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 .
Response to Amendment
In response to the amendment received on February 11, 2026:
Claims 1-8 are pending;
The drawing objection and specification objection set forth in the previous Office Acton are withdrawn in light of the amendment;
The claim objection set forth in the previous Office Acton is withdrawn in light of the amendment;
The claim objection set forth in the previous Office Acton is withdrawn in light of the amendment;
The prior art rejections to Nakai et al. (JP 2009-123440A) stand as modified in light of the amendment.
Claim Interpretation
The claimed plurality of substrate current collectors in claim 1 have been interpreted in light of the specification to refer to elements 192 of the second electrode current collector plate 190 (see annotated Fig. 3 below) which is electrically connected to the cap assembly 150 (See Fig. 1). Element 8 of Nakai below is held to read on the plurality of substrate current collectors and the term protrusions in Nakai are applied to the claimed plurality of substrate current collectors as reasoned below.
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Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-6 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nakai et al. (JP2009-123440A) as evidenced by Nakai et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0292961; hereafter referred to as Nakai ‘961).
As to claim 1, Nakai discloses a cylindrical secondary battery (Figs. 1-6, for example para. [0001]) comprising:
A cylindrical can 10; an electrode assembly (electrode group 6) accommodated in the can 10 and formed by stacking a first electrode plate 4, a separator 5, and a second electrode plate 2 and winding in a cylindrical shape (Figs. 1-4), wherein a first electrode uncoated portion 3 of the first electrode plate 4 protruding at one end in the longitudinal direction (Figs. 1, 3 and 4) and a second electrode uncoated portion 1 of the second electrode plate 2 protruding at the other end thereof (Figs. 1, 2 and 4):
a cap assembly coupled to one side of the can 10 in a state in which the electrode assembly 6 is accommodated in the can 10;
a first electrode current collector plate 7 which is located between the first electrode uncoated portion 3 and the can 10 and electrically connected to the first electrode uncoated portion 3 and the can 10;
a second electrode current collector plate 7 which is located between the second electrode uncoated portion 1 and the cap assembly and electrically connected to the second electrode uncoated portion and the can;
a first auxiliary plate 18 which is located between the first electrode uncoated portion 3 and the first electrode current collector plate 7 and electrically connected to the first electrode uncoated portion 3 and the first electrode current collector plate 7;
and a second auxiliary plate 18 which is located between the second electrode uncoated portion 1 and the second electrode current collector plate 7 and electrically connected to the second electrode uncoated portion 1 and the second electrode current collector plate 7 (Figs. 1-6).
See para. [0018] where Nakai teaches “As shown in FIG. 5 , a foil or plate 18 (foil or plate 18) having a predetermined thickness and made of the same material as the foil-shaped current collector (aluminum on the positive electrode side and copper on the negative electrode side) was placed on each end face of the electrode group 6, and a current collecting disk 7.”
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As to the second electrode current collector plate, electrically connected to the cap assembly, comprises a plurality of substrate current collectors that protrude in a direction toward a bottom surface of the can, this configuration is held to be present in Nakai as further evidenced by Nakai ‘961.
Nakai teaches that each current collector plate 7 has a similar design whereby a plurality of protrusions (substrate current collectors) 8 (similar to the structure and relative placement of elements 192 in the instant invention).
Nakia, Fig. 6:
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According to Nakai:
As shown in FIG. 6, the current collecting disk 7 has a plurality of (four in this example) radial protrusions 8 on one surface thereof, which extend from the center to the periphery. As shown in FIG. 7, the protrusion 8 has a generally trapezoidal cross section, and the thickness of the current collecting disk 7 is 0.5 mm, while the width of the upper base of the protrusion 8 is 0.2 mm, the width of the lower base is 0.6 mm, and the height is 0.5 mm (para. [0019]).
After the side of the current collecting disk 7 on which the protrusions 8 are not formed (the other side) is brought into contact with the winding group 6, laser light is irradiated from the protrusion 8 side to the upper surface of the protrusion 8 along the longitudinal direction of the protrusion 8, causing it to melt, thereby welding it to each foil-shaped current collector via the foil or plate 18 arranged on the back side of the irradiated surface (para. [0021]).
The length of the protrusions 8 was determined so that the foil-shaped current collector wound from the center to the outer periphery of the electrode group 6 was positioned on the underside of the protrusions 8 . All four of the protrusions 8 were successively irradiated with laser light from the top surface of the protrusion, and were welded to the entire layer of metal foil located on the bottom surface (see also FIGS. 8(A) and (B)) (para. [0021]).
The laser output conditions were set so that the protrusions 8 of the current collecting disk 7 melted and drooped downward, and the top and bottom surfaces of the protrusions 8 were approximately the same as the surrounding surface or at least 20% of the height of the protrusions 8. This condition was experimentally determined so that the protrusions 8 hang down from the other surface of the current collector disk 7 and are suitable for welding to a foil-shaped current collector via the foil or plate 18 (para. [0022]).
Therefore, upon subjecting the protrusions 8 of Nakai to the laser beam for welding, the protrusions 8 will melt and droop downward through the other side of the current collecting disk to effectively hang down from the other surface of the current collector disk 7. This would appear to then read on claim 1 as to the plural substrate current collectors protruding in a relative direction toward the interior of the cell and thus in a direction toward the bottom surface of the can.
Nakai ‘961 additionally discloses the same collector plate design in Figs. 5 and 7A including protrusions 8. Nakai ‘961 further teaches that upon irradiating the current collecting disk 7 with a laser beam from about the projecting ridge portions 8, the projecting ridge portions 8 and a portion of the current collecting disk 7 melt and a melted portion grows down from the lower face of the current collecting disk 7 so that a projecting portion 22 with a semicircular shape in section is formed. The projecting portion 22 is formed corresponding to the projecting ridge portion 8 so that the projecting portion 22 enters between the positive electrode mixture non-application portions 1 of the winding group 6 (similarly applied to between the negative electrode mixture non-application portions 3). After laser beam irradiation, the projecting portion 22 formed due to growing-down of the melted portion is cooled and solidified so that melt trail remains. Therefore, the end portions of the positive electrode mixture non-application portions 1 (the end portions of the negative electrode mixture non-application portions 3) are joined to the current collecting disk 7. At this time, a position of the upper base face of the projecting ridge portion 8 lowers down to an upper face of the current collecting disk 7 to become approximately flat.
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Upon subjecting the current collector disk 7 of Nakai to a laser for welding as required by Nakai, a portion of the disk 7 and the protrusions 8 of Nakai melt as taught by Nakai and droop and hang such to the same configuration as evidenced by Nakai
‘961 to generate corresponding current collecting features along the regions corresponding to protrusions 8 where protrusion portions 22 effectively form on the side opposite to where the protrusions 8 initially reside to join the collecting plate to an adjacent element in the battery through protrusions identical to the inner projecting portions 22 shown in Nakai ‘961.
Therefore, the resultant end battery product of Nakai will expectedly have a plurality of current collectors (corresponding to regions defined by protrusions 8 of Nakai) protruding or dropping downward in a direction toward a bottom of the surface can after subjecting the corresponding feature to a laser beam as taught by Nakia and further evidenced by Nakai ‘961.
As to claim 2, as shown in annotated modified Fig. 5 below, each electrode current collector 7 has the same circular shape and as the collector plate 7 and auxiliary plate 18 feature of claim 5 is provided on each end of the electrode assembly 6, the current collector plates 7 on opposite ends of the assembly 6 would be disposed to be symmetrical to each other along the center axis of the assembly 6.
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As to claim 3, the first auxiliary plate 18 and the second auxiliary plate 18 have the same circular shape and size as adjacent first and second current collector plates 7 (see annotated copy and arrangement of Fig. 5 below).
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As to claim 4, the first auxiliary plate 18 is formed of the same material as each adjacent current collector 7 (see para. [0018]) as Nakai teaches “As shown in FIG. 5 , a foil or plate 18 (foil or plate 18) having a predetermined thickness and made of the same material as the foil-shaped current collector (aluminum on the positive electrode side and copper on the negative electrode side) was placed on each end face of the electrode group 6, and a current collecting disk 7.”
As to claim 5, the first and second auxiliary plates 18 are a metal foil or metal thin film (see para. [0018] for example).
As to claim 6, the first auxiliary plate 18 on the negative side is formed of copper and the second auxiliary plate 18 on the positive side is formed of aluminum (see para. [0018], for example).
As to claim 8, each electrode collector plate 7 is welded to corresponding first electrode uncoated portion 3 of the first electrode plate 4 and second electrode uncoated portion 1 of the second electrode plate 2 (Figs. 1-5, paras. [0009], [0010], [0012] for example).
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 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakai et al. (JP 2009-123440A), as evidenced by Nakai et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0282961; hereafter referred to as Nakai ‘961) as applied to claim 5 above.
Nakai does not teach of the specific plate thickness of the first auxiliary plate having a thickness of 8+1 mm with the second auxiliary plate having a thickness of 12+1 mm.
Nakai does teach of remarkably similar thicknesses in at least certain examples. See para. [0029] wherein Nakai teaches that auxiliary plate 18 on the positive electrode side (applied to the second auxiliary plate of the claims) has a thickness of 8mm and auxiliary plate 18 on the negative electrode side (applied to the first auxiliary plate of the claims) has a thickness of 8mm. Thus the first auxiliary plate thickness 8mm taught by Nakai falls in the range of claim 7, while the second auxiliary plate thickness is held to be a minor difference (8mm in Nakai is only 3-5mm difference from the thickness of claim 7). Similarly, see para. [0030] wherein Nakai teaches that auxiliary plate 18 on the positive electrode side (applied to the second auxiliary plate of the claims) has a thickness of 10mm and auxiliary plate 18 on the negative electrode side (applied to the first auxiliary plate of the claims) has a thickness of 10mm. Thus the second auxiliary plate thickness of 10mm taught by Nakai falls in the range of claim 7, while the first auxiliary plate thickness of 10mm is held to be a minor difference (10mm in Nakai is only 1-3mm difference from the thickness of the first auxiliary plate of claim 7).
In both examples 1 and 2 of Nakai the thickness of one plate falls expressly in the range of one plate thickness of claim 7 while the other plate thickness is only nominally different from the range of the other plate thickness of claim 7. Generally, differences in ranges will not support the patentability of subject matter encompassed by the prior art unless there is evidence indicating such ranges is critical. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980). In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955). In re Hoeschele, 406 F.2d 1403, 160 USPQ 809 (CCPA 1969).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the thickness to be about 8-10 mm as taught by Nakai since it would have provided substantially similar and equivalent thicknesses on the same order as Nakai’s examples with a reasonable expectation that minor differences in thicknesses would have achieved the same battery design. It has been held that when the difference between a claimed invention and the prior art is the range or value of a particular variable, then a prima facie rejection is properly established when the difference in the range or value is minor. Titanium Metals Corp. of Am. v. Banner, 778 F.2d 775, 783, 227 USPQ 773, 779 (Fed. Cir. 1985). In the case where the claimed ranges “overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art” a prima facie case of obviousness exists. In re Wertheim, 541 F.2d 257, 191 USPQ 90 (CCPA 1976); In re Woodruff, 919, F.2d 1575, 16 USPQ 2d 1934 (Fed. Cir. 1990).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed February 11, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Nakai does not teach of the second current collector plate (connected to the cap assembly) comprising a plurality of substrate current collectors that protrude in a direction toward a bottom surface of the can.
The Examiner respectfully disagrees.
As discussed above, Nakai teaches of a current collector plate which first includes a second electrode current collector plate electrically connected to the cap with a plurality of protrusions 8 that protrude in a direction away from the bottom surface of the can. Nakai further teaches that the laser output conditions were set so that the protrusions 8 of the current collecting disk 7 melted and drooped downward, and the top and bottom surfaces of the protrusions 8 were approximately the same as the surrounding surface or at least 20% of the height of the protrusions 8. This condition was experimentally determined so that the protrusions 8 hang down from the other surface of the current collector disk 7 and are suitable for welding to a foil-shaped current collector via the foil or plate 18 (paras. [0021]-[0022] of Nakai).
Upon subjecting the protrusion 8 and portions of the current collecting disk 7 to a laser beam for welding, the protrusions 8 and portions of the collecting disk 7 of Nakai melt and droop as expressly disclosed by this reference. Furthermore, the same design subjected to the same laser beam for welding is provided in Nakai ‘961 as an evidentiary reference for the resultant structure of the second electrode current collector disk 7 with initial protrusions 8 and the same electrode disk with protrusions 22 on the opposite surface of the current collector disk 7 after subjecting to laser irradiation.
Again as discussed above, Nakai ‘961 discloses the same collector plate design in Figs. 5 and 7A including protrusions 8. Nakai ‘961 further teaches that upon irradiating the current collecting disk 7 with a laser beam from about the projecting ridges portion 8, the projecting ridge portion 8 and a portion of the current collecting disk 7 melt and a melted portion grows down from the lower face of the current collecting disk 7 so that a projecting portion 22 with a semicircular shape in section is formed. The projecting portion 22 is formed corresponding to the projecting ridge portion 8 so that the projecting portion 22 enters between the positive electrode mixture non-application portions 1 of the winding group 6 (similarly applied to between the negative electrode mixture non-application portions 3). After laser beam irradiation, the projecting portion 22 formed due to growing-down of the melted portion is cooled and solidified so that melt trail remains. Therefore, the end portions of the positive electrode mixture non-application portions 1 (the end portions of the negative electrode mixture non-application portions 3) are joined to the current collecting disk 7. At this time, a position of the upper base face of the projecting ridge portion 8 lowers down to an upper face of the current collecting disk 7 to become approximately flat.
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Therefore, upon subjecting the current collector disk 7 of Nakai to a laser for welding, a portion of the disk 7 and the protrusions 8 of Nakai melt, droop and hang on the opposite surface of the disk 7 to generate corresponding current collecting features along the regions corresponding to protrusions 8 which protrude in a direction toward the interior of the cell, away from the cap and toward a bottom of the can.
Therefore, the resultant end battery product of Nakai will expectedly have a plurality of current collectors (corresponding to regions defined by protrusions 8 of Nakai) protruding in a direction toward a bottom of the surface can after subjecting the corresponding feature to a laser beam as evidenced by Nakai ‘961.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. JPH07-014569 discloses providing projections on an interior surface of a current collector disk for welding purposes.
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 GREGG CANTELMO whose telephone number is (571)272-1283. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 7am to 5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Basia Ridley can be reached at (571) 272-1453. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GREGG CANTELMO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725