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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 10/10/2025 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant argument to the definition of sides in relationship to “free side” being a distinguishing side is persuasive. Previously applied 112 rejection is overcome in view of arguments and amendment.
Applicant's arguments filed 10/10/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argument pertaining to electrode tab having an insulating layer on one side and a weld on the other is not persuasive. The outermost electrode tab is in direct contact with the insulating layer. A weld penetrates metal layers and therefore it is interpreted the other layer of the outermost electrode tab would comprise a weld that brings the electrode tab and electrode lead to each other.
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) 10-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sekisui (WO 2020/067511) and further in view of Moon (PGPUB 2011/0039131)
Claim 10: Sekisui teaches a battery with a short-circuiting prevention layer provided on the surface of a first electrode [Abstract]. The membrane electrode assembly comprises a positive electrode plate (10X) and a negative electrode plate (20Y) whereby a composition slurry forms the active material of the electrodes and is applied to a current collector [Membrane electrode assembly preparation step]; this teaches applicant’s electrode current collector coated with an electrode active material. The connection areas (a1, a2) of the membrane electrode assembly (5) [Membrane electrode assembly preparation step] are interpreted to read on applicant’s electrode tab as they have a free end having a side surface opposite the side surface of the electrode current collector and a pair of first side surfaces extending along corresponding side surfaces of the electrode current collector [Fig 2, 6, 8]. Applicant’s electrode lead are taught by the prior art tabs (16, 26) [Membrane electrode assembly preparation step].
The outermost electrode tab is in direct contact with the insulating layer. A weld penetrates metal layers and therefore it is interpreted the other layer of the outermost electrode tab would comprise a weld that brings the electrode tab and electrode lead to each other. The weld is taught by Sekisui to be “resistance welding, ultrasonic welding, fusion, and the like.” This type of assembly is interpreted to read on the instant claim metrics of a layer on the first side of the pair of first side surfaces and a weld on a second side surface. Additionally, the instant claim does not recite “directly” to identify the connection method and therefore claims can be met by a connection from a first side surface and additional features till the connection of the insulating film is met.
Sekisui teaches a final product having a short-circuiting prevention layer (50, 51) exemplified to be an organic material of polyimide [Short-circuit prevention layer], interpreted to read on applicant’s insulating layer. Sekisui also teaches a weld step in order to form the connection between the tab and the connection areas [Membrane electrode assembly preparation step]. It appears the order of operation taught by Sekisui is exemplified to be first a weld step [Fig 8A] and then a coating step of the insulating material [Fig. 8B]. It would be obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to change the order of the prior art process steps – MPEP 2144.04 IV C.
In addition, Moon teaches a secondary battery with electrical connection between electrode tabs [abstract]. The electrode tabs (110, 210) are taught to be conductively connected to electrode connection tabs (331, 332) through a weld [Fig 5A; 0071-0077]. Moon teaches applying an insulative cover layer (330) in order to enable the weld [0075-0077], which is exemplified to be polyimide [0075]. One having ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing would have found it obvious to change the sequencing of steps of Sekisui to have a coating step first and then a weld under case law and additionally because the materials of the coating are the same of Moon which is specific use in a spot weld technique. The instant claim does not lay weight to a specific type of welding, but Moon provides motivation and support for a spot weld method to connect electrical tabs and connectors of battery cells [0006-0007].
Claim 11-12: Sekisui teaches the insulating film to be formed by coating on an entirety of the sides [Fig 2, 6, 7]. The material is applied in a liquid form and will coat the sides [Short-circuiting prevention layer forming step].
Claim 13: Sekisui teaches a feature of two elements welded wherein the limitation of the end of the electrode lead proximal to the electrode tab is welded to the electrode tab [Fig 7; Membrane electrode assembly preparation step].
Claim 14: Sekisui teaches a weld location that meets the limitation of applicant’s location of the end of the electrode lead proximal to the electrode tab and the free end of the electrode tab [Fig 7; Membrane electrode assembly preparation step].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEPHEN J YANCHUK whose telephone number is (571)270-7343. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 10a-8p.
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/STEPHEN J YANCHUK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1752