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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 18 December 2025 has been entered.
Status of Claims and Other Notes
Claims 1, 3–5, and 7–16 are pending.
Claims 1, 3–5, 7, 8, and 14–16 are being treated on their merits.
Claims 9–13 are withdrawn from consideration.
Claims 2 and 6 are canceled.
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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
The paragraph numbers cited in this Office Action in reference to the instant application are referring to the paragraph numbering of the PG-Pub of the instant application. See US 2023/0223551 A1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 1, 3–5, 7, 8, and 14–16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the second circular contact plate" in line 34. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 1 provides antecedent basis for the limitation "a second circular contact sheet metal member" in line 32.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the terminal end faces" in line 24. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 1 provides antecedent basis for the limitations "a first terminal end face and a second terminal end face" in line 4.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the stack" in line 24. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 3–5, 7, 8, and 14–16 are directly or indirectly dependent from claim 1 and include all the limitations of claim 1. Therefore, claims 3–5, 7, 8, and 14–16 are also indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Claims 1, 4, 7, 14–16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Woo et al. (KR 10-1797978 B1, hereinafter Woo).
Regarding claim 1, Woo discloses a lithium ion cell (FIG. 1, [0044]), comprising:
an electrode-separator assembly (100) comprising an anode (20), a separator (30), and a cathode (10) in a sequence anode/separator/cathode (FIG. 3, [0061]),
the electrode-separator assembly (100) being formed as a winding (W) with a first terminal end face (12a) and a second terminal end face (22a, [0062]); and
a housing (200) enclosing the electrode-separator assembly (100, [0060]),
the housing (200) comprising a cylindrical first housing part (201) with a first circular opening and a second circular opening (FIG. 2, [0063]), a second housing part (400) closing the first circular opening (126, [0051]), and a third housing part (330) closing the second circular opening (FIG. 2, [0064]),
wherein the anode (20) comprises a ribbon-shaped anode current collector (22) having a first longitudinal edge, a second longitudinal edge, and two ends (FIG. 3, [0061]),
the anode current collector (22) comprises a strip-shaped main region loaded with a layer of negative electrode material (24) and a free edge strip (22a) extending along the first longitudinal edge that is not loaded with the negative electrode material (FIG. 3, [0061]),
the cathode (10) comprises a ribbon-shaped cathode current collector (12) having a first longitudinal edge, a second longitudinal edge, and two ends (FIG. 3, [0061]),
the cathode current collector (12) has a strip-shaped main region loaded with a layer of positive electrode material (14) and a free edge strip (12a) extending along the first longitudinal edge that is not loaded with the positive electrode material (FIG. 3, [0061]),
the anode (20) and the cathode (10) are formed and/or arranged within the electrode-separator assembly (100) relative to each other such that the first longitudinal edge of the anode current collector (22a) protrudes from one of the terminal end faces or terminal sides of the stack and the first longitudinal edge of the cathode current collector (12a) protrudes from the other of the terminal end faces or terminal sides of the stack (FIG. 3, [0061]); and
the second housing part (400) is a circular contact sheet metal member (400) placed flat on the first terminal end face (22a) of the winding (W) and being in direct contact with the first longitudinal edge (22a) of the anode current collector (22, [0062]),
the contact sheet metal member (400) being connected to the first longitudinal edge (22a) of the anode current collector (22) by welding (FIG. 7, [0062]),
the third housing part (330) is a cover (330) comprising a pole bushing (335, [0078]), and
a second circular contact sheet metal member (310) placed flat one the second terminal end face (12a) of the winding and being welded to the first longitudinal edge (12a) of the cathode current collector (12, [0062]),
the second circular contact plate (310) being electrically connected to an electrical conductor (320, [0064]),
the electrical conductor (320) being led out of the housing (200) through the pole bushing (335, [0077]).
Regarding claim 4, Woo discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and further discloses a cell:
the third housing part (330) is welded into the second circular opening (FIG. 5, [0071]).
Regarding claim 7, Woo discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and further discloses a cell:
wherein the second housing part (400) is welded into the first circular opening (FIG. 5, [0089]), and
the third housing part (310) is welded into the second circular opening (FIG. 5, [0071]).
Regarding claim 14, Woo discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and further discloses a cell:
wherein the electrical conductor (320) is a metallic pole stud (320, [0077]), and
wherein the pole bushing (335) separates the metallic pole stud (320) and the third housing part (310, [0078]).
Regarding claim 15, Woo discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and further discloses a cell:
wherein the metallic pole stud (320) forms the positive pole of the cell (FIG. 5, [0059]), and
wherein the housing (200) forms the negative pole of the cell (FIG. 7, [0059]).
Regarding claim 16, Woo discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and further discloses a cell:
wherein the second housing part (400) is in direct contact with and welded to the first longitudinal edge of the anode current collector (22a) via a spiral-shaped contact zone (FIG. 7, [0062]), and
wherein the second circular contact sheet member (310) is in direct contact with and welded to the first longitudinal edge of the cathode current collector (12a) along a second spiral-shaped contact zone (FIG. 5, [0062]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claims 3, 5, and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Woo (KR 10-1797978 B1) as applied to claims 1 and 4 above, and further in view of Enomoto et al. (US 2001/0049054 A1, hereinafter Enomoto).
Regarding claims 3, 5, and 8, Woo discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above, but does not explicitly disclose a cell:
the cell further comprises an electrical seal that electrically isolates the first housing part from the second housing part or the third housing part;
the cell further comprises an electrical seal that electrically isolates the first housing and the second housing part from each other; and
the third housing part is insulated from the first housing part via a seal.
Enomoto discloses a cell comprising an electrical seal (17) that electrically isolates a first housing part (24) and a second housing part (15A) from each other (FIG. 1, [0085]); and a third housing part (15B) is insulated from the first housing part (24) via a seal (17, [0085]) to improve the cell assembly efficiency (see cell, [0082]). Woo and Enomoto are analogous because they are directed to lithium secondary batteries. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to make the cell of Woo with the seals of Enomoto in order to improve the assembly efficiency of the cell.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 1, 3–5, 7, 8, and 14–16 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Zhu (CN 109786133 A) discloses a lithium ion cell, comprising an electrode-separator assembly comprising an anode, a separator, and a cathode in a sequence anode/separator/cathode, the electrode-separator assembly being formed as a winding with a first terminal end face and a second terminal end face; and a housing enclosing the electrode-separator assembly, the housing comprising a cylindrical first housing part with a first circular opening and a second circular opening, a second housing part closing the first circular opening, and a third housing part closing the second circular opening, wherein the anode comprises a ribbon-shaped anode current collector having a first longitudinal edge, a second longitudinal edge, and two ends, the anode current collector comprises a strip-shaped main region loaded with a layer of negative electrode material and a free edge strip extending along the first longitudinal edge that is not loaded with the negative electrode material, the cathode comprises a ribbon-shaped cathode current collector having a first longitudinal edge, a second longitudinal edge, and two ends, the cathode current collector has a strip-shaped main region loaded with a layer of positive electrode material and a free edge strip extending along the first longitudinal edge that is not loaded with the positive electrode material, the anode and the cathode are formed and/or arranged within the electrode-separator assembly relative to each other such that the first longitudinal edge of the anode current collector protrudes from one of the terminal end faces or terminal sides of the stack and the first longitudinal edge of the cathode current collector protrudes from the other of the terminal end faces or terminal sides of the stack; and the second housing part is a circular contact sheet metal member placed flat on the first terminal end face of the winding and being in direct contact with the first longitudinal edge of the anode current collector, the contact sheet metal member being connected to the first longitudinal edge of the anode current collector by welding, the third housing part is a cover comprising a pole bushing, and a second circular contact sheet metal member placed flat one the second terminal end face of the winding and being welded to the first longitudinal edge the cathode current collector, the second circular contact plate being electrically connected to an electrical conductor, the electrical conductor being led out of the housing through the pole bushing (FIGS. 3–7, [0035]–[0057]).
Chun (WO 2016/068356 A1) discloses a lithium ion cell, comprising an electrode-separator assembly comprising an anode, a separator, and a cathode in a sequence anode/separator/cathode, the electrode-separator assembly being formed as a winding with a first terminal end face and a second terminal end face; and a housing enclosing the electrode-separator assembly, the housing comprising a cylindrical first housing part with a first circular opening and a second circular opening, a second housing part closing the first circular opening, and a third housing part closing the second circular opening, wherein the anode comprises a ribbon-shaped anode current collector having a first longitudinal edge, a second longitudinal edge, and two ends, the anode current collector comprises a strip-shaped main region loaded with a layer of negative electrode material and a free edge strip extending along the first longitudinal edge that is not loaded with the negative electrode material, the cathode comprises a ribbon-shaped cathode current collector having a first longitudinal edge, a second longitudinal edge, and two ends, the cathode current collector has a strip-shaped main region loaded with a layer of positive electrode material and a free edge strip extending along the first longitudinal edge that is not loaded with the positive electrode material, the anode and the cathode are formed and/or arranged within the electrode-separator assembly relative to each other such that the first longitudinal edge of the anode current collector protrudes from one of the terminal end faces or terminal sides of the stack and the first longitudinal edge of the cathode current collector protrudes from the other of the terminal end faces or terminal sides of the stack; and the second housing part is a circular contact sheet metal member placed flat on the first terminal end face of the winding and being in direct contact with the first longitudinal edge of the anode current collector, the contact sheet metal member being connected to the first longitudinal edge of the anode current collector by welding, the third housing part is a cover comprising a pole bushing, and a second circular contact sheet metal member placed flat one the second terminal end face of the winding and being welded to the first longitudinal edge the cathode current collector, the second circular contact plate being electrically connected to an electrical conductor, the electrical conductor being led out of the housing through the pole bushing (FIGS. 3–5, [0031]–[0064]).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Sean P Cullen, Ph.D. whose telephone number is (571)270-1251. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday 6:00 am to 4:00 pm CT, Friday 6:00 am to 12:00 pm CT.
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/Sean P Cullen, Ph.D./Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725