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 .
Claim Status
Claims 1, 3-8, and 15-16 are under examination.
Claims 9-14 are withdrawn.
Claims 2 is canceled.
Withdrawn Drawings Objection(s)
The amendment(s) to the claim(s) filed January 29th, 2026 is acknowledged and the previous objection is withdrawn.
Withdrawn Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The amendment(s) to the claim(s) filed January 29th, 2026 is acknowledged and the previous rejection is withdrawn.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Claims 1, 4-8, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen et al. (CN110247022(A) and using Machine Translation as English version), hereinafter Chen.
Regarding claim 1, Chen discloses a battery comprising, stacked successively above a first face of a support (i.e., at least as shown in Annotated Fig. 1, such that the skilled artisan would appreciate that ref. 2 below anode ref. 1b is at least a support, lacking any further distinction thereof as to said support, etc., also see [0015], [0021], [0023], [0029]-[0030], [0056], [0063], [0065], [0068]-[0071], [0078]),
in a stacking direction (i.e., at least as shown in Annotated Fig. 1, and lacking any further distinction thereof), at least:
a cathode comprising a lower face, an upper face, and a side wall directed in the stacking direction from the lower face to the upper face (i.e., at least ref. 1a as shown in Annotated Fig. 1, and lacking any further distinction thereof, also see [0020]-[0023], [0030], [0063], [0090], [0105]-[0111], [0158]-[0161]),
a solid electrolyte (i.e., at least ref. 2 as shown in Annotated Fig. 1, such that the skilled artisan would appreciate that ref. 2 between the positive/negative electrode(s) refs. 1a-b is a least a solid electrolyte, lacking any further distinction thereof as to said solid electrolyte, etc., also see [0015], [0021]-[0023], [0029]-[0030], [0056], [0063], [0065], [0068]-[0071], [0078], [0107], [0114], [0133]-[0138], [0176]-[0180]),
an anode (i.e., at least ref. 1b as shown in Annotated Fig. 1, and lacking any further distinction thereof, also see [0020]-[0023], [0030], [0076], [0105]-[0111], [0158], [0160]-[0161]),
a coating portion surrounding, and in contact with, all of the side wall of the cathode, without covering the upper face of the cathode (i.e., at least ref. 4 as shown in Annotated Fig. 1, and lacking any further distinction thereof, also see [0050], [0065], [0068]-[0069], [0077], [0092], [0095]-[0096], [0110]-[0111]),
the coating portion comprising an upper face (i.e., at least as shown in Annotated Fig. 1, and lacking any further distinction thereof also see [0050], [0065], [0068]-[0069], [0077], [0092], [0095]-[0096], [0110]-[0111]), and
at least one electrical connection element crossing through the coating portion and leading to the upper face of the coating portion and on a second face of the support, opposite the first face (i.e., at least as shown in Annotated Fig. 1, and lacking any further distinction thereof, also see [0025], [0030], [0056], [0078], [0110]-[0111], [0116], [0142], [0150]-[0153], [0160], [0163]), and
wherein the upper face of the cathode is flat and wherein the upper face of the coating portion has at least one flat portion that is adjacent to and flush with the upper face of the cathode (i.e., at least as shown in Annotated Fig. 1, and lacking any further distinction thereof).
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Annotated Figure 1 (Chen)
Regarding claim 4, Che discloses the battery as discussed above in claim 1. Chen further discloses the at least one electrical connection element comprises at least one terminal made of an electrically conductive material (i.e., at least as shown in Fig. 4 and disclosed in at least [0153], etc., such that the ends of the conductive materials ref. 8 of the battery cell(s) are soldered to the corresponding pins ref. 81, etc., and lacking any further distinction thereof, also see [0191], etc.).
Regarding claim 5, Che discloses the battery as discussed above in claim 1, Chen further discloses [0009]-[0010] a method for manufacturing electrodes for an SMT (Surface Mount Technology) battery comprising an electrode active material, etc., which is then attached to a metal wire mesh and pressed into an electrode plate, etc., such that the electrode active material is at least that as disclosed in [0017] and/or [0018], such that as disclosed in [0020] the positive and/or negative electrode(s) are fabricated using said method, etc., such as that shown in at least Figs. 1 and 3, etc., which at least provides a first current collector in electrical continuity with the cathode, a second current collector in electrical continuity with the anode and wherein the at least one electrical connection element comprises at least one first electrical connection element connected to the first current collector and at least one second electrical connection element connected to the second current collector, such that the skilled artisan would appreciate at least one first/second electrical connection element(s) as shown in at least Annotated Fig. 1 above in claim 1, and lacking any further distinction thereof (also see [0010], [0015], [0048], [0053]-[0054], [0056]-[0059], [0077]-[0078], [0080]-[0081], [0083]-[0086], [0117]-[0119], [0164]).
Regarding claim 6, Chen discloses the battery as discussed above in claim 1. Chen further discloses a system comprising a plurality of batteries according to claim 1 (i.e., at least as shown in Annotated Fig. 1 above in claim 1, and lacking any further distinction thereof).
Regarding claim 7, Chen discloses the battery as discussed above in claim 6. Chen further discloses the plurality of batteries are superposed (i.e., at least as shown in Annotated Fig. 1 above in claim 1, and lacking any further distinction thereof).
Regarding claim 8, Chen discloses the battery as discussed above in claim 7. Chen further discloses at least one electrical connection element of one of the batteries is in electrical continuity with an electrical connection element of at least one other of the batteries (i.e., at least as shown in Annotated Fig. 1 above in claim 1, also see [0025], [0030], [0056], [0110]-[0111], [0116]).
Regarding claim 16, Chen discloses the battery as discussed above in claim 5. Chen further discloses the first current collector in electrical continuity with the cathode is in contact with the lower face of the cathode (i.e., at least Annotated Fig. 1 above in claim 1, and lacking any further distinction thereof (also see Fig. 3 for the current collector ref. 12 at least in contact with upper/lower face(s) of the positive electrode, etc., and lacking any further distinction thereof, also see[0010], [0015], [0048], [0053]-[0054], [0056]-[0059], [0077]-[0078], [0080]-[0081], [0083]-[0086], [0117]-[0119], [0164]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Ladroue et al. (U.S. PGPub US 2017/0018810 (A1)), hereinafter Ladroue.
Regarding claim 3, Chen discloses the battery as discussed above in claim 1. Chen further discloses the coating portion comprises a main portion made of a first material (i.e., at least ref. 4 as shown in Annotated Fig. 1 above in claim 1, and lacking any further distinction thereof, also see [0050], [0065], [0068]-[0069], [0071], [0077], [0092], [0095]-[0096], [0110]-[0111]).
However, Chen is silent as to a contact coating, made of a second material, different from the first material, the contact coating being in contact with the side wall of the cathode and disposed between the main portion and the side wall of the cathode.
Ladroue teaches a self-supporting thin-film battery and method of manufacturing such a battery (Title). Ladroue further teaches the coating portion comprises a main portion made of a first material (i.e., at least ref. 123 that is a protection polymer resin, etc., as disclosed in [0025], also see [0029]) and a contact coating (i.e., at least ref. 121, for example, made of alumina, etc., as disclosed in [0024], also see [0025]-[0026], [0036]), made of a second material, different from the first material, such that as disclosed in [0024] said ref. 121 made of alumina and as disclosed ref. 123 made of a polymer resin, etc., at least provides said ref. 121 and ref. 123 are made of a first/second material(s) different from each other, lacking any further distinction thereof.
Ladroue further teaches the contact coating being in contact with the side wall of the cathode and disposed between the main portion and the side wall of the cathode (i.e., at least as disclosed in Fig. 2), lacking any further distinction thereof.
Ladroue further teaches in [0041] an advantage of the battery of Fig. 2 is that each of its connection surfaces comprises a positive contact terminal and a negative contact terminal, and this enables to increase the possibilities of interconnection of the batteries when the latter are stacked, etc.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have modified Chen with the teachings of Ladroue, whereby the battery including the coating portion as disclosed by Chen further includes a contact coating, made of a second material, different from the first material, the contact coating being in contact with the side wall of the cathode and disposed between the main portion and the side wall of the cathode as taught by Ladroue so as to provide that each of its connection surfaces comprises a positive contact terminal and a negative contact terminal, and this enables to increase the possibilities of interconnection of the batteries when the latter are stacked, etc.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen as applied to claim 1 above, or in the alternative, and further in view of Song et al. (U.S. PGPub US 2015/0325862 A1), hereinafter Song.
Regarding claim 15, Chen discloses the battery as discussed above in claim 1. Chen further discloses in [0071] the ceramic insulating material includes at least one of Si3N4, which at least provides the coating portion comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of SiN, etc., lacking any further distinction thereof. (also see [0098], [0109], [0127], [0174]).
In the alternative, Song teaches a mask-less fabrication of vertical thin film batteries (Title). Song further teaches in Figs. 4C-G an encapsulation layer may be a blanket dielectric or a polymer deposition, or a combination thereof, for example SiN/polymer/SiN/polymer, etc., which at least provides a coating portion comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of SiN, etc., lacking any further distinction thereof.
Song further teaches in [0032] the encapsulation layer may be left on the substrate for better electrical isolation, etc.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have modified Chen with the teachings of Song, whereby the battery including the coating portion as disclosed by Chen further includes the coating portion comprises at least SiN from the group as taught by Song so as to provide better electrical isolation, etc.
Furthermore, the skilled artisan would appreciate simply substituting one known coating portion (e.g., Si3N4) as disclosed by Chen for another known coating portion (e.g., SiN) as taught by Song with a reasonable expectation of success so as to provide better electrical isolation, etc.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-8 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 in view of Ladroue 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.
Therefore, in light of the amendment(s) to the claims, a new grounds of 35 U.S.C. 102 rejection of record is made in view of Chen for claims 1, 4-8, and 16. See the current rejection of record for the claims that depend therefrom.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Horibe et al. (U.S. PGPub US 2019/0305355 (A1) discloses a stacked film battery architecture (Title), whereby as disclosed in [0055] as shown in Fig. 2B, the fabrication process may also include a step of forming the insulator ref. 134 over the solid thin film battery element ref. 122, etc.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
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/JOSHUA P MCCLURE/Examiner, Art Unit 1727
/BARBARA L GILLIAM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1727
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