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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yokoyama et al. (US 2017/0203377 A1, hereinafter Yokoyama).
Re Claim 1. Yokoyama teaches a system (Fig. 1) for a battery manufacturing process (intended use), comprising:
a housing (item 4) defining a chamber (inside of item 4) adapted to receive an electrode substrate (functional limitation);
a vacuum system (item 11) fluidly coupled to the housing (Fig. 1) and operable to remove particles in the chamber via suction (functional limitation);
an induction dry-cool system (items 2 & 3) including one or more coils (items 2a & 3a) provided in the chamber, wherein the one or more coils are operable to heat the electrode substrate via induction during a dry operation and to reduce temperature of the electrode substrate during a cooling operation (functional limitation); and
a control system (item 6) configured to control the vacuum system and the induction dry-cool system during the dry operation and the cooling operation (Fig. 1).
Re Claim 2. Yokoyama teaches wherein, for the dry operation, the control system is configured to: control power to the one or more coils until a desired thermal profile is obtained for the electrode substrate, and activate the vacuum system to induce suction in the chamber (para. 73 & 74).
Re Claim 3. Yokoyama teaches wherein: the one or more coils define an internal fluid path (item 3a) ; and during at least a portion of the dry operation, the control system is configured to circulate coolant through the internal fluid path to control a temperature of the one or more coils (para. 73 & 74).
Re Claim 4. Yokoyama teaches wherein: the one or more coils define an internal fluid path (item 3a), for the cooling operation, the control system is configured to stop power to the one or more coils, and during at least a portion of the cooling operation, the control system is configured to circulate coolant through the internal fluid path (para. 73 & 74).
Re Claim 5. Yokoyama teaches wherein the one or more coils (item 2a) are adapted to be in a non-contact proximity to the electrode substrate (Fig. 1) to induce current at the electrode substrate during the dry operation (functional limitation).
Re Claim 6. Yokoyama teaches wherein: the one or more coils (item 3a) defines an internal fluid path, during at least a portion of the dry operation, the control system is configured to circulate coolant through the internal fluid path to control temperature of the one or more coils, for the cooling operation, the control system is configured to stop power to the one or more coils, and during at least a portion of the cooling operation, the control system is configured to circulate coolant through the internal fluid path to reduce the temperature of the electrode substrate (para. 73 & 74).
Re Claim 7. Yokoyama teaches further comprising: a cooling system (item 13) fluidly coupled to the housing to inject a cooling agent into the chamber, wherein the control system is configured to control the cooling system to inject the cooling agent into the chamber during the cooling operation (para. 73 & 74).
Re Claim 8. Yokoyama teaches wherein the cooling agent is nitrogen (para. 72).
Re Claim 9. See rejections of claims 1 and 2, in combination.
Re Claims 10 and 11. See rejections of claims 3 and 5, respectively.
Re Claim 12. See rejections of claims 1 and 6, in combination.
Re Claims 13-15. See rejections of claims 6-8, respectively.
Re Claim 16. See rejections of claims 1, 2 and 4, in combination.
Re Claims 17-20. See rejections of claims 7, 8, 3, and 5, respectively.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892.
The rejections above rely on the references for all the teachings expressed in the text of the references and/or one of ordinary skill in the art would have reasonably understood from the texts. Only specific portions of the texts have been pointed out to emphasize certain aspects of the prior art, however, each reference as a whole should be reviewed in responding to the rejection, since other sections of the same reference and/or various combinations of the cited references may be relied on in future rejections in view of amendments.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEVIN E YOON whose telephone number is (571)270-5932. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9 AM- 5 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Keith Walker can be reached at 571-272-3458. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KEVIN E YOON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1735
6/1/2026
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