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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on January 12, 2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities: “steping” should read “stepping.”
Claim 12 is objected to because of the following informalities: “steping” should read “stepping.”
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Eo (Published U.S. Patent Application US 20130323563 A1) in view of Makino et al. (Published U.S. Patent Application US 20120121965 A1), hereinafter referred to as Makino.
Regarding claim 1, Eo teaches a pouch type secondary battery (“an electrochemical device”) (see e.g., Abstract). Eo teaches the pouch type secondary battery a pouch case 130 (“a packaging shell”) including a first case 130a having an opening and an inner space for accommodating the first electrode assembly and a second case 130b having an opening and an inner space for accommodating the second electrode assembly (“wherein the packaging shell comprises a first packaging body and a second packaging body”) (see e.g., paragraph [0014]). Eo teaches a heat dissipating plate 140 (“a spacer plate”) disposed between the first case 130a and the second case 130b (“wherein the spacer plate is disposed between the first packaging body and the second packaging body”) (see e.g., paragraph [0014] and Figure 2). Eo teaches the heat dissipating plate has substantially the same area of an outer contour of the first or second sealing part, wherein the first sealing part 133a extends outward along a periphery of an end of the first case and the second sealing part 133b extends outward along a periphery of an end of the second case (see e.g., paragraphs [0014]-[0015]) in order to seal the pouch case and create an inner space for accommodating the first electrode assembly and another inner space for accommodating the second electrode assembly (“two surfaces of the spacer plate are hermetically connected to the first packaging body and the second packaging body respectively, so as to define a first cavity and a second cavity on two sides of the spacer plate respectively”) (see e.g., paragraph [0014]). Eo teaches a first electrode assembly 110 disposed in the inner space of 130a and a second electrode assembly 120 disposed in the inner space of 130b (“a first electrode assembly and a second electrode assembly, wherein the first electrode assembly is disposed in the first cavity and the second electrode assembly is disposed in the second cavity”) (see e.g., paragraph [0044] and Figure 2). Eo teaches first and second electrode tabs 111 and 113 connected to the first electrode assembly 110, and first and second electrode tabs 121 and 123 connected to the second electrode assembly 120 (“a first tab and a second tab, wherein the first tab is connected to the first electrode assembly, and the second tab is connected to the second electrode assembly”) (see e.g., paragraph [0044]).
Eo does not explicitly teach along a thickness direction of the first electrode assembly, a first bend portion is disposed on the first tab, a height of the first bend portion is greater than a thickness of the first electrode assembly, the height of the first bend portion is a maximum distance from the first bend portion to a surface of the first electrode assembly in the thickness direction of the first electrode assembly, the surface facing the first packaging body, and wherein a first accommodation portion protruding toward the second packaging body is disposed on the spacer plate, and the first bend portion is disposed in the first accommodation portion.
However, Makino teaches a secondary battery (see e.g., Abstract). Makino teaches a process of bending the tabs of the electrodes to have an approximately U-shaped shape (“along a thickness direction of the first electrode assembly, a first bend portion is disposed on the first tab”) (see e.g., paragraph [0161]). Makino teaches the height of the bent portion of the tab is larger than the thickness of the electrode assembly (“a height of the first bend portion is greater than a thickness of the first electrode assembly, the height of the first bend portion is a maximum distance from the first bend portion to a surface of the first electrode assembly in the thickness direction of the first electrode assembly”) (see e.g., Annotated Figure 14E). Makino teaches the U-shaped bent portion prevent stress such as tensile stress from being applied to the electrodes (see e.g., paragraph [0141]).
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Annotated Makino Figure 14E
Makino teaches a bracket 110 (“a spacer plate”) disposed between the secondary batteries 1-1 and 1-2 (see e.g., paragraph [0269]). Makino teaches the bracket 110 includes an outer peripheral wall 112 and a rib portion 113 (see e.g., paragraph [0270]). Makino teaches the outer peripheral wall 112 forms a protrusion wherein the U-shaped shape tab is accommodated (“wherein a first accommodation portion protruding toward the second packaging body is disposed on the spacer plate, and the first bend portion is disposed in the first accommodation portion”) (see e.g., Figure 20) in order to reduce swelling occurring in the batteries and exclude an effect such as an increase in the total thickness of the battery unit, which is caused by the swelling of the secondary batteries (see e.g., paragraph [0273]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that one of ordinary skill would modify the first and second tabs of Eo to have an approximate U-shaped bent portion to have a height of the bent portion larger than the thickness of the electrode assembly, as taught by Makino, in order to prevent stress such as tensile stress from being applied to the electrodes (see e.g., paragraph [0141]). Further, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that one of ordinary skill would modify the heat dissipating member of Eo, to have a protruding peripheral wall to accommodate the U-shaped tabs, as taught by Makino, in order to reduce swelling occurring in the batteries and to exclude an effect such as an increase in the total thickness of the battery unit, which is caused by the swelling of the secondary batteries (see e.g., paragraph [0273]).
Regarding claim 2, Eo, as modified by Makino, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 1, as previously described.
Makino teaches a portion of the tab 7 extends from the U-shaped shape (“wherein the first tab comprises a first section connected to the first bend portion”) (see e.g., Annotated Figure 14E) that extends through the outer peripheral wall 112 of the bracket (a spacer) to connect to the bus bar 120-1 to allow for the connection of the battery unit 100 in the battery module 200 (“the first section protrudes out of the packaging shell after passing through a sealed region between the spacer plate and the first packaging body”) (see e.g., Figures 20 and 21).
Regarding claim 3, Eo, as modified by Makino, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 2, as previously described.
Makino teaches the tabs are accommodated between the outer peripheral wall 112 of the bracket 110 and the recessed portion of the exterior of the secondary batteries 1-1 and 1-2 (“wherein a second recessed portion configured for stepping aside the first accommodation portion is disposed on the second packaging body”) (see e.g., Figure 20). Makino teaches the outer peripheral walls 112 have protrusions to allow for an opening to accommodate the swelling of the secondary batteries that occurs during charge and discharging (“a first bulge in fit with the first accommodation portion is disposed on the first packaging body, and the first section extends out of the packaging shell from between the first bulge and the first accommodation portion”) (see e.g., paragraph [0273]).
Regarding claim 4, Eo, as modified by Makino, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 2, as previously described.
Makino teaches the U-shaped shape includes a second bend connecting the bend of the tab and portion of the tab that extends through the peripheral wall of the bracket (“wherein the first tab further comprises a second bend portion, the second bend portion is connected to the first bend portion and the first section”) (see e.g., Annotated Figure 14E). Makino teaches the first bend portion ends further downward than the electrode assembly and the second bend portion is bent in line with the electrode assembly; therefore, the height of the second bend portion would be less than the height of the first bend portion (“a height of the second bend portion is less than a height of the first bend portion along the thickness direction of the first electrode assembly, and the height of the second bend portion is a distance from the surface of the first electrode assembly to a lowest point of the second bend portion, the surface facing the first packaging body”).
Regarding claim 5, Eo, as modified by Makino, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 4, as previously described.
Makino teaches the U-shaped shape includes a second bend connecting the bend of the tab and portion of the tab that extends through the peripheral wall of the bracket (“wherein, along the thickness direction of the first electrode assembly, a longitudinal section of the first accommodation portion is U-shaped, both the first bend portion and second bend portion are disposed in the first accommodation portion, and the first section extends out of the packaging shell from between an edge of the spacer plate and the first packaging body”) (see e.g., Annotated Figure 14E).
Regarding claim 6, Eo, as modified by Makino, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 1, as previously described.
Eo, as modified by Makino, teaches the first and second electrode tabs 111 and 113 connected to the first electrode assembly 110, and the first and second electrode tabs 121 and 123 connected to the second electrode assembly 120 (“wherein a number of the first tabs is identical to a number of the first accommodation portions, and the first tabs correspond one-to-one to the first accommodation portions; or, a number of the first tabs is greater than a number of the first accommodation portions, and at least one first accommodation portion corresponds to two or more first tabs”) (see e.g., Eo paragraph [0044]).
Regarding claim 7, Eo, as modified by Makino, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 6, as previously described.
Eo teaches the first and second electrode tabs 111 and 113 connected to the first electrode assembly 110, and the first and second electrode tabs 121 and 123 connected to the second electrode assembly 120 (“wherein the number of the first tabs is two, and the two first tabs are of opposite polarities; the number of the first accommodation portions is two, and the first tabs correspond to the first accommodation portions respectively; or, the number of the first accommodation portions is one, and the two first tabs correspond to the same first accommodation portion”) (see e.g., paragraph [0044]).
Regarding claim 8, Eo, as modified by Makino, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 1, as previously described.
Eo teaches the heat dissipating plate is formed of copper, aluminum, or an alloy thereof and regions coated with an insulating material that are in contact with the tabs (“wherein the spacer plate comprises an interlayer and a bonding layer located on a surface of the interlayer, and the bonding layer is disposed at least in an edge region of the interlayer on all sides”) (see e.g., paragraph [0066]).
Regarding claim 9, Eo, as modified by Makino, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 8, as previously described.
Eo teaches the heat dissipating plate is formed of copper, aluminum, or an alloy thereof (“wherein the interlayer is made of a material comprising at least one of a metal material; the metal material comprising at least one of Al or an alloy thereof”) (see e.g., paragraph [0066]).
Regarding claim 10, Eo, as modified by Makino, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 1, as previously described.
Eo, as modified by Makino, teaches an electronic device (see e.g., paragraph [0009], a battery pack), wherein the electronic device comprising the electrochemical device according to claim 1.
Regarding claim 11, Eo, as modified by Makino, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 10, as previously described.
Makino teaches a portion of the tab 7 extends from the U-shaped shape (“wherein the first tab comprises a first section connected to the first bend portion”) (see e.g., Annotated Figure 14E) that extends through the outer peripheral wall 112 of the bracket (a spacer) to connect to the bus bar 120-1 to allow for the connection of the battery unit 100 in the battery module 200 (“the first section protrudes out of the packaging shell after passing through a sealed region between the spacer plate and the first packaging body”) (see e.g., Figures 20 and 21).
Regarding claim 12, Eo, as modified by Makino, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 11, as previously described.
Makino teaches the tabs are accommodated between the outer peripheral wall 112 of the bracket 110 and the recessed portion of the exterior of the secondary batteries 1-1 and 1-2 (“wherein a second recessed portion configured for stepping aside the first accommodation portion is disposed on the second packaging body”) (see e.g., Figure 20). Makino teaches the outer peripheral walls 112 have protrusions to allow for an opening to accommodate the swelling of the secondary batteries that occurs during charge and discharging (“a first bulge in fit with the first accommodation portion is disposed on the first packaging body, and the first section extends out of the packaging shell from between the first bulge and the first accommodation portion”) (see e.g., paragraph [0273]).
Regarding claim 13, Eo, as modified by Makino, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 11, as previously described.
Makino teaches the U-shaped shape includes a second bend connecting the bend of the tab and portion of the tab that extends through the peripheral wall of the bracket (“wherein the first tab further comprises a second bend portion, the second bend portion is connected to the first bend portion and the first section”) (see e.g., Annotated Figure 14E). Makino teaches the first bend portion ends further downward than the electrode assembly and the second bend portion is bent in line with the electrode assembly; therefore, the height of the second bend portion would be less than the height of the first bend portion (“a height of the second bend portion is less than a height of the first bend portion along the thickness direction of the first electrode assembly, and the height of the second bend portion is a distance from the surface of the first electrode assembly to a lowest point of the second bend portion, the surface facing the first packaging body”).
Regarding claim 14, Eo, as modified by Makino, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 13, as previously described.
Makino teaches the U-shaped shape includes a second bend connecting the bend of the tab and portion of the tab that extends through the peripheral wall of the bracket (“wherein, along the thickness direction of the first electrode assembly, a longitudinal section of the first accommodation portion is U-shaped, both the first bend portion and second bend portion are disposed in the first accommodation portion, and the first section extends out of the packaging shell from between an edge of the spacer plate and the first packaging body”) (see e.g., Annotated Figure 14E).
Regarding claim 15, Eo, as modified by Makino, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 10, as previously described.
Eo, as modified by Makino, teaches the first and second electrode tabs 111 and 113 connected to the first electrode assembly 110, and the first and second electrode tabs 121 and 123 connected to the second electrode assembly 120 (“wherein a number of the first tabs is identical to a number of the first accommodation portions, and the first tabs correspond one-to-one to the first accommodation portions; or, a number of the first tabs is greater than a number of the first accommodation portions, and at least one first accommodation portion corresponds to two or more first tabs”) (see e.g., Eo paragraph [0044]).
Regarding claim 16, Eo, as modified by Makino, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 15, as previously described.
Eo teaches the first and second electrode tabs 111 and 113 connected to the first electrode assembly 110, and the first and second electrode tabs 121 and 123 connected to the second electrode assembly 120 (“wherein the number of the first tabs is two, and the two first tabs are of opposite polarities; the number of the first accommodation portions is two, and the first tabs correspond to the first accommodation portions respectively; or, the number of the first accommodation portions is one, and the two first tabs correspond to the same first accommodation portion”) (see e.g., paragraph [0044]).
Regarding claim 17, Eo, as modified by Makino, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 10, as previously described.
Eo teaches the heat dissipating plate is formed of copper, aluminum, or an alloy thereof and regions coated with an insulating material that are in contact with the tabs (“wherein the spacer plate comprises an interlayer and a bonding layer located on a surface of the interlayer, and the bonding layer is disposed at least in an edge region of the interlayer on all sides”) (see e.g., paragraph [0066]).
Regarding claim 18, Eo, as modified by Makino, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 17, as previously described.
Eo teaches the heat dissipating plate is formed of copper, aluminum, or an alloy thereof (“wherein the interlayer is made of a material comprising at least one of a metal material; the metal material comprising at least one of Al or an alloy thereof”) (see e.g., paragraph [0066]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
He (Published U.S. Patent Application US 20160020481 A1) teaches a bipolar battery (see e.g., Abstract). He teaches the bipolar battery comprises a case 1, consisting of a first half case 2 and a second half case 3 (see e.g., Abstract). He teaches at least one bipolar plate 4 (“a spacer plate”) with its periphery sealed and sandwiched between the first half case 2 and the second half case 3 to provide spaces wherein at least two electrical cores are located at opposite sides of the bipolar plate (see e.g., paragraph [0023] and Figure 1).
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/KATHERINE N HIGGINS/Examiner, Art Unit 1728
/MATTHEW T MARTIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1728
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