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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) were submitted on 04/28/2023. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 5 and 6 recite the limitation "adapting pieces" in claim 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It should be amended as “the adapting pieces.”
Claim 7 recites the limitation “a number of connecting pieces” and "that of adapting pieces" in claim 7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It should be amended as “ “a number of the connecting pieces” and “that of the adapting pieces.”
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.
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.
Claims 1-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Application Publication 2022/0115748 to Xu.
With respect to claim 1, Xu teaches a battery core connecting assembly, which is configured for connecting a core of a lithium-ion battery, wherein the lithium-ion battery comprises a top cover 41 and the battery core connecting assembly comprises:
an adapting piece 60 comprising a first tongue 62 and a second tongue 61 which are connected with each other, the first tongue 62 being configured to be connected with the core 321 via tab 322, the adapting piece 60 being pliable at a pliable part 63 of the first tongue 62 and the second tongue 61, and the adapting piece 60 with an insulating component 70 having a multi-layer structure at least at the pliable part 63; and
a connecting piece 52 at least in part comprising a single-layer structure, the connecting piece 52 being connected with the second tongue 61 of the adapting piece 60, and the connecting piece 52 being connected with the top cover 41 at a position of the single-layer structure.
Xu does not specifically teach the first tongue 62 being configured to be welded with the core 321; the connecting piece 52 being welded with the top cover 41 at a position of the single-layer structure. However, it would have been obvious as of the effective filing dated of the claimed invention to have the first tongue 62 being configured to be welded with the core 321; the connecting piece 52 being welded with the top cover 41 at a position of the single-layer structure since it was known in the art that welding is one of the common methods to connect any two components in a battery (Xu: Sections [0061]-[0078]; Figs. 5-16 and 20).
With respect to claim 2, Xu teaches the battery core connecting assembly, wherein the first tongue 62 and the second tongue 61 are formed with a rounded corner 63 at the pliable part, on a section of the adapting piece 60 (Xu: Sections [0061]-[0078]; Figs. 5-16 and 20).
With respect to claim 3, Xu does not specifically teach the battery core connecting assembly, wherein a diameter of the rounded corner ranges from 1.25 T to 2.5 T, wherein T is a total thickness of the adapting piece.
However, It would have been obvious as of the effective filing dated of the claimed invention to have a diameter of the rounded corner ranges from 1.25 T to 2.5 T, wherein T is a total thickness of the adapting piece, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980). It has been held that discovering that general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller,105 USPQ 233. Generally, differences in ranges will not support the patentability of subject matter encompassed by the prior art unless there is evidence indicating such ranges is critical. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980). In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955). In re Hoeschele, 406 F.2d 1403, 160 USPQ 809 (CCPA 1969).
With respect to claim 4, Xu teaches the battery core connecting assembly, wherein the adapting piece 60 and the connecting piece 52 are two independent components, the connecting piece 52 having a single-layer structure and the adapting piece 60 with foils 60a having a multi-layer structure (Xu: Sections [0061]-[0078]; Figs. 5-16 and 20).
With respect to claim 5, Xu teaches the battery core connecting assembly, wherein the connecting piece 52 comprises a connecting piece body and connecting arms 52a extending from the connecting piece body, the second tongue 61 being welded with the connecting arms 52a and a number of the connecting arms 52a corresponding to a number of adapting pieces 60 (Xu: Sections [0061]-[0078]; Figs. 5-16 and 20).
With respect to claim 6, Xu teaches the battery core connecting assembly, wherein the adapting piece 60 is formed into an L-shape after the pliable part of the first tongue 62 and the second tongue 61 are bent, and there are two connecting arms 52a and two adapting pieces 60, and the connecting arms 52a are distributed on a same side of the connecting piece body (Xu: Sections [0061]-[0078]; Figs. 5-16 and 20).
With respect to claim 7, Xu teaches the battery core connecting assembly, wherein a number of connecting pieces 52a is equal to that of adapting pieces 60, and the connecting piece 52a comprises a welding part 300 for welding with the adapting piece 60 (Xu: Sections [0061]-[0078]; Figs. 5-16 and 20).
Xu does not specifically teach the connecting piece 52a comprises an ultrasonic welding part for welding with the top cover 41. However, it would have been obvious as of the effective filing dated of the claimed invention to have the connecting piece 52a comprises an ultrasonic welding part for welding with the top cover 41 since it was known in the art that welding is one of the common methods to connect any two components in a battery.
With respect to claim 8, Xu does not specifically teach the battery core connecting assembly, wherein there are at least two connecting pieces 52, and ultrasonic welding parts of the two opposite connecting pieces 52 are arranged oppositely so as to be welded with the top cover 41.
It would have been obvious as of the effective filing dated of the claimed invention to have the battery core connecting assembly, wherein there are at least two connecting pieces, and ultrasonic welding parts of the two opposite connecting pieces are arranged oppositely so as to be welded with the top cover since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8 (CA7 1977).
With respect to claim 9, Xu does not specifically teach the battery core connecting assembly, wherein the adapting piece and the connecting piece are an integrally formed component.
It would have been obvious as of the effective filing dated of the claimed invention to have the adapting piece and the connecting piece are an integrally formed component, since it has been held that forming in one piece an article which has formerly been formed in two pieces and put together involves only routine skill in the art. Howard v. Detroit Stove Works, 150 U.S. 164 (1893).
With respect to claim 10, Xu teaches the battery core connecting assembly, wherein both the connecting piece 52 and the adapting piece 60 with foils 60a are made of multi-layer materials (Xu: Sections [0061]-[0078]; Figs. 5-16 and 20).
It would have been obvious as of the effective filing dated of the claimed invention to have the connecting piece is formed with a single-layer structure by molecular welding at a welding position with the top cover since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8 (CA7 1977).
With respect to claims 11 and 12, Xu does not specifically teach the battery core connecting assembly, wherein at least at the pliable part, a thickness of a single layer of the adapting piece ranges from 0.05 mm to 0.2 mm, a number of layers of the adapting piece ranges from 2 to 8, and a total thickness of the adapting piece ranges from 0.3 mm to 1.8 mm; and wherein the adapting piece comprises a positive adapting piece and a negative adapting piece, a thickness of a single layer of the positive adapting piece ranging from 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm, a number of layers of the positive adapting piece ranging from 4 to 8, and a total thickness of the positive adapting piece ranging from 0.4 mm to 1.8 mm; and a thickness of a single layer of the negative electrode adapting piece ranging from 0.05 mm to 0.2 mm, a number of layers of the negative electrode adapting piece ranging from 2 to 6, and a total thickness of the negative electrode adapting piece ranging from 0.3 mm to 1 mm.
However, It would have been obvious as of the effective filing dated of the claimed invention to have wherein at least at the pliable part, a thickness of a single layer of the adapting piece ranges from 0.05 mm to 0.2 mm, a number of layers of the adapting piece ranges from 2 to 8, and a total thickness of the adapting piece ranges from 0.3 mm to 1.8 mm; and wherein the adapting piece comprises a positive adapting piece and a negative adapting piece, a thickness of a single layer of the positive adapting piece ranging from 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm, a number of layers of the positive adapting piece ranging from 4 to 8, and a total thickness of the positive adapting piece ranging from 0.4 mm to 1.8 mm; and a thickness of a single layer of the negative electrode adapting piece ranging from 0.05 mm to 0.2 mm, a number of layers of the negative electrode adapting piece ranging from 2 to 6, and a total thickness of the negative electrode adapting piece ranging from 0.3 mm to 1 mm, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980). It has been held that discovering that general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller,105 USPQ 233. Generally, differences in ranges will not support the patentability of subject matter encompassed by the prior art unless there is evidence indicating such ranges is critical. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980). In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955). In re Hoeschele, 406 F.2d 1403, 160 USPQ 809 (CCPA 1969).
With respect to claim 13, Xu teaches a multi-core battery comprising paired cores 321 and a top cover 41, further comprising the battery core connecting assembly, wherein the paired cores 321 are connected the adapting piece, and the cores 321 are connected with the top cover 41 through the connecting piece 52 (Xu: Sections [0061]-[0078]; Figs. 5-16 and 20).
Xu does not specifically teach the paired cores are welded by small butterfly welding through the adapting piece, and the cores subjected to the small butterfly welding are finally welded with the top cover using large butterfly welding through the connecting piece. However, it would have been obvious as of the effective filing dated of the claimed invention to have the paired cores are welded by small butterfly welding through the adapting piece, and the cores subjected to the small butterfly welding are finally welded with the top cover using large butterfly welding through the connecting piece since it was known in the art that butterfly welding is one of the common methods to connect any two components in a battery.
Conclusion
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/LINGWEN R ZENG/Examiner, Art Unit 1723 12/25/2025