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 currently pending;
Claims 5, 7, and 10-13 are currently withdrawn;
Claims 1 and 6 are currently amended.
Status of Objections and Rejections Pending Since the Office Action of 12/23/2025
The claim objection of claim 6 is withdrawn in view of Applicant’s amendment;
The 103 rejections of claims 1-4, 6, and 8-9 are withdrawn in view of Applicant’s arguments and amendment and replaced with a new 102(a)(1) rejection in view of Mun (US-20150037637-A1).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed 03/23/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-4, 6, and 8-9 under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive in regards to Frye not teaching all of the limitations of newly amended claim 1. However, upon further consideration, the examiner disagrees that Mun, previously cited as a secondary reference teaching the cap assembly, fails to teach the limitations of the newly amended claim. Instead, Mun does teach the limitations of newly amended claim 1 with 3 layers of separators, including the winding leading edges of both separators, on an outer surface of the winding leading edge of the positive electrode ([0028]; fig. 2A first and second separators 121 and 122 and positive electrode 13, wherein the separators are re-spiral-wound to enclose the first ends 11a and 13a, interpreted as the winding leading edges, of the negative and positive electrodes ([0047]-[0050])). Therefore, the previous rejection has been withdrawn and a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Mun.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 1-4, 6, and 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mun (US-20150037637-A1).
Regarding claim 1, Mun teaches a secondary battery ([0007] rechargeable battery) comprising: a cylindrical can (fig. 1; [0027]; [0029] cylindrical shape); an electrode assembly in the cylindrical can ([0027]), the electrode assembly comprising: a positive electrode plate having a winding leading edge, an inner surface, and an outer surface (fig. 2A; [0028] positive electrode 13); a first separator covering the inner surface of the positive electrode plate (fig. 2A [0028] separator 121); a second separator covering the outer surface of the positive electrode plate (fig. 2A [0028] separator 122); and a negative electrode plate on the first separator (fig. 2A; [0027]-[0028] negative electrode 11), the first and second separators having a positive electrode protection region provided in a region corresponding to the winding leading edge of the positive electrode plate ([0051]; fig. 2A second distance L2 shows where the positive electrode protection region is comprising of separators 121 and 122); and a cap assembly sealing the electrode assembly by closing the cylindrical can (fig. 1; [0027] cap assembly 30), wherein each of the first and second separators has a winding leading edge, and wherein the winding leading edges of the first and second separators are on the outer surface adjacent to the winding leading edge of the positive electrode plate (fig. 2A separators 121 and 122 have winding leading edges adjacent to the outer surface of positive electrode 13 in the region defined as L2 in fig. 2A; [0050] the re-spiral-wound region RW is disposed between the first end, or winding leading edge, of the positive electrode and the negative electrode; [0047]-[[0048] the RW region is in the center of the electrode assembly and is wound before winding the electrodes and the remainder of the separators, making the RW region include the winding leading edges of the separators).
Regarding claim 2, Mun teaches all of the limitations of claim 1. Mun also teaches wherein the positive electrode protection region comprises a region of at least three layers of the first and second separators (fig. 2A three layers on the outer side of positive electrode 13 in the region defined as L2 in fig. 2A that comprises 2 layers of separator122 and one layer of separator 121; [0049]-[0053]).
Regarding claim 3, Mun teaches all of the limitations of claim 1. Mun also teaches wherein the positive electrode protection region comprises a one layer of separator provided by the first separator and two layers of separator provided by the second separator (fig. 2A three layers on the outer side of positive electrode 13 in the region defined as L2 in fig. 2A that comprises 2 layers of separator 122, interpreted as the second separator, and one layer of separator 121, interpreted as the first separator; [0048]-[0053]).
Regarding claim 4, Mun teaches all of the limitations of claim 1. Mun also teaches wherein the positive electrode protection region is on the outer surface of the positive electrode plate (fig. 2A).
Regarding claim 6, Mun teaches all of the limitations of claim 1. Mun also teaches wherein the second separator has a greater thickness in the positive electrode protection region than a remaining region of the second separator (fig. 2A in region L2 second separator 122A has two layers, whereas it has only 1 layer in a remaining region of the second separator outside the RW region).
Regarding claim 8, Mun teaches all of the limitations of claim 1. Mun also teaches wherein the winding leading edge of the positive electrode plate is on the negative electrode plate (fig. 2A; [0028] the winding leading edge of the positive electrode plate 13 is on/outside the negative electrode plate 11).
Regarding claim 9, Mun teaches all of the limitations of claim 1. Mun also teaches wherein the positive electrode protection region is a region of at least two layers of separators (fig. 2A).
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 MADISON L KYLE whose telephone number is (571)272-0164. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9 AM - 5 PM ET.
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/M.L.K./Examiner, Art Unit 1722
/ANCA EOFF/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1722
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