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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 1-13 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3, 5, 7-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Abe et al (US 2006/0216609 A1).
Regarding Claim 1,
Abe teaches a positive electrode (figure 1, element 3), that includes a positive collector 1 (electrode current collector), a positive active material containing layer 2 (electrode mixture layer), an exposed portion of the positive collector that does not have the active material layer formed (this is akin to the claimed electrode tab; annotated figure 1 below). An insulating resin film 9 is provided on the positive collector exposed portion 8 (Paragraph 0031). This is akin to the adhesive coating portion disposed on atleast a portion of an upper surface of the electrode tab. Abe also states that the invention is useful in preventing the occurrence of a short circuit between the positive collector exposed portion and the negative electrode to improve battery safety (Paragraph 0014).
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Regarding Claim 2,
Abe teaches that the insulating resin film is provided on a portion of a surface of the electrode tab 8. This is clearly shown in Figure 1.
Regarding Claim 3 and Claim 5,
Abe teaches that the insulating resin film 9 in Figure 2 (annotated below) is provided on the positive collector exposed portion 8 and an end portion of the positive active material containing layer 2. This is clearly seen in Figure 2 below. Here the film is disposed on the surface of an outer periphery of one side of the electrode mixture layer adjacent to the electrode tab, and on the upper surface of the electrode tab.
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Regarding Claim 7 and Claim 8,
Abe teaches that the insulating resin layer is made of heat resistant resin such as polyvinylidene fluoride, and its derivatives, an epoxy resin, a polyamide resin etc (Paragraph 0021). Abe also teaches the use of thermoplastic resin such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polymethyl methacrylate etc. The instant specification also states the use of polymer material such as polyvinylidene fluoride, polymethyl methacrylate, polyethylene, polypropylene, and that this material has a glass transition temperature of 100 C or lower (instant spec; paragraph 98). Abe teaches the same material as instant specification above but does not expressly teach the glass transition temperature. It is reasonable to presume that the property of glass transition temperature is inherent to Abe.
Regarding Claim 9,
Abe teaches in Figure 1 that the adhesive coating portion is disposed on atleast one surface of the electrode current collector. As can also be seen in Figure 1, a separator 7 is in contact with the adhesive coating portion. Abe also states that the adhesion between the insulating resin film and the separator is improved by heating and pressing (Paragraph 0040) further implying attachment between the surfaces.
Regarding Claim 10,
Abe teaches the method of manufacturing the electrode that comprises applying a paste of positive electrode active material on a current collector foil (Paragraph 0053), and then applying a slurry of the heat resistant resin to the positive collector exposed portion (Paragraph 0054), and then interposing a separator between the positive and the negative electrode (Paragraph 0056). The method includes the process of pressing with a calendar roll or the like (Paragraph 0040). Abe teaches that the insulating resin film is applied to the current collector in the manner shown in Figure 1 which meets the limitations related to the adhesive coating portion. An insulating resin film 9 is provided on the positive collector exposed portion 8 (Paragraph 0031; electrode tab). This is akin to the adhesive coating portion disposed on atleast a portion of an upper surface of the electrode tab.
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Regarding Claim 11,
Abe teaches that the method of manufacturing the electrode could comprise a combination of heating and pressure that further improves the adhesion between the insulating resin film and the electrode or separator (Paragraph 0040). This implies that the pressing step of method comprises a heating process.
Regarding Claim 12,
Abe teaches the formation of the insulating resin film on a positive electrode (Paragraph 0030).
Regarding Claim 13,
Abe teaches that the non-aqueous electrolyte battery of the invention can be a rectangular battery or a cylindrical battery using a steel can or an aluminum can as an outer shell, or a soft package battery using a metal deposited laminated film as an outer shell (Paragraph 0050). These types of batteries comprise stacked electrode assembly, or a jelly roll type electrode assembly. Figure 1 in Abe also is a cross sectional view of an exemplary winding body of the battery that shows the rolled electrode assembly.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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(s) 4, 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abe in view of Ariga et al (WO 2018020906 A1; machine translation).
Regarding Claim 4,
Abe does not teach the adhesive coating portion is disposed at an upper surface of an outer periphery of the electrode mixture layer opposite an outer periphery of one side of the electrode mixture layer at which the electrode tab is disposed.
However, Ariga teaches about a resin layer 50 on a positive electrode 34 such that it is provided on the end opposite to the positive metal foil exposed portion 34c (Page 10 of machine translation). This is seen in Figure 6.
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Hence, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the adhesive layer configuration of Ariga in order to suppress internal short circuits (Page 3 of machine translation).
Regarding Claim 6,
Abe does not teach the adhesive coating portion is disposed at upper surface of the electrode tab, an upper surface of an outer periphery of one side of the electrode mixture layer adjacent to the electrode tab, and an upper surface of an outer periphery of the electrode mixture layer opposite the outer periphery of the one side of the electrode mixture layer.
However, Ariga teaches in Figure 11 that the resin layer 50 is arranged on the outer periphery of the electrode mixture layer adjacent to the tab 34c and on a surface opposite to that outer periphery. Hence, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the adhesive coating on both periphery as shown in Ariga and combine with the coating configuration of Abe in order to reliably prevent foreign matter from entering from the outside (Page 22 and 23 of machine translation).
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References of Interest
Examiner notes the following references of interest pertinent to the claimed subject matter.
Murai et al (US 20200075920 A1)
Huh et al (US 20140255778 A1)
Conclusion
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/SUHANI JITENDRA PATEL/Examiner, Art Unit 1783
/MARIA V EWALD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1783