DETAILED ACTION
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
In response to the amendment received on 07/22/2026:
Claims 1 and 67 have been amended.
Claims 2-5, 7, 12-17 and 19-60 have been amended.
The previous and new prior art has been applied. All changes made are necessitated by the amendment. Thus the action is final.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 09/03/2026. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 1, 6, 9-11, 18, 61, 62, 64, 65 and 70-72 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by US Patent Application Publication 2012/0176730 to Takemura et al. in view of US Patent Application Publication 2016/0315301 to Kim et al.
With respect to claim 1, Takemura et al. teach a cell 1 comprising: a prismatic shaped cell housing 3 comprising a first portion 3 and a second portion 3 and defining a cell cavity between the first portion 3 and the second portion 3, wherein cell housing 3 includes a slanted wall; at least one positive electrode and at least one negative electrode arranged within the cell cavity of the cell housing 3, wherein the at least one positive and negative electrodes are substantially planar and have a prismatic shape substantially similar to that of the cell housing 3; a first terminal 5 connected to the at least one positive electrode at a first position on the cell housing 3; a second terminal 6 connected to the at least one negative electrode at a second position of the cell housing 3, wherein the slanted wall defines a pocket 8 within the cell housing 3 between edges of the at least one positive electrode and the at least one negative electrode and an interior surface of the slanted wall, wherein the pocket 8 is configured to collect gas generated within the cell housing 3; and at least one vent 4 formed at a third position on the slanted wall of the cell housing proximate the pocket 8, wherein the at least one vent 4 is initially in a closed state and configured to open upon an increase in pressure within the cell cavity and allow pressure and/or gases to leave the cell cavity through the at least one vent 4 (Takemura et al.: Sections [0030]-[0041]; Figs. 1 and 2).
Takemura et al. do not specifically teach the at least one vent configured to break open upon an increase in pressure within the cell cavity and allow pressure and/or gases to leave the cell cavity through the at least one vent.
However, Kim et al. teach a battery comprising a first vent holes V1, wherein if bonding of the sealing portion 23 breaks due to concentration of pressure p in regions in which the first vent holes V1 are located, the electrode leads 30 may be folded in a V-like shape along the folding grooves 33, and thus the pouch 20 may be rapidly opened. That is, if the pouch 20 swells, forces may be applied to the electrode leads 30 and the sealing portion 23 in opposite directions at the first vent holes V1 because of the internal pressure of the pouch 20, and thus the electrode leads 30 may be bent along the folding grooves 33 in a direction away from the sealing portion 23. Thus, bonding between the sealing portion 23 and the electrode leads 30 may be rapidly broken (Kim et al.: Section [0088]; Figs. 11-13).
It would have been obvious as of the effective filing dated of the claimed invention to have modified Takemura et al. with the teaching above from Kim et al. with the motivation of having a means such the vent release the pressure and the gases in the pouch in order to prevent further damage to the battery.
With respect to claim 6, Takemura et al. teach the cell 1, wherein each of the first portion and the second portion each include a respective flange and the flanges of the first portion and the second portion are jointed to form a bathtub configuration (Takemura et al.: Sections [0030]-[0041]; Figs. 1 and 2).
With respect to claim 9, Takemura et al. do not specifically teach the cell 1, wherein the at least one vent is integrally formed with material of the cell housing.
However, it would have been obvious as of the effective filing dated of the claimed invention to have the at least one vent is integrally formed with material of the cell housing, since it has been held that forming in one piece an article which has formerly been formed in two pieces and put together involves only routine skill in the art. Howard v. Detroit Stove Works, 150 U.S. 164 (1893).
With respect to claim 10, Takemura et al. teach the cell 1, wherein the at least one vent 4 is defined by a section of the cell housing 3 having a material thickness less than a material thickness of the cell housing around the at least one vent 4 (Takemura et al.: Sections [0030]-[0041]; Figs. 1 and 2).
With respect to claim 11, Takemura et al. do not specifically teach the cells 1, wherein the slanted wall includes at least one additional vent.
However, it would have been obvious as of the effective filing dated of the claimed invention to have the slanted wall includes at least one additional vent, since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8 (CA7 1977).
With respect to claim 18, Takemura et al. teach the cell 1, wherein the first portion 3 is a first side of a pouch and the second portion 3 is a second side of the pouch with a midsection defined between the first side and the second side, and wherein the midsection includes one or more terminal apertures configured to allow electrical connection between the first and second terminals 5 and 6 and the at least one positive electrode and the at least one negative electrode (Takemura et al.: Sections [0030]-[0041]; Figs. 1 and 2).
With respect to claim 61, Takemura et al. teach the cell 1, wherein the slanted wall includes convex curvature when the gas pressure inside the battery increased (Takemura et al.: Sections [0030]-[0041]; Figs. 1 and 2).
With respect to claim 62, Takemura et al. do not specifically teach the cells 1, wherein the cell housing has a thickness in a direction from the first portion to the second portion, wherein said thickness is 0.5 inches or less.
However, it would have been obvious as of the effective filing dated of the claimed invention to have the cell housing has a thickness in a direction from the first portion to the second portion, wherein said thickness is 0.5 inches or less, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233 (CCPA 1955).
With respect to claim 64, Takemura et al. teach the cell 1, wherein the first portion is attached to the second portion by heat sealing (Takemura et al.: Sections [0030]-[0041]; Figs. 1 and 2).
With respect to claim 65, Takemura et al. teach the cell 1, wherein each of the first portion 3 and the second portion 3 each include a respective flange and the flanges of the first portion 3 and the second portion 3 are joined to form a bathtub configuration (Takemura et al.: Sections [0030]-[0041]; Figs. 1 and 2).
With respect to claim 70, Takemura et al. teach the cell 1, wherein a vent of the at least one vent has circular shape (Takemura et al.: Sections [0030]-[0041]; Figs. 1 and 2).
With respect to claim 71, Takemura et al. do not specifically teach the cells 1, wherein a vent of the at least one vent has a wave-shape having at least one peak and at least one trough.
However, changes in shape of a known element have been held to be obvious. See Gardner v. TEC Systems, Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984) and In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966).
With respect to claim 72, Takemura et al. teach the cell 1, wherein the midsection includes one or more terminal apertures configured to allow electrical connection between the first and second terminals 5 and 6 and the at least one positive electrode and the at least one negative electrode (Takemura et al.: Sections [0030]-[0041]; Figs. 1 and 2).
Claims 8, 63, 66 and 67 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Application Publication 2012/0176730 to Takemura et al. in view of US Patent Application Publication 2016/0315301 to Kim et al. in further view of US Patent Application Publication 2004/0033416 to Kim et al. (hereafter Kim II)
With respect to claim 8, Takemura et al. do not specifically teach the cell 1, wherein the at least one positive electrode and the at least one negative electrode each comprise a plurality of respective electrodes arranged in an electrode stack of alternating positive and negative electrodes.
However, Kim II teaches a battery, wherein at least one positive electrode and the at least one negative electrode each comprise a plurality of respective electrodes arranged in an electrode stack of alternating positive and negative electrodes (Kim II: Section [0079]; Fig. 11B).
It would have been obvious as of the effective filing dated of the claimed invention to have modified Takemura et al. with the teaching above from Kim II with the motivation of having a means such it is one of the most common structures for electrode assembly.
With respect to claim 63, Takemura et al. do not specifically teach the cell 1, wherein the first portion of the cell housing 3 and the second portion of the cell housing 3 are two portions of a single sheet of material that is folded to define the cell cavity.
However, Kim II teaches a battery, wherein the first portion of the cell housing 3 and the second portion of the cell housing 3 are two portions of a single sheet of material that is folded to define the cell cavity (Kim II: Section [0007]; Fig. 1).
It would have been obvious as of the effective filing dated of the claimed invention to have modified Takemura et al. with the teaching above from Kim II with the motivation of having a means such it is one of the most common structure for pouch battery.
With respect to claims 66 and 67, Takemura et al. do not specifically teach the cell 1, wherein the at least one positive electrode and the at least one negative electrode each comprise a plurality of respective electrodes arranged in an electrode stack, the cell further comprising at least one interior housing insulator element arranged between a side of the electrode stack and at least one of the first portion or the second portion; and wherein the at least one interior housing insulator element is comprises a tape.
However, Kim II teaches a battery, wherein the at least one positive electrode and the at least one negative electrode each comprise a plurality of respective electrodes arranged in an electrode stack, the cell further comprising at least one interior housing insulator element arranged between a side of the electrode stack and at least one of the first portion or the second portion; and wherein the at least one interior housing insulator element is comprises a tape (Kim II: Section [0084]; Fig. 12A).
It would have been obvious as of the effective filing dated of the claimed invention to have modified Takemura et al. with the teaching above from Kim II with the motivation of having a means such it is one of the most common structures for pouch battery.
Claims 68 and 69 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Application Publication 2012/0176730 to Takemura et al. in view of US Patent Application Publication 2016/0315301 to Kim et al. in further view of US Patent Application Publication 2009/0053585 to Nakazawa.
With respect to claims 68 and 69, Takemura et al. do not specifically teach the cell 1, wherein the at least one positive electrode and the at least one negative electrode each comprise a plurality of respective electrodes divided into two or more electrode groups, the cell further comprising at least one divider arranged between each electrode group and an adjacent electrode group; wherein the at least one divider comprises a thermal conductor layer, a thermal insulator layer, or a combination of a thermal conductor layer and a thermal insulator layer.
However, Nakazawa teach a battery comprising a plurality of cells (electrode groups), wherein the battery comprising a deformation-preventive member 2, which could be a thermal insulating member (Nakazawa: Section [0025]; Fig. 1).
It would have been obvious as of the effective filing dated of the claimed invention to have modified Takemura et al. with the teaching above from Nakazawa with the motivation of having a means such the divider would prevent the heat transfer between an adjacent battery.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1 has been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LINGWEN R ZENG whose telephone number is (571)272-6649. The examiner can normally be reached 8am-5pm.
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/LINGWEN R ZENG/Examiner, Art Unit 1723 9/22/2026
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