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
This is a final Office Action in response to Applicant’s remarks and amendments filed on 07/08/2026. Claims 1 and 9-10 are amended. Claims 7-8 are cancelled. Claim 5, 11-14 are withdrawn. Claims 1-3,5-6, and 9-10 are pending in the current Office Action.
The 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejections of set forth in the previous Office Action are withdrawn.
The 35 U.S.C. 102 rejections set forth in the previous Office Action is withdrawn.
The 35 U.S.C. 103 rejections set forth in the previous Office Action is withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-3, 5-8, under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) over Oh et al. (US20170214028A1), claim 10 under 25 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) over Oh et al. (US10615398B2), and claim 9 under 35 U.S.C. 103 over Oh et al. (US20170214028A1) in view of Park et al. (US20200127269A1) of have been considered but are moot due to the new grounds of rejection.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 3 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 1, the claim limitation “an end of the electrode tab” (line 10-11) should read “the end of the electrode tab” as “an end of the electrode tab” in Claim 1, line 8, establishes antecedent basis.
In claim 3, the claim limitation “an end of the electrode tab” (line 1-2) should read “the end of the electrode tab” as “an end of the electrode tab” in Claim 1, line 8, establishes antecedent basis.
In claim 3, the claim limitation “an end of the electrode lead” (line 2) should read “the end of the electrode lead” as “an end of the electrode lead” in Claim 1, lines 8-9, establishes antecedent basis.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ueda et al. (JP2001332240A, cited in IDS filed 01/15/2024, see Examiner provided translations for citations).
Regarding claim 1, Ueda discloses a battery cell (i.e. battery element, [0012], Fig. 1, 1), comprising:
an electrode assembly (i.e. plurality of flat unit battery elements, each unit battery includes a positive and negative electrode, [0012]),
an electrode tab drawn out from one surface of the electrode assembly (Fig. 1, 13A); an electrode lead (Fig. 1, 3A) to which the tab is coupled (Fig. 1); and
a case accommodating the electrode assembly therein (i.e. housing, [0020], Fig. 1, 2),
wherein a bonding portion in which the electrode tab and the electrode lead are bonded to each other (i.e. plurality of electrode tabs makes up lead coupling terminal which is joined to lead by ultrasonic welding, laser welding or the like, [0017]) is disposed to face the electrode assembly, as shown in annotated Fig. 1 below.
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Annotated Ueda Fig. 1
Ueda further discloses wherein the bonding portion includes a second bonding portion formed on an end of the electrode tab and a first bonding portion formed on the end of the electrode lead and bonded in surface contact with the second bonding portion of the electrode tab (i.e. joined by welding, [0017]), as shown in annotated Ueda Fig. 1 below.
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Annotated Ueda Fig. 1
Furthermore, Ueda discloses wherein the second bonding portion is disposed parallel to the surface from which the electrode tab of the electrode assembly is drawn out, as shown below in annotated Ueda Fig. 1.
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Annotated Ueda Fig. 1
Wherein the electrode lead includes a lead-out portion extending from the first bonding portion and having at least a portion disposed externally from the case, and
wherein the lead-out portion is disposed parallel to a surface direction of the electrode assembly, as shown below in annotated Ueda Fig. 1.
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Annotated Ueda Fig.1
Thus, Ueda anticipates claim 1.
Regarding claim 9, Ueda discloses all limitations as set forth above.
Ueda further discloses wherein the first bonding portion, and the lead-out portion are disposed to have an angle less than 180° therebetween, as shown below in annotated Ueda Fig. 1.
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Annotated Ueda Fig. 1
Thus, Ueda anticipates claim 9.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Park et al. (US20200203700A1).
Regarding claim 10, Park discloses a battery cell (i.e secondary battery, [0027], Fig. 6) comprising:
a case (Fig. 6, 341, 342, [0070]);
an electrode assembly (Fig. 6, 330, [0070]) accommodated in the case (Fig. 6, 330, 341, 342, [0067]); and
an electrode tab drawn out from one surface of the electrode assembly (i.e. negative electrode tabs protruding from one-side ends of the negative electrodes, [0067], Fig. 6, 333); and
an electrode lead coupled to the electrode tab (i.e. electrode lead is bent such that bundle of electrode tabs is located therebetween, [0067]), as shown below in annotated Park Fig. 6.
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Annotated Park Fig. 6
Furthermore, Park discloses wherein the electrode lead includes a first bonding portion bonded to the electrode tab and a lead-out portion extending from the first bonding portion having at least a portion disposed externally of the case (i.e. electrode lead with third surface configured to be withdrawn outside battery case, [0029], Fig. 6, 303);
wherein the electrode tab includes a second bonding portion formed on an end of the electrode tab and bonded in surface-contact with the first bonding portion, as shown below in annotated Park Fig. 6.
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Annotated Park Fig. 6
Park further discloses wherein the second bonding portion is parallel to the surface from which the electrode tab is drawn out (i.e. electrode tab portion coupled to electrode lead is bent so as to be parallel to stacking direction of electrode assembly, [0072]), and
wherein the lead-out portion is disposed in a center of the thickness range of the electrode assembly (i.e. coupling portion of electrode tabs disposed at middle portion of the electrode assembly, [0070]). See annotated Park Fig. 6 below. Therefore, Park anticipates claim 10.
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Annotated Park Fig. 6
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 2-3 and 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ueda et al. (JP2001332240A), as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Oh et al. (US20170214028A1).
Regarding claim 2, Ueda discloses all limitations as set forth above.
Ueda discloses a bonding portion but does not disclose a protective member formed of an insulating material covering a surface of the bonding portion.
Oh teaches a similar battery cell ([0099]) comprising a bonding portion (i.e. tab-lead coupler, [0114], Fig. 4, 360).
Oh further teaches an insulating cap surrounding the tab-lead coupler ([0021], Fig. 4, C) made of a synthetic resin with insulation ([0121];[0120]).
Furthermore, Oh discloses that the insulating cap prevents an electric short circuit from being formed between the bonding portion (i.e. tab-lead coupler) and an electrode plate, as well as preventing the battery case from being scratched by the bonding portion ([0122]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have improved Ueda with the insulating cap surrounding the tab-lead coupler, for the benefit of preventing short-circuits and scratching the battery case, as taught by Oh.
Regarding claim 3, modified Ueda discloses all limitations as set forth above.
Modified Ueda discloses wherein the protective member (i.e. insulating cap, Oh, [0121]) surrounds the end of the electrode tab and the end the electrode lead, as shown in annotated Oh Fig. 4 below.
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Annotated Oh Fig. 4
Modified Ueda further discloses the insulating cap may be frictionally engaged to the end of the bonding portion (i.e. tab lead-coupler or may be inserted into the end of the bonding portion and then adhered thereto by means of adhesive (Oh, [0121]), reading on the limitation “protective member…is coupled to the bonding portion”.
Thus, modified Ueda satisfies claim 3.
Regarding claim 5, modified Ueda discloses all limitations as set forth above.
Modified Ueda wherein the protective member has an accommodation space in the form of a pocket, and the bonding portion is inserted into the disposed in the accommodation space through an opening provided in the protective member, as shown in annotated Oh, Fig. 4 below.
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Annotated Oh Fig. 4
Thus, modified Ueda satisfies claim 5.
Regarding claim 6, modified Ueda discloses all limitations as set forth above.
Modified Ueda discloses the bonding portion to be disposed beside the electrode assembly (Ueda, Fig. 1), and the protective member, in surrounding and covering the surface of the bonding portion, would necessarily be disposed between the bonding portion and the electrode assembly. See annotated Ueda Fig. 1 and Oh Fig. 4 below. Thus, modified Ueda satisfies claim 6.
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Annotated Ueda Fig. 1 (Left) and Oh Fig. 4 (Right)
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
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/E.J.T./Examiner, Art Unit 1751
/JONATHAN G LEONG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1751 9/24/2026
