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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of
Group I, directed to claims 1-14, and
Species (a), directed to claim 4,
in the reply filed on 09/06/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 5, and 15-17 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species and invention, respectively; there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 09/06/2026.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4, 6-9, and 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (US 2012/0015226 A1).
As claim 1, Kim et al. disclose a secondary battery (see e.g. element 100 in annotated Fig. 1, and “FIG. 1 shows a pouch type lithium secondary battery according to the present invention” in Par. [0029]) comprising:
a cell assembly (See e.g. element 10 in annotated Fig. 1) in which a plurality of electrode assemblies (See e.g. element 20 in annotated Fig. 1, and “the present invention is characterized in that, in view of each unit cell 20, a plurality of unit cells 20 are integrally packed and hermetically sealed in the form of a module 10 in a metal outer casing” in Par. [0053]) in which a cathode sheet, a separator, and an anode sheet are wound together (see e.g. “The jelly-roll type electrode assembly, which is one type of electrode assembly, is a wound electrode assembly comprising a positive electrode, a separator membrane, and a negative electrode” in Par. [0040]) are stacked (see e.g. “the stack-folding type electrode assemblies may include various stack-folding type electrode assemblies, including electrode assemblies of the same type (positive electrode-separator membrane-negative electrode)” in Par. [0063]); and
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Annotated Fig.1 from Kim et al. (US 2012/0015226 A1).
a pouch exterior material formed to surround the outer circumference of the cell assembly (See e.g. elements 30 and 40 in annotated Fig. 1, and “the pouch type lithium secondary battery 100 according to the present invention comprises a jelly-roll type electrode assembly (not shown) for use in a medium- or large-sized battery and having the shape of a module 10, a resin-type first packing material 30, and a metal type second packing material 40” in Par. [0039]).
As claim 2, Kim et al. disclose the secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein the electrode assembly is a jelly roll-type electrode assembly (see e.g. “the pouch type lithium secondary battery 100 according to the present invention comprises a jelly-roll type electrode assembly” in Par. [0039]).
As claim 3, Kim et al. disclose the secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein the electrode assembly includes: a cathode tab electrically connected to the cathode sheet and protruding from the electrode assembly (see e.g. elements 30 and 40 in annotated Fig. 1, and “the electrode leads 50 of the unit cells 20 are finally led out of the second packing material via a connecting member (not shown) for external connection through the connecting member 60” in Par. [0055]); and an anode tab electrically connected to the anode sheet and protruding from the electrode assembly (see e.g. elements 30 and 40 in annotated Fig. 1, and “the electrode leads 50 of the unit cells 20 are finally led out of the second packing material via a connecting member (not shown) for external connection through the connecting member 60” in Par. [0055]).
As claim 4, Kim et al. disclose the secondary battery according to claim 3, wherein the cathode tab and the anode tab protrude from the electrode assembly in opposite directions (See e.g. electrode leads 50 (in green) in annotated Fig. 7, and “The positive electrode lead and the negative electrode lead may be realized in different directions, as well as in one direction” in Par. [0059]).
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Annotated Fig.7 from Kim et al. (US 2012/0015226 A1).
As claim 6, Kim et al. disclose the secondary battery according to claim 3, wherein the cell assembly includes a plurality of electrode assemblies stacked in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the cathode tab or the anode tab protrudes (see e.g. see unit cells 20 and module 10 in annotated Fig. 1).
As claim 7, Kim et al. disclose the secondary battery according to claim 6, wherein at least one of an end of the pouch exterior material in a direction in which the cathode tab protrudes and an end of the pouch exterior material in a direction in which the anode tab protrudes may be open (see e.g. element 40 with an open end in annotated Fig. 1).
As claim 8, Kim et al. disclose the secondary battery according to claim 7, further comprising a cap coupled to an open end of the pouch exterior material (See e.g. the cap in annotated Fig. 1, and “all openings on the second packing material 40 having the plurality of unit cells 20 contained therein are completely hermetically sealed by welding or the like” in Par. 0056).
As claim 9, Kim et al. disclose the secondary battery according to claim 8, wherein the cap includes an electrode terminal electrically connected to any one of the cathode tab and the anode tab (See e.g. element 60 in annotated Fig. 1, and “the electrode leads 50 of the unit cells 20 are finally led out of the second packing material via a connecting member (not shown) for external connection through the connecting member 60 such as a bus bar, and electrically connected to an external input/output terminal” in Par. [0055]).
As claim 12, Kim et al. disclose the secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein the cell assembly includes a coupling member that couples stacked electrode assemblies to each other (See e.g. element 60 in annotated Fig. 1, and “electrode leads 50 of the plurality of unit cells 20 are electrically connected via a connecting member 60, such as a bus bar, and then integrally contained in the second packing material 40” in Par. [0055]).
As claim 13, Kim et al. disclose the secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein the cell assembly includes three or more stacked electrode assemblies (see e.g. see unit cells 20 and module 10 in annotated Fig. 1).
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 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2012/0015226 A1), and further in view of Roh et al. (KR 20200077692 A).
As claim 10, Kim et al. disclose the secondary battery according to claim 8. However, Kim et al. do not disclose that the cap includes a gas outlet formed to discharge a gas generated from the inside of the secondary battery.
On the other hand, Roh et al. disclose a battery pack including a plurality of stacked electrode assemblies (see e.g. element 130 in annotated Fig. 1 from Roh et al.). Roh et al. also disclose a jelly-roll type electrode assembly (see e.g. “Jelly-rolled electrode assembly having a structure wound in an interposed state, a stacked electrode assembly sequentially stacked with a plurality of anodes and cathodes cut in units of a predetermined size interposed therebetween” in Par. [0039] from Roh et al.). Additionally, Roh et al. disclose a top cap (See e.g. element 120 in annotated Fig. 1 from Roh et al., and “Referring to FIG. 1, the battery pack 100 includes a housing body 110 and a top cap 120 coupled with the housing body 110 at an upper portion of the housing body 110.” in Par. [0035] from Roh et al.), which includes an electrolyte inlet port and a gas outlet (see e.g. “it is preferable that the electrolyte injection port and the gas outlet are formed in the top cap” in Par. [0072] from Roh et al.).
Both Kim et al. and Roh et al. are analogous in the field of batteries, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skills in the art to modify the battery cap of Kim et al. (See e.g. the cap in annotated Fig. 1 from Kim et al.) to include a gas outlet (see e.g. “it is preferable that the electrolyte injection port and the gas outlet are formed in the top cap” in Par. [0072] from Roh et al.) as taught by Roh et al. for discharging the gas generated during the activation process of the battery pack as suggested by Roh et al. (see e.g. “In addition, it may include a degassing process for discharging the gas generated during the activation process of the battery pack” in Par. [0071]).
As claim 11, Kim et al. disclose the secondary battery according to claim 8. However, Kim et al. do not disclose that the cap includes an inlet formed to inject an electrolyte into the secondary battery.
On the other hand, Roh et al. disclose a battery pack including a plurality of stacked electrode assemblies (see e.g. element 130 in annotated Fig. 1 from Roh et al.). Roh et al. also disclose a jelly-roll type electrode assembly (see e.g. “Jelly-rolled electrode assembly having a structure wound in an interposed state, a stacked electrode assembly sequentially stacked with a plurality of anodes and cathodes cut in units of a predetermined size interposed therebetween” in Par. [0039] from Roh et al.). Additionally, Roh et al. disclose a top cap (See e.g. element 120 in annotated Fig. 1 from Roh et al., and “Referring to FIG. 1, the battery pack 100 includes a housing body 110 and a top cap 120 coupled with the housing body 110 at an upper portion of the housing body 110.” in Par. [0035] from Roh et al.), which includes an electrolyte inlet port and a gas outlet (see e.g. “it is preferable that the electrolyte injection port and the gas outlet are formed in the top cap” in Par. [0072] from Roh et al.).
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Annotated Fig.1 from Roh et al. (KR 20200077692 A).
Both Kim et al. and Roh et al. are analogous in the field of batteries, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skills in the art to modify the battery cap of Kim et al. (See e.g. the cap in annotated Fig. 1 from Kim et al.) to include an electrolyte inlet (see e.g. “it is preferable that the electrolyte injection port and the gas outlet are formed in the top cap” in Par. [0072] from Roh et al.) as taught by Roh et al. for injecting additional electrolyte after pouring the electrolyte in the battery pack (see e.g. “the battery pack according to the present invention may combine the housing body and the top cap and inject additional electrolyte after pouring the electrolyte, or may combine the housing body and the top cap and inject the electrolyte” in Par. [0071]) as suggested by Roh et al.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2012/0015226 A1), and further in view of Tajima (WO 2021106516 A1)
As claim 14, Kim et al. disclose the secondary battery according to claim 12. However, Kim et al. do not disclose that the coupling member includes an insulating material.
On the other hand, Tajima discloses a battery module (see e.g. element 1 in annotated Fig. 2 from Tajima) comprising a plurality of staked battery cells (see e.g. element 6 in annotated Fig. 2 from Tajima). Furthermore, Tajima also discloses restraining member (see e.g. element 4 in annotated Fig. 2 from Tajima) that restrains the battery cells (see e.g. “In a structure in which a plurality of power storage devices 6 are restrained by the restraint member 4, a load is applied to the restraint member 4 when the power storage device 6 expands” in Par. [0032]), which is understood as the coupling member for a person with ordinary skills in the art. Additionally, Tajima discloses that the restraining member contains an insulating sheet (see e.g. “the surface of the restraining member 4 is covered with the above-mentioned insulating sheet” in Par. [0036]).
Both Kim et al. and Tajima are analogous in the field of batteries, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art to add the restraining member containing an insulating material as taught by Tajima for tightly restraining the battery cells (see e.g. “By engaging the pair of restraint members 4 with the pair of end plates 10 in this way, the plurality of power storage devices 6 are restrained” in Par. [0028]) as suggested by Tajima. Therefore, adding the restraining member with an insulating material of Tajima to the stacked cells of Kim et al. corresponds to a coupling member that couples stacked electrode assemblies and includes an insulating material, as required by the claim.
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Annotated Fig.1 from Tajima (WO 2021106516 A1).
Conclusion
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/I.T.D./ Examiner, Art Unit 1723
/JEFFREY T BARTON/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1726 9 October 2026
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