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 . If status of the application as subject to 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 a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Status of Claims
Claims 1-20 are pending in the application and are presently examined.
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.
Claims 2-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor(s) regard as the invention.
In claims 2-4, 6-8, & 13, it is unclear what is meant by “provided on”, because the layer “provided on” is actually a layer of or in the first or second body portions, not on the first or second body portions. Examiner suggests replacing “provided on” as indicated in the amended claims below.
It is also unclear what is meant by “is configured to bond”, as if it is capable of bonding, but not actually doing so. The phrase “configured to” is better suited to devices that are movable, or which can perform an action. Here, however, either there is a bond or there isn’t, so “configured to” makes claim scope ambiguous as to whether the bond is claimed, or merely the ability to bond.
Also, the language of claims 3-9 is unclear due to lack of commas.
For present examination, claims 3-9 are examined as follows:
2. The electrochemical device according to claim 1,
wherein the first bonding piece comprises a first bonding layer, a first substrate layer, and a second bonding layer stacked in sequence;
wherein the first bonding layer is a layer of the first body portion ands a surface of the first substrate layer, oriented away from the electrode assembly, to the housing, and
the second bonding layer is a layer of the first body portion ands a surface of the first substrate layer, oriented toward the electrode assembly, to the first bend section.
3. The electrochemical device according to claim 2, wherein the first bonding layer is a layer of the first extension portion ands the surface of the first substrate layer, oriented away from the electrode assembly, to a surface of the third bonding piece, oriented toward the electrode assembly.
4. The electrochemical device according to claim 2, wherein the second bonding layer is a layer of the first extension portion ands the first substrate layer to the electrode assembly.
5. The electrochemical device according to claim 2, wherein the surface of the first substrate layer, oriented toward the electrode assembly, is in contact with the first section.
6. The electrochemical device according to claim 2,
wherein the second bonding piece comprises a third bonding layer, a second substrate layer, and a fourth bonding layer stacked in sequence;
wherein the third bonding layer is a layer of the second body portion ands the second substrate layer to the housing, and
the fourth bonding layer is a layer of the second body portion ands the second substrate layer to the second bend section.
7. The electrochemical device according to claim 6, wherein the third bonding layer is a layer of the second extension portion ands the second substrate layer to the third bonding piece.
8. The electrochemical device according to claim 6, wherein the fourth bonding layer is a layer of on the second extension portion ands the second substrate layer to the first section.
9. The electrochemical device according to claim 6, wherein a surface of the second substrate layer, oriented toward the electrode assembly, is in contact with the first section.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
The claims are in bold font, the prior art is in parentheses.
Claims 1-13 & 15-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN113097571A machine translation (Hu).
Hu teaches the following limitations of claims 1 & 19:
Claim 1 An electrochemical device (page 8, lines 14-15: electrochemical device 100) comprising:
Claim 19 An electronic device comprising an electrochemical device (page 1, lines 36-38: an electronic device with the electrochemical device; page 8, lines 14-15: electrochemical device 100); wherein the electrochemical device (100) comprises
Both claims 1 & 19
an electrode assembly (page 8, lines 14-16; figure 2: electrode assembly 20) comprising a first electrode plate (page 8, lines 16-19: first pole piece 21), a second electrode plate (page 8, lines 16-19: second pole piece 22), and a separator (page 8, lines 16-19: isolation film 23) disposed between the first electrode plate (21) and the second electrode plate (22);
wherein the first electrode plate (21), the separator (23), and the second electrode plate (22) are wound to form a wound structure (page 8, lines 21-24; figure 2), and along a winding direction,
the electrode assembly (20) comprises a first section, a first bend section, a second section, and a second bend section connected in sequence (Figure A below);
a housing (page 8, lines 21-24: shell 10) configured to accommodate the electrode assembly (20);
a first bonding piece (page 11, lines 34-44; figure 2: second bonding member 60) comprising a first body portion disposed on a surface of the first bend section (Figure A below) and a first extension portion disposed on a surface of the first section (Figure A below); wherein the first body portion is configured to bond the first bend section to the housing (page 11, lines 34-44; Figure A below);
a second bonding piece (page 11, lines 34-44; figure 2: first bonding member 50) comprising a second body portion disposed on a surface of the second bend section (Figure A below) and a second extension portion disposed on the surface of the first section (Figure A below); wherein the second body portion is configured to bond the second bend section to the housing (page 11, lines 34-44; Figure A below); and
a third bonding piece (page 15, lines 17-18: fifth bonding member 90) disposed between the electrode assembly (20) and the housing (10); wherein the third bonding piece (90) is bonded to the housing (10) and to the first extension portion and the second extension portion (Figure A below)
Figure A: Annotated Hu Figure 2
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With regard to claims 2-9, Hu teaches the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above. Hu also teaches the following limitations of claims 2-9 (amended according to Examiner’s understanding – see 112(b) above):
2. The electrochemical device according to claim 1,
wherein the first bonding piece comprises a first bonding layer, a first substrate layer, and a second bonding layer stacked in sequence;
wherein the first bonding layer is a layer of the first body portion ands a surface of the first substrate layer, oriented away from the electrode assembly, to the housing, and
the second bonding layer is a layer of the first body portion ands a surface of the first substrate layer, oriented toward the electrode assembly, to the first bend section.
3. The electrochemical device according to claim 2, wherein the first bonding layer is a layer of the first extension portion ands the surface of the first substrate layer, oriented away from the electrode assembly, to a surface of the third bonding piece, oriented toward the electrode assembly.
4. The electrochemical device according to claim 2, wherein the second bonding layer is a layer of the first extension portion ands the first substrate layer to the electrode assembly.
5. The electrochemical device according to claim 2, wherein the surface of the first substrate layer, oriented toward the electrode assembly, is in contact with the first section.
6. The electrochemical device according to claim 2,
wherein the second bonding piece comprises a third bonding layer, a second substrate layer, and a fourth bonding layer stacked in sequence;
wherein the third bonding layer is a layer of the second body portion ands the second substrate layer to the housing, and
the fourth bonding layer is a layer of the second body portion ands the second substrate layer to the second bend section.
7. The electrochemical device according to claim 6, wherein the third bonding layer is a layer of the second extension portion ands the second substrate layer to the third bonding piece.
8. The electrochemical device according to claim 6, wherein the fourth bonding layer is a layer of on the second extension portion ands the second substrate layer to the first section.
9. The electrochemical device according to claim 6, wherein a surface of the second substrate layer, oriented toward the electrode assembly, is in contact with the first section.
As illustrated in figure A above, Hu teaches the claimed bonds / contacts (relevant claim number is in parentheses):
(2) Hu’s first body portion bonds to the housing and the first bend section.
(3) Hu’s first extension portion bonds to the third bonding piece.
(4) Hu’s first extension portion bonds to the electrode assembly.
(5) Hu’s first body portion contacts the first section.
(6) Hu’s second body portion bonds to the housing and the second bend section.
(7) Hu’s second extension portion bonds to the third bonding piece.
(8) Hu’s second extension portion bonds to the first section.
(9) Hu’s second body portion contacts the first section.
Hu doesn’t mention three layers in the first bonding piece or in the second bonding piece; however, claims 2 & 6 don’t distinguish the three layers in any way other than by name:
Claim 2: first bonding layer, first substrate layer, and a second bonding layer.
Claim 6: third bonding layer, second substrate layer, and a fourth bonding layer.
Hu’s first body portion can likewise be divided into three layers by name. With these layer names applied to Hu, Hu teaches the limitations of claims 2-9.
With regard to claim 10, Hu teaches the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above. Hu also teaches the following claim 10 limitation:
at least one of the first bonding piece, the second bonding piece, or the third bonding piece is a hot-melt adhesive (page 11, lines 42-43)
With regard to claims 11-12, Hu teaches the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above. Hu also teaches that the third bonding piece bonds to the housing and to the first extension portion and the second extension portion, as discussed under claim 1 above.
Hu doesn’t mention three layers in the third bonding piece; however, claims 11 & 12 don’t distinguish the three layers in any way other than by name. Hu’s first body portion can likewise be divided into three layers by name. With these layer names applied to Hu, Hu teaches the limitations of claims 11 & 12.
With regard to claim 13, Hu teaches the limitations of claims 1 & 12 as discussed above. As discussed above in the claim 12 rejection, claim 12 doesn’t distinguish between the three layers in any way other than by name. Thus, their areas can be arbitrarily assigned to meet the claimed 0≤S2/S1≤0.1 limitation.
With regard to claim 15, Hu teaches the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above. Hu also teaches the following claim 15 limitation:
the first electrode plate (21) comprises a first current collector (page 9, lines 31-35: first current collector 211), and an outer surface of the first section is an outer surface of the first current collector (page 10, lines 31-36; figure 2)
With regard to claim 16, Hu teaches the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above. Hu also teaches the following claim 16 limitation:
an outermost layer of the second bend section (Figure B below) is the separator (page 8, lines 16-19: isolation film 23), and an ending of the separator is located in the second bend section (page 10, lines 21-23; Figure B below)
Figure B: Annotated Hu Figure 2
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With regard to claim 17, Hu teaches the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above. Hu also teaches the following claim 17 limitation:
the first electrode plate is a positive electrode plate (page 8, lines 26-34: “the first pole piece 21 is a positive pole piece”)
With regard to claim 18, Hu teaches the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above. Hu also teaches the following claim 18 limitations:
further comprising a first tab connected to the first electrode plate (page 9, lines 31-35: first tab 30 electrically connected to the first current collector 211);
wherein in a thickness direction of the electrode assembly, the first tab does not overlap with the first extension portion, and the first tab does not overlap with the second extension portion (figure 2)
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:
Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
The claims are in bold font, the prior art is in parentheses.
Claims 14 & 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN113097571A machine translation (Hu).
With regard to claim 14, modified Hu teaches the limitations of claim 1 as described above. Claim 14 recites:
along the winding direction, a width of the first extension portion is 4 mm to 15 mm
Hu fails to teach this width. It would have been obvious, however, to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to adjust the width of Hu’s first extension portion, according to battery size and needed bonding space.
With regard to claim 20, modified Hu teaches the limitations of claim 19 as described above. Hu also teaches the following claim 20 limitations (page 17, line 32 through page 18, line 3; figure 16; ):
further comprising a main body (containing chamber 101) and a fourth bonding piece (102);
wherein the fourth bonding piece (102) is configured to bond the main body (101) to the housing (shell 10), and
in a thickness direction of the electrode assembly (20), the third bonding piece (90) is located between the first section and the fourth bonding piece (102)
Figure C: Annotated Hu Figure 16
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Hu’s figure 16, discussed in claim 20, is a different embodiment than figure 2, discussed in claim 1. The first section of claim 20 is opposite from the first section of claim 1. It would have been obvious, however, to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to place the main body (containing chamber 101) and the fourth bonding piece (102) in a convenient location for adhesion of the battery and housing.
Conclusion
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/R.G.W./Examiner, Art Unit 1721
/ALLISON BOURKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1721