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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted 10/13/2023 was received and has been considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 5 in prior art Fig. 1. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) 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. 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 12-13, 18, and 20 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 12 recites the limitation "the magnetic force" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim, as it is interpreted by the examiner that this magnetic force is different than the magnetic force is claim 1, as this magnetic force is in a specific direction as represented by the top arrow of fig. 3, and opposite in direction to the magnetic force referenced in claim 13.
Claim 13 recites the limitation "the magnetic force" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim, as it is interpreted by the examiner that this magnetic force is different than the magnetic force is claim 1, as this magnetic force is in a specific direction as represented by the bottom arrow of fig. 3, and opposite in direction to the magnetic force referenced in claim 12.
Claim 18 recites the limitation "the lower plate" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 20 recites the limitation "the upper plate" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-11, 14-17, and 19 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The closest pieces of prior art found during search and consideration were Yuhara et al. (U.S. 20140013597), Choi et al. (U.S. 20240243342), Harris et al. (U.S. 20230299328), and Ogata et al. (U.S. 20210091403), however each lacked limitations to read on claim 1.
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Yuhara disclosed primarily the same pressing jig configuration as claimed, as can be seen by the comparison of Yuhara’s Fig. 5C (left) with applicant’s Fig. 4 (right) below. However, the pressing jig of Yuhara is applied to separators surround an electrode plate to create an electrode via an assembly line. Therefore, modifying Yuhara to teach an applied current to create magnetic forces would be inappropriate, as the magnetic forces serve no purpose during electrode assembly.
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Choi discloses the applied current to an electrode assembly under a pressurized state to see effects during charging/discharging ([0040]; [0045]), however the overall pressure mechanism uses a pressurized fluid, rather than the pressing jig configuration claimed including two pluralities of plates and pressing mechanisms separated by a cell. There is no motivation for changing the entire pressure mechanism of Choi without rendering the purpose of the intended use of the invention ineffective.
Harris and Ogata each disclose pressing jogs closer to that of the claimed invention. However, Harris lacks the plurality of plates surround the pressing member, and both Harris and Ogata lack an applied current to create a magnetic force at the pressing mechanisms. Similar to the issue described above with Yuhara, implementing the applied current would be inappropriate in either of the prior arts, as the resulting magnetic force is not required to obtain the pressure sensing information gathered.
Due to the lack of prior art found during search and consideration, claim 1 is allowable.
Claims 12-13, 18, and 20 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JORDAN E BERRESFORD whose telephone number is (571)272-0641. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00 am - 5:00 pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Barbara Gilliam can be reached at (572)272-1330. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/J.E.B./Examiner, Art Unit 1727
/Maria Laios/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1727
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