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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 4/30/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The amendments filed 4/30/2026 have been entered. Claims 1, 6-10, and 13 are amended and Claims 14-16 are new.
Support for the claims can be found in Fig. 2 and paragraphs 0052-0053 of the instant specification.
Claims 1-16 are pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 4/30/2026 with respect to amended Claim 1 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive: the alternating grooves and protrusions in the cap plate of Nakanishi would be considered a corrugated profile.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to new claim(s) 14-16 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6, and 9-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nakanishi (US 20040023107 A1, cited in the 8/24/2023 IDS).
Regarding Claim 1, Nakanishi teaches a battery (Title) comprising an electrode assembly (part 4) and a case (part 5) accommodating the electrode assembly (Fig. 1). The case has a side portion (part 51) and an upper surface portion (0052) closing one end of the side portion (Fig. 1). The side portion and upper surface portion are welded together (0078) and can thus be viewed as integrally formed. The case has an opening at a first end opposite to the upper surface portion sized to accommodate the electrode assembly (part 53) and a terminal hole (parts 52 and 8) in the upper surface portion at a second end opposite the first end (Fig. 1 - the case has openings covered by lids and the lids have terminal holes). A first current collector plate (part 6) is electrically coupled to the electrode assembly (0082) and a terminal (part 7) is electrically connected to the current collector plate (0088) and extends through the terminal hole (Fig. 1). A cap plate (cover) seals the opening of the case (Fig. 1 – part 53). Due to the grooves (part 54) in the cap plate, the cap plate can be viewed as having outer and inner protrusions. Additionally, due to the alternating pattern of the grooves and protrusions, the cap can be viewed as having a corrugated profile in a cross-sectional view (Fig. 1). Examiner notes that the change in form or shape, without any new or unexpected results, is an obvious engineering design (See MPEP 2144.04).
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Regarding Claim 2, Nakanishi teaches the battery of Claim 1. The terminal comprises a head outside the case (part 8) and a fastening part (part 76) coupled to an inner surface of the case through the terminal hole in the case (Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 3, Nakanishi teaches the battery of Claim 2. The fastening part has a larger diameter than the terminal hole in the case (Fig. 1 – parts 76 and 52)
Regarding Claim 4, Nakanishi teaches the battery of Claim 3. The battery comprises insulation members between the terminal and the case (parts 72 and 73; 0088).
Regarding Claim 6, Nakanishi teaches the battery of Claim 1. The stepped portions of the lid 52 can be viewed as protrusions protruding in one direction (horizontally) along an edge of the terminal hole (Fig. 1).
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Regarding Claim 9, Nakanishi teaches the battery of Claim 6. The battery comprises an insulation member between the terminal and the case (insulators 72 and 73). The insulation member is coupled around an outer peripheral surface of the terminal hole protrusion (Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 10, Nakanishi teaches the battery of Claim 9. Nakanishi teaches that the insulation member is under pressure and forms an airtight seal between the lid and the terminal (0091). As the insulation member is in contact with both the protrusion and the terminal (Fig. 1), there would be pressure on both the terminal hole protrusion and the terminal and therefore the terminal hole protrusion can be seen as being compressed with the insulation member according to a shape of the terminal on the outside of the insulation member.
Regarding Claim 11, Nakanishi teaches the battery of Claim 6. The terminal is a negative terminal and the case has a positive polarity (0078).
Regarding Claim 12, Nakanishi teaches the battery of Claim 1. The battery comprises a second current collector plate (part 61) coupled to the electrode assembly and the case (Fig. 1). The cap plate is electrically connected to the second current collector plate via a terminal connecting part (Fig. 1 – parts 53, 61, and 9). As the terminal connector part forms an outermost surface of the case (Fig. 1), it can be viewed as part of the case. Thus, the cap plate is electrically connected to the second current collector via the case.
Regarding Claim 13, Nakanishi teaches the battery of Claim 1. The protrusion of the cap forms a bottom-most surface of the secondary battery (Fig. 1).
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.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakanishi as applied to claim 4 above, and further in view of Wu (US 20210328313 A1).
Regarding Claim 5, Nakanishi teaches the battery of Claim 4. Nakanishi does not teach that the insulation member has a diameter gradually increasing toward the inside of the case according to a shape of the fastening part in a region where the terminal is inserted into the inside of the case.
Wu teaches a battery with a terminal with a conical section (Figs. 11 and 30, part 130).
Nakanishi and Wu are considered analogous to the claimed invention as they relate to the same field of endeavor, namely secondary battery cases.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have substituted the terminal shape of Nakanishi with the conical terminal shape taught by Wu as it is a known terminal shape for a battery and the simple substitution of one known element for another is likely to be obvious when predictable results are achieved (see MPEP 2143 B). Doing so would provide nothing more than the predictable results of a terminal with a shape suitable for a battery.
Modified Nakanishi teaches that the insulation member forms an airtight seal with the terminal and the case (0091).
Therefore, it would also have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the shape of the insulation member to conform with the conical shape of the terminal of modified Nakanishi as changes in shape, absent any unexpected results, have been held to be obvious (See MPEP 2144.04 IV. B).
This would result in the insulation member also having a conical shape, meaning that at least a portion of the insulation member would have a diameter gradually increasing toward the inside of the case according to a shape of the fastening part in a region where the terminal is inserted into the inside of the case.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakanishi as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Nemoto (US 20180130995 A1).
Regarding Claim 7, Nakanishi teaches the battery of Claim 6. The terminal hole protrusion of Nakanishi protrudes horizontally rather than toward the inside of the case.
Nemoto teaches a battery where the lid comprises a protrusion toward the inside of the case (Fig. 2, part 11c1). The protrusion digs in to the insulating material and helps keep the lid sealed around the mounting/terminal hole (0058).
Nakanishi and Nemoto are considered analogous to the claimed invention as they relate to the same field of endeavor, namely secondary battery cases.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the case of Nakanishi to comprise a protrusion protruding toward the inside of the case along an edge of the terminal hole in order improve the sealing around the terminal hole.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakanishi as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Huang (US 20210234220 A1).
Regarding Claim 8, Nakanishi teaches the battery of Claim 6. The protrusion of Nakanishi protrudes horizontally rather than toward the outside of the case.
Huang teaches a battery comprising a case with a terminal hole (part 13), a terminal extending through the terminal hole (part 11), and an insulating/sealing member between the terminal and the case (parts 12 and 14) (Figs. 3 and 4). The case, along the edge of the terminal hole comprises a protrusion protruding toward the outside of the case (0066; Fig. 4)
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The protrusion clamps the insulating/sealing member (part 12) and allows for a more stable arrangement of the insulating /sealing member (0066).
Nakanishi and Huang are considered analogous to the claimed invention as they relate to the same field of endeavor, namely secondary battery cases.
The insulators of Nakanishi are used to maintain an airtight seal between the lid of the case and the terminal (0091) similar to the insulating/sealing members of Huang and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the case of Nakanishi to comprise a protrusion protruding toward the outside of the case along an edge of the terminal hole in order to allow for a more stable arrangement of the insulator/sealing member.
Claim(s) 14 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakanishi as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Lee (US 20220399564 A1).
Regarding Claim 14, Nakanishi teaches the battery of Claim 1. Nakanishi teaches that the electrolyte is filled from the terminal hole (top) rather than from the cap plate (bottom) (0089).
Lee teaches a cylindrical secondary battery with a hole provided in a bottom portion of the battery metal can (Abstract). The hole can be disposed at the center of the bottom portion of the can (0022) and the electrode can be electrically connected to the can through a welded tab (0052, Fig. 2 - part 212). This allows for the supplying of additional electrolytic solution even after sealing.
Nakanishi and Lee are considered analogous to the claimed invention as they relate to the same field of endeavor, namely secondary battery cases.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the battery can structure of Nakanishi by connecting the electrode to the can through a welded tab and having an electrolyte filling hole at the center of the bottom portion of the can as taught by Lee in order to allow for the supplying of electrolyte to the battery after sealing.
Regarding Claim 15, Nakanishi teaches the battery of Claim 14. The outermost protrusion can be viewed as the protrusion of the cap plate (Fig. 1) which would result in the protrusion of the cap plate being spaced apart from and extending around a periphery of the electrolyte injection hole (located in the center of the cap plate).
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Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakanishi as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Sodeyama (US 20200243822 A1).
Regarding Claim 16, Nakanishi teaches the battery of Claim 1. Nakanishi teaches a safety vent located in the upper portion of the battery can (Fig. 1 – part 50) rather than in the protrusion of the cap plate.
Sodeyama teaches arc-shaped grooves formed in the bottom of a battery can (Abstract). The grooves may be formed on the inside of the battery can (Fig. 2B) and break during abnormal heat to allow generated gases to discharge (0003). Thus, the grooves can be viewed as safety vents.
Nakanishi and Sodeyama are considered analogous to the claimed invention as they relate to the same field of endeavor, namely secondary battery cases.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have substituted the safety vent of Nakanishi with the safety vents/grooves of Sodeyama as they are known safety vents for discharging gas in a battery. Doing so would provide nothing more than the predictable results of a battery with a suitable safety vent for discharging gas and it has been held that the simple substitution of one known element for another is likely to be obvious when predictable results are achieved (see MPEP 2143 B).
Modified Nakanishi does not disclose where the safety vents are located on the can bottom: Sodeyama teaches that the diameter of the groove is between 44% and 77% of the outer diameter of the can but does not otherwise limit the placement of the groove (Sodeyama: Abstract).
However, it has been held that the change in form or shape, without any new or unexpected results, is an obvious engineering design. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have placed the groove/safety vent in the protrusion of the cap plate as a change in relative dimensions, without any new or unexpected results, is an obvious engineering design (See MPEP 2144.04).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hwangbo (US 20230395950 A1) teaches a battery with a cap plate comprising a corrugated profile in a cross-sectional view (Fig. 23) and a liquid inlet in the center of the cap plate (Fig. 27 – part 42).
Kaplin (US 20060172190 A1) teaches a battery cell where the bottom of the case has a corrugated side profile (Fig. 1).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZIHENG LU whose telephone number is (703)756-1077. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30 - 5 ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nicholas Smith can be reached at (571) 272-8760. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ZIHENG LU/ Examiner, Art Unit 1752
/Maria Laios/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1727
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