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
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. JP2023-055401, filed on 03/30/2023.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Invention II in the reply filed on 08/09/2026 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)). The Examiner notes that Claim 8 is directed to non-elected Invention I and therefore is considered to be withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Maeda et al. (US 20180069227 A1).
Regarding Claim 4, Maeda discloses:
A method for producing a power storage device ([0006]) comprising a case having conductivity ([0041], see container includes body and lid made of conductive material; see Fig. 1 element 100 [container], element 110 [lid], and element 111 [body]) and an electrode body housed in the case ([0007], [0023]),
the electrode body including a first current collecting portion and a second current collecting portion having an opposite polar from the first current collecting portion ([0025] see energy storage may include: the first current collector, a second current collector; [0027] see first current collector may have positive polarity, and see second terminal and the second current collector may have negative polarity; Fig. 1 element 140 [negative electrode current collector], element 250 [positive electrode current collector]; Fig. 4, 6-8 element 250),
the case and the first current collecting portion of the electrode body being conductively connected by a swaged joint portion in which the case and the first current collecting portion are swaged and joined ([0090]), [0139]),
the power storage device including an electrode external terminal which is insulated from the case, fixed to the case, and connected to the second current collecting portion of the electrode body in the case ([0025] see a second terminal and insulating sealing member, see second current collector electrically connected to the second tab portion and second terminal mounted on the container, penetrating the container and electrically connected to the second tab portion through the second current collector; Fig 1-2, element 300 {negative electrode terminal, see [0054) electrode terminal (second terminal)}, element 135 {negative electrode sealing member, see [0058] negative electrode first sealing member 135 has insulating property}),
wherein the method includes swaging to swage and join the case and the first current collecting portion of the electrode body for forming the swaged joint portion ([0082] see positive electrode current collector 250 joined to the lid body 110 by clinching; [0084] clinching is a swaging process; [0083]; [0087] see lid body and protruding portion 261 of the positive electrode current collector; Fig. 5).
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) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maeda et al. (US 20180069227 A1) in view of Sakashita (US 2022/0077488 A1).
Regarding claim 5, modified Maeda teaches all the claim limitations as set forth above and
Maeda additionally discloses:
wherein the case is formed of a metal plate ([0041] see the material is a weldable metal),
the swaging is performed by: utilizing a die having a recessed portion and a punch having a leading end portion ([0083] see die and see punch);
overlapping the case and the first current collecting portion to coincide a plate thickness direction and the foil thickness direction of the case and positioning the case on a side of the punch and the first current collecting portion on a side of the die to place the case and the first current collecting portion between the leading end portion of the punch and the recessed portion of the die; and moving the leading end portion of the punch to the recessed portion of the die to swage and join the case and the first current collecting portion ([0081] see positive electrode current collector 250, first joint portion 260, and lid body 110; [0082] see protruding portion 261 and the recessed portion 262 are a swaged joint portion, see positive electrode current collector 250 joined to the lid body 110 by clinching; [0083] see where plate members are made to overlap and see locally pressed; [0085-86]; [0087] see lid body and protruding portion 261 of the positive electrode current collector; [0139] see clinching can be performed on the body of the case instead of the lid; Fig. 5, element 260 [first joint portion], element 110 [lid body]).
Maeda does not teach a laminated current collector in a foil thickness direction. However, Sakashita discloses a laminated current collector in a foil thickness direction ([0006-7]), [0058]). Sakashita further discloses that laminated electrodes increase space efficiency of the battery. Maeda and Sakashita are analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the field of batteries. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to improve the electrode of modified Maeda by applying the technique of Sakashita of laminating electrodes with the predictable result of creating a battery with laminated electrodes that has improved space efficiency.
Claim(s) 6, 7, 9, and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maeda et al. (US 20180069227 A1) in view of Sasaki (US 2017/0346049 A1).
Regarding claim 6, modified Maeda teaches all the claim limitations as set forth above. Maeda is
silent on welding a case joint portion of the case forming the swaged joint portion and a current collecting joint portion of the first current collecting portion of the electrode body forming the swaged joint portion. However, Sasaki teaches welding a case joint portion of the case forming the swaged joint portion and a current collecting joint portion of the first current collecting portion of the electrode body forming the swaged joint portion ([0009], [0036], FIG. 10 element 606, FIG. 11 element S4, FIG. 14 shows resistance welding). Sasaki further discloses that welding after clinching more firmly joins the electrodes together ([0039]). Maeda and Sasaki are analogous art because they are in the field of batteries. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing of the claimed invention to improve the swaged joint of Maeda by using the technique of Sasaki of welding of the swaged portion to yield the predictable result of having a more strongly joined swaged joint.
Regarding claim 7, modified Maeda teaches all the claim limitations as set forth above. Maeda is silent on wherein the swaged-portion welding is performed by irradiating a laser beam to the case joint portion from outside of the case and laser-welding the case joint portion to the current collecting joint. However, Sasaki teaches wherein the swaged-portion welding is performed by irradiating a laser beam to the case joint portion from outside of the case and laser-welding the case joint portion to the current collecting joint ([0082], [0111], [0114-6]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing of the claimed invention to improve the swaged joint of Maeda by using the technique of Sasaki of laser welding of the swaged portion to yield the predictable result of having a more strongly joined swaged joint.
Regarding claim 9, modified Maeda teaches all the claim limitations as set forth above. Maeda is
silent on welding a case joint portion of the case forming the swaged joint portion and a current collecting joint portion of the first current collecting portion of the electrode body forming the swaged joint portion. However, Sasaki teaches welding a case joint portion of the case forming the swaged joint portion and a current collecting joint portion of the first current collecting portion of the electrode body forming the swaged joint portion ([0009], [0036], FIG. 10 element 606, FIG. 11 element S4, FIG. 14 shows resistance welding). Sasaki further discloses that welding after clinching more firmly joins the electrodes together ([0039]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing of the claimed invention to improve the swaged joint of Maeda by using the technique of Sasaki of welding of the swaged portion to yield the predictable result of having a more strongly joined swaged joint.
Regarding claim 10, modified Maeda teaches all the claim limitations as set forth above. Maeda is silent on wherein the swaged-portion welding is performed by irradiating a laser beam to the case joint portion from outside of the case and laser-welding the case joint portion to the current collecting joint. However, Sasaki teaches wherein the swaged-portion welding is performed by irradiating a laser beam to the case joint portion from outside of the case and laser-welding the case joint portion to the current collecting joint ([0082], [0111], [0114-6]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing of the claimed invention to improve the swaged joint of Maeda by using the technique of Sasaki of laser welding of the swaged portion to yield the predictable result of having a more strongly joined swaged joint.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMMAD BILAL MIAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7321. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 7:30am - 5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Basia Ridley can be reached at (571) 272-1453. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MOHAMMAD B MIAN/Examiner, Art Unit 1725
/CHRISTOPHER P DOMONE/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1725 October 2, 2026
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