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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This Office action regarding Application No. 18/289,486 to Kim et al., assigned to LG Energy Solution, Ltd., filed 11/03/2023 and published as U.S. PG Publication 2024/0234974A1 on 07/11/2026 is in response to applicant’s request for continued examination, RCE, filed 04/23/2026.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 04/23/2026 has been entered.
Status of the Claims
In the request for continued examination applicant has amended the claims of the application. The status of the claims stand as follows:
Currently amended 1, 4, 62
Previously presented 2, 5, 7, 33, 63-64, 71-79, 81, 83
Canceled 3, 6, 8-32, 34-61, 65-70, 80, 82
New 84-85
Claims 1-2, 4-5, 7, 33, 62-64, 71-79, 81, 83-85 are currently pending in this application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 04/23/2026 has been placed in the application file and the information referred to therein has been considered by the examiner. A duly initialed and signed copy is attached herewith. Accordingly, information disclosure statement(s) is/are being considered if signed and initialed by Examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35 U.S. Code not included in this section can be found in the prior Office Action.
Claims 1, 4, 5, 7, 33, 62 and 63, 83, 84, 85 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hur Jin Woo (KR 10-1808609, the filed English language machine translation is used here; and hereafter called KR '609), in view of Fang et al. (U.S. PG Publication 2023/0207992)
Regarding claim 1, 62, 63 KR '609 discloses a device for storing electric energy and the manufacturing method thereof (KR '609 page 10 paragraph 3); the device for storing electric energy is a cylindrical secondary battery and a method of formation (KR '608 Fig. 2, page 11), comprising a jelly-roll type electrode assembly A (KR '609 Fig. 2, page 11 paragraph 2) having a structure which include a first electrode 10, a second electrode 20 and a separator 30 (KR '609 page 11 paragraph 2-3); the first electrode and second electrode are considered equivalent to the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The positive electrode 10, the negative electrode 20, and the separator 30 have a sheet plate shape, and the separator 30 interposed between the positive electrode 10 and the negative electrode 20 (KR Fig. 3, page 11), and the electrode assembly is a jelly-roll type (KR '609 Fig. 3). The positive electrode and negative electrode are also called the first electrode and second electrode (KR '609 page 11 paragraph 3), and providing the above mentioned elements constitutes a method of manufacturing.
The positive electrode 10 includes an uncoated portion 12a exposed to the outside of the separator 30 at a long side end, and the negative electrode 20 include an uncoated portion 22a exposed to the outside of the separator 30 at a long side end in a direction opposite to the uncoated portion of the positive electrode plate 10 (KR '609 Fig. 3), the electrode assembly having a winding center hole in an inner core (not labeled) (KR '609 Fig. 3).
KR '609 discloses the secondary cell further comprises a case B including a cylindrical housing 300 (KR '609 Fig. 3, page 12 paragraph 2), equivalent to the battery can configured to accommodate the electrode assembly A through an open portion formed on one side and connected to the uncoated portion of the second electrode plate (KR '609 Fig. 2). The housing also has a sealing body 260 configured to seal the open portion of the battery can (KR '609 Fig. 2). Thus, disclosing a method of providing the cylindrical housing 300 and inserting the electrode assembly into the housing.
KR '609 discloses a first conductive coupling board 120 (KR '609 Fig. 2, page 12 paragraph 1) connected to the first uncoated portion 12a of the first electrode (KR '609 Fig.2), considered equivalent to the first current collector plate connected to the first uncoated portion.
An electrode terminal 140 is riveted through a combining hole 162 and connected to the first uncoated portion 12a (KR '609 Fig. 2, page 13 paragraph 3), the combining hole is considered equivalent to the through-hole.
KR '609 discloses the first terminal member 140 (electrode terminal), is connected by welding to the first conductive coupling board 120 (current collector plate) (KR '609 page 13 paragraph 6), considered equivalent to the welding portion formed between the contact surface of the first current collector plate and the electrode terminal. KR '609 discloses the welding can be laser welding (KR '609 page 14 paragraph 1). The welding in located where the conductive coupling board and the terminal member overlap, which is in the winding through-hole region. Thus, forming laser welding portion between the conductive board (equivalent to the current collector) and the electrode terminal.
KR '609 discloses the electrode terminal 140 has a main body 141 portion inserted into the through-hole, a first protrusion part 143 and a second protrusion part 144, considered equivalent to the outer flanges (KR '609 claim 4), and the protrusion 143 and 144 are provided inside the cover 160 positioned in the inner surface of the housing. KR '609, however, is silent about an outer flange portion on an outer surface of the bottom battery can as recited in amended claim 1 and 62.
Fang discloses a battery cell and a method of manufacturing (Fang paragraph 0005), the battery cell includes a housing on which an opening is made and electrode assembly accommodated in the housing, and an end cap to fit and cover the opening (Fang paragraph 0006-0009). The sidewall 22 and the bottom wall 23 may be an integrally formed structure, such that the housing 20 is a one-piece member (Fang paragraph 0132). The battery cell 7 further includes an electrode terminal 40 mounted in the electrode lead-out hole 231, the body portion of the electrode terminal 40 is inserted into the through-hole (Fang Fig. ) and, has an outer flange portion on an outer surface of the bottom 23 of the battery can 20, and an inner flange portion on an inner surface of the bottom 23 of the battery can 20; and the outer flange and inner flange extend from the side of the body along the outer surface and the inner surface respectively. The electrode terminal 40 is fixed onto the bottom wall 23 and extends into the interior of the housing 20 (Fang paragraph 0159).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill to have modified the electrode terminal in the battery cell of KR '609 and have added an outer flange portion on the electrode terminal on an outer surface of the bottom of the battery can so that the electrode terminal is tightly connected to both the inner surface as well as the outer surface of the housing to prevent any shifting in the position of the terminal. Such a modification is considered the use of known technique to improve similar devices (methods, or products) in the same way (MPEP 2143 I C).
The electrode terminal 40 has a flat portion on an inner side of the inner flange portion (Fang Fig. 7). Fang also discloses the electrode terminal 40 has a flat portion on an inner side of the inner flange portion, and a recess portion provided between inner flange portion and flat portion at a position located parallel to the flat portion and the inner surface of the bottom of the battery can (Fang Fig. 7).
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Regarding claim 4 KR '609 discloses the first terminal member 140 (electrode terminal) flat portion is connected by welding to a flat portion of the first conductive coupling board (current collector plate) (KR page 13 paragraph 6). Fang also discloses the electrode terminal can be connected to a conductive structure (Fang paragraph 0156) the conductive structure considered equivalent to the current collector.
Regarding claim 5 and 7 KR '609 disclose the first terminal member 140 (electrode terminal), is connected by welding to the first conductive coupling board (i.e., current collector plate) (KR page 13 paragraph 6), considered equivalent to the welding portion formed between the contact surface of the first current collector plate and the electrode terminal and is an overlapping overlay type of welding. But KR '609 is silent about explicitly disclosing the laser welding portion is formed from one surface of the first current collector plate oriented toward an inner side of the winding center hole in a coupling area of the first current collector plate and the electrode terminal toward the electrode terminal.
However, It is would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have made the welding connection of the conductive coupling board (i.e., current collector) formed at the surfaces oriented towards the inner side of the winding hole, which correspond to a coupling area of the current collector and the electrode terminal. Such a modification is considered mere change in position, and according to the MPEP Shifting the position of parts within a device will not render the device patentable if the position change does not alter the device's operation". (see In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950); MPEP § 2144.04 VI. C.).
Regarding claim 33 KR '609 discloses the conductive coupling board 120, considered equivalent to the first current collector, has a rim portion, and an electrode coupling portion, equivalent to the tab, extending from the rim portion and coupled to the uncoated portion 12a of the electrode 10, and a terminal coupling portion (KR '609 Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 83 Fang discloses a gasket between the outer flange and the outer surface of the bottom of the battery 23, and between the inner flange and the inner surface of the bottom of the battery can 23 (Fang Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 84, 85 Flange is silent about a thickness decrease of the inner flange portion and the angle between the inner flange portion and the inner surface of the bottom of the battery can. However, changing any one or both of these two parameters is considered to be an engineering choice and would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the invention since such a modification/change would have involved a mere change in the size or shape of a component. (See MPEP 2144.04 IV A, B)
Claim 2 and 64 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hur Jin Woo (KR 10-1808609; called KR '609); in view of Fang et al. (U.S. PG Publication 2023/0207992), as applied to claims 1 and 62, and as evidenced by Campbell et al. (U.S. PG Publication 2019/0296311)
The discussion of KR 609 as applied to claims 1 and 62 is fully incorporated here and is relied upon for the limitation of the claims in this section.
Regarding claim 2 and 64 KR '609 is silent about a converted diameter of the laser welding portion exposed to the surface of the first current collector plate is approximately 0.15D to 0.90D where D is a diameter of the winding center. Campbell teaches that small welding surface area for welding of components such as an electrode terminal can cause failure of bonding (Campbell paragraph 0023).
Therefore, for a durable connection between the current collector and the electrode terminal it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have optimize through routine experimentation the area of the welding portion of the current collector and the terminal that overlaps with the winding open area since as evidenced by Campbell the area of welding is considered a result effective variable. According to the MPEP if a particular parameter is recognized as a result-effective variable, then the determination of the optimum or workable ranges of said parameter might be characterized as routine experimentation. It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to have optimized the result-effective variable of area of welding portion as evidenced by Campbell in the process of KR '609 in order to achieve a durable bonding between the two components as disclosed by Campbell (Campbell paragraph 0023). See MPEP 2144.05 II.
Claim 71-72, 74-79 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hur in Woo (KR 10-1808609; called KR '609); in view of Fang et al. (U.S. PG Publication 2023/0207992), as applied to 1 and 62, and further in view of Shimizu (U.S. PG Publication 2022/0131240)
The discussion of KR '609 and Fang as applied to claims 1 and 62 is fully incorporated here and is relied upon for the limitation of the claims in this section.
Regarding claim 71, 76 KR '609 disclose the first terminal member 140 (electrode terminal), is connected by welding to the first conductive coupling board (i.e., current collector plate) (KR page 13 paragraph 6), but is silent about inserting of a tube in the winding center and allowing the laser beam of a welding device pass through the hollow tube to weld the conductive member board (equivalent to the current collector) to the electrode terminal.
Shimizu discloses a method of manufacturing a battery (Shimizu Title, Abstract, paragraph 0006), the battery is a cylindrical battery (Shimizu Fig. 1, paragraph 0017) including a winding-type electrode group 10, a cylindrical case 30 housing the electrode group and a sealing body closing an opening portion of the case (Shimizu Fig. 1, paragraph 0017). The electrode group is formed as a columnar body having a hollow 20 extending in the winding axis direction (Shimizu Fig. 1, 2, paragraph 0018), considered equivalent to the jelly-roll type electrode assembly having a winding center hole. The sealing body function as a first terminal and the case as a second terminal. Shimizu discloses laser-welding of the electrode leads to bottom of the case 30 (Shimizu paragraph 0021, 0036, 0040) equivalent to the current collector welded to the electrode terminal as claimed. The method discloses by Shimizu includes inserting a pressing device having a tubular shape is inserted into the hollow portion of the electrode group (Shimizu paragraph 0037), equivalent to inserting a hollow tube into the winding center. Shimizu discloses after the pressing device is pressed against the electrode lead to contact the case serving as a terminal the case is laser-welded to the electrode lead (Shimizu paragraph 0040). Shimizu is silent that the laser beam is made to pass through the pressing device having the tubular shape. However, irradiating the laser beam from the end of the pressing device tube rather from outside on the bottom side of the case would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill since such a change is considered a shift of position of the laser beam source, and would be capable of forming the welding of the electrode lead to the bottom of the casing. According to the MPEP, "Shifting the position of parts within a device will not render the device patentable if the position change does not alter the device's operation" (see In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950); MPEP § 2144.04 VI. C.).
Regarding claim 72 Shimizu discloses the pressing device 44 that is the tubular conduit presses negative electrode lead 24, equivalent to the current collector, toward case 30, equivalent to the electrode terminal, to cause negative electrode lead 24 to contact (the inner surface of) case 30 (Shimizu paragraph 0039); thus; the lead (i.e., the current collector) is compressed to the case, considered equivalent to the terminal.
Regarding claim 74 Shimizu discloses the pressing device 44 having a tubular shape may be a conduit made of stainless steel (Shimizu paragraph 0037). Shimizu is silent about the length of the tubular shape conduit has a length greater than a height of the electrode assembly. But it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill to vary the size of the tube and make it greater than the height of the electrode assembly for ease of manipulation without losing its functionality. Such a change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2144.04(IV).
Regarding claim 75 Shimizu discloses that pressing device 44 having the tubular shape is connected to a suction device (not shown), such as a pressure reducing pump, and is configured to suck a fluid together with spatter P from tube 45 of pressing device 44 in accordance with operation of the pressure reducing pump (Shimizu paragraph 0038). Thus, the suction device is capable of removing welding fumes as well while the laser welding is being performed.
Regarding claim 77 KR '609 discloses the first terminal member 140 (electrode terminal) is connected by welding to the first conductive coupling board (current collector plate) (KR page 13 paragraph 6), and in the welding of KR '609 as modified by Shimizu (Shimizu paragraph 0037, 0040) the laser beam would heat the current collector.
Regarding claim 78 Shimizu discloses laser-welding of the electrode leads to bottom of the case 30 (Shimizu paragraph 0021, 0036, 0040) equivalent to the current collector welded to the electrode terminal, and it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill that the spot under direct laser beam irradiation will have a higher temperature that the surrounding area. Thus, a temperature difference is provided between a part where the laser beam is intensively irradiated and a surrounding area, since the part intensively irradiated will receive more laser beam energy directly than the surrounding area, which receives less laser beam energy.
Regarding claim 79 Shimizu discloses the laser welding is achieved by melting of the welded surface (Shimizu paragraph 0021, 0022), and inherently the full scale melting follows preheating of the melting surface.
Claim 73 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hur Jin Woo (KR 10-1808609; called KR '609); in view of Fang et al. (U.S. PG 2023/0207992) as applied to claim 71 and further in view of Shimizu (U.S. PG Publication 2022/0131240) and Park et al. (U.S. PG Publication 2016/0260952)
The discussion of KR '609, Fang and Shimizu as applied to claim 71 is fully incorporated here and is relied upon for the limitation of the claim in this section.
Regarding claim 73 KR '609 and Shimizu are silent about the supplying of inert gas for removing oxygen while a laser welding is being performed. Park discloses that in a laser welding process in order to minimize the generation of dust or sparks, an inert gas such as nitrogen or argon may be supplied to the laser welding portion (Park paragraph 0057), which would remove oxygen atmosphere from the space wherein the welding is performed. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill to have modified the welding method of KR '609 as modified by Shimizu by the teaching of Park and to have supplied inert gas to the space wherein the laser welding of the current collector and the electrode terminal is performed in order to minimize the generation of dust or sparks as disclosed by Park (Park paragraph 0057). Such a modification is considered the use of known technique to improve similar devices (methods, or products) in the same way (MPEP 2143 I C).
Claim 81 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hur Jin Woo (KR 10-1808609; called here KR '609); in view of in view of Fang et al. (U.S. PG 2023/0207992), as applied to claim 1, and further in view Hurng et al. (U.S. PG Publication 2015/0145482)
The discussion of KR '609 as applied to claim 1 above is fully incorporated here and relied upon for the limitation of the claim in this section.
Regarding claim 81 KR '609 is silent about a battery pack comprising the disclosed cylindrical secondary battery. Hurng discloses lithium ion battery having a plurality of cells connected within a sealed case (Hurng Abstract, paragraph 0046). Hurng discloses that to construct a battery of higher voltage, it is necessary to connect individual cells in series externally to form a battery pack of the desired voltage, and can also be connected in parallel to increase the amount of current that the battery pack can provide (Hurng paragraph 0004, 0046).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have formed the device of storing electric energy of KR '609 (KR '609 page 10 paragraph 3) that is a cylindrical secondary battery (KR '608 Fig. 2, page 10, 11) into multiple battery cells connected together to form a battery pack that provides higher voltage and increased amount of current (Hurng paragraph 0004) for use in devices that require higher electric power. According to the MPEP such a modification is considered the use of known technique to improve similar devices (methods, or products) in the same way (MPEP 2143 I C).
Response to Arguments
In the request for continued examination dated 04/23/2026 applicant presents the text of amended claim 1 and 62, an presents a general over view of the claimed invention, supported by drawings from the application. Applicant then traverses the rejection of the claims presented in the previous final Office action dated 01/23/2026.
Applicant argues that amended claim 1 recites “a flat portion provided on an inner side of the inner flange portion and having a surface that extends parallel to the inner surface of the bottom of the battery can; and a recess portion provided between the inner flange portion and the flat portion at a position located in a direction parallel to the surface of the flat portion and the inner surface of the bottom of the battery can," as recited in claim 1. Applicant then argues that Fang clearly lacks a recess in a manner as recited in claim 1.
Examiner notes that the applied reference of Fang also discloses such a recess or a space between the inner flange portion and the flat portion provided in an inner side of the inner flange portion (Fang Fig. 5). The claim regarding the limitation of the recess as claimed does not particularly recite any specific features that distinguish it from the recess or space formed between the inner flange and the flat portion provided on an inner side of the inner flange as disclosed by Fang. Thus, the disclosure of Fang as presented in the drawing in Fig 5 meets the claim limitation with regard to the claimed recess.
For reason presented in this Office action the combined teaching of the applied references renders the claimed invention obvious.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OMAR M KEKIA whose telephone number is (571)270-5918. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00am-5:00 pm,.
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/JONATHAN G JELSMA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1722
/OMAR M KEKIA/Examiner, Art Unit 1722
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