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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference characters not mentioned in the description:
Figure 1, reference character “112”
Figure 8, reference characters “154’” and “154a’”
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Paragraphs [0037], [0041], [0044], [0051], [0061], and [0069] appear to be blank and/or missing in the specification.
Chemical formulas recited in paragraph [0042] should be properly formatted. For example, “LiCoO2” should be “LiCoO2”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 2-12 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites “a secondary battery” in line 1. Claims 2-12 recite in the preamble “the cylindrical secondary battery…”. The examiner notes that claim language should be consistent throughout the claims when referring to a single component. As such, the preamble of Claims 2-12 should be amended to recite “the secondary battery” or the preamble of Claim 1 should be amended to read “a cylindrical secondary battery…”, for consistency.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 (b)
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 3-4 and 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the winding center" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Nowhere in Claims 1 or 2 (on which Claim 3 depends) is there a mention of “a winding center” or any recitation of anything subjected to “winding” or being “wound”. It would not be clear to the skilled artisan what is being referred to as “the winding center”. Claims 4 and 8-10 are also rejected due to their dependency upon Claim 3.
Claims 5 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "the through hole" in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Nowhere in Claim 1 (on which Claim 5 depends) is there mention of “a through hole”. It would not be clear to the skilled artisan what is being referred to as “the through hole”. Claim 7 is also rejected due to its dependency upon Claim 5.
Claims 6 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "the through hole" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Nowhere in Claim 1 (on which Claim 6 depends) is there mention of “a through hole”. It would not be clear to the skilled artisan what is being referred to as “the through hole”. Claim 12 is also rejected due to its dependency upon Claim 6.
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.
Claims 1-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Seong et al. (US 2015/0132636 A1).
The examiner notes that although Seong et al. (US 2015/0132636 A1) shares a common Applicant with the instant application, it qualifies as prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as it was published on 05/14/2015 which is before the effective filing date of the instant application (05/27/2021).
Regarding Claim 1, Seong discloses a secondary battery (rechargeable battery, 100) comprising: a cylindrical can (case, 20) having a bottom surface and a side portion extending from the bottom surface, one end of the side portion being open to form an opening (Figure 1, [0030, 0035]). Seong further discloses an electrode assembly (10) accommodated in the can (case, 20); and a cap assembly (cap plate, 31, and gasket, 41) including a gasket (41) which is inserted into the can (case, 20) with the electrode assembly (10) inserted in the can (case, 20) to come into contact with the electrode assembly (10), and a cap plate (31) which is disposed on the gasket (41) and is electrically connected to the electrode assembly (10) (Figure 3, [0030, 0034, 0037-0038, 0052]). Seong further discloses that the can (case, 20) has, at the edge of the opening, a curling portion (clamping part, 22) which presses the gasket (41) to bring the gasket (41) into contact with the cap plate (31) (Figure 1, [0053, 0055]). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 1 are met.
Regarding Claim 2, Seong further discloses that the gasket (41) includes a disk-shaped bottom surface (see annotated Figure 3 below) and a side surface (see annotated Figure 3 below) extending in a cylindrical shape from the bottom surface (see annotated Figure 3 below), and a through hole (see annotated Figure 3 below) is formed in the bottom surface (see annotated Figure 3 below) (Figures 1 and 3, [0036]). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 2 are met.
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Annotated Figure 3 (Seong US 2015/0132636 A1)
Regarding Claim 3, Seong further discloses that the curling portion (clamping part, 22) may be bent toward a winding center (center around which the jelly roll electrode assembly is wound) of the electrode assembly (10) from the side portion (Figure 3, [0055]). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 3 are met.
Regarding Claim 4, Seong further discloses that a side length of the gasket (41) in contact with the cap plate (31) is larger than a radial width of the curling portion (clamping part, 22) (Figure 3, [0063-0064]). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 4 are met.
Regarding Claim 5, Seong further discloses that an uncoated portion (uncoated region, 11b) is provided at one end of the electrode assembly (10), and a current collector plate (positive electrode current collecting plate, 11d) is electrically connected to the uncoated portion (uncoated region, 11b) (Figure 1, [0034]). Seong further discloses that an electrode tab (lead tab, 37) electrically connected to the current collector plate (positive electrode current collecting plate, 11d), wherein the current collector plate (positive electrode current collecting plate, 11d) is exposed through a through hole (see annotated Figure 3 below) of the gasket (41) (Figure 3, [0051]). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 5 are met.
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Annotated Figure 3 (Seong US 2015/0132636 A1)
Regarding Claim 6, Seong further discloses that an uncoated portion (uncoated region, 11b) is provided at one end of the electrode assembly (10), and a current collector plate (positive electrode current collecting plate, 11d) is electrically connected to the uncoated portion (uncoated region, 11b) (Figure 1, [0034]). Seong further discloses that the current collector plate (positive electrode current collecting plate, 11d) is exposed through a through hole (see annotated Figure 3 below) of the gasket (41) (Figure 3, [0051]). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 6 are met.
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Annotated Figure 3 (Seong US 2015/0132636 A1)
Regarding Claim 7, Seong further discloses that the cap plate (31) is electrically connected to the current collector plate (positive electrode current collecting plate, 11d) through the through hole (see annotated Figure 3 above) of the gasket (41) (Figure 3, [0038]). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 7 are met.
Regarding Claim 8, Seong further discloses that the can (case, 20) further includes at least one groove (beading part, 21) concavely formed toward a winding center (center around which the jelly roll electrode assembly is wound) of the electrode assembly (10) on the side portion adjacent to the curling portion (clamping part, 22) (Figure 1, [0053]). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 8 are met.
Regarding Claim 9, Seong further discloses that the groove (beading part, 21) is formed at a position corresponding to the gasket (41) (Figure 1, [0055]). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 9 are met.
Regarding Claim 10, Seong further discloses that the groove (beading part, 21) is formed in a ring shape along the circumference of the side portion (Figure 1, [0053]). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 10 are met.
Regarding Claim 11, Seong further discloses that the can (case, 20) further includes a stepped portion (step formed from the beading part, 21) protruding from an inner circumferential surface of the side portion adjacent to the opening (see Figures 1 and 3). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 11 are met.
Regarding Claim 12, Seong further discloses that the cap plate (31) is electrically connected to the current collector plate (positive electrode current collecting plate, 11d) through the through hole (see annotated Figure 3 above) of the gasket (41) (Figure 3, [0038]). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 12 are met.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EMILY E FREEMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-1498. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30AM-5:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Miriam Stagg can be reached at (571)-270-5256. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/E.E.F./Examiner, Art Unit 1724
/STEWART A FRASER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1724