CTNF 18/239,762 CTNF 95686 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Drawings 06-22-06 AIA The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: 110 – described as ‘opening’ in P32, 52-53, 77 Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance. Claim Objections 07-29-01 AIA Claim 10 objected to because of the following informalities: Regarding claim 10, “the area size of the weak region of each of the pressure relief apparatuses” should be “an area size of the weak region of each of the pressure relief apparatuses” . Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 07-30-02 AIA 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. 07-34-01 Claims 7-8 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 7 recites “wherein the plurality of pressure relief apparatuses are respectively disposed on both sides of the liquid injection port”. No sides were referred to in the previous claims and the liquid injection portion shown in Applicant’s Figs. 3-4 and 6-8 is in the shape of a circle. Therefore, it is not clear what sides “both sides” are referring to. A circle is commonly defined as having no sides as it does not have any straight line segments. Without any specific definition given by Applicant, the recitation of “both sides” is not clear. In order to advance prosecution, the Examiner is going to interpret the circle in quadrants and denote the sides (1 st , 2 nd , 3 rd , 4 th ) as seen in the figure provided below and “both sides” is being interpreted as any two sides. However, clarification is still needed. PNG media_image1.png 160 226 media_image1.png Greyscale Examiner’s Interpretation of Circle Sides Similarly, claim 8 recites “wherein the plurality of pressure relief apparatuses are disposed on the same side of the liquid injection port”. No sides were referred to in the previous claims and the liquid injection portion shown in Applicant’s Figs. 3-4 and 6-8 is in the shape of a circle. Therefore, it is not clear what side is “the same side”. In order to advance prosecution, the Examiner is going to interpret the circle in quadrants and denote the sides (1 st , 2 nd , 3 rd , 4 th ) as seen in the figure provided above and the “same side” is being interpreted as any one of the sides. However, clarification is still needed. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1-2, 4, 6-7, 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Tanaka et al (US 20130316201 A1, equivalent to EP2677565A1 given in the 05/19/2025 IDS) . Regarding claim 1 , Tanaka discloses a battery cell (lithium-ion secondary battery; see entire disclosure and especially P29-30), comprising: a case with an opening (battery case body 2 in Fig. 1; see entire disclosure and especially P30); a cover plate covering the opening, the cover plate being welded with the case to form a welding seam (lid plate 3 in Fig. 1; see entire disclosure and especially P30, 43); and a pressure relief apparatus disposed on the cover plate (cleavage valve 10 in Fig. 1 which forms the safety valve; see entire disclosure and especially P35, 37, 39), the pressure relief apparatus being provided with a weak region (cleavage grooves 13 in Figs. 1-2), the weak region being configured to be broken and release internal pressure when the internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell reaches a threshold (see entire disclosure and especially P37, 39), wherein a minimum distance between an edge of the weak region and the welding seam is greater than or equal to 3 mm (see the annotated Fig. 2 below; “an edge” of the weak region can be drawn to an edge of one of the cleavage grooves 13 wherein the dash-dot line intersects at the center of the cleavage valve 10 ; given the edge sits near the center of the cleavage valve 10, and the diameter of cleavage valve 10 in Example 1 is 18 mm (see Table 1 at the end of P41), it can be said that the edge is at least about 18 mm from the welding seam; the minimum distance of 18 mm between an edge of the cleavage groove and the welding seam (edge where the lid plate 3 is welded to case body 2) lies within the range of the minimum distance between an edge of the cleavage groove and the welding seam greater than or equal to 3mm; see also Fig. 3 and Example 7 wherein the diameter of both cleavage valves 10’ is 33 mm and “an edge” can be drawn to an edge at the place wherein the four cleavage grooves meet/two cleave grooves intersect). PNG media_image2.png 366 748 media_image2.png Greyscale Annotated Tanaka Fig. 2 Regarding claim 2 , Tanaka discloses wherein a plurality of pressure relief apparatuses are comprised in the battery cell (see Fig. 3; see entire disclosure and especially P40). Regarding claim 3 , Tanaka discloses wherein the minimum distance between the edge of the weak region of each pressure relief apparatus and the welding seam is the same (see Fig. 3; the areas of the two cleavage valves are the same, P40; as seen in Example 7 of Table 1 (after P41) the safety valve diameter is 33 mm; “the edge of the weak region of each pressure relief apparatus” can be drawn to the edges at the place wherein the four cleavage grooves meet/two cleave grooves intersect in both cleavage valves 10’; given these edges sit near the center of each cleavage valve 10, and the diameter of cleavage valve 10’ in Example 7 is 33 mm, it can be said that each edge is at least about 33 mm from the welding seam, therefore, the distance is the same; in regards to this embodiment and the limitations of claim 1, the minimum distance of 33 mm between both edges of the cleavage grooves 10’ and the welding seam (edge where the lid plate 3 is welded to case body 2) lies within the range of the minimum distance between an edge of the cleavage groove and the welding seam greater than or equal to 3 mm). Regarding claim 6 , Tanaka discloses a positive electrode terminal (positive terminal portion 6’ in Fig. 3) and a negative electrode terminal (negative terminal portion 8’ in Fig. 3) disposed on the cover plate, wherein the plurality of pressure relief apparatuses are all located between the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal (see Fig. 3; see entire disclosure and especially P32-33). Regarding claim 7 , Tanaka discloses a liquid injection port disposed on the cover plate and located between the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal (liquid injection plug 14’ near the negative terminal portion 8’ in Fig. 3), wherein the plurality of pressure relief apparatuses are respectively disposed on both sides of the liquid injection port (see the annotated figure provided in the 35 U.S.C. 112(b) section above; in Fig. 3, one cleavage valve 10’ is disposed on the 1 st side of the liquid injection plug 14’ and one cleavage valve 10’ is located on the 2 nd side of the liquid injection plug 14’). Regarding claim 10 , Tanaka discloses wherein the area size of the weak region of each of the pressure relief apparatuses has a predetermined value (each cleavage valve 10’ has its own area, therefore, each weak region would have its own area), the area sizes of the weak regions of at least some of the pressure relief apparatuses have a first predetermined value, and the area sizes of the weak regions of at least some of the pressure relief apparatuses have a second predetermined value (the weak region of the cleavage valve 10’ near negative electrode terminal portion 8’ has a first predetermined value; the weak region of the cleavage valve 10’ near positive electrode terminal portion 6’ has a second predetermined valve; the claim does not state both of these predetermined valves are different; in Tanaka, both areas of each cleavage valve 10’ are the same, therefore, the area of the weak regions and the predetermined values would also be the same (as set forth in P40 and Example 7 in Table 1 at the end of P41)). Regarding claims 11-12 , Tanaka discloses an electrical apparatus, wherein the electrical apparatus comprises a battery comprising the battery cell of claim 1, and wherein the battery is used to provide electric energy (“As has been described above, the present invention is applicable to stacked secondary batteries with large capacities, and particularly suitably applicable to those with battery capacities of 100 Ah or more. The usage of the batteries is not limited, and the batteries according to the present invention are suitable for applications that need a battery with a large capacity, including not only mobile objects such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), electric vehicles (EVs), forklifts, and excavators but also industrial applications such as uninterruptible power supplies (UPS's) and storage of electric power generated by solar power generation”, P47) . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim 1-3 and 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uruno et al (US 20210013483 A1 as given in the 05/19/2025 IDS) in view of Kinuta (US 6180279 B1) . Regarding claim 1 , Uruno discloses a battery cell (battery 1B in Figs. 8-9; see entire disclosure and especially P57), comprising: a case with an opening (case 21 with chamber 20r in Fig. 1; see entire disclosure and especially P31); a cover plate covering the opening, the cover plate being welded with the case to form a welding seam (sealing lid 22 in Figs. 8-9; see entire disclosure and especially P57; case can be combined to the sealing lid by welding, P32); and a pressure relief apparatus disposed on the cover plate (pressure release valve 5 and one of the liquid inlets 67 that can release gas after aging in Figs. 8-9; see entire disclosure and especially P57-59), the pressure relief apparatus being provided with a weak region (groove 5b/fragile part 5c and groove 5b/fragile part 6c in Figs. 8-9), the weak region being configured to be broken and release internal pressure when the internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell reaches a threshold (see entire disclosure and especially P44-45, 59). However, Uruno does not disclose wherein a minimum distance between an edge of the weak region and the welding seam is greater than or equal to 3 mm. In a similar field of endeavor, Kinuta teaches a square battery explosion prevention safety device having a length of 9 mm along each side (C2 / L8-12; C3 / L14-18). Kinuta teaches the center of the square battery explosion prevention safety device includes, in the center, a safety valve annular groove with an outside diameter of 3.5 mm (C3 / L19-22). Kinuta teaches the safety valve annular groove is of a smaller thickness than the rest of the a square battery explosion prevention safety device (C3 / L18-26, 51-52). Kinuta teaches their square battery explosion prevention safety device operates with high reliability when pressure within a battery casing reaches a prescribed pressure (C2 / L8-12). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized the teaching of Kinuta and substituted the pressure relief apparatuses (pressure release valve 5 and one of the liquid inlets 67 that can release gas after aging) of Uruno with the square battery explosion prevention safety device of Kinuta, given Kinuta teaches their square battery explosion prevention safety device operates with high reliability when pressure within a battery casing reaches a prescribed pressure. Given Kinuta teaches their safety valve annular groove (drawn to the claimed “weak region) has an outside diameter of 3.5 mm, and Kinuta teaches the square battery explosion prevention safety device has a length of 9 mm on each side, the maximum distance between the outer diameter of the safety valve annular groove and a side of the square battery explosion prevention safety device is 5.5 mm. Therefore, the minimum distance of between outer edge of the safety valve annual groove and the welding seam (edge where the sealing lid 22 is welded to case 21) would be at least 5.5 mm, which lies within the range of the minimum distance between an edge of the cleavage groove and the welding seam greater than or equal to 3 mm. Regarding claim 2 , Uruno discloses wherein a plurality of pressure relief apparatuses are comprised in the battery cell (pressure release valve 5 and one of the liquid inlets 67 that can release gas after aging in Figs. 8-9; see entire disclosure and especially P57-59). Regarding claim 3 , modified Uruno has both pressure relief apparatuses (pressure release valve 5 and one of the liquid inlets 67 that can release gas after aging in Figs. 8-9) the same size (as it is the square battery explosion prevention safety device of Kinuta). However, Uruno discloses that the plurality of pressure relief apparatuses can be of the same size (P42), or one the pressure relief apparatus can be smaller than the other (one of the liquid inlets 67 that can release gas after aging can be smaller than the pressure relief valve; see Figs. 8-9 and P42). Therefore, it would have been obvious to change the form/shape of the pressure relief apparatuses such that one of the pressure relief apparatuses (one of the liquid inlets 67 that can release gas after aging) is smaller than the other pressure relief apparatus (pressure relief valve 5) because, one, Uruno says one can have a size smaller than the other, and, two, in order to, for example, shorten the time of manufacturing by shrinking the size of one of the pressure relief apparatuses to be made because 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). Given one of the pressure relief apparatuses is smaller than the other, the limitation “wherein at least two of the pressure relief apparatuses have weak regions with different areas” is met by modified Uruno. Regarding claim 5 , modified Uruno includes two pressure relief apparatuses that are each one of the square battery explosion prevention safety device of Kinuta. Given Kinuta teaches their safety valve annular groove (drawn to the claimed “weak region) has an outside diameter of 3.5 mm, and Kinuta teaches the square battery explosion prevention safety device has a length of 9 mm on each side, the maximum distance between the outer diameter of the safety valve annular groove and a side of the square battery explosion prevention safety device is 5.5 mm. Therefore, the minimum distance between both weak regions the two pressure relief apparatuses is at least 11mm, which lies within the range of the minimum distance being greater than or equal to 3 mm. Regarding claim 6 , Uruno discloses a positive electrode terminal (positive electrode terminal 23 in Figs. 8-9) and a negative electrode terminal (negative electrode terminal 24 in Figs. 8-9) disposed on the cover plate, wherein the plurality of pressure relief apparatuses are all located between the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal (see Figs. 8-9; see entire disclosure and especially P33-34). Regarding claim 8 , Uruno discloses a liquid injection port disposed on the cover plate and located between the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal (one of the liquid inlets 67 that is not drawn to the liquid inlet that can release gas after aging in Figs. 8-9; see entire disclosure and especially P57-59), wherein the plurality of pressure relief apparatuses are disposed on the same side of the liquid injection port (see the annotated Fig. below). PNG media_image3.png 489 609 media_image3.png Greyscale Annotated Uruno Fig. 8 07-21-aia AIA Claim 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uruno et al (US 20210013483 A1 as given in the 05/19/2025 IDS) in view of Kinuta (US 6180279 B1) as applied to claim 2, further in view of Kaplan (US 20090068548 A1) . Regarding claim 9 , Uruno discloses wherein the battery cell comprises two pressure relief apparatuses (pressure release valve 5 and one of the liquid inlets 67 that can release gas after aging in Figs. 8-9; see entire disclosure and especially P57-59). However, modified Uruno does not meet the limitation wherein a lower limit ratio of explosion pressures of the weak regions of the two pressure relief apparatuses is greater than or equal to 1.2 and less than or equal to 1.5. In a similar field of endeavor, Kaplan teaches a battery can include an elongated vent (101 in Figs. 6) and a secondary vent (107 in Fig. 7A, P31-32). Kaplan teaches the elongated vent is configured to burst at a different pressure than the secondary vent (P32). Kaplan teaches that the secondary battery is configured to burst when, despite the venting provided by the elongated vent, the pressure of the battery continues to rise (P32). Kaplan teaches this continued rise in internal pressure, which may be due to overheating or other abusive conditions, produces a potentially dangerous condition due to the potential for explosion of the cell, therefore, secondary vent is selected to burst at a high pressure but before the dangerous condition is reached (P32). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized the teaching of Kaplan and modified the pressure relief apparatuses of modified Uruno such that one of the pressure relief apparatuses is configured to burst at a different pressure than the other pressure relief apparatus, given Kaplan teaches this can improve the safety of a battery by having a vent that can burst at a one pressure to relieve pressure buildup and another vent that can burst at a higher pressure in the instance the internal pressure in the battery continues to rise after the first vent bursts. However, while the two pressure relief apparatuses of modified Uruno have different pressures, these pressures are not set numerically, therefore, modified Uruno does not meet the limitation wherein a lower limit ratio of explosion pressures of the weak regions of the two pressure relief apparatuses is greater than or equal to 1.2 and less than or equal to 1.5. Kinuta further teaches their square explosion prevention device can include a floor of the safety annular groove in a thickness of 10 µm or 20 µm (C3 / L22-30). Kinuta teaches if the groove floor has a thickness of 10 µm, the groove will blow when the pressure in the battery casing reaches 13.4 kg/cm2 (C3 / L22-30). Kinuta teaches if the groove floor has a thickness of 20 µm, the groove will blow when the pressure in the battery casing reaches 22.5 kg/cm2 (C3 / L22-30). Therefore, from the teaching of Kinuta, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize the explosion pressures of a pressure relief apparatuses is a result-effective variable dependent upon the desired thickness of a groove of the pressure relief apparatuses. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have optimized, through routine experimentation, the two different explosion pressures of the two pressure relief apparatuses based upon their desired thickness for each pressure relief apparatus. “[W]here the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation.” See In re Aller , 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955). The discovery of an optimum value of a known result effective variable, without producing any new or unexpected results, is within the ambit of a person of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Boesch , 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980) (see MPEP § 2144.05, II.). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Mary Byram whose telephone number is (571)272-0690. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 am-5 pm EST. 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, Ula Ruddock can be reached at (571)272-1481. 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /MARY GRACE BYRAM/Examiner, Art Unit 1729 /ULA C RUDDOCK/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1729 Application/Control Number: 18/239,762 Page 2 Art Unit: 1729 Application/Control Number: 18/239,762 Page 3 Art Unit: 1729 Application/Control Number: 18/239,762 Page 4 Art Unit: 1729 Application/Control Number: 18/239,762 Page 5 Art Unit: 1729 Application/Control Number: 18/239,762 Page 6 Art Unit: 1729 Application/Control Number: 18/239,762 Page 8 Art Unit: 1729 Application/Control Number: 18/239,762 Page 9 Art Unit: 1729 Application/Control Number: 18/239,762 Page 10 Art Unit: 1729 Application/Control Number: 18/239,762 Page 11 Art Unit: 1729 Application/Control Number: 18/239,762 Page 12 Art Unit: 1729 Application/Control Number: 18/239,762 Page 13 Art Unit: 1729