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 .
Response to Amendment
Upon consideration, the previous rejection of record was withdrawn in light of new amendments. However new rejection has been applied to the amended claims. All changes made in the rejection are necessitated by the amendment.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2007/0275295 hereinafter Ray.
Regarding Claims 1 and 17-20, Ray teaches an electrochemical cell (battery cell), a method, and system for forming the battery cell for a power consuming device (see figures 1-2, paragraphs 3, 35), the battery cell comprising: an electrode group; a battery housing (steel can) [12] that encloses the electrode group, wherein the steel can comprises a first side plate (closed bottom end wall) [18] on a side in a first direction; a pressure relief vent mechanism [40] formed on the closed bottom end wall; and a cap assembly (cover) [30 and 50] provided to a top portion of the steel can (see figure 1).
Ray further teaches that the inner surface of the first side plate (closed bottom end wall) [18] is provided with a first passageway (reduced thickness grooves) [42A-42H] extending along the inner surface, and the grooves are used to direct a gas in the accommodating space to the pressure relief mechanism [40], such that the pressure relief mechanism is actuated and relieves a pressure when the pressure reaches a threshold (paragraphs 33-36, see figure 2 below).
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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.
Claim(s) 2-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2007/0275295 hereinafter Ray in view of U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2017/0331090 hereinafter Li.
The combination of Ray and Li teaches a secondary battery, a method, and system for forming the secondary battery for a power consuming device, wherein the battery comprises a pressure relief mechanism configured to be actuated and relieves pressure when the pressure of the battery reaches a threshold (paragraphs 44-45 of Li).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use such pressure relief mechanism to discharge gas in the battery.
Regarding Claims 2-6, the combination teaches that the first side plate is provided with a plurality of first grooves, through-holes, and notches on an inner surface thereof and configured to communicate with the pressure relief mechanism. Li further teaches that the grooves are provided in varying directions (i.e., first, second, and third directions) along the inner surface of the battery housing (paragraphs 44-45)
Regarding Claims 7-8, the combination teaches that the battery housing comprises a pair of side plates arranged opposite one another in a second direction and gaps are provided between the varying grooves (paragraphs 44-45).
Regarding Claim 9, the combination teaches that the grooves are formed as arcs or broken lines which protrude away from the pressure relief mechanism (paragraphs 44-45).
Regarding Claim 10, the combination teaches that the battery comprises an insulating layer provided on a top surface of each of the grooves (paragraph 43).
Regarding Claims 11-15, the combination teaches that battery housing comprises side plates opposite one another in a second direction and gaps are provided between the varying grooves (paragraphs 44-45). Li further teaches a supporting member (i.e., multi-layered cell pallet) arranged between the side plate and the electrode assembly to support the electrode assembly, wherein the supporting member is provided with passageways that communicate with the accommodating space (see figures 5-16).
Regarding Claim 16, the combination teaches that the battery housing further comprises an insulating film [40] configured to enclose the electrode assembly and the insulating film is provided with through holes that do not overlap with passageways of the support member (see figure 2 of Li).
Conclusion
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OSEI K AMPONSAH whose telephone number is (571)270-3446. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm EST.
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, NICHOLAS A SMITH can be reached at (571)272-8760. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/OSEI K AMPONSAH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1752
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