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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This Office action regarding Application No. 18/091,395 to Yue, assigned to Eve Power Co., Ltd., Jingmen, China, filed 12/30/2022 and published as U.S. PG Publication 2023/0369726, published 11/16/2023 is in response to applicant's arguments/remarks and claims amendment filed 12/22/2025.
This application is a Continuation Application of PCT Application No. PCT/CN2022/130039 filed on 11/04/2022, which claims the foreign priority benefit of Chinese Patent Application No. CN202221146211.2, filed on 05/12/2022.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 05/29/2026 has been entered.
Status of the Claims
In the RCE response filed on 05/29/026 applicant has amended the claims of the application. Claim 1 is amended by incorporation of the limitation of claim 2 and 6. Claims 11 and 15 that depend on claims 2 and 6 respectively are canceled. The status of the claims stand as follows:
Currently amended 1
Canceled 2, 5-6, 11, 14-15,
5.3 Previously presented 3-4, 7-10, 12-13, 16-18
Claims 1, 3-4, 7-10, 12-13, 16-18 are currently pending in this application.
Withdrawal of Claim Rejections -35 USC § 102
The rejection of Claims 1, 3-4, 6-7, 9 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li Wencheng et al. (CN109698309) has been overcome by the amendment of claim 1. Therefore, the anticipation rejection is withdrawn in this Office action.
Upon further consideration and search the claims are now rejected under 103 over the same reference of CN ‘309.
Claim Rejections -35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35 U.S. Code not included in this section can be found in the prior Office Action.
Claim 1, 3-4, 7, 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li Wencheng et al. (CN109698309; the English language machine translation is used here)
Regarding Claim 1 CN '309 discloses a tab connecting piece 11, 12 (CN '309 Fig. 2, 3, paragraph 0010) considered equivalent to the connecting member; the connecting piece 11, 12 comprise of a plate-type structure that is bend having two parts 110, 111 and 120 121 connected at the bending edge (CN '309 Fig. 2, 3, 8) considered equivalent to the connecting part 110, 120 and the body part. The connecting part is bendable relative to the body part (CN '309 Fig. 2, 3). A through-hole 6 is provided on an intersection between the connecting part and the body part (CN '309 Fig. 8, 9). Alternatively, the through-hole 7 designated the fuse hole (CN '309 Fig. 10, 11, paragraph 0054) also meets the claim limitation through hole (14).
The connection parts can be more than one (CN '309 Fig. 10); equivalent to the connecting parts are provided at intervals in a peripheral direction of the body part, and slots (un-numbered) are formed between the connecting parts on a side of the body part (CN '309 Fig. 10). (See annotated Fig 10 below).
CN ‘309 discloses the through-hole can be more than one, (CN '309 paragraph 0071, 0076) and can be set at the edge position of the connection between the tab connection part, equivalent to the connecting part, and the pole connection part (CN '309 paragraph 0076); thus, forming an angle to the center. CN '309 is silent about intersection line is an arc centered on the center of the body part and the angle range from 30 degrees to 60 degrees. The geometric center of the connection plate 11, 12 is considered as the center point defining the angle defined by lines connecting the through-holes extending to the center from the through-holes. However, the range of the angle at the center will depend on the size of the arc formed by the intersection line depending on the number of the through holes and the distance between them. Therefore, it would have been obvious to have optimized the size of the intersection arc to form a desired angle in the center by optimizing the number of the through-holes that CN '309 discloses can be more than one. Such an optimized angle ensures an optimized size of the connecting part insuring optimized connection between the tabs and the pole. (MPEP 2144.05 II).
The shape of the intersection being arc asp depends on the shape of the connecting member whether it is circular or rectangular. Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill to have made the rectangular plates of CN ‘309 into circular shape and thus the intersection would define an arc. Such a modification is considered a change in the shape. According to the MPEP a change in shape or size is generally considered as being with the level of ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2144.04(IV).
CN ‘309 discloses the plurality of intersection line between the connecting part and the body part are on the same plane considered equivalent to the same circumference (CN '309 Fig. 11).
PNG
media_image1.png
450
725
media_image1.png
Greyscale
CN ‘309 Fig. 10
PNG
media_image2.png
384
609
media_image2.png
Greyscale
CN '309 Fig. 9
Regarding claim 3 and 4 the through-hole can also be disposed between the connecting part and the body part when the two parts are at 180 degrees, the holes have a rectangular shape (CN '309 Fig. 10).
PNG
media_image3.png
378
634
media_image3.png
Greyscale
CN ‘309 Fig. 11
Regarding claim 7 and 9 the number of the enforcement holes may be one or more, and the reinforcement holes may be arranged in the middle position of the connection between the tab connection part and the pole connection part, or may be arranged at the edge position of the connection between the tab connection part and the pole connection part to form a notch (CN '309 paragraph 0071), the notch being equivalent to the claimed grooves formed at the end of the intersection line as recited in claim 7, and the through holes are formed at intervals along the length of the intersection line as recited in claim 9.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li Wencheng et al. (CN109698309; the English language machine translation is used here) in view of Lim et al. (U.S. PG Publication 2022/0271403)
The discussion of CN '309 as presented above in claim 1 is fully incorporated here and is relied upon for the limitation of the claim in this section.
Regarding claim 8 CN '309 is silent wherein the body part of the connecting member is provided with a plurality of leakage holes. The instant specification discloses the electrolyte flow into the cell through leakage holes (Instant Specification paragraph 0038). Lim discloses a battery comprising a housing 20, an electrode assembly 10 wherein a first electrode, a second electrode and a separator between the first and second electrode are wound about an axis (Lim Fig. 1a, b, paragraph 0016, 0171, 0172). Lim also discloses the battery has a current collector 30, which has a tab coupling portion 32, and a housing coupling portion 33 extending from the tab coupling portion 32 (Lim Fig. 2, paragraph 201); the tab coupling portion is equivalent to the body part, and the housing coupling portion 33 is equivalent to the connecting part. Lim discloses one or more holes for injecting an electrolytic solution may be formed in the tab coupling portion 32 (Lim paragraph 0104, 0204, 0281) so that an electric solution may penetrate smoothly to the electrode assembly (Lim paragraph 0281); the injection holes are equivalent to the leakage holes.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the connecting member of CN '309 by the disclosure of Lim and to have included electrolytic solution injection holes in the connecting member of CN '309 SO that the electrolytic solution smoothly penetrates the electrode assembly as taught by Lim (Lim paragraph 0281). According to the MPEP such a modification is considered the use of known technique to improve similar devices (methods, or products) in the same way (MPEP 2143 I C).
Claim 10, 12-13, 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li Wencheng et al. (CN109698309; the English language machine translation is used here) in view of Lim et al. (U.S. PG Publication 2022/0271403)
The discussion of CN '309 regarding claim 1, 3-4, 7, 9 is fully incorporated here and is relied upon for the limitation of the claims in this section.
With regard to claims 10,12, 13,16, 17, 18 Lim teaches a connecting member similar to the connecting members of claims 1, 3-4, 6-9 shown above. Lim discloses the current collector 30 has a tab coupling portion 32, and a housing coupling portion 33 extending from the tab coupling portion 32 and electrically coupled to the beading portion 21 (Lim Fig. 2, 7, paragraph 201). Thus, the current collector of Lim is analogous to the connecting member of claim 1, 3-4, 6-9 but the connecting member of Lim is modified by the teaching of CN '309 for each of claims 10, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18 to meet the limitations of claims 10, 12, 13,16, 17, 18 as presented below for each of the claims.
Regarding claim 10 Lim discloses a battery comprising a housing 20, an electrode assembly 10 wherein a first electrode, a second electrode and a separator between the first and second electrodes are wound about an axis (Lim Fig. 1a, b, paragraph 0016, 0171, 0172), considered equivalent to the battery cell winding body. Lim discloses the housing 20 include a beading portion 21 press-fitted inside in the peripheral direction (Lim Fig. 1 a, b, 2, paragraph 0188, 0189), considered equivalent to the through groove recessed in the peripheral direction. Lim discloses the beading portion 21, equivalent to the through groove, provide surface on which a circumferential edge of the current collector 30 is mounted and coupled (Lim Fig. 2, paragraph 0190). Lim discloses the current collector 30 has a tab coupling portion 32, and a housing coupling portion 33 extending from the tab coupling portion 32 and electrically coupled to the beading portion 21 (Lim Fig. 2, paragraph 201); the tab coupling portion is equivalent to the body part and electrically connected to an electrode at an end of the battery cell winding body, and the housing coupling portion 33 is equivalent to the connecting part electrically connected to an inner surface of the beading portion; the beading portion is equivalent to the claimed through groove.
Lim discloses the current collector 30 has a tab coupling portion 32, and a housing coupling portion 33 extending from the tab coupling portion 32 and electrically coupled to the beading portion 21 (Lim Fig. 2, 7, paragraph 201). Thus, the current collector of Lim is analogous to the connecting member of claim 1, but Lim is silent about the current collector 30 is the same as the connecting member as recited in claim 1 above. However, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have used the connecting member disclosed by CN '309 as described above in claim 1 in place of the current collector 30 of Lim since according to the MPEP such a modification is considered simple substitution of one known element for another to obtain predictable results (MPEP 2143 IB).
PNG
media_image4.png
486
975
media_image4.png
Greyscale
Lim Fig. 7 (partially reproduced)
Regarding claim 12 and 13 the battery of Lim as presented above under claim 10, and as modified by the connecting member of CN '309 also as presented above in the discussion of claim 10, the through-hole can also be disposed between the connecting part and the body part when the two parts are at 180 degrees, the holes have a rectangular shape (CN '309 Fig. 10).
Regarding claim 16 and 18 the battery of Lim as presented above under claim 10, and as modified by the connecting member of CN '309 also as presented above in the discussion of claim 10, CN '309 discloses the number of the reinforcement holes may be one or more, and the reinforcement holes may be arranged in the middle position of the connection between the tab connection part and the pole connection part, or may be arranged at the edge position of the connection between the tab connection part and the pole connection part to form a notch (CN 309 paragraph 0071), the notch being equivalent to the claimed grooves formed at the end of the intersection line, and the through holes are formed at intervals along the length of the intersection line.
Regarding claim 17 the battery of Lim as presented above under claim 10, and as modified by the connecting member of CN '309 also as presented above in the discussion of claim 10, Lim discloses one or more holes for injecting an electrolytic solution may be formed in the tab coupling portion 32 (Lim paragraph 0104, 0204, 0281) so that an electric solution may penetrate smoothly to the electrode assembly (Lim paragraph 0281). Therefore, the connecting member of CN '309 included in the battery of Lim will have holes for injecting electrolytic solution into the electrode assembly.
Response to Argument
In the RCE response filed on 05/29/2026 applicant traverses the rejection of the claim 1, 3-7, 9 under 102 over Li Wencheng et al. (CN109698309). Applicant after presenting amended claim 1 argues that the reference of CN ‘309 does not disclose the central angle defined by the intersection line between the connecting part and the body part. Examiner agrees and notes that the present amendment to claim 1 by the incorporation of the limitation of claim 2 overcomes the anticipation rejection. Examiner, however, notes that amended claim 1 and its dependent claims 3-4, 7 and 9 are now rejected under 103 over the previously applied references of CN ‘309.
Examiner notes that the claimed angle depends on the number of the holes and the distance between them and such an angle can be optimized by routine experimentation. Applicant argues that the intersection line is an arc and explicitly define the central angle. Examiner notes that the angle is rather define by the distance between holes rather than whether the connection between them is an arc or a straight line. Thus, the limitation regarding the claimed range of the angles is obvious over the reference of CN ‘309 as presented above in this Office action.
Applicant also argues that the plurality of intersection lines of the arc shape are on the same circumference. Examiner notes that the shape of the intersection being arc depends on the shape of the connecting member whether it is circular or rectangular; wherein when the connecting member has a circular shape the separation between the connecting part and the body part is an arc, and when it is rectangular it is a straight line, and modifying the shape of the connecting would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill. But even in the non-circular plate of the applied reference the intersecting lines are in the same plane, equivalent to the claimed circumference.
Therefore, the claimed invention is obvious over the applied references as presented above in this Office action.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OMAR M KEKIA whose telephone number is (571)270-5918. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00am-5:00 pm,.
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, NIKI BAKHTIARI can be reached at 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.
/JONATHAN G JELSMA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1722
/OMAR M KEKIA/Examiner, Art Unit 1722
Prosecution Insights