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
The amendment filed December 8th, 2025 has been entered. Claims 1-14 remain
pending in the application.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites “such movement” before introducing “a movement”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 14 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 14 recites “a valve blow fitting portion is in an open state only when the first cutter is in a downward position”. However, the specification ([0021]) discloses that the valve blow fitting portion is opened when the cutter is moved downwards. Examiner interprets that the valve blow fitting portion as disclosed in the specification is therefore in an open state in a multitude of downward positions as the cutter moves downwards, and not only in an open state in one downwards position. Examiner recommends changing 14 to instead to read along the lines of “a valve blow fitting portion is in an open state only when the first cutter is in any of a multitude of downward positions”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park Seong Hoon (KR 101115299 B1 – hereinafter Hoon) in view of Masahiro Kaneko (US PGPub No 20060065090 A1 – hereinafter Kaneko) and Song Seok Hwa (KR 102120654 B1 – hereinafter Hwa).
Regarding claim 14, Hoon teaches an electrode cutting apparatus (Fig. 2, Pole Plate
Cutting Device 100) comprising: a first unit (Fig. 2, Moveable Frame Portion 20) comprising a
first cutter (Fig. 2, Upper Cutter 21) disposed on a first side of an electrode sheet; a second unit
(Fig. 2, Support Frame Portion 10) comprising a second cutter (Fig. 2, Lower Cutter 11)
disposed on a second side of the electrode sheet; a gripper (Fig. 2, Pusher Portion 40) configured to face the electrode sheet supplied between the first cutter (Fig. 2, Upper Cutter 21; Page 3, Para
4), which is configured to reciprocate, and the second cutter (Fig. 2, Lower Cutter 11; Page 3,
Para 3), which is configured to remain stationary, the second cutter (Fig. 2, Lower Cutter 11)
extending parallel with the first cutter (Fig. 2, Upper Cutter 21), and the gripper (Fig. 2, Pusher
Portion 40) being configured to fix the electrode sheet; a first gripper (Fig. 2, Upper Gripper 41;
Page 3, para 6) included on the gripper.
Hoon fails to teach a blow unit located at the first gripper, the blow unit configured to
remove foreign matter generated when the electrode sheet is cut, and a suction blow valve unit
configured such that a suction blow valve is opened when the first cutter is moved downwards,
wherein the suction blow valve unit is configured to supply a fluid to remove the foreign matter, and that the suction blow valve unit is configured such that the suction blow valve is connected via a blow fitting portion of the valve unit and a valve blow fitting portion is in an open state only when the first cutter is in any of a multitude of downward positions.
However, Kaneko teaches a blow unit (Fig. 8, Airflow Generating Device 750) located at the first gripper (Fig. 8, Folding Line Pressing Member 605), the blow unit (Fig. 8, Airflow
Generating Device 750) configured to remove foreign matter generated when a sheet is cut
[0017].
Kaneko and Hoon are both considered analogous to the claimed invention because they
are all in the same field of cutting web materials. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one
of ordinary skill in the art before the time of filing to modify Hoon’s electrode cutting apparatus
to include a blow unit located at the first gripper and configured to remove foreign matter
generated when a sheet is cut. Doing so provides the benefit of allowing all the foreign matter to
be collected in one designated area (Kaneko, [0017]).
Additionally, Hwa teaches a suction blow valve unit (Fig. 5, First Valve 80) formed at one side of the first unit (Fig. 5, Work Table 10), the suction blow valve unit (Fig. 5, First Valve 80) configured such that a suction blow valve (Fig. 5, First Air Cylinder 50) is opened when the first cutter (Fig. 5, Cutter 60; Page 6, para 5) is moved downwards. Hwa also teaches that the suction blow valve unit (Fig. 5, First Valve 80) is configured to supply a fluid to remove foreign matter (Fig. 7; Page 4, para 8 – First Valve 80 supplies air to Exhaust Pipe 117 and discharges cut residue). Hwa further teaches the suction blow valve unit (Fig. 5, First Valve 80) configured such that a suction blow valve (Fig. 5, First Air Cylinder 50) connected via a blow fitting portion (Fig. 5, Fitting at end of Exhaust Pipe 117) of the blow unit (Fig. 5, Exhaust Pipe 117) and a valve blow fitting portion (Fig. 7, fitting connecting Fifth Pipe 115 to First Valve 80) is in an open state when the first cutter (Fig. 5, Cutter 60; Page 5, Last Para to Page 6, Para 3- 50 and 80
are opened immediately before the cutter is moved downwards, and close at the same time as the cutter is moved upwards. Examiner defines that the phrase “the first cutter is in any of a multitude of downward positions” defines any position occurring during a period where the cutter is moving downwards, which contains all steps immediately required to move the cutter downwards, as well as the entirety of the act of moving the cutter downwards. The opening of 50 and 80 is a step required to move the cutter, since the cutter cannot move until they have been opened. Therefore, the valve blow fitting portion is in an open state only when the cutter is in one of a variety of downward positions) is in any of a multitude of downward positions.
Hwa is analogous to the claimed invention because they are both in the same field of
industrial cutting machinery. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in
the art before the time of filing to modify the combination of Hoon and Kaneko’s electrode
cutting apparatus to include the aforementioned features of claim 1 as taught by Hwa. Doing so
is beneficial as it discharges cut residue to outside of the machine [Hwa; Page 4, para 8].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-13 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the objections set forth in this
Office action. Claims 2-13 depend on objected claim 1.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: No known reference or combination of references teaches or suggests the features of claim 1, in particular the combination of features required by claim 1 including “wherein the suction blow valve is configured to move along a suction blow rail and such movement is configured to open and close the suction blow valve”.
Hoon (KR 101115299 B1) teaches an electrode cutting apparatus (Fig. 2, Pole Plate Cutting Device 100) comprising: a first unit (Fig. 2, Moveable Frame Portion 20) comprising a first cutter (Fig. 2, Upper Cutter 21) disposed on a first side of an electrode sheet; a second unit (Fig. 2, Support Frame Portion 10) comprising a second cutter (Fig. 2, Lower Cutter 11) disposed on a second side of the electrode sheet; a gripper (Fig. 2, Pusher Portion 40) configured to face the electrode sheet supplied between the first cutter (Fig. 2, Upper Cutter 21; Page 3, Para 4), which is configured to reciprocate, and the second cutter (Fig. 2, Lower Cutter 11; Page 3, Para 3), which is configured to remain stationary, the second cutter (Fig. 2, Lower Cutter 11) extending parallel with the first cutter (Fig. 2, Upper Cutter 21), and the gripper (Fig. 2, Pusher Portion 40) being configured to fix the electrode sheet; a first gripper (Fig. 2, Upper Gripper 41; Page 3, para 6) included on the gripper. Hoon fails to teach a blow unit located at the first gripper, the blow unit configured to remove foreign matter generated when the electrode sheet is cut, and a suction blow valve unit configured such that a suction blow valve is opened when the first cutter is moved downwards, wherein the suction blow valve unit is configured to supply a fluid to remove the foreign matter and wherein the suction blow valve is configured to move along a suction blow rail and such movement is configured to open and close the suction blow valve.
Kaneko (US PGPub No 20060065090 A1) teaches a blow unit (Fig. 8, Airflow Generating Device 750) located at the first gripper (Fig. 8, Folding Line Pressing Member 605), the blow unit (Fig. 8, Airflow Generating Device 750) configured to remove foreign matter generated when a sheet is cut [0017]. Kaneko also does not teach a suction blow valve unit formed at one side of the first unit, the suction blow valve unit configured such that a suction blow valve is opened when the first cutter is moved downwards, wherein the suction blow valve unit is configured to supply a fluid to remove the foreign matter and wherein the suction blow valve is configured to move along a suction blow rail and such movement is configured to open and close the suction blow valve.
Hwa (KR 102120654 B1) teaches a suction blow valve unit (Fig. 5, First Valve 80) formed at one side of the first unit (Fig. 5, Work Table 10), the suction blow valve unit (Fig. 5, First Valve 80) configured such that a suction blow valve (Fig. 5, First Air Cylinder 50) is opened when the first cutter (Fig. 5, Cutter 60; Page 6, para 5) is moved downwards. Hwa also teaches that the suction blow valve unit (Fig. 5, First Valve 80) is configured to supply a fluid to remove foreign matter (Fig. 7; Page 4, para 8 – First Valve 80 supplies air to Exhaust Pipe 117 and discharges cut residue).\
Hwa also does not teach wherein the suction blow valve is configured to move along a suction blow rail and such movement is configured to open and close the suction blow valve.
山根 雅浩 (JP 6716756 B1) teaches a suction blow element (Fig. 7, Air Blow 65) which is configured to move along a suction blow rail (Fig. 7, Ball Screw 61), and which is able to be opened and closed (Page 5, Para 3). 山根 雅浩 additionally does not teach that the movement is configured to open and close the suction blow valve.
Despite the disclosures of Hoon, Kaneko, Hwa, and 山根 雅浩 teaching many features of the claimed invention, neither reference completely fulfills the limitations of the claims due to the differences in arrangement and lack of features from that of the claimed invention. Thus, claims 1-13 overcome the best-known art available and are considered allowable once rewritten to overcome the objection to claim 1.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see page 8, filed 12/8/2025, with respect to claim 1 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of claims 1-13 has been withdrawn.
Regarding claim 14, applicant's arguments filed 12/8/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant's arguments fail to comply with 37 CFR 1.111(b) because they amount to a general allegation that the claims define a patentable invention without specifically pointing out how the language of the claims patentably distinguishes them from the references.
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 ELLA LORRAINE KEENA whose telephone number is (571)272-1806. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30am - 5:00 pm ET.
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/ELLA L KEENA/ Examiner, Art Unit 3724 /BOYER D ASHLEY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3724