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 .
This office action is a response to an application filed 09/01/2023, in which claims 1-20 are pending and ready for examination.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Examiner has considered the references listed on the Information Disclosure Statement submitted on 05/26/2025.
Examiner Notes
Examiner cites particular columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
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 1-3, 8-17 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Patent Publication No. 2022/0140309 to Hu et al., (hereinafter Hu)
Regarding claim 1, Hu discloses an electrode thickness control (Correcting for thickness in electrode rolling, see P24, title, Hu) method, comprising:
obtaining an initial thickness (An electrode sample to be manufactured obtains an initial thickness prior to be inserted for rolling, see P88-89, Fig. 3, p92, p98, 17, 84, 101-103, Hu) and a target thickness of a to-be-rolled electrode (An electrode sample to be manufactured to be inserted for rolling is has a target thickness, for example the target thickness to be maintained in the process of manufacturing by rolling, see p7-8, p96, 85, 84, Hu);
controlling, according to the initial thickness and the target thickness, a target device to roll the to-be-rolled electrode (Rollers are controlled to roll an electrode with an initial thickness to be rolled by introducing into the rollers with gap space in view of achieving and maintained a target thickness, see p7-8, 84, P88-89, p54-56, Fig. 3, p77, 84-85, p77, p96, 54-55, 63, Hu);
obtaining first thickness change data of the to-be-rolled electrode, second thickness change data of a rolled electrode formed through rolling, and current rolling speed data of the target device (A first and second thickness change are obtained, indicative of space thickness in compensation of speed changes applied to a to-be-rolled electrode, such as in accelerating and decelerating and, where a current initial speed of roller is also obtained, see p57, 63, 66, 67, 97-100, 70, P88-89, p54-56, 103, Hu);
and adjusting, according to the first thickness change data, the second thickness change data, or the current rolling speed data, a current rolling pressure or a current rolling temperature of the target device, to cause a thickness of the rolled electrode to reach the target thickness (Thickness change data indicative of space thickness in compensation of speed changes applied to a to-be-rolled electrode, are used to adjust the gap space that affects pressing pressure so as to cause the rolled electrode to reach a target uniform thickness, see p77, p57, 63, 54,84-85, 97-100, 70, P88-89, 66, p54-56, 103, p7-8, Hu).
Regarding claim 2, Hu discloses all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Hu further discloses wherein the adjusting, according to the first thickness change data, the second thickness change data, or the current rolling speed data, the current rolling pressure or the current rolling temperature of the target device comprises: adjusting the current rolling pressure of the target device according to the first thickness change data and a preset first pressure adjustment policy (A adjustment of a space for pressing of target rollers is done according to the determined speed change data affecting thickness and according to a preset compensation adjustment policy in relation to said data, see p77, Fig. 5, Fig. 8, p57, 63, 54,84-85, 97-100, 70, P88-89, 66, p54-56, 103, p7-8, Hu); the first pressure adjustment policy comprises: each time a thickness of the to-be-rolled electrode increases by one first target thickness value, the current rolling pressure of the target device is controlled to correspondingly increase by one first target pressure value (Adjustment policy is such that when a to be rolled thickness will increase, for example as a result of lesser force due to acceleration to increase speed in steps, then the current pressure is controlled to increase by correspondingly reducing space gap of rollers, see p63, p77-79, Fig. 5, Fig. 8, p57, 63, 54,84-85, 97-100, 70, P88-89, 66, p54-56, 103, p7-8, Hu); or each time a thickness of the to-be-rolled electrode decreases by one first target thickness value, the current rolling pressure of the target device is controlled to correspondingly decrease by one first target pressure value (Adjustment policy is such that when a to be rolled thickness will decrease, for example as a result of lesser force due to deceleration to decrease speed in steps, then the current pressure is controlled to decrease by correspondingly increasing space gap of rollers, see p63, p77-79, Fig. 5, Fig. 8, p57, 63, 54,84-85, 97-100, 70, P88-89, 66, p54-56, 103, p7-8, Hu).
Regarding claim 3, Hu discloses all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Hu further discloses wherein before the adjusting the current rolling pressure of the target device according to the first thickness change data and the preset first pressure adjustment policy, the method further comprises: inputting the first target thickness value to a preset first calculation formula to perform calculation, and outputting the first target pressure value by the first calculation formula, the first calculation formula comprises: Fc1Tc1, wherein Fc1 is the first target pressure value, and Tc1 is the first target thickness value (Adjustment policy is such that prior to an adjustment, a calculation is performed by inputting the needed speed change that is a thickness change value so as to obtain an output of the amount of pressure value needed as represented by a space change value, see p77-79, Fig. 5, Fig. 8, 63, p57, 63, 54,84-85, 97-100, 70, P88-89, 66, p54-56, 103, p7-8, Hu).
Regarding claim 8, Hu discloses all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Hu further discloses wherein the adjusting, according to the first thickness change data, the second thickness change data, or the current rolling speed data, the current rolling pressure or the current rolling temperature of the target device comprises: adjusting the current rolling pressure of the target device according to the current rolling speed data and a preset third pressure adjustment policy (A adjustment of a space for pressing of target rollers is done according to the a speed and according to a preset compensation adjustment policy in relation to said data, see p77, Fig. 5, Fig. 8, p57, 63, 54,84-85, 97-100, 70, P88-89, 66, p54-56, 103, p7-8, Hu), the third pressure adjustment policy comprises: each time a current rolling speed of the target device is greater than a preset rolling speed threshold by one target speed value, the current rolling pressure of the target device is controlled to correspondingly decrease by one third target pressure value (Adjustment policy is such that when speed increases, then the current pressure is controlled by correspondingly reducing space gap of rollers by a set amount, see p63, p77-79, Fig. 5, Fig. 8, p57, 63, 54,84-85, 97-100, 70, P88-89, 66, p54-56, 103, p7-8, Hu); or each time a current rolling speed of the target device is less than the rolling speed threshold by one target speed value, the current rolling pressure of the target device is controlled to correspondingly increase by one third target pressure value (Adjustment policy is such that when speed decreases, then the current pressure is controlled by correspondingly increases space gap of rollers by a set amount, see p63, p77-79, Fig. 5, Fig. 8, p57, 63, 54,84-85, 97-100, 70, P88-89, 66, p54-56, 103, p7-8, Hu).
Claim 9 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 8.
Claim 10 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 8.
Claim 11 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 8.
Claim 12 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 8.
Claim 13 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 8.
Claim 14 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 8.
Regarding claim 15, Hu discloses all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Hu further discloses wherein before the adjusting the current rolling pressure of the target device according to the current rolling speed data and the preset third pressure adjustment policy, the method further comprises: inputting the current rolling speed to a preset fourth calculation formula to perform calculation, and outputting the third target pressure value through the fourth calculation formula, the fourth calculation formula comprises: Fc3=α*(Speed1-Speed2), wherein Fc3 is the third target pressure value, α is a pressure adjustment coefficient, Speed1 is the preset rolling speed threshold, and Speed2 is the current rolling speed (Adjustment policy is such that prior to an adjustment, a calculation is performed by inputting the needed speed change between two speed values so as to obtain an output of the amount of pressure value needed as represented by a space change value, see p78-79, Fig. 5, Fig. 8, 63, p57, 63, 54,84-85, 97-100, 70, P88-89, 66, p54-56, 103, p7-8, Hu).
Regarding claim 16, Hu discloses a control system, comprising target device and a control apparatus, wherein the control apparatus is electrically connected to the target device (Rollers are controlled automated, software computing device, thus the implication of a target device and a control apparatus electrically connected to the target device, see 40-41, 81, Fig. 3, p7-8, 84, P88-89, p54-56, p77, 84-85, p77, p96, 54-55, 63, Hu), and the control apparatus is configured to execute an electrode thickness control method (Correcting for thickness in electrode rolling, see P24, title, Hu), the electrode thickness control method comprises:
Claim 16 is further rejected on the same grounds as claim 1.
Claim 17 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 2.
Claim 20 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 8.
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.
Claims 4 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hu, in view of US Patent Publication No. 2021/0394246 to Terasawa et al., (hereinafter Terasawa).
Regarding claim 4, Hu teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Hu further teaches wherein a second thickness change data comprises thickness change data of a rolled electrode in a first direction, and the first direction is a direction in which the rolled electrode is transferred in the target device (A second thickness change is obtained, indicative of space thickness in compensation of speed changes applied to a to-be-rolled electrode in a direction that transfers the electrode through target rollers, see Fig. 3, p57, 63, 66, 67, 97-100, 70, P88-89, p54-56, 103, Hu); adjusting, according to a first thickness change data, a second thickness change data, or a current rolling speed data, a current rolling pressure or a current rolling temperature of the target device comprises: adjusting the current rolling pressure of the target device according to the thickness change data and a preset second pressure adjustment policy (An adjustment of a space for pressing of target rollers is done according to the determined speed change data affecting thickness and according to a preset compensation adjustment policy in relation to said data, see p77, Fig. 5, Fig. 8, p57, 63, 54,84-85, 97-100, 70, P88-89, 66, p54-56, 103, p7-8, Hu); the second pressure adjustment policy comprises: each time the thickness of the rolled electrode increases by one second target thickness value in the first direction, the current rolling pressure of the target device is controlled to correspondingly increase by one second target pressure value (Adjustment policy is such that when a to be rolled thickness will increase, for example as a result of lesser force due to acceleration to increase speed in steps, then the current pressure is controlled to increase by correspondingly reducing space gap of rollers, see p63, p77-79, Fig. 5, Fig. 8, p57, 63, 54,84-85, 97-100, 70, P88-89, 66, p54-56, 103, p7-8, Hu); or each time the thickness of the rolled electrode decreases by one second target thickness value in the first direction, the current rolling pressure of the target device is controlled to correspondingly decrease by one second target pressure value (Adjustment policy is such that when a to be rolled thickness will decrease, for example as a result of lesser force due to deceleration to decrease speed in steps, then the current pressure is controlled to decrease by correspondingly increasing space gap of rollers, see p63, p77-79, Fig. 5, Fig. 8, p57, 63, 54,84-85, 97-100, 70, P88-89, 66, p54-56, 103, p7-8, Hu).
Hu does not explicitly teach a thickness change data comprises length.
However, Terasawa from the same or similar field of electrode rolling, teaches a thickness change data comprises length (A length measurement used in a thickness calculation data for a pressure correction, see 37-38, 41, 47, Terasawa).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the electrode rolling and control as described by Hu and incorporating length, as taught by Terasawa.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better consider thickness change in a more comprehensive manner by considering that thickness changes in a length direction (see p4-5, 37-38, 41, 47, Taresawa).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Hu and Terasawa teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Hu further teaches wherein before an adjusting a current rolling pressure of a target device according to a thickness change data and a preset second pressure adjustment policy, a method further comprises: inputting a second target thickness value to a preset second calculation formula to perform calculation, and outputting a second target pressure value by the second calculation formula, the second calculation formula comprises: Fc2Tc2, wherein Fc2 is the second target pressure value, and Tc2 is the second target thickness value (Adjustment policy is such that prior to an adjustment, a calculation is performed by inputting the needed speed change that is a thickness change value so as to obtain an output of the amount of pressure value needed as represented by a space change value, see p77-79, Fig. 5, Fig. 8, 63, p57, 63, 54,84-85, 97-100, 70, P88-89, 66, p54-56, 103, p7-8, Hu).
Terasawa further teaches a thickness change data comprises length (A length measurement used in a thickness calculation data for a pressure correction, see 37-38, 41, 47, Terasawa).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the electrode rolling and control as described by the combination that includes Hu and incorporating length, as taught by Terasawa.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better consider thickness change in a more comprehensive manner by considering that thickness changes in a length direction (see p4-5, 37-38, 41, 47, Taresawa).
Claim 18 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 4.
Claims 6 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hu, in view of Terasawa, and in further view of US Patent Publication No. 2023/0163268 to Yushin et al., (hereinafter Yushin).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Hu and Terasawa teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Hu further teaches wherein a target device comprises a roller (Rollers, see Fig. 3, Hu); an adjustment policy comprises: each time a thickness of a region of a rolled electrode increases by one third target thickness value, current rolling of rolling regions of two rollers corresponding to the region are controlled to correspondingly increase by one target value (Adjustment policy is such that when a to be rolled thickness will increase, then the current pressure is controlled to increase by correspondingly reducing space gap of rollers on a region, see p63, p77-79, Fig. 5, Fig. 8, p57, 63, 54,84-85, 97-100, 70, P88-89, 66, p54-56, 103, p7-8, Hu); or each time a thickness of a region of the rolled electrode decreases by one third target thickness value, a current rolling of the rolling regions of two rollers corresponding to the region are controlled to correspondingly decrease by one target temperature value (Adjustment policy is such that when a to be rolled thickness will decrease, then the current pressure is controlled to decrease by correspondingly increasing space gap of rollers on a region, see p63, p77-79, Fig. 5, Fig. 8, p57, 63, 54,84-85, 97-100, 70, P88-89, 66, p54-56, 103, p7-8, Hu).
Terasawa further teaches a roller comprises a plurality of rolling regions arranged sequentially in a second direction (a second direction such as width in a sequence, see Fig. 4A, p4, p28, Terasawa), and the second direction is an axial direction of the roller (Width is on a roller axis, see Fig. 1, 82-83, Terasawa), the rolled electrode comprises a plurality of width regions arranged sequentially in the second direction (Widths in a sequence, see Fig. 6A-B, 97, Fig. 7B, p102, Fig. 4A, p4, p28, Terasawa), and in a process of transferring a rolled electrode, one of the width regions corresponds to one of the rolling regions, and the second thickness change data comprises a plurality of pieces of width and thickness change data corresponding to the plurality of width regions (Widths in a sequence of rolling an electrode, and where width is used in determining thickness for correction change, see Abs., Fig. 6A-B, 97, Fig. 7B, p102, Fig. 4A, p4, p28, Terasawa); and the adjusting, according to the first thickness change data, the second thickness change data, or the current rolling speed data, the current rolling pressure or the current rolling temperature of the two target devices comprises: adjusting current rolling of the plurality of rolling regions of each roller according to the plurality of pieces of width and thickness change data and a preset temperature adjustment policy (Widths and length considered in adjusting pressure when rolling an electrode, see Abs., 37-38, 41, 47, Fig. 6A-B, 97, Fig. 7B, p102, Fig. 4A, p4, p28, Terasawa).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the electrode rolling and control as described by the combination that includes Hu and incorporating width, as taught by Terasawa.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better consider thickness change in a more comprehensive manner by considering that thickness changes in a width direction (see p4-5, 37-38, 41, 47, Taresawa).
Hu does explicitly teach current rolling temperature corresponding to each of a rolling regions is
independently controlled; adjusting current rolling temperature;
However, Yushin from the same or similar field of electrode rolling, teaches current rolling
temperature corresponding to each of rolling regions is independently controlled (A series of hot object regions such as rolls that can be at different temperatures, see p82, p81, 9, Yushin); adjusting current rolling temperature (Rolling can be adjusted to a temperature, see p56-57, 60, 9, p82, p81, Yushin).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the electrode rolling and control as described by the combination that includes Hu and incorporating consideration of temperature, as taught by Yushin.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better fabricate electrodes with a desired composition quality while maintaining pressure at a roller (see p9, p56-57, 60, 9, p82, p81, Yushin).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Hu, Terasawa, and Yushin teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Hu further teaches wherein before an adjusting a current rolling of a plurality of rolling regions of each of rollers according to a plurality of pieces of thickness change data and a preset adjustment policy, the method further comprises: inputting a third target thickness value to a preset third calculation formula to perform calculation, and outputting a target value by the third calculation formula (Adjustment policy is such that prior to an adjustment, a calculation is performed by inputting the needed change that is a thickness so as to obtain an output of a amount of value needed, see p77-79, Fig. 5, Fig. 8, 63, p57, 63, 54,84-85, 97-100, 70, P88-89, 66, p54-56, 103, p7-8, Hu).
Terasawa further teaches a thickness change data comprises length (Widths in a sequence of rolling an electrode, and where width is used in determining thickness for correction change, see Abs., Fig. 6A-B, 97, Fig. 7B, p102, Fig. 4A, p4, p28, Terasawa).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the electrode rolling and control as described by the combination that includes Hu and incorporating width, as taught by Terasawa.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better consider thickness change in a more comprehensive manner by considering that thickness changes in a width direction (see p4-5, 37-38, 41, 47, Taresawa).
Yushin further teaches a calculation formula comprises: TempcTc3, wherein Tempc is a target temperature value, and Tc3 is a target thickness value (Rolling is calculated at adjusted pressure and temperature, see Fig. 9, p56, p60, p82, Fig. 6, Yuishin)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the electrode rolling and control as described by the combination that includes Hu and incorporating consideration of temperature calculation, as taught by Yushin.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better fabricate electrodes with a desired composition quality while maintaining pressure at a roller (see p9, p56-57, 60, 9, p82, p81, Yushin).
Claim 19 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 6.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Terasawa et al., US. Patent Publication No. 2023/0033169 teaches a roll device and control that calculate and changes setting values of compression mechanisms.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EMILIO J SAAVEDRA whose telephone number is (571)270-5617. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9:30am-5:30pm (EST).
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/EMILIO J SAAVEDRA/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2117