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 .
Remarks
Claims 1 and 2 are as previously presented. Claims 1 and 2 are currently examined.
Status of Objections and Rejections
The rejection as set forth within the previous office action is maintained.
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.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and/or (a)(2) as being anticipated by Takahata (US 2014/0186702).
As to claim 1, Takahata discloses a power storage device (figure 1 #100, [0032]) comprising an electrode body of a flat wound type (figure 1 #200, [0032]), a case housing the electrode body therein (figure 1 #300, [0032]), and a positive terminal (figure 1 #420, [0049]), wherein
the electrode body of the flat wound type (figure 2 #200, [0032]) is formed by winding a strip-shaped positive electrode plate (figure 2 #220, [0033]) and a strip-shaped negative electrode plate (figure 2 #240, [0033]) with a pair of strip-shaped separators thereon in a flat shape (figure 2 #262 and #264, [0033]) around a winding axis (figure 2 letters WL, [0050]),
the positive electrode plate has a positive electrode body part in which a positive active material layer of a strip shape (figure 2 #223, [0034])
extending in a longitudinal direction is formed on a positive current collecting foil of a strip shape extending in the longitudinal direction (figure 2 #221, [0034]), and a positive electrode foil exposed portion that has a strip shape extending in the longitudinal direction along a peripheral edge on one side in a widthwise direction of the positive current collecting foil and that has no positive active material layer such that the positive current collecting foil is exposed (figure 2 #222, [0034]),
the electrode body of the flat wound type (figure 1 and 2 #200, [0033]) includes:
an electrode body main part in which the positive electrode body part of the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate oppose each other interposed with the separator therebetween (figure 2 the positive electrode body #220, the negative electrode body #240 and the separator #264 and #262, [0033]), and
a positive current collecting part in which the positive electrode foil exposed portion protrudes spirally from the electrode body main part to one side in an axial direction along the winding axis (figure 1 and 2 #222, [0034]),
the positive terminal is fixed to the case (figure 1 #420, it can be seen as being fixed to the case) and joined by ultrasonic welding to a laminated current collecting part in which portions of the positive electrode foil exposed portion are overlapped in an electrode body thickwise direction of the electrode body of a flat shape in the positive current collecting part of the electrode body (figure 1 #420 a, [0050]), and
when an outer surface of the electrode body (figures 1, 2 and 6 #200, [0033]),
a first virtual boundary surface that is orthogonal to the axial direction and that is provided virtually at a boundary between the electrode body main part and the positive current collecting part of the electrode body (figures 1, 2 and 6, the first virtual boundary is the location in which the positive electrode active material is stopped coating), and
a pair of second virtual boundary surfaces that are parallel to the axial direction and the electrode body thickwise direction and that are respectively provided virtually at boundaries between an electrode flat portion (figure 6, the flat portion is the center of the wound electrode body #200, the pair of virtual boundaries are the top and bottom portion on both sides of the flat portion and at the thickest portion), in which the positive electrode plate (figures 1 and 2 #220, [0033]), the negative electrode plate (figures 1 and 2 #240, [0033]), and the separators are overlapped so as to form a plate-like shape (figures 1 and 2, #264 and #262, [0033]), and a pair of electrode R portions, in each of which the positive electrode plate, the negative electrode plate, and the separators are overlapped so as to be curved in a semi-cylindrical shape, of the electrode body, intersect one another at four virtual intersections (figure 6, the top and bottom portions of the wound electrode assembly are in a semi-circle, the points in which the semi-circle would be completed are the four virtual intersections), and
out of the four virtual intersections, a position of a closest virtual intersection closest to a surface-welded portion that appears on an outer surface of the laminated current collecting part in a welded portion formed in the laminated current collecting part by the ultrasonic welding is defined as a reference position (figures 6, the top left defined virtual point would be the reference position, the weld is best seen in figure 1 #420 a),
the surface-welded portion has an outer periphery (figure 1 #420 a) having
an inner side extending in parallel to an electrode body widthwise direction orthogonal to the axial direction and the electrode body thickwise direction (figure 1 #420 a, the side of the weld the is closer to the center of the would electrode body, seen as the right side of the rectangle),
an outer side extending in parallel to the inner side and positioned on the one side in the axial direction with respect to the inner side (figure 1 #420 a, the side that is furthest away from the center of the wound electrode body, seen as the left side),
a closer side connecting an inside close endpoint out of two inside endpoints of the inner side closer to the reference position, and an outside close endpoint out of two outside endpoints of the outer side closer to the reference position (figure 1 #420 a, the side that is at the top, this side connects the inner side and the outer side and as it is at the top it is closer to the reference point then the bottom), and
a far side connecting an inside far endpoint out of the two inside endpoints farther from the reference position, and an outside far endpoint out of the two outside endpoints farther from the reference position (figure 1 #420 a, the bottom portion of the weld is the far side and is connecting the inner side and the outer side and is the furthest from the reference point),
the outside close endpoint of the outer side is positioned on one side from the winding axis toward the reference position in the electrode body widthwise direction with respect to the inside close endpoint of the inner side (figure 1 #420 a, the locations of the points as seen above), and
the closer side forms any one of a straight line connecting the inside close endpoint and the outside close endpoint and a line passing through a region farther from the reference position than the straight line (figure 1 #420 a, the points as defined, as the reference position is a point thus the line would be a region further).
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.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahata (US 2014/0186702).
St to claim 2, Takahata is silent to wherein, a dimension of the electrode body in the electrode body thickwise direction is 10 mm or more. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill within the art at the time of the effective filling date of the invention to adjust the thickness of the electrode body as a result effective variable as the thicker the electrode body the more windings thus the higher output the battery could achieve however, the thicker the electrode body the larger the battery and thus less portable (see MPEP 2144.05 II).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7/30/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The applicant argues the weld portion within figure 1 #420a of Takahata. This is discussed in Takahata [0050] as being a weld portion.
The applicant argues that it is apart of the electrode terminal. The examiner agrees. However it is the electrode terminal that is welded to the uncoated portions of the electrode.
The applicant argues that Takahata does not have a specific figure to the reference portion as the instant application. The examiner does not find this persuasive as the examiner explained the location and with the two two-dimensional figures are used to form a three dimensional figure.
The applicant argues that Takahata welded surface portion is a rectangle whereas the instant specification discloses a different shape. The examiner agrees however the instant shape is not claimed. The instant claimed invention uses a reference point, which can be any point. Therefore picking the point as stated by the examiner the claimed portions meet the claim limitation while still being a rectangle. The examiner would recommend further claiming the instant shape more specifically.
The applicant argues the result effective variable stating that it has to be known within the art at the time of the effective filling date of the invention. While the examiner thinks that it is obvious that more windings increase voltage and thickness the examiner has provided prior art Dannoura (US 2016/0056477) [0063] which shows that more windings will increase voltage. This is evidence to show that the result effective variable was not in error.
Therefore the examiner maintains the rejection.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRIAN R OHARA whose telephone number is (571)272-0728. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30 AM-3:30 PM EST M-F.
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, Miriam Stagg can be reached at 571-270-5256. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRIAN R OHARA/Examiner, Art Unit 1724
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