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 .
Status of Claims and Other Notes
Claims 1–3 are pending.
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The paragraph numbers cited in this Office Action in reference to the instant application are referring to the paragraph numbering of the PG-Pub of the instant application. See US 2023/0318021 A1.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in China on 02 April 2022. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the CN202210353872.0 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: METHOD FOR PREPARING MULTI-TAB BATTERY INCLUDING WRAPPING WITH ADHESIVE TAPE AND PENETRATING TABS THROUGH INSULATION SHEETS.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1–3 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 "the same position" in lines 5–6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "at sequentially scaled-up intervals" in line 7. It is unclear with respect to what "intervals" are "scaled-up."
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the same position" in line 14. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "at sequentially scaled-up intervals" in line 16. It is unclear with respect to what "intervals" are "scaled-up."
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the cylindrical jelly roll" in line 24. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "a high-temperature adhesive tape" in line 25 The term "high" is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term "high" is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. Therefore, the limitation "a high-temperature adhesive tape" is indefinite.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the wound battery core" in line 28. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the stacked positive tabs" in lines 29–30. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the stacked negative tabs" in line 31. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 2 and 3 are directly dependent from claim 1 and include all the limitations from claim 1. Therefore, claims 2 and 3 are also 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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1–3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shin et al. (US 2023/0238503 A1, hereinafter Shin) in view of Kim (US 2007/0224494 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Shin discloses a method for preparing a multi-tab battery (100, [0032]), comprising the following steps:
S1: preparing strip-shaped positive pole piece (120) and negative pole piece (130) according to preset sizes, respectively (FIG. 2, [0033]);
S2: arranging a plurality of positive current collectors (121, [0062]), which are located on an upper edge opening of the positive pole piece (120) and overlapped on the same position after winding, along a length direction of the positive pole piece (120) according to a curvature change of a jelly roll (110) after winding and at sequentially scaled-up intervals (FIG. 5, [0036]);
S3: welding a positive tab (124), which is vertical with respect to the length direction of the positive pole piece (120) and overlapped on the same position after winding, on each positive current collector (121) on the positive pole piece (120, [0037]);
S4: arranging a plurality of negative current collectors (131), which are located on a lower edge opening of the negative pole piece (130) and overlapped on the same position after winding, along a length direction of the negative pole piece (130) according to the curvature change of the jelly roll (110) after winding and at sequentially scaled-up intervals (FIG. 5, [0036]),
the negative current collectors (131) being staggered relative to the positive current collectors (121, [0036]);
S5: welding a negative tab (134) , which is vertical with respect to the length direction of the negative pole piece (130) and overlapped on the same position after winding, on each negative current collector (131) on the negative pole piece (130, [0041]);
S6: stacking the positive pole piece (120) welded with the positive tabs (124), a diaphragm (140), and the negative pole piece (130) welded with the negative tabs (134) in sequence and winding to form the cylindrical jelly roll (110, [0041]);
S7: packaging a whole body (110) and molding to obtain a battery core (110, [0041]);
S8: placing the wound battery core (110) into a cylindrical battery case (150, [0043]);
S9: on upper and lower openings of the battery case (150), making the stacked positive tabs (124) penetrate through a rear insulation cover of a tab groove on an upper insulation sheet (115), and the stacked negative tabs (134) penetrate through a rear insulation cover of a tab groove on a lower insulation sheet (116, [0044]); and
S10: covering the upper insulation sheet (115) and the positive tabs (124), and the lower insulation sheet (116) and the negative tabs (134) on the battery case (150) with top caps (160, 152), respectively, so as to finish the manufacturing of the battery (100, [0047]).
Shin does not explicitly disclose:
wrapping the cylindrical jelly roll with a high-temperature adhesive tape into a whole body.
Kim discloses a method comprising wrapping a cylindrical jelly roll (205) with a high-temperature adhesive tape (236, [0043]) into a whole body (205, [0033]) to prevent the jelly roll from moving due to an external impact (see sealing tape, [0026]). Shin and Kim are analogous because they are directed to cylindrical secondary batteries. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to make the multi-tab battery of Shin with the adhesive tape of Kim in order to prevent the jelly roll from moving due to an external impact.
Regarding claim 2, modified Shin discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and further discloses a method for preparing a multi-tab battery:
wherein the positive tabs (124) in step S3 are aluminum tabs (FIG. 5, [0034]).
Regarding claim 3, modified Shin discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and further discloses a method for preparing a multi-tab battery:
wherein the negative tabs (134) in step S5 are nickel tabs (FIG. 5, [0039]).
Claims 1 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshida et al. (JP 2002-319410 A, hereinafter Yoshida) in view of Kim (US 2007/0224494 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Yoshida discloses a method for preparing a multi-tab battery (20, [0022]), comprising the following steps:
S1: preparing strip-shaped positive pole piece (10a) and negative pole piece (10b) according to preset sizes, respectively (FIG. 3, [0022]);
S2: arranging a plurality of positive current collectors (13, [0016]), which are located on an upper edge opening of the positive pole piece (10a) and overlapped on the same position after winding, along a length direction of the positive pole piece (10a) according to a curvature change of a jelly roll (16) after winding and at sequentially scaled-up intervals (FIG. 1, [0018]);
S3: welding a positive tab (12a), which is vertical with respect to the length direction of the positive pole piece (10a) and overlapped on the same position after winding, on each positive current collector (13) on the positive pole piece (10a, [0023]);
S4: arranging a plurality of negative current collectors (13), which are located on a lower edge opening of the negative pole piece (10b) and overlapped on the same position after winding, along a length direction of the negative pole piece (10b) according to the curvature change of the jelly roll (16) after winding and at sequentially scaled-up intervals (FIG. 1, [0018]),
the negative current collectors (13) being staggered relative to the positive current collectors (13, [0022]);
S5: welding a negative tab (12b) , which is vertical with respect to the length direction of the negative pole piece (10b) and overlapped on the same position after winding, on each negative current collector (13) on the negative pole piece (10b, [0023]);
S6: stacking the positive pole piece (10a) welded with the positive tabs (12a), a diaphragm (14), and the negative pole piece (10b) welded with the negative tabs (12b) in sequence and winding to form the cylindrical jelly roll (16, [0022]);
S7: packaging a whole body (16) and molding to obtain a battery core (16, [0022]);
S8: placing the wound battery core (16) into a cylindrical battery case (21, [0023]);
S9: on upper and lower openings of the battery case (21), making the stacked positive tabs (12a) penetrate through a rear insulation cover of a tab groove on an upper insulation sheet (23b), and the stacked negative tabs (12b) penetrate through a rear insulation cover of a tab groove on a lower insulation sheet (23a, [0023]); and
S10: covering the upper insulation sheet (23b) and the positive tabs (12a), and the lower insulation sheet (23a) and the negative tabs (12b) on the battery case (21) with top caps (21a, 22), respectively, so as to finish the manufacturing of the battery (20, [0022]).
Yoshida does not explicitly disclose:
wrapping the cylindrical jelly roll with a high-temperature adhesive tape into a whole body.
Kim discloses a method for preparing a battery comprising wrapping a cylindrical jelly roll (205) with a high-temperature adhesive tape (236, [0043]) into a whole body (205, [0033]) to prevent the jelly roll from moving due to an external impact (see sealing tape, [0026]). Yoshida and Kim are analogous because they are directed to cylindrical secondary batteries. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to make the multi-tab battery of Yoshida with the adhesive tape of Kim in order to prevent the jelly roll from moving due to an external impact.
Regarding claim 3, modified Yoshida discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and further discloses a method for preparing a multi-tab battery:
wherein the negative tabs (12b) in step S5 are nickel tabs (12b, [0029]).
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshida et al. (JP 2002-319410 A) in view of Kim (US 2007/0224494 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Chang et al. (US 2007/0231679 A1).
Regarding claim 2, modified Yoshida discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above, but does not explicitly disclose a method for preparing a multi-tab battery:
wherein the positive tabs in step S3 are aluminum tabs.
Chang discloses a battery comprising a positive aluminum tab (116, [0026]) to improve the conductivity of the positive tab (see excellent conductivity, [0026]). Yoshida and Chang are analogous because they are directed to cylindrical secondary batteries. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to make the positive tabs of modified Yoshida with aluminum of Chang in order to mprove the conductivity of the positive tab.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Sean P Cullen, Ph.D. whose telephone number is (571)270-1251. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday 6:00 am to 4:00 pm CT, Friday 6:00 am to 12:00 pm CT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Basia A Ridley can be reached at (571)272-1453. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Sean P Cullen, Ph.D./Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725