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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 06/03/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
In response to the amendment received on 05/04/2026:
Claims 1-6 and 8-15 are pending in the current application. Claim 1 has been amended.
The previous prior art-based rejection have been withdrawn in light of the amendment to claim 1.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are moot due to the amendment to the claims.
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.
Claims 1, 4-6, 8-11, and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Noh (US 20020018937 A1) in view of Choi et al (US 20190296319 A1) in view of Pyszczek et al (US 5756229 A).
Regarding claim 1, Noh discloses a secondary battery (lithium ion battery in Fig. 1; see entire disclosure and especially P9, 42) comprising:
an electrode assembly wound about a longitudinal direction and comprising: a negative electrode plate; a positive electrode plate; and a separator interposed between the negative electrode plate and the positive electrode plate (electrode assembly 10 having a cathode 11, anode, 12, and a separator 13 in Fig. 1; see entire disclosure and especially P9, 42);
a case accommodating the electrode assembly (pouch 14 in Fig. 1; see entire disclosure and especially P9, 42);
a negative electrode lead drawn out from the negative electrode plate (anode tap 12’ / electrode terminal 13’ in Fig. 1; see entire disclosure and especially P9); and
a positive electrode lead drawn out from the positive electrode plate (cathode tap 12 / electrode terminal 13 in Fig. 1; see entire disclosure and especially P9).
However, Noh does not disclose a bond on one surface of the electrode assembly perpendicular to the longitudinal direction to fix the separator, wherein the bond is spaced from an entirety of an outer edge of the one surface of the electrode assembly, and the entirety of the outer edge of the one surface of the electrode assembly is free of a bond.
In a similar field of endeavor, Choi teaches an electrode assembly is formed by a separator that is bent in a zigzag form having positive electrodes and negative electrodes inserted into inserting portions of the separator (P40-50, see Fig. 3).
Choi further teaches a sealing portion can be provided to the electrode assembly in order to bond the negative electrode to the separator (P53-54, and Figs. 4-5). Choi teaches that the sealing portion bonds the negative electrode to the separator and restrains the negative electrode in a fixed state (P54). Choi teaches this provides the negative electrode to be stably positioned even when vibration is generated by an impact from outside of a battery cell (P54). Choi teaches this prevents a short circuit caused by the change in position of the negative electrode (P54).
While the sealing portion of Choi is taught to be used with a zigzag stacked electrode assembly rather than a wound electrode assembly, Choi teaches their sealing portion prevents the movement of a negative electrode from a desired position due to vibration.
In a similar field of endeavor, Pyszczek teaches shock and vibration can cause battery cell failure due to movement of internal components relative to each other or to the cell case (C1 / L29-37). Pyszczek teaches the movement can result in a short circuit or discontinuity caused by the severing of an internal connection (C1 / L37-39). Pyszczek teaches spirally-wound electrode and separator assemblies can be damaged by such mechanical shocks (C1 / L39-42).
From the teaching of Pyszczek one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the internal components, such as a negative electrode, of a wound battery cell also have the issue of changing in position due to vibration of the wound battery cell, and one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize the benefits of Choi’s sealing portion to hold a negative electrode in a desired position would also be applicable to the wound battery cell of Noh. If a technique has been used to improve one device (utilizing a sealing portion to bond a separator and negative electrode in a zigzag configuration thereby keeping the desired position of the negative electrode and separator during battery vibration to prevent short circuits), and a person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that it would improve similar devices in the same way (utilizing a sealing portion to bond a separator and negative electrode in a wound configuration thereby keeping the desired position of the negative electrode and separator during battery vibration to prevent short circuits), using the technique is obvious unless its actual application is beyond his or her skill. SEE MPEP § 2141 (III) Rationale C, KSR v. Teleflex (Supreme Court 2007).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized the teaching of Choi and Pyszczek and modified the secondary battery of Noh such that a bond is provided on one surface of the electrode assembly perpendicular to the longitudinal direction to fix the separator, such as using the sealing portion of Choi to bond the negative electrode plate and separator together, given Pyszczek teaches shock and vibration in a wound battery cell can cause battery cell failure/damage due to movement of internal components relative to each other or to the cell case and Choi teaches their sealing portion can bond a negative electrode and separator together to provide stable positioning even when vibration is generated by an impact from outside of a battery cell, thereby preventing a short circuit caused by the change in position of the negative electrode.
As seen in Figs. 5 of Choi, the sealing portion 20 is spaced from the outer edges of the zigzag electrode assembly. Further, as seen in Fig. 1 of Noh, an outer edge of the one surface is where cathode 11 sits. Therefore, the bond of modified Noh, which is placed on the negative electrode plate (anode 12) and separator (13), would be spaced from an entirety of an outer edge of the one surface of the electrode assembly, and the entirety of the outer edge of the one surface of the electrode assembly would be free of a bond (see also the Examiner’s annotated Fig. below).
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Annotated Noh Fig. 1 to show Examiner’s Interpretation of modified Noh
Regarding claims 4-5, Noh discloses wherein the electrode assembly is wound in an elongated circle shape to have a flat portion defined by two opposite flat outer surfaces, and curved portions connecting the two opposite flat outer surfaces to each other from one side and an opposite side, respectively (see Fig. 1 of Noh).
However, while the bond of modified Noh could be placed anywhere on the one surface (minus the outer edge) as long as it bonds a negative electrode plate and separator, modified Noh does not explicitly meet the limitation wherein the bond is located on the flat portion and spaced from the curved portions.
However, this is merely a rearrangement of the parts of modified Noh, and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have rearranged the bond of modified Noh to only be placed on the flat portion in order to, for example, provide the bond along a less-stressed portion of the wound electrode assembly (the curved portion of a wound electrode assembly is known to have internal stress due to the curves) to prevent deformation, cracks, or peeling of the bond, because the mere rearrangement of parts, without any new or unexpected results, is within the ambit of one of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950) (see MPEP § 2144.04).
Regarding claim 6, modified Noh meets the limitation wherein the bond is located on an outer portion of the electrode assembly (given the one surface of the electrode assembly is an outer surface of the electrode assembly, see Noh Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 8, modified Noh meets the limitation wherein the bond is applied along a winding direction (as seen in Fig. 5 of Choi, the sealing portion 20 (drawn to the claimed bond) are in the form of a plurality of dots/circles; the sealing portion dots/circles would be three dimensional structures which would extend along the winding direction; see the annotated Fig. below).
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Annotated Noh Fig. 1
Regarding claim 9, modified Noh meets the limitation wherein the bond is applied in a form of dots (as seen in Fig. 5 of Choi, the sealing portion 20 (drawn to the claimed bond) are in the form of a plurality of dots/circles; two dots/circles of sealing portion 20 are applied to each negative electrode and adjacent separator portion; therefore, in modified Noh, one of ordinary skill in the art would expect at least two dots/circles as the bond applied to the negative electrode plate and adjacent separator to bond the two together).
Regarding claim 10, modified Noh meets the limitation wherein the bond is divided into a plurality of sections (as seen in Fig. 5 of Choi, the sealing portion 20 (drawn to the claimed bond) are in the form of a plurality of dots/circles; two dots/circles of sealing portion 20 are applied to each negative electrode and adjacent separator portion; therefore, in modified Noh, one of ordinary skill in the art would expect at least two dots/circles as the bond applied to the negative electrode plate and adjacent separator to bond the two together; given there are at least two dots/circles as the bond, the bond is divided in at least two sections, each section having at least one dot/circle as the bond each).
Regarding claim 11, modified Noh meets the limitation wherein the bond is divided into a plurality of rows (as seen in Fig. 5 of Choi, the sealing portion 20 (drawn to the claimed bond) are in the form of a plurality of dots/circles; two dots/circles of sealing portion 20 are applied to each negative electrode and adjacent separator portion; therefore, in modified Noh, one of ordinary skill in the art would expect at least two dots/circles as the bond applied to the negative electrode plate and adjacent separator to bond the two together; given there are at least two dots/circles as the bond, the bond is divided in at least two rows, each row having at least one dot/circle as the bond each).
Regarding claim 13, modified Noh meets the limitation wherein the bond is applied across a winding direction (as seen in Fig. 5 of Choi, the sealing portion 20 (drawn to the claimed bond) are in the form of a plurality of dots/circles; the sealing portion dots/circles would be three dimensional structures which would extend across the winding direction; see the annotated Fig. below).
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Annotated Noh Fig. 1
Regarding claim 14, while the bond of modified Noh is a bond formed in a plurality of dots/circles rather than being linearly applied (as seen in Fig. 5 of Choi), this is merely changing the form/shape of the bond to be a single linear line of bond or integrating the plurality of dots/circles forming the bond into a single linear bonding structure. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have changed the form/shape of the bond to be a single linear line of bond or integrated the plurality of dots/circles forming the bond into a single linear bonding structure, in order to for example, lessen manufacturing time and cost by only having to manufacture and place a single linear bonding structure rather than a plurality of circular bonding structures, because the change in form or shape, without any new or unexpected results, is an obvious engineering design. See In re Dailey, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1976) (see MPEP § 2144.04) and the use of a one-piece, integrated construction instead of the structure disclosed or taught in the prior art would have been within the ambit of a person of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Larson, 340 F.2d 965, 968, 144 USPQ 347, 349 (CCPA 1965) (see MPEP § 2144.04).
Regarding claim 15, while the bond of modified Noh is a bond formed in a plurality of dots/circles rather than covering an area of the one surface as a whole (as seen in Fig. 5 of Choi), this is merely integrating the plurality of dots/circles forming the bond into a single bonding structure that covers an area as a whole. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have integrated the dots/circles forming the bond into a single bonding structure that covers an area of the one surface as a whole in order to, for example, lessen manufacturing time and cost by only having to manufacture and place a single bonding structure rather than a plurality of bonding structures, because the use of a one-piece, integrated construction instead of the structure disclosed or taught in the prior art would have been within the ambit of a person of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Larson, 340 F.2d 965, 968, 144 USPQ 347, 349 (CCPA 1965) (see MPEP § 2144.04).
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Noh (US 20020018937 A1) in view of Choi et al (US 20190296319 A1) in view of Pyszczek et al (US 5756229 A) as applied to claim 1, further in view of Park et al (US 20140363725 A1).
Regarding claim 2, modified Noh does not meet the limitation wherein the separator comprises a plurality of separators, wherein the electrode assembly is stacked in an order of the negative electrode plate, one separator from among the plurality of separators, the positive electrode plate, and another separator from among the plurality of separators, and wherein the bond covers at least two adjacent separators from among the plurality of separators.
In a similar field of endeavor, Park teaches an radical unit formed by stacking a first electrode (111 in Fig. 3, such as an anode, see entire disclosure and especially P38), a first separator (112 in Fig. 3), a second electrode (113 in Fig. 3, such as a cathode, see entire disclosure and especially P38), and a second separator (114 in Fig. 3) in sequence (P39). Park teaches their radical units can be repeated to form eight-layered or twelve-layered structures (P39). Park teaches the pieces of the unit can be attached to each other through laminators (L1 and L2) that apply pressure to the materials to attach the materials to each other (see entire disclosure and especially P47). Park teaches the alignment of the radical unit may be accurate and easily accomplished because of the attachment (see entire disclosure and especially P9, 47).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized the teaching of Park and substituted contents of the electrode assembly of modified Noh with the repeated radical units of Park to provide wherein the electrode assembly of modified Noh is stacked in a repeating order of the negative electrode plate, one separator from among the plurality of separators, the positive electrode plate, and another separator from among the plurality of separators in a eight or twelve layer form, given Park teaches forming this electrode assembly through laminators that allow for accurate and easy alignment and the simple substitution of one known element for another is likely to be obvious when predictable results are achieved. See KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007) (see MPEP § 2143, B.).
In the eight-layer configuration of the electrode assembly of modified Noh, the stack would go as follows: a first negative electrode plate, a first separator from among the plurality of separators, a first positive electrode plate, a second separator from among the plurality of separators, a second negative electrode plate, a third separator from among the plurality of separators, a second positive electrode plate, a fourth separator from among the plurality of separators.
As seen in Fig. 5 of Choi, the negative electrode (11) is sandwiched between two opposite sides of the separator (15). Further, as seen in Fig. 5 of Choi, the sealing portions (20) extend to cover the negative electrode (11) along with both sides of the separator (15).
Therefore, in the configuration of modified Noh wherein the electrode assembly would be stacked in such a manner than two separators would sandwich one negative electrode plate (for example, as seen above the configuration wherein a second separator from among the plurality of separators and a third separator from among the plurality of separators sandwich a second negative electrode plate), the bond applied would cover the two separators in order to ensure the fixing of the negative electrode in place.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Noh (US 20020018937 A1) in view of Choi et al (US 20190296319 A1) in view of Pyszczek et al (US 5756229 A) in view of Park et al (US 20140363725 A1) as applied to claim 2, further in view of Yageta et al (US 20120177975 A1).
Regarding claim 3, modified Noh does not meet the limitation wherein the at least two adjacent separators have ends that are gathered together, and the bond is applied on edges of the ends.
In a similar field of endeavor, Yageta teaches an electrode assembly (battery elements 3 in Fig. 1A-C) include positive electrodes and negative electrodes (10 and 20 in Figs. 1A-C) laminated via separators (30 in Figs. 1A-C, see entire disclosure and especially P41) Yageta teaches the separators include bumping sections (33a-d, 37a-d in Fig. 1C) made up of creases (31a-d, 35a-d in Fig. 1C) that limit the movement of the electrodes towards their pulled-out terminals (see entire disclosure and especially P44).
Yageta teaches the movements limited by the bumping sections literally means that even if a tabular electrode is about to move in a direction toward a bumping section, there is a portion that limits the movement as an end surface of the tubular electrode hits the portion, meaning that two separators, which are disposed on both sides of the tabular electrode, are joined together outside an electrode region thereof to form a crease, or that the two separators are joined together by heat-sealing or chemicals, or subjected to join, sewing, holding and other processes with the use of an adhesive tape, adhesive agent, thread, rivet, clip or the like, so strongly that the movement of the tabular electrode is limited (see entire disclosure and especially P46). Yageta teaches this further improves the accuracy of determining the relative positions of the positive and negative electrodes of all the layers (see entire disclosure and especially P54).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized the teaching of Yageta and chosen to extend the separators of modified Noh such that their ends are gathered together and bonded at the edges of the ends, given Yageta teaches this can limit the movement of the electrodes towards their pulled-out terminals and improve the accuracy of determining the relative positions of the positive and negative electrodes of all the layers.
Given Yageta teaches the separators can be joined with an adhesive agent (P46) in order to limit movement of electrodes, and sealing portion (20) of Choi is used for bonding two structures for fixing/limiting movement of a negative electrode (P54), the sealing portion (20) of Choi in modified Noh can be the means of joining/bonding at the edges of the ends of the separators.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Noh (US 20020018937 A1) in view of Choi et al (US 20190296319 A1) in view of Pyszczek et al (US 5756229 A) in view of Park et al (US 20140363725 A1) as applied to claim 1, further in view of Dymax (Ultra-Red Fluorescing Adhesive Technology).
Regarding claim 12, modified Noh does not meet the limitation wherein the bond comprises a fluorescent material.
Analogous art is a term used to connect multiple prior arts that are in the same field of endeavor. Modified Noh (which incorporates the sealing portion of Choi) and Dymax are analogous art due to their disclosed contents being directed to adhesive bonding.
Dymax teaches Dymax light-curable adhesives and coatings remain clear until exposed to UV light (see entire disclosure and especially Page 1). Dymax discloses when materials with Ultra-Red fluorescing technology are exposed to UV light, they fluoresce bright red; the bright red fluorescence contrasts extremely well on solder masks, components, and plastics that naturally fluoresce blue in color (like PVC), greatly assisting with visual inspection of the bond-line or coated area (see entire disclosure and especially Page 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized the teaching of Dymax and provided wherein the bond of modified Noh comprises a fluorescent materials, such as modifying the deformation prevention strap to include a Dymax light-curable adhesive, given Dymax teaches their adhesive can assist with visual inspection of a bond line or coated area.
Conclusion
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/MARY GRACE HARRIS/Examiner, Art Unit 1729
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