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 statements filed February 9, 2024 and January 21, 2026 have been placed in the application file and the information referred to therein has been considered as to the merits.
With respect to foreign language references and foreign language patent office communications with no translation of the document: “If no translation is submitted, the examiner will consider the information in view of the concise explanation and insofar as it is understood on its face, e.g., drawings, chemical formulas, English language abstracts, in the same manner that non-English language information in Office search files is considered by examiner in conducting searches.” See MPEP §609.04(a)(II) (D) and 37 CFR 1.98(a)(3)(ii).
Drawings
The drawings received February 9, 2024 are acceptable for examination purposes.
Specification
The specification received February 9, 2024 has been reviewed for examination purposes.
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 2-4, 6-10 and 14-17 are 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 2 is indefinite when read in light of the disclosure. According to claim 2, the identification portion is on at least one of the first or second portion and further separated from the first end portion. According to the disclosure the identification portion 30 is on either the first or the second portion when separated from the first end portion. Therefore the phrase “at least” may be at odds with the disclosure when the disclosure only appears to teach that the identification portion is on one of the first or second portions when the identification portion 30 is separated from the first end portion.
Claims 3-4 further are unclear for these claims appear to only limit to the identification portion disposed on one of the first or second portion, thus not including at least one as recited in claim 2.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the one having a larger area" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 4 recites the limitation "the one having a smaller area" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "third end portion" and “fourth end portion” in lines 2-5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Notably, neither claims 1 nor 6 recite “a second end portion”. Therefore the exact number of end portions are unclear in claim 6. This also applies to claim 10 which is dependent upon claim 6.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "fifth end portion" and “sixth end portion” in lines 2-6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Notably, neither claims 1 nor 7 recite “a second end portion”, “a third end portion” and “a fourth end portion”. Therefore the exact number of end portions are unclear in claim 7. This also applies to claims 8-9 which are dependent upon claim 7.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "seventh end portion" and “eighth end portion” in lines 2-6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Notably, neither claims 1, 7 nor 8 recite “a second end portion”, “a third end portion” and “a fourth end portion”. Therefore the exact number of end portions are unclear in claim 8.
Claim 14 recites the limitation "third end portion", “fourth end portion”, ‘fifth end portion” and “sixth end portion” in lines 2-5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Notably, neither claims 1, 11 nor 14 recite “a second end portion”. Therefore the exact number of end portions are unclear in claim 14. This also applies to claims 15-17 which are dependent upon claim 14.
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, 7, 9, 11, 14 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0142236) in view of Hong (CN112436197A) or Ma et al. (CN110396379A).
As to claim 1, Kim discloses a battery comprising an electrode assembly, wherein the electrode assembly comprises a stacked portion and a second layer 40; the stacked portion comprises a first conductive layer 32/33, a second conductive layer 33/32, and a first layer 34 arranged between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer; the first layer 34 comprising an insulating material (layer 34 is a separator which is electrically insulating);
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wherein the stacked portion is configured as a wound structure (see Fig. 5 above) and further comprises a first surface and a first end portion;
a thickness direction of the electrode assembly is defined as a first direction, and when viewed in the first direction, the first surface has a first region located on a first side of the first end portion and a second region located on a second side of the first end portion; wherein in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the first side and the second side are located on two opposite sides of the first end portion;
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and in a winding direction of the stacked portion, the second region is closer to the first end portion than the first region (the second region is at the end of the entire assembly whereas the first region is distal to the end of the entire assembly therefore, relative to the end of the assembly, the second region denoted above is closer to the end of the assembly than the first region); and
the second layer 40 covers at least a portion of the first end portion and is connected to the first region and the second region.
As to claim 7, the stacked portion has an upper (fifth) end portion and lower (sixth) end portion in a third direction (top bottom) perpendicular to the first direction (thickness direction) and second direction (lateral direction). As shown in Fig. 4, the second layer 40 is separated from the top and bottom end portions of the wound assembly.
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As to claim 9, the electrode assembly includes metal tabs 35, 37 one of which is a metal plate connected to the first conductive layer and when viewed in the first direction (thickness direction) the first metal plate has a portion overlapping with the upper end portion (Figs. 4-5).
As to claim 11, the stacked portion further comprises a first bent portion (side end of the wound assembly), a second bent portion (opposite side end of the wound assembly) located opposite to the first bent portion in the second direction (lateral), a first surface portion located between the first bent portion and the second bent portion when viewed in the first direction (thickness direction), and a second surface portion located between the first bent portion and the second bent portion and facing towards an opposite face of the first surface portion when viewed in the first direction.
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As to claim 14, the stacked portion has third and fourth end portions corresponding to respective bent portions in the second or lateral direction and fifth and sixth end portions (top and bottom portions) in a third or up-down direction perpendicular to both the thickness direction (first direction) and the lateral direction (second direction).
As to claim 20, Kim discloses an electronic apparatus comprising a battery,
the battery comprising an electrode assembly, wherein the electrode assembly comprises a stacked portion and a second layer 40; the stacked portion comprises a first conductive layer 32/33, a second conductive layer 33/32, and a first layer 34 arranged between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer; the first layer 34 comprising an insulating material (layer 34 is a separator which is electrically insulating);
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wherein the stacked portion is configured as a wound structure (see Fig. 5 above) and further comprises a first surface and a first end portion;
a thickness direction of the electrode assembly is defined as a first direction, and when viewed in the first direction, the first surface has a first region located on a first side of the first end portion and a second region located on a second side of the first end portion; wherein in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the first side and the second side are located on two opposite sides of the first end portion;
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and in a winding direction of the stacked portion, the second region is closer to the first end portion than the first region (the second region is at the end of the entire assembly whereas the first region is distal to the end of the entire assembly therefore, relative to the end of the assembly, the second region denoted above is closer to the end of the assembly than the first region); and
the second layer 40 covers at least a portion of the first end portion and is connected to the first region and the second region.
Kim does not teach of the second layer is provided with an identification portion (claims 1, 20).
Hong is drawn to the same field of endeavor, wound electrode assemblies wherein an internal adhesive member is provided to attach the end of the assembly to an outside of the wound assembly. Hong further teaches that member 2 is provided with an identifying structure such as an RFID tag on the upper surface of the tape layer to provide a requisite marker to the battery but provide the marker inside the cell to prevent the marker or identification from disappearing or being removed when externally located (applied to claims 1 and 20). Similarly Ma is drawn to the same field of endeavor, wound electrode assemblies wherein an internal adhesive member is provided to attach the end of the assembly to an outside of the wound assembly. Ma further teaches that tape or adhesive layer holding the wound electrode assembly together is provide with identification portions (Figs. 1-4) where the identification has information tracking resistance and durability.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the adhesive or tape of Kim to include an identification marker as taught by Hong since it would have provided with an identifying structure such as an RFID tag on the upper surface of the tape layer to provide a requisite marker to the battery but provide the marker inside the cell to prevent the marker or identification from disappearing or being removed when externally located, thus improved tracking and durability.
Claims 2-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0142236) in view of Hong (CN112436197A) or Ma et al. (CN110396379A) as applied to claim 1 above.
Kim noted that the second layer 40 can be provided such that one area is relatively larger compared to the other (Figs. 4-5).
Modified Kim does not teach of the identification portion being on one of the first or second portions and separated from the first end portion (claim 2) and disposed on either area (larger or smaller, claims 3-4).
The particular placement of the identification marker on either portion, larger or smaller would have been of routine skill in the art. The particular placement of the identification marker on either portion, larger or smaller would have been of routine skill in the art. The combination already teaches the adhesive tape holding the wound electrode assembly, further obviating the modification of Kim to include an identification marker to the adhesive tape. To the extent that the identification location affects detectability or winding control, these are ordinary, predictable manufacturing objectives. Positioning the marker in any number of relative places, including in one of the larger or smaller areas of the first and second portion would have provided a suitable and reliable location for detection while not adversely affective tape adhesion for the electrode assembly winding.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the identification marker of modified Kim to be located anywhere within the second layer (tape) boundary, including in one of the larger or smaller areas of the first and second portion would have provided a suitable and reliable location for detection while not adversely affective tape adhesion for the electrode assembly winding.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0142236) in view of Hong (CN112436197A) or Ma et al. (CN110396379A) as applied to claim 1 above.
Modified Kim does not teach of the identification portion covering at least the first end portion.
The particular placement of the identification marker on either portion, larger or smaller would have been of routine skill in the art. Further placement of a marker over the first end portion of a wound electrode assembly was routinely disclosed in the art by Ma. Ma, drawn to the same field of endeavor, wound battery assembly designs further disclosed providing the tape with at least one identification marker or code overlapping the end portion of the electrode assembly. The combination already teaches the adhesive tape holding the wound electrode assembly, further obviating the modification of Kim to include an identification marker to the adhesive tape. To the extent that the identification location affects detectability or winding control, these are ordinary, predictable manufacturing objectives. Positioning the marker in any number of relative places, including over the first end portion as taught by Ma would have provided a reliable location for detection while not adversely affective tape adhesion for the electrode assembly winding.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the identification marker of modified Kim to be located anywhere within the second layer (tape) boundary, including overlapping the first end portion as taught by Ma since it would have provided a suitable and effective location for reliable location for detection while not adversely affective tape adhesion for the electrode assembly winding.
Claims 6 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0142236) in view of Hong (CN112436197A) or Ma et al. (CN110396379A) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Minato et al. (JP2008-186708A).
As to claim 10, Kim noted that the second layer 40 can be provided such that one area is relatively larger compared to the other (Figs. 4-5). Hong likewise denotes a wound assembly where the first end portion is such that one area is larger compared to the other in the wound state as shown in Fig. 1. Thus the distance from the first end portion of the wound assembly is longer to one bent edge than the other (longer from the third end portion than the fourth edge portion).
As to claim 6, Modified Kim does teach of third and fourth end portions located opposite to each other in the second direction (lateral). In this case the bent or curved portions of Kim are these portions.
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The stacked portion has third and fourth end portions corresponding to respective bent portions in the second or lateral direction and fifth and sixth end portions (top and bottom portions) in a third or up-down direction perpendicular to both the thickness direction (first direction) and the lateral direction (second direction).
Kim teaches of the second layer arrange between the third and fourth portions (Figs. 4-5). Modified Kim does not teach of the second layer arranged from the third end portion to the fourth end portion.
Modified Kim does not teach of the second layer being arranged from the third end to the fourth end (claim 6).
Minato, is drawn to the same field of endeavor, wound electrode assembly designs whereby the adhesive layer (second layer) 26 spans from each end of assembly (Fig. 5).
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It would have been of predictable and routine skill in the art to modify the shape of and coverage of the adhesive layer (second layer) 26 as needed to provide good bonding and retention of the wound assembly and provide sufficient contact of the layers of the wound assembly.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the adhesive layer to span the length of the wound assembly from one bent edge to the second bent edge as taught by Minato since it would have predictably provided good bonding and retention of the wound assembly and provided sufficient contact of the layers of the wound assembly.
Claims 8 and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0142236) in view of Hong (CN112436197A) or Ma et al. (CN110396379A) as applied to claims 7 and 14 above, and further in view of Lee (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0102354).
Kim teaches of the stacked portion having a fifth end portion (top) and a sixth end portion (bottom) of the wound assembly, perpendicular to the third and fourth potions of the stack (bent ends of the wound electrode assembly). Kim further teaches that the second layer 40 is spaced a distance from each of the top and bottom portions (fifth and sixth end portions) via respective top and bottom edge portions (seventh and eight end portions) of the second layer 40.
Modified Kim does not teach of the distance from the fifth end portion to the seventh end portion being shorter than a distance from the sixth end portion to the eight end portion (claim 8); of the electrode assembly comprising a third layer containing an insulating material connected to the first surface and overlapping with the sixth end portion, further separated from the second layer (claim 15); the third layer connected to both the first and second surface portions, the third layer having ninth and tenth end portions opposite each other in the third direction (up-down direction), the second layer having seventh and eight end portions, the eight end portion on a side of the tenth end portion in the third direction (up-down) and in the third direction (up-down) a distance from the eight end portion to the ninth end portion is different from the ninth end portion to the tenth end portion (claim 16); or the distance from eight to ninth end portions is shorter than ninth to tenth end portions (claim 17).
As to claim 8: The particular placement of the adhesive tape or layer 40 would have been of routine skill in the art. Further placement of an offset adhesive member spaced closer to the top and the bottom was routinely disclosed in the art by Lee. Lee, drawn to the same field of endeavor, wound battery assembly designs further disclosed providing the adhesive layer closer to the top end of the wound (stacked) assembly and thus closer to the fifth end portion than the bottom sixth end portion.
The particular placement of the adhesive tape or layer 40 would have been of routine skill in the art. The combination already teaches the adhesive tape holding the wound electrode assembly, further obviating the modification of Kim to include an identification marker to the adhesive tape. To the extent that the design of the adhesive tape or layer 40 affects retention of the electrode assembly and affects maintaining winding control, these are ordinary, predictable manufacturing objectives. Positioning the adhesive tape or layer 40 in any number of relative places, including one where the layer 40 is closer to the fifth end portion (upper end portion) would have provided a suitable and reliable location for local taping and holding of the wound electrode assembly.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the adhesive tape or layer 40 modified Kim to be located closer to the fifth end portion (upper end portion) as taught by Lee since it would have provided a suitable and reliable location for local taping and holding of the wound electrode assembly.
As to claims 15-17: in Fig. 4, Lee discloses an embodiment where the electrode assembly includes a second layer 400 and a third layer 500, wherein the third layer 500 is insulating and is connected to both the first and second surfaces of the outer electrode assembly 280 and overlaps with the bottom (sixth end portion) in the third direction (up-down direction) and the third layer 500 is separated from the second layer 400 (Fig. 4, applied to claim 15). The third layer again is connected to both the first and second surfaces of the outer winding 280 of the assembly. The third layer 500 has a ninth end portion (top edge of 500 nearest to bottom edge of 400), and a tenth end portion (bottom edge) opposite the ninth end portion in the third direction (up-down direction), the second layer 400 as a seventh end portion (top edge) and an eight end portion (bottom edge) located opposite to each other in the third direction and on a side of the tenth end portion in the third direction (up-down direction), and in the third direction (up-down direction), a distance from the eight end (bottom edge of member 400) to the ninth end (top edge of member 500) is different, particularly closer than a distance from the ninth end portion (top edge of member 500) to the tenth end portion (bottom end of member 500, applied to claims 16-17).
Lee essentially teaches of using two layers 400 and 500 in similar fashion and placement as in claims 15-17. The finishing tape 400 encloses an upper region of the side surface and the lower tape 500 covers a lower region of the side surface to provide a design for improving the adhesion and contact of the comprehensive wound assembly and enlarge charge capacity per unit volume (paras. [0013], [0040]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the battery of modified Kim to have second and third layers as taught by Lee having the same relative end portions and further where the second layer is closer to the upper end and the third layer is disposed relative to the bottom end and the distance from the eight end portion to the ninth end portion is less than the distance from the ninth end portion to the tenth end portion as taught by Lee since it would have predictably and expectedly provided a design for improving the adhesion and contact of the comprehensive wound assembly and enlarged charge capacity per unit volume.
Claims 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0142236) in view of Hong (CN112436197A) or Ma et al. (CN110396379A) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Minato et al. (JP2008-186708A).
As to claim 13, modified Kim teaches of placing the identification portion on the major flat surface of the wound stacked assembly, therefore separated from the curved or bent end portions of the wound stacked assembly.
Modified Kim does not teach of the second layer connected to all of the first surface portion and, first and second bent portions (claim 12).
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The stacked portion has third and fourth end portions corresponding to respective bent portions in the second or lateral direction and fifth and sixth end portions (top and bottom portions) in a third or up-down direction perpendicular to both the thickness direction (first direction) and the lateral direction (second direction).
Minato, is drawn to the same field of endeavor, wound electrode assembly designs whereby the adhesive layer (second layer) 26 spans from each end of assembly (Fig. 5).
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It would have been of predictable and routine skill in the art to modify the shape of and coverage of the adhesive layer (second layer) 26 as needed to provide good bonding and retention of the wound assembly and provide sufficient contact of the layers of the wound assembly.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the adhesive layer of modified Kim to span the length of the wound assembly from one bent edge to the second bent edge as taught by Minato since it would have predictably provided good bonding and retention of the wound assembly and provided sufficient contact of the layers of the wound assembly.
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0142236) in view of Hong (CN112436197A) or Ma et al. (CN110396379A) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kim (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0251962, hereafter referred to as Kim ‘962) and Chen et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0352540).
Kim does not teach of the second metal plate welded to the outermost second conductive layer of the wound structure, a welding mark formed between the second metal plate and the second conductive layer, a second surface provided with a fourth layer which covers the welding mark.
Kim ‘962, is drawn to the same field of endeavor, wound stacked electrode assemblies in a battery. Kim recognized that it was readily known in the art to provide the second metal plate 215 to be disposed to the outermost conductive layer of the wound structure.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the placement of the second metal plate of Kim to be welded to the outermost conductive layer of the wound structure as taught by Kim ‘962 since it would have provided a metal plate (tab) design where the tabs were sufficiently spaced apart to prevent electrical shorting.
As to providing a welding mark between the second metal plate and the second conductive layer and a layer (fourth) to cover the welding mark:
Chen is drawn to the same field of endeavor, wound stacked electrode assemblies in a battery. Chen further recognized welding a tab 1 with a welding mark 4 further providing with an insulating cover 8 (fourth layer). When disposing a tab (metal plate) to a bare part of the wound electrode assembly and welding the tab to the corresponding conductive layer, an additional insulating cover is typically employed to electrically insulate the tab from other parts of the battery.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to cover the tab (metal plate) and weld mark of the tab (metal plate) with an insulating cover as taught by Chen since it would have effectively covered and insulated the tab/plate from other parts of the battery.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0142236) in view of Hong (CN112436197A) or Ma et al. (CN110396379A) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kim (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0277018, hereafter referred to as Kim ‘018).
While Kim teaches that the housing a laminate pouch housing, it would have been of routine and predictable skill in the art to replace the pouch housing with other highly conventional housing designs including metal cans.
Kim ‘018 is drawn to the same field of endeavor, wound stacked electrode assemblies in a battery. Kim ‘018 further recognized that the wound cylindrical cell assembly can be readily disposed within a typical metallic can 10 in addition to other highly conventional housings including pouches (para. [0006]). Modifying the battery design of Kim from pouches to metal cans would have been readily within the skill of the ordinary worker in the art.
The selection of various housings for predictable benefits were known. For example, while pouches as in Kim were recognized to provide for a lightweight housing, replacing a pouch with other conventional housings such as metal cans would have still been of routine skill in the art. Kim reflects a known packaging tradeoff that pouch housings can provide for lighter battery designs. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have predictably recognized metal cans as a known alternative housing, even as admitted by Kim itself and further taught by Kim ‘018 when the design for the battery and corresponding housing prioritized rigidity, mechanical protection, dimensional stability, durability or other known benefits of a metal housing. The substitution would have involved accepting the known trade-off, not overcoming any technical incompatibility.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the housing of Kim to be a conductive metal housing as taught by Kim ‘018 since it would have provided and prioritized rigidity, mechanical protection, dimensional stability, durability or other known benefits of a metal housing.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0310912 discloses various tape designs for a wound electrode assembly.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GREGG CANTELMO whose telephone number is (571)272-1283. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 7am to 5pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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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/GREGG CANTELMO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725
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