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 I, claims 3-4, in the reply filed on 05/01/2026 is acknowledged. Claims 8 and 9 are currently withdrawn.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5, and 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Shangguan et al (CN214254666).
Regarding claims 1-3 and 5, Shangguan teaches an electrode assembly comprising at least one first pole piece which comprises a first main body portion and a first tab wherein the first main body portion has a first end portion in a first direction and the first tap is connected to the first portion. The first pole piece further comprises a first insulating portion wherein the first insulating portion comprises a first covering area and a first connection area connected to the first covering area. The first pole piece also comprises a third insulating portion wherein the third insulating portion is connected to the first main body portion and at least covers some of a third end portion so that the risk of a burr puncturing a separator is reduced and safety performance is improved. The first insulating portion and the third insulating portion are respectively located at two tail ends of the pole piece. The first main body portion further comprises a first protective layer and the first protective layer is coated on a surface of a first current-collecting area and is connected to a first active material layer. The first protective layer is located on one side of the first active material layer that is close to the first tab in the first direction. The first protective layer is an insulating layer. A second protective layer is provided at the root portion of the first tab that is close to the first main body portion. The second protective layer can improve the insulation performance of the root portion of the first tab that is close to the first main body portion and the first and second protective layers are integrally formed (0052-0111 and figures).
Regarding claims 10-11, Shangguan teaches a power consumption device including a battery including the electrode assembly discussed above (abstract).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 6, and 7 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the closest prior art is considered to be Shangguan et al (CN214254666), as discussed above.
Shangguan neither teaches nor renders obvious the first and third insulation portions comprising a polymer and ceramic as in instant claim 4 or the first insulating portion comprising a polymer as claimed in instant claim 6, from which instant claim 7 depends.
Conclusion
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/SARAH A. SLIFKA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1759 June 15, 2026
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