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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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 7, 15, 19-20 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 7: Claim 7 recites “the second tab installation groove”. This phrase appears to be referring to “a second installation slot” recited in the second limitation of the claim, however, it lacks proper antecedent basis . For examination purposes, the phrase “a second installation slot” will be interpreted as “a second tab installation groove”.
Claim 15: Claim 15 recites “the second tab installation groove being covered with a fifth insulation layer, and a portion of the first insulation layer extending beyond the first edge and a portion of the fifth insulation layer extending beyond the first edge”. The phrase is indefinite because it is referencing a “fifth insulation layer” when there are no third or fourth insulation layers referenced in the claim. For examination purposes, the phrase “the second tab installation groove being covered with a fifth insulation layer, and a portion of the first insulation layer extending beyond the first edge and a portion of the fifth insulation layer extending beyond the first edge” will be interpreted as “the second tab installation groove being covered with a first insulation layer, and a portion of a second insulation layer extending beyond the first edge and a portion of the first insulation layer extending beyond the first edge”.
Claim 19: Claim 19 recites “an active material layer of the second electrode sheet directly opposite to the tab installation groove is covered with a third insulation layer”. The phrase is indefinite because it is referencing a “third insulation layer” when there are no first or second insulation layers referenced in the claim. For examination purposes, the phrase “an active material layer of the second electrode sheet directly opposite to the tab installation groove is covered with a third insulation layer” will be interpreted as “an active material layer of the second electrode sheet directly opposite to the tab installation groove is covered with an insulation layer”.
Claim 20: Claim 20 recites “an active material layer of the second electrode sheet directly opposite to the first groove is covered with a fourth insulation layer”. The phrase is indefinite because it is referencing a “fourth insulation layer” when there are no first, second or third insulation layers referenced in the claim. For examination purposes, the phrase “an active material layer of the second electrode sheet directly opposite to the first groove is covered with a fourth insulation layer” will be interpreted as “an active material layer of the second electrode sheet directly opposite to the first groove is covered with an insulation layer”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 1-6, 8, 16 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(2) as being anticipated by Shiu et al. (EP3151310A1).
Claim 1: Shiu, teaches a jelly-roll battery comprising alternating cathode and anode layers (i.e., electrode sheets) wound together wherein the cathode layer comprises an electrode sheet body provided a first contained notch with an extended uncoated cathode tab ( i.e., tab installation groove) and a contained notch with an uncoated cathode tab (i.e., a first groove), with a common cathode tab bonded to each uncoated cathode tab, wherein the notches are aligned and immediately opposite each other and disposed on opposite edges of the electrode sheet such that the first notch (i.e., tab installation groove) is on a first edge of the electrode sheet body, the second notch (i.e., first groove) is on the second edge of the electrode sheet body (Fig. 4B) [0005, 0035].
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Claim 2: As described above, Shiu teaches the first (i.e., tab installation groove) and second (i.e., first groove) contained notches are disposed directly opposite to each other on opposite edges of the electrode sheet. Shiu further teaches the notches are of similar length and width as shown in Fig 4B, such that the projection of the first groove on the first edge covers the same portion of a projection of the tab installation groove on the first edge.
Claim 3: as described above, Shiu teaches the first (i.e., tab installation groove) and second (i.e., first groove) contained notches are disposed directly opposite to each other on opposite edges of the electrode sheet and are of the same width and length wherein both grooves have openings along the edges the same size as the notches (Fig.4B).
Claim 4: Shiu teaches the cathode electrode sheet body comprises a current collector and a cathode active coating (i.e., active material layer) provided on one surface of the current collector, an area between the first (i.e., tab installation groove) and second (i.e., first groove) contained notches having an active material layer (Fig. 4B) [0015].
Claim 5: As shown in fig 4B., Shiu teaches the width of an active material layer between the tab installation groove and the first groove is greater than the sum of a width of the tab installation groove and a width of the first groove.
Claim 6: Shiu teaches the first contained notch (i.e., tab installation groove) with the uncoated cathode tab region wherein the exposed surface of the current collector forms the bottom of the groove (i.e., the tab installation groove), and the edges of the active material surrounding the groove form the three walls of the groove (i.e., the groove wall provided with an active material layer), leaving an opening on the edge of the electrode (i.e., first edge) (Figs, 1A and 4B).
Claim 8: As described above, Shiu, teaches the first contained notch (i.e., tab installation groove) and the second contained notch (i.e., first groove) wherein the tabs are extend from the current collector, such that the current collector is at the bottom of the groove [0028, 0035] (fig. 4B).
Claim 16: Shiu teaches an anode layer (1104) wherein a first groove (1122) is a through-groove running through the electrode sheet along a thickness direction of the electrode sheet.
Claim 18: Shiu, teaches a jelly-roll battery comprising alternating cathode and anode layers (i.e., electrode sheets) wound together, and separator layers disposed between each cathode layer (112) and anode layer (120) wherein the cathode layer is the electrode sheet described above (Fig. 1A, 1B11A) [0005, 0020].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
The factual inquiries 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.
Claims 7 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shiu et al. (EP3151310A1),and further in view of Hong et al. (CN111628142A).
Claims 7 and 9: Shiu teaches preparation of the electrode sheet, wherein the active material is formed on one side of the current collector and the tab installation groove is made by removing a portion of the active material on the current collector (Fig. 6) [0038]. Shiu also teaches a first groove disposed on the second edge of the electrode sheet opposite to the tab installation groove, and is structurally identical to the tab installation groove as described above.
Shiu does not teach an active material layer or a second tab installation groove on the other side of the current collector, opposite the tab installation groove or the first groove. However, Hong teaches a method of making a lithium ion battery pole piece (i.e., electrode sheet) (1) comprising a second welding groove (7) (i.e., tab installation groove) disposed on the other side of the current collector, opposite a first welding groove (5) (i.e., second tab installation groove), wherein both grooves are used for welding the lugs (i.e., tab) and the width of the first welding grove (5) (i.e., second tab installation groove) is greater than the width of the second welding groove (7) (i.e., tab installation groove). Hong teaches the grooves are different sizes to disperse the stress on the two sides of the electrode sheet during scraping of the active material to make the grooves, so as to prevent scratching the electrode sheet (Page 3 para 5, Page 2 para 1) (Fig. 2).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filling the instant invention to have modified Shiu ‘s electrode sheet by coating the both sides of the current collector with active material and making a second tab installation groove on the side of the current collector opposite to the tab installation groove or the first groove wherein the width of the second installation groove is greater than a width of the tab installation or the first groove to reduce stress exerted on the electrode sheet during the preparation of the grooves.
Claims 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shiu et al. (EP3151310A1),and further in view of Peng et al. (CN111682158A) and Guo et al. (US 2017 /0250392 Al).
Claim 10: Shiu teaches the electrode tab is welded to the common electrode tab (i.e., tab installation grove) [0033] and cathode material provided on one side of the current collector [0020, 0053] (Figs. 1B,4B). Shiu does not teach both surfaces of the current collector are provided with active material , or a welding spot on a side of the current collector away from the tab is covered by the active material layer. Peng teaches a method of welding a tab (30) to the current collector (20 ) by laser welding using a high-energy density laser beam as a heat source to weld the pole piece (i.e., electrode sheet) and the lug (i.e., tab) , wherein the part to be welded is a groove away from tab (30), located on the other side of the current collector, opposite the tab installation groove (Fig. 3 and 4) ( Page 4 para 18, Page 5 para 4). Peng teaches that this method overcomes problems commonly encountered in other methods such as ultrasonic welding such as needle-shaped welding bumps on the electrode sheet which can cause short circuiting, and false welding or over welding due to weld head wear (Page 4 para 16-18). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have welded the tab in the tab installation groove by irradiating a spot on the current collector in a groove opposite the tab installation groove with laser beam so that no protruding welding bumps are formed, and over welding of that tab and damage to the welding apparatus is prevented.
Shiu and Peng do not teach the welding spot is covered with active material, however, Guo teaches welding a tab to a current collector, wherein active material is coated onto the surface of the current collector and the surface of the imbedded tab in the groove after welding such that a diaphragm of active material layer is formed on the respective surfaces [0019, 0067, 0069] (Fig 5). Guo teaches that when active material layer is removed from the grooves, no energy contribution is made in this region thus lowering the energy density of the battery [0006]. Guo teaches a solution to this problem is to form an active material layer to cover the groove and the embedded portion of the tab [0063, 0067]. Filling the grooves with active material restores the capacity in the vicinity of the grooves and ensures that it is not wasted, thereby improving the capacity density of the battery [0023, 0069]. Additionally, insulating adhesive which can cause bulkiness would no longer be needed to cover the grooves to prevent short circuiting.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filling the instant invention to have modified the method of preparing Shiu’s electrode sheet by first welding the tabs onto the exposed portion of the current collector and then coating both sides of the current collector with active material so that the embedded tab and welding spot on the current collector is covered with active material to improve the capacity density of the battery.
Claim 11: As described above, Shiu in combination with Guo teach the cathode material is provided on both sides of the current collector and the first groove is on the same side as the tab installation groove such that the other surface of the current collector opposite to the first groove is provided with an active material layer.
Claims 12, 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shiu et al. (EP3151310A1),and further in view of Guo et al. (US20190097259A1).
Claim 12: Shiu teaches a tab installation groove and a first groove as described above in claim 1. Shiu does not teach the grooves are covered by insulation layers. However, Guo teaches a third insulating tape (T3) (i.e., first insulation layer) arranged the cathode tab accommodating groove, wherein the third insulating tape (T3) covering the cathode tab (4) and a part of the cathode tab accommodating groove (G31) around the cathode tab (4) [0047, 0072] (Figs. 1, 2(a)-2(c)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filling the instant invention to have modified Shiu ‘s electrode sheet by covering the tab accommodating groove with an insulation layer because Guo teaches such is an operable electrode.
Claim 19: Shiu teaches the electrode sheet comprises a layer of active material covering the current collector as described above. Shiu does not teach a surface of the active material covered by an insulation layer. Guo teaches a secondary battery cell comprising an insulating tape (T2) (i.e., third insulation layer) arranged on the cathode electrode opposite the anode tab accommodating groove, wherein the second insulating tape (T2) covers the entire region of the cathode electrode (3) that is aligned with the anode tab accommodating groove (G11) [0070] (Figs. 1-2(b), 4-5(b) and 7-S(b )).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filling the instant invention to have modified Shiu ‘s electrode sheet by covering the active material layer opposite to the tab accommodating groove with an insulation layer because Guo teaches such is an operable electrode.
Claim 20: Shiu teaches the electrode sheet comprises a layer of active material covering the current collector as described above. Shiu does not teach a surface of the active material covered by an insulation layer. Guo teaches a secondary battery cell comprising a cathode electrode (3) formed with a cathode groove (G33) opposite the anode head, wherein the cathode groove is located on a region of the cathode electrode (3) that is aligned with the anode head, and the first insulating tape (T1) covers the cathode groove (G33) [0066-0068] (Figs. 1, 2(a) and 2(b)), wherein the cathode groove (G33) is a penetration groove (i.e., a groove two openings and two side walls) [0061].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filling the instant invention to have modified Shiu ‘s electrode sheet by covering the active material layer opposite to the first groove with an insulation layer because Guo teaches such is an operable electrode.
Claims 13 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shiu et al. (EP3151310A1)and Guo et al. (US20190097259A1), as applied to claim 12, and further in view of Maruo et al (US20210013482A1).
Claim 13 and 15: Shiu teaches the (i.e., tab installation groove) is connected to a common tab as described above. Shiu does not teach a protruding second segment of the tab covered with a tab adhesive and an insulation layer. However, Maruo teaches a cathode electrode comprising of an exposed portion (12a) of the current collector (13) (i.e., tab installation groove) connected to a cathode lead (17) (i.e., tab) [0040] and a second portion on the other surface of the current collector (13b), opposite the tab installation groove (12a), that is not covered by active material (i.e., second tab installation groove) [0041],
wherein a cathode lead (17) (i.e., tab) has a portion connected to the cathode core (13) (i.e., the first segment) and a portion extending from the cathode core (13) (i.e., the second segment) covered by a first tape (31) (i.e., tab adhesive) adhered and wound around on the tab on the portion extending from the core (i.e., the second segment), and two second tapes (32) (i.e., first insulation layer and second insulation layer) sandwich the cathode electrode sheet (12) from respective sides in the thickness direction, so as to cover a portion of the tab (17) overlapping the tab installation groove (12a) including the portion on which the tab adhesive (31)is wound. The two second tapes (32) are adhered to each other at portions extending from both ends in the width direction of the cathode electrode (12). Maruo teaches the tapes (31 and 32) are made of insulating materials and are configured to prevent internal short circuiting [0042-0043] (Figure 3).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filling the instant invention to have made Shiu’s electrode sheet with the second installation tab covered with two bonded insulation layers, with one extending beyond the edge in order to prevent internal short-circuiting.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shiu et al. (EP3151310A1) and Guo et al. (US20190097259A1, as applied to claim 12, and further in view of Huh et al (US 20140255778 Al).
Claim 14: As described above, Shiu teaches a second contained notch (i.e., first groove) disposed on the second edge, opposite and identical in structure and functionality to the tab installation groove, wherein the common tab formed from the uncoated current collector extends beyond the second edge [0028, 0035] (fig. 4B). However, Shiu does not teach an insulation layer extending by a distance of less than 3 mm over from the second edge.
However, Huh teaches a cathode includes a cathode tab (20), formed by a portion of current collector (30) extending beyond the edge, coated with an insulation layer (40) on one side or both sides [0033] wherein a length ( ℓ ) is the extension length beyond the active material layer (Fig. 3A, 3B, 4) to reduce the possibility of a physical short circuit between a cathode and an anode due to cell deformation. Huh teaches that the of the length of the insulation layer may be in a range of 1 mm to 10 mm [0034, 0039]. Huh does not explicitly teach the length ( ℓ ) is less than 3mm, however, overlapping ranges have been held to support a case of obviousness (See MPEP 2144.05.I ).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filling the instant invention to have made Shiu’s electrode sheet with the first groove covered with an insulation layer extending less than 3mm beyond the edge to reduce the possibility of a physical short-circuit between a cathode and an anode due to cell deformation.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shiu et al. (EP3151310A1), and further in view of Guo et al (US2018190963A).
Claim 17: Shiu teaches the length of the first contained notch (tab accommodating groove) (L1) and the length of the second contained notch (i.e., first groove) (L2) are equal (L1 = L2) as described above. Shiu does not teach the actual dimensions of the grooves, the electrode sheet or the electrode tab. However, Guo ‘963 teaches a battery cell with a length of 72 mm (Z) and a width of 52 mm wherein the width of the anode tab receiving groove (1033) is 12 mm (D) and the length is 8 mm (L1), such that L1=0.1 x Z;
and the width of the tab (104 ) (W) is 6mm [0185], such that D=2.0 x W.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filling the instant invention to have made Shiu’s electrode sheet of length 72 mm comprising grooves of 8 mm long and 12 mm wide, and tabs of width 6 mm because Guo ‘963 teaches such is a functional electrode.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Dai et al. (CN105742565A) teaches a lithium ion battery pole piece (i.e., battery electrode sheet ), the pole piece includes a current collector (1) and an active material layer (3) attached to a surface of the current collector, and the active material layer is provided with a groove for inserting the tab (i.e., a tab installation groove with an opening), wherein the current collector (1) is at the bottom of the groove and the side wall of the groove is a cross section of the active material layer (i.e., groove wall of the tab installation groove is provided with an active material layer), wherein the thickness of the active material layer gradually decreasing at a cross section of at least one of the side walls (page 2, para 8) (Fig. 4 (II)).
Dai also teaches a method of making an electrode tab wherein a current collector covered with active material and comprising an adhesive covering the reserved tab region is exposed to heat and adhesive with active material is removed, thereby exposing the surface of the current collector to form a tab reserved where tabs are welded onto (page 4 para 5), wherein the non-reserved surface on the current collector, away from the tab remains with active material.
Hao et al. (US 20230076412) teaches covering a cut portion (24) of an electrode plate formed by cutting the current collector to prevent burrs of the cut portion from damaging the electrode plate during winding [0018, 0094-0095] .
Kazushi et al. (JP6859059B2) teaches a lithium ion secondary battery electrode comprising a tab installation groove, and a notch recesses disposed on different edges of the electrode.
Shao et al. (US20200313196A1) teaches the segment of the electrode tab (30) that protrudes from the tab installation groove (21) is provided with tab adhesive (40) (Figs.1 and 3).
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/L.N.R./Examiner, Art Unit 1712
/MICHAEL B CLEVELAND/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1712
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