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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference characters "181" and "182" have both been used to designate “welding region”. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-6, and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jin et al. (US 2022/0416375) in view of Hirose et al. (US 2018/0337389).
Regarding Claim 1, Jin et al. teaches a secondary battery comprising:
an electrode assembly comprising a substrate tab comprising a first substrate region and a second substrate region bent to extend from the first substrate region (Par 0061, electrode assembly 32, substrate tab 3231, Figure 10.)
a current collector plate arranged in a region corresponding to the substrate tab of the electrode assembly and comprising a first current collecting surface and a second current collecting surface opposite to the first current collecting surface (Par 65, fourth adapting plate 382, Fig. 10)
For sake of clarity, as shown in Fig 6, the first substrate region of Jin et al. is the portion of the tab that is attached to the end surface 321a while the second substrate region is the portion that extends out and is bent. The first current collecting surface of Jin et al. is the surface of second adapting plate 352 opposite of the first substrate region and the second current collecting surface is the other surface of the second adapting plate 352.
Jin et al does not teach wherein a portion of the first substrate region of the substrate tab is in contact with the first current collecting surface of the current collector plate, a second substrate region of the substrate tab is in contact with the second current collecting surface of the current collector plate, and a welding region is located between the second substrate region of the substrate tab and the second current collecting surface of the current collector plate. However, Hirose et al. teaches:
wherein a portion of the first substrate region of the substrate tab is in contact with the first current collecting surface of the current collector plate, a second substrate region of the substrate tab is in contact with the second current collecting surface of the current collector plate, and a welding region is located between the second substrate region of the substrate tab and the second current collecting surface of the current collector plate. (Par 0029, curved surface shape part 23, Par 0028, joining member 18, Fig. 2)
Jin et al. and Hirose et al. are considered analogous art to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of batteries. It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Jin et al. with the findings of Hirose et al. by having the substate tab be in contact with the current collector and by welding the bent region of the substrate tab to the current collecting surface. Doing so would make the contact area between the current collector and the tab large, decreasing electrical resistance (Hirose, Par 0029).
Regarding Claim 3, Jin et al. and Hirose et al. teach the battery according to Claim 1. Jin et al. further teaches:
the first substrate region of the substrate tab is closer to the electrode assembly than the second substrate region of the substrate tab. (Par 61, sub-tab 3231. Fig. 10)
Regarding Claim 4, Jin et al. and Hirose et al. teach the battery according to Claim 1. Jin et al. further teaches:
the first current collecting surface of the current collector plate is closer to the electrode assembly than the second current collecting surface of the current collector plate. (Par 0065, fourth adapting plate, Fig 10.)
Regarding Claim 5, Jin et al. and Hirose et al. teach the battery according to Claim 1. Jin et al. further teaches:
wherein the substrate tab comprises a first substrate section comprising the first and second substrate regions (Par 61, first sub-tab 3221, Fig 10)
a second substrate section spaced apart from the first substrate section and comprising the first and second substrate regions (Par 62, “first sub-tab 3221 and second sub-tab spaced apart in the length direction X”, Fig 10).
the first and second substrate sections being bent in opposite directions (Par 0062, “first sub-tab 3221 and the second sub-tab 3231 are bent in opposite directions, Fig 10.)
For sake of clarity, the first substrate section of Jin et al. is interpreted as the first sub-tab while the second substrate section is interpreted as the second sub-tab.
Regarding Claim 6, Jin et al. and Hirose et al. teach the battery according to Claim 1. Hirose et al. further teaches:
wherein the current collector plate is seated on a first substrate region of the first substrate section and comprises a first current collecting part to which the second substrate region of the first substrate section is welded (Par 0029, curved surface shape part 23, Par 0028, joining member 18, Fig. 2)
As stated previously, modifying Jin et al. with the connection structure taught in Hirose et al. would decrease the electrical resistance between the tab and the current collector.
While Hirose et al. does not explicitly teach a second current collecting part which is seated on the first substrate region of the second substrate section and to which the second substrate region of the second substrate section is welded, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to duplicate the connection structure of the first substrate sub-tab and apply it to the second substrate sub-tab of Jin et al. This would give the similar effect of decreasing the electrical resistance between the tab and current collector.
Regarding Claim 8, Jin et al. and Hirose et al. teach the battery according to Claim 6. Jin et al. further teaches:
wherein the current collector plate has a planar shape including a meandering shape. (Par 65, fourth adapting plate, Fig. 10)
Claims 2 and 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jin et al. and Hirose et al. as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Yeo et al. (US 2024/0136673)
Regarding Claim 2, Jin et al. and Hirose et al. teach the battery according to Claim 1, but fail to teach wherein the welding region is welded by a laser beam. However, Yeo et al. teaches:
wherein the welding region is welded by a laser beam (Fig 5.)
Jin et al., Hirose et al. and Yeo et al. are all considered analogous art to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of batteries. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the teachings of Jin et al. and Hirose et al. to incorporate the teachings of Yeo et al. by welding the welding region with a laser beam. Doing so would increase the weldability between the current collector and the tab. (Yeo, Par 0066)
Regarding Claim 9, Jin et al. and Hirose et al. teach the battery according to Claim 6, but fail to teach wherein the current collector plate further comprises a current collecting connecting part connecting the first current collecting part and the second current collecting part. However, Yeo et al. teaches:
wherein the current collector plate further comprises a current collecting connecting part connecting the first current collecting part and the second current collecting part (Par 0056, protrusion part 125, Fig. 4a)
Jin et al., Hirose et al, and Yeo et al. are all considered analogous art to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of batteries. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the teachings of Jin et al. and Hirose et al. to incorporate the teachings of Yeo et al. by connecting the two current collectors with a current collecting connecting plate. Doing so would increase the utilization of the internal space of the battery, increasing the capacity of the electrode relative to the same volume. (Yeo, Par 0058)
Regarding Claim 10, Jin et al, Hirose et al, and Yeo et al. teach the battery according to Claim 9. Yeo et al. further teaches:
wherein the current collecting connecting part is exposed from the second substrate region of the first and second substrate sections (Fig. 3)
Jin et al., Hirose et al, and Yeo et al. are all considered analogous art to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of batteries. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the teachings of Jin et al. and Hirose et al. to incorporate the teachings of Yeo et al. by exposing the current collecting connecting plate from the substrate tabs. Doing so would prevent the current collector from being deformed during the welding process. (Yeo, Par 0064)
Regarding Claim 11, Jin et al, Hirose et al, and Yeo et al. teach the battery according to Claim 9. Yeo et al. further teaches:
wherein the first current collecting part of the current collector plate and the second current collecting part of the current collector plate are closer to the electrode assembly than the current collecting connecting part (Fig. 3)
Jin et al, Hirose et al, and Yeo et al. are all considered analogous art to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of batteries. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the teachings of Jin et al. and Hirose et al. to incorporate the teachings of Yeo et al. by making the current collecting parts closer to the electrode assembly. Doing so would protect the current collector from an external impact. (Yeo, Par 0064)
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jin et al, Hirose et al and Yeo et al. as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Nakamura (US 2009/0197161)
Regarding Claim 7, Jin et al, Hirose et al, and Yeo et al, teach the battery according to Claim 6 but fail to teach wherein a longitudinal direction of the first current collecting part and a longitudinal direction of the second current collecting part are offset with respect to each other. However, Nakamura teaches:
wherein a longitudinal direction of the first current collecting part and a longitudinal direction of the second current collecting part are offset with respect to each other. (Par 0027, terminal portion T1, terminal portion T2, Fig. 3)
Jin et al., Hirose et al, Yeo et al, and Nakamura are all considered analogous art to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of batteries. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the teachings of Jin et al, Hirose et al and Yeo et al. with the teaching of Nakamura by offsetting portions of the current connecting parts. Doing so would provide easier connections as the portions of the connectors are not overlapping. (Nakamura, Par 0007)
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jin et al, Hirose et al, and Yeo et al. as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Chen et al. (US 2021/0320383).
Regarding Claim 12, Jin et al, Hirose et al and Yeo et al. teach the battery according to Claim 9, but fail to teach wherein the current collector plate comprises a first recess through which the first substrate section of the substrate tab passes through a side of the first current collecting part, and a second recess through which the second substrate section of the substrate tab passes through a side of the second current collecting part. However, Chen et al. teaches:
wherein the current collector plate comprises a first recess through which the first substrate section of the substrate tab passes through a side of the first current collecting part (Par 0036, avoidance gap 11b, Fig. 1)
Jin et al., Hirose et al, Yeo et al. and Chen et al. are all considered analogous art to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of batteries. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the teachings of Jin et al, Hirose et al and Yeo et al. with the teaching of Chen et al. by putting a recess in the current connecting parts. Doing so would reduce the possibility of an inaccurate and unstable connection area between the tab and current collector. (Chen et al., Par 0036)
While Chen et al. does not explicitly teach a second recess through which the second substrate section of the substrate tab passes through a side of the second current collecting part, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to duplicate the avoidance gap of the current collector to have the same structure for the first and second substrate tabs of Jin et al. This would give the similar effect of increasing the accuracy and stability of the connection for both substrate tabs.
Conclusion
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/U.N./Examiner, Art Unit 1784
/HUMERA N. SHEIKH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1784
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