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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 7/17/2023, and 4/18/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) is/are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: "an outer surface" is repeated twice and lacks . Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-7, and 10-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 20170149030 A1, LEE et al. disclosed in the IDS provided on 4/18/2025.
Regarding claim 1. LEE discloses an end cap called a cap assembly (30) in the annotated figure depicted below, comprising:
a cap body (31 cap plate) having a pressure relief region (34 vent opening) and an outer surface (75 embankment);
a pressure relief boss, which is under vent member 39 in figure 2 surrounding the pressure relief region, wherein
in a thickness direction of the cap body, the pressure relief boss is arranged on an outer surface in a protruding manner; and
an insulating member (800) attached to the outer surface; wherein
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The zoomed region of the annotated figure depicted shows that in the thickness direction, the pressure relief boss does not extend beyond, in a direction facing away from the outer surface, an end of the insulating member that faces away from the outer surface. The annotated figure shows that the boss does not extend past the threshold of the insulation (800) when viewed from the thickness direction.
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Regarding claim 2. LEE discloses in the annotated figure depicted below the end cap according to claim 1, wherein the insulating member (800) has a covering portion called a second insulation member (81) covering the outer surface (31), the covering portion has a first surface (outermost part of 81) and a second surface (the inner surface that makes contact with 31) which are arranged opposite each other in the thickness direction, the first surface faces the outer surface, the covering portion is provided with a through hole running through the first surface and the second surface, and the pressure relief boss is accommodated in the through hole.
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Regarding claim 3. LEE discloses in the annotated figure depicted below the end cap according to claim 2, wherein in the thickness direction, a surface of the pressure relief boss that faces away from the outer surface is closer to the outer surface than the second surface.
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Regarding claim 4. LEE discloses in the annotated figure depicted below the end cap according to claim 2, further comprising:
a protective member (39 vent member) arranged on the pressure relief boss and covering the pressure relief region, the protective member (39) being at least partially located in the through hole.
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Regarding claim 5. LEE discloses in the annotated figure depicted below the end cap according to claim 4, wherein a surface of the protective member that faces away from the pressure relief boss is flush with the second surface.
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Regarding claim 6. LEE discloses in the annotated figure depicted below the end cap according to claim 4, wherein an outer side surface of the protective member (39) is spaced from a wall of the through hole. This outer side surface would be the inner opening diameter of the protective member opening shown in the annotated figures below.
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Regarding claim 7. LEE discloses in the annotated figure depicted below the end cap according to claim 1, wherein the end cap comprises a protective member covering the pressure relief region.
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Regarding claim 10. LEE discloses in the annotated figure depicted below a battery cell, comprising:
[0037] an electrode assembly (10);
a housing called a case (27) having an accommodation space with one end open, the accommodation space being configured to accommodate the electrode assembly; and
the end cap (30) according to claim 1, wherein
the end cap (30) is connected to the housing (27) and closes the opening.
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Regarding claim 11. LEE discloses in the annotated figure depicted below a battery, comprising:
a case (27); and
the battery cell (10) according to claim 10, wherein
the battery cell is accommodated inside the case.
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Regarding claim 12. LEE discloses the battery according to claim 11, wherein the end cap is arranged on a side of the battery cell close to a bottom wall of the case. This battery has no true direction when being used so that whichever way it is installed up or down is an arbitrary direction that is anticipated by LEE.
Regarding claim 13. LEE [0005] discloses a power consuming device, comprising a battery according to claim 11, wherein the battery is configured to provide electric energy.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20170149030 A1, LEE et al. disclosed in the IDS provided on 4/18/2025 in view of US 20140315050 A1, LI et al.
Regarding claims 8 and 9. LEE discloses the end cap according to claims 1 and 7, wherein the protective member is arranged on the pressure relief boss
LEE does not disclose that in the thickness direction, a surface of the protective member that faces away from the outer surface is flush with the end of the insulating member that faces away from the outer surface.
LI [title] discloses A Vent and Cap Assembly of Power Battery
LI [0050] discloses in figures 4 and 5 depicted below the a surface of the protective member called a vent protective sheet (13) that faces away from the outer surface is flush (facing the exterior of the case) with the end of the insulating member that faces away from the outer surface. This placement of the protective sheet covers the entirety of the pressure relief region disclosed by LEE in the rejections of claims 1 and 7 above.
LI [0049] also discloses that “an upper end surface 1213 of the wall portion 121 is flush with an upper surface 23 of the cap plate 2, the upper end surface 1213 is in butt welding with the upper surface 23, so as to allow the upper portion 1211 of the wall portion 121 to be fixedly connected to the cap plate 2 for sealing the vent hole 21. Of course, the upper end surface 1213 may also be designed that the upper end surface 1213 is slightly lower than the upper surface 23 of the cap plate 2 according to requirements.”
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have made the cap flush as disclosed by LI on the end cap assembly disclosed by LEE in order to modify the outer shap of the battery as required with the outside environments such as avoiding unwanted contact.
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 3867201 A, HOLMES.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAWRENCE LA RAIA III whose telephone number is (703)756-5441. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thur 6:00am-4:00pm.
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LAWRENCE LA RAIA III
Examiner
Art Unit 1727
/L.L./Examiner, Art Unit 1727
/BARBARA L GILLIAM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1727