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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 1-13 are currently pending.
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.
Claims 1-4 & 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim (US 2005/0214640 A1)
Regarding claims 1 & 7, Kim teaches a current collector plate that is plate shaped, the current collector plate (40) including a first main surface (i.e top surface in fig. 4) and a second main surface (i.e bottom surface in fig. 4) that is opposite to the first main surface, the current collector plate comprising: a first portion (47+49) including a through hole (47) that is positioned at a central portion of the current collector plate (fig. 4; [0031]); a plurality of second portions (43) that extend in a first direction away from the first portion (fig. 4; [0032]); and a plurality of third portions (i.e sections of 42 between 43 and 41’) that extend from portions of the plurality of second portions spaced apart from the first portion, the plurality of third portions protruding in a second direction that intersects with the first direction (see annotated fig. 4 below), wherein, in two adjacent second portions of the plurality of second portions, a gap (i.e portion under tabs 41’) is provided between a third portion that extends from one of the two adjacent second portions among the plurality of third portions and a third portion that extends from an other one of the two adjacent second portions among the plurality of third portions (fig. 4).
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Regarding claim 2, Kim teaches the current collector plate of claim 1, wherein the plurality of second portions includes four second portions (fig. 4), a gap (i.e region between adjacent grooves 43) is provided between adjacent second portions and a gap (i.e portion under tabs 41’) is provided between adjacent third portions, and the gap between the adjacent second portions is wider than the gap between the adjacent third portions (fig. 4).
Regarding claim 3, Kim teaches the current collector plate of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of second portions includes a groove which protrudes toward a second main surface side with the groove extending in the first direction (fig. 4).
Regarding claim 4, Kim teaches the current collector plate of claim 1, wherein the first portion includes a protruding surface (49) that protrudes toward a first main surface side (figs. 3-4; [0031]).
Regarding claim 6, Kim teaches the current collector plate of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of third portions includes a protrusion (corresponding half of 41’ which is connected to the respective third portion) that protrudes toward a first main surface side (fig. 4).
Regarding claim 8, Kim teaches the current collector plate of claim 1, further comprising a plated layer (33) stacked on the first main surface and a plated layer (11a+11) stacked o the second main surface, wherein the plated layer on the first main surface has a thickness that is thinner than a thickness of the plated layer on the second main surface (fig. 3; [0039]-[0040]).
Claims 1 & 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yoneyama (US 2010/0255358 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Kim teaches a current collector plate that is plate shaped, the current collector plate (20) including a first main surface (i.e bottom surface in fig. 2) and a second main surface (i.e top surface in fig. 2) that is opposite to the first main surface, the current collector plate comprising: a first portion (21a) that is positioned at a central portion of the current collector plate (figs. 2-4; [0057]); a plurality of second portions that extend in a first direction away from the first portion (see annotated fig. 4 below); and a plurality of third portions that extend from portions of the plurality of second portions spaced apart from the first portion, the plurality of third portions protruding in a second direction that intersects with the first direction (see annotated fig. 4 below), wherein, in two adjacent second portions of the plurality of second portions, a gap (24) is provided between a third portion that extends from one of the two adjacent second portions among the plurality of third portions and a third portion that extends from an other one of the two adjacent second portions among the plurality of third portions (see annotated fig. 4 below).
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Regarding claim 5, Kim teaches the current collector plate of claim 1, wherein the plurality of second portions includes four second portions that extend radially from the first portion to form an angle of 90 degrees with each other, a portion of an outline of each of the plurality of third portions is in contact with a predetermined square (see annotated fig. 4 below).
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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.
Claims 9 & 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoneyama (US 2010/0255358 A1).
Regarding claim 9, Yoneyama teaches a power storage device comprising: a wound body which is columnar shaped, and in which a positive electrode and a negative electrode are wound with a separator interposed therebetween (fig. 1; [0051]); a case (7) that houses the wound body (fig. 1; [0055]); and the current collector plate of claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1 above); wherein the case includes a tubular portion and a bottom portion that closes one end of the tubular portion (fig. 1; [0055]); at least the first portion of the current collector plate is electrically connected to the bottom portion of the case on the first main surface side, and at least the plurality of third portions of the current collector are joined, on the second main surface side, to one electrode of the positive electrode or the negative electrode on an end face of the wound body that faces the second main surface (fig. 1; [0075]). While Yoneyama is silent as to the plurality of second portions of the current collector being joined to one electrode, it is noted the claimed arrangement is a mere rearrangement of parts of the configuration described in Yoneyama by modifying the placement of the burring portion 23 (which are used for welding the electrode to the current collector plate) on each of the plurality of third portions to each of the plurality of second portions. It is noted that such as rearrangement would not have modified the operation of Yoneyama’s current collector plate since the electrode would still be electrically connected to the current collector plate via the burring portion. “In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950) (Claims to a hydraulic power press which read on the prior art except with regard to the position of the starting switch were held unpatentable because shifting the position of the starting switch would not have modified the operation of the device)”. See MPEP 2144.04 VI (C).
Regarding claim 12, Yoneyama teaches the power storage device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of third portions of the current collector plate each include a welding mark (23) which is line shaped, extending in the first direction, and joined to the one electrode by welding, wherein the welding mark has a first end that is closer to the first portion and a second end that is further from the first portion ([0070]). While the welding mark in Yoneyama is formed on the plurality of third portions, it would have been obvious, as a matter of design choice, to form the welding mark on the plurality of second portions since modifying the placement of the welding would not have changed the operation of the current collector as long as the current collector is electrically connected to the exposed portions of the electrode. “In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950) (Claims to a hydraulic power press which read on the prior art except with regard to the position of the starting switch were held unpatentable because shifting the position of the starting switch would not have modified the operation of the device)”. See MPEP 2144.04 VI (C).
Regarding claim 13, Yoneyama teaches the power storage device of claim 9, wherein a portion of each of the plurality of third portions of the current collector plate that is joined to the one electrode includes, in the first direction, a first region that is closer to the first portion and a second region that is positioned on an outer side relative to the first region. However, as noted above, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to rearrange the burring portion 23 of Yoneyama from the plurality of third portions to the plurality of second portions while stay maintaining electrical connection between the electrode and the current collector plate. Moreover, when the burring portions is formed in each of the plurality of second portions, in a winding axis direction of the wound body, each of the plurality of second portions would be bent to position the second region closer to the one electrode than the first region since the burring portions 23 have a greater height than the first region that is close to the first portion (21a) (figs. 2-3).
Claims 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoneyama (US 2010/0255358 A1) in view of Okuda (US 2017/0047566 A1).
Regarding claims 10-11, Yoneyama teaches the power storage device of claim 9 but is silent as to the bottom portion of the case including an explosion-proof mechanism, and the explosion-proof mechanism being positioned in a region which is on an inner side relative to the plurality of third portions of the current collector plate and which does not overlap with the plurality of third portions (claim 10) and wherein a surface of the bottom portion of the case that faces the first main surface includes a recess, and the recess is engaged with the protrusion of each of the plurality of third portions of the current collector plate (claim 11). Okuda teaches a power storage device comprising an explosion-proof mechanism (32) formed on a bottom portion (30b) of a case (30), wherein the explosion-proof mechanism is positioned in a region which is on an inner side relative to a current collector plate (18), and wherein a surface of the bottom portion of the case that faces the current collector plate includes a recess (33). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the present invention, to provide an explosion-proof mechanism, as described above, in order to enable smooth discharge of gas when the internal pressure of the storage cell increases and reaches a predetermined pressure as taught by Okuda ([0007]). While Okuda does not explicitly teach the recess being engaged with the protrusion of each of the plurality of third portions of the current collector plate, it is nevertheless noted that the recess in Okuda is engaged with the current collector plate in corresponding regions which encompass the third portions of Yoneyama (see figs. 2-3 of Okuda in relation to fig. 4 of Yoneyama).
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHANAEL T ZEMUI whose telephone number is (571)272-4894. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-5pm (EST).
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/NATHANAEL T ZEMUI/Examiner, Art Unit 1727
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