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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 2/28/23 was filed on 2/28/23. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings filed on 2/28/23 are accepted by the examiner.
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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yang et al (CN 111293277 A, machine translation).
Regarding claims 1 and 12, Yang et al discloses a lithium-ion battery (electrochemical device), characterized in that the lithium-ion battery comprises: a positive electrode (positive electrode plate); a negative electrode (negative electrode plate); and a diaphragm (separator) disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, wherein the positive electrode and/or the negative electrode comprises: a current collector “1”; a dressing area “3” (first coating) applied onto the current collector, wherein the dressing area inherently comprises an active material, and the dressing area comprises a thin material area “5” (first edge part), a middle part “3”, and a thin material area “5” (second edge part) sequentially in a width direction of the current collector; and a colloid covering area “6” (second coating), comprising a first part “6” disposed on the first edge part and a second part “6” disposed on the second edge part, wherein the colloid covering area “6” comprises a first glue that baked at high temperature which inherently results in a first bonding force that is exerted by a surface that is of the first part and that is away from the first edge part, a second bonding force that is exerted by a surface that is of the second part and that is away from the second edge part, a third bonding force that is exerted by a surface that is of the middle part and that is away from the current collector, and both the first bonding force and the second bonding force are greater than the third bonding force because the first part and second part comprises a glue that increases bonding force while the middle part does not comprise a glue ([0030],[0032],[0033],[0040],[0042],[0043] and Figs. 1-3).
Claims 1, 12, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Guo et al (CN 105655540 A, machine translation).
Regarding claims 1, 12, and 18, Guo et al discloses an electronic device comprising a lithium ion battery (electrochemical device), characterized in that the lithium ion battery comprises: a positive electrode plate; a negative electrode plate; and a separator disposed between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate, wherein the positive electrode plate and/or the negative electrode plate comprises: a current collector “1”; an active material layer “2” (first coating) applied onto the current collector, wherein the active material layer comprises an active material, and the active material layer comprises a first edge part, a middle part, and second edge part sequentially in a width direction of the current collector; and a insulating colloid “3” (second coating), comprising a first part disposed on the first edge part and a second part disposed on the second edge part, wherein the insulating colloid and active material layer inherently comprises a first bonding force is exerted by a surface that is of the first part and that is away from the first edge part, a second bonding force is exerted by a surface that is of the second part and that is away from the second edge part, a third bonding force is exerted by a surface that is of the middle part and that is away from the current collector, and both the first bonding force and the second bonding force are greater than the third bonding force because the first part and second part comprises a colloid that enhances the bonding force between edge of the active material layer and the current collector while the middle part does not comprise a colloid; wherein the insulating colloid (second binder) can be selected from at least one of styrene-butadiene rubber and polyvinylidene fluoride; wherein the width of the insulating colloid may be 1 mm to 50 mm; wherein the thickness of the insulating colloid can be 1 um-200 um; wherein the insulating colloid (first part/second part) is applied discontinuously in a length direction ([0004],[0038],[0039],[0042],[0045],[0046],[0048] and Figs. 8 and 12).
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.
Claims 2-6, 8, and 13-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al (CN 111293277 A, machine translation). The Yang reference is applied to claims 1 and 12 for reasons stated above.
Regarding claims 2-6 and 13-17, Yang et al does not expressly teach first part has a width d1, the second part has a width d2, the first coating has a width D, 1%< d1/D <10% and 1%< d2/D<10% (claims 2 and 13); wherein 5%< d1/D <10% (claims 3 and 14); wherein 5%< d2/D <10% (claims 4 and 15); both the first bonding force and the second bonding force are 2 to 10 times the third bonding force; and/or both the first bonding force and the second bonding force are greater than 5 N/m (claims 5 and 16); a thickness of the second coating is h, a thickness of the middle part is H, 0.5 um < h < 8 um and 20 um < H <200 um (claims 6 and 17).
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the Yang battery to include first part has a width d1, the second part has a width d2, the first coating has a width D, 1%< d1/D <10% and 1%< d2/D<10%; wherein 5%< d1/D <10%; wherein 5%< d2/D <10%; both the first bonding force and the second bonding force are 2 to 10 times the third bonding force; and/or both the first bonding force and the second bonding force are greater than 5 N/m; a thickness of the second coating is h, a thickness of the middle part is H, 0.5 um < h < 8 um and 20 um < H <200 um because it has been held that the discovery of an optimum value of a result effective variable in a known process is ordinarily within the skill of the art. In re Boesch, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980). The width of the first part, the width of the second part, the thickness of the second coating, the thickness of the middle part, the first bonding force/second bonding force, and third bonding force are result effective variables of removing burrs from the positive pole piece and negative pole piece at the first part and second part. Where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation. In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454. 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955)).
Regarding claim 8, Yang et al also discloses a first glue (second binder) that is polyvinylidene fluoride or styrene-butadiene rubber ([0042]).
However, Yang et al does not expressly teach a mass percent of the second binder in the second coating that is 30% to 80%.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the Yang battery to include a mass percent of the second binder in the second coating that is 30% to 80% because it has been held that the discovery of an optimum value of a result effective variable in a known process is ordinarily within the skill of the art. In re Boesch, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980). Where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation. In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454. 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955)).
Regarding claim 18, it is well known in the art that an electronic device comprises a lithium-ion battery (electrochemical device). Therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art would have been able to combine the known elements by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention.
Claims 7, 10, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al (CN 111293277 A, machine translation) in view of Kim et al (US 2014/0349171). The Yang reference is applied to claim 1 for reasons stated above.
However, Yang et al does not expressly teach first coating comprising a first binder; a mass percent of the first binder in the first coating is 0.5% to 6%; and the first binder comprises at least one of polyvinylidene difluoride, poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-fluorinated olefin), polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyacrylonitrile, polymethyl acrylate, polytetrafluoroethylene, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, styrene-butadiene rubber, polyurethane, fluorinated rubber, or polyvinyl alcohol (claim 7); at least a partial region of the current collector that is etched (claim 10); wherein regions of the current collector where the first edge part and the second edge part of the first coating are applied, are etched; and a roughness of the regions of the current collector where the first edge part and the second edge part of the first coating are applied is 2 to 4 times a roughness of a region of the current collector where the middle part of the first coating is applied (claim 11).
Kim et al discloses a cathode active material layer (first coating) comprising a binder, wherein examples of the binder (first binder) include polyvinylidene fluoride, polyvinyl alcohols, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), starch, hydroxypropylcellulose, regenerated cellulose, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, tetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer (EPDM), sulfonated EPDM, styrene-butadiene rubber, fluorine rubber, wherein an example of the electrode active material layer includes 2.5 wt% of PVDF as a binder; and a current collector that is etched ([0034],[0055]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the Yang dressing area to include 2.5 wt% of a first binder comprising at least one of polyvinylidene difluoride, polyvinylpyrrolidone, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, styrene-butadiene rubber, fluorinated rubber, or polyvinyl alcohol and at least a partial region of the current collector that is etched in order to utilize a utilize a component in assisting in binding between an active material to the current collector and to enhance the adhesion between the current collector and the electrode active material ([0034],[0062]). In addition, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the Yang/Kim dressing area to include a roughness of the regions of the current collector where the first edge part and the second edge part of the first coating are applied that is 2 to 4 times a roughness of a region of the current collector where the middle part of the first coating is applied because it has been held that the discovery of an optimum value of a result effective variable in a known process is ordinarily within the skill of the art. In re Boesch, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980). The roughness of the regions of the current collector where the first edge part and the second edge part of the first coating are applied is a result effective variable of optimizing the adhesion of the colloid covering area to the first edge part and the second edge part to remove burrs from the pole piece, thereby enhance the safety performance of the battery. Where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation. In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454. 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955)).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al (CN 111293277 A, machine translation) in view of Sun et al (CN 103840123 A, machine translation). The Yang reference is applied to claim 1 for reasons stated above.
However, Yang et al does not expressly teach in a length direction of the first coating, the first part and/or the second part that are applied discontinuously, a ratio of an aggregate coating length of the first part to a length of the first coating is greater than 80%, and a ratio of an aggregate coating length of the second part to the length of the first coating is greater than 80% (claim 9).
Sun et al discloses a glue layer “2” (first part / second part) that are applied discontinuously in a length direction ([0017] and Fig. 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the Yang electrode to include in a length direction of the first coating, the first part and/or the second part that are applied discontinuously in order to provide a lithium-ion battery electrode with good processability, high production efficiency, and the ability to improve the qualified rate and safety of finished battery products ([0007]). In addition, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the Yang/Sun electrode to include a ratio of an aggregate coating length of the first part to a length of the first coating that is greater than 80%, and a ratio of an aggregate coating length of the second part to the length of the first coating that is greater than 80% because it has been held that the discovery of an optimum value of a result effective variable in a known process is ordinarily within the skill of the art. In re Boesch, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980). Where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation. In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454. 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955)). There is no evidence of criticality of the claimed ratio of an aggregate coating length of the first part/second part to a length of the first coating.
Claims 2-6, 8, 9, and 13-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guo et al (CN 105655540 A, machine translation). The Guo reference is applied to claims 1 and 12 for reasons stated above.
Regarding claims 2-6, 8, 9, and 13-17, Guo et al does not expressly teach first part has a width d1, the second part has a width d2, the first coating has a width D, 1%< d1/D <10% and 1%< d2/D<10% (claims 2 and 13); wherein 5%< d1/D <10% (claims 3 and 14); wherein 5%< d2/D <10% (claims 4 and 15); both the first bonding force and the second bonding force are 2 to 10 times the third bonding force; and/or both the first bonding force and the second bonding force are greater than 5 N/m (claims 5 and 16); a thickness of the second coating is h, a thickness of the middle part is H, 0.5 um < h < 8 um and 20 um < H <200 um (claims 6 and 17); a mass percent of the second binder in the second coating that is 30% to 80% (claim 8); a ratio of an aggregate coating length of the first part to a length of the first coating is greater than 80%, and a ratio of an aggregate coating length of the second part to the length of the first coating that is greater than 80% (claim 9).
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the Guo battery to include a first part that has a width d1, a second part that has a width d2, a first coating that has a width D, 1%< d1/D <10% and 1%< d2/D<10%; wherein 5%< d1/D <10%; wherein 5%< d2/D <10%; both the first bonding force and the second bonding force are 2 to 10 times the third bonding force; and/or both the first bonding force and the second bonding force are greater than 5 N/m; a thickness of the second coating is h, a thickness of the middle part is H, 0.5 um < h < 8 um and 20 um < H <200 um; and a mass percent of the second binder in the second coating that is 30% to 80% and a ratio of an aggregate coating length of the first part to a length of the first coating is greater than 80%, and a ratio of an aggregate coating length of the second part to the length of the first coating that is greater than 80% because it has been held that the discovery of an optimum value of a result effective variable in a known process is ordinarily within the skill of the art. In re Boesch, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980). The width of the first part, the width of the second part, the thickness of the second coating, the thickness of the middle part, the first bonding force/second bonding force, and third bonding force, mass percent of the second binder, and a ratio of an aggregate coating length of the first part to a length of the first coating are result effective variables of removing burrs from the positive pole piece and negative pole piece at the first part and second part. Where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation. In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454. 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955)).
Claims 7, 10, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guo et al (CN 105655540 A, machine translation) in view of Kim et al (US 2014/0349171). The Guo reference is applied to claim 1 for reasons stated above.
However, Guo et al does not expressly teach first coating comprising a first binder; a mass percent of the first binder in the first coating is 0.5% to 6%; and the first binder comprises at least one of polyvinylidene difluoride, poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-fluorinated olefin), polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyacrylonitrile, polymethyl acrylate, polytetrafluoroethylene, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, styrene-butadiene rubber, polyurethane, fluorinated rubber, or polyvinyl alcohol (claim 7); at least a partial region of the current collector that is etched (claim 10); wherein regions of the current collector where the first edge part and the second edge part of the first coating are applied, are etched; and a roughness of the regions of the current collector where the first edge part and the second edge part of the first coating are applied is 2 to 4 times a roughness of a region of the current collector where the middle part of the first coating is applied (claim 11).
Kim et al discloses a cathode active material layer (first coating) comprising a binder, wherein examples of the binder (first binder) include polyvinylidene fluoride, polyvinyl alcohols, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), starch, hydroxypropylcellulose, regenerated cellulose, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, tetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer (EPDM), sulfonated EPDM, styrene-butadiene rubber, fluorine rubber, wherein an example of the electrode active material layer includes 2.5 wt% of PVDF as a binder; and a current collector that is etched ([0034],[0055]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the Guo active material layer to include 2.5 wt% of a first binder comprising at least one of polyvinylidene difluoride, polyvinylpyrrolidone, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, styrene-butadiene rubber, fluorinated rubber, or polyvinyl alcohol and at least a partial region of the current collector that is etched in order to utilize a utilize a component in assisting in binding between an active material to the current collector and to enhance the adhesion between the current collector and the electrode active material ([0034],[0062]). In addition, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the Guo/Kim active material layer to include a roughness of the regions of the current collector where the first edge part and the second edge part of the first coating are applied that is 2 to 4 times a roughness of a region of the current collector where the middle part of the first coating is applied because it has been held that the discovery of an optimum value of a result effective variable in a known process is ordinarily within the skill of the art. In re Boesch, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980). The roughness of the regions of the current collector where the first edge part and the second edge part of the first coating are applied is a result effective variable of optimizing the adhesion of the colloid covering area to the first edge part and the second edge part to remove burrs from the pole piece, thereby enhance the safety performance of the battery. Where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation. In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454. 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955)).
Conclusion
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/T.S.C/Examiner, Art Unit 1751
/JONATHAN G LEONG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1751 10/22/2025