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 .
Response to Amendment
Upon consideration, the previous rejection of record was withdrawn in light of new amendments. However new rejection is applied to the amended claims. All changes made in the rejection are necessitated by the amendment.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-12 have 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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 05-28-2026 and 06-22-2026 are 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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1 and 8-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2018/0205048 hereinafter Enomoto in view of WO 2019/087708 A1 [English equivalent US 2020/0365891] hereinafter Harada and U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2010/0028758 hereinafter Eaves.
Regarding Claim 1, Enomoto teaches a battery module [10] (see annotated figure 1 below) comprising: a plurality of cylindrical cells (lithium secondary batteries) [11] that are disposed side by side; and a thermal conductive material (heat absorbing material) [20] disposed in contact with side surfaces of the cylindrical cells (paragraphs 15, 18, 24, 27), wherein each cylindrical cell [11] comprises an electrode body (i.e., a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode), a non-aqueous electrolyte, and a cell case [12] housing the electrode body and the electrolyte (paragraph 19).
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Enomoto does not specify that at the negative electrode, a lithium metal deposits during charge and the lithium metal dissolves during discharge.
However, Harada teaches a lithium secondary battery [10] comprising: a positive electrode [11], a negative electrode [12], a separator [13] disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte that comprises a lithium salt (paragraphs 16, 52), wherein the negative electrode is an electrode on which lithium metal is deposited at the time of charge, and the lithium metal dissolves in the non-aqueous electrolyte at the time of discharge (paragraph 39). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form such batteries with the negative electrode and lithium salt before the effective filing date of the claimed invention because Harada discloses that such configuration can form a battery with increased capacity (paragraphs 6, 10).
The combination does not specify a sheet member disposed between the plurality of lithium secondary batteries.
However, Eaves teaches a battery pack that comprises a plurality of battery cells [10] and a sheet member (thermal suppression element) [1] formed between the battery cells (paragraph 30, see annotated figure 1 below). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form a sheet member (thermal suppression element) between the battery cells before the effective filing date of the claimed invention because Eaves discloses that the cell groups are assembled so as to confine the thermal suppression element between the cells of the groups, such that the suppression element is in good thermal contact with each of the cells, whereby it can effectively absorb and safely dissipate a substantial portion of any heat released from the cells (paragraph 30).
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The use of known technique (i.e., sheet member between the battery cells) to improve similar products (or methods) in the same way is likely to be obvious (see MPEP § 2143, C).
Regarding Claim 8, Enomoto teaches a battery module case that comprises a pair of posts [30] and insulating plate [42 or 47] (i.e., first and second holder) that accommodates the plurality of cylindrical cells and the thermal conductive material (heat absorbing material), wherein a first end of the cylindrical cell is housed in the first holder, and the second end is housed in the second holder (see annotated figure 1).
Regarding Claim 9, Enomoto teaches that the thermal conductive material (heat absorbing material) [20] includes a resin, and particles (filler) packed in the resin, and the particles contain an inorganic substance that decomposes through an endothermic reaction (paragraph 15).
Regarding Claim 10, the combination teaches that the sheet member is a sheet-like temperature adjustment member (paragraphs 29, 31, 38 of Eaves).
Regarding Claim 11, the combination teaches that the sheet member comprises an electrically insulation material (i.e., polyethylene or polypropylene film) (paragraph 42 of Eaves) and which has higher strength than the heat absorbing material.
Regarding Claim 12, the combination teaches that the plurality of battery cells is arranged in a staggered manner (see figure 1 of Enomoto) and the sheet member is a flexible film (paragraphs 29 and 31 of Eaves).
Claim(s) 2-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Enomoto, Harada and Eaves as applied above, and further in view of U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2012/0171536 hereinafter Kaneda.
The combination of Enomoto, Harada and Eaves is described above and incorporated herein.
Regarding Claims 2 and 3, the combination teaches a lithium secondary battery that comprises a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte (paragraph 16 of Harada). The combination does not specify that the battery further comprises a spacer disposed between the separator and at least one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode, wherein a region facing the positive electrode or the negative electrode has a first region facing the spacer, and a second region not facing the spacer, and wherein a height of the spacer is 20 µm or more.
However, Kaneda teaches a lithium secondary battery that comprises a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate, a separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, a spacer, and a non-aqueous electrolyte (paragraphs 34-35), wherein the spacer [10] is disposed between the separator and the positive (negative) electrode plate, wherein a region facing the positive electrode plate has a first region facing the spacer and a second region not facing the spacer, and wherein a height of the spacer is 1 to 30 µm (paragraphs 116, see figures 3-5). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form a spacer between the separator and the positive (negative) electrode plate before the effective filing date of the claimed invention because Kaneda discloses that the volume increase of the electrode plates due to expansion thereof during charge can be absorbed more effectively with such modification (paragraph 41).
Claim(s) 4-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Enomoto, Harada and Eaves as applied above, and further in view of U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2016/0056472 hereinafter Abe.
The combination of Enomoto, Harada and Eaves is described above and incorporated herein.
Regarding Claim 4, the combination does not specify a ratio of a volume Vs of gaps in the electrode plate group, relative to a true volume Vr of the electrode plate group being 30% or more and 45% or less.
However, Abe teaches a secondary battery that comprises a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator, and a non-aqueous electrolyte (paragraph 39), wherein the positive (negative) electrode comprises an electrode active material layer having a porosity of 20 to 40 vol. % (35 to 50 vol. %) (paragraphs 57, 71). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form an electrode active material layer having such porosity before the effective filing date of the claimed invention because Abe discloses that such modification can form a battery with improved cycle characteristics (paragraphs 58, 72).
Regarding Claims 5-6, the combination teaches that the non-aqueous electrolyte contains an oxalate salt [i.e., lithium difluoro oxalate borate] (paragraph 60 of Harada) and a mass ratio of the oxalate salt to the electrode plate group is 0.0004 to 0.0019 (i.e., 60 to 99 mass % of electrode material and 0.005 to 0.2 mol/L of oxalate salt) (paragraphs 69, 116 of Abe).
Regarding Claim 7, the combination teaches a proportion of the lithium metal with respect to all lithium disposed on the negative electrode is 92 mass% or more (i.e., lithium metal is used as the negative electrode material) (paragraph 40 of Harada).
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 OSEI K AMPONSAH whose telephone number is (571)270-3446. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, NICHOLAS A SMITH can be reached at (571)272-8760. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/OSEI K AMPONSAH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1752
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