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 and Other Notes
Claims 1–20 are pending.
Claims 1–6 and 17–20 are being treated on their merits.
Claims 7–16 are withdrawn from consideration.
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 paragraph numbers cited in this Office Action in reference to the instant application are referring to the paragraph numbering of the PG-Pub of the instant application. See US 2024/0291079 A1.
Election/Restrictions
Claims 7–16 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to nonelected electrical storage device, heat transfer material, and packaging, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 09 September 2026.
Applicant's election with traverse of Group I in the reply filed on 09 September 2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that the search and examination of the entire application could be made without serious burden. This is not found persuasive because the inventions require a different field of search (e.g., searching different class/subclasses or electronic resources, or employing different search strategies or search queries) and the inventions have acquired a separate status in the art in view of their different classification. A different field of search and different classifications demonstrate a serious burden. Further, the application is a national stage application submitted under 35 U.S.C. 371 and is subject to the principles of unity of invention. The principles of unity of invention do not require that a serious burden be present. See MPEP 1893.03(d). A lack of unity of invention was demonstrated in view of Yoo (US 2018/0047954 A1).
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because:
The view numbers of FIGS. 1, 2, and 4–6 are not larger than the letters, numbers, and reference characters used in the drawing. The view numbers must be larger than the numbers used for reference characters. See 37 CFR 1.84 (u)(2).
The numbers, letters, and/or reference characters of FIG. 7 are not at least 0.32 cm (1/8 inch) in height. Numbers, letters, and reference characters must measure at least 0.32 cm. (1/8 inch) in height. See 37 CFR 1.84 (p)(3).
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign mentioned in the description: 30A (e.g., [0050], [0037]). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: HEAT TRANSFER MATERIAL INCLUDING METAL-CONTAINING HEAT TRANSFER LAYER, PACKAGING AND POWER STORAGE DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME.
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Reference character 30A is referred to as a second surface in paragraph [0050]. Reference character 32A is used to designate a second surface; and reference character 30A is not in the drawings. Reference character 32A should be used to designate a second surface in paragraph [0050].
Reference character 30A is referred to as a fourth surface in paragraph [0067]. Reference character 34A is used to designate a fourth surface; and reference character 30A is not in the drawings. Reference character 34A should be used to designate a fourth surface in paragraph [0067].
Appropriate correction is required.
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 2 and 17–20 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 2 recites the limitation " a second surface having an area larger than that of the first surface." It is unclear what the term "that" is referring to.
Claims 17–20 are directly dependent from claim 2 and include all the limitations of claim 2. Therefore, claims 17–20.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1–6 and 17–20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kawaguchi et al. (US 2013/0130087 A1, hereinafter Kawaguchi).
Regarding claim 1, Kawaguchi discloses an electrical storage device (40, [0060]) comprising:
an electrode assembly (10, [0028]);
an outer packaging (14) including an exterior film (14) that seals the electrode assembly (10, [0029]); and
wherein the exterior film (14) includes at least a base material layer, an exterior barrier layer, and a heat-sealable resin layer (FIG. 1B, [0048]),
the exterior barrier layer is formed of a material containing a metal (FIG. 1B, [0048]),
a heat transfer material (21, 22b) attached to at least a part of a surface of the outer packaging (14, [0052]),
wherein the heat transfer material (21, 22b) includes a heat transfer layer (21) formed of a material containing a metal (FIG. 4, [0054]), and
a thickness of the heat transfer layer (21, [0054]) is equal to or larger than a thickness of the exterior barrier layer (FIG. 1B, [0048]).
Regarding claim 2, Kawaguchi discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and further discloses an electrical storage device:
wherein the outer packaging (14) includes a first surface, and a second surface having an area larger than that of the first surface (FIG. 1B, [0027]), and
the heat transfer material (21, 22b) is attached to at least the second surface (FIG. 4, [0060]).
Regarding claims 3 and 17, Kawaguchi discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and further discloses an electrical storage device:
wherein the heat transfer material (21, 22b) is formed in a cover shape (FIG. 4, [0060]).
Regarding claims 4 and 18, Kawaguchi discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and further discloses an electrical storage device:
wherein the outer packaging (14) includes a cooling surface cooled by a cooling mechanism (FIG. 4, [0060]), and
the heat transfer material (21, 22b) is attached to at least a part of a portion of a surface of the outer packaging (14) other than the cooling surface so as to expose the cooling surface (FIG. 4, [0060]).
Regarding claims 5 and 19, Kawaguchi discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and further discloses an electrical storage device:
wherein the thickness of the exterior barrier layer is 100 μm or less (FIG. 1B, [0048]).
Regarding claims 6 and 20, Kawaguchi discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above and further discloses an electrical storage device:
wherein the heat transfer material (21, 22b) includes a base material layer (22b) laminated on the heat transfer layer (21, [0060]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Inagaki (US 2002/0061436 A1) discloses an electrical storage device (2, [0060]) comprising an electrode assembly (10, [0063]); an outer packaging (11) including an exterior film (11) that seals the electrode assembly (10, [0063]); and wherein the exterior film (11) includes at least a base material layer, an exterior barrier layer, and a heat-sealable resin layer (FIG. 3, [0101]), the exterior barrier layer is formed of a material containing a metal (FIG. 3, [0101]), a heat transfer material (6) attached to at least a part of a surface of the outer packaging (11, [0062]), wherein the heat transfer material (6) includes a heat transfer layer (6) formed of a material containing a metal (FIG. 2, [0066]), and a thickness of the heat transfer layer (6, [0067]) is equal to or larger than a thickness of the exterior barrier layer (FIG. 3, [0103]).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Sean P Cullen, Ph.D. whose telephone number is (571)270-1251. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday 6:00 am to 4:00 pm CT, Friday 6:00 am to 12:00 pm CT.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Basia A Ridley can be reached at (571)272-1453. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Sean P Cullen, Ph.D./Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725
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