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 .
Summary
This is the initial Office Action based on Application 18/400,146 filed 12/29/2023 by Dongyang Yan, Hongzhan Yang, and Yuyang Dong.
Claims 1-20 are currently pending and have been fully considered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 19 recites the limitation "the housing" in line 1 of claim 19. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 19 is dependent upon claim 1. However, claim 1 does not define a housing.
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.
Claim(s) 1-6, 13-16, 18, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over XU (CN 214589165 U).
With respect to claims 1 and 20. XU teaches a battery cell including a first electrode 510, second electrode 520, a separator 530 which are stacked and wound together (paragraph 0055). The first electrode 510 includes a first current collector 511 a first active material layer 512 and a first tab 200 (paragraph 0055). The collector 511 is taken to be the claimed first conductive layer, and the active material layer 512 is taken to be the claimed first conductive material layer. There is a groove 140 provided in a first surface of the current collector 511 (paragraph 0055). This groove 140 is taken to be the claimed first recess, and the first region is exposed from the first recess. The first tab 200 is connected to the recess and extends out of the electrode plate, such that the first tab 200 is welded in the groove 140 (paragraph 0055 and Figure 2). The tab 200 includes a third and fourth region. The welding of the tab 200 in the groove is taken to be the connection region in the third region (paragraph 0055 and Figure 6). The third region then contains he claims first, second, third, and fourth sides (see Figure 6) the fourth side being the side connected to the fourth region. The first region then includes the claimed fifth, sixth and seventh side (Figure 6). The claim size of the third region in the third direction T1 is taken to be analogous to the width of the tab 200, and the claimed size of the third region in the second direction T2 is taken to be the claimed length of the tab 200 in the third region (Figure 6). Similarly there is a S1, S2, being the areas of the projection of the third region in the first direction, and an area of projection of the connection region in the first direction (see Figure 6). A distance between the first and fifth side of XU then is d3 (Figure 6 and paragraph 0075). A distance between the second side and the sixth side of XU then is d3 (Figure 6 and paragraph 0075). Similarly a distance between the third side and seventh side of XU is d3 (Figure 6 and paragraph 0075).
XU does not explicitly teach S2/S1 + (J1+J2+J3)/(T1+T2) >= 30% as claimed. However, XU teaches the distances d3 ensure that the edge of the tab does not extend beyond the groove, thus avoiding affecting the normal use of the electrode (paragraph 0076). Similarly the tab 200 is provided by welding within the groove 140 (paragraph 0062). Therefore the values of d3 and the areas of the welding, being the connection portion may be adjusted as a matter of routine optimization in order to achieve the desired amount of connection of the tab to the collector area, which ensures proper use of the electrode and tabs (paragraph 0076).
With respect to claim 2. XU teaches the first electrode plate 511 comprises a second material layer on the second surface (see Figure 1). As seen in Figure 1 the second surface comprises a second region with a second recess, the second region exposed from the second recess, and a projection of the first region and second region at least partially overlap (see Figures 1-3).
With respect to claim 3. XU teaches an adhesive tape 400 disposed over the surface of the tab 200 (paragraph 0077) and the adhesive tape is taken to be the claimed first layer. The adhesive tape is made of an insulating adhesive (paragraph 0079) and is formed over at least the third region (Figure 2).
With respect to claim 4. XU teaches the first active material layer 12, being the first conductive material layer, and it includes a conductive material region which encloses the recess, and the adhesive tape 400 covers at least part of the conductive material region (Figures 2-3).
With respect to claim 5. XU teaches as seen in Figures 2-3 the adhesive tape 400 is placed over both sides of the first electrode. Therefore the adhesive tape on the other side of the electrode is taken to be the claimed second layer containing the insulating material. The second conductive material region similarly encloses a second recess, the second layer is adhered to the second conductive material region (Figures 2-3).
With respect to claim 6. XU teaches as seen in Figure 2 the adhesive tape 400 include at least the eighth side (Figure 2). The seventh side is between the eighth and third side. XU does not teach L3/L1 <= 30%. XU does teach that the adhesive tape is formed on a surface of the tab, and the collector so that the length is equal to the length L1 + delta1 of the groove disposed on the current collector (paragraph 0077). The width of the adhesive tap is equal to the width H1 + delta2 of the groove (paragraph 0077). The adhesive tape is used to stick to the surface of the tab 200 (paragraph 0079). After the first electrode is wound to form the cell, the burrs and debris generated when welding may affect the first electrode due to factors such as not being cleaned properly, which may cause the battery to short circuit (paragraph 0079). By setting the adhesive tape this phenomenon can be avoided (paragraph 0079). Therefore setting the size of the tape ensures that at least a part of the tape 400 is provided on the tab as well as covering the groove (paragraph 0079). Therefore at the time the invention was filed one having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to adjust the size of the first layer, such as the adhesive tape 400 as a matter of routine optimization in order to ensure it is sufficient to prevent short circuit effect.
With respect to claim 13. XU teaches the length L3 of the adhesive tape 400 is L1+delta1 (paragraph 0077) with delta1 being between 0 and 20 mm (paragraph 0077). XU does not explicitly teach the length of the adhesive tape, including the length L1. However the length of the adhesive tape may be achieved as a matter of routine optimization, based on the desired size of the battery cell.
With respect to claims 14-15. XU teaches a first electrode 510 and a second electrode 520 (paragraph 0082). XU teaches the adhesive tape is also attached to the second electrode 520 (paragraph 0092). The adhesive on the second electrode coincides with the first tab when the electrodes are wound together (paragraph 0092). Therefore it would be obvious to have the adhesive tape on both sides of the second electrode.
With respect to claim 16. XU teaches as seen in Figures 2-3 the edge of the adhesive layer 400 extends beyond the edge of the electrode plate.
With respect to claim 18. XU teaches the battery cell includes the first electrode 510, second electrode 520 and a separator 530 (paragraph 0055). As seen in Figure 5 the wound assembly includes a first and second bent sections.
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over XU (CN 214589165 U) in view of PENG (US 2021/0399271 A1).
Claim 17 is dependent upon claim 1 which is rejected above under 35 U.S.C. 103 in view of XU. XU teaches the first tab 200 is welded into the groove 140 (paragraph 0055). XU does not explicitly teach the connection region comprises a plurality of welding spots.
PENG teaches a battery which includes electrodes and tabs, the electrodes include a current collector, active material layer, the current collector includes a coating zone and an empty foil zone (abstract). The electrode tab is welded onto the electrode (paragraph 0039). The welding is performed to form a plurality of welding marks 21 formed at intervals (paragraph 0044).
At the time the invention was filed one having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to substitute the welding of XU with the plurality of welding marks of PENG, as this is a simple substitution of one known prior art element for another in order to achieve predictable results.
Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over XU (CN 214589165 U) in view of BHOLA (US 2018/0114956 A1).
Claim 19 is dependent upon claim 1 which is rejected above under 35 U.S.C. 103 in view of XU. XU does not explicitly teach a housing with a body and a sealing edge comprising a polymer layer.
BHOLA teaches a double sealed thin film electrochemical pouch cell (abstract). The housing includes a laminate layer formed by a seal covered by a polymer layer (abstract). The cell 19 includes the electrode assembly 10 covered by the polymer laminate layer 18 forming a seal which is formed by a second polymer layer 17 (paragraph 0042). The tabs 20 then extend from the polymer layers (paragraph 0047).
At the time the invention was filed one having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the housing including the polymer layer at the seal of BHOLA for the electrochemical cell of XU, as this is a combination of known prior art elements in order to achieve predictable results.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-12 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: XU (CN 214589165 U) is taken to be the closest prior art of record. However, neither XU nor the other prior art of record teaches the combined limitations that further include the claimed third recess and first and second extensions regions.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JONATHAN G JELSMA whose telephone number is (571)270-5127. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM EST.
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/JONATHAN G JELSMA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1722
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