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 .
This is a final office action in response to Applicant’s remarks and amendments filed on June 22, 2026. Claim 1 is currently amended. Claims 1-8 are pending review in this action.
New grounds of rejection necessitated by Applicant’s amendments are presented below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1, 2, 7 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent No. 6,605,382, hereinafter Ruth.
Regarding claim 1, Ruth teaches a battery (“power storage device”). The battery (“power storage device”) comprises a first electrode strip (30) and a second electrode strip (32) (abstract, col. 2, lines 41-44 and figures 1 and 2).
The first electrode strip (30) has a strip first current collector (40) and a first active material (42) carried on the strip first current collector (40) (col. 2, lines 44-47 and figures 2 and 3).
The second electrode strip (32) has a strip second current collector (44) and a second active material (46) carried on the strip second current collector (44) (col. 2, lines 48-50 and figure 2).
A separator (34) is interposed between the first electrode strip (30) and the second electrode strip (32) (col. 2, lines 41-44 and figure 2).
The first electrode strip (30), second electrode strip (32) and the separator (34) form a columnar wound body (22) (col. 2, lines 37-39 and figure 1).
The battery (“power storage device”) further comprises a cylindrical can (12) covering an outer periphery of the columnar wound body (22) (col. 2, lines 27-31 and figure 1).
The cylindrical can (12) is electrically connected to the second electrode plate (32) (col. 3, lines 55-57).
The cylindrical can (12) has a first opening (16) and a cap assembly (78, 100 and 108, “sealing body”) that seals the first opening (16) (col. 2, lines 27-31; col. 3, lines 33-35; col. 3, lines 66-67; col. 4, lines 1-2 and figures 1 and 4).
A dielectric ring (70, “gasket”) is provided between the cap assembly (78, 100 and 108, “sealing body”) and the first opening (16) (col. 3, lines 21-32 and figures 1 and 4).
Multiple first tabs (50, 52) serve to electrically connect the first electrode strip (30) to the cover assembly (78, 100 and 108, “sealing body”) (col. 3, lines 6-9, 42-49 and figures 4 and 5).
One end of each first tab (50, 52) is electrically connected to the first current collector (40) and the other end of each first tab (50, 52) is electrically connected to the cap assembly (78, 100 and 108, “sealing body”) (col. 3, lines 6-9, 45-49 and figures 3 and 4).
The cap assembly (78, 100 and 108, “sealing body”) includes metal ring (78, “first member”) and end cap (100 and 108, “second member”) (col. 3, lines 33-35, 66-67 and figures 4 and 5).
The metal ring (78, “first member”) includes a first face (88) facing away from the columnar wound body (22) (col. 3, lines 39-40 and figure 4). The end cap (100 and 108, “second member”) has a second face facing the columnar wound body (22) (figure 4).
The other end of each first tab (50, 52) is welded to the first face (88) of the metal ring (78, “first member”) to form a first welding portion (col. 3, lines 47-49 and figure 4). The first welding portion is positioned between the first face (88) and the second face (of the end cap (100, “second member”) facing columnar body (22)) (figure 4).
An annular shoulder (68) protrudes radially inwardly from a circumferential side surface of the cylindrical can (12) (col. 3, lines 19-21 and figure 4). The annular shoulder (68) defines a groove that has an annular shape and has an inner surface protruding radially inwardly.
The metal ring (78, “first member”) is provided on the inner surface of the groove with the dielectric ring (70, “gasket”) therebetween (col. 3, lines 32-39 and figure 4). The metal ring (78, “first member”) extends to the open end of the cylindrical can (12) and is thus located closer to the first opening (16) than the groove is (figure 4).
Regarding claim 2, Ruth teaches that the metal ring (78, “first member”) is an annular member. The metal ring (78, “first member”) includes a recess (104) and a central hole through which the plurality of first tabs (50, 52) pass (col. 3, lines 45-47 and figure 4).
The end cap (100 and 108, “second member”) is inserted into the recess (104) of the metal ring (78, “first member”) and fills the central hole (col. 3, lines 66-67; col. 4, lines 1-2 and figure 4). Therefore, the conductive end cap (100 and 108, “second member”) plugs the central hole.
Regarding claim 7, Ruth teaches that the cylindrical can (12) is a metal case (col. 2, lines 27-29).
Regarding claim 8, Ruth teaches that the cylindrical can (12) is a body formed of a wound metal sheet figure (col. 2, lines 27-29).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102/103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 3 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by, or in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over U.S. Patent No. 6,605,382, hereinafter Ruth.
Regarding claim 3, Ruth teaches that the end cap (100 and 108, “second member”) is sealed against the recess (104) of the metal ring (78, “first member”) (col. 3, lines 66-67). The recess (104) is radially outside of the first welding portion (figure 4), therefore the seal between the metal ring (78, “first member”) and the end cap (100 and 108, “second member”) is radially outside of the first welding portion.
Ruth describes sealing the opposite end of the cylindrical can (12) with end cap (96) by welding the end cap (96) against the edge (94) of the cylindrical can (12) (col. 3, lines 59-62).
It is thus understood that the end cap (100 and 108, “second member”) is sealed against the recess (104) of the metal ring (78, “first member”) also by welding to form a second welding portion.
Alternatively, it would have been obvious to the ordinarily skilled artist before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to seal the end cap (100 and 108, “second member”) against the recess (104) of the metal ring (78, “first member”) by welding for the purpose of ensuring a leak-free seal.
Regarding claim 4, Ruth teaches that the metal ring (78, “first member”) includes a recess formed into an annular shape and having the first face (88) as a bottom face of the recess (figure 4).
The end cap (100 and 108, “second member”) has a central portion plugging the central hole and an outer peripheral portion surrounding the central portion.
The entire periphery of the outer peripheral portion is joined to the metal ring (78, “first member”) by the second welding portion.
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 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent No. 6,605,382, hereinafter Ruth as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2003/0003356, hereinafter Tsukamoto.
Regarding claim 5, Ruth teaches multiple first tabs (50, 52) joined to the first face (88). Ruth further teaches that the purpose of the arrangement is to minimize wasted interior volume within the cylindrical can (12) (abstract). Ruth’s figure 4 appears to show empty space between the metal ring (78, “first member”) and the end cap (100 and 108, “second member”).
Ruth fails to teach that the multiple first tabs (50, 52) are joined to the second face.
The Tsukamoto reference is commonly owned with Ruth and cites Ruth. Tsukamoto teaches a similar arrangement including a metal ring (52, “first member”) and an end cap (51, “second member”). End cap (51, “second member”) is inserted into metal ring (52) without leaving empty space in between (figures 3F, 3G, 3H and 3I). Electrode tabs pass through a central opening of metal ring (52, “first member”) and are sandwiched between the end cap (51, “second member”) and metal ring (52) (paragraph [0026]).
It would have been obvious to the ordinarily skilled artist before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the metal ring (78, “first member”) and end cap (100 and 108, “second member”) such that when the end cap (100 and 108, “second member”) is inserted in the metal ring (78, “first member”), it sandwiches the first tabs (50, 52) and they are joined to the second face for the purpose of minimizing unused interior volume within the cylindrical can (12).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent No. 6,605,382, hereinafter Ruth as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2020/0235369, hereinafter Jeong.
Regarding claim 6, Ruth teaches multiple first tabs (50, 52) having other ends welded to the first face (88) of the metal ring (78, “first member”) (col. 3, lines 47-49 and figure 4).
Ruth fails to teach that at least two of the other ends are overlapped with each other.
Jeong teaches an analogous arrangement to Ruth’s. Jeong’s assembly comprises a similar columnar wound body (120) including a first electrode plate (121), second electrode plate (122) and a separator (123) (paragraph [0036] and figure 1C). Jeong’s first electrode plate (121) includes multiple first tabs (124) passed through an opening of a conductive base member (131, “first member”), bent and welded to a first face (133) of the conductive base member (131, “first member”) (paragraphs [0043, 0046]). Jeong shows the first tabs (124) aligned together such that when they are bent over to be welded they overlap each other (figures 1C, 1B, 4B, 5A and 5B).
Therefore it would have been obvious to the ordinarily skilled artist before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to align Ruth’s first tabs (50, 52) such that they would be overlapped when they are bent to form the first welding portion for the purpose of being able to weld multiple tabs at the same time and thus simplifying the welding operation.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s newly added limitations have been considered. However, after further search and consideration, the Ruth reference has been provided, as recited above, to address the amended claims.
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 LILIA V NEDIALKOVA whose telephone number is (571)270-1538. The examiner can normally be reached 8.30 - 5.00 PM.
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/STEWART A FRASER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1724
LILIA V. NEDIALKOVA
Examiner
Art Unit 1724
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