DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE
1. The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
2. 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
3. In response to the amendment received on 7/28/2026:
Claims 1-20 are pending in the current application. Claims 1-3 ,9-12, 14-16, and 20 have been amended.
The previous objection to the claims has been overcome in light of the amendment.
The previous rejection under 35 USC 112 is overcome in light of the amendment.
The previous prior art-based rejections have been overcome in light of the amendment. All changes made to the rejection are necessitated by the amendment.
Claim Interpretation
4. All “wherein” clauses are given patentable weight unless otherwise noted. Please see MPEP 2111.04 regarding optional claim language.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
5. Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zheng US PG Publication 2020/0144624.
Regarding Claim 1, Zheng discloses a jelly roll comprising a negative electrode plate (second electrode sheet can be a negative electrode plate or a positive electrode plate, para 0080, and so the first electrode sheet can be the negative electrode plate) 210 wherein the negative electrode plate 210 has a bending region that is a second bending region from a winding heat of the negative electrode plate along a winding region, along the winding direction , an inner surface (since this is inside the jelly roll) of the bending region of the negative electrode plate is covered by a first tape layer (protective layer which can be adhesive tape, para 0059) 120, and in a thickness direction of the jelly roll, a projection of two ends of the first tape layer is partially overlapped with a projection of the winding head of the negative electrode plate since the first tape layer can comprise multiple “segments” (even if it is one continuous tape layer), one segment of the first tape layer being designated such that its ends have projections that overlap the winding head projection in the thickness direction of the jelly roll (see annotated Fig 2 below and see entire disclosure, especially e.g. Fig 2 and paras 0068-0077:
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The claim language does not require the first tape layer’s two ends to e.g. surround the claimed bending region.
Allowable Subject Matter
6. Claims 2-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Claim 2 recites wherein the jelly roll further comprises a negative tab and wherein the negative electrode plate comprises a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode active layer, and the negative electrode active layer is coated on two opposite sides of the negative electrode current collector, and a winding head of the negative electrode current collector is sequentially exposed along the winding direction to form a negative electrode double-sided region uncoated with active layer and a negative electrode single-side region uncoated with active layer and a negative tab is disposed within the negative electrode double-sided region uncoated with active layer, the first tape layer is located within the negative electrode single-sided region uncoated with active layer, and in the thickness direction of the jelly roll, the projection of the two ends of the first tape layer is connected to a projection of an end of the negative tab, the end being proximal to the bending region.
Zheng discloses a negative electrode tab (first electrode tab) 270 wherein the negative electrode plate comprises a negative electrode current collector (para 0076) 220 and a negative electrode active layer (first active material layer) 228, the active material layer is coated on one side of the negative electrode current collector and a winding head of the negative electrode current collector 220 (shown above) is sequentially exposed along the winding direction to form a negative electrode double-sided region uncoated with active layer and a negative electrode single-sided region, but Zheng does not disclose that the active material layer is coated on two sides of the current collector and does not disclose wherein the tab is disposed in the double-sided uncoated region (and Zheng’s negative tab is quite far from the double-sided uncoated region) and does not disclose the connectivity of the negative tab with the projection of two ends of the first tape layer. There is no reason to modify Zheng to arrive at he the claimed invention, either, because Zheng is intentional about the arrangement of the specific electrode layer design with the tape placement and tab placement, regarding thicknesses of each element, in particular. Previously relied upon prior art cannot be used to meet the claimed invention with Zheng – the skilled artisan would find that modifications to arrive at the claimed invention would destroy the inventive concept of Zheng.
Claims 3-20 are objected to since they all depend from Claim 2.
Response to Arguments
7. Applicant's arguments with respect to claim 1 is based on the claim as amended. The amended claim has been addressed in the new rejection above.
Conclusion
8. 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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LISA S PARK whose telephone number is (571)270-3597. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 5:30a to 3p Eastern Time.
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/LISA S PARK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1729
