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 .
2. The Applicant's amendments filed on July 2, 2026, were received. Claims 1, 3, 4 and 5 have been amended. Claims 2 and 6 have been cancelled. None of the Claims have been withdrawn from consideration or added as new. Therefore, Claims 1, 3-5 and 7-10 are pending in this office action.
3. The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S.C. code not included in this action can be found in the prior Office Action issued on April 15, 2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
4. The rejection of Claim 1 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kuroda (WO 2016/140244 A1), has been overcome based on the amendments to the Claims and the arguments presented on pages 5-6 of the Remarks dated July 2, 2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. The rejection of Claim 2-4 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kuroda (WO 2016/140244 A1), as applied to Claim 1 above, has been overcome based on the amendments to the Claims and the arguments presented on pages 5-6 of the Remarks dated July 2, 2026.
6. The rejection of Claims 5-10 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Woehrle et al. (US 7,122,275 B2) in view of Kuroda (WO 2016/140244 A1), has been overcome based on the amendments to the Claims and the arguments presented on pages 5-6 of the Remarks dated July 2, 2026.
7. Claims 1, 3 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kuroda et al. (WO 2016/140244 A1) in view of Liang et al. (US 2021/0344088 A1).
With regard to Claim 1, Kuroda discloses in Figure 1, an electrode tab protection tape, called a shield tape (1), comprising: an adhesion layer, called a conductive pressure-sensitive adhesive layer (5), comprising an adhesive and a conductive material (page 6, par. 3 through page 7, par.1); and an insulation layer, called an insulating resin film (2), provided on one surface of the adhesion layer (5) (page 8, par.1 through page 9, par. 2; See Figure 1). Kuroda et al. do not specifically disclose wherein the insulation layer has an area greater than that of the adhesion layer.
Liang et al. disclose in Figures 7-11, an electrode assembly (100) including a first insulation film (120) that extends beyond an end face (112a) of an electrode terminal part (112) and can be adhered to the electrode terminal part (112) via an adhesive area (123) (paragraphs 0064-0066). Liang et al. disclose wherein the insulation film (120) includes a substrate (124) (considered an insulation layer) and an adhesive layer (123) provided on a portion of the substrate (124), wherein the insulation layer (124) has an area greater than that of the adhesion layer (123) (paragraphs 0070-0073; See Figure 10-11). Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious tone of ordinary skill in the art to modify the electrode tab protection tape of Kuroda et al. to include the insulation layer having an area greater than that of the adhesion layer, because Liang et al. teach that this configuration improve the safety of the electrode assembly (paragraph 0076) and to ensure mutual insulation between the electrode assembly and the housing of the battery (paragraph 0066).
With regard to Claim 3, Liang et al. disclose in Figures 7-11, wherein the insulation layer (124) overlaps the adhesion layer (123) so as to protrude along a circumference of the adhesion layer (123) in a width direction (paragraphs 0064-0066, 0070-0073; See Figures 10-11). Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been an obvious matter of design choice to manufacture the insulation layer to overlap the adhesion layer so as to protrude along a circumference of the adhesion layer in a width direction, because Liang et al. teach that this configuration improve the safety of the electrode assembly (paragraph 0076) and to ensure mutual insulation between the electrode assembly and the housing of the battery (paragraph 0066).
With regard to Claim 4, Liang et al. do not specifically disclose wherein the insulation layer overlaps the adhesion layer so as to protrude along a circumference of the adhesion layer in both a width direction and a longitudinal direction. Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been an obvious matter of design choice to manufacture the insulation layer to overlap the adhesion layer so as to protrude along a circumference of the adhesion layer in both a width direction and a longitudinal direction, since such a modification would only involve a mere change in the size and/or shape of a component. A change in size and/or shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2144.04(IV).
8. Claims 5 and 7-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Woehrle et al. (US 7,122,275 B2) in view of Kuroda (WO 2016/140244 A1) and in further view of Liang et al. (US 2021/0344088 A1).
With regard to Claim 5, Woehrle et al. disclose in Figure 2, a secondary battery (B) comprising: an electrode assembly in which electrodes (2, 3) and separators (4) are stacked; an electrode tab, called output conductor lugs (8), drawn out from each of the electrodes (2, 3); and an electrode tab protection tape, called a plastic film (6), attached to the electrode tab (8) (column 2, lines 50-67 and column 3, lines 24-47). Woehrle et al. do not specifically disclose wherein the electrode tab protection tape comprises: an adhesion layer defining a first surface and an opposing second surface, the adhesion layer comprising an adhesive and a conductive material; and an insulating insulation layer provided on one the first surface of the adhesion layer, and wherein the insulation layer has an area greater than that of the adhesion layer.
Kuroda discloses in Figure 1, an electrode tab protection tape, called a shield tape (1), comprising: an adhesion layer, called a conductive pressure-sensitive adhesive layer (5), defining a first surface facing an insulating resin film (2) and an opposing second surface facing a release film (6) which is further peeled off and the conductive adhesive layer (5) side is attached to the object to be attached, the adhesion layer (5) comprising an adhesive and a conductive material (page 6, par. 3 through page 7, par. and an insulation layer, called an insulating resin film (2), provided on one surface of the adhesion layer (5) (page 8, par.1 through page 9, par. 2). Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify electrode tab protection tape of the secondary battery of Woehrle et al. to include an adhesion layer defining a first surface and an opposing second surface, the adhesion layer comprising an adhesive and a conductive material; and an insulating insulation layer provided on one the first surface of the adhesion layer, because Kuroda teaches that the configuration of this tape offers excellent workability, does not peel off, and has excellent resistance to repulsion (page 5, par. 1).
Liang et al. disclose in Figures 7-11, an electrode assembly (100) including a first insulation film (120) that extends beyond an end face (112a) of an electrode terminal part (112) and can be adhered to the electrode terminal part (112) via an adhesive area (123) (paragraphs 0064-0066). Liang et al. disclose wherein the insulation film (120) includes a substrate (124) (considered an insulation layer) and an adhesive layer (123) provided on a portion of the substrate (124), wherein the insulation layer (124) has an area greater than that of the adhesion layer (123) (paragraphs 0070-0073; See Figure 10-11). Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious tone of ordinary skill in the art to modify the electrode tab protection tape of Woehrle et al. and Kuroda et al. to include the insulation layer having an area greater than that of the adhesion layer, because Liang et al. teach that this configuration improve the safety of the electrode assembly (paragraph 0076) and to ensure mutual insulation between the electrode assembly and the housing of the battery (paragraph 0066).
With regard to Claim 7, Kuroda discloses wherein the second surface of the adhesion layer (5) which faces a release film (6) which is further peeled off and the conductive adhesive layer (5) side is attached to the object to be attached, is attached to the electrode tab (8) of Woehrle et al. (page 9, par. 2).
With regard to Claim 8, Woehrle et al. disclose in Figure 2, wherein the electrode tab (8) comprises a bent part that is bent in a V shape along a longitudinal direction of the electrode tab (8) to form a bent inner side and a bent outer side, the second surface of the adhesion layer (6) is attached to the bent outer side of the bent part (See Figure 2; column 2, lines 50-67 and column 3, lines 24-47).
With regard to Claim 9, Woehrle et al. disclose in Figure 2, wherein the electrode tab protection tape (6) is attached to surround one surface of the electrode assembly and the bent outer side of the bent part together (See Figure 2; column 2, lines 50-67 and column 3, lines 24-47).
With regard to Claim 10, Woehrle et al. disclose in Figure 2, wherein the electrode tab (8) comprises a bent part that is bent in a V shape along a longitudinal direction of the electrode tab (8) to form a bent inner side and a bent outer side, and the second surface of the adhesion layer (6) is attached to the bent inner side of the bent part (See Figure 2; column 2, lines 50-67 and column 3, lines 24-47).
Response to Arguments
9. Applicant’s arguments, see pages 5-6, filed July 2, 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of Claim 1 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kuroda (WO 2016/140244 A1), have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Liang et al. (US 2021/0344088 A1).
Conclusion
10. 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.
11. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KARIE O APICELLA whose telephone number is (571)272-8614. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday; 8:00AM to 5:00PM EST.
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/KARIE O'NEILL APICELLA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725
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