum (Tsunaki Fig. 8B and [0053]), which will necessarily deform during swaging to form a convex portion. As the end of the swaged portion is angled, the outermost edge will not touch the convex portion.
Regarding claim 20, the flange of modified Hattori has a thin portion defining the interior of the concave part and a thicker portion defining the edges of the concave part (Hattori Fig. 3). That concave part must necessarily be cut into either or both of the flange layers. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to select either the first or the second layer to define the thin portion, since there are only two options.
Hattori teaches that connecting members are attached to the thicker part of the flange (Hattori Fig. 2B), so the bus bar would necessarily be welded to the first layer.
Regarding claim 21, Hattori teaches an energy storage device (secondary battery) comprising an electrode assembly, a case (outer body), and a metal external terminal in the case comprising a flange member (external conduction member 21) with a recessed portion opposite the case (stepped through hole 21 a) and a shaft portion (electrode terminal member 14) penetrating the through hole in the flange member to contact the electrode assembly. The shaft portion includes an enlarged diameter portion spreading along a surface of the flanged portion on the case side (flange portion 14d) and a swaged portion (caulked portion 14e) spreading along a surface of the flange portion and sandwiching the rim of the through hole between the swaged portion and the enlarged diameter portion, the recessed portion has a larger diameter than the swaged portion, and the flange portion (21d) is between the swaged portion (14e) and the case (16) (Hattori Fig. 4B).
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Hattori does not teach that the flange member is formed of a clad material including a plurality of metal layers stacked in the penetrating direction. Tsunaki teaches that using a flange portion (external terminal 105) comprising clad materials of stacked, dissimilar metals can reduce the contact resistance in connections between terminals (Tsunaki [0012]-[0014] and Fig. 8B). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to use the flange portion of Tsunaki in the battery of Hattori in order to reduce contact resistances in connections between terminals. Forming the stepped through hole of Hattori in the external terminal of Tsunaki would necessarily involve forming a recess or through hole in the first metal layer (aluminum layer 105a).
The first metal layer of modified Tsunaki is aluminum (aluminum layer 105a), and the second metal layer is copper (copper layer 105b) (Tsunaki Fig. 8B).
Hattori does not teach that a bus bar is welded to the flange. Tsunaki teaches that battery modules are typically formed by connecting bus bars to the terminals with nuts and bolts or by welding (Tsunaki [0004]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to use any conventional means for assembling the batteries, including bus bars welded to the flanges.
Hattori teaches that connecting members are attached to the thicker part of the flange (Hattori Fig. 2B), so the bus bar would necessarily be welded to the first layer.
Hattori teaches that the terminal members and flanges may be attached by both caulking (swaging) and welding or by caulking alone (Hattori [0080]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to try any of the methods listed by Hattori, including caulking without welding.
Claim(s) 7 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hattori in view to Tsunaki as applied to claims 3 and 1 above, and further in view of De Luccia ("The corrosion of aging aircraft and its consequences." 32nd Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference, 1991) and Heebink (“Moisture-excluding effectiveness of edge seals for aircraft sandwich panels”, Report 1822, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, March 1956).
Regarding claims 7 and 17, modified Hattori does not teach that the first metal layer includes a cover portion overlapping the peripheral edge of the second metal layer. However, corrosion of laminated aluminum materials is known to propagate from exposed edges (see De Luccia 4. Intergranular/Exfoliation Corrosion and Heebink Abstract), and sealing the edges with aluminum is a known means to prevent such corrosion (Heebink Test Panels). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to use aluminum, including the aluminum of the first metal layer, to seal the edges of the laminated structure of modified Hattori and prevent corrosion.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6, 8-10, 14-16, 20, and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamada et al. (US 2014/0242440 A1) in view of Tsunaki et al. (US 2016/0254517 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Yamada teaches an energy storage device (secondary battery 30) comprising an electrode assembly (1), a case (outer casing 14), and a metal external terminal in the case comprising a flange member (electrode terminal plates 5 and 9) with a recessed portion opposite the case (annular step part 9d) and a shaft portion (electrode terminal members 4 and 8) penetrating the through hole in the flange member to contact the electrode assembly. The shaft portion includes an enlarged diameter portion spreading along a surface of the flanged portion on the case side (flange 8a) and a swaged portion (swaged portion 8d) spreading along a surface of the flange portion and sandwiching the rim of the through hole between the swaged portion and the enlarged diameter portion, and the recessed portion has a larger diameter than the swaged portion and convex parts (protrusions 9b) between the swaged part and the peripheral edge of the recessed portion (Yamada Figs. 2A, 3, and 7A).
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Yamada does not teach that the flange member is formed of a clad material including a plurality of metal layers stacked in the penetrating direction. Tsunaki teaches that using a flange portion (external terminal 105) comprising clad materials of stacked, dissimilar metals can reduce the contact resistance in connections between terminals (Tsunaki [0012]-[0014] and Fig. 8B). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to use the flange portion of Tsunaki in the battery of Yamada in order to reduce contact resistances in connections between terminals. Forming the stepped through hole of Yamada in the external terminal of Tsunaki would necessarily involve forming a recess or through hole in the first metal layer (aluminum layer 105a).
The first metal layer of Tsunaki is aluminum (aluminum layer 105a), and the second metal layer is copper (copper layer 105b) (Tsunaki Fig. 8B).
Yamada does not teach that a bus bar is welded to the flange. Tsunaki teaches that battery modules are typically formed by connecting bus bars to the terminals with nuts and bolts or by welding (Tsunaki [0004]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to use any conventional means for assembling the batteries, including bus bars welded to the flanges.
Regarding claim 2, the first metal layer of modified Yamada is aluminum (aluminum layer 105a), and the second metal layer is copper (copper layer 105b) (Tsunaki Fig. 8B), which has a lower resistance than aluminum.
Regarding claim 3, Yamada teaches an energy storage device (secondary battery 30) comprising an electrode assembly (1), a case (outer casing 14), and a metal external terminal in the case comprising a flange member (electrode terminal plates 5 and 9) with a recessed portion opposite the case (annular step part 9d) and a shaft portion (electrode terminal members 4 and 8) penetrating the through hole in the flange member to contact the electrode assembly. The shaft portion includes an enlarged diameter portion spreading along the outer surface of the case and a surface of the flanged portion on the case side (flange 8a) and a swaged portion (swaged portion 8d) spreading along a surface of the flange portion and sandwiching the rim of the through hole between the swaged portion and the enlarged diameter portion, and the recessed portion has a larger diameter than the swaged portion and convex parts (protrusions 9b) between the swaged part and the peripheral edge of the recessed portion (Yamada Figs. 2A, 3, and 7A).
Yamada does not teach that the flange member is formed of a clad material including a plurality of metal layers stacked in the penetrating direction. Tsunaki teaches that using a flange portion (external terminal 105) comprising clad materials of stacked, dissimilar metals can reduce the contact resistance in connections between terminals (Tsunaki [0012]-[0014] and Fig. 8B). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to use the flange portion of Tsunaki in the battery of Yamada in order to reduce contact resistances in connections between terminals. Forming the stepped through hole of Yamada in the external terminal of Tsunaki would necessarily involve forming a recess or through hole in the first metal layer (aluminum layer 105a).
The first metal layer of Tsunaki is aluminum (aluminum layer 105a), and the second metal layer is copper (copper layer 105b) (Tsunaki Fig. 8B).
Yamada does not teach that a bus bar is welded to the flange. Tsunaki teaches that battery modules are typically formed by connecting bus bars to the terminals with nuts and bolts or by welding (Tsunaki [0004]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to use any conventional means for assembling the batteries, including bus bars welded to the flanges.
Regarding claim 4, the first metal layer of modified Yamada is aluminum (aluminum layer 105a), and the second metal layer is copper (copper layer 105b) (Tsunaki Fig. 8B and [0053]), which has a lower resistance than aluminum.
Regarding claim 6, the flange portion of modified Yamada includes a convex portion (protruding part 9b) in the recess between the outer rim of the recess and a peripheral edge of the swaged portion (Yamada Fig. 3). The through hole penetrates the entire flange portion and therefore necessarily penetrates the first layer.
Regarding claim 8, the external terminal of modified Yamada is a negative electrode (Yamada Fig. 3 and [0056]), the first layer is aluminum, and the second layer is copper (Tsunaki Fig. 8B and [0053]).
Regarding claims 9 and 10, the only possible options for the relative thicknesses of the layers is a thinner first metal layer, a thicker first metal layer, or a first metal layer of the same thickness as the second metal layer. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to try any of the limited number of available configurations, including a first layer thinner than the second layer.
Regarding claim 14, the flange of modified Yamada has a thin portion defining the interior of the concave part and a thicker portion defining the edges of the concave part (Yamada Fig. 3). That concave part must necessarily be cut into either or both of the flange layers. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to select either the first or the second layer to define the thin portion, since there are only two options.
Regarding claim 15, the step boundary between the thin and thick portions defines the concave part (Yamada Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 16, the convex portions do not touch the edges of the concave part (Yamada Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 20, the flange of modified Yamada has a thin portion defining the interior of the concave part and a thicker portion defining the edges of the concave part (Yamada Fig. 3). That concave part must necessarily be cut into either or both of the flange layers. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to select either the first or the second layer to define the thin portion, since there are only two options.
Yamada teaches that connecting members are attached to the thicker part of the flange (Yamada Fig. 2a), so the bus bar would necessarily be welded to the first layer.
Regarding claim 21, Yamada teaches an energy storage device (secondary battery 30) comprising an electrode assembly (1), a case (outer casing 14), and a metal external terminal in the case comprising a flange member (electrode terminal plates 5 and 9) with a recessed portion opposite the case (annular step part 9d) and a shaft portion (electrode terminal members 4 and 8) penetrating the through hole in the flange member to contact the electrode assembly. The shaft portion includes an enlarged diameter portion spreading along the outer surface of the case and a surface of the flanged portion on the case side (flange 8a) and a swaged portion (swaged portion 8d) spreading along a surface of the flange portion and sandwiching the rim of the through hole between the swaged portion and the enlarged diameter portion, and the recessed portion has a larger diameter than the swaged portion and convex parts (protrusions 9b) between the swaged part and the peripheral edge of the recessed portion (Yamada Figs. 2A, 3, and 7A).
Yamada does not teach that the flange member is formed of a clad material including a plurality of metal layers stacked in the penetrating direction. Tsunaki teaches that using a flange portion (external terminal 105) comprising clad materials of stacked, dissimilar metals can reduce the contact resistance in connections between terminals (Tsunaki [0012]-[0014] and Fig. 8B). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to use the flange portion of Tsunaki in the battery of Yamada in order to reduce contact resistances in connections between terminals. Forming the stepped through hole of Yamada in the external terminal of Tsunaki would necessarily involve forming a recess or through hole in the first metal layer (aluminum layer 105a).
The first metal layer of Tsunaki is aluminum (aluminum layer 105a), and the second metal layer is copper (copper layer 105b) (Tsunaki Fig. 8B).
Yamada does not teach that a bus bar is welded to the flange. Tsunaki teaches that battery modules are typically formed by connecting bus bars to the terminals with nuts and bolts or by welding (Tsunaki [0004]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to use any conventional means for assembling the batteries, including bus bars welded to the flanges.
Yamada teaches that "the tip of the swaged part 8 d and the first protruding part 9 b may be weld-connected by laser welding or the like" (Yamada [0065]; emphasis added). Welding is therefore considered an optional step. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to omit any option steps to reduce cost/complexity.
Claim(s) 7 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamada in view to Tsunaki as applied to claims 3 and 1 above, and further in view of De Luccia and Heebink.
Regarding claims 7 and 17, modified Yamada does not teach that the first metal layer includes a cover portion overlapping the peripheral edge of the second metal layer. However, corrosion of laminated aluminum materials is known to propagate from exposed edges (see De Luccia 4. Intergranular/Exfoliation Corrosion and Heebink Abstract), and sealing the edges with aluminum is a known means to prevent such corrosion (Heebink Test Panels). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to use aluminum, including the aluminum of the first metal layer, to seal the edges of the laminated structure of modified Yamada and prevent corrosion.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES A CORNO JR whose telephone number is (571)270-0745. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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/J.A.C/ Examiner, Art Unit 1722
/ANCA EOFF/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1722