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, 6, and 8–13 are pending.
Claims 4, 5, and 7 are canceled.
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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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 2023/0290996 A1.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01 May 2026 was filed after the mailing date of the non-final Office Action on 15 April 2026. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 1–3, 6, and 8–13 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 limitations "the first side surface covering portion and the second side surface covering portion cover a same side surface of the power generation element, the electrode terminal and the counter electrode terminal cover the same side surface via the counter electrode insulation film and the electrode insulation film" in lines 34–37. Claim 1 has previously recited the limitations "the electrode insulation film includes a first side surface covering portion that covers a first part of the at least one side surface" and "the counter electrode insulation film includes a second side surface covering portion that covers a second part of the at least one side surface" in lines 16–20. It is if "a same side surface" recited in lines 34–35 is further limiting "the at least one side surface" recited in line 17.
Claims 2, 3, 6, and 8–11 are directly dependent from claim 1 and include all the limitations of claim 1. Therefore, claims 2, 3, 6, and 8–11 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 12 recites the limitation "the battery according to claim 1" and includes all the limitations of claim 1. Therefore, claim 12 is 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 13 is directly dependent from claim 12 and includes all the limitations of claim 12. Therefore, claim 13 is 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.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1–3, 6, and 8–13 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The closest prior art of record is Suzuki (JP 2020-126791 A).
Suzuki discloses a battery (1, [0019]), comprising a power generation element (2) that includes at least one battery cell (2) including an electrode layer (3), a counter electrode layer (4), and a solid electrolyte layer (7) positioned between the electrode layer (3) and the counter electrode layer (4, [0017]); an electrode insulation film (13, 14; [0019]); a counter electrode insulation film (13, 14; [0019]); an electrode terminal (5) that is electrically connected to the electrode layer; (3, [0020]) and a counter electrode terminal (6) that is electrically connected to the counter electrode layer (4, [0020]), wherein the power generation element (2) includes an electrode main surface that is formed of a surface of the electrode layer (3, FIG. 1), a counter electrode main surface that faces the electrode main surface and is a surface of the counter electrode layer (4, FIG. 1), and at least one side surface (FIG. 1, [0019]), the electrode insulation film (13, 14) includes a first side surface covering portion (13) that covers a first part of the at least one side surface and an electrode main surface covering portion (14) that covers a part of the electrode main surface (FIG. 1, [0019]), the counter electrode insulation film (13, 14) includes a second side surface covering portion (13) that covers a second part of the at least side surface and a counter electrode main surface covering portion (14) that covers a part the counter electrode main surface (FIG. 1, [0019]), the electrode terminal (5) includes a counter electrode insulation film covering portion that covers the second side surface covering portion and an electrode contact portion that is in contact with the electrode main surface (FIG. 1, [0019]), and the counter electrode terminal (6) includes an electrode insulation film covering portion that covers the first side surface covering portion and a counter electrode contact portion that is in contact with the counter electrode main surface (FIG. 1, [0019]), the electrode terminal (5) and the counter electrode terminal (6) each contain second thermosetting resin (see thermosetting external electrode paste, [0062]).
Suzuki does not disclose, teach or suggest the following distinguishing feature:
A battery comprising a first side surface covering portion and a second side surface covering portion covering a same side surface of a power generation element, an electrode terminal and a counter electrode terminal cover the same side surface via the counter electrode insulation film and the electrode insulation film, and in a plan view, an electrode contact portion is in contact with an electrode main surface on an inner side of an inner end of the second side surface covering portion, and a counter electrode contact portion is in contact with a counter electrode main surface on an inner side of an inner end of the first side surface covering portion.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Park (US 2015/0131194 A1) discloses a battery (100) comprising an electrode terminal (131) and a counter electrode terminal (132) cover a same side surface via a counter electrode insulation film (111) and an electrode insulation film (111, [0114]).
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.
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.
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, 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
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