DETAILED ACTION
Introductory Notes
Any paragraph citation of the instant is in reference to the U.S. published patent application.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13-16 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation “a plurality of the cells”. It is unclear if this is the same “a plurality of cells” as that of line 2 or a subset.
Claim 21 recites the limitations “the cover plate”, “the battery case”, and “the housing”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitation in the claim.
The remaining claims are rejected due to dependency.
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.
Claims 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13-16 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HUANG (CN 209880747 U, English translation used for citations) in view of TAKAHASHI (US 20060222935 A1) in view of DUFFIELD (US 20150140419 A1).
Regarding claim 1, HUANG discloses a method for preparing a lithium-ion secondary battery, wherein the method comprises a step of obtaining a module by packaging a plurality of cells connected in series and/or in parallel, wherein the cells are stacking-rolls or jelly-rolls (“lithium battery is a high-voltage battery formed by connecting multiple single cells in series through an internal high-voltage connection structure” [0002] as well as Fig. 1 wherein the cells shown read on standard prismatic cells) and each cell has a cathode electrode tab and an anode electrode tab at one end (as show in Fig. 1).
HUANG discloses the method comprises the following steps:
placing cells in unit compartments: placing the obtained stacks or jelly rolls in unit compartments which function to physically separate individual cells (“plurality of compartment units 11 for accommodating the bare cell units 2 are provided inside the insulating housing 1, and the compartment units 11 are separated by insulating sheets 12” [0035]);
and then connecting a plurality of cells in series and/or in parallel to form a module (“the bare cell monomers are welded in series” [0041]; as well as claim 1 which states “a bare cell placed in the insulating shell” followed by “and the first bare cell unit is connected in series with the second bare cell unit through an internal high-voltage connector”) and sealing the module to obtain a lithium-ion secondary battery (“placed in an insulating shell, covered with a lid, sealed with glue, and then liquid is injected, formed, sealed, …” [0041]).
Regarding the steps of preparing, coating, slitting, cutting, and lamination/winding, HUANG discloses “bare cell monomers are manufactured normally according to the existing production process” [0041] as well as Fig. 1 wherein the cells shown read on standard prismatic cells; furthermore, these limitations are well understood by PHOSITA. However, HUANG does not expressly teach the steps of preparing, coating, slitting, cutting, and lamination/winding.
TAKAHASHI is directed to a lithium-ion battery [0101] and a preparation method therefor like HUANG.
TAKAHASHI discloses preparing cathode and anode electrode slurries from cathode and anode electrode materials (“a coating liquid (slurry) for forming active material layers 10 on collector plates is prepared” [0074]);
coating: coating cathode and anode electrode current collectors with the cathode and anode slurries, respectively (“coating liquid is applied onto one face of each sheet for the collector plate and then is dried, so as to form an active material layer” [0075]);
slitting: slitting the coated cathode and anode electrode current collectors to obtain electrode sheets; cutting: cutting the electrode sheets to make electrode tabs, so that the electrode sheets have protruding electrode tabs (“coating liquid is applied onto one face of each sheet for the collector plate and then is dried, so as to form an active material layer … product is cut out into forms each having a main part 15 a and a tab part 15 b” [0075]);
lamination or winding: laminating or winding the cathode and anode electrode sheets to obtain cells in stacking-rolls or jelly-rolls (“laminated … so as to yield a multilayer body 85 as shown in FIG. 7” [0077]).
TAKAHASHI teaches the benefit of providing “an electrochemical device which can be made thinner and keep internal resistance from increasing while having a multilayer body which is easy to handle” [0027] and is an example of standard processes in cell manufacture.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the well-known manufacturing steps of TAKAHASHI in the battery of HUANG to produce a multilayer body which is easy to handle.
Therefore, modified HUANG discloses preparing, coating, slitting, cutting, and lamination/winding (as taught by TAKAHASHI).
HUANG discloses welding connectors for cathode or anode electrodes of a plurality of the cells (high-voltage connector 31, welded as discussed in [0026] and [0029]), the cathode electrode tabs and the anode electrode tabs of the plurality of cells are connected via the connectors so that the cells are connected in series and/or in parallel (“lithium battery is a high-voltage battery formed by connecting multiple single cells in series through an internal high-voltage connection structure” [0002]), and a total cathode terminal of the module and a total anode terminal of the module are formed (external positive pole 41 and an external negative pole 42).
HUANG does not expressly teach the connectors for the cathode or anode electrodes are connected by bolts.
DUFFIELD is directed to a Lithium-Ion monoblock battery assembly (Abstract) like HUANG.
DUFFIELD discloses methods for connections include “welding or another mechanical attachment (e.g. a bolt or a screw)” [0006]. DUFFIELD teaches these are conventional means of assembly [0006].
Since the prior art of DUFFIELD recognizes the equivalency of bolts and welds in the field of mechanical attachments, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to replace the welds of HUANG with the bolts taught by DUFFIELD as it is merely the selection of functionally equivalent mechanical attachment recognized in the art and one of ordinary skill in the art would have a reasonable expectation of success in doing so. Therefore, modified HUANG discloses bolts as a means of connection (as taught by DUFFIELD).
Regarding claim 3, modified HUANG discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and modified TAKAHASHI further discloses cathode and anode electrode slurries comprise water or an organic solvent as the solvent (this limitation is well understood by PHOSITA and TAKAHASHI discloses “aqueous electrolytic solutions and nonaqueous electrolytic solutions using organic solvents” [0057]).
Regarding claims 5, 7, 9, and 11, modified HUANG discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and HUANG further discloses the cathode electrode material is [a conventional lithium-ion battery cathode electrode material / lithium iron phosphate], and the anode electrode material is [a conventional lithium-ion battery anode electrode material / graphite] (“lithium iron phosphate/graphite” [0031]).
Regarding claim 15, modified HUANG discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and HUANG further discloses formed or unformed cells are placed in the unit compartments in a bare state, or placed in the unit compartments after being packaged with a heat shrinkage film and flattened (“internal series lithium battery, comprising an insulating shell and a bare cell unit placed in the insulating shell” [0007]).
Regarding claim 16, modified HUANG discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and TAKAHASHI further discloses the method further comprises a step of calendering after the coating (this limitation is well understood by PHOSITA and TAKAHASHI discloses “calender rolls” [0075]).
Regarding claim 21, modified HUANG discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and HUANG further discloses the module sealing comprises sealing the cover plate of the battery case and the housing of the battery case with a sealant (“covered with a lid, sealed with glue” [0041]), and the cover plate is in a seal connection (31 in a sealed connection with 431) with the connector for the cathode electrode or the anode electrode at one end of the cells achieved by bolting (wherein ‘achieved by bolting’ may be read to be relating to ‘the connector’ and the connection achieved by bolting of the connector is discussed in the rejection of claim 1, namely that bolting is a known mechanical attachment equivalent of welding per DUFFIELD).
Response to Arguments
Regarding art-based rejections, applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are not persuasive.
On page 8 of the remarks applicant provides Technical Feature 1 and states the “present application first places the cells into unit compartments, and then connects a plurality of the cells in series and/or parallel to form a module” then presents arguments toward this feature on page 9 bridging to page 11. Examiner does not find this persuasive because HUANG does not teach away from ordering reading on the instant even when taking into account the presence of a “then” in paragraph [0041] noted by the applicant. Claim 1 of HUANG states “a bare cell placed in the insulating shell” then that text is followed by “and the first bare cell unit is connected in series with the second bare cell unit through an internal high-voltage connector”. Furthermore, HUANG does not establish any unexpected results for either ordering and when looking at Fig. 1 of HUANG either order of events may be envisioned by one of ordinary skill in the art. As such the ordering of HUANG may be read as in either order. Furthermore, the instant notes in [0056] “a step of electrolyte solution injecting after the signal wires are connected and before the module is sealed” as such the ordering of electrolyte injection, and therefore placement in unit compartments, and connection of connectors does not read as order specific.
On page 8 of the remarks applicant provides Technical Feature 2 and states the “The connectors for the cathode or anode electrodes are connected by bolts, and a plurality of cells realize series and/or parallel connection through the connectors” then presents arguments toward this feature on page 11 bridging to page 15. These arguments are moot as they are directed to the amended claim language.
Furthermore, it is noted the arguments rely on reading in limitations not currently present. For example, on page 14 applicant states “changing the connection relationship between the connectors, the connection relationship between the cells can be adjusted. In addition, bolt connection is convenient for disassembly and maintenance”. However, limitations toward this adjustment are not currently claimed and furthermore the instant specification states the top cover 1, cover pate 10, and housing 9 are welded and sealed thereby making different connection relationships difficult at best, see instant [0106-0107] which states “injection-molded cover plate 10, the injection-molded top cover 1, and the injection-molded housing 9 are packaged by using a sealant, which may be accompanied by sealing with ultrasonic melt welding or laser welding at the same time”. As such arguments to the benefits of dissembling bolts are moot due to the complexity involved in the disassembly of the module as a whole. It is also noted that the instant states in [0097] the equivalency of bolts and welding and states “the cathode electrode connector and the anode electrode connector can be connected by welding” as well as [0050] which states “may weld the connector for the cathode or anode electrodes before sealing”.
On page 12 of the remarks applicant states “Huang places the bare cell unit in an insulating shell after welding, and injects electrolyte after packaging” and due to the interaction of bolts and electrolyte “replacing the welding of Huang with a bolt connection is not an equivalent replacement for a person skilled in the art, but a technical regression”. Examiner notes the instant provides injection holes 3 and states in paragraph [0104] “injection holes 3 are provided in the injection-molded cover plate 10 for injecting liquid into the unit shell and degassing. An electrolyte solution may be injected according to actual needs”, therefore instant envisions the injection of electrolyte through the cover plate like HUANG and arguments toward HUANG teaching away from bolts due to electrolyte are not persuasive.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure (cited in a previous office action):
BANG (US 20170040575 A1) directed to a battery pack with a plurality of cells and a battery housing where the cells are stacked and connected in series to each other.
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.
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/T.L.M./Examiner, Art Unit 1721
/ALLISON BOURKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1721