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 .
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 1-4, 7, & 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shimada et al (JP 2006013339 A) in view of Kim et al (US 20210023593 A1).
Shimada et al disclose a cleaning apparatus (e.g. 1), the cleaning apparatus comprising: a transfer part (e.g. 2) configured to transport the carrier through the cleaning apparatus; a main body (e.g. 3) that includes an entrance (e.g. 32) configured to receive through which the transfer part entering therethrough and an exit (e.g. 102) configured to receive the transfer part exiting therethrough; and a plurality of nozzles (e.g. 42) installed into the main body and configured to spray a first cleaning material at the carrier, wherein the plurality of nozzles comprise: a plurality of first nozzles (e.g. 464); and at least one second nozzle (e.g. 462) configured to spray a second cleaning material different from the first cleaning material. Shimada et al do not explicitly teach that the cleaning apparatus is configured to clean a carrier for a secondary battery, or that the plurality of first nozzles are disposed with their respective centers staggered with respect to an imaginary straight line extending along a transport direction from the entrance to the exit.
Kim et al disclose a cleaning apparatus (e.g. 1) configured to clean a carrier (e.g. C) for a secondary battery, wherein the plurality of first nozzles (e.g. 20) are disposed with their respective centers staggered with respect to an imaginary straight line (e.g. along plane A in Fig. 1) extending along a transport direction from the entrance to the exit, for improving gas flow and cleaning performance.
Shimada et al and Kim et al all seek to provide a cleaning apparatus with nozzle injectors, thus it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the apparatus of Shimada et al such that the apparatus is configured to clean a carrier for a secondary battery, and the plurality of first nozzles are disposed with their respective centers staggered with respect to an imaginary straight line extending along a transport direction from the entrance to the exit, as taught by Kim et al, for the purpose of preventing the stagnation gas flow and enhancing cleaning performance in removing foreign substances.
Shimada et al, as modified, further teach the plurality of first nozzles are each configured to spray air (e.g. nitrogen N2), and the at least one second nozzle is configured to spray dry ice (e.g. carbon dioxide CO2); the plurality of first nozzles and the at least one second nozzle are spaced apart from each other at an upper portion of the main body (e.g. Fig. 1 of Shimada et al); the at least one second nozzle is disposed at a center of the main body (e.g. Figs. 3 & 4 of Shimada et al as modified by Kim et al); and the secondary battery is a cylindrical secondary battery (e.g. C as shown in Fig. 1 of Kim et al).
Further regarding Claim 7, it is common practice in the machine arts to provide for the repair and maintenance of machine parts in order to extend service life of the associated machine. Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to further modify the apparatus of Shimada et al, as modified, to enable the nozzles, including the at least on second nozzle, to be detachable as an engineering expedient for the purpose of enabling repair and maintenance.
Claims 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shimada et al (JP 2006013339 A) in view of Kim et al (US 20210023593 A1) as applied to Claim 1 above, and further in view of Ikarashi et al (12053806).
Shimada et al, as modified, do not explicitly teach that a plurality of suction parts respectively disposed adjacent to each of the plurality of first nozzles; or each suction part has a truncated cone shape.
Ikarashi et al disclose a nozzle (e.g. 91, Figs. 5 & 7) for a cleaning apparatus (e.g. 9) including a suction part (e.g. 105) disposed adjacent first nozzle (e.g. 101); and each suction part has a stepped shape (e.g. 105a, 105b) approximating a truncated cone.
Shimada et al, as modified, and Ikarashi et al all seek to provide a nozzle for a cleaning apparatus, thus it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to further modify Shimada et al, as modified, to include a plurality of suction parts respectively disposed adjacent to each of the plurality of first nozzles; and each suction part has a truncated cone shape, as taught by Ikarashi et al, for the purpose of removing circulating foreign substances.
Claims 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shimada et al (JP 2006013339 A) in view of Kim et al (US 20210023593 A1) as applied to Claim 1 above, and further in view of Hoon (KR 101531653 B1).
Shimada et al, as modified, do not explicitly teach a third nozzle installed onto the main body and configured to spray air around at least one of the entrance or the exit; or the third nozzle is installed at an oblique angle relative to the transport direction, the third nozzle being configured to spray air toward an inside of the main body.
Hoon teaches a cleaning apparatus (e.g. 100) further including a third nozzle (e.g. Figs. 1 & 2, 170, 171, 173) installed onto a main body (e.g. 120) and configured to spray air around at least one of the entrance (e.g. ~160) or the exit (e.g. ~160); and the third nozzle is installed at an oblique angle relative to the transport direction, the third nozzle being configured to spray air toward an inside of the main body (e.g. as shown in Fig. 1 arranged transvers to the transport direction and angled downward, Para. [0023]).
Shimada et al, as modified, and Hoon all seek to provide a cleaning apparatus, thus it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to further modify Shimada et al, as modified, to include a third nozzle installed onto the main body and configured to spray air around at least one of the entrance or the exit; and to have the third nozzle installed at an oblique angle relative to the transport direction, the third nozzle being configured to spray air toward an inside of the main body, as taught by Hoon, for the purpose of creating a barrier to foreign substances at the entrance and exit of the cleaning apparatus.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Additional references listed on form PTO-892 are cited for their relevance to the disclosed invention and demonstration of the state of the art.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL LESLIE whose telephone number is (571)272-4819. The examiner can normally be reached M - F 8 am - 4-30pm.
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, Nathaniel Wiehe can be reached at (571)272-8648. 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.
/MICHAEL LESLIE/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3745
October 9, 2026
