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. Election/Restrictions Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-9 and 20-23 in the reply filed on 9 March 2026 is acknowledged. Claims 10-19 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention , there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Claim Objections Claims 1-9 and 20-23 are objected to because of the following informalities: claim 1 recites “ two or more of negative electrode film layers ” inline 3, which appears to be “ two or more of the negative electrode film layers ” . Appropriate correction is required. 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. (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. Claims 1 -3 , 6 - 8 and 20-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by US2019/0181492A1 (Liu), which is listed in Applicant’s information disclosure statement . Regarding claim 1 , Liu teaches a negative electrode sheet comprising a negative electrode current collector provided with two or more adjacent negative electrode active material layers bonded via a porous conductive layer ( [0008], [0035] , [0043], [0048], [0051] , [0056] , [0060] and Fig. 2a ), wherein the electroactive material layer comprises a film ([0006]), and wherein a pathway of the porosity (i.e., holes) for electrolyte to flow through the conductive layer can extend through the thickness of the conductive layer ([0042]), which anticipate a raised structure at bonding points , i.e., non-pore points , and a gap between the adjacent negative electrode film lay ers at non-bonding pore points . Regarding claims 2 and 6, Liu illustrates the thickness of the conductive layer bonding the adjacent electrode active material layer is smaller than that of the electrode active material layer (Fig. 1 , 2a , 6b and 7b ), which anticipates the claimed height and gap width. Regarding claim 3, Liu illustrates the pores of the conductive layer, i.e., the non-boning points , is uniformly distributed (Fig. 6d), thus anticipate s a uniformly distributed bonding points , i.e., the non-pore points . Regarding claim 7 , Liu illustrates equal thickness of the adjacent electrode active layers (Fig s 2a and 6a ). Regarding claim 8, Liu teaches that the conductive layer comprises a conductive material such as a metal and an adhesive material ([0005], [0048], [0060] and Fig. 2a) . Regarding claim s 20-23 , Liu teaches a secondary battery comprises the electrode sheet ([0002] and [0037]), and an electrochemical cell comprises the secondary battery ([0009] and [0037]). 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: 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. Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu in view of CN103199217B (You), which is listed in Applicant’s information disclosure statement . The teachings of Liu are set forth above. Liu does not teach the presence of metallic lithium in the holes /pores of conductive layer. You teaches that adding lithium metal sheet on the surface of negative electrode active material layer can increase the first coulombic efficiency, energy density and electrochemical properties ([0008], [0011] and abstract). At the time the invention was made it would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to add lithium metal sheet of You on the surface of the negative electrode active material layer of Liu. The rationale to do so would have been the motivation provided by the teachings of You that to do so would predictably provide improvement on the first coulombic efficiency, energy density and electrochemical properties (abstract). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 4 and 5 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Liu and CN107403904A (Xu) are the closest prior art of record . The teachings of Liu are set forth above. Liu teaches the porosity are spaced apart by about 1 mm or less ([0043]). Liu fails to teach the claimed spacing, neither the shape of the bonding surface. Xu teaches lithium ion battery negative plate comprises a negative current collector and negative active substance layers distributed on two surfaces of the negative current collector, wherein at least one surface of each negative active substance layer is provided with a hot-press molten protruded point structure of half-round shape(abstract and Fig. 2), which comprises a conductive polymer and/or a binder ([0010]), wherein the protruded point structure forms a gap between the negative electrode active substance layer and the separator layer. Xu fails to teach two or more negative electrode film layers bound by the protruded point structure . Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT AIQUN LI whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)270-7736 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT Monday-Friday 9:00 am -4:00 pm . 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, FILLIN "SPE Name?" \* MERGEFORMAT Randy Gulakowski can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT 571-2721302 . The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /AIQUN LI/ Ph.D., Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1766