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 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(s) 1, 3- 4, and 6-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kang (KR 20190060578 A), (references are to (US 20210036356 A1), the English language equivalent).
Regarding claim 1, Kang discloses an apparatus that contains a plurality of rollers that alternatively heat both sides of an electrode sheet( Kang [0008-009]). The apparatus in Kang is configured such that every two rollers are adjacent to each other and that said heating rollers are oriented to face each other, with the cathode active material traveling between them (Kang [Fig. 2]). Regarding the wrap angle, Figure 2 of the prior art shows a wrap angle of 180°.A wrap angle of 180° is infinitesimally different than the claimed range. This establishes a prima facie case of obviousness, as one of ordinary skill in the art would not expect a difference between a wrap angle of 180° and a wrap angle infinitesimally larger than 180°. See MPEP 2144.05.
While Kang does not mention the composition of the raw material that is conveyed through the device, the "[i]nclusion of the material or article worked upon by a structure being claimed does not impart patentability to the claims." See MPEP 2115.
Regarding claim 3, Kang discloses an apparatus that contains a heating unit inside the rollers (Kang [0033]). This disclosure fulfills the limitation set in the instant claim requiring a heating unit to be included in the apparatus. In regards to the heating temperature, “recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus". See MPEP 2114.II.
Regarding claim 4, Kang discloses an apparatus where the conveyed material is exposed to an oxidizing atmosphere (Kang [Fig. 2]) . Within the figure, the belt is exposed to air which is an oxidizer. This fulfills the limitation set in the instant claim requiring the active material is heated in an oxidizing atmosphere. While Kang does not mention raw material the "[i]nclusion of the material or article worked upon by a structure being claimed does not impart patentability to the claims.” See MPEP 2115.
Regarding claim 6, Kang discloses a five-roll guiding system where each roll has their own heating unit, allowing for heating and forming as the material travels upstream (Kang [0033]). This disclosure fulfills the limitations set in the instant claim requiring the forming unit being more upstream compared to the heating unit.
Regarding claim 7, Kang discloses an apparatus that contains a rewinding unit which recovers the electrode sheet after it goes through the heating unit (the rollers) (Kang [0013]). This disclosure fulfills the limitations set in the instant claim requiring the apparatus to have a recovery part to recover the material obtains in the heating unit.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kang (KR 20190060578 A), with (US 20210036356 A1) as its English equivalent, and in further view of Ogasawara (US 20180053946 A1).
Regarding claim 5, Kang does not disclose a porous material of the conveying member. However, Ogasawara teaches a porous substance is on the roller in order to preventing particles from adhering to the surface of the roller (Ogasawara [0044-0045]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to apply the teachings present in Ogasawara regarding porous material to prevent particle adhesion and ensure no product is lost.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Applicant Remarks , filed October 31, 2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1 and 3-7 under 35 USC 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Kang and Ogasawara.
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 ANNETTE H PHAN whose telephone number is (703)756-4520. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-6:30 EST.
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/ANNETTE PHAN/Examiner, Art Unit 1736
/ANTHONY J ZIMMER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1736
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