DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
Claims 1-5, 7-8 and 9-14 are pending in the application. Previous grounds of rejection have been maintained.
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 1-5 and 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Imayado et al. (JP 2009/037894, see Machine Translation).
Regarding claim 1, Imayado et al. discloses in Figs 1-13, an electrode (ref 10) for a secondary battery (Fig 8), the electrode (ref 10) comprising: an electrode current collector (ref 11); a first active material (ref 12) located on the electrode current collector (ref 11) to provide a coated portion (Fig 1); and an electrode tab (ref 13) located on a first surface (Fig 1, top) of the electrode current collector (ref 11), the electrode tab (ref 13) having at least one hole (“hole”, Fig 1 below) and an extension portion (“EP”, Fig 1 below) defining a portion (Fig 1) of the at least one hole (“hole”, Fig 1 below) and extending from (Fig 1) the electrode tab (ref 13), the extension portion (“EP”, Fig 1 below) being in contact with (Fig 1) the electrode current collector (ref 11), the collector further comprising a portion (ref 52) where no first active material is located (Figs 9-12) on the first surface of the electrode current collector (ref 50), wherein the electrode tab (ref 53) is located on (Figs 9-12) the uncoated portion (ref 52) where no first active material is located (Figs 9-12) while overlapping the portion (ref 52) where no first active material is located (Figs 9-12), and a length (Figs 9-12) of the portion (ref 52) where no first active material is located (Figs 9-12) is shorter than a length of the coated portion (depicted in Figs 9-12, coated portions at 51 are truncated in the figs, but extend to a whole electrode as depicted in the battery of Fig 8).
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Regarding claim 2, Imayado et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the extension portion (“EP”, Fig 1 above) of the electrode tab (ref 13) is in contact with a side surface (at ref 15) of the electrode current collector (ref 11) exposed by the at least one hole (“hole”, Fig 1 above).
Regarding claim 3, Imayado et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the electrode tab (ref 13) is located on (Fig 1) the first active material layer (ref 12, top) while overlapping (Fig 1) the first active material layer (ref 12, top).
Regarding claim 4, Imayado et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the electrode current collector (ref 11) has the first surface (ref 11, top) on which the first active material layer (ref 12, top) is located and a second surface (ref 11, bottom) located opposite the first surface (ref 11, top), and the extension portion (“EP”, Fig 1 above) is bent (Fig 7d, 13 is bent over bottom 12) so as to overlap (Fig 7d) the second surface (ref 11, bottom) thereby forming an electrode tab fixing portion (Fig 7d, bent bottom part of 13).
Regarding claim 5, Imayado et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses a second active material layer (ref 12, bottom) located on the second surface (ref 11, bottom) of the electrode current collector (ref 11), wherein the electrode tab fixing portion (Fig 7d, bent bottom part of 13) is in contact with (Fig 7d) the second active material layer (ref 12, bottom).
Regarding claim 7, Imayado et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the electrode current collector (refs 11, 50) has the first surface (top of refs 11, 50) on which the first active material layer (refs 12, 51) is located, and a second surface (bottom of refs 11, 50) located opposite the first surface (Figs 1, 9-12), and wherein the electrode tab (refs 13, 53) is in contact with (Figs 9-12) the first surface (top of refs 11, 50) of the electrode current collector (refs 11, 50) in the portion (ref 52) where no first active material is located (Figs 9-12).
Regarding claim 8, Imayado et al. discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the extension portion (“EP”, Fig 1 above) of the electrode tab (ref 13) is bent (Fig 7d) so as to overlap the second surface (bottom ref 11) of the electrode current collector (ref 11), thereby forming an electrode tab fixing portion (Fig 7d, bent bottom part of 13).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 3/30/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicants argue Imayado does not disclose the length of the portion where no first action material is located is shorter than the length of the coated portion. Applicants further this argument by stating Imayado merely illustrates conventional art where the length of the uncoated portion is equal to or greater than the length of the coated portion, pointing to Fig 10 of Imayado as a representative example.
However, as stated in the 12/29/25 office action with respect to dependent claim 9, Fig 10 depicts an active material + collector structure (refs 51, 50) that is truncated, as indicated by the wavy lines at “truncated” Fig 10 below. Thus, while the uncoated area (ref 52) appears at least equal to or greater than in length to the coated area (ref 51) in Fig 10 itself, this does not account for the truncated portions. Removing the truncation (wavy lines at “truncated”, Fig 10 below) results in making the coating longer in length than the uncoated area. Further, as also stated in the 12/29/25 office action with respect to dependent claim 9, Fig 8 depicts an entire structure of a battery, including, in this instance, a cylindrical shape, having a definite length. Ostensibly, the battery depicted in Fig 8 is not truncated, showing a full length (and width). One of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing would have interpreted Fig 10 of Imayado in light of Fig 8, applying its full length / dimensions to the battery of Fig 8, and interpreting the uncoated portion shorter / smaller than the coat portion (i.e. the coated portion extends the full dimensions of the battery of Fig 8). As such, this argument is not found persuasive.
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Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
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/KENNETH J DOUYETTE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725
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