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 .
Response to Amendment
In response to the amendment received June 25, 2026:
Claims 1-2 are pending.
The previous prior art rejection have been withdrawn. However, a new prior art rejection has been made below for claim 2 in view of Kim et al. (US 2015/0295211). All changes to the rejection are necessitated by the amendment.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ito (JPWO 2017/159760) in view of Kim et al. (US 2015/0295211).
Regarding Claim 2, Ito teaches an energy storage element (Para. [0016]) (i.e. a power storage device) including a cover (Fig. 6a, #110) (i.e. case member) with an opening (Fig. 6a, #110a) (i.e. insertion hole) wherein the current collector (Fig. 6a, #230) (i.e. terminal member) is inserted (Para. [0063]) (i.e. a terminal member is inserted in the insertion hole of the case member), an intermediate member (Fig. 6d, #500) that is a resin injected between molds (i.e. insert-molded, see Para. [0066]) (i.e. insert-molded resin member) joined to the case member and terminal member (see Fig. 6d) while insulating the cover/lid from the terminal member (Para. [0037]) (i.e. while insulating between the case member and the terminal member) and fix the terminals to the lid/cover (Para. [0072]) (i.e. to fix the terminal member to the case member), the current collector (i.e. terminal) having a first plane (Fig. 6d, #211a) positioned along the outer surface of the lid/cover located outside the container (Para. [0043]) (i.e. the terminal member including a terminal outer portion located on an outer side of the case member, the terminal outer portion including a terminal top surface having an entirely exposed flat shape), the intermediate member having (i.e. the resin member including) a first intermediate section (Fig. 6d, #510) (i.e. resin outer frame portion, frame top portion) located on the outer side of the cover/lid (i.e. case member), having a frame shape that surrounds the current collector (i.e. terminal) outer portion of the current collector (i.e. terminal member), including a frame top surface flush with the terminal top surface of the current collector (i.e. terminal) outer portion (see Fig. 3, Fig. 6d & Para. [0043]).
Ito does not teach an annular groove provided within the frame top surface of the resin outer frame portion to form the frame top surface in a double-ring shape along an entire circumference of the resin outer frame portion.
However, Kim et al. teaches a first upper insulation member (Fig 3, #132) located on the outer side of a cap plate (Fig. 3, #150) (i.e. located on an outer side of the case member) comprising a second sealing groove (Fig. 3 and 5, #132c) formed on a top surface of the first upper insulation member in the form of an O-ring (Para. [0044]) (i.e. a member comprising an annular groove provided within the frame top surface of the outer frame portion to form the frame top surface of the outer frame portion to form a frame top surface in a double-ring shape along an entire circumference of the resin outer frame portion and an inner annular flat portion and an outer annular flat portion, which are formed in a double ring shape surrounding the top-surface contact portion, to form the frame top surface of the resin member).
The combination of second sealing groove on the top surface (forming a double-ring shape along an entire circumference of the outer frame portion) as taught by Kim et al., with the resin member in the method as taught by Ito et al., would yield the predictable result of an insulating member insulating the lid from the terminal (see Ito et al. – Para. [0037] and Kim et al. – Para. [0007]). Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the claimed invention was filed to combine second sealing groove on the top surface (forming a double-ring shape along an entire circumference of the outer frame portion) as taught by Kim et al., with the resin member as taught by Ito et al.as the combination would yield the predictable result of an insulating member insulating the lid from the terminal (see Ito et al. – Para. [0037] and Kim et al. – Para. [0007]). The combination of familiar elements is likely to be obvious when it does no more than yield predictable results. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395 – 97 (2007) (see MPEP § 2143, A.). Furthermore, the change of the frame top surface along an entire circumference of the resin outer frame portion to a double-ring shape with an annular groove provided within the frame top is a change in shape which is found to be obvious, as changes in shape claimed represent a design choice, and so a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention would have found that the change in shape did not sufficiently alter the device as a change in form or shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art, absent any showing of unexpected results. See re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1996) and MPEP § 2144.04(IV)B.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 1 is allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: none of the prior art alone, or in combination, appears to teach, suggest or render obvious the invention of at least claim 1.
Claim 1 teaches a method for producing a power storage device. Notably the claim requires a resin member including a resin outer frame portion located on the outer side of a case member, an annular groove provided within the frame top surface of the resin outer frame portion to form the frame top surface in a double-ring shape along an entire circumference of the resin outer frame portion, wherein the method comprising insert-molding the resin member, wherein the insert-molding the resin member is performed using a molding mold that includes an inner annular flat portion and an outer annular flat portion, which are formed in a double ring shape surrounding a top-surface contact portion, to form the frame top surface of the resin member and an annular protruding portion provided between the inner annular flat portion and the outer annular flat portion, to form the annular groove of the resin member. Kim et al. teaches a first upper insulation member (Fig 3, #132) comprising a second sealing groove (Fig. 3 and 5, #132c) formed on a top surface of the first upper insulation member in the form of an O-ring (Para. [0044]) (i.e. a member comprising an annular groove provided within the frame top surface of the outer frame portion to form the frame top surface of the outer frame portion to form a frame top surface in a double-ring shape along an entire circumference of the resin outer frame portion and an inner annular flat portion and an outer annular flat portion, which are formed in a double ring shape surrounding the top-surface contact portion, to form the frame top surface of the resin member). Kajita et al. teaches a rechargeable battery (i.e. power storage device) comprising a gasket which is resin injected using a mold (i.e. an insert-molded resin member) wherein the second mold comprises an annular projection (i.e. annular protruding portion). However, Kajita does not form an annular groove on a frame top surface. There is no teaching of insert-molding of the resin member is performed using a molding mold that includes an inner annular flat portion and an outer annular flat portion, which are formed in a double ring shape surrounding the top-surface contact portion, to form a frame top surface of the resin member. Thus, there is no teaching, suggestion or motivation to arrive at the claimed invention of claim 1 (a method for producing a power storage device including a resin member including a resin outer frame portion located on the outer side of a case member, an annular groove provided within the frame top surface of the resin outer frame portion to form the frame top surface in a double-ring shape along an entire circumference of the resin outer frame portion, wherein the method comprising insert-molding the resin member, wherein the insert-molding the resin member is performed using a molding mold that includes an inner annular flat portion and an outer annular flat portion, which are formed in a double ring shape surrounding a top-surface contact portion, to form the frame top surface of the resin member and an annular protruding portion provided between the inner annular flat portion and the outer annular flat portion, to form the annular groove of the resin member) in the prior art. Thus, none of the prior art alone or in combination renders obvious the invention of claim 1.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 2 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
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/ARMINDO CARVALHO JR./Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1729
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