DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
Claims 1-16 are pending in the application, with claims 12-15 withdrawn. Previous grounds of rejection have been withdrawn for claims 1-11. New grounds of rejection have been added for newly added claim 16.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ahn et al. (KR 100868256, see Machine Translation) in view of Park et al. (KR 20200017218, citations from US 2021/0344014).
Regarding claim 16, Ahn et al. discloses in Figs 1-3, a method for manufacturing (P4-5) an electrode (ref 500) for an electrochemical device (ref 100), comprising preparing an electrode member (ref 500) comprising: a coating layer (refs 520, 530) disposed on a surface (Fig 3) of an electrode collector (ref 510), wherein the coating layer (refs 520, 530) comprises a conductive primer layer (ref 520) and an insulating protective layer (ref 530); wherein the insulating protective layer (ref 530) is disposed in such a manner that a lateral surface (at ref 512, Fig 3) of the conductive primer layer (ref 520) is not exposed (Fig 3) by virtue of the insulating protective layer (ref 530).
Ahn et al. does not explicitly disclose disposing a free-standing dry electrode film on a top surface of the conductive primer layer and carrying out lamination, and the dry electrode film is disposed on the top of the conductive primer layer in such a manner that the dry electrode film at least partially or totally cover the top surface of the conductive primer layer, the free-standing dry-electrode film is formed from a dry electrode powder.
Duong et al. discloses in Figs 1-32, a method of making a battery electrode (Abstract) including forming a primer layer ([0120], [0148], graphite) on a current collector ([0120]), and applying a dry powder electrode material ([0120], [0148]) thereon. The dry electrode film includes an electrode active material ([0120], [0148]), a conductive material ([0120], [0148]), and a polyolefin binder ([0120], [0148]). The thus formed dry powder electrode material is formed into layer is laminated ([0037], [0052]). This configuration reduces manufacturing time and costs ([0008], [0120], [0148]).
Duong et al. and Ahn et al. are analogous since both deal in the same field of endeavor, namely, battery electrode production methods.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to incorporate the dry self-supporting electrode via dry electrode powder via the method of Duong et al. into the method of Ahn et al. to reduce battery electrode manufacturing time and costs.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-11 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Applicant’s arguments submitted 10/31/2025 with respect to amended instant independent claim 1 have been found persuasive. Instant independent claim 1 discloses a method for manufacturing an electrode of an electrochemical device including preparing an electrode member by applying a coating layer on a surface of a current collector, the layer including a conductive primer layer and an insulating protective layer, and disposing a free-standing dry electrode film on a top surface of the conductive primer layer and carrying out lamination, with the insulating protective layer and dry electrode film disposed as set forth in the claim, with the insulating protective layer applied before disposing of the free-standing dry electrode film.
Ahn in view of Park is considered to be the combination of prior art references of record closest to the aforementioned instant independent claim limitations. However, the aforementioned combination does not disclose or render obvious all of the aforementioned instant claim limitations. Namely, as persuasively argued by the Applicants, the aforementioned combination, while disclosing a method of making an electrode including utilizing materials as set forth above in a process that includes lamination, does not explicitly disclose the particulars of the materials and method of the instant claim, including the explicit order of operations as set forth in the instant claim.
A further search did not reveal any additional references that alleviate the deficiencies of the previously applied prior art references. Therefore, instant independent claim 1 is found allowable over the cited prior art references of record.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to newly added claim 16 have been considered but are moot in view of new grounds of rejection.
Conclusion
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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
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/KENNETH J DOUYETTE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725