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 Species 1a, Species 2a, and Species 3a in the reply filed on 05/18/2026 is acknowledged. Claims 6, 9, and 12 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 05/18/2026.
Applicant is reminded that upon the cancelation of claims to a non-elected invention, the inventorship must be corrected in compliance with 37 CFR 1.48(a) if one or more of the currently named inventors is no longer an inventor of at least one claim remaining in the application. A request to correct inventorship under 37 CFR 1.48(a) must be accompanied by an application data sheet in accordance with 37 CFR 1.76 that identifies each inventor by his or her legal name and by the processing fee required under 37 CFR 1.17(i).
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “electrode tab” a recited in Claim 8, the protruding portions of the compound electrode sheet in the wound cell which are “arranged at two ends of the wound cell” and the protruding portions of the compound electrode sheet in the laminated cell which are “arranged at any one or more side walls of the laminated cell” as recited in Claim 13 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
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. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. 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.
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 4-5, 10-11 and 13 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 4 recites, “the protrusion portion”. Since two protrusion portions are understood to be present (see Claim 1), it is unclear which of the two protrusion portions is referenced, if Applicant intends of the limitations of Claim 4 to limit each protrusion portion, or if the claim language should read “the protrusion portions” (emphasis added). As such, Claim 4 is rejected as being indefinite. For the sake of compact prosecution, the last interpretation will be applied to the claims, as supported by the instant specification [0011, 0069].
Claim 5 recites, “wherein the protrusion portion in each of the two single electrode sheets is one of a plurality of protrusion portions of the single electrode sheet” (emphasis added). Here the recitation of “each of the two single electrode sheets” followed by “the single electrode sheet” creates confusion in the claim. It could be interpreted that “the single electrode sheet” is intended to refer to one of “the two single electrode sheets”, or it could be interpreted that this limitation is intended to limit each of the single electrode sheets. As such, Claim 5 is rejected as being indefinite. For the sake of compact prosecution, the second interpretation will be applied to the claims, as supported by the instant specification [0072].
Claim 10 recites:
An electrode assembly, comprising:
electrode sheets; and
an isolation film;
wherein each of the electrode sheets comprises a compound electrode sheet comprising:
two single electrode sheets each comprising:
a current collector, provided with a main body and a protrusion portion, wherein the protrusion portion is arranged protruding out of the main body in an extension direction of the current collector; and
an active material layer, arranged on a surface of the main body;
wherein:
the protrusion portions of the two current collectors of the two single electrode sheets are fixedly connected; and
the active material layers of the two single electrode sheets are arranged opposite to each other. (emphasis added)
Here, the description of each of the electrode sheets and each of the single electrode sheets followed by reference to a particular electrode sheet creates confusion in the claim. For instance, it is understood that four single electrode sheets, four current collectors, four protrusion portions, and four active material layers are provided. However, the claim references “the protrusion portions of the two current collectors of the two single electrode sheets”, and later “the active material layers of the two single electrode sheets” (emphasis added), and it becomes unclear exactly which of the structures is referenced. For instance, it could be interpreted that any combination of two of the protrusion portions, current collectors, single electrode sheets, and active material layers satisfy the claim (e.g. one single electrode sheet of one compound electrode sheet and one single electrode sheet of another compound electrode sheet could be selected). Alternatively, it could be interpreted that the two single electrode sheets are intended to reference the two single electrode sheets of one of the compound electrode sheets. As such, Claim 10 and dependent Claims 11 and 13 are rejected as being indefinite. For the sake of compact prosecution, the second interpretation will be applied to the claims, as supported by Claim 1, Fig. 8, and [0006, 0019].
Claim 11 compounds on the issues noted in Claim 10 (see above). For instance “the compound electrode sheet” is unclear, since it is understood that at least two compound electrode sheets are present (i.e. one for each of the “electrode sheets”). Therefore it is unclear which compound electrode sheet is referenced, or if Applicant intends for the limitations of Claim 11 to limit each of the compound electrode sheets of Claim 10. Similarly, “the current collectors of the single electrode sheets” could be interpreted as laid out above in Claim 10. As such, Claim 11 is rejected as being indefinite. Since the later limitations of Claim 11 appear to reference a particular compound electrode sheet (i.e. Claim 11 requires “the isolation film” to be “arranged between the compound negative electrode sheet and the double-sided positive electrode sheet”, which appears to reference one, particular compound negative electrode sheet since “the isolation film” cannot be located between multiple positive / negative electrode sheets simultaneously), it will be interpreted that Claim 11 refers to one of the at least two compound electrode sheets referenced in Claim 10.
Claim 13 compounds on the issues noted in Claim 10 (see above). It is unclear which of the compound electrode sheets and which of the protruding portions are referenced by the limitations “the protruding portions of the compound electrode sheet”. As such, Claim 13 is rejected as being indefinite. The interpretation of Claim 13 is further complicated by the limitation “the protruding portions of the compound electrode sheet in the wound cell are arranged at two ends of the wound cell” (emphasis added) which appears to require the protruding portions of one compound electrode sheet to be spatially separated from one another at different ends of the wound cell. The Examiner notes that such a configuration appears contrary to previous requirement that the protruding portions are fixedly connected (Claim 10: lines 11-12), and it is not clear whether such a configuration is supported by the instant specification (e.g. Figs. 1 and 8 both have the protruding portion protruding in the same direction). For the sake of compact prosecution, it will be interpreted that Claim 13 refers to one of the compound electrode sheets of Claim 10, and the “the protruding portions” refer to the protruding portions of that compound electrode sheet, as supported by the language of Claims 10 and 11 and the instant specification [0020, 0089-0091].
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.
Claim(s) 1, 7-8, 10-11 and 13-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (US-20220302459-A1).
Regarding Claims 1 and 14, Yang discloses a secondary battery (secondary lithium battery 10; [0037, 0049]) as required by Claim 14 comprising a compound electrode sheet (double-sided negative electrode 18, Fig. 2; [0035, 0038, 0049]) as required by Claims 1 and 14, comprising (the Examiner notes that the following limitations apply to both Claims 1 and 14):
two single electrode sheets (corresponds to the current collector 36 and active material 34, and the current collector 36 and the active material 38; see annotation of Fig. 2, below; [0038, 0049]) each comprising (see annotation of Yang Figs. 1 and 2, below):
a current collector (36, Fig. 2), provided with a main body and a protrusion portion (see annotation of Yang Fig. 1, below), wherein the protrusion portion is arranged protruding out of the main body in an extension direction of the current collector (see annotation of Yang Fig. 1); and
an active material layer (34 and 38, Fig. 2), arranged on a surface of the main body [0038, 0049].
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Left: Annotation of Yang Fig. 2; Right: Annotation of Yang Fig. 1.
Yang depicts the current collectors (36, Fig. 1) as being connected via the protruding portions (i.e. in Fig. 1 the two single electrodes become a single connected structure at the protruding portions). Additionally, Yang discloses that the negative electrode current collectors are electrically connected to a negative polarity tab [0039].
Therefore, although Yang does not explicitly teach that the protrusion portions of the two current collectors of the two single electrode sheets are “fixedly connected”, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have fixedly connected the protrusion portions of the two current collectors of the two single electrode sheets, as strongly suggested by Yang, in order to successfully electrically connect the negative electrode current collectors to the negative polarity tab, with a reasonable expectation that such a configuration would result in a successful compound electrode sheet. Yang further discloses that the active material layers of the two single electrode sheets (34 and 38) are arranged opposite to each other (see Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 7, Yang renders obvious all of the limitations as set forth above. Yang discloses that the compound electrode sheet comprises:
a lithium layer (lithium metal layer 58, Fig. 2; [0041]);
wherein the current collectors of the two single electrode sheets are porous current collectors (porous metal layers; see Fig. 2; [0049]), the lithium layer is arranged between the main bodies of the two current collectors of the two single electrode sheets (see Fig. 2; [0049]), and the two single electrode sheets are negative electrode sheets [0039, 0049].
Regarding Claim 8, Yang renders obvious all of the limitations as set forth above. Yang discloses that the negative electrode current collectors may be electrically coupled to a negative polarity tab [0039], and therefore it is understood that the protruding portions of each of the single electrode sheets are connected to an electrode tab portion. Accordingly, it is understood that each of the current collectors is provided with “an electrode tab”, and the electrode tab “is arranged on a part of an end of the protrusion portion away from the main body” (see annotation of Yang Fig. 1, below).
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Annotation of Yang Fig. 1.
Regarding Claim 10, Yang discloses an electrode assembly (Fig. 1; [0038-0039]). Notably, although Yang discloses one double-sided negative electrode (18, Fig. 1), Yang discloses that multiple repeating units of double-sided negative and positive electrodes can be included in the battery [0039].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have provided the electrode assembly with multiple double-sided negative electrodes with a reasonable expectation that such a configuration would result in a successful electrode assembly. Accordingly, Yang renders obvious:
electrode sheets (corresponds to each of the double-sided negative electrode 18; see Figs. 1 and 2; [0038-0039]); and
an isolation film (porous separator layer 24; [0037, 0039-0040, 0042]);
wherein each of the electrode sheets comprises a compound electrode sheet comprising (see annotation of Yang Figs. 1 and 2, below):
two single electrode sheets (see annotation of Yang Fig. 2, below) each comprising:
a current collector (36, Fig. 2), provided with a main body and a protrusion portion (see annotation of Yang Fig. 1, below), wherein the protrusion portion is arranged protruding out of the main body in an extension direction of the current collector; and
an active material layer (34 or 38, Fig. 2), arranged on a surface of the main body [0038, 0049].
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Left: Annotation of Yang Fig. 2; Right: Annotation of Yang Fig. 1.
Yang depicts the current collectors (36, Fig. 1) as being connected via the protruding portions (i.e. in Fig. 1 the two single electrodes become a single connected structure at the protruding portions). Additionally, Yang discloses that the negative electrode current collectors are electrically connected to a negative polarity tab [0039].
Therefore, although Yang does not explicitly teach that the protrusion portions of the two current collectors of the two single electrode sheets are “fixedly connected”, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have fixedly connected the protrusion portions of the two current collectors of the two single electrode sheets, as strongly suggested by Yang, in order to successfully electrically connect the negative electrode current collectors to the negative polarity tab, with a reasonable expectation that such a configuration would result in a successful compound electrode sheet.
Yang further discloses that the active material layers of the two single electrode sheets (34 and 38) are arranged opposite to each other (see Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 11, Yang renders obvious all of the limitations as set forth above. Yang discloses that:
the compound electrode sheet is a compound negative electrode sheet [0038-0039] and further comprises a lithium layer (lithium metal layer 58, Fig. 2; [0041]);
wherein the current collectors of the two single electrode sheets are porous current collectors (porous metal layers; see Fig. 2; [0049]);
the lithium layer is arranged between the main bodies of the current collectors of the two single electrode sheets (see Fig. 2; [0049]);
the electrode assembly further comprising:
a double-sided positive electrode sheet (20, Fig. 1; [0038-0039])
wherein the isolation film (24, Fig. 1) is arranged between the compound negative electrode sheet (18, Fig. 1) and the double-sided positive electrode sheet (20, Fig. 1; [0039, 0042]).
Regarding Claim 13, Yang renders obvious all of the limitations as set forth above. Yang discloses that the electrode assembly may be assembled in the form of a stack, using a variety of cell stacking processes [0039]. An electrode assembly in the form of a stack is interpreted as reading on a “laminated cell” as evidenced by the instant specification [instant specification: 0089]. The protruding portion of the compound electrode sheet in the laminated cell are arranged at any one or more side walls of the laminated cell (i.e. the protruding portions are provided at the top side of the laminated cell; see Fig. 1).
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (US-20220302459-A1), as applied to Claim 1, above, and in view of Hosaka et al. (US-20130059179-A1).
Regarding Claim 2, Yang renders obvious all of the limitations as set forth above, including that the protrusion portions of the two current collectors are fixedly connected (see rejection of Claim 1, above). Yang does not teach the method of fixedly connecting the two current collectors, and therefore does no teach that the protrusion portions are fixedly connected through an adhesive layer.
Hosaka teaches that adjacent current collectors of two laminated bodies can be successfully bonded via a conductive adhesive such as a double-sided adhesive tape [0048].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have fixedly connected the protrusion portions of the current collectors of Yang via a layer of double-sided conductive adhesive tape as taught by Hosaka with a reasonable expectation that such a configuration would result in a successful connection between adjacent current collectors. A double-sided conductive adhesive tape reads on “an adhesive layer”.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (US-20220302459-A1), as applied to Claim 1, above, and in view of Busacca et al. (US-20200212493-A1).
Regarding Claim 3, Yang renders obvious all of the limitations as set forth above, including that the protrusion portions of the two current collectors are fixedly connected (see rejection of Claim 1, above). Yang does not teach the method of fixedly connecting the two current collectors, and therefore does no teach that the protrusion portions are fixedly connected through welding.
Busacca teaches that current collector ends may be attached to a separate adjacent current collector via various methods including welding [0240, 0322, 0541].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have fixedly connected the protrusion portions of the current collectors of Yang via welding as taught by Busacca with a reasonable expectation that such a configuration would result in a successful connection between adjacent current collectors.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (US-20220302459-A1), as applied to Claim 1, above, and in view of Busacca et al. (US-20200212493-A1) and in view of Hong et al. (US-20030232243-A1).
Regarding Claim 4, Yang renders obvious all of the limitations as set forth above, including that the protrusion portions of the two current collectors are fixedly connected (see rejection of Claim 1, above). Yang does not teach the method of fixedly connecting the two current collectors, and therefore does no teach “a welding area of the protrusion portions” (see 112(b) rejection/interpretation, above).
Busacca teaches that current collector ends may be attached to a separate adjacent current collector via various methods including welding [0240, 0322, 0541].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have fixedly connected the protrusion portions of the current collectors of Yang via welding as taught by Busacca with a reasonable expectation that such a configuration would result in a successful connection between adjacent current collectors. Accordingly, modified Yang renders obvious “a welding area of the protrusion portions”.
Modified Yang does not teach “an insulating layer” which wraps the welding area.
Hong teaches a plurality of grids (reads on current collectors) which are welded together to form a welded portion (145, Fig. 7E; [0062, 0066]). The welded portion can be wrapped with an insulating tape (147, Fig. 7F) in order to protect the battery from a short-circuit [0067].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have added insulating tape surrounding the welding area of the protrusion portion of Yang as taught by Hong with a reasonable expectation that such a configuration would result in a successful compound electrode sheet capable of reducing the risk of short-circuit. The insulating tape surrounding the welding area reads on “an insulating layer”.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (US-20220302459-A1), as applied to Claim 1, above, and in view of He et al. (US-20160020481-A1).
Regarding Claim 5, Yang renders obvious all of the limitations as set forth above. Although Yang teaches that the electrodes are formed into a stack, and that the current collectors can be connected to respective tabs [0039], Yang does not teach that the protrusion portion in each of the two single electrode sheets is one of a plurality of protrusion portions of each of (see 112(b) interpretation, above) the single electrode sheets.
He teaches a similar stacked electrode structure [0002, 0020-0021, 0036, 0044]. He teaches that each active material is positioned on each current collector [0020-0021, 0036] such that exposed portions are formed at each end of each respective current collector (see annotation of He Fig. 1, below). One exposed portion is connected to an electrode tab [0031]. The exposed portions read on protruding portions.
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Annotation of He Fig. 1.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have provided each of the current collectors of Yang with an exposed portion at either end of the current collector with a reasonable expectation that such a configuration would result in a successful compound electrode capable of use in a stacked battery. Such a configuration would reasonably be expected to facilitate positioning of the electrode material on the current collectors, since He depicts the exposed portions as having a distinct shape (see Fig. 1). Furthermore, it has been held that a simple substitution of one known element for another to obtain predictable results supports a prima facie case of obviousness (MPEP 2143, B). By providing exposed portions at either end of each of the electrode sheets, modified Yang renders obvious that “the protrusion portion” (i.e. the protrusion portion connected to the electrode tab) “in each of the two single electrode sheets is one of a plurality of protrusion portions of the single electrode sheet” (i.e. one of the two protrusion portions of each single electrode sheet) “that are spaced apart from each other” (i.e. located at opposite ends of each current collector).
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (US-20220302459-A1) as applied to Claim 14, above, and in view of Sugita et al. (WO-2013038677-A1; see attached English translation for citations).
Regarding Claim 15, Yang renders obvious all of the limitations as set forth above. Although Yang discloses a lithium secondary battery [0001, 0006-0007, 0018, 0037], Yang does not explicitly teach an electrical device comprising the secondary battery.
Sugita teaches that lithium-ion secondary batteries are being explored for their ability to hold greater energy and be repeatedly charged and discharged (Pg. 2, first two paragraphs), and can be used as a power source for portable electronic device such as power tolls, electric vehicles, and the like (Pg. 35, second to last paragraph).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have provided a portable electronic device (reads on electrical device) comprising the lithium secondary battery accordingly to Claim 14, with a reasonable expectation that such a configuration would result in a successful electrical device.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DREW C NEWMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-9873. The examiner can normally be reached M - F: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jonathan Leong can be reached at (571)270-1292. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/D.C.N./Examiner, Art Unit 1751
/Haroon S. Sheikh/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1751
Prosecution Insights