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
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. KR10-2021-0149907, filed on 11/03/2021.
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
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:
“laser irradiation device” in Claim 1
The generic placeholder is “laser irradiation device” and the functional language attributed the “laser irradiation device” includes: “configured to irradiate a separated space”.
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.
Reference is made to the Specification filed on 12/14/2023.
Regarding the laser irradiation device, on Page 5, “The laser irradiation device 20 is disposed to be able to irradiate a separated space formed between the cylindrical roller segments 11 with a laser beam.”, where the laser irradiation device 20 is assumed to include a laser beam
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 § 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 1, 5-11, and 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Byun et al. (KR 101571390 B1) in view of Kim et al. (WO 2021132848 A1, hereinafter Kim).
Regarding claim 1, Byun discloses an electronic device etching apparatus (Page 2, Para. 1, “In the form of a flexible film substrate, and enabling a reduction in the size and light-weight design of the high-density wiring circuits, it is possible bending characteristics, mobile phones, cameras, LCD display, or the like has been applied to a wide range of products.”, and Page 2, Para. 3, “Drilling device using the laser is intended for forming a through hole at a desired position of the film in the form of a flexible substrate), comprising:
an electronic device assembly support roller (Page 2, Para. 2 from end, “The unwinding roller 110 and the raw film 10 is wound, the film stage towards the drum 120 is continuously supplied.”); and
a laser irradiation device (Page 2, Para. 5, “the drilling apparatus using the conventional laser irradiating a laser beam”, and Page 5, last Para., “continuous drilling device using a laser”),
wherein the electrode assembly support roller includes two or more cylindrical roller segments (Page 3, Para. 2, “The conveying surface of this embodiment 121 is largely composed of a first frame side 122 and the second frame side 123 and the third frame surface 124.”), and the two or more cylindrical roller segments are coupled to a common shaft (Modified Fig. 3, where the cylindrical roller segments are shown coupled to a common shaft, where there are three cylindrical roller segments), each cylindrical roller segment being configured to be fixed to the common shaft spaced apart from adjacent ones of the cylindrical roller segments (Modified Fig. 3, where the cylindrical roller segments are connected to the same common shaft and are spaced apart from one another), and the laser irradiation device is configured to irradiate a separated space extending between the adjacent ones of the cylindrical rollers segments with a laser beam (Page 3, Para. 4 from end, “4, in this embodiment, the film is transported by the drum stage 120 (10) may be divided into two areas in the virtual. Is relative to the central portion 15 in the width direction (W) of the loaded film (10) may be divided into a first region 11 and second region 12. A first laser head with respect to the first area 11 of the divided two areas (131) and perform a through-hole processing, of the divided two areas a second laser head with respect to the second area (12) 132 It may perform a through-hole processing.”, where Fig. 4 shows the location of roller segments 122, 123, and 124, where the areas 11 and 12 are between the roller segments and are where laser ablation to create holes is performed).
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Modified Figure 3, Byun
Byun does not disclose:
an electrode etching apparatus with an electrode assembly support roller.
However, Kim discloses, in the similar field of laser etching of substrates (Abstract, “a plurality of holes are formed in an electrode mixture by at most two radiation emissions by a nanosecond laser”), where the electronic device being etched can be an electrode that includes a similar support roller for supporting the electrode (Page 3, Para. 5-6 from end, “a laser unit for forming an electrode sheet by laser etching the electrode mixture to form a plurality of holes having a difference in thickness; and a roller-shaped winder for rewinding the electrode sheet”). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the etching apparatus for electronic devices in Byun to etch an electrode as taught by Kim.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of being able to provide holes on an electrode, which increases the ionic conductivity of the electrode, as stated by Kim, Page 5, Para. 8 from end, “apparatus and method for manufacturing an electrode for a secondary battery according to the present invention, by forming a plurality of holes having a step difference in thickness using a laser in an electrode mixture, an electrode having a reduced degree of curvature and increased ionic conductivity can be manufactured”.
Regarding claim 5, modified Byun teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above, discloses wherein the common shaft is a rotary shaft (Byun, Page 3, Para. 1, “Conveying surface 121 is a portion corresponding to the side of the rotational axis (C) parallel to the drum stage disposed 120, is formed in a curved shape, the drum stage 120 side feed to rotate 121 also rotational axis (C) to be rotated about.”, where the shaft is a rotary shaft that rotates along the rotational axis C).
Regarding claim 6, modified Byun teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above, discloses wherein one or more of the cylindrical roller segments each have one or more suction holes extending into a circumferential surface thereof (Byun, Page 3, Para. 3, “a plurality of vacuum holes that contact the film 10, 126 are formed in a line. Vacuum holes by a vacuum pump provided outside 126 as the inside of a lower vacuum than the atmospheric pressure, the film 10 is the first frame side 122, a second frame side 123 and the third frame surface 124 It can be adhered to.”).
Regarding claim 7, modified Byun teaches the apparatus according to claim 6, as set forth above, discloses wherein one or more of the cylindrical roller segments each having the one or more suction holes is one cylindrical roller segment located at an outermost side of one end of the support roller, two cylindrical roller segments located at outermost sides of opposite ends of the support roller, or all of the cylindrical roller segments (Byun, Page 3, Para. 3, “a plurality of vacuum holes that contact the film 10, 126 are formed in a line. Vacuum holes by a vacuum pump provided outside 126 as the inside of a lower vacuum than the atmospheric pressure, the film 10 is the first frame side 122, a second frame side 123 and the third frame surface 124 It can be adhered to.”, where all the cylindrical roller segments include suction holes for allowing the film to adhere to the roller segments).
Regarding claim 8, modified Byun teaches the apparatus according to claim 6, as set forth above, discloses where each suction hole is connected to a suction device through an internal space within the one or more of the cylindrical roller segments (Byun, Page 3, Para. 3, “a plurality of vacuum holes that contact the film 10, 126 are formed in a line. Vacuum holes by a vacuum pump provided outside 126 as the inside of a lower vacuum than the atmospheric pressure, the film 10 is the first frame side 122, a second frame side 123 and the third frame surface 124 It can be adhered to.”, where the vacuum holes are connected to a vacuum pump, where modified Fig. 3 shows that the vacuum holes 126 are located on the outer surface of the cylindrical roller, where the connection to the vacuum pump must be internal the cylindrical roller in order to access the vacuum holes 126).
Regarding claim 9, modified Byun teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above, discloses further comprising traveling equipment that is configured to move an electrode assembly across the support roller, while forming an internal angle of 70 to 160 degrees around the support roller (Byun, Fig. 2, where the cylindrical roller support 120 that includes the roller segments supports the film with an angle of 180 degrees around the support roller; teaching from Kim, where the film used can be for an electrode).
Regarding claim 10, modified Byun teaches the apparatus according to claim 9, as set forth above, discloses wherein the traveling equipment comprises traveling rollers located in front of and behind the support roller relative to a movement direction of the electrode assembly (Byun, Page 2, Para. 3 from end, “unwinding roller 110 and drumsStage 120, a first laser head 131, a second laser head 132, the first detecting unit 141, and the second detecting unit 142, a controller, a first inspection unit 151 and a second inspection unit 152, a first suction unit 161, a second suction unit 162, and a take-up roller 170.”, where the traveling rollers located in front and behind the support roller 120 are the unwinding roller 110 and the take-up roller 170).
Regarding claim 11, modified Byun teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above, discloses wherein the laser irradiation device is configured to be located above an outer side of an electrode assembly whose inner side is supported by a circumferential surface of the support roller by a surface contact (Byun, Fig. 2, where the laser irradiation device is shown to be located on the outer side of the film, where the inner side of the film is supported by the circumferential surface of the support roller, and Page 3, Para. 4 from end, “A first laser head with respect to the first area 11 of the divided two areas (131) and perform a through-hole processing, of the divided two areas a second laser head with respect to the second area (12) 132 It may perform a through-hole processing.”; teaching from Kim, where the film being processed can be an electrode film).
Regarding claim 14, modified Byun teaches the apparatus according to claim 11, as set forth above.
Modified Byun does not disclose:
wherein the electrode assembly has an inner side formed of a current collector sheet, and an outer side formed of an electrode active material layer.
However, Kim discloses where the electrode assembly has an inner side formed of a current collector sheet (Page 5, Para. 4 from end, “a roller-shaped unwinder on which a sheet-type current collector is wound”), and an outer side formed of an electrode active material layer (Page 5, Para. 2 from end, “a coating unit for coating the electrode active material slurry on at least one surface of the sheet-type current collector;”, and Page 6, Para. 10, “a coating part 130 for coating the electrode active material slurry 102 on at least one surface of the sheet-type current collector 101”, where Fig. 1 shows that the coating part 130 is providing an active material layer on the outer side surface of the electrode film, where the film is made from a current collector sheet, where the collector sheet is on the inner side and touches the roller 132). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the electrode assembly in modified Byun to include the current collector and electrode active material layers as taught by Kim.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of being able to impart conductivity to an electrode film through the electrode active layer coating, as stated by Kim, Page 11, Para. 2, “The conductive material is used to impart conductivity to the electrode, and in the configured battery, it can be used without any particular limitation as long as it does not cause chemical change and has electronic conductivity.”.
Regarding claim 15, modified Byun teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above.
Modified Byun does not disclose:
wherein the electrode etching apparatus is configured to etch an electrode active material layer laminated on a current collector sheet of an electrode assembly.
However, Kim discloses where the electrode assembly has an inner side formed of a current collector sheet (Page 5, Para. 4 from end, “a roller-shaped unwinder on which a sheet-type current collector is wound”), and an outer side formed of an electrode active material layer (Page 5, Para. 2 from end, “a coating unit for coating the electrode active material slurry on at least one surface of the sheet-type current collector;”, and Page 6, Para. 10, “a coating part 130 for coating the electrode active material slurry 102 on at least one surface of the sheet-type current collector 101”, where Fig. 1 shows that the coating part 130 is providing an active material layer on the outer side surface of the electrode film, where the film is made from a current collector sheet, where the collector sheet is on the inner side and touches the roller 132), where the etching occurs on the electrode active material layer (Page 6, Para. 7 from end, “a laser unit 160 for manufacturing an electrode sheet 180 by laser etching the electrode mixture 103 to form a plurality of holes 181 having a thickness step (T-t)”, where Fig. 1 shows that the laser 160 is etching the electrode active material layer 102). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the electrode assembly in modified Byun to include the current collector and electrode active material layers with the active material layer being laser modified as taught by Kim.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of being able to impart conductivity to an electrode film through the electrode active layer coating, as stated by Kim, Page 11, Para. 2, “The conductive material is used to impart conductivity to the electrode, and in the configured battery, it can be used without any particular limitation as long as it does not cause chemical change and has electronic conductivity.”, and gain the advantage of being able to provide holes on an electrode, which increases the ionic conductivity of the electrode, as stated by Kim, Page 5, Para. 8 from end, “apparatus and method for manufacturing an electrode for a secondary battery according to the present invention, by forming a plurality of holes having a step difference in thickness using a laser in an electrode mixture, an electrode having a reduced degree of curvature and increased ionic conductivity can be manufactured”.
Claims 2-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Byun et al. (KR 101571390 B1) in view of Kim et al. (WO 2021132848 A1, hereinafter Kim) in further view of Oh (KR 102158708 B1).
Regarding claim 2, modified Byun teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above.
Modified Byun does not disclose:
wherein one or more of the cylindrical roller segments are configured to be moved along the common shaft and fixed to the common shaft.
However, Oh discloses, in the similar field of laser etching of electrodes (Abstract, “a pattern jig for a laser notching process of an electrode film”), where the cylindrical roller segments can be moved along the common shaft and fixed to the common shaft (Page 4, last Para., “To adjust the distance between the first guide drum 230 and the second guide drum 240, as described above, the second rotation shaft 262 of the second guide drum 240 is a first rotation shaft 261 made of a hollow shaft. ) Is constrained in the circumferential direction so that relative rotation is impossible, but it is configured to be slidable in the axial direction.”, where after sliding the rollers, they can be fixed, Page 4, Para. 2 from end, “first guide drum 230 and the second guide drum 240 facing each other are separated by a predetermined distance from each other”). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the cylindrical roller segments in modified Byun to be moved along the common shaft and fixed to the common shaft as taught by Oh.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of allowing the rollers to be adjustable so that electrode film irregularities can be fixed to prevent marks or deformations from occurring, as stated by Oh, Page 4, Para. 2 from end, “In this way, when the axial inner edge of the first guide drum 230 and the second guide drum 240 is formed of the film guide irregularities 250, the distance between the first guide drum 230 and the second guide drum 240 Even if the inner edge of the first guide drum 230 and the second guide drum 240 in the width direction is widened by adjustment, the center of the electrode film E in the width direction is uniformly supported by the surface of the film guide irregularities 250 Therefore, no marks or deformations will occur.”.
Regarding claim 3, modified Byun teaches the apparatus according to claim 2, as set forth above, discloses wherein the one or more cylindrical roller segments that are configured to be moved along the common shaft and fixed to the common shaft are one cylindrical roller segment located on an outermost side of one end of the support roller, two cylindrical roller segments located on outermost sides of opposite ends of the support roller, or all of the cylindrical roller segments (Teaching from Oh, Page 4, last Para., “To adjust the distance between the first guide drum 230 and the second guide drum 240, as described above, the second rotation shaft 262 of the second guide drum 240 is a first rotation shaft 261 made of a hollow shaft. ) Is constrained in the circumferential direction so that relative rotation is impossible, but it is configured to be slidable in the axial direction.”, where the two cylindrical rollers on the outermost sides of opposite ends of the support roller are adjustable).
Regarding claim 4, modified Byun teaches the apparatus according to claim 2, as set forth above, discloses wherein the one or more cylindrical roller segments that are configured to be moved along the common shaft and fixed to the common shaft are configured to be moved in a width direction of an electrode assembly extending across the electrode assembly support roller (Teaching from Oh, Page 4, last Para., “To adjust the distance between the first guide drum 230 and the second guide drum 240, as described above, the second rotation shaft 262 of the second guide drum 240 is a first rotation shaft 261 made of a hollow shaft. ) Is constrained in the circumferential direction so that relative rotation is impossible, but it is configured to be slidable in the axial direction.”, where the axial direction is shown in Fig. 4 as being along the shaft, where this would be in the width direction of the electrode film).
Claims 12-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Byun et al. (KR 101571390 B1) in view of Kim et al. (WO 2021132848 A1, hereinafter Kim) in further view of Choi et al. (KR 20060098473 A, hereinafter Choi).
Regarding claim 12, modified Byun teaches the apparatus according to claim 11, as set forth above.
Modified Byun does not disclose:
wherein the laser irradiation device is configured to be movable along an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the common shaft.
However, Choi discloses, in the similar field of laser processing substrates (Page 1, Para. 2 from end, “a laser beam control method of a laser processing apparatus for processing a workpiece while a laser head for irradiating a workpiece”), where the laser irradiation device can be movable along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of a shaft (Page 2, Para. 3, “The table for supporting the workpiece and the laser head for irradiating the laser beam are provided to be movable along at least one of the X, Y, and Z axes. The laser beam is irradiated to the workpiece, and the workpiece is processed while the table and the laser head are moved relative to the machining line.”, where Fig. 4 shows that the X axis would be an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of a shaft, Page 4, Para. 2, “The laser head 140 and the vision head 180 are coupled to the connecting member 123 so that the Z-axis can be moved, and the connecting member 123 is coupled to the laser head arm 122 so as to be movable in the X-axis.”). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the laser system in modified Byun to be movable along three major axes as taught by Choi.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of being able to allow for a singular laser beam to be controlled to ablate a specific pattern on a substrate, where instead of multiple lasers, the singular laser can be more desirable depending on a user’s design needs, as stated by Choi, Page 4, Para. 3-4, “The motor is driven by a motor driver (not shown) including a driving chip and a power supply unit. The motor driver is connected to a motion controller (not shown) that controls relative movement of the laser head 140 and the table 110. It is preferably connected to the control unit 170. A1 and A3 are starting points for preparing for the start of laser processing, and A2 and A4 are end points for finishing laser processing.”.
Regarding claim 13, modified Byun teaches the apparatus according to claim 12, as set forth above, discloses wherein the laser irradiation device is slidably coupled to a guide rail extending along an axis parallel to the common shaft (Teaching from Choi, Page 4, Para. 2, “The laser head 140 and the vision head 180 are coupled to the connecting member 123 so that the Z-axis can be moved, and the connecting member 123 is coupled to the laser head arm 122 so as to be movable in the X-axis.”).
Conclusion
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/KEVIN GUANHUA WEN/Examiner, Art Unit 3761
07/10/2026
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