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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 1/18/24, 3/7/25, 8/12/25, and 9/11/25 were filed in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
Claim 38 is 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 38 recites the limitation "opposite end portions". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is unclear if “opposite end portions” are related to “an end portion of the second electrode” as introduced in claim 23, or some other end portion(s) not yet introduced, from which to establish an opposite direction.
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) 23-27, 29-31, 37-38, and 40 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ohashi et al. (US 2013/0004814 A, as cited in the 8/12/25 IDS).
Regarding claim 23, Ohashi teaches an electrode assembly (Fig. 1) comprising:
a first electrode (first/positive electrode 6, [0061] and fig. 1);
a separator (first and second separators 8-9, fig. 1);
a second electrode (second/negative electrode 4, [0061] and fig. 1),
the first electrode, the separator, and the second electrode being stacked (laminated body 10, figs. 1 and 3) and wound (wound body 100, fig. 1),
an outermost portion of the electrode assembly (at outer 10e; fig. 3) having an empty space in which the first electrode covers an end portion of the second electrode with the separator interposed therebetween (void V as shown in Fig. 4; where electrode 6 overlaps electrode 4 with separator 8 between; [0090, 0094] and Figs. 3-4); and
a thickness buffer portion located in the empty space (outer end portion 8e of first separator 8 extending beyond end of electrode 4 into void V, thus buffers the empty void space in the thickness direction of the laminated body; [0086, 0093], Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 24, Ohashi teaches the limitations of claim 23 above and wherein the first electrode comprises a first electrode current collector and a first electrode active material layer located on the first electrode current collector (collector 6a with active material 6b thereon, Fig. 3), and
wherein the thickness buffer portion is located on a surface of the first electrode facing towards a central portion of the electrode assembly (8e on inward surface of 6e, fig. 3 in view of fig. 1) between the end portion of the second electrode and an end portion of the first electrode active material layer (8e between end 6e of 6 and end of 4 within region 10e as shown in Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 25, Ohashi teaches the limitations of claim 24 above and wherein the thickness buffer portion has a length of 50% or greater of a length between the end portion of the second electrode and the end portion of the first electrode active material layer (8e extends beyond end of 4 towards 6e in winding direction, spanning over half of the distance from end of 4 to 6e; fig. 3 and [0093]).
Regarding claim 26, Ohashi teaches the limitations of claim 23 above and wherein the thickness buffer portion has a thickness equal to or less than a thickness of the end portion of the second electrode (thickness of 8e appears approximately equal to thickness of end of electrode 4 in lamination direction, fig. 3).
Regarding claim 27, Ohashi teaches the limitations of claim 26 above and wherein the thickness of the thickness buffer portion is 70% to 100% of the thickness of the end portion of the second electrode (thickness of 8e appears approximately equal – i.e., 100% – to thickness of end of electrode 4 in lamination direction, fig. 3).
Regarding claim 29, Ohashi teaches the limitations of claim 23 above and wherein the thickness buffer portion has a length of 50% to 100% of a length of the electrode assembly in a direction of a winding axis of the electrode assembly (8 including 8e appears to extend the full length of 10/100 of winding center P, fig. 1).
Regarding claim 30, Ohashi teaches the limitations of claim 23 above and wherein the second electrode comprises a second electrode current collector and a second electrode active material layer located on the second electrode current collector (collector 4a with active material 4b thereon, fig. 3), and
wherein an end portion of the second electrode current collector and an end portion of the second electrode active material layer coincide with each other at the end portion of the second electrode (4a and 4b align length-wise in winding direction at end of electrode 4, as shown in fig. 3).
Regarding claim 31, Ohashi teaches the limitations of claim 23 above and wherein the first electrode active material layer located on the surface of the first electrode facing towards the central portion of the electrode assembly (inner layer of 6b toward P, Fig. 3) extends beyond the end portion of the second electrode (6b extends to 6e, which is beyond electrode 4 in winding direction; fig. 3 and [0093]).
Regarding claim 37, Ohashi teaches the limitations of claim 23 above and wherein the first electrode further comprises a tab provided at one end portion (Leads 22 are respectively connected to the positive electrode 6 and the negative electrode 4 and protrude outside of the outer package 5, [0061] and Fig. 1) in a direction perpendicular to a winding axis of the electrode assembly (22 protrudes perpendicularly to axis of winding center P, Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 38, Ohashi teaches the limitations of claim 23 above and wherein the second electrode further comprises a tab provided at a portion other than opposite end portions (Leads 22 are respectively connected to the positive electrode 6 and the negative electrode 4 and protrude outside of the outer package 5, [0061] and Fig. 1) in a direction perpendicular to a winding axis of the electrode assembly (22 protrudes perpendicularly to axis of winding center P, Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 40, Ohashi teaches the limitations of claim 23 above and a secondary battery comprising the electrode assembly of claim 23 (secondary battery 110 as shown in fig. 1).
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.
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) 36 and 39 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ohashi et al. (US 2013/0004814 A, as cited in the 8/12/25 IDS) as applied to claims 24 and 23 above.
Regarding claim 36, Ohashi teaches the limitations of claim 24 above and wherein the first electrode comprises an uncoated portion without the first electrode active material layer (a peripherally outermost surface of the electrode is not covered by positive electrode active material layer 6b, Ohashi [0063]) at an edge portion of the first electrode current collector located at one end portion in a direction perpendicular to a winding axis of the electrode assembly at the outermost portion of the electrode assembly (Ohashi Figs. 1 and 3 in view of Fig. 7(d)), and
wherein the electrode assembly further comprises a protective tape provided on the uncoated portion (adhesive tape 33 on peripherally outermost surface of the electrode 6 at end 6e, Ohashi [0089] and Figs. 1, 3).
While not explicit in Fig. 3 embodiment of Ohashi, Ohashi [0063] does welcome this alternate embodiment of a structure may alternatively be adopted in which a peripherally outermost surface of the electrode is not covered by an active material layer, since a portion positioned at an outermost periphery of an electrode positioned on an peripherally outermost side among the two electrodes does not contribute to electrical and chemical operations. Therefore, such modification of removing a portion of 6b at outer periphery of 6 to thus be taped by 33 in Ohashi Fig. 3 would have been obvious in light of the full disclosure of Ohashi. Such structure meets the instant claim 36.
Regarding claim 39, Ohashi teaches the limitations of claim 23 above but fails to explicitly teach (in the above-cited Fig. 3 embodiment) that the first electrode is a negative electrode and the second electrode is a positive electrode.
However, Ohashi teaches a second embodiment in Fig. 5 where an outermost electrode 206 is the negative electrode, which overlaps a positive electrode 204 ([0112-0113]).
Reversal or rearrangement of parts are obvious modifications when the operation of the product is not affects (MPEP 2144.04 VI A, C), such that a person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to swap the polarities/order of electrode within the wound laminate body within the originally-cited embodiment of Ohashi such that the outermost “first” electrode was negative and the inward “second” electrode was positive, and expect a functional battery in view of the Ohashi Fig. 5 embodiment.
Thereby, claim 39 is rendered obvious.
Claim(s) 28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ohashi et al. (US 2013/0004814 A, as cited in the 8/12/25 IDS) as applied to claims 23 above, in further view of Lee et al. (KR 20150041486 A, with machine translation of description attached).
Regarding claim 28, Ohashi teaches the limitations of claim 23 above but fails to teach that the thickness buffer portion does not to overlap the end portion of the second electrode.
Lee is analogous in the art of electrode assemblies in which the cathode, the separator, and the anode are wound ([0017]) and teaches outermost first electrode 100 having protective tape 500 covering the uncoated portion facing second electrode 200 ([0028], Figs. 1-2) wherein protective tape 500 may prevent a short circuit between opposite electrode ([0027]). Figs. 1-2 show protective tape 500 being a thickness buffer by aligning with the thickness of 102 on the surface 101 of first electrode 100, and show that protective tape 500 does not to overlap the end portion of the second electrode 200. Therefore, Lee teaches that a thickness buffer portion applied to an inner surface of the first outermost electrode does not necessarily overlap the end portion of the second electrode while still providing short circuit protection.
Changes in size and shape are within the ambit of a person having ordinary skill in the art (MPEP 2144.04 IV A-B), such that modifying the length of the thickness buffer in Ohashi to not overlap the second electrode end portion while still expectedly providing short circuit protection would have been obvious in view of Lee.
Thereby, claim 28 is rendered obvious.
Claim(s) 32-35 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ohashi et al. (US 2013/0004814 A, as cited in the 8/12/25 IDS) as applied to claim 23 above, in further view of Jeong et al. (KR 20210155707 A, as cited and attached in 1/18/24 IDS).
Regarding claim 32, claim 33, and claim 34, Ohashi teaches the limitations of claim 23 above but fails to explicitly teach:
the thickness buffer portion is an electrolyte solution swelling layer;
the electrolyte solution swelling layer comprises polyurethane; nor
the thickness buffer portion is an electrolyte solution swelling tape comprising an electrolyte solution swelling layer.
Jeong is analogous in the art of laminated, wound electrode assemblies and teaches a support tape T within empty space S between laminate layers (Fig. 6, [0046]), where support tape T serves as a thickness buffer portion by resisting deformation load due to swelling of separators within the electrode assembly ([0045-0046]). Jeong teaches such embodiment of the support tape/thickness buffer is prepared as an adhesive tape coated on one/both surfaces of a film, giving the example of polyurethane resin ([0048]). This structure and composition meets the limitations of instant claims 32-34 above, since according to claim 33, “polyurethane” satisfies “electrolyte solution swelling layer” of claims 32 and 34, and the specific “tape” structure is also met by Jeong’s teaching of the support tape.
Ohashi [0048] welcomes the separator (i.e., including end 8e serving as thickness buffer portion per Ohashi Fig. 3) to be made of a resin membrane. A person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to modify the thickness buffer portion within Ohashi to instead or further include the polyurethane resin-based in the form of the support tape as taught toward by Jeong to beneficially achieve deformation load resistance upon swelling.
Thereby, claims 32-34 are rendered obvious.
Regarding claim 35, Ohashi teaches the limitations of claim 34 above and wherein the first electrode comprises a first electrode current collector and a first electrode active material layer located on the first electrode current collector (6b on 6a, Ohashi fig. 3 and [0063]), and
wherein the electrolyte solution swelling tape is located on a surface of the first electrode facing towards a central portion of electrode assembly between the end portion of the second electrode and the end portion of the first electrode active material layer (when modified in view of Jeong as applied to claim 34 rejection above, the polyurethane electrolyte solution swelling tape is located in the same location of thickness buffer portion 8e in modified Ohashi, which Ohashi shows in Fig. 3 is at the instantly claimed location between electrode end portions).
Claim(s) 41-42 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ohashi et al. (US 2013/0004814 A, as cited in the 8/12/25 IDS) as applied to claim 40 above, in further view of Ahn (US 2013/0045405 A1, as cited in the 3/7/25 IDS).
Regarding claim 41 and claim 42, Ohashi teaches the limitations of claim 40 above but fails to teach a battery pack comprising the secondary battery, nor a vehicle comprising at least one battery pack.
Ahn is analogous in the art of laminated and wound electrode assemblies (Figs. 1-2) with thickness buffering portions at ends of the electrode sheets (271, 272 in fig. 11) used in secondary batteries (Fig. 14). Ahn teaches secondary batteries are used as energy sources for electronic devices and electric and hybrid vehicles (Ahn [0005]). Ahn teaches the tabs from the electrodes of the battery are connected to an external circuit to form a path of charging and discharging currents.
Since Ohashi is silent toward an end-user of their secondary battery, a person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to substitute such for use in powering a vehicle, and connected in circuitry within a battery pack to a achieve necessary output to energize said vehicle, as taught by Ahn and as known in the art
Thereby, claims 41-42 are rendered obvious.
Relevant Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Yan (US 2025/0023057 A1) teaches an electrode assembly (20, fig. 3A) comprising:
a first electrode (21, fig. 3A);
a separator (23, fig. 3A);
a second electrode (22, fig. 3A),
the first electrode, the separator, and the second electrode being stacked (stacking body 2 includes a first electrode plate 21, a second electrode plate 22 and a separator film 23; [0149] and fig. 3A) and wound (stacking body 2 wound in winding direction D around central axis O, [0149] and fig. 3A),
an outermost portion of the electrode assembly having an empty space (see annotation of fig. 3A below) in which the first electrode (first electrode plate 21 further includes a first layer 213, [0166]) covers an end portion of the second electrode (the first layer also is provided on the second conductive layer 220, so that the first layer extends to a blank region of the second conductive layer 220; [0186]) with the separator interposed therebetween (order of layers 21/23/22 shown in fig. 3A); and
a thickness buffer portion located in the empty space (third layer 50 as may be a single-sided adhesive tape or a double-sided adhesive tape including the insulation material, [0181]; also fourth layer 60 of same material, [0185]; fig. 3A).
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Ahn (US 2013/0045405 A1, as cited in the 3/7/25 IDS) teaches an electrode assembly (100, fig. 6) comprising:
a first electrode (110, fig. 6);
a separator (150, fig. 6);
a second electrode (120, fig. 6),
the first electrode, the separator, and the second electrode being stacked (first and second electrode plates 110 and 120 are stacked while having a separator 150 interposed therebetween; [0097] and figs. 11-12) and wound (then the first and second electrode plates 110 and 120, and the separators 150 are rolled together in the shape of a jelly roll; [0046]),
an outermost portion of the electrode assembly (S2 in fig. 2) having an empty space in which the first electrode covers an end portion of the second electrode with the separator interposed therebetween (vertical space/distance/gap between 110, 120 with 150 between at S2 in fig. 12; stepped surface formed between edges of 110, 120 per [0110]); and
a thickness buffer portion located in the empty space (second planarizing member 272 second end S2 of the electrode assembly 100, [0109]; 272 leveled complementary with a stepped surface, [0111]; 272 planarizes/buffers between 110, 120 in thickness direction per figs. 11-12 and in view of fig. 2) …
the first electrode comprises a first electrode current collector and a first electrode active material layer located on the first electrode current collector (first electrode plate 110 functions to provide a transfer path of charges generated in a first electrode active material 115 and to support the first electrode active material 115, [0054] and fig. 12).
Conclusion
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/JESSIE WALLS-MURRAY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1728
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