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 .
BATTERY ADHESIVE-APPLYING DEVICE AND BATERY ADHESIVE-APPLYING METHOD
Examiner: Adam Arciero S.N. 18/531,433 Art Unit: 1727 September 24, 2026
DETAILED ACTION
The Application filed on December 06, 2023 have been received. Claims 1-15 are currently pending and have been fully considered.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “the adhesive-applying detection mechanism configured to…”; “a defective product receiving mechanism configured to…”; “a transfer mechanism configured to...”; and “a conveying line configured to…” in claim 1.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhang et al. (CN 114671239 A; as found in IDS dated 05/30/2024 and using machine translation for citation purposes).
As to Claim 1, Zhang discloses a battery-adhesive applying device 10, comprising: reinspection camera assembly 800 (adhesive-applying detection mechanism); a defective battery cell recovery box 940 (a defective product receiving mechanism); an automatic unloading mechanism 106 and battery cell unloading robot assembly 920 (transfer mechanism); and a tray automatic supply mechanism 105 (conveying line) (Fig. 1-2, 7-8 and paragraphs [0062 and 0068]). In addition, the courts have held that apparatus claims cover what a device is, not what a device does, and functional claim language that is not limited to a specific structure covers all devices that are capable of performing the recited function. See Hewlett-Packard Co. v. Bausch & Lomb Inc., 909 F.2d 1464, 1469, 15 USPQ2d 1525, 1528 (Fed. Cir. 1990), MPEP 2114, II and see In re Translogic Technology, Inc., 504 F.3d 1249, 1258, 84 USPQ2d 1929, 1935-1936 (Fed. Cir. 2007), MPEP 2114, IV. The device of Zhang is intrinsically configured to perform the claimed functions given that the structure of the prior art and the claimed invention are the same, see MPEP 2112.
As to Claim 2, Zhang discloses wherein the defective product receiving mechanism 940 is configured to discharge the battery (reads on a discharging line) to the conveying line 105 (intrinsically at an angle; since the angle is not defined in the claim) (Fig. 1-2 and 7). In addition, the courts have held that apparatus claims cover what a device is, not what a device does, and functional claim language that is not limited to a specific structure covers all devices that are capable of performing the recited function. See Hewlett-Packard Co. v. Bausch & Lomb Inc., 909 F.2d 1464, 1469, 15 USPQ2d 1525, 1528 (Fed. Cir. 1990), MPEP 2114, II and see In re Translogic Technology, Inc., 504 F.3d 1249, 1258, 84 USPQ2d 1929, 1935-1936 (Fed. Cir. 2007), MPEP 2114, IV. The device of Zhang is intrinsically configured to perform the claimed functions given that the structure of the prior art and the claimed invention are the same, see MPEP 2112.
As to Claim 3, the conveying line of Zhang intrinsically comprises a preset length between the adhesive-applying detection mechanism and the transfer mechanism (Fig. 1-2 and 7).
As to Claim 12, Zhang discloses a battery-adhesive applying method, comprising: a battery cell loading step S101; a battery cell sorting step S102; a battery cell hot pressing step S103; a battery cell positioning step S104; a battery cell gluing step S105; a battery cell inspection step S106: where a four-axis robot assembly 500 transfers the taped cell on the workpiece gluing placement seat to the re=inspection camera assembly 800, which identifies the status of the taped battery cell; sending a defective product signal; a battery cel unloading step S107: wherein the tray automatic supply mechanism (conveyor line) transfers the empty tray to the unloading area, the battery cell unloading robot assembly 920 places the taped cell in the defective battery recovery box 940 (transfer mechanism) and the tray unloading robot assembly 910 transfers the tray to the full tray receiving assembly 930 after judging the tray is full (Fig. 1-2 and paragraphs [0142-0148]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-11 and 13-15 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the closest prior art of record, Zhang, does not specifically disclose, teach, or fairly suggest, wherein: the adhesive-applying detection mechanism is arranged on a first rack of the conveying line, and the transfer mechanism is arranged on a second rack of the conveying line (claim 4); or wherein: the adhesive-applying detection mechanism comprises: a first frame arranged across the conveying line; a first longitudinal guide rail arranged on the first frame and parallel to the conveying line; and a vision system arranged on the first longitudinal guide rail and capable of moving along the first longitudinal guide rail, the vision system being used for detecting a battery on the conveying line (claim 5); or wherein: the transfer mechanism comprises a battery grabbing member and a second frame, and the battery grabbing member is capable of moving on the second frame in a direction parallel to the conveying line and a direction perpendicular to the conveying line, and is capable of moving in a vertical direction such that the battery grabbing member is allowed to be aligned with a battery unqualified in adhesive-applying on the conveying line and aligned with the defective product receiving mechanism (claim 7); or wherein: detecting the adhesive-applying result of the battery by the adhesive-applying detection mechanism comprises: collecting dimension information of an adhesive-applying strip and dimension information of the battery using the adhesive-applying detection mechanism, and determining whether or not to generate a detection result of being unqualified based on a comparison of the collected dimension information of the adhesive-applying strip with the collected dimension information of the battery (claim 13).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ADAM ARCIERO whose telephone number is (571)270-5116. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00-5 ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Barbara Gilliam can be reached at (571)272-1330. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ADAM A ARCIERO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1727
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