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 .
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sada (U.S. Patent Publication 2017/0162837) in view of Matsumura (JP Publication S563972).
Regarding claim 1, Sada discloses a battery comprising: an electrode assembly 11, an electrolyte, and a battery case 12 housing them, wherein the battery case includes a case main body 20, a sealing body 30 that seals the opening of the case main body, and an insulating body 40 that is disposed at least at a part where the case main body and the sealing body are in contact with each other (Paragraph 0020). Sada also discloses that the battery case is a metal container housing includes the case main body having a bottomed cylinder shape, and has a structure in which the opening of the case main body is sealed by the sealing body, wherein the case main body has a supporting portion 21 on which the sealing body is mounted with the sealing body held between the supporting portion and an open end 22 crimped to the sealing body, and wherein the supporting portion is formed in the upper part of the case main body, has a shape such that part of the inner surface of the case main body protrudes inwardly, and supports the sealing body with the upper surface of the protruding part (Paragraphs 0030-0031). Sada teaches that an insulating body 40 is provided between the inner surface of the case main body and the outer peripheral surface and upper and lower surfaces of the sealing body, wherein the insulating body comprises a resin 41 and a filler 42, such as silica (Paragraphs 0037, 0038, 0048 and Fig. 3). As to claim 2, aluminum oxide has a molecular weight of about 102 and the total number of valences of cation is 3, resulting in a ratio of 34.
Sada fails to disclose that sealing body is caulked between the supporting portion and the open end, and that the filler can comprise a hydroxide or carbonate.
Regarding claim 1, Matsumura discloses an alkaline battery comprising a battery container and lid sealed by a gasket with a carbonate substance interposed between the metal parts of the container and lid (Paragraph 0001). Matsumura shows that the gasket is used to caulk the sealing body between the supporting portion and the open end (figure 2). As to claim 3, Matsumura teaches that carbonate materials that react with the electrolyte to produce precipitates can be used (Paragraph 0001).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the present invention that a gasket could be used between the sealing body and the insulating body of Sada because Matsumura teaches that the gasket aids in caulking the sealing body between the supporting portion and the open end of the case to create an improved seal. It also would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the filler of Sada could be a carbonate because Matsumura teaches that the carbonate reacts with the electrolyte to create precipitates to prevent corrosion of the seal and improve leakage resistance.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sada (U.S. Patent Publication 2017/0162837) in view of Matsumura (JP Publication S563972) as applied to claims 1-2 above, and further in view of Noritomi (JP Publication 2002-237333).
The teachings of Sada and Matsumura have been discussed in paragraph 3 above.
Sada and Matsumura fail to disclose that the carbonate is lithium carbonate or sodium carbonate.
Noritomi discloses a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprising an electrode group and an electrolyte contained in a sealed container, wherein the electrolyte comprises fluorine containing salts, some water, and a substance for trapping hydrogen fluoride, such as lithium carbonate (Paragraphs 0011, 0084, 0087, 0089).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the present invention that the carbonate used in the seal of Sada and Matsumura could be lithium carbonate because Noritomi teaches that lithium carbonate helps to absorb hydrogen fluoride which is known to be create from a reaction between water and fluorine-containing salts in the electrolyte and can be corrosive.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 12/18/2025, have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, due to the amendments made to the claims, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of a newly found prior art reference.
Applicants argue that Sada and Fujikawa fail to disclose that a region of an inner surface of the outer housing between the groove portion and the opening end includes powder of one or more compounds selected from a group consisting of hydroxide or carbonate. The references, Matsumura and Noritomi, are now being used to teach that carbonates can be used to absorb harmful compounds created by the electrolyte that corrode the metals and sealants of the case.
Applicants also argue that Sada and Fujikawa fail to disclose that the compounds neutralize generated hydrogen fluoride to inhibit corrosion of the outer housing. The reference, Noritomi, is now being used to teach that lithium carbonate can absorb the hydrogen fluoride that is often created by the electrolyte, which would prevent a known corrosion reaction between the hydrogen fluoride and the casing components.
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 BRITTANY L RAYMOND whose telephone number is (571)272-6545. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9 am-6 pm.
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BRITTANY L. RAYMOND
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1722
/BRITTANY L RAYMOND/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1722