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 02/06/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 2, 8, 9, and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential structural cooperative relationships of elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the necessary structural connections. See MPEP § 2172.01. “Calendering pressures incurred during the calendering module serve to correct the over-tensioning applied to the bare portion of the current collector, thereby reducing foil wrinkles post-calendering.” There is no structure that is claimed.
Both claims 8 and 10 are rejected since applicant is claiming a method in a product claim. A single claim which claims both an apparatus and the method steps of using the apparatus is indefinite (see MPEP 2173.05(p)).
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.
Claims 1, 2, 4, 6-12, 14, 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over BAUER (DE Patent No. DE 102022118688 A1) in view of TIAN (CN Patent No. CN 213529832 U)
Regarding claim 1 , BAUER discloses a roll-to-roll system for manufacturing electrodes, the system comprising: a calendering module 600 (Fig, 10) comprising a pair of calendering rollers 602 and 601 (Fig, 10) separated by a gap, the gap comprising a distance selected to accommodate a current collector 006 (Fig. 9), the current collector comprising a bare portion and a coated portion having thereon an active electrode material of a first thickness; an un-winder module 201 (Fig, 10) upstream of the calendering module; a collector module 501 (Fig, 10) downstream of the calendering module; and one or more idle rollers 401, 404, 409 (Fig, 10) positioned between the un-winder module and the collector module. (The bare portion and the coated portion of the current collector are not positively claimed. The carrier substrate 006 could have a bare portion and coated portion)
BAUER fails to disclose the idle roller of the one or more idle rollers comprises a tensioning sleeve comprising a second thickness selected, based on the first thickness, to over-tension underlying portions of the current collector, the tensioning sleeve aligned to the bare portion of the current collector.
TIAN teaches an idle roller 11 (Fig. 8) comprising a tensioning sleeve 12 (Fig. 8).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add a sleeve to the roller in order to reduce the bad rate of the product and improve the product automation production efficiency Simultaneously, the concave surface can reduce the product surface contact reducing the secondary pollution (as stated in the Abstract.) .
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Regarding claim 2, TIAN further teaches calendering pressures incurred during the calendering module serve to correct the over-tensioning applied to the bare portion of the current collector, thereby reducing foil wrinkles post-calendering (intended use). (There are motor driven motors 202 and 502 (Fig. 10). When the calendering module is moving, pressure will be created on the current collector due to the pull force from roller 502 thereby reducing the wrinkles)
Regarding claim 4, TIAN teaches the tensioning sleeve is fixed to a respective idle roller of the one or more idle rollers using one or more set screws 123 (Fig. 6).
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Regarding claim 6, TIAN teaches the tensioning sleeve 12 (Fig. 8) is tapered (the rings 14 as illustrated in Fig. 8 is wider at the middle and narrower at the end.) .
Regarding claim 7, TIAN teaches the tensioning sleeve 12 (Fig. 8) comprises at least one of a patterned texture comprising one or more protrusions, one or more divots, or one or more grooves 14 (Fig.8).
Regarding claim 8, BAUER discloses at least one of a line speed 202 (Fig. 10) and a pulling force 502 (Fig. 10) of the current collector is adjusted to tune the over-tensioning applied to the bare portion of the current collector.
Regarding claim 9, BAUER discloses one or more dancer rollers 203, and 503 (Fig. 10) positioned between the un-winder module 201 (Fig. 10) and the collector module 501 (Fig. 10).
Regarding claim 10, BAUER discloses, the pulling force 502 (Fig. 10) of the current collector is adjusted by displacing a position of at least one of the one or more dancer rollers 203 and 503. (On Page 23 paragraph 4 lines 3-6, Bauer states that “a dancer roller 407, provided, by which, for example, fluctuations in web tension can be compensated and/or the conveying speed of an upstream or downstream unit 100; 100*; 600 or web guiding element 410 can be controlled.”)
Regarding claim 11, BAUER discloses (illustrated in the above Fig. 10) a method comprising providing a calendering module 600 comprising a pair of calendering rollers 602 and 601 which are separated by a gap, the gap comprising a distance selected to accommodate a current collector 006 (Fig. 9). The current collector 006 (Fig. 9)comprises a bare portion 003 and coated portion 007 an active electrode material of a first thickness(On page 4 last paragraph (lines 1-2) Bauer states that “ the carrier substrate 006 has at least the dry film 003; 003` surface area to be coated a superficial coating with a connection supporting or effecting agent 007”); providing an un-winder module 201 upstream of the calendering module 600; providing a collector module 501 downstream of the calendering module 600; and providing one or more idle rollers 401, 404, 409 positioned between the un-winder module201 and the collector module501.
BAUER fails to disclose the idle roller of the one or more idle rollers comprises a tensioning sleeve comprising a second thickness selected, based on the first thickness, to over-tension underlying portions of the current collector, the tensioning sleeve aligned to the bare portion of the current collector.
TIAN teaches an idle roller 11 (Fig. 8) comprising a tensioning sleeve 12 (Fig. 8).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add a sleeve to the roller in order to reduce the bad rate of the product and improve the product automation production efficiency Simultaneously, the concave surface can reduce the product surface contact reducing the secondary pollution as stated in the Abstract.
Regarding claim 12, BAUER discloses wherein calendering pressures incurred during the calendering module serve to correct the over-tensioning applied to the bare portion of the current collector, thereby reducing foil wrinkles post-calendering. (There are motor driven motors 202 and 502 (Fig. 10). When the calendering module is moving, pressure will be created on the current collector 204 (Fig. 10) due to the pull force from roller 502 thereby reducing the wrinkles.)
Regarding claim 14, TIAN teaches the tensioning sleeve 12 (Fig. 8) is fixed to a respective idle roller 11 (Fig. 8) of the one or more idle rollers using one or more set screws 123 (Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 17, TIAN teaches the tensioning sleeve 12 (Fig. 8) comprises at least one of a patterned texture comprising one or more protrusions, one or more divots, or one or more grooves 14 (Fig.8).
Regarding claim 18, BAUER discloses at least one of a line speed and a pulling force of the current collector 006 (Fig. 10) is adjusted to tune the over-tensioning applied to the bare portion of the current collector. (Bauer sates in paragraph 0150 “at least one substrate guide element 409 can be designed as a measuring roller 409 in the second substrate path 400, by which, for example, the web tension can be determined in order to adjust it.”)
Regarding claim 19, BAUER discloses one or more dancer rollers 203, and 503 (Fig. 10) positioned between the un-winder module 201 (Fig. 10) and the collector module 501 (Fig. 10).
Regarding claim 20, BAUER discloses, the pulling force of the current collector is adjusted by displacing a position of at least one of the one or more dancer rollers 203 and 503 (On Page 23 paragraph 4 lines 3-6, Bauer states that “a dancer roller 407, provided, by which, for example, fluctuations in web tension can be compensated and/or the conveying speed of an upstream or downstream unit 100; 100*; 600 or web guiding element 410 can be controlled.”).
Claims 3 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over BAUER in view of TIAN as applied to claims 1 and 11 above, and further in view of OKUDA (JP 2006227500).
Regarding claim 3, BAUER in view of TIAN discloses the roll-to-roll system of claim 1 but fails to disclose the tensioning sleeve is fixed to a respective idle roller of the one or more idle rollers using at least one of a press fitting and an adhesive.
OKUDA teaches in (page 5 paragraph 4, lines 3-5) that “conductive core material 61 (Fig. 1) coated with a hot melt adhesive or vulcanized adhesive in a desired region is press-fitted into the inner diameter portion of the tube-shaped conductive rubber molded product 62 (Fig. 1) to obtain a roller-shaped molded body”.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to substitute the screw connection with an adhesive and press fitting connection. Attaching the sleeve to the roller using adhesive and press fitting would have yielded predictable results of the tensioning sleeve adhered and press fitted on the roller (see MPEP 2143 B).
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Regarding claim 13, BAUER in view of TIAN discloses the method of Claim 11 but fails to disclose the tensioning sleeve is fixed to a respective idle roller of the one or more idle rollers using at least one of a press fitting and an adhesive.
OKUDA teaches the tensioning sleeve 61(Fig. 1) is fixed to a respective idle roller of the one or more idle rollers 62 (Fig. 1) using at least one of a press fitting and an adhesive (page 5 paragraph 4, lines 3-5states that “conductive core material 61 (Fig. 1) coated with a hot melt adhesive or vulcanized adhesive in a desired region is press-fitted into the inner diameter portion of the tube-shaped conductive rubber molded product 62 (Fig. 1) to obtain a roller-shaped molded body”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to substitute the screw connection with an adhesive and press fitting connection. Attaching the sleeve to the roller using adhesive and press fitting would have yielded predictable results of the tensioning sleeve adhered and press fitted on the roller (see MPEP 2143 B).
Claims 5 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over BAUER in view or TIAN as applied to claims 1 and 11 above, and further in view of ALBERT (US 1,468,798).
Regarding claim 5, BAUER in view of TIAN discloses the roll-to-roll system of claim 1 but fails to disclose the tensioning sleeve is fixed to a respective idle roller of the one or more idle rollers using one or more leaf springs. ALBERT teaches that the roller shaft (6 Fig. 1) is fixed to the tensioning sleeve 7 (Fig. 1) using 3 leaf springs 9 (Fig. 1). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to substitute the screw connection with a leaf spring connection in order to properly center the sleeve (col. 2, line 70).
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Regarding claim 15, BAUER in view of TIAN discloses the method of claim 11 but fails to disclose the tensioning sleeve is fixed to a respective idle roller of the one or more idle rollers using one or more leaf springs.
ALBERT teaches that the roller shaft (6 Fig. 1) is fixed to the tensioning sleeve 7 (Fig. 1) using 3 leaf springs 9 (Fig. 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to substitute the screw connection with a leaf spring connection. The leaf springs are located longitudinally in the channel and are placed under tension so that they frictionally engage the shaft 6 and thus effectively hold the disk in place thereon. Moreover, they provide a plurality of bearings on different sides of the shaft, thereby properly centering the disk 7. (Page 2, lines 39-46).
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over BAUER in view of TIAN as applied to claim 11 above, and further in view of FUJISHIMA (JP 2011164125).
Regarding claim 16, BAUER in view of TIAN discloses the method of claim 11. But fails to disclose an additional idle roller of the one or more idle rollers is positioned over the coated portion of the current collector, the additional idle roller comprising an additional tensioning sleeve having a diameter that is 1 to 4 microns larger than a diameter of the additional idle roller.
FUJISHIMA teaches on page 8, paragraph 8 (lines 3-5) “an aluminum sleeve having a diameter of 300 mm was applied to the surface of the roller by a spray method so that the resin layer obtained by mixing had a layer thickness of 2μm finally obtained.” The sleeve thickness is 2 microns meaning the diameter of the tensioning sleeve is 1 to 4 microns larger than the diameter of the idle roller.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to change the thickness of the sleeve to be 1 to 4 microns larger than a diameter of the additional idle roller in order for a resin layer that has resistance regulator. (Page 2 paragraph 3says Further, as the developing roller, for example, a roller having a surface portion made of a resin layer is used. And the conductive material is added to the said resin layer as a resistance regulator, and resistance values, such as a surface resistivity, of the said resin layer are adjusted.)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
examiner should be directed to LEWIE S WELDEGIORGIS whose telephone number (571)270-
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/L.S.W./ Examiner, Art Unit 3725
/Christopher L Templeton/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3725
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