DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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 1-8 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 “In at least a positive electrode side of the electrode wound body as viewed in a section taken along a plane including the central axis, respective end parts of layers of the separator that are located at least on respective opposite sides of an inner most wind side negative electrode are coupled to each other, the innermost wind side negative electrode being a part of the negative electrode that is located on a side of an innermost wind” is unclear what “at least” is referring to and how this structure can have a plurality that involves “at least” when only a single plane is being references. For purposes of examination the examiner is interpretating “In at least a positive electrode side of the electrode wound body as viewed in a section taken along a plane including the central axis, respective end parts of layers of the separator that are located at least on respective opposite sides of an inner most wind side negative electrode are coupled to each other, the innermost wind side negative electrode being a part of the negative electrode that is located on a side of an innermost wind” to mean any structure where the separator is coupled to itself at the innermost winding part of the overall electrode assembly.
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.
Claim(s) 1-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Byun (US20100216001) in view of Kobayashi (JP2012009249A, see Machine Translation of JP5687443B2 for citations) (Provided in Applicant’s IDS filed on June 20th, 2023).
Regarding Claim 1, Byun discloses a secondary battery ([009]) comprising:
An electrode wound body including a positive electrode having a band shape and a negative electrode having a band shape, the positive electrode and the negative electrode being stacked with a separator interposed therebetween (first electrode plate-11 is positive electrode plate, second electrode plate-12 is negative electrode plate, and separator-13 are wound, [0058], Fig. 2);
A positive electrode current collector (first current collector plate-20 acts as positive electrode current collector, connected to first electrode plate-10, [0057]);
A negative electrode current collector (second current collector plate-30 acts as negative electrode current collector, connected to second electrode plate-12, [0057]); and
A battery can containing the electrode wound body, the positive electrode current collector, and the negative electrode current collector (battery case-40, [0057]), wherein
The positive electrode includes, on a positive electrode foil having a band shape, a positive electrode active material covered part covered with a sportive electrode active material layer, and a positive electrode active material uncovered part (first electrode plate-11, first electrode current collector -11a, positive electrode active material coated portion-11a, first active material uncoated portion-11c, [0059], Fig. 3),
The negative electrode includes, on a negative electrode foil having a band shape, a negative electrode active material covered part covered with a negative electrode active material layer, and a negative electrode active material uncovered part extending at least in a longitudinal direction of the negative electrode foil (second electrode plate-12, second electrode current collector -12a, negative electrode active material coated portion-12b, second active material uncoated portion-12c, [00561, Fig. 3),
The positive electrode active material uncovered part is coupled to the positive electrode current collector at one of end parts of the electrode wound body (first active material uncoated portion-11c is welded to first current collector plate-20, [0067]),
The negative electrode active material uncovered part is coupled to the negative electrode current collector at one of end parts of the electrode wound body (second active material uncoated portion-12c is welded to second current collector plate-30, [0068]]),
The electrode wound body has one or more flat surfaces, in which the positive electrode active material uncovered part, the negative electrode active material uncovered part, or both are bent toward a central axis of the wound structure to form the one or more flat surfaces, and a groove provided in each of the one or more flat surfaces (Fig. 2 uncoated portion is pressed and folded, [0073]). Byun further discloses wherein a current collector plate is provided with a slit, which acts as groove, where the uncoated portion is welded to ([0013], [0074]).
Byun does not directly disclose wherein in at least a positive electrode side of the electrode wound body as viewed in a section taken along a plane including the central axis, respective end parts of layers of the separator that are located at least on respective opposite sides of an inner most wind side negative electrode are coupled to each other, the innermost wind side negative electrode being a part of the negative electrode that is located on a side of an innermost wind.
The examiner notes the 112b rejection above for the interpretation of this claim language.
Kobayashi discloses a wound electrode assembly with a separator ([008]). Kobayashi further discloses wherein the separator at an innermost side of the wound electrode body is formed by bonding adjacent separators together to form a unitary body ([008]). Kobayashi further discloses wherein the separator wound portion forms a strong shaft core ([0011]). Kobayashi teaches that this structure suppresses deformation of the wound electrode body inward ([0011]).
Therefore it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Byun with the teaching of Kobayashi to have wherein in at least a positive electrode side of the electrode wound body as viewed in a section taken along a plane including the central axis, respective end parts of layers of the separator that are located at least on respective opposite sides of an inner most wind side negative electrode are coupled to each other, the innermost wind side negative electrode being a part of the negative electrode that is located on a side of an innermost wind. This modified structure would yield the expected result of suppressing deformation of the wound electrode body inward.
Regarding Claim 2, Byun in view of Kobayashi discloses the limitations as set forth above.
Byun does not directly disclose wherein the electrode wound body includes multiple layers of the separator at a location on an inner side of innermost wind side negative electrode, the multiple layers of the separator including one of the layers of the separator whose respective end parts are coupled to each other, and another one the layers of the separator is located on an outer side of the innermost wind side negative electrode an the multiple layers of the separator are coupled to each other at their respective end parts.
Kobayashi discloses a wound electrode assembly with a separator ([008]). Kobayashi further discloses wherein the separator at an innermost side of the wound electrode body is formed by bonding adjacent separators together to form a unitary body ([008]). Kobayashi further discloses wherein the separator wound portion forms a strong shaft core ([0011]). Kobayashi teaches that this structure suppresses deformation of the wound electrode body inward ([0011]).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Byun with the teaching of Kobayashi to have wherein the electrode wound body includes multiple layers of the separator at a location on an inner side of innermost wind side negative electrode, the multiple layers of the separator including one of the layers of the separator whose respective end parts are coupled to each other, and another one the layers of the separator is located on an outer side of the innermost wind side negative electrode an the multiple layers of the separator are coupled to each other at their respective end parts. This modified structure would yield the expected result of suppressing deformation of the wound electrode body inward.
Regarding Claim 3, Byun in view of Kobayashi discloses the limitations as set forth above.
Byun does not directly disclose wherein in a negative electrode side of the electrode wound body as viewed in the section, respective end parts of the multiple layers of the separator located on the inner side of the inner most wind side negative electrode are coupled to each other.
Kobayashi discloses a wound electrode assembly with a separator ([008]). Kobayashi further discloses wherein the separator at an innermost side of the wound electrode body is formed by bonding adjacent separators together to form a unitary body ([008]). Kobayashi further discloses wherein the separator wound portion forms a strong shaft core ([0011]). Kobayashi teaches that this structure suppresses deformation of the wound electrode body inward ([0011]).
The examiner notes that Kobayashi discloses the separator multiple layers created by the winding are coupled to each other at the inner most wind side, and since the separator end points are coupled to the negative electrode as well, that Kobayashi discloses the limitations of respective end parts of the multiple layers of the separator located on the inner side of the inner most wind side negative electrode is coupled to each other.
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Byun with the teaching of Kobayashi to have wherein in a negative electrode side of the electrode wound body as viewed in the section, respective end parts of the multiple layers of the separator located on the inner side of the inner most wind side negative electrode are coupled to each other. This modified structure would yield the expected result of suppressing deformation of the wound electrode body inward.
Regarding Claim 4, Byun in view of Kobayashi discloses the limitations as set forth above.
Byun does not directly disclose wherein the other one of the layer of the separator which is located on an outer side of the innermost wind side negative electrode the multiple layers of the separator are not coupled to each other.
The examiner notes that under the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim language, “wherein the other one of the layer of the separator which is located on an outer side of the innermost wind side negative electrode the multiple layers of the separator are not coupled to each other” can be interpreted to mean that one of the layers of the separator is not coupled to the other layers of the separator outside of the innermost wind side, and thus a separator that is wound in an electrode assembly where only the innermost portion is coupled and the other layers are not would meet this claim limitation.
Kobayashi discloses a wound electrode assembly with a separator ([008]). Kobayashi further discloses wherein the separator at an innermost side of the wound electrode body is formed by bonding adjacent separators together to form a unitary body ([008]). Kobayashi further discloses wherein the separator wound portion forms a strong shaft core ([0011]). Kobayashi discloses a separator wound part-30 that is fixed by welding to solidify it into one piece ([0056-0057]). Kobayashi teaches that this structure suppresses deformation of the wound electrode body inward ([0011]).
The examiner notes that Kobayashi discloses only the innermost layers of the separator are coupled to each other, leaving an outer layer not coupled to other layers.
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Byun with the teaching of Kobayashi to have wherein the other one of the layers of the separator which is located on an outer side of the innermost wind side negative electrode the multiple layers of the separator are not coupled to each other. This modified structure would yield the expected result of suppressing deformation of the wound electrode body inward.
Regarding Claim 5, Byun in view of Kobayashi discloses the limitations as set forth above.
Byun does not directly disclose wherein the coupling comprises coupling by welding or coupling by bonding.
Kobayashi discloses a separator wound part-30 that is fixed by welding to solidify it into one piece ([0056-0057]).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Byun with the teaching of Kobayashi to have wherein the coupling comprises coupling by welding or coupling by bonding. This modified structure would yield the expected result of suppressing deformation of the wound electrode body inward.
Regarding Claim 6, Byun in view of Kobayashi discloses the limitations as set forth above.
Byun further discloses wherein the negative electrode further includes a negative electrode active material uncovered part at an end part in the longitudinal direction on each of the beginning side of winding and an end side of the winding (second electrode plate-12, second electrode current collector -12a, negative electrode active material coated portion-12b, second active material uncoated portion-12c, [00561, Fig. 3).
Regarding Claim 7 & 8, Byun in view of Kobayashi discloses the limitations as set forth above.
Byun does not directly disclose electronic equipment or an electric tool comprising the secondary battery. However, Byun discloses wherein the rechargeable battery can be used in a portable electronic device.
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art using Byun to have wherein a electronic equipment or an electric tool comprising the secondary battery.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANKITH R SRIPATHI whose telephone number is (571)272-2370. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday: 7:30 am - 5:00pm.
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/ANKITH R SRIPATHI/ Examiner, Art Unit 1728
/MATTHEW T MARTIN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1728