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 Group I (claims 1-16) in the reply filed on 08/31/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 17-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Group II, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 08/31/2026.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Nishimura et al. (US 2006/0035152) (Nishimura).
Regarding claim 1, Nishimura discloses a battery (title) comprising: a power generation element (10) including a plurality of battery cells (15a+15b/15b’+16) each of which includes an electrode layer (15a), a counter-electrode layer (15b, 15b’), and a solid electrolyte layer (16) located between the electrode layer (15a) and the counter-electrode layer (15b, 15b’) (see Fig. 1; [0100]; [0153]), the plurality of battery cells (15a+15b/15b’+16) being electrically connected in parallel and stacked (see Fig. 1; [0113]); a first insulating member (18b) covering an electrode layer (15a) among the electrode layers (15a) at a first side surface (right side, Fig. 1) of the power generation element (10) (see Fig. 1; [0132]); and a first terminal electrode (17b) covering the first side surface (right side, Fig. 1) and the first insulating member (18b), and electrically connected to a counter-electrode (15b, 15b’) among the counter electrodes (15b, 15b’) (see Fig. 1; [0113]-[0114]; [0132]).
Regarding claim 2, Nishimura discloses all of the limitations as set forth above for claim 1. Nishimura further discloses that the counter-electrode layer (15b, 15b’) includes: a counter-electrode current collector (12b); and a counter-electrode active material layer (14b) located between the counter-electrode current collector (12b) and the solid electrolyte layer (16) (see Fig. 1; [0103]), at the first side surface (right side, Fig. 1), the counter-electrode current collector (12b) protrudes relative to the counter-electrode active material layer (14b), and the first terminal electrode (17b) is in contact with a main surface of the counter-electrode current collector (12b) (see Fig. 1; [0103]-[0104]; [0110]-[0114]).
Regarding claim 3, Nishimura discloses all of the limitations as set forth above for claim 2. Nishimura further discloses that at the first side surface (right side, Fig. 1), the counter-electrode active material (14b) is recessed relative to the electrode layer (15a), specifically the edges (11x) of the current collector sheet (13a) of the electrode layer (15a) (see Fig. 1; [0103]-[0104]).
Regarding claim 4, Nishimura discloses all of the limitations as set forth above for claim 2. Nishimura further discloses that an end surface (12y) of the counter-electrode current collector (12b) on the first side surface side (right side, Fig. 1) and an end surface (11x) of the electrode layer (15a) on the first side surface side (right side, Fig. 1) are aligned when viewed from a direction orthogonal to a main surface of the power generation element (10) (see Fig. 1; [0105]; [0110]-[0112]).
Regarding claim 5, Nishimura discloses all of the limitations as set forth above for claim 2. Nishimura further discloses that a thickness of the counter-electrode current collector (12b) is between 0.01 to 100 µm ([0129]). Nishimura further gives a specific example in which the counter-electrode current collector (either made of aluminum or copper) has a thickness of 0.1 µm ([0331]; [0335]; see also [0130]), which anticipates the claimed range of less than or equal to 20 µm.
Regarding claim 6, Nishimura discloses all of the limitations as set forth above for claim 1. Nishimura further discloses that at the first side surface (right side, Fig. 1), the first insulating member (18b) covers a part of a solid electrolyte layer (16) among the solid electrolyte layers (16) (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 7, Nishimura discloses all of the limitations as set forth above for claim 6. Nishimura further discloses that the solid electrolyte layer (16) is an electrically insulating material ([0153]). Thus, since the first insulating material (18b) is located on both sides of a protruding portion of the solid electrolyte layer (16) between part of the electrode layer (15a) and part of the counter-electrode layer (15b, 15b’) (see Fig. 1; [0132]), examiner can reasonably consider the protruding portion of the solid electrolyte layer (16) as being included in the first insulating member (18b) (see Modified Figure 1 below). As such, it is clear that Nishimura discloses that at the first side surface (right side, Fig. 1), the first insulating member covers from an electrode layer (15a) among the electrode layers (15b) to a part of a corresponding one of the counter-electrode layers (15b, 15b’) along a stacking direction of the power generation element (10) (see Modified Figure 1 below).
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Modified Figure 1, Nishimura
Regarding claim 8, Nishimura discloses all of the limitations as set forth above for claim 1. Nishimura further discloses a conductive member (12b) covering at least a part (11b) of a counter-electrode layer (15b, 15b’) among the counter-electrode layers (15b, 15b’) at the first side surface (right side, Fig. 1) (see Fig. 1; [0103]-[0104]; [0110]-[0111]).
Regarding claim 9, Nishimura discloses all of the limitations as set forth above for claim 1. Nishimura further discloses that at the first side surface (right side, Fig. 1), the first insulating member (18b) covers the electrode layer (15a) of each of the plurality of battery cells (15a+15b/15b’+16) (see Fig. 1; [0132]), and the first terminal electrode (17b) is electrically connected to the counter-electrode layer (15b, 15b’) of each of the plurality of battery cells (15a+15b/15b’+16) (see Fig. 1; [0113]-[0114]; [0132]).
Regarding claim 10, Nishimura discloses all of the limitations as set forth above for claim 9. Nishimura further discloses that the first insulating member (18b) covers an entire first side surface (right side, Fig. 1) of the active material layer (14a) of the electrode layer (15a) (see Fig. 1; [0132]-[0133]). Nishimura further discloses that the active material layer (14a) is in the form of a sheet that extends in a direction perpendicular to a plan view of the first side surface (right side, Fig. 1) (see Fig. 2; [0100]-[0102]). Therefore, even though Nishimura does not explicitly show a plan view of the first side surface (right side, Fig. 1), it is inherent that the first insulating member (18b) has a stripe shape in order for it to cover the entire first side surface of the active material layer (14a).
Regarding claim 11, Nishimura discloses all of the limitations as set forth above for claim 1. Nishimura further discloses that a second insulating member (18a) covering a counter-electrode layer (15b, 15b’) among the counter-electrode layers (15b, 15b’) at a second side surface (left side, Fig. 1) of the power generation element (10) (see Fig. 1; [0132]); and a second terminal electrode (17a) covering the second side surface (left side, Fig. 1) and the second insulating member (18a), and electrically connected to an electrode layer (15a) among the electrode layers (15a) (see Fig. 1; [0113]-[0114]; [0132]).
Regarding claim 12, Nishimura discloses all of the limitations as set forth above for claim 11. Nishimura further discloses that the electrode layer (15a) includes: an electrode current collector (12a); and an electrode active material layer (14a) located between the electrode current collector (12a) and the solid electrolyte layer (16) (see Fig. 1; [0103]), at the second side surface (left side, Fig. 1), the electrode current collector (12a) protrudes relative to the electrode active material layer (14a), and the second terminal electrode (17a) is in contact with a main surface of the electrode current collector (12a) (see Fig. 1; [0103]-[0104]; [0110]-[0114]).
Regarding claim 13, Nishimura discloses all of the limitations as set forth above for claim 12. Nishimura further discloses that at the second side surface (left side, Fig. 1), the electrode active material layer (14a) is recessed relative to the counter-electrode layer (15b, 15b’), specifically the edges (11y) of the current collector sheet (13b) of the counter-electrode layer (15b, 15b’) (see Fig. 1; [0103]-[0104]).
Regarding claim 14, Nishimura discloses all of the limitations as set forth above for claim 11. Nishimura further discloses that at the second side surface (left side, Fig. 1), the second insulating member (18a) covers the counter-electrode layer (15b, 15b’) of each of the plurality of battery cells (15a+15b/15b’+16) (see Fig. 1; [0132]), and the second terminal electrode (17a) is electrically connected to the electrode layer (15a) of each of the plurality of battery cells (15a+15b/15b’+16) (see Fig. 1; [0113]-[0114]; [0132]).
Regarding claim 15, Nishimura discloses all of the limitations as set forth above for claim 1. Nishimura further discloses that the first insulating member (18b) includes a resin ([0135]).
Regarding claim 16, Nishimura discloses all of the limitations as set forth above for claim 1. Nishimura further discloses a sealing member (11b) at the top and bottom surfaces of the power generating element (10) that does not cover at least a part of the first terminal electrode (17b) and seals the power generation element (10) (see Fig. 1; [0103]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRENDON C DARBY whose telephone number is (571)272-1225. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday: 7:30am - 5:00pm.
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/BRENDON CHARLES DARBY/Examiner, Art Unit 1749
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