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 .
Claim Status
Claims 1, 3 and 7-8 have been amended; support for claim 1 is found in Figure 4C, support for claim 3 is found in Figure 2 and the amendments to claims 7-8 were to change claim dependency.
Claims 5-6 have been cancelled.
Claims 1-4 and 7-12 are currently pending and have been examined on the merits in this office action.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-4, and 7-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang (CN 113346201 A-as cited in the IDS) in view of Jo (KR 20220118892 A).
Regarding claim 1, Huang discloses a cylindrical secondary comprising:
An electrode assembly comprising a positive electrode plate, a separator, and a negative electrode plate (Figure 1; [12, 60] cylindrical battery including a positive electrode, negative electrode and separator within the cell 2);
A cylindrical can accommodating the electrode assembly, a lower end of the cylindrical can being electrically connected to the negative electrode plate (Figures 1-3; [12, 70] bottom part of the housing is connected to the negative electrode plate such that the cover plate 4 and hosing are negatively charged);
A terminal passing through a top surface of the cylindrical can and electrically connected to the positive electrode plate (Figure 2; electrode post 3 protrudes out of a top surface of the battery housing and is connected to the positive electrode as acts as the positive electrode terminal [62]); and
A cap plate coupled at the lower end of the cylindrical can, the cap plate being sealed to the lower end of the cylindrical can by welding (Figure 3; [58]); and
A negative electrode collector plate in the cylindrical can (Figures 3 and 9; negative current collecting plate 6),
wherein the cylindrical can comprises:
a beading part recessed into the cylindrical can above the cap plate (Figure 3; beading portion seen with respect to the cap plate 4); and
a crimping part bent inwardly below the cap plate (Figure 3),
wherein the negative electrode collector plate comprises:
a planar part having a plate shape and being welded to a bottom surface of the electrode assembly (Figure 9; negative current collecting plate 6 having the planar part that is welded [69]); and
an extension part extending downwardly from an edge of the planar part to be connected to the beading part ([69] and Figures 3 and 9; negative current collecting plate 6 is integrally formed or connected with the connecting member 9 and the cover plate by laser welding; the collecting plate can be welded to the cover plate and indirectly connected to the beading portion of the housing), and
wherein the extension part electrically connected to the cap plate and the beading part ([69] and Figures 3 and 9; negative current collecting plate 6 is integrally formed or connected with the connecting member 9 and the cover plate by laser welding; the collecting plate can be welded to the cover plate and indirectly connected to the beading portion of the housing).
Huang discloses wherein the negative current collecting plate is electrically connected to the connecting member 9 and to the cover plate or housing 1 ([15,70]), however, is silent with respect to wherein the extension part is between the beading part and the cap plate wherein the extension part contacts the cap plate and beading part as Huang appears to show the connecting member connected to the cover plate instead of the housing beading part.
Jo discloses a cylindrical battery cell and battery and is analogous with the instant invention as being within the same field of endeavor of battery cells. Jo discloses a tab coupling part 32 and a can contact part 33 that extends from a bottom of an electrode assembly to be between the beading part 21 of the battery can to electrically and physically connect the beading part of the can with the tab coupling part and to secure the airtightness of the battery (Figure 4; [0055-0060]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious in view of a skilled artisan to rearrange the current collecting plate 6 of Huang such that the extension part extends between the beading part and the cap plate to form a secure connection that maintains the airtightness of the battery cell as well as maintain the electrical connectivity of the collecting plate to the housing and cap plate as taught by Jo. A skilled artisan would have found this modification as obvious because the collecting plate, cap plate and housing can all be electrically connected to each other and thus the rearrangement of parts would provide an alternative structure that maintains the electrically conductivity of the cell. The resulting modification would render obvious all the claim limitations of claim 1. The mere rearrangement of parts, without any new or unexpected results, is within the ambit of one of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950) (see MPEP § 2144.04).
Regarding claim 2, modified Huang discloses all the claim limitations of claim 1. Huang further discloses wherein the cylindrical can has a top surface portion and a side surface portion extending downwardly from an edge of the top surface portion (Figures 1-2); and
Wherein the top surface portion has a flat plate shape and a terminal hole passing through a central portion thereof (Figure 1-2).
Regarding claim 3, modified Huang discloses all the claim limitations of claim 2. Huang discloses wherein the terminal is coupled at the terminal hole and has an upper end exposed to the outside (Figure 1-2); and
Wherein a gasket is interposed between the cap plate and the terminal (Figure 1-2; [57] insulating sealing member is provided between the terminal and housing).
Regarding claim 4, modified Huang discloses all the claim limitations of claim 3. Huang further discloses comprising a plate shaped positive electrode collector plate in the cylindrical can and fixed and electrically connected by welding to the positive electrode plate exposed at an upper end of the electrode assembly (Figure 2; positive electrode colling plate 5; [53-54,62] welding occurs to electrically and physical connect the collector plate and electrode plate),
Wherein a top surface of the positive electrode collector plate is welded to a bottom surface of the terminal (Figure 2; [62] electrode column 3 is welded to the positive current collecting plate 5).
Regarding claim 7, modified Huang discloses all the claim limitations of claim 1. Modified Huang further discloses wherein a first welding part between an outer end of the extension part and the bead part, wherein the outer end of the extension part is at a lower portion of the beading part (see modification of claim 1 as the extension part can be rearranged to be welded to the beading part and thus can be arranged such that the outer end of the extension part is at a lower portion of the beading part; [69] Figures 3 and 9).
Regarding claim 8, modified Huang discloses all the claim limitations of claim 1. Modified Huang further discloses wherein an outer end of the cap plate is between the beading part and the crimping part and is welded to the cylindrical can and the negative electrode collector plate ([69] figures 3 and 9, see modification of claim 1).
Regarding claim 9, modified Huang discloses all the claim limitations of claim 8. Huang further discloses a second welding part electrically and mechanically coupling a surface of the cap plate and the extension part of the negative electrode collector plate (Figure 3 and 9; [69] the connecting member 9 and cover plate are in laser connection and thus would read on the second welding part).
Regarding claim 10, modified Huang discloses all the claim limitations of claim 8. Huang further discloses a third welding part electrically and mechanically coupling an outer surface of the beading part of the cylindrical can and the outer end of the cap plate ([69] welding the cover plate to an end surface of the housing; Figure 3 and 9). Huang is silent with respect to an explicit fourth welding part electrically and mechanically coupling a surface of the crimping part of the cylindrical can and an outer surface of the cap plate, however, Huang discloses wherein the terminal collecting plate can be welded to the cap plate, and the cap plate welded to the battery casing in order to form a secured structure. Therefore, it would have been obvious in view of a skilled artisan to add in a fourth weld to electrically and mechanically couple the crimping part of the housing to an outer surface of the cap plate. Thus it is within the scope of a skilled artisan to add a fourth welding part to electrically and mechanically coupled the crimping part of the casing with the outer surface of the cap plate to create a secure electrical connection. Thus all the claim limitations of claim 10 are rendered obvious through the modification.
Regarding claims 11-12, modified Huang discloses all the claim limitations of claim 10. Huang further discloses wherein the terminal collecting plate can be welded to the cap plate, and the cap plate welded to the battery casing in order to form a secured sealed structure ([23]), however, is silent with respect to the shape of the third and fourth welding parts having a ring shape. It would have been obvious in view of a skilled artisan to adjust the shape of the third and fourth welding parts to have a ring shape as a simple change in shape having reasonable expectation of success as a welding part that welds two plates together. The change in form or shape, without any new or unexpected results, is an obvious engineering design. See In re Dailey, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1976) (see MPEP § 2144.04).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 01/23/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that the amended claims overcome the rejection of record as the extension part is not seen to be between the beading part and the cap plate as amended. This argument is noted, however, the rejection has been updated rendering the arguments moot in view of the newly cited reference.
Conclusion
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 Adam J Francis whose telephone number is (571)272-1021. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th: 7 am-4 pm EST.
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/ADAM J FRANCIS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1728