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 .
Election/Restrictions
1. Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I in the reply filed on 12/31/2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 20-26 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 12/31/2025.
Priority
2. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
3. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 05/09/2023 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
4. 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.
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.
5. Claim(s) 11-14 and 16-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maeda et al. (Pub. No. US 20200273635 A1) in view of Lobert (Pub. No. US 20180019459 A1).
Regarding claim 11, Maeda teaches a method for producing a lithium-ion battery cell (10, Fig. 1, see [0037], a description of 10 and how it is made is detailed by Maeda making it a method of producing), the method comprising: providing a connecting pin (210, Fig. 3, see [0049]) and a connection plate (201, Fig. 3, see [0052]) of a battery cell housing (100, Fig. 1, see [0037] wherein 100 comprises 101 and 110) of the lithium-ion battery cell (10, Fig. 1, see [0037]), the connection plate (201, Fig. 3, see [0052]) having an opening (through-hole, see [0060]) for the connecting pin (210, Fig. 3, see [0049], see [0061] where 210 is inserted into the through-hole of 201) and comprising a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the connecting pin (210, Fig. 3, see [0049], see [0059] where 201 is made of aluminum, and 210 is made of copper, and as evidenced by *The Engineering Toolbox, aluminum has a coefficient of thermal expansion of 23.6*10---6m/(m*oC) while copper has a coefficient of thermal expansion of 17.6*10---6m/(m*oC)); inserting the connecting pin (210, Fig. 3, see [0049]) into the opening (through-hole, see [0060]) in the connection plate (201, Fig. 3, see [0052], see [0061] where 210 is inserted into the through-hole of 201); passing the connecting pin (210, Fig. 3, see [0049]) through an opening (112, Fig. 3, see [0053] where 210 is inserted through 112) in the battery cell housing (100, Fig. 1, see [0037] wherein 100 comprises 101 and 110, see in Fig. 3 where 112 is in 110); and connecting the connecting pin (210, Fig. 3, see [0049]) to a current collector (120, Fig. 3, see [0052] where 120 is electrically connected to 210) of at least one negative electrode (negative electrode plate, see [0042], see [0047] where 120 is connected to negative electrode side end portion) of the lithium-ion battery cell (10, Fig. 1, see [0037]), thereby electrically connecting the current collector (120, Fig. 3, see [0052] where 120 is electrically connected to 210) to the connection plate (201, Fig. 3, see [0052] where 201 is electrically connected to 120 using 210) but, Maeda fails to teach heating the connection plate and cooling the connection plate, thereby fixing the connecting pin in the connection plate.
However, Lobert teaches heating the connection plate (90, Fig. 6, see [0056] wherein the diameter of 90 is increased before positioning, and wherein the diameter is manipulated by heating) and cooling the connection plate (90, Fig. 6, see [0056] wherein the diameter of 90 is reduced after being pressed into place and wherein the diameter is manipulated by cooling), thereby fixing the connecting pin (84, Fig. 6, see [0056]) in the connection plate (90, Fig. 6, see [0056] where diameter of 90 is reduced causing it to press into 84 fixing it in place, and see in Fig. 6 where 84 is fixed in 90).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Maeda such that 201 is heated to increase diameter and cooled to decrease diameter to press 201 around 210 as taught by Lobert to improve coupling of terminals having dissimilar materials (see [0032] of Lobert). Further Maeda teaches that modifications can be made (see [0101] of Maeda).
*Additional Evidence Provided by The Engineering Toolbox (Metals – Temperature Expansion Coefficients, 2005) which shows gives the thermal expansion coefficient of aluminum and copper.
Regarding claim 12, Maeda in view of Lobert teaches wherein the connection plate (201, Fig. 3, see [0052]) comprises aluminum (aluminum, see [0058] where 201 is made of aluminum), and the connecting pin (201, Fig. 3, see [0052]) comprises copper (copper, see [0058] where 210 is made of copper).
Regarding claim 13, Maeda in view of Lobert teaches wherein the current collector (120, Fig. 3, see [0052]) of the at least one negative electrode (negative electrode plate, see [0042], see [0047] where 120 is connected to negative electrode side end portion) comprises copper (copper, see [0058] where 120 is made of copper).
Regarding claim 14, Maeda in view of Lobert fails to teach wherein the connection plate is heated to a temperature in a range from 250oC. to 550oC.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Maeda in view of Lobert such that 201 is heated to a temperature in a range of 2500C to 5500C as temperature of 201 is a result effective variable of change in diameter of the opening in 201 as evidenced by **The Engineers Toolbox (see explanation below). Further Maeda in view of Lobert teaches that modifications can be made (see [0101] of Maeda).
**Additional Evidence provided by The Engineers Toolbox (circular ring – temperature expansion, 2010) and shows it is known that the thermal expansion of a circular ring is represented by equation: d1 = d0 (dt*a + 1), wherein d1 is diameter of opening, dt is change in temperature, and a is the thermal expansion coefficient of the metal. Therefore, given that the components begin at room temperature, dt would be heating temperature minus room temperature, therefore one of ordinary skill in the art can see the heating temperature of the metal is a result effective variable of final diameter of an opening.
Regarding claim 16, Maeda in view of Lobert fails to teach in this embodiment wherein a current collector of at least one positive electrode of the lithium-ion battery cell is connected to a further connecting pin.
However, Maeda further teaches in a different embodiment wherein a current collector (130, Fig. 2, see [0029]) of at least one positive electrode (positive electrode, see [0045] where 130 is connected to the positive electrode) of the lithium-ion battery cell (10, Fig. 1, see [0037]) is connected to a further connecting pin (shaft portion, see [0103] wherein 300 includes a shaft portion, see [0046] wherein 300 300 is connected to 130, therefore the shaft portion is connected to 130), wherein the further connecting pin (shaft portion, see [0103]) is integrally formed with a further connection plate (terminal body, see [0103] where the terminal body and the shaft portion ore integrated by applying press working to an aluminum bar), wherein the further connecting pin (shaft portion, see [0103]) and the further connection plate (terminal body, see [0103]) comprise aluminum (aluminum, see [0103]).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the embodiment of Claim 11 to include a shaft portion integrally formed with a terminal body formed of aluminum and connected to 130 as taught by the embodiment of [0103] of Maeda. Further, it has been held that combining two embodiments disclosed adjacent to each other in a prior art patent does not require a leap of inventiveness and involves only routine skill in the art. Further Maeda in view of Lobert teaches that modifications can be made (see [0101] of Maeda).
Regarding claim 17, Maeda in view of Lobert teaches wherein the further connecting pin (shaft portion, see [0103]) is integrally formed with a further connection plate (terminal body, see [0103] where the terminal body and the shaft portion ore integrated by applying press working to an aluminum bar, see modification above).
Regarding claim 18, Maeda in view of Lobert teaches wherein the further connecting pin (shaft portion, see [0103]) and the further connection plate (terminal body, see [0103]) comprise aluminum (aluminum, see [0103], see modification above).
Regarding claim 19, Maeda in view of Lobert teaches wherein the current collector (130, Fig. 2, see [0029]) of the at least one positive electrode (positive electrode, see [0045] where 130 is connected to the positive electrode) comprises aluminum (aluminum, see [0046] where 130 is formed of aluminum).
6. Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maeda et al. (Pub. No. US 20200273635 A1) in view of Lobert (Pub. No. US 20180019459 A1) as applied to claim 11 above, and further in view of Wakimoto et al. (Pub. No. US 20160293928 A1).
Regarding claim 15, Maeda in view of Lobert fails to teach wherein the connecting pin is connected to the current collector by welding.
However, Wakimoto teaches a connecting pin (9, Fig. 1, see [0038]) is connected to the current collector (8, Fig. 1, see [0038]) by welding (welded, see [0038]).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Maeda in view of Lobert such that 210 is welded to 120 as taught by Wakimoto to provide excellent resistance against vibration (see [0017] of Wakimoto). Further Maeda in view of Lobert teaches that modifications can be made (see [0101] of Maeda).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DOUGLAS CALEB MARROQUIN whose telephone number is (571)272-0166. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30-5:00 EST.
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/DOUGLAS C MARROQUIN/Examiner, Art Unit 1723 /TIFFANY LEGETTE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1723