CTNF 18/273,425 CTNF 96654 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. Election/Restrictions Applicant’s election of claims 1-9 in the reply filed on 27 March 2026 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse and groups II and III, claims 10-16 and 17-18, respectively, have been treated as withdrawn without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)). 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 1-9 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. 07-34-03 AIA The term “ up ” in claim 1 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “ up ” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. In order to advance prosecution the examiner is interpreting the limitations “moving up”, “moved up” and “move up” as any relative displacement along a vertical or operational axis . 07-34-03 AIA The term “ lower ” in claim 1 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “ lower ” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. In order to advance prosecution the examiner is interpreting the limitation as any portion situated beneath another . 07-34-03 AIA The term “ downward ” in claim 4 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “ downward ” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. In order to advance prosecution the examiner is interpreting the limitation as any portion that has a downward vertical component . Claims 2-3 and 5-9 are rejected as being dependent upon claim 1 . 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. 07-23-aia AIA 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. 07-20-02-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 1, 3 and 5-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoo KR101040704B1 (using machine English translation provided) in view of Min US20130244095A1, Ko KR20150037314A (using machine English translation provided), Kim KR101400826B1 (using machine English translation provided) and Yanagi JP2015185372A (using machine English translation provided) . Regarding claim 1 , Yoo discloses an electrode assembly manufacturing device ( Yoo, [0005], Fig. 1 ), comprising: a transfer unit ( Yoo, Fig. 2, roll member 110 and rollers 120 ) configured to transfer an electrode assembly ( Yoo, Fig. 2, separator 1, positive plate 2, negative plate 3 ) to a sealing position ( Yoo, Fig. 2, left hand side near unit 500 ), wherein the electrode assembly has a plurality of electrodes and a plurality of separators alternately stacked therein ( Yoo, [0031] ). Yoo however does not teach a plurality of sealing blocks configured to move toward the electrode assembly in the sealing position, and seal both ends of the plurality of separators by heating and pressing, and a pair of lower supports located below both distal ends of the electrode assembly in longitudinal direction of the electrode assembly, wherein the pair of lower supports is configured to support both distal ends of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction by moving up so as to allow the plurality of sealing blocks to seal the pair of separators, and a control unit configured to control an operation of the transfer unit, the plurality of sealing blocks, and the pair of lower supports, wherein the control unit is configured to control the pair of lower supports to be moved up in a first state in which the plurality of sealing blocks are moved toward the electrode assembly, and wherein the pair of lower supports is configured to move up so as to bend both distal ends of the plurality of separators in a downward direction, wherein both distal ends of the plurality of separators are configured to be sealed while contacting the plurality of sealing blocks. Min teaches a plurality of sealing blocks ( Min, Figs. 8 and 9, sealing blocks 220 ) configured to move toward the electrode assembly in the sealing position ( Min, Figs. 8 and 9, electrode assembly 110, part 150, sealing blocks 220 ), and seal both ends of the plurality of separators by heating and pressing ( Min, [0105] ), and a pair of lower supports ( Min, Figs. 8 and 9, supporting portions on left and rights sides of holder 210 ) located below both distal ends of the electrode assembly in longitudinal direction of the electrode assembly ( Min, Figs. 8 and 9, electrode assembly 110, supporting portions on left and rights sides of holder 210 ), wherein the pair of lower supports is configured to support both distal ends of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction by moving up so as to allow the plurality of sealing blocks to seal the pair of separators ( Min, Figs. 8 and 9, electrode assembly 110, part 150, supporting portions on left and rights sides of holder 210, sealing blocks 220 ), wherein the pair of lower supports is configured to move up ( Min, [0107]; the block 240 “down” and the lower support of holder 210 moving “up” are relative motions and therefore satisfy the claim limitation ) and wherein both distal ends of the plurality of separators are configured to be sealed while contacting the plurality of sealing blocks ( Min, [0099] ). Therefore it would be obvious to the skilled artisan before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the sealing blocks of Min to Yoo thereby sealing the assembly through thermal fusion ( Min, [0105] ). Yoo as modified by Min however does not teach a control unit configured to control an operation of the transfer unit, the plurality of sealing blocks, and the pair of lower supports, wherein the control unit is configured to control the pair of lower supports to be moved up in a first state in which the plurality of sealing blocks are moved toward the electrode assembly, and wherein the pair of lower supports is configured to move up so as to bend both distal ends of the plurality of separators in a downward direction. Ko teaches a pair of lower supports ( Ko, Fig. 4, G1 and G2 ) configured to move along an operational axis ( Ko, [0027] ) so as to bend both distal ends of the plurality of separators in a downward direction ( Ko, Fig. 4, downward bent direction edge portion of separator 112 and 114 ). Therefore it would be obvious to the skilled artisan before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the lower support configured of Ko to Yoo as modified by Min thereby minimizing the possibility of a short circuit ( Ko, [0013] ). Yoo as modified by Min and Ko does not teach a control unit configured to control an operation of the transfer unit, the plurality of sealing blocks, and the pair of lower supports, wherein the control unit is configured to control the pair of lower supports to be moved up in a first state in which the plurality of sealing blocks are moved toward the electrode assembly Kim teaches a control unit ( Kim, Fig. 7, control unit 80 ) configured to control the plurality of sealing blocks ( Kim, [0026], Fig. 1, pressure heating plates 55 ), and the pair of lower supports ( Kim, Fig. 1, blocks 50 and 60 ), wherein the control unit is configured to control the pair of lower supports to be moved up in a first state in which the plurality of sealing blocks are moved toward the electrode assembly ( Kim, [0025-0026] ). Therefore it would be obvious to the skilled artisan before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the controller of Kim to Yoo as modified by Min and Ko, thereby no gap is created in the area where there is no electrode tab where the pouch and the inner surface of the pouch are pressurized and fused ( Kim, [0006] ). Yoo as modified by Min, Ko and Kim does not teach a control unit configured to control an operation of the transfer unit. Yanagi teaches a control unit ( Yanagi, Fig. 5, control unit 160 ) configured to control an operation ( Yanagi, [0053] ) of the transfer unit ( Yanagi, Fig. 5, transport unit 150 ). Therefore it would be obvious to the skilled artisan before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the controller of Yanagi to Yoo as modified by Min, Ko and Kim thereby controlling the operation of each component ( Yanagi, [0055] ). Regarding claim 3 , modified Yoo also teaches wherein the transfer unit comprises a conveyor ( Yoo, Fig. 2, roll member 110 and rollers 120 ) on which the electrode assembly is configured to be disposed ( Yoo, Fig. 2, separator 1, positive plate 2, negative plate 3 ), and wherein the conveyor is configured to transfer the electrode assembly ( Yoo, [0032] ), the electrode assembly being disposed such that the longitudinal direction of the electrode assembly is transverse to a transferring direction of the conveyor ( Yoo, Fig. 2, roll member 110 and rollers 120, separator 1, positive plate 2, negative plate 3, transfer direction, longitudinal direction of the electrode assembly ). Regarding claim 5 , modified Yoo does not teach wherein each of the plurality of sealing blocks has an "L" shape conforming to a shape of a corner part of the electrode assembly. Min teaches wherein each of the plurality of sealing blocks has an "L" shape conforming to a shape of a corner part of the electrode assembly ( Min, Fig. 8, sealing block 220 ). Therefore it would be obvious to the skilled artisan before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the sealing blocks of Min to Yoo thereby sealing the assembly through thermal fusion ( Min, [0105] ). Regarding claim 6 , modified Yoo as modified by Min further teaches wherein each of the plurality of sealing blocks has a curved surface shape configured to contact the corner part of the electrode assembly ( Min, Fig. 8, electrode assembly 110, surface of sealing blocks 220; the examiner notes a plane is a curve surface with zero curvature, satisfying the claim limitation ) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoo KR101040704B1 (using machine English translation provided) in view of Min US20130244095A1, Ko KR20150037314A (using machine English translation provided), Kim KR101400826B1 (using machine English translation provided) and Yanagi JP2015185372A (using machine English translation provided) and further in view of Komiya US20080305398A1 . Regarding claim 2 , modified Yoo further teaches wherein the first state is a state in which the plurality of sealing blocks are configured to move toward the electrode assembly ( Min, [0105] ) but does not explicitly teach wherein a distance between a first plurality of sealing blocks disposed on one side of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction and a second plurality of sealing blocks located on the other side of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction is smaller than a length of the plurality of separators in the longitudinal direction and the distance between the first and the second of the plurality of sealing blocks is greater than a length of the plurality of electrodes in the longitudinal direction. Komiya teaches wherein a distance between a first plurality of sealing blocks ( Komiya, Fig. 12D, block 32 and holder 35 on one side ) disposed on one side of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction and a second plurality of sealing blocks ( Komiya, Fig. 12D, block 32 and holder 35 on another side ) located on the other side of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction is smaller than a length of the plurality of separators in the longitudinal direction ( Komiya, Fig. 12D, separator 23, block 32 and holder 35 on one side and block 32 and holder 35 on another side ) and the distance between the first and the second of the plurality of sealing blocks is greater than a length of the plurality of electrodes in the longitudinal direction ( Komiya, Fig. 12D, anode 21, cathode 22, block 32 and holder 35 on one side and block 32 and holder 35 on another side ). Therefore it would be obvious to the skilled artisan before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the sealing blocks of modified Yoo with those of Komiya thereby preventing short-circuits ( Komiya, [0084] ) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoo KR101040704B1 (using machine English translation provided) in view of Min US20130244095A1, Ko KR20150037314A (using machine English translation provided), Kim KR101400826B1 (using machine English translation provided) and Yanagi JP2015185372A (using machine English translation provided) and further in view of Kim US20200212494A1 (hereafter referred to as Kim-2020) . Regarding claim 4 , modified Yoo does not explicitly teach wherein a width of the conveyor is smaller than a length of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction, so that the electrode assembly disposed on the conveyor is configured to bend along the longitudinal direction, such that both distal ends of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction are disposed in the downward direction below a height of a contact surface between the conveyor and the electrode assembly. Kim-2020 teaches wherein a width of the conveyor ( Kim-2020, Fig. 1, transfer part 110 ) is smaller than a length of the electrode assembly ( Kim-2020, Fig. 1, cells 1 and part 130 ) in the longitudinal direction ( as reasonably suggested by Kim-2020, Fig. 1, transfer part 110, cells 1 and part 130 ), so that the electrode assembly disposed on the conveyor is configured to bend along the longitudinal direction, such that both distal ends of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction are disposed in the downward direction below a height of a contact surface between the conveyor and the electrode assembly ( Kim-2020, Fig. 1, transfer part 110, cells 1 and part 130 ). Therefore it would be obvious to the skilled artisan to add the conveyor of Kim- 2020 to modified Yoo, thereby preventing a defective electrode assembly from being manufactured ( Kim-2020, [0057] ) . 07-22-aia AIA Claim (s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoo KR101040704B1 (using machine English translation provided) in view of Min US20130244095A1, Ko KR20150037314A (using machine English translation provided), Kim KR101400826B1 (using machine English translation provided) and Yanagi JP2015185372A (using machine English translation provided) , as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Eom KR100402747B1 (using machine English translation) . Regarding claim 7 , modified Yoo does not explicitly teach wherein the plurality of sealing blocks include at least four sealing blocks. Eom teaches wherein the plurality of sealing blocks include at least four sealing blocks ( Eom, Fig. 1, sealing heating section 19a, 19b, 19c, 20a and 20b ). Therefore it would be obvious to the skilled artisan before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the sealing blocks of Eom to modified Yoo thereby performing a sealing action ( Eom, [25] ) . 07-22-aia AIA Claim (s) 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoo KR101040704B1 (using machine English translation provided) in view of Min US20130244095A1, Ko KR20150037314A (using machine English translation provided), Kim KR101400826B1 (using machine English translation provided) and Yanagi JP2015185372A (using machine English translation provided) , as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Lee KR20170062402A (using machine English translation provided) . Regarding claim 8 , modified Yoo does not teach further comprising: a pair of alignment blocks configured to align the electrode assembly, wherein each of the pair of alignment blocks is disposed on the transfer unit and is spaced apart from each other by a space, wherein the space corresponds to a width of the electrode assembly, and wherein the electrode assembly is configured to be placed within the space between each of the pair of alignment blocks. Lee teaches a pair of alignment blocks ( Lee, Fig. 10, pair of alignment bars 34 ) configured to align the electrode assembly ( Lee, [0132] ), wherein each of the pair of alignment blocks is disposed on the transfer unit ( Lee, Fig. 10, unit 36 ) and is spaced apart from each other by a space ( Lee, Fig. 10, pair of alignment bars 34, the space between ), wherein the space corresponds to a width of the electrode assembly ( Lee, [0132] ), and wherein the electrode assembly is configured to be placed within the space between each of the pair of alignment blocks ( Lee, [0132] ). Therefore it would be obvious to the skilled artisan before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the alignment blocks of Lee to modified Yoo thereby aligning the center ( Lee. [0126] ). Regarding claim 9 , modified Yoo further teaches wherein each of the pair of alignment blocks has a bar shape ( Lee, Fig. 10, pair of alignment bars 34 ) and extends along the longitudinal direction of the electrode assembly ( Lee, [0132] ) . Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Ko US20190363389A1 (discloses an apparatus comprising a conveyor with a thinner width than the separator). Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JARED HANSEN whose telephone number is (571)272-4590. The examiner can normally be reached M-F. 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, Tiffany Legette can be reached at 571-270-7078. 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. /JARED HANSEN/Examiner, Art Unit 1723 /TIFFANY LEGETTE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1723 Application/Control Number: 18/273,425 Page 2 Art Unit: 1723 Application/Control Number: 18/273,425 Page 3 Art Unit: 1723 Application/Control Number: 18/273,425 Page 4 Art Unit: 1723 Application/Control Number: 18/273,425 Page 5 Art Unit: 1723 Application/Control Number: 18/273,425 Page 6 Art Unit: 1723 Application/Control Number: 18/273,425 Page 7 Art Unit: 1723 Application/Control Number: 18/273,425 Page 8 Art Unit: 1723 Application/Control Number: 18/273,425 Page 9 Art Unit: 1723 Application/Control Number: 18/273,425 Page 10 Art Unit: 1723 Application/Control Number: 18/273,425 Page 11 Art Unit: 1723
Prosecution Insights