/2026DETAILED 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
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.
(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, 5, 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Sudo et al. (US20190348665)
As to claim 1, Sudo et al. disclose an electrode body (see e.g. negative electrode in Par. 29, Fig 2), comprising:
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Fig 2 of Sudo et al.
a substrate serving as a collector (see e.g. metal foil 41 in Fig 2 as current collector in Par. 29),
a mixture layer formed on the substrate and containing an electrode active material (see e.g. a negative electrode active material is applied over a current collector as an integrated negative electrode active material layer by a negative electrode binder in Par. 28, negative electrode active materials layer 42 in Par. 30 & Fig 2, negative electrode can be mixture of metal or alloys in Par. 45, or positive electrode in Par. 29); and
an insulation layer formed on the substrate adjacent to the mixture layer, the insulation layer containing an insulative material (see insulating layer is a slurry composition comprise non-conductive particles and electrochemical stable in Par. 64-65, 45 in Fig 2),
wherein in an interfacial region of the mixture layer and the insulation layer, the mixture layer extends over and overlaps the insulation layer that covers a surface of the substrate, and an interfacial surface of the insulation surface interfacing the mixture layer includes undulations having an undulation width (see e.g. undulating interfacial between 42 and 45 in Fig 2, Sudo disclose that the adhesion property increases since the adhesion area between the insulating layer and the negative electrode active layer increases, which in turn, decreases the risk of delamination occurring at said adhesion area. This increase in surface area occurs due to the formation of an undulated surface in the insulating layer in Par. 29-31) that is greater than a particle size of the electrode active material(see e.g. Sudo et al. further disclose that the average length RSm is not smaller than the particle diameter constituting the negative electrode active material layer active material layer in the vicinity of the boundary between the insulating layer and the negative electrode active material layer in Par. 37)
As to claim 5. Sudo et al discloses the electrode body according to claim 1, wherein the insulation layer has a thickness at troughs of the undulations (see e.g. RSm is 40 μm or less in Par. 102, 20 μm or 40 μm in table 1-2) that is greater that the particle size of the insulative material (see e.g. the average particle diameter of the inorganic particles is preferably in the range of 0.005 to 10 μm in Par. 69).
As to claim 7. Sudo et al discloses the electrode body according to claim 1, wherein the mixture layer is a positive electrode active material layer (see e.g. positive electrode in Par. 29).
As to claim 8. Sudo et al discloses a rechargeable battery comprising the body electrode according to claim 1(see e.g. secondary battery in Par. 27).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 3-4, 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sudo et al. (US20190348665)
As to claim 3. Sudo et al discloses the electrode body according to claim 1, wherein the undulation width ranges from 20 to 120 μm, inclusive (see e.g. RSm is 40 μm or less in Par. 102).
In the case where the claimed ranges "overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art" a prima facie case of obviousness exists. In re Wertheim, 541 F.2d 257, 191 USPQ 90 (CCPA 1976) per MPEP 2144.05.
As to claim 4. Sudo et al discloses the electrode body according to claim 1, wherein the undulations occupy the interfacial surface (see.e.g the boundary between the negative electrode active material layer 42 and the insulating layer 45 is defined by a parameter “L-value”. “L-value” is defined as a ratio La/Lb, that is a ratio of the length La of the boundary between active material layer and insulating layer relative to the reference length Lb. It is considered that as the L-value is large; the adhesion property increases since the adhesion area between the insulating layer and the negative electrode active material is larger. Therefore, the L-value is preferably 1.25 or more, more preferably 1.45 or more).
Although Sudo et al. does not explicitly disclose the occupy ratio to be 20% or more, it would have been obvious for person with ordinary skills in the art to modify the undulation interface between the electrode active materials and insulating to be 20% or more in order to increase the adhesion property in between electrode active materials and insulating layer as suggested in Sudo et al..
Furthermore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skills in the art to change in size/proportion In re Rose, 220 F.2d 459, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955); In re Rinehart, 531 F.2d 1048, 189 USPQ 143 (CCPA 1976) per MPEP 2144.04
As to claim 6. Sudo et al does not explicitly disclose the electrode body according to claim 1, wherein the undulations are arranged within a range of 200 μm from a distal end of the mixture layer extending over and overlapping the insulation layer
However it would have been obvious for person with ordinary skills in the art to modify the undulation interface between the electrode active materials and insulating cover as much as possible of the insulating layer in order increase the adhesion property in between electrode active materials and insulating layer as suggested in Sudo et al..
Furthermore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skills in the art to change in size/proportion In re Rose, 220 F.2d 459, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955); In re Rinehart, 531 F.2d 1048, 189 USPQ 143 (CCPA 1976) per MPEP 2144.04
Claims 2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sudo et al. (US20190348665), and further in view of Park et al. (US20210104748).
As to claim 2, Sudo et al does not discloses the electrode body according to claim 1, wherein the undulation width ranges from 5 to 30 times the particle size.
Park teaches an electrode active material with an average particle diameter of 1 μm to 30 μm in order to achieve superior battery properties (see Par. 99).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the particle size of the electrode active material of Sudo et al. to have average particle diameter of 1 μm to 30 μm as taught by Park in order to achieve superior battery capacity as suggested by Park in Par. 99.
Since Sudo et al. in view of Park et al. discloses the undulation width can be 40 μm or less in Par. 102 of Sudo et al., and average particle diameter of 1 μm to 30 μm in Par. 99 of Park et al. The undulation width ranges from more than 1.33 to 40 times the particle size. This range overlaps with claimed undulation width ranges from 5 to 30 times the particle size. Claim limitation is met.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. MORISHIMA et al. (JP-2013093238).
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WILLIAM JOHI. WINCHESTER
Examiner
Art Unit 1711
/TONG GUO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1723
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