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 of Group I, drawn to a lithium battery, claims 1-5, 11, and 13-15 in the reply filed on 06/25/2026 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Claims 6-10 and 12 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Group II, drawn to a method of preparing a battery, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 06/25/2026.
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 3, 13, 14, and 15 are 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 3 recites “the fastener”, “the substrate”, and “the sealing ring” lack antecedent basis. Further clarification and appropriate correction is required.
Claim 13, 14, 15 recites “the first connection portion” lacks antecedent basis. Further clarification and appropriate correction is required.
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.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (CN 206461044 U, Machine Translation) in view of Wang (US 20230335868 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Chen discloses a lithium battery (See Figs. 1-5 [0002]), comprising a housing (9), a positive electrode cover plate component (1, see Fig. 3), a positive electrode connecting sheet (6, see Fig. 3), a negative electrode cover plate (11), a negative electrode connecting sheet (10), a cell electrode group (8) located in the housing (9), and a sealing ball (3 [0030]), wherein a positive electrode end of the cell electrode group (8) is connected ([0023]) with the positive electrode connecting sheet (6), a negative electrode end of the cell electrode group (8) is connected [0023] with the negative electrode connecting sheet (10), a side of the positive electrode connecting sheet (6) facing back to the cell electrode group (8) is in connection with the positive electrode cover plate component (1) ([0023] electrical connection), a side of the negative electrode connecting sheet (10) facing back to the cell electrode group (8) is connected ([0023]) with the negative electrode cover plate (11), the positive electrode cover plate component (1) is provided with a liquid injection hole (3), and an end opening of the liquid injection hole (3) away from the positive electrode connecting sheet (6) is connected with the sealing ball (3).
However, Chen does not disclose that the sealing ball is in the form of a sealing sheet.
Wang discloses a sealing sheet (2 and 1) which seals an opening in a positive electrode cover plate (3) which is used to inject an electrolyte ([0022]-[0030][0053][0054]) and further discloses that this improves liquid injection speed ([0033]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the through hole and the sealing of the through hole of the injection port of Chen to have the structure as disclosed by Wang because Wang discloses that this improves the speed at which the electrolyte can be injected.
Regarding claim 5, modified Chen discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
Chen discloses a negative electrode connecting sheet (10) comprises a negative electrode connecting sheet body (10 closer to inner portion) and a negative electrode cover plate connecting portion (10 external periphery) used for being connected with the
first connecting portion (11) ([0023]).
However, Chen does not disclose a thickness of the negative electrode cover plate connecting portion (52) is greater than a thickness of the first connecting portion (42).
Wang discloses a negative electrode connection sheet (9) that has raised portions (23, 24, and 21 and 18) that is greater than a thickness of welded (first connection portions) portions on anode cover plate (10) ([0056]-[0058]) and having these structures allows for easier installation ([0059]-[0060]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the negative electrode connection sheet of Chen to have the structure as disclosed by Wang because it will allow for easier installation.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 4, and 11 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.
Claims 3 and 13-15 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DEVINA PILLAY whose telephone number is (571)270-1180. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:30-6:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jeffrey T Barton can be reached at 517-272-1307. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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DEVINA PILLAY
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1726
/DEVINA PILLAY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1726
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