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 .
Response to Amendment
The proposed amendments filed 8/9/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-3 and 6-18 are currently pending. Applicant’s amendments are sufficient to overcome the 112(a) rejections, 112(b) rejections, and 112(f) claim interpretations.
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.
Claims 1-3, 6, 7, 11, 12, 14, 17, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN 206153096 (Ji hereinafter).
Regarding claim 1, Ji teaches an infrared heat source for drying that discloses a frame extending in one direction (Figure 1, Frame 11 and G); a first shield film mounted on the frame (Shield 3); a position change part mounted on the frame to enable a position change of the first shield film (Guide rail G per “each baffle 3 is suspended on the guide rail and can slide along the guide rail G”), the position change part having a groove having a predetermined space formed therein (Groove between the two rails G forming a space sized for the shields 3), a portion of the first shield film being inserted into the groove to couple the first shield film to the groove (Under the broadest reasonable interpretation, the portions of the shields 3 attached to the rails G would be within the groove formed by the rails G); and an infrared heat source mounted on the frame (Lamp 2), wherein the first shield film is mounted on the frame and configured for repositioning along the one direction of the frame (“each baffle 3 is suspended on the guide rail and can slide along the guide rail G”), and wherein the first shield film is configured for blocking at least a portion of the heat generated by the infrared heat source can be blocked (“a baffle plate 3 shielding the infrared lighting tube corresponding to the baffle 3 part emits infrared ray, thereby avoiding coating C and the area corresponding to the baffle plate 3 under the action of infrared radiation heating, and avoid the coating C is directly influenced by the hot air jet and baffle 3 corresponding to the region”).
Regarding claim 2, Ji’s teachings are described above in claim 1 where Ji further discloses that the frame includes an opening so that the heat generated from the infrared heat source is exposed to an outside of the infrared heat source module (Gaps shown in Figure 1).
Regarding claim 3, Ji’s teachings are described above in claim 1 where Ji further discloses that wherein the infrared heat source module includes a plurality of shield films including the first shield film and wherein each of the plurality of shield films are independently configured for repositioning (Evident of the plurality of shields 3).
Regarding claim 6, Ji’s teachings are described above in claim 1 where Ji further discloses that the position change part comprises a rail provided with a moving device (Rail G in Figure 1).
Regarding claim 7, Ji’s teachings are described above in claim 2 where Ji further discloses that the first shield film is positioned at one or more positions selected from the group consisting of an inside of the opening, an upper end of the opening, and a lower end of the opening (The shields 3 are able to be positioned along the guide rail at each of these positions).
Regarding claim 11, Ji’s teachings are described above in claim 1 where Ji further discloses a method of manufacturing an electrode comprising: drying an electrode slurry formed on a current collector (Figures 1, 5, and 6 with current collector P), by applying heat from the infrared heat source module of claim 1 (Evident from Figures 1, 5, and 6) in a state where the infrared heat source module is placed on a current collector coated with the electrode slurry (“facing the infrared lamp of the surface of substrate P 2 also has a coating adjacent to C extending along the longitudinal direction L un-coating area N, the corresponding N substrate P with the uncoated region of the baffle 3 in the transverse direction T is larger than a size of a substrate P of uncoated area N, so as to shield the infrared lamp 2 C corresponding to the edge close to the coating part so as to prevent the infrared lamp 2 emits infrared pair near the coating C of edge heating”).
Regarding claim 12, Ji’s teachings are described above in claim 11 where Ji further discloses that the drying is performed while the current collector on which the electrode slurry is formed moves in one direction (Figures 1, 5, and 6).
Regarding claim 14, Ji’s teachings are described above in claim 11 where Ji further discloses that the current collector includes a further uncoated part (Additional N of Figures 1 and 3-5), the infrared heat source module includes a plurality of shield films including the first shield film (Shields 3), and the plurality of shield films of the infrared heat source module are arranged to be positioned between each of the uncoated parts and the infrared heat source (Evident from Figures 1 and 3-5).
Regarding claim 17, Ji’s teachings are described above in claim 11 where Ji further discloses that during the applying of the heat from the infrared heat source module, the first shield film of the infrared heat source module is positioned to block at least some of the portion of the heat applied from the infrared heat source of the infrared heat source module (Inherent function of the shields 3 of Ji).
Regarding claim 18, Ji’s teachings are described above in claim 17 where Ji further discloses that the current collector includes a coated part coated by the electrode slurry (Coated part C of the current collector P in Figures 1 and 3-5) and an uncoated part uncoated by the electrode slurry (Uncoated part N), and wherein the heat from the infrared heat source module blocked by the first shield film includes heat applied to the uncoated part of the current collector (Inherent of the shield 3 usage).
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.
Claims 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 206153096 (Ji) in view of US 2018/0141072 (Kuribayashi hereinafter).
Regarding claim 8, Ji’s teachings are described above in claim 1 but are silent with respect that the infrared heat source emits light having a wavelength ranging from 3 µm to 50 µm.
However, Kuribayashi teaches an IR heater that discloses the heat source operating with a wavelength ranging from 3 µm to 50 µm (¶ 12-13 and 63-64).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the operating wavelength of the heater of Ji with the wavelengths of Kuribayashi to optimize power consumption while rapidly heating the target material per ¶ 64 of Kuribayashi.
Regarding claim 9, Ji’s teachings are described above in claim 1 but are silent with respect to a linking component coupling the infrared heat source to the frame.
However, Kuribayashi teaches an infrared heating system that discloses a linking component coupling the infrared heat source to the frame (Figure 2 with heaters 32 and 51 affixed to the equivalent frames of 3 and 5).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the infrared light and frame of Ji with the fixing part of Kuribayashi to securely hold the infrared light.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 206153096 (Ji) in view of JP H1038462 (Fujiwara hereinafter).
Regarding claim 10, Ji’s teachings are described above in claim 1 but are silent with respect to a controller configured to automatically reposition the shield film.
However, Fujiwara teaches an infrared drier that discloses a controller configured to automatically reposition the shield film (Figure 7 equivalent shield 12 with control by the driving device 14 and sequencer 13 acting as the controller).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the shields of Ji with the control device of Fujiwara to allow for automatic control of the shield.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 206153096 (Ji) in view of EP 3026980 (Komaki hereinafter).
Regarding claim 15, Ji’s teachings are described above in claim 12 but are silent with respect that an A value according to the following general equation 1 is 1 to 10: [General Equation 1] A = W1/W and wherein, W1 means the width of the first shield film, and W means the width of the uncoated part. The relative sizes can be approximately seen in Figure 2 of Ji.
However, Komaki teaches an infrared drying application that discloses relative sizing of the dried area and the area not dried by the infrared light (“In Fig. 14, Wa to Wd denote the widths of the overlapping portions of the transmission region 54 and the heating element region E (the size of the overlapping portions in the directions from the center C of the heating element region E outward along the upper surface of the first transmission layer 51). As the widths Wa to Wd become smaller, the selective reflection region 53 becomes larger, and the energy of infrared radiation emitted toward the coating 92 tends to increase. As the widths Wa to Wd become larger, the energy of infrared radiation reflected from the reflective surface 76 toward the heating element 40 tends to increase. Therefore, preferably, the widths Wa to Wd are determined in consideration of both of these tendencies. To be specific, preferably, each of the widths Wa and Wb is in the range of 10 to 20% of the length X of the heating element region E in the left-right direction. Preferably, each of the widths Wc and Wd is in the range of 10 to 20% of the length Y of the heating element region E in the front-back direction. The widths Wa to Wd may be in the range of 10 to 20% of the aforementioned representative dimension L. The widths Wa to Wd may be in the range of 90% to 110% of the aforementioned distance D. The widths Wa to Wd may be 10mm or more and 30mm or less. The area of the overlapping portions of the transmission region 54 and the heating element region E is preferably, for example, in the range of 30 % to 65% of the heating element region E (heating element area S).”) The resultant combination would show that the sizing of the first shield and the size of the uncoated part would be a result effective variable and obtaining the ratio required of claim 15 would be taught by Komaki.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the sizing and relative dimensions of the shield and uncoated part of Ji with the teachings of Komaki to allow for the user to size the coated and uncoated areas of the conductor as desired.
Claims 13 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 206153096 (Ji) in view of US 2020/0221546 (Nohara hereinafter).
Regarding claim 13, Ji’s teachings are described above in claim 12 where Ji further discloses that the current collector includes a coated part coated by the electrode slurry (Current collector P with coated part C) and an uncoated part uncoated by the electrode slurry (Uncoated part N).
Ji is silent with respect that the infrared heat source module is moveable in one direction in which the current collector moves; or in an opposite direction to the one direction, and wherein when moving the infrared heat source module, the first shield film of the infrared heat source module is positioned to block at least some of at the portion of heat applied from the infrared heat source to the uncoated part.
However, Nohara teaches an infrared heating device that discloses that the infrared heat source module is moveable in one direction in which the current collector moves (¶ 53-54); or in an opposite direction to the one direction (¶ 53-54), and wherein when moving the infrared heat source module, the first shield film of the infrared heat source module is positioned to block at least some of at the portion of heat applied from the infrared heat source to the uncoated part (Resultant combination that the shields of Ji would block the IR light of Ji per the movement taught by Nohara).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the infrared light heater of Ji with the movement of Nohara to allow for the infrared light to be positioned to adjust the heating and prevent temperatures being too cold or too hot.
Regarding claim 16, Ji’s teachings are described above in claim 11 but are silent with respect to a B value according to the following general equation 2 is 0.1 to 5: [General Equation 2] B = H2/H1, and wherein, H2 means the distance between the first shield film and the infrared heat source, and H1 means the distance between the current collector and the shield film.
However, Nohara teaches an infrared heating device that discloses that the ability to adjust the height of the infrared heat source from the equivalent current collector (¶ 53-54 and 7). The resultant combination would allow the user to size the gap between the infrared light and the current collector to teach following general equation 2 is 0.1 to 5: [General Equation 2] B = H2/H1, and wherein, H2 means the distance between the first shield film and the infrared heat source, and H1 means the distance between the current collector and the shield film.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to size the gap between the infrared light, the shields, and the current collector to allow for the required heating to occur and prevent the use of too cold or too hot temperatures per ¶ 7 of Nohara.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 8/09/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant’s arguments are directed the amendments made to independent claim 1. The rejection of claim 1 above has been updated to recite “a position change part mounted on the frame to enable a position change of the first shield film (Guide rail G per “each baffle 3 is suspended on the guide rail and can slide along the guide rail G”), the position change part having a groove having a predetermined space formed therein (Groove between the two rails G forming a space sized for the shields 3), a portion of the first shield film being inserted into the groove to couple the first shield film to the groove (Under the broadest reasonable interpretation, the portions of the shields 3 attached to the rails G would be within the groove formed by the rails G).” The claims are not specific enough regarding the groove and the Ji reference is found to still read on the amendments. Applicant’s Figure 3 does show a different interpretation of the claimed groove and the Applicant is advised to further clarify this structure to overcome the rejection of record reliant on Ji. A suggestion would be to incorporate the rail and wheel/cart structure shown by the Applicant.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. KR 2022-0030745 details an infrared drying system with movable shields.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CONNOR J. TREMARCHE whose telephone number is (571)272-2175. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 0700-1700 Eastern.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, MICHAEL HOANG can be reached at (571) 272-6460. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CONNOR J TREMARCHE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3762
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