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 papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
3. The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 12/20/2023 and 2/4/2025 has/have been received and complies with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97, 1.98 and MPEP § 609. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) is/are being considered by the examiner, and a copy with initials is attached herewith.
Drawings
4. The drawings were received on 12/20/2023. These drawings are acceptable.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Claim(s) 1, 3-4 and 6-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Jeong et al (US 20200235369 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Jeong discloses a cylindrical battery (100) comprising an electrode assembly (120) including a first electrode having an elongated shape and a second electrode having an elongated shape, the first electrode having a plurality of lead portions, the first electrode and the second electrode being wound with a separator (123) interposed therebetween; an outer housing can (110) having a cylindrical shape with a closed bottom, the outer housing can (110) housing the electrode assembly (120); and a sealing assembly (150) fixed by crimping to an opening of the outer housing can (110), wherein the sealing assembly (150) includes a sealing plate (151) and a current collector plate (131), the current collector plate (131) having a through hole (132), and wherein the plurality of lead portions (124) extend through the through hole (132) and are folded back and joined on the current collector plate (131) [Fig. 1-5; paragraph 0031-0101].
Regarding claim 3, Jeong teaches that the sealing assembly (150) includes a metal plate (136) disposed between the current collector plate (131) and the sealing plate (151), the plurality of lead portions (124) being held between the current collector plate (131) and the metal plate (136) [Fig. 1-2].
Regarding claim 4, Jeong teaches that the metal plate (136) has a through hole (132, 137, 138) [Fig. 1-2; paragraph 0048].
Regarding claim 6, Jeong teaches that the sealing plate (151) serves as a terminal cap [Fig. 1; paragraph 0040].
Regarding claim 7, Jeong teaches that the first electrode serves as a positive electrode [Fig. 1; paragraph 0037-0040].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeong et al (US 20200235369 A1) as applied in clam 1 and further in view of Cho et al (US 20230006313 A1).
Regarding claim 2, Jeong remains silent that the sealing plate is joined to an outer circumferential portion of the current collector plate. However, it is known in the art join the sealing plate (130) to an outer circumferential portion of the current collector plate (150) as taught by Cho [Fig. 1-2; paragraph 0036-0041]. Therefore, the claim would have been obvious because a particular known technique was recognized as part of the ordinary capabilities of one skilled in the art (KSR v. Teleflex, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 127 S. Ct. 1727 (2007)) and an ordinarily skilled artisan would have recognized such a substitution without undue experimentation and with a reasonable expectation of success.
12. Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeong et al (US 20200235369 A1) as applied in clam 1 and further in view of Kozuki et al (US 20100104945 A1).
Regarding claim 5, Jeong remains silent that the current collector plate has a recess in which the plurality of lead portions are received. However, Kozuki teaches a cylindrical battery wherein the current collector is provided with recess and the recess being located to the inside of the outer circumferential portion in the radial direction [Fig. 1-4; paragraph 0029-0030, 0101, 0175, 0175, 0187]. Therefore, the claim would have been obvious because a particular known technique was recognized as part of the ordinary capabilities of one skilled in the art (KSR v. Teleflex, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 127 S. Ct. 1727 (2007)) and an ordinarily skilled artisan would have recognized such a substitution without undue experimentation and with a reasonable expectation of success.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MUHAMMAD S SIDDIQUEE whose telephone number is (571)270-3719. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tong Guo can be reached at (571) 272-3066. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MUHAMMAD S SIDDIQUEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1723
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