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 .
The Applicant’s amendment filed on 12/17/2025 was received. Claim 1 was amended. Claim 2 was cancelled. Claim 11 was withdrawn.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S.C. code not included in this action can be found in the prior Office action issued on 8/28/2025.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/17/2025 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The claim rejections under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsuyama et al. (JP 2016143520 A) in view of Yokosawa et al. (US 20200099036 A1) on claims 1-5, 7-10 are withdrawn because Applicant amended independent claim 1. The claim rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsuyama et al. (JP 2016143520 A) in view of Yokosawa et al. (US 20200099036 A1) and Tanaka (US 12040495 B2) on claim 6 is withdrawn because Applicant amended independent claim 1.
Claims 1, 3-5, 7-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsuyama et al. (JP 2016143520 A) in view of Bang (US 20060040179 A1).
Regarding to claims 1, 3: Matsuyama et al. disclose an all-solid-state lithium-ion secondary battery (100) (par. 13, fig. 1) comprising:
a power generating element (10) (par. 14, fig. 1) configured by laminating a positive electrode layer (11), a solid electrolyte layer (12) having lithium ion conductivity, and a negative electrode layer (13) in this order (par. 14, fig. 1);
sealing metal foils (53, 63) (equivalent to inner terminal electrodes) electrically connected to the power generating element (10) (par. 104, 110, fig. 1, 9);
a first laminate film (30) and a second laminated film (40) in which a battery body (1) and the sealing metal foils (53, 63) are enclosed (par. 14, fig. 1); and
conductive adhesive layers (52, 62) (par. 104, 110, fig. 9) (equivalent to at least one structure), wherein
the laminate films (30, 40) include
metal layers (31, 41) (equivalent to metal layer bodies) (par. 14, fig. 9),
first resin layers (33, 43) (equivalent to inner resin layers) (par. 18, fig. 9), and
second resin layers (32, 42) (equivalent to outer resin layers) (par. 18, fig. 9),
the first resin layers (33, 43) have first openings (33a, 43a) (equivalent to inner openings) through which the metal layers (31, 41) are exposed (par. 100, 106, fig. 9),
the sealing metals (53, 63) are electrically connected to the metal layers (31, 41) through conductive adhesive layers (52, 62) at the first openings (33a, 43a) (par. 104, 110, fig. 9).
Matsuyama et al. fail to explicitly disclose the inner terminal electrode and the metal layer each have an uneven surface over a contact area between the inner terminal electrode and the metal layer, the uneven surface of the inner terminal electrode and the uneven surface of the metal layer engage with each other via the structure, with the structure being separate from the inner terminal electrode and the metal layer and protruding into each of the inner terminal electrode and the metal layer, and portions of the structure constitute protrusions into each of the uneven surface of the inner terminal electrode and the uneven surface of the metal layer, with the structure being embedded in both the inner terminal electrode and the metal layer.
However, Bang discloses a secondary battery (abstract). The secondary battery comprises a terminal plate (260d) (equivalent to an inner terminal electrode) (par. 87, fig. 2, 7b), a negative electrode tab (217) (equivalent to the metal layer body) (par. 87, fig. 2,15), and at least one protuberance (266d) (equivalent to one structure) (par. 87, fig. 7b). The negative electrode tab (217) is welded to the protrusion (265d) of the protuberance (266d) on the terminal plate (260d) by resistance welding (par. 87) (the welding surface is equivalent to an uneven surface). The protuberance (conductive tip) (266d) can be in the shape of a sphere and are attached to the terminal plate (260d) (equivalent to being separate from the internal terminal plate and the metal layer) (par. 87). The terminal plate (260d) and the negative electrode tab (217) each have an welding surface over a contact area between the terminal plate (260d) and the negative electrode tab (217). The welding surface of the inner terminal plate (260d) and the welding surface of the negative electrode tab (217) engage with each other via the protuberance (266d). The protuberance (conductive tip) (266d) protrudes into each of the terminal plate (260d) (fig. 7b) and the negative electrode tab (217) (after welding, the protuberance (266d) protrudes to the negative electrode tab (217) to form welding surface). The portions of the protuberance (266d) constitute protrusions into each of the welding surface of the terminal plate (260d) and the welding surface of the negative electrode tab (217), with the protuberance (266d) being embedded in both the terminal plate (260d) and the negative electrode tab (217).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the protuberance (conductive tip) (266d) of Bang as the conductive adhesive layers (52, 62) of Matsuyama et al. because Bang teaches the protuberance (conductive tip) (266d) improve the resistance weldability for easy welding (par. 17, 87).
Regarding to claim 4: Matsuyama et al. disclose an all-solid-state lithium-ion secondary battery as describe in above. Matsuyama et al. fail to explicitly disclose the structure is formed of metal. However, Bang discloses a secondary battery (abstract). The secondary battery comprises the protuberances (266d). The protuberances (266d) are formed by attaching conductive tips to the terminal plate 260d. The conductive tips (266d) are preferably formed of a metal (par. 87). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the metal protuberances (266d) of Bang as the conductive adhesive layers (52, 62) of Matsuyama et al. because Bang teaches the protuberance (conductive tip) (266d) improve the resistance weldability for easy welding (par. 17, 87).
Regarding to claim 5: Matsuyama et al. disclose an all-solid-state lithium-ion secondary battery as describe above. Matsuyama et al. fail to explicitly disclose the structure is a spherical particle. However, Bang discloses a secondary battery (abstract). The secondary battery comprises the protuberances (266d). The protuberances (266d) can be in the shape of a sphere. It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the spherical protuberances (266d) of Bang as the conductive adhesive layers (52, 62) of Matsuyama et al. because Bang teaches the protuberance (conductive tip) (266d) improve the resistance weldability for easy welding (par. 17, 87).
Regarding to claim 7: Matsuyama et al. disclose the second resin layers (32, 42) include the second openings (32a, 42a) (equivalent to outer openings) through which the metal layers (31, 41) are exposed (par. 101, 107, fig. 9).
Regarding to claim 8: Matsuyama et al. disclose the number of parts of the all solid-state lithium ion secondary battery (100) can be reduced since a portion of the first laminate film (30) and a portion of the second laminate film (40) constitute the positive electrode external terminal (50) and the negative electrode external terminal (60) (par. 112, fig. 9). Thus, one of ordinary skill in the art can add outer terminal electrodes back into the battery and make outer terminal electrodes electrically connected the metal layers (31, 41) through the second openings (32a, 42a).
Regarding to claim 9: Matsuyama et al. disclose an all-solid-state lithium-ion secondary battery as describe in above. Matsuyama et al. further disclose first resin layers (33, 43) have first openings (33a, 43a) (equivalent to inner openings) through which the metal layers (31, 41) are exposed (par. 100, 106, fig. 9). Matsuyama et al. fail to explicitly disclose a portion of the metal layer exposed through the inner opening is thicker than an unexposed portion of the metal layer. However, Bang discloses a secondary battery (abstract). The secondary battery comprises a terminal plate (260d) (equivalent to an inner terminal electrode) (par. 87, fig. 2, 7b), a negative electrode tab (217) (equivalent to the metal layer body) (par. 87, fig. 2,15), and at least one protuberance (266d) (equivalent to one structure) (par. 87, fig. 7b). The negative electrode tab (217) is welded to the protrusion (265d) of the protuberance (266d) on the terminal plate (260d) by resistance welding (par. 87). The negative electrode tab (217) engaged with the protuberance (266d) is thicker than the rest of the area of the negative electrode tab (217) (the rest of the area of the negative electrode tab (217) is equivalent to an unexposed portion). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the thicker protuberances (266d) of Bang as the conductive adhesive layers (52, 62) of Matsuyama et al. because Bang teaches the protuberance (conductive tip) (266d) improve the resistance weldability for easy welding (par. 17, 87).
Regarding to claim 10: Matsuyama et al. disclose an all-solid-state lithium-ion secondary battery (100) comprising a solid electrolyte layer (12) having lithium-ion conductivity (par. 14, fig. 1).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsuyama et al. (JP 2016143520 A) and Bang (US 20060040179 A1) as applied in claim 1 above, and further in view of Tanaka (US 12040495 B2).
Regarding to claim 6: Matsuyama et al. disclose the sealing metal foils (53, 63) are in contact with main surfaces of the positive electrode layer (11a) and the negative electrode layer (13), respectively (fig. 9). Matsuyama et al. fail to explicitly disclose the inner terminal electrode is in contact with a side surface of the power generating element. However, Tanaka discloses an all-solid-state battery including a positive external electrode (60) and a negative external electrode (70) (equivalent to inner terminal electrodes) (abstract, fig. 3). The positive external electrode (60) and the negative external electrode (70) are in contact with a side surface and a main surface of a laminated body (20) (equivalent to the power generating element) (fig. MS annotated by Examiner), so that the positive electrode current collector layer connects to the positive external electrode and the negative electrode current collector layer connects to the negative external electrode (col. 4, lines 19-43). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the side surface contact of Tanaka in the power generating element (10) of Matsuyama et al. because Tanka teaches the battery structure of Tanaka has excellent cycling characteristics (col. 3, lines 21-23).
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Response to Amendment
Applicant’s arguments filed on 12/17/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant primarily argues Yokosawa reference does not teach or disclose the structure of amended independent claim 1. Yokosawa’s punch-pressed protrusions 31 of the positive electrode current collector 28 are not separate from the positive electrode current collector 28. Moreover, such punch-pressed protrusions 31 do not protrude into each of the positive electrode current collector 28 and the current collecting lead 34.
In response: Applicant’s arguments are moot because the newly cited Bang reference teaches the protuberance (266d) (equivalent to one structure). The protuberance (266d) is a separated structure and protrudes into the terminal plate (260d) and the negative electrode tab (217) as described in paragraph 3 above.
Conclusion
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/PIN JAN WANG/Examiner, Art Unit 1717
/Dah-Wei D. Yuan/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1717
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