DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE
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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election without traverse of Group II (Claims 13-18) in the reply filed on December 19th, 2025 is acknowledged. Claims 1-12 and 19-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected Groups I and III, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Claim Interpretation
All “wherein” clauses are given patentable weight unless otherwise noted. Please see MPEP 2111.04 regarding optional claim language.
Prior Art
Matsui US PG Publication 2014/0058598 (“Matsui”)
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 13-18 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 13, line 4 recites the limitation “an electrode.” It is wholly unclear as to whether this electrode is in reference to the electrode as defined in line 1 or is an entirely separate entity.
Claim 16, line 2 recites the limitation “jumbo roll.” The term “jumbo” is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “jumbo” 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. For example, is there a specific size requirement a roll must have to be deemed “jumbo.”
Further clarification is required.
Claims 14-15 and 17-18 are rejected as being dependent upon a rejected claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 13-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Matsui US PG Publication 2014/0058598.
Regarding Claim 13, Matsui discloses a cathode (electrode) (Abstract, [0011], entire disclosure dependent upon) comprising:
a cathode sheet (electrode sheet) comprising a first edge and a second edge around the periphery of the electrode sheet, wherein the electrode sheet is formed from a slurry comprising an electrode material and an active material ([0234]); and
an electrode defined in the active material to expose a portion of the electrode material to define cathode tabs 61C, wherein the electrode extends from the first edge towards the second edge, and wherein the portion of the electrode material extends across the electrode to the first edge ([0217]-[0221]).
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Annotated Figure 8B of Matsui
Regarding Claim 14, Matsui teaches the instantly claimed electrode according to Claim 13, and Matsui discloses wherein the electrode further comprises an electrode tab (i.e. the cathode tabs 61C as defined in the rejection of Claim 13 above) that is physically and electrically connected to the portion of the electrode material that defines the electrode ([0219]-[0220]).
Regarding Claim 15, Matsui teaches the instantly claimed electrode according to Claim 14, and Matsui discloses wherein the electrode further comprises a fixing member 56 such as an adhesive tape that covers the portion of the electrode material that defines the electrode and a portion of the electrode tab that is disposed on the electrode ([0241]-[0244]).
Regarding Claim 16, Matsui teaches the instantly claimed electrode according to Claim 13, and Matsui discloses wherein the electrode sheet comprises a single electrode cut from the electrode sheet ([0234]).
Regarding Claim 17, Matsui teaches the instantly claimed electrode according to Claim 13, and Matsui discloses wherein the active material is disposed along a first, top surface of the electrode material ([0217]-[0221]).
Regarding Claim 18, Matsui teaches the instantly claimed electrode according to Claim 13, and Matsui discloses wherein a first plane is defined at the first edge and extends orthogonally with respect to the electrode sheet, and wherein the portion of the electrode material defines the electrode terminates at the first plane (i.e. the electrode material does not extend beyond the dimensions of the electrode) ([0217]-[0221], [0241]-[0244]).
Conclusion
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/O.M.R./Examiner, Art Unit 1729
/ULA C RUDDOCK/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1729