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 with traverse of Species C in the reply filed on May 14, 2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that requiring election among the three identified species does not materially reduce the search and/or examination burden, because the presently pending claims do not expressly recite the more specific insulation-layer coverage distinctions used to distinguish between the species. This is not found persuasive because fewer cell/electric apparatus need to be searched at this moment, and examination of the configurations of figures 2-3 and 6-7 does not need to be undertaken.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on August 23, 2023 and January 13, 2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: 13. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: the reference character 13 is mentioned in the description but not in the drawings.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-2, 4-6, 9, 11-15 and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jin (US Pub. No. 2020/0266475).
Regarding claims 1, 12 and 14, Jin teaches a cell, and an electrical apparatus comprising a working module such as an instrument, meter, or automotive electronics and a battery, where the battery supplies electric energy to the working module, and the battery comprises a cell, the cell comprising an electrode assembly 20, wherein the electrode assembly comprises: a first electrode plate 10a comprising a first current collector 11 and a first active substance layer 13 provided on a surface of the first current collector, wherein the first current collector further comprises a first uncoated foil area 117 without the first active substance layer; a second electrode plate 10b comprising a second current collector and a second active substance layer provided on a surface of the second current collector, wherein the second current collector further comprises a second uncoated foil area without the second active substance layer; and a separator 30 disposed between the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate; wherein, the electrode assembly is formed by winding the first electrode plate, the separator, and the second electrode plate in sequence; in a winding direction of the electrode assembly, each layer from a second layer of the first electrode plate to a second outermost layer of the first electrode plate comprises a first flat section, a first bent section and a second bent section; the first bent section and the second bent section are provided on two sides of the first flat section respectively; the first bent section and the second bent section are bent portions of two sides of each layer in the first electrode plate; the first uncoated foil area is provided on at least one of the first flat section; two sides of the first uncoated foil area are connected to the first bent section and the second bent section respectively; and in a length direction of the electrode assembly, the first uncoated foil area is not provided with the first active substance layer (paragraphs [0002], [0020] and [0051]-[0052]; figures 1 and 9).
Regarding claims 2 and 15, Jin teaches in a winding direction of the electrode assembly, each layer from a second layer of the first electrode plate to a second outermost layer of the second electrode plate comprises a first flat section, a first bent section and a second bent section; the first bent section and the second bent section are provided on two sides of the first flat section respectively; the first bent section and the second bent section are bent portions of two sides of each layer in the first electrode plate; the first uncoated foil area is provided on at least one of the first flat section; two sides of the first uncoated foil area are connected to the first bent section and the second bent section respectively; and in a length direction of the electrode assembly, the first uncoated foil area is not provided with the first active substance layer (paragraphs [0051]-[0052]; figure 9).
Regarding claims 4 and 17, Jin teaches that the uncoated foil area of the first and second electrode plates extends completely along the flat section of each respective electrode (figure 9), therefore the distance between the central symmetry line of the first or second uncoated foil area to the central symmetry line of the electrode assembly is equal to 0.
Regarding claims 5 and 18, Jin teaches that the first uncoated foil area is opposite to the second uncoated foil area (figure 9).
Regarding claims 6 and 19, Jin teaches that the uncoated foil area on the first and second electrodes extend to both ends of the flat section, and the ends are located at the same position (figure 9), equaling a claimed width of 0 mm.
Regarding claim 9, Jin teaches two surfaces of a winding start section of the first current collector are provided with the first active substance layer and two surfaces of a winding end section of the second current collector are each provided with the second active substance layer (figure 9).
Regarding claim 11, Jin teaches that surfaces of the first and second bent section are provided with the first active substance layer (figure 9).
Regarding claim 13, Jin teaches that the first flat section of the first electrode plate adjacent to the first uncoated foil area is provided with the first active substance layer (figure 9).
Claims 1-6, 9 and 11-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jing (CN 208298951U).
Regarding claims 1, 12 and 14, Jing teaches a cell, and an electrical apparatus comprising a working module such as an electrochemical device, where the battery supplies electric energy to the working module, and the battery comprises a cell, the cell comprising an electrode assembly 100, wherein the electrode assembly comprises: a first electrode plate comprising a first current collector and a first active substance layer 123 provided on a surface of the first current collector 111, wherein the first current collector further comprises a first uncoated foil area without the first active substance layer (115 and the side of 118 without active material); a second electrode plate 130 comprising a second current collector and a second active substance layer provided on a surface of the second current collector, wherein the second current collector further comprises a second uncoated foil area without the second active substance layer; and a separator 30 disposed between the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate; wherein, the electrode assembly is formed by winding the first electrode plate, the separator, and the second electrode plate in sequence; in a winding direction of the electrode assembly, each layer from a second layer of the first electrode plate to a second outermost layer of the first electrode plate comprises a first flat section, a first bent section and a second bent section; the first bent section and the second bent section are provided on two sides of the first flat section respectively; the first bent section and the second bent section are bent portions of two sides of each layer in the first electrode plate; the first uncoated foil area is provided on at least one of the first flat section; two sides of the first uncoated foil area are connected to the first bent section and the second bent section respectively; and in a length direction of the electrode assembly, the first uncoated foil area is not provided with the first active substance layer (machine translation at pages 1-2 and 4-8; figure 7).
Regarding claims 2 and 15, Jing teaches in a winding direction of the electrode assembly, each layer from a second layer of the first electrode plate to a second outermost layer of the second electrode plate comprises a first flat section, a first bent section and a second bent section; the first bent section and the second bent section are provided on two sides of the first flat section respectively; the first bent section and the second bent section are bent portions of two sides of each layer in the first electrode plate; the first uncoated foil area is provided on at least one of the first flat section; two sides of the first uncoated foil area are connected to the first bent section and the second bent section respectively; and in a length direction of the electrode assembly, the first uncoated foil area is not provided with the first active substance layer (machine translation at pages 4-8; figure 7).
Regarding claims 3 and 16, Jing teaches that the first coating region 118 is provided on only one side of the electrode (machine translation at page 4; figure 7), meeting the limitation of another surface of the first current collector opposite to the first uncoated foil area is provided with the first active substance layer.
Regarding claims 4 and 17, Jing teaches that the uncoated foil area of the first and second electrode plates extends completely along the flat section of each respective electrode (figure 7), therefore the distance between the central symmetry line of the first or second uncoated foil area to the central symmetry line of the electrode assembly is equal to 0.
Regarding claims 5 and 18, Jing teaches that the first uncoated foil area is opposite to the second uncoated foil area (figure 7).
Regarding claims 6 and 19, Jing teaches that the uncoated foil area on the first and second electrodes extend to both ends of the flat section, and the ends are located at the same position (figure 7), equaling a claimed width of 0 mm.
Regarding claim 9, Jing teaches two surfaces of a winding start section of the first current collector are provided with the first active substance layer and two surfaces of a winding end section of the second current collector are each provided with the second active substance layer (figure 7).
Regarding claim 11, Jing teaches that surfaces of the first and second bent section are provided with the first active substance layer (figure 7).
Regarding claim 13, Jing teaches that the first flat section of the first electrode plate adjacent to the first uncoated foil area is provided with the first active substance layer (figure 7).
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 7-8, 10 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jin or Jing as applied to claims 1 and 14 above, and further in view of He (US Pub. No. 2020/0044274).
Regarding claims 7-8 and 20, Jin teaches or suggests first and second tabs connected to the first and second uncoated foil areas (see figure 9 – slightly thicker lines on the uncoated areas), and Jing teaches first and second tabs 160 and 170 connected to the first and second uncoated foil areas (machine translation at page 6; figure 7) but Jin or Jing do not specifically disclose insulation layers provided in the first and second uncoated foil areas. He teaches providing an insulating adhesive over the top of electrode tabs (paragraph [0108]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use an insulating adhesive as taught by He over the electrode tabs of Jin or Jing in order to prevent punctures and avoid problems (see He at paragraph [0108]). Regarding claim 8, He teaches that the electrode tabs can be welded to the current collectors (paragraph [0097]).
Regarding claim 10, Jin teaches a fifth bent section (figure 9 – innermost bent section of the second current collector), and Jing teaches a fifth bent section (figure 7 – innermost bent section of the second current collector), but Jin and Jing do not specifically disclose that the fifth bent section does not overlap the winding start section of the first current collector – instead, Jin teaches a configuration where the first and second current collectors have a winding start right next to each other and Jing teaches a configuration where the first and second current collectors start on opposite sides but overlap in the thickness direction. However, it is well-known to configure the first and second current collectors starting separated in the thickness direction, as is shown, e.g., by He (see figures 1-14). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to configure a winding pattern as taught by He in the cell of Jin or Jing as a combination of prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results. Such a configuration would have the fifth bent section of the second current collector not overlap in the thickness direction the winding start of the first current collector.
Conclusion
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/P.N.S/ Examiner, Art Unit 1749 June 22, 2026
/KATELYN W SMITH/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1749
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