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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-5 & 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yasushi et al. (JP2011204414)
With respect to claim 1, Yasushi et al. discloses a cylindrical battery [Figure 2], comprising:
a wound electrode assembly 200 having a positive electrode and a negative electrode wound via a separator and having a hollow extending in an axial direction [Figure 2; 0023-0030]; and
a current collector plate 120 that has a protrusion portion having an apex housed in the hollow and a groove portion integrally provided with the protrusion portion on an outer side of the protrusion portion in a radial direction to define a groove and that is provided outward of the wound electrode assembly in the axial direction [Figure 9], wherein
a core exposed portion NB/Pz/Py/Px in which a mixture layer is not provided on a core of at least one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode is joined to a core joining portion of the current collector plate, and the core joining portion includes a facing portion that faces, in the radial direction, an integrated structure constituted of the protrusion portion and the groove portion. [Figures 10-11; 0060-0074; 0034-0035]
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With respect to claim 2, Yasushi et al. discloses wherein the integrated structure is annular. [Figure 2]
With respect to claim 3, Yasushi et al. discloses a bottomed tubular exterior can, wherein the current collector plate includes a lower current collector plate 120 joined to a plate joining portion of a bottom plate portion of the exterior can, and a place that is positioned on the most bottom plate portion side in the axial direction in the groove portion of the lower current collector plate is positioned, in the axial direction, between the core joining portion of the lower current collector plate and the plate joining portion. [Figure 2]
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With respect to claim 4, Yasushi et al. discloses wherein a tip of the protrusion portion is positioned, in the axial direction, between the core joining portion of the current collector plate that includes the protrusion portion and the mixture layer that is provided in the core exposed portion joined to the core joining portion. [Figure 2]
With respect to claim 5, Yasushi et al. discloses a bottomed tubular exterior can, wherein the current collector plate includes a lower current collector plate 120 joined to a plate joining portion of a bottom plate portion of the exterior can, and the integrated structure of the lower current collector plate 120 is positioned outward of the plate joining portion in the radial direction. [Figure 2]
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With respect to claim 7, Yasushi et al. discloses wherein a surface, of the protrusion portion, that is outward in the radial direction has an inward displacing portion that is displaced more inward in the radial direction as going to a tip of the protrusion portion. [Figure 2]
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) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yasushi et al. (JP2011204414) as applied to claim 1 above in further view of Kozuki et al. (US 2010/0316897)
With respect to claim 6, Yasushi et al. discloses a sealing assembly 102, wherein the current collector plate includes an upper current collector plate 110 connected to the sealing assembly 102 via a connection lead, and the upper current collector plate has a through hole inward of the integrated structure in the radial direction.
Yasushi et al. does not disclose wherein an upper current collector plate is connected to the sealing assembly via a connection lead, and the upper current collector plate has a through hole inward of the integrated structure in the radial direction.
Kozuki et al. discloses a cylindrical battery, comprising: a wound electrode assembly having a positive electrode and a negative electrode wound via a separator and having a hollow extending in an axial direction [Figures 1-5] and a current collector plate 10/20,
The battery comprising a sealing assembly 8/9, wherein the current collector plate 10 includes an upper current collector plate 10 connected to the sealing assembly 8/9 via a connection lead 7, and the upper current collector plate 10 has a through hole 10a inward of the integrated structure in the radial direction. [Figure 5; 0098; Figure 2]
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the battery of Yasushi et al. to include the sealing assembly of Kozuki et al., in order to allow for improved charge/discharge performance.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Yaginuma et al. (US 2011/0086258)
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KIRAN QURAISHI AKHTAR whose telephone number is (571)270-7589. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 9AM-7PM.
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/KIRAN QURAISHI AKHTAR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1751
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