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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 01/27/26 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
The following is in response to the applicant’s remarks filed 01/27/26
The applicant argues that the amendments which incorporate the limitations of dependent claim 9 into 1 overcome the previous rejection. Specifically, the applicant argues that Kim does not teach the limitations of a second terminal arranged on a second terminating element which sealingly encloses a second insertion opening of the cell housing on second side.
The examiner respectfully disagrees as Kim teaches a cylindrical cell comprising a first and second terminal (positive and negative terminals)[0047][0043] on a first and second terminating element (top (20) and bottom (not shown) covers of casing)[0043][fig. 2A] disposed on a first (top (14)) and second (bottom (not shown)) side of a case (10) wherein both sides of the housing are sealed circumferentially (inherently circumferentially shaped given the cylindrical shape of the case)[0005][0041][0043]. The examiner acknowledges that Kim does not give a detailed description of the exact structures of the bottom side of the battery housing. However, the claimed features that are not explicitly described (bottom terminating element and circumferential sealing structure) are inherently present as they are necessary for the battery to function (ie. sealed and electrically conductive). Then, given the broadest reasonable interpretation of the general and broadly disclosed claimed structures, the implied structures of Kim are sufficient in teaching the claimed limitations.
Therefore, the rejection is maintained.
Additionally, while not being relied upon in the rejection below, Park, US20220131216A1, will be discussed as an evidentiary reference establishing known structures in the art. Park teaches a cylindrical battery cell (100) comprising a case (140) comprising a top and bottom opening (openings covered by cap (150) and lower plate (142))[fig. 1] wherein the top and bottom openings comprise terminating elements (collecting plates (120)(130))[fig. 2] which the first and second terminals (exterior electrical connection points (151)(142)) are arranged on (electrically connected)[fig. 1].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 – 7 and 10 – 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)(a)(2) as anticipated by Kim, US20110294002A1.
Regarding claim 1, Kim teaches a prismatic battery cell (secondary battery)[0002],
comprising: a cell housing (case body (10))[fig. 2A] and several electrodes arranged in an interior of the cell housing (electrode assembly)[0026] some of which are electrically connected to a first cell terminal accessible from outside the cell housing, and some to a second cell terminal also accessible from outside the cell housing (positive terminal (40) and negative terminal (not shown))[0043][fig. 2A],
wherein the first cell terminal is arranged on a first side of the cell housing and the second cell terminal is arranged on a second side of the cell housing opposite the first side [0043][fig, 2A],
wherein one of the cell terminals is arranged on a terminating element which is materially connected to the cell housing and which closes an insertion opening configured in the cell housing (cap plate (20) welded to case body (10))[0041][fig. 2B], and
wherein the terminating element (cap plate (20)) is sealingly connected to the cell housing (case body (10)) via a circumferential sealing (sealing member (50)) in order to sealingly close the insertion opening in relation to an external environment of the battery cell (seals battery housing)[0054][fig. 2B]
wherein the cell housing (10) has a terminating element receptacle (stepped portion (16)) which is encompassed by a circumferential step formed on the cell housing [fig. 2A],
wherein the terminating element (20) rests on the step (16) or is supported on the step via the sealing [fig. 2B]
wherein another one of the cell terminals (negative terminal (not shown))[0043] is arranged on a further terminating element (inherent structure) which is materially connected to the cell housing and which closes a further insertion opening (bottom (not shown)) side of a case (10) configured in the cell housing, (case body (10)) wherein the further terminating element (inherent structure) is sealingly connected to the cell housing via a further circumferential (inherently circumferential) sealing in order to tightly close the further insertion opening in relation to the external environment of the battery cell (case is sealed) [0005][0041][0043].
Regarding claim 2, Kim teaches the prismatic battery cell according to claim 1, wherein the material connection of the terminating element to the cell housing is present along a circumferential connecting seam (weld performed around the boundary of cap and case)[0053].
Regarding claim 3, Kim teaches the prismatic battery cell according to claim 2, wherein the connecting seam is present as a weld seam (weld)[0053]
Regarding claim 4, Kim teaches the prismatic battery cell according to claim 2, wherein the connecting seam is arranged on a side of the sealing facing the external environment along an imaginary flow path between the external environment and the interior (weld on outside)[fig. 2B].
Regarding claim 5, Kim teaches the prismatic battery cell according to claim 2, wherein the sealing is arranged at a distance from the connecting seam (sealing member (50) and weld inherently posses a distance between one another)[fig. 2AB]
Regarding claim 6, Kim teaches the prismatic battery cell according to claim 1, wherein the sealing is inserted into a sealing receptacle which is configured in the terminating element or the cell housing (seal (50) formed in groove (23))[fig. 4A].
Regarding claim 7, Kim teaches the prismatic battery cell according to claim 1, wherein the sealing is integrally configured with the terminating element or the cell housing (seal being a weld)[0053].
Regarding claim 10, Kim teaches the prismatic battery cell according to claim 1, wherein the cell housing (10) is configured as a hollow cylinder (cylindrical)[0045] and has the insertion opening on the first side (top opening (14))[fig. 2A] and the further insertion opening on the second side (bottom opening (not shown))[0043].
Regarding claim 11, Kim teaches the prismatic battery cell according to claim 3, wherein the connecting seam is arranged on a side of the sealing facing the external environment along an imaginary flow path between the external environment and the interior (weld on the outside)[fig. 1].
Regarding claim 12, Kim teaches the prismatic battery cell according to claim 3, wherein the sealing is arranged at a distance from the connecting seam (sealing member (50) and weld inherently possess a distance between one another)[fig. 2AB].
Regarding claim 13, Kim teaches the prismatic battery cell according to claim 4, wherein the sealing is arranged at a distance from the connecting seam (sealing member (50) and weld inherently possess a distance between one another)[fig. 2AB].
Regarding claim 14, Kim teaches the prismatic battery cell according to claim 2, wherein the sealing is inserted into a sealing receptacle which is configured in the terminating element or the cell housing (seal (50) formed in groove (23))[fig. 4A].
Regarding claim 15, Kim teaches the prismatic battery cell according to claim 3, wherein the sealing is inserted into a sealing receptacle which is configured in the terminating element or the cell housing (seal (50) formed in groove (23))[fig. 4A]..
Regarding claim 16, Kim teaches the prismatic battery cell according to claim 4, wherein the sealing is inserted into a sealing receptacle which is configured in the terminating element or the cell housing (seal (50) formed in groove (23))[fig. 4A].
Regarding claim 17, Kim teaches the prismatic battery cell according to claim 5, wherein the sealing is inserted into a sealing receptacle which is configured in the terminating element or the cell housing (seal (50) formed in groove (23))[fig. 4A].
Regarding claim 18, Kim teaches the prismatic battery cell according to claim 2, wherein the sealing is integrally configured with the terminating element or the cell housing (seal being a weld)[0053].
Regarding claim 19, Kim teaches the prismatic battery cell according to claim 3, wherein the sealing is integrally configured with the terminating element or the cell housing (seal being a weld)[0053].
Regarding claim 20, Kim teaches the prismatic battery cell according to claim 4, wherein the sealing is integrally configured with the terminating element or the cell housing (seal being a weld)[0053].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PATRICK M GREENE whose telephone number is (571)270-1340. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5.
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/PATRICK MARSHALL GREENE/Examiner, Art Unit 1724
/STEWART A FRASER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1724
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