CTNF 18/517,785 CTNF 102029 Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Examiner Note It is noted that all references hereinafter to Applicant’s specification (“spec”) are to the published application US 2024/0088495-A1, unless stated otherwise. Further, any italicized text utilized hereinafter is to be interpreted as emphasis placed thereupon. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statements (IDS) filed 22NOV2023 are in compliance with 37 CFR 1.97 and have been considered. Claim Objections Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities. Suggested amendments for correction of each issue are indicated below as sub-bullets. [claim 7] – “bowl” is not clearly defined, but is adequately described in the specification as including a bottom part 20X and a sidewall part 20Y that are coupled to each other ([0018]). “the positive electrode containing member has a bowl shape, includes a first bottom part 10X and a first sidewall part 10Y coupled to each other [Figure 1] . . .” “the negative electrode containing member has a bowl shape, includes a second bottom part 20X and a second sidewall part 20Y [Figure 1] coupled to each other . . . “ Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim (s) 1-5 and 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Takahiro (JP-2018106836-A; “Takahiro”) . Regarding Claim 1 , Takahiro teaches an alkaline battery (last full paragraph of Page 2). Takahiro also teaches a positive electrode , a negative electrode , a casing with a frame-shaped member that surrounds the positive and negative electrode , and first and second tabular lid members that cover both openings of the frame-shaped member (Abstract). The positive and negative electrode containing members are indicated in the following annotated duplicate of Fig. 2 of Page 22 of Takahiro: PNG media_image1.png 762 809 media_image1.png Greyscale Fig. 2 of Page 22 of Takahiro, showing a sectional drawing of the sealed unit battery (first full paragraph of Page 9 of Takahiro) As demonstrated in Fig. 2 of Takahiro above, the positive electrode is contained in the positive electrode containing member and the negative electrode is contained in the negative electrode containing member. Moreover, the negative electrode and the frame-shaped member are contained inside the negative electrode containing member, as shown above in Fig. 2 of Takahiro. The first lid member (part of the negative electrode containing member ), which serves as the negative electrode terminal, contains the negative electrode and frame-shaped member . Takahiro teaches that the separator is disposed between the positive and negative electrode (first full paragraph of Page 3). Takahiro teaches that a side portion 19b ( the sealing member ) is provided so as to protrude substantially along the side 17b and covers a part of the outer peripheral surface of the frame-shaped member 17 (this is shown in Fig. 3 of Takahiro below and functions as the sealing member; because it covers a part of the outer peripheral surface and is not welded to the frame-shaped member, it is separated from the frame-shaped member ). In the embodiment of Takahiro, the side part 19b (the sealing member) is formed by bending the edge part formed integrally in each of the four sides of the main body part 19a at a substantially right angle in the direction toward the second lid member 21 (last paragraph of Page 2). Takahiro teaches that the sealing member is disposed between the positive electrode containing member and the negative electrode containing member and is separate from the frame-shaped member (last paragraph of Page 2) – the annotated part in Fig. 2 of Takahiro above matches this description. Takahiro demonstrates in the annotated Fig. 2 of Takahiro above that the positive electrode containing member and the negative electrode containing member are crimped to each other with the sealing member interposed between the positive electrode containing member and the negative electrode containing member . Furthermore, Takahiro teaches that the negative electrode mainly includes hydrogen storage alloy, the negative electrode active material, and an electrolyte made of an alkaline aqueous (electrolytic) solution (last full paragraph of Page 2). Finally, Takahiro teaches that the frame-shaped member surrounds the negative electrode and adjoins the separator (please see Fig. 2 of Takahiro above). PNG media_image2.png 662 796 media_image2.png Greyscale Fig. 3 of Page 22 of Takahiro, showing a sectional drawing of the sealed unit battery (first full paragraph of Page 9 of Takahiro) Regarding Claim 2, Takahiro teaches that the frame-shaped member is linked with, or adjoins, the negative electrode containing member. This is illustrated in Fig. 2 of Takahiro and Fig. 3 of Takahiro above. Regarding Claim 3, Takahiro teaches that the frame-shaped member (part 17 above ) is formed of an insulating material so as to insulate the first lid member 19 and the second lid member 21 (second full paragraph of Page 3), as shown in Fig. 3 of Takahiro above (the frame-shaped member has an insulating property). Both lid members are formed of conductive metal plates and are linked to the positive and negative terminal of the unit battery, meaning they are electrically connected and need insulation due to contact and opposite charges (second full paragraph of page 3 of Takahiro). Regarding Claim 4, Takahiro teaches that the frame-shaped member is made of an insulating material such as a modified polyphenylene ether (PPE) resin, polypropylene, modified polyphenylene oxide (PPO), modified polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) and flame retardant polycarbonate (PC)(polymer compounds) ( the frame-shaped member includes a polymer compound having an insulating property )(third full paragraph of Page 3). Regarding Claim 5, Takahiro teaches that the frame-shaped member is made of an insulating material such as polypropylene, which is a polyolefin (third full paragraph of Page 3). Regarding Claim 7 , Takahiro teaches a positive electrode containing member with a bowl shape , a first bottom part and a first sidewall part coupled to each other (please see Fig. 2 of Takahiro above with these parts labeled). The first opening is present when the positive and negative electrode plates are stacked such that they face each other (first full paragraph of Page 3). The first opening refers to the empty space before the separator and negative electrode plates have been linked but the positive electrode plate is present (first full paragraph of Page 3). The negative electrode containing member has a bowl shape , a first bottom part and a first sidewall part coupled to each other, with a first opening (please see Fig. 2 of Takahiro above with these parts labeled). The second opening is present when the positive and negative electrode plates are stacked such that they face each other (first full paragraph of Page 3). The second opening refers to the empty space before the separator and positive electrode plates have been linked but the negative electrode plates are present (first full paragraph of Page 3). The positive electrode and the negative electrode containing members are disposed to allow the first and second openings to face each other . The positive and negative electrode plates are stacked such that they face each other, filling the opening with the separator in between (first full paragraph of Page 3). The negative electrode containing member is partly placed inside the positive electrode container – this is shown by the pleated (bent) structure of the separator which causes overlap between the positive and negative electrode containers (please see Fig. 2 of Takahiro above which shows horizontal overlap of positive and negative electrodes and first paragraph of Page 3 of Takahiro). The first sidewall part and the second sidewall parts are crimped to each other with the sealing member interposed between the first sidewall and the second sidewall parts (please see Fig. 2 of Takahiro above). Regarding Claim 8, Takahiro teaches that the sealing member is extended along at least a portion of an inner surface of the second sidewall part (please see Fig. 2 of Takahiro above) . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action: A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made. 07-23-aia AIA The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows: 1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. 2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue. 3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art. 4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness. 07-21-aia AIA Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahiro (JP-2018106836-A; “Takahiro”) in view of Takahiro (JP-2010177116-A; “Takahiro (2010)”) and “A Practical Guide to Insert Molding.” Takahiro teaches the limitations of Claim 1 as discussed above. Takahiro teaches that the frame-shaped member (part 17 above ) is formed of an insulating material so as to insulate the first lid member 19 and the second lid member 21 (second full paragraph of Page 3), as shown in Fig. 3 of Takahiro above (the frame-shaped member has an insulating property). Takahiro does not teach that the frame-shaped member is made of a metal material. Takahiro (2010) teaches that both terminal metal plates and the resin frame-shaped member 7 are formed by resin-metal bonding using insert molding (second full paragraph of Page 7). Resin-metal bonding using insert molding is a manufacturing process that places a pre-formed metal component into the mold cavity before injecting molten plastic (or resin) around it ("A Practical Guide to Insert Molding," first full paragraph of Page 3). This would result in the frame-shaped member having parts of the body at the edges including a metal material, in which the insulating resin would cover it. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the alkaline battery of Takahiro by bonding the metal lid members 19 and 21 with the polymer resin of the frame-shaped member as taught by Takahiro (2010) and achieving the predictable result of covering a surface of the metal body with an insulating material. Takahiro and Takahiro (2010) each constitute prior art which is directly analogous to claimed invention (MPEP 2141.01(a)(I)). Resin metal bonding using insert molding is a common way to join metal and resin ("A Practical Guide to Insert Molding," first full paragraph of Page 3) and would create two layers that demonstrate water-tight sealing (second full paragraph of Page 7). Unlike the battery of Takahiro, the battery C alone has a sufficient sealing property (second full paragraph of Page 7), providing the motivation for incorporating this modification of the battery of Takahiro. If each battery C has sufficient sealing, this eliminates the need for fixing plates to seal the battery stack, as stated in Takahiro (2010) (last full paragraph of Page 6) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahiro (JP-2018106836-A; “Takahiro”) in view of Takahiro (JP-2010177116-A; “Takahiro (2010)”) . Takahiro teaches the limitations of Claim 7 as discussed above. Takahiro teaches a closed prismatic, rectangular unit battery (first full paragraph of Page 2). Takahiro does not teach specific dimensions to the rectangular battery, specifically a width to thickness ratio. Takahiro (2010) teaches a sealed square battery (Abstract) with a frame-shaped member (fifth full paragraph of Page 5). Regarding dimensions, Takahiro (2010) also teaches the dimension in the longitudinal direction Y of the frame-shaped member 7 is larger than the dimension in the longitudinal direction Y of the both terminal plates 3, 5, and both the terminal plates 3, 5 are located inside the frame-shaped member 7 (second full paragraph of Page 7). Moreover, the directions for the dimensions are in the Z direction for the width of the frame-shaped member and Y-direction for the thickness of the frame-shaped member (see annotated Fig. 1 of Takahiro (2010) below). PNG media_image3.png 232 763 media_image3.png Greyscale Fig. 1 of Page 22 of Takahiro (2010) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the alkaline battery of Takahiro by making the ratio of a width to a thickness of the alkaline battery of Takahiro approximately one as taught by Takahiro (2010). Takahiro and Takahiro (2010) each constitute prior art which is directly analogous to claimed invention (MPEP 2141.01(a)(I)). The square battery is shown above, where although not to scale, approximations regarding the ratio can be surmised to someone of ordinary skill in the art, when combined with the description, “square battery” (Abstract), where a square is defined as having equal sides. This would result in a value of approximately 1 which falls in the range of approximately 0.33 and less than or equal to 2.83 as specified in the claim, when combined with the motivation to reduce the volume of the battery (Takahiro (2010), second paragraph of Page 7) while also preventing leakage (Abstract). In this case, the dimensions of the battery must be considered, as they contribute to the volume. The ratio of the dimensions serves as a result-effective variable, affecting battery volume. A particular parameter can be recognized as a result-effective variable, i.e., a variable which achieves a recognized result, and the determination of the optimum or workable ranges of said variable might be characterized as routine experimentation (see MPEP 2144.05.II.B.). Finally, Takahiro (2010) states that the reduction of volume will improve the energy density of the battery module configured using the sealed rectangular battery, and the battery module can be stored in a narrow installation space (second full paragraph of Page 7). Pertinent Prior Art 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure : JP-2014002892-A to Kazuya – Teaches a means of determining the material of the frame-shaped member depending on the deflection temperature under load or the dielectric breakdown strength (third full paragraph of Page 6) Teaches specific sealing agents such as asphalt applied at the closed-loop valley formed between the adjacent ribs 3g and 3h (see Fig.5 of Kazuya below) of the frame-shaped member and the negative current collector (last paragraph of Page 5) PNG media_image4.png 435 789 media_image4.png Greyscale Fig. 5 of Page 25 of Kazuya Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM FADDOUL SAVAGE whose telephone number is (571)270-0315. The examiner can normally be reached 8a.m.-5p.m.. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Aaron Austin can be reached at 571-272-8935. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /W.F.S./ Examiner, Art Unit 1782 /AARON AUSTIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1782 Application/Control Number: 18/517,785 Page 2 Art Unit: 1782 Application/Control Number: 18/517,785 Page 3 Art Unit: 1782 Application/Control Number: 18/517,785 Page 4 Art Unit: 1782 Application/Control Number: 18/517,785 Page 5 Art Unit: 1782 Application/Control Number: 18/517,785 Page 6 Art Unit: 1782 Application/Control Number: 18/517,785 Page 7 Art Unit: 1782 Application/Control Number: 18/517,785 Page 8 Art Unit: 1782 Application/Control Number: 18/517,785 Page 9 Art Unit: 1782 Application/Control Number: 18/517,785 Page 10 Art Unit: 1782
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