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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Faust (US 2013/0065105) in view of Shaffer, II et al. (US 2010/0183920) and further in view of Whitney (US 516,253).
Regarding claims 1 and 12, Faust discloses in Figs 1-9, a bipolar storage battery (ref 100), comprising: a bipolar plate (ref 10, 12); a positive current collector (one of ref 14) bonded to one surface ([0039]) of the bipolar plate (ref 10, 12); a positive active material layer (ref 16) placed on the positive current collector (ref 14); a negative current collector (another of ref 14) bonded to another surface ([0039]) of the bipolar plate (ref 10, 12); a negative active material layer (ref 18) placed on the negative current collector (another of ref 14); and a cover plate (ref 11) covering a peripheral edge portion ([0024]) of the positive current collector (one of ref 14).
Faust does not explicitly disclose collectors bonded by adhesive to the bipolar plate.
Shaffer, II discloses in Figs 1-14, a bipolar battery ([0042]) including a substrate having positive and negative current collectors applied to each of opposing faces of the substrate via an adhesive ([0023]). This configuration enhances the bonding of the collectors to the substrate ([0023]).
Shaffer, II and Faust are analogous since both deal in the same field of endeavor, namely, bipolar battery plates.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to incorporate the adhesive disclosed by Shaffer, II into the structure of Faust to enhance bonding of the collectors to the bipolar plate, thereby enhancing overall structure integrity of the battery.
Faust also does not disclose a support column configured to support adjacent plates to each other when stacked, wherein the peripheral edge portion includes a peripheral edge portion of the support column, and the cover plate covers the peripheral edge portion of the support column.
Whitney discloses in Figs 1-3, a secondary battery (Title) for a vehicle (P2/C2/L15-16) including a stack of electrode trays (refs “a”, Fig 2), stacked on top of one another (Fig 2). The electrode trays (refs “a”) are formed with a column (P1/C2/L73-95) therein at peripheral end shoulder areas (refs a3, a4, Fig 2), and the columns are screw-threaded for bolts (refs b) to fasten the stacked trays (refs “a”) together (Fig 2, P1/C2/L73-95). This configuration enhances the structural integrity of the battery structure (P1/C1/L10-12, P1/C2/L73-95).
Faust and Whitney are analogous since both deal in the same field of endeavor, namely, batteries.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to incorporate the column support structure disclosed by Whitney to the bipolar plate structure of Faust to enhance overall battery structural integrity. The envisaged combination of Faust and Whitney results in the cover plate / frame covering a peripheral edge of the support column.
Regarding claims 2, 4, 6, 9 and 13, modified Faust discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the positive current collector (one of ref 14) and the negative current collector (another of ref 14) are made of lead ([0023]).
Regarding claims 3, 7 and 10, modified Faust discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the cover plate (ref 11) covers an end portion (Fig 2, at ref 11a, Fig 4, depicts frame structure in exploded form) of a positive electrode ([0023]) that includes the positive current collector (one of ref 14) and the positive active material layer (ref 16), and the cover plate (ref 11) has a frame shape (Fig 2, Fig 4, depicts frame structure in exploded form, [0025]-[0027]).
Regarding claims 5, 11 and 14, modified Faust discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the cover plate (ref 11) is placed at least on an adhesive ([0027]) provided on a positive electrode ([0023]) that includes the positive current collector (one of ref 14) and the positive active material layer (ref 16), and one end of the cover plate (ref 11) is placed to cover a region ([0027]) on which the adhesive ([0027]) is provided.
Regarding claims 8 and 15, modified Faust discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above and also discloses the cover plate (ref 11) is made of an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer or polypropylene ([0029]-[0030], both listed).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Eskra et al. (US 2019/0393559) discloses in Figs 1-7, a battery (ref 10) including a bipolar plate laminated with positive (ref 14) and negative electrodes (ref 12), including outer laminated layers thereon (refs 18, 20).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KENNETH J DOUYETTE whose telephone number is (571)270-1212. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8A - 4P EST.
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/KENNETH J DOUYETTE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725
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