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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 1, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 17 are amended. Claims 9, 13, 19, and 20 are cancelled. Claims 21-24 are newly added. Claims 1-8, 10-12, 14-18, and 21-24, as filed 11 November 2025, are examined herein. No new matter is included herein.
Response to Arguments
Regarding the rejection under 35 USC 103, Applicant argues that the cited references do not teach or suggest "the anode and the cathode are aligned such that the anode perimeter extends outwardly from the cathode perimeter and encircles the cathode perimeter" as recited in amended independent claims 1 and 17, and do not teach a similar feature of claim 10.
Applicant further argues that because Akashi teaches a battery having a solid electrolyte and a wound electrode, it does not teach the separator of claims 1, 10, and 17.
These arguments are moot in light of newly cited references.
Claim Interpretation
For the purpose of clarity, Examiner notes that regarding claims 6-7 and 10, the claimed anode and cathode width and height dimensions are measured in the plane of the electrode and do not refer to a thickness dimension of the claimed anode and cathode. See for example FIG.9 of the instant specification showing cathode width 114 and cathode height 116.
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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.
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(s) 10-12 and 15-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takaoka (US 20180034053 A1).
Regarding claims 10 and 11, Takaoka teaches a battery (abstract), comprising:
a separator comprising a first side and a second side opposing the first side: (FIG. 3 and [0079] separator 3 disposed between positive and negative electrodes)
an anode having an anode face that faces the first side of the separator, the anode face comprising an anode width dimension and an anode height dimension; (FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and [0079] negative electrode 1) Examiner notes that anode of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 appear to be square or rectangular, and that perimeter and area are features of a square or rectangle. However, the shape of the electrode is not particularly limited.
a cathode having a cathode face that faces the second side of the separator, the cathode face comprising a cathode width dimension and a cathode height dimension, (FIG. 3 and [0079] positive electrode 2) Examiner notes that cathode of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 appears to be square or rectangular, and that perimeter and area are features of a square or rectangle. However, the shape of the electrode is not particularly limited.
wherein the anode and the cathode are disposed in a stacked arrangement of the battery; (as shown FIG. 1 and FIG. 3)
Takaoka does not explicitly teach a width ratio between the anode width dimension and the cathode width dimension within a first range of 1.006 to 1.009; and does not explicitly teach a height ratio between the anode height dimension and the cathode height dimension within a second range of 1.022 to 1.024. However, Takaoka discloses [0128] an area ratio of negative electrode to positive electrode (D/C) between 1 and 1.2, At [0126-0128] Takaoka contemplates that if D/C is in the appropriate range, the battery will be highly reliable. If D/C is too small, the capacitance will dip, causing lithium deposition and short circuiting if overcharged. If the D/C ratio is too high, excessive side reactions may occur, causing unwanted gas formation. A person of ordinary skill would have been motivated, as of before the effective filing date of the instant invention, to optimize the D/C ratio of Takaoka, in order to reduce excessive side reactions and short circuiting and to improve reliability, with a reasonable expectation of selecting a value meeting the instant claim limitation.
A person of ordinary skill in the art would understand that if there is an optimal area ratio where one electrode is larger than the other, then the extra length and width associated with the larger area may be evenly shared between the X and Y dimensions or it may not be evenly shared. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated, as of before the effective filing date of the instant invention, to select evenly sharing the extra length and width between X and Y as it represents one of two possible known solutions, thus rendering obvious selection of dimensions meeting the instant claim limitation. This also renders obvious the limitation of claim 11, a surface area ratio between the anode face surface area and the cathode face surface area is within a third range of 1.030 to 1.038.
Regarding claim 12, Takaoka teaches all of the limitations as set forth above, and Takaoka further teaches wherein: the anode comprises an anode tab extending from the anode face; and the cathode comprises a cathode tab extending from the cathode face. (FIG. 3 electrode forming members 15, 16, 71, 72 )
Regarding claim 15, Takaoka teaches all of the limitations as set forth above. Claim 3 requires three layers including graphite/copper/graphite (basically a first negative active material layer/copper current collector/a second negative active material layer). In Fig. 3, Takaoka discloses the anode comprises a first negative active material layer 33/ current collector 32/a second negative active material layer 33). Takaoka at [0232] states that 33 may comprise graphite, and [0252] states 32 may comprise copper.
A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated, as of before the effective filing date of the instant invention, to select graphite/copper/graphite layers based on Takaoka’s teaching as set forth above, for the battery of modified Takaoka, with a reasonable expectation of success.
Regarding claim 16, Takaoka teaches all of the limitations as set forth above, and Takaoka further teaches wherein the cathode comprises a layered material having: a first layer comprising lithium cobalt oxide; a second layer comprising lithium cobalt oxide; and a third layer comprising aluminum and disposed between the first layer and the second layer. (FIG. 3 shows explicitly that positive electrode has a structure according to a first positive active material layer 23/current collector 24/a second positive active material layer 23. [0068] lithium cobalt oxide, [0252] aluminum current collector).
Claim(s) 1-8, 14, 17-18, and 21-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takaoka (US 20180034053 A1) in view of Saidi (US 20050560498 A1).
Regarding claims 1 and 2, Takaoka teaches a battery (abstract), comprising:
a separator having a first side and a second side opposing the first side; (FIG. 3 and [0079] separator 3 disposed between positive and negative electrodes)
an anode having an anode perimeter, and an anode face inward from the anode perimeter, wherein the anode face faces the first side of the separator, wherein and the anode face comprises an anode face surface area; (FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and [0079] negative electrode 1) Examiner notes that anode of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 appears to be square or rectangular, and that perimeter and area are features of a square or rectangle. However, the shape of the electrode is not particularly limited.
and a cathode having a cathode perimeter and a cathode face inward from the cathode perimeter, wherein the cathode face faces the second side of the separator, the cathode face comprises a cathode face surface area, (FIG. 3 and [0079] positive electrode 2) Examiner notes that cathode of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 appears to be square or rectangular, and that perimeter and area are features of a square or rectangle. However, the shape of the electrode is not particularly limited.
Takaoka does not disclose wherein the anode and the cathode are aligned such that the anode perimeter extends outwardly from the cathode perimeter and encircles the cathode perimeter, (as shown FIG. 3 and [0103]).
Takaoka does not explicitly teach wherein the anode face and the cathode face are aligned such that the anode perimeter extends outwardly from the cathode perimeter and encircles the cathode perimeter overhang is defined between an anode perimeter of the anode face and a cathode perimeter.
Saidi, in the field of (abstract) electrochemical cells, discloses at [0081] a cylindrical cell where “to ensure alkali metal does not plate on the edges of the negative electrode 18 during charging, the negative electrode 18 “overhangs” or extends a width “b” beyond each edge of the positive electrode 16. In one embodiment, 50 μm≦b≦2,000 μm. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated, as of before the effective filing date of the instant invention, to select anode overhang for the anode and cathode of Takaoka such that the anode perimeter extends outwardly from the cathode perimeter and encircles the cathode perimeter, with a reasonable expectation of preventing alkali metal plating on the edges.
Returning to Takaoka, Takaoka does not explicitly teach a surface area ratio between the anode face surface area and the cathode face surface area is between 1.030 and 1.038. However, Takaoka discloses [0128] an area ratio of negative electrode to positive electrode (D/C) between 1 and 1.2, which encompasses the instant claim limitation, creating a prima fascia case of obviousness. At [0126-0128] Takaoka contemplates that if D/C is in the appropriate range, the battery will be highly reliable. If D/C is too small, the capacitance will dip, causing lithium deposition and short circuiting if overcharged. If the D/C ratio is too high, excessive side reactions may occur, causing unwanted gas formation.
A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated, as of before the effective filing date of the instant invention, to optimize the D/C ratio of Takaoka, in order to reduce excessive side reactions and short circuiting and to improve reliability, with a reasonable expectation of selecting a value meeting the instant claim limitation. This also renders obvious the limitation of claim 2, wherein the surface area ratio between the anode face surface area and the cathode face surface area is between 1.033 and 1.035.
Regarding claim 3, Takaoka in view of Saidi teaches all of the limitations as set forth above. Claim 3 requires three layers including graphite/copper/graphite (basically a first negative active material layer/copper current collector/a second negative active material layer). In Fig. 3, Takaoka discloses the anode comprises a first negative active material layer 33/ current collector 32/a second negative active material layer 33). Takaoka at [0232] states that 33 may comprise graphite, and [0252] states 32 may comprise copper.
A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated, as of before the effective filing date of the instant invention, to select graphite/copper/graphite layers based on Takaoka’s teaching as set forth above, for the battery of modified Takaoka, with a reasonable expectation of success.
Regarding claim 4, Takaoka in view of Saidi teaches all of the limitations as set forth above, and Takaoka further teaches wherein the cathode comprises a layered material having: a first layer comprising lithium cobalt oxide; a second layer comprising lithium cobalt oxide; and a third layer comprising aluminum and disposed between the first layer and the second layer. (FIG. 3 shows explicitly that positive electrode has a structure according to a first positive active material layer 23/current collector 24/a second positive active material layer 23. [0068] lithium cobalt oxide, [0252] aluminum current collector).
Regarding claim 5, Takaoka in view of Saidi teaches all of the limitations as set forth above, and Takaoka further teaches wherein: the anode comprises an anode tab extending from the anode face; and the cathode comprises a cathode tab extending from the cathode face. (FIG. 3 electrode forming members 15, 16, 71, 72 )
Regarding claims 6 and 7, Takaoka in view of Saidi teaches all of the limitations as set forth above. Takaoka does not explicitly teach wherein: the anode face comprises an anode width dimension; the cathode face comprises a cathode width dimension; and a width ratio between the anode width dimension and the cathode width dimension is between 1.006 and 1.009.
A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated, as of before the effective filing date of the instant invention, to optimize the D/C ratio of modified Takaoka (as set forth in claim 1, above), in order to reduce excessive side reactions and short circuiting and to improve reliability (as taught by Takaoka), with a reasonable expectation of selecting a D/C ratio value meeting the instant claim limitation.
Takaoka discloses [0106] that the area of each electrode reactive surface in positive and negative electrodes (2, 1) is controlled, for example, by adjusting the coating width of slurry when active - material layers are formed on the current collectors. A person of ordinary skill would therefore be motivated to optimize the with ratio, with a reasonable expectation of reducing excessive side reactions and short circuiting and improving reliability, thus meeting the instant claim limitation. This also renders obvious the limitation of claim 7, wherein the anode face comprises an anode height dimension; the cathode face comprises a cathode height dimension; and a height ratio between the anode height dimension and the cathode height dimension is between 1.022 and 1.024.
Regarding claim 8, Takaoka teaches all of the limitations as set forth above, and Takaoka further teaches comprising: a plurality of anodes including the anode; and a plurality of cathodes including the cathode; wherein the plurality of anodes and the plurality of cathodes are disposed in a stacked arrangement of the battery. (as shown FIG. 3)
Regarding claim 14, Takaoka teaches all of the limitations as set forth above. Takaoka does not explicitly teach wherein the anode face and the cathode face are aligned such that the anode perimeter extends outwardly from the cathode perimeter and encircles the cathode perimeter overhang is defined between an anode perimeter of the anode face and a cathode perimeter.
Saidi, in the field of (abstract) electrochemical cells, discloses at [0081] a cylindrical cell where “to ensure alkali metal does not plate on the edges of the negative electrode 18 during charging, the negative electrode 18 “overhangs” or extends a width “b” beyond each edge of the positive electrode 16. In one embodiment, 50 μm≦b≦2,000 μm. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated, as of before the effective filing date of the instant invention, to select overhang for the anode and cathode of modified Takaoka such that the anode perimeter extends outwardly from the cathode perimeter and encircles the cathode perimeter overhang is defined between an anode perimeter of the anode face and a cathode perimeter, with a reasonable expectation of preventing alkali metal plating on the edges.
Regarding claims 17 and 18, Takaoka teaches a battery assembly (abstract), comprising:
an anode having an anode perimeter and an anode face inward from the anode perimeter, wherein the anode face comprises an anode face surface area; (FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and [0079] negative electrode 1) Examiner notes that anode of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 appear to be square or rectangular, and that perimeter and area are features of a square or rectangle. However, the shape of the electrode is not particularly limited.
a cathode having a cathode perimeter and a cathode face inward from the cathode perimeter, wherein the cathode face comprises a cathode face surface area, (FIG. 3 and [0079] positive electrode 2) Examiner notes that cathode of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 appears to be square or rectangular, and that perimeter and area are features of a square or rectangle. However, the shape of the electrode is not particularly limited.
Takaoka does not explicitly teach wherein the anode face and the cathode face are aligned such that the anode perimeter extends outwardly from the cathode perimeter and encircles the cathode perimeter overhang is defined between an anode perimeter of the anode face and a cathode perimeter.
Saidi, in the field of (abstract) electrochemical cells, discloses at [0081] a cylindrical cell where “to ensure alkali metal does not plate on the edges of the negative electrode 18 during charging, the negative electrode 18 “overhangs” or extends a width “b” beyond each edge of the positive electrode 16. In one embodiment, 50 μm≦b≦2,000 μm. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated, as of before the effective filing date of the instant invention, to select overhang for the anode and cathode of modified Takaoka such that the anode perimeter extends outwardly from the cathode perimeter and encircles the cathode perimeter overhang is defined between an anode perimeter of the anode face and a cathode perimeter, with a reasonable expectation of preventing alkali metal plating on the edges.
Retuning to Takaoka, Takaoka does not explicitly teach a surface area ratio between the anode face surface area and the cathode face surface area is between 1.030 and 1.038. However, Takaoka discloses (FIG. 3 and [0103]) that the anode extends past the cathode perimeter and discloses [0128] an area ratio of negative electrode to positive electrode (D/C) between 1 and 1.2, which encompasses the instant claim limitation, creating a prima fascia case of obviousness. At [0126-0127] Takaoka contemplates that if D/C is in the appropriate range, the battery will be highly reliable. If D/C is too small, the capacitance will dip, causing lithium deposition and short circuiting if overcharged. If the D/C ratio is too high, excessive side reactions may occur, causing unwanted gas formation.
A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated, as of before the effective filing date of the instant invention, to optimize the D/C ratio of Takaoka, in order to reduce excessive side reactions and short circuiting and to improve reliability, with a reasonable expectation of selecting a value meeting the instant claim limitation. This also renders obvious the limitation of claim 18, a separator having a first side and a second side, wherein the anode is disposed on the first side of the separator and the cathode is disposed on the second side of the separator, as shown FIG. 1.
Regarding claims 21, 23, and 24, Takaoka in view of Saidi teaches all of the limitations as set forth above. Takaoka teaches three layers including graphite/copper/graphite (basically a first negative active material layer/copper current collector/a second negative active material layer). In Fig. 3, Takaoka discloses the anode comprises a first negative active material layer 33/ current collector 32/a second negative active material layer 33). Takaoka at [0232] states that 33 may comprise graphite, and [0252] states 32 may comprise copper. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated, as of before the effective filing date of the instant invention, to select graphite/copper/graphite layers based on Takaoka’s teaching as set forth above.
Takaoka further teaches wherein the cathode comprises a layered material having: a first layer comprising lithium cobalt oxide; a second layer comprising lithium cobalt oxide; and a third layer comprising aluminum and disposed between the first layer and the second layer. (FIG. 3 shows explicitly that positive electrode has a structure according to a first positive active material layer 23/current collector 24/a second positive active material layer 23. [0068] lithium cobalt oxide, [0252] aluminum current collector)
Regarding claim 22, Takaoka in view of Saidi teaches all of the limitations as set forth above, and Takaoka further teaches comprising: a plurality of anodes including the anode; and a plurality of cathodes including the cathode; wherein the plurality of anodes and the plurality of cathodes are disposed in a stacked arrangement of the battery. (as shown FIG. 3)
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CLAIRE A RUTISER whose telephone number is (571)272-1969. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM M-F.
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CLAIRE A. RUTISER
Examiner
Art Unit 1751
/C.A.R./Examiner, Art Unit 1751
/Haroon S. Sheikh/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1751