Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/046,407

CYLINDRICAL SECONDARY BATTERY

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Oct 13, 2022
Examiner
KYLE, MADISON LEIGH
Art Unit
1722
Tech Center
1700 — Chemical & Materials Engineering
Assignee
Samsung Electronics
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
50%
Grant Probability
Moderate
1-2
OA Rounds
3y 6m
To Grant
-7%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 50% of resolved cases
50%
Career Allow Rate
4 granted / 8 resolved
-15.0% vs TC avg
Minimal -57% lift
Without
With
+-57.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 6m
Avg Prosecution
53 currently pending
Career history
61
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§103
56.2%
+16.2% vs TC avg
§102
20.1%
-19.9% vs TC avg
§112
21.3%
-18.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 8 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 Applicant's election with traverse of Species A in the reply filed on 09/29/2025 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that no serious search burden would exist. This is not found persuasive because the Species require different methods of winding such that, f or Species A, a three-layer separator is positioned between an outer surface of a positive electrode plate and an inner surface of a negative electrode plate. In contrast, a three-layer separator is positioned between an inner surface of a positive electrode plate and an outer surface of a negative electrode plate for Species B, a two-layer separator is positioned between an inner surface of a positive electrode plate and an outer surface of a negative electrode plate for Species C, and an insulating layer is positioned between an inner surface of a positive electrode plate and an outer surface of the positive electrode plate in Species D. The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL. Claims 5, 7 and 10-13 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected Species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 09/29/2025. Claim Objections Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 6 includes the limitation “wherein the winding leading edges of the first and second separators is on the” in line 3. This should be corrected to “wherein the winding leading edges of the first and second separators are on the.” Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 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 1-4, 6, and 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Frye et al. ( US - 5478594 - A ), hereinafter Frye in view of Mun (US-2 0150037637 - A1 ) . Regarding claim 1, Frye teaches a secondary battery comprising: a cylindrical can (fig. 1; col. 2, lines 44-50) ; an electrode assembly in the cylindrical can (fig. 1; col. 2, lines 44- 51) , the electrode assembly comprising: a positive electrode plate having a winding leading edge (fig. 1 positive plate 28; col. 3, lines 5-10) , an inner surface, and an outer surface (fig. 1 positive plate 28) ; a first separator covering the inner surface of the positive electrode plate; a second separator covering the outer surface of the positive electrode plate (fig. 1; separator s 3 4, 36 ; col. 3, lines 16-20) ; and a negative electrode plate on the first separator (fig. 1; col. 3, lines 16-20) , 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 (fig. 1 , annotated below ). Frye fails to explicitly teach a cap assembly sealing the electrode assembly by closing the cylindrical can. However, a cap assembly on a cylindrical can with a wound electrode assembly is common in the art. Mun is considered analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of wound electrode assemblies ([0009]). Mun teaches a cap assembly sealing the electrode assembly by closing the cylindrical can ([0005]; fig. 1). Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Frye and provided a cap assembly such as in Mun in order to close an d seal an opening of the cylindrical can (Mun [0005]). Regarding claim 2, modified Frye teaches all of the limitations of claim 1. Frye also teaches that wherein the positive electrode protection region comprises a region of at least three layers of the first and second separators (fig. 1 ; there are 2 layers on the outer side and 2 layers on the inner side ) . Regarding claim 3, modified Frye teaches all of the limitations of claim 1. Frye also teaches that 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. 1 ; there are two layers of the second separator on the outer side and one layer of the first separator on the inner side ) . Regarding claim 4, modified Frye teaches all of the limitations of claim 1. Frye also teaches that wherein the positive electrode protection region is on the outer surface of the positive electrode plate (fig. 1 ; the positive electrode protection region is included on the outer surface of the positive electrode plate by separato r ) . Regarding claim 6, modified Frye teaches all of the limitations of claim 1. Frye also teaches that w herein each of the first and second separators has a winding leading edge, and wherein the winding leading edges of the first and second separators is on the outer surface of the positive electrode plate (fig. 1, annotated below) . Regarding claim 8, modified Frye teaches all of the limitations of claim 1. Frye also teaches that wherein the winding leading edge of the positive electrode plate is on the negative electrode plate (fig. 1) . Regarding claim 9, modified Frye teaches all of the limitations of claim 1. Frye also teaches that w herein the positive electrode protection region is a region of at least two layers of separators (fig. 1) . Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT MADISON L KYLE whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)272-0164 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT Monday - Friday 9 AM - 5 PM ET . Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, FILLIN "SPE Name?" \* MERGEFORMAT Niki Bakhtiari can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT (571) 272-3433 . The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /M.L.K./ Examiner, Art Unit 1722 /ANCA EOFF/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1722
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Oct 13, 2022
Application Filed
Dec 17, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §103 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12519152
TRACTION BATTERY CONDUIT AND THERMAL BRIDGE ASSEMBLY
2y 5m to grant Granted Jan 06, 2026
Patent 12506197
OUTER PACKAGE MATERIAL FOR ALL-SOLID-STATE BATTERIES, METHOD FOR PRODUCING SAME AND ALL-SOLID-STATE BATTERY
2y 5m to grant Granted Dec 23, 2025
Patent 12407067
SEPARATOR AND NONAQUEOUS ELECTROLYTE SECONDARY BATTERY
2y 5m to grant Granted Sep 02, 2025
Patent 12347849
MULTI-LAYER COATING USING IMMISCIBLE SOLVENT SLURRIES
2y 5m to grant Granted Jul 01, 2025
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 4 most recent grants.

AI Strategy Recommendation

Get an AI-powered prosecution strategy using examiner precedents, rejection analysis, and claim mapping.
Powered by AI — typically takes 5-10 seconds

Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
50%
Grant Probability
-7%
With Interview (-57.1%)
3y 6m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 8 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

Sign in with your work email

Enter your email to receive a magic link. No password needed.

Personal email addresses (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.) are not accepted.

Free tier: 3 strategy analyses per month