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 Objections
Claim 11 is objected to because of the following informalities on line 1 the phrase “the a number of spacer shims” contains a typographic error. Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-11 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.
In claim 1, line 5, the phrase “the spacer shims” lacks proper antecedent basis. For the purpose of examination, the phrase “the one or more spacer shims” is assumed.
In claim 8, line 2, the phrase “the spacer shims” lacks proper antecedent basis. For the purpose of examination, the phrase “the one or more spacer shims” is assumed.
In claim 9, line 2, the phrase “the spacer shims” lacks proper antecedent basis. For the purpose of examination, the phrase “the one or more spacer shims” is assumed.
In claim 10, line 3, the phrase “the spacer shims” lacks proper antecedent basis. For the purpose of examination, the phrase “the one or more spacer shims” is assumed.
In claim 11, line 2, the phrase “the a number of spacer shims” lacks proper antecedent basis. For the purpose of examination, the phrase “a number of the one or more spacer shims” is assumed.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-8 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KR 102035826 B1 in view of CN 211026907 U.
As to claim 1, KR’826 teaches (see Figs 1, 3 and 5) a coating die (100) capable of being used for manufacturing a lithium secondary battery (see English translation Background on page 2), the coating die comprising an upper die plate (10), a lower die plate (20), and a shim assembly (50) interposed between the upper die plate (10) and the lower die plate (20), wherein the shim assembly (50) includes a body shim (see Figs 3 and 5) and one or more spacer shims (flow path parts 55 with portions 53). KR’826 further teaches various shapes and numbers of parts 55 (see Fig 5 and English Translation on page 5), but lacks teaching individually removable spacer shims from the coating die. However, CN’907 teaches (see Figs 1-4) a die with a gasket body (1) having spacer shims (splitter 2 with baffle 3) formed to be individually removable from the coating die (see Figs 2 and 4). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include removable spacer shims in KR’826 to adjust the coating width when needed, it only needs to make the existing length of baffle 3 is replaced with other different length of baffle, the coating width can be changed, and it has strong commonality, good for improving the production efficiency and saving cost as taught by CN’907 (see English Translation page 3).
As to claim 2, KR’826 teaches (see Fig 1) upper die plate (10) includes an insulating liquid injection path (supply pipe 41) into which an insulating liquid is configured to be injected.
Regarding claim 3, in KR’826 the insulating liquid injection path is formed from an upper part to a lower part (see Fig 1).
As to claim 4, in KR’826 the lower die plate (20) is coupled to the upper die plate, and includes a slurry injection path (inlet hole 23) into which the active material slurry is configured to be injected, and a manifold (dam part 21) that is configured to stores the active material slurry.
Regarding claim 5, KR’826 teaches the lower die plate is coupled to the upper die plate by a fixing pin, a fixing bolt, or both (see Fig 1 for fastening bolts 70).
As to claim 6, in KR’826 (see Fig 3) the body shim (50) is coupled with the upper die plate (10) and the lower die plate (20), and has an outlet port (discharge portion 60) that is opened from the manifold (21) toward the outside where coating is performed and thus is configured to discharge the active material slurry stored in the manifold (21), so as to not cover the manifold formed on the lower die plate storing the active material slurry.
Regarding claim 7, KR’826 the body shim is coupled to the upper die plate and the lower die plate by a fixing pin, a fixing bolt, or both (see Fig 1 and English Translation on page 4 for fastening bolts).
As to claim 8, in KR’826 (see Fig 1) the one or more spacer shims (flow path parts 55) are individually coupled with the upper die plate, the lower die plate, or the upper die plate and the lower die plate, and include an insulated flow passage (inlet hole 23) that positioned so as to correspond to an insulating liquid injection path of the upper die plate (10), stores and discharges the insulating liquid injected from the injection path (11) of the upper die plate.
As to claim 11, in KR’826 a number of the one or more spacer shims (flow path parts 55) is capable of being less than or equal to a number of insulating liquid injection paths (41) formed on the upper die plate (see Figs 1 and 5B).
Claims 9-10 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include 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: In KR’826 the spacer shims are not coupled with the upper die plate, the lower die plate by a fastening pin or bolt. Actually, the body shim of the shim assembly (50) is coupled with the upper die plate and the lower die plates by fastening bolts (see Figs 1 and 3). KR-20230028044A also teaches (see Fig 1) a bolt or a screw (600) inserted into the fixing groove (315) of a shim assembly (311) to couple the body of the shim assembly with the upper or lower die block. Greenlund et al (US 2019/0118449A1) teaches (see Figs 1 and 9) a coating die (100) comprising upper body member (106) and lower body member (108) and a shim assembly (110,112,114) having a body and spacer shim (inner edge 210), the spacer shim is not removable. In addition, Greenlund et al teaches offset surfaces of the die that are not bolted to the die (see para [0026]).
Prior art of record does not disclose or suggest, a coating die comprising, among others, the coating die comprising an upper die plate, a lower die plate and a shim assembly, wherein the shim assembly including a body shim and one or more space shims wherein the one or more spacer shims are formed to be individually removable from the coating die, wherein the one or more spacer shims are coupled with the upper die plate, the lower die plate, or the upper and lower die plates by a fixing pin, a fixing bolt, or both.
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YEWEBDAR T. TADESSE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1717
/YEWEBDAR T TADESSE/