DETAILED ACTION
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 Statements (IDS) filed 07/24/2023, 03/03/2025 and 03/03/2025 have been placed in the application file and the information referred to therein has been considered.
Drawings
The drawings received 07/24/2023 are acceptable for examination purposes.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-3, 10, 12, 13, 15 and 16 in the reply filed on 02/13/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims Status.
This Office Action is responsive to the amendment filed on 02/13/2026. Claims 1-16 were pending. Claims 1-16 are now pending. Claims 2-9, 11 and 14 are withdrawn from examination as being drawn to non-elected invention Claims 1-3, 10, 12, 13, 15 and 16 are presented for examination. Applicant's arguments have been considered.
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 1-3 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as anticipated by CN 110752345 to Du (Du machine translation).
Regarding claim 1, Du discloses an electrode plate (electrode sheet, Claim 1) comprising a current collector and an electrode active material layer disposed on at least one surface of the current collector (claim 1), wherein the electrode active material layer has a maximum porosity on an outer surface side thereof (para 15, This results in an electrode sheet with gradually increasing porosity from the surface near the current collector to the surface away from the current collector, i.e., an electrode sheet with gradient porosity). Therefore, instant claim 1 is anticipated by Du.
Regarding claim 2, Du discloses wherein the electrode active material layer has a minimum porosity on a bottom surface side thereof that is opposite the outer surface side (para 15).
Regarding claim 3, Du discloses wherein a compacted density for the positive electrode is 2.3 g/cm3 and a compacted density for the negative electrode is 1.5 g/cm3.
It is noted that a specific example in the prior art which is within a claimed range anticipates the range. See MPEP 2131.03
Regarding claim 10, Du discloses a secondary battery (para 4).\
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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 12, 13, 15 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over CN 110752345 to Du (Du machine translation) in view of US 2007/0009797 to Takami (Takami).
Regarding claim 12, Du discloses the invention as discussed above as applied to claim 10 and incorporated therein. Du does not expressly disclose a battery module, battery pack or electrical apparatus comprising above mentioned battery module and battery pack.
Takami teaches a secondary battery (para 81), comprising porous electrode layers ( para 49), a battery module ( para 90, re claim 12) and a battery pack (para 90, re claim 13), both used in in vehicle (para 104, claim 20, re claims 15 and 16). Therefore, a use batteries having porous electrodes in the battery packs, battery modules and electrical devices such a vehicles is well known in the art. It would have been obvious to one or ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the high energy density battery of Du within battery module and battery back for vehicles, as taught by Takami, in order to expand a field of applicability said batteries.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEXANDER USYATINSKY whose telephone number is (571)270-7703. The examiner can normally be reached IFP.
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/Alexander Usyatinsky/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1751
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