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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/05/2024, 11/01/2024, 07/31/2025 and 01/14/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1 and 3-15, in the reply filed on 05/01/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 16, 17, and 20 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Group II, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 05/01/2026.
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.
Claims 1 and 3-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang et al. (“Wang”, CN 106252732 A, disclosed in IDS, see machine translation).
Regarding claim 1, Wang teaches an electrode assembly (Wang, Figs. 1-8, [0056]- [0057], [0072]-[0073]), comprising:
a first electrode plate (Wang, Figs. 1-8, [0056]- [0057], [0072]-[0073], e.g., positive electrode sheets 20 or negative electrode sheets 30); and
separators provided on two sides of the first electrode plate in a thickness direction of the first electrode plate and stacked with the first electrode plate (Wang, Figs. 1-8, [0056]- [0057], [0072]-[0073], e.g., upper top surface separator 11 and the lower bottom surface separator 12);
wherein:
in an unfolded state of the electrode assembly, each of the separators has: a first edge portion exceeding an end of the first electrode plate in a length direction of the separator, and a second edge portion exceeding an end of the first electrode plate in a height direction of the separator (Wang, Figs. 2-3 and 6-7, [0056]- [0057], [0072]-[0073], e.g., positive electrode sheets 20 or negative electrode sheets 30; upper top surface separator 11 and the lower bottom surface separator 12);
in the thickness direction of the first electrode plate, the corresponding first edge portions on two sides of the first electrode plate are at least partly hot-melt connected to form a first hot-melted segment, and the corresponding second edge portions on two sides of the first electrode plate are at least partly hot-melt connected to form multiple second hot-melted segments (Wang, Figs. 3-4 and 7-8, [0062], [0078], e.g., each of the positive electrode sheets 20 is sealed between the upper top surface diaphragm 11 and the lower bottom surface diaphragm 12 by hot melting; the hot-melt method involves heating and pressing the upper top surface separator 11 and the lower bottom surface separator 12 together around the periphery of the positive electrode 20, thereby bonding and sealing the upper top surface separator 11 and the lower bottom surface separator 12 at the pressing point within the positive electrode 20; each of the negative electrode sheets 30 is sealed between the upper top surface diaphragm 11 and the lower bottom surface diaphragm 12 by hot melting; the hot-melt method involves heating and pressing the upper top surface separator 11 and the lower bottom surface separator 12 together around the periphery of the negative electrode sheet 30, thereby bonding and sealing the upper top surface separator 11 and the lower bottom surface separator 12 at the pressing point within the negative electrode sheet 30);
the first electrode plate comprises multiple bending segments and multiple stacked first stacking segments, each bending segment connecting two adjacent first stacking segments (Wang, Figs. 3-4 and 7-8, [0057], [0073], e.g., positive electrode sheets 20 or negative electrode sheets 30; the continuous positive electrode separator bag 10 is stacked in a Z-shape; the continuous negative electrode separator bag 40 is stacked in a Z-shape); and
in the unfolded state of the electrode assembly, the multiple second hot-melted segments are spaced at positions corresponding to the bending segments in the length direction of the separator (Wang, Figs. 3-4 and 7-8, [0057], [0073], e.g., positive electrode sheets 20 or negative electrode sheets 30; the continuous positive electrode separator bag 10 is stacked in a Z-shape; the continuous negative electrode separator bag 40 is stacked in a Z-shape; (as shown in Figs. 3-4 and 7-8, in the unfolded state of the electrode assembly, the multiple second hot-melted segments are spaced at positions corresponding to the bending segments in the length direction of the separator (11, 12))).
Regarding claim 3, Wang teaches the electrode assembly according to claim 1 as disclosed above. Wang teaches wherein in the length direction of the separator, a length of each of the second hot-melted segments is larger than a length of the corresponding bending segment (Wang, Figs. 3-4 and 7-8, [0062], [0078], [0057], [0073], e.g., each of the positive electrode sheets 20 is sealed between the upper top surface diaphragm 11 and the lower bottom surface diaphragm 12 by hot melting; the hot-melt method involves heating and pressing the upper top surface separator 11 and the lower bottom surface separator 12 together around the periphery of the positive electrode 20, thereby bonding and sealing the upper top surface separator 11 and the lower bottom surface separator 12 at the pressing point within the positive electrode 20; each of the negative electrode sheets 30 is sealed between the upper top surface diaphragm 11 and the lower bottom surface diaphragm 12 by hot melting; the hot-melt method involves heating and pressing the upper top surface separator 11 and the lower bottom surface separator 12 together around the periphery of the negative electrode sheet 30, thereby bonding and sealing the upper top surface separator 11 and the lower bottom surface separator 12 at the pressing point within the negative electrode sheet 30; the continuous positive electrode separator bag 10 is stacked in a Z-shape; the continuous negative electrode separator bag 40 is stacked in a Z-shape; (as shown in Figs. 3-4 and 7-8, in the length direction of the separator, a length of each of the second hot-melted segments is larger than a length of the corresponding bending segment)).
Regarding claim 4, Wang teaches the electrode assembly according to claim 1 as disclosed above. Wang teaches wherein in the height direction of the separator, each of the second hot-melted segments is symmetric with respect to the corresponding bending segment (Wang, Figs. 3-4 and 7-8, e.g., (as shown in Figs. 3-4 and 7-8, in the height direction of the separator, each of the second hot-melted segments is symmetric with respect to the corresponding bending segment)).
Regarding claim 5, Wang teaches the electrode assembly according to claim 1 as disclosed above. Wang teaches wherein in the thickness direction of the first electrode plate, each of the bending segments comprises a thinned portion or a cutoff portion to facilitate bending of the first electrode plate (Wang, Figs. 3-4 and 7-8, e.g., (as shown in Figs. 4 and 8, in the thickness direction of the first electrode plate, each of the bending segments comprises a thinned portion or a cutoff portion to facilitate bending of the first electrode plate)).
Regarding claim 6, Wang the electrode assembly according to claim 5 as disclosed above. Wang teaches wherein each of the bending segments comprises the thinned portion, and a length of each of the second hot-melted segments in the length direction of the separator is 3-50 mm (Wang, Figs. 3-4 and 7-8, [0066], e.g., the width and length of the negative electrode sheet 30 are required to be 4 mm wider than the width and length of the positive electrode sheet 20 (when the width the negative electrode sheet 30 are 4 mm wider than the width positive electrode sheet 20, as shown in Fig. 4, each of the bending segments comprises the thinned portion, and a length of each of the second hot-melted segments in the length direction of the separator falling in the claimed range of 3-50 mm (20-24 mm))).
Regarding claim 7, the electrode assembly according to claim 5, wherein each of the bending segments comprises the cutoff portion, and a length of each of the second hot-melted segments in the length direction of the separator is 5-50 mm (Wang, Figs. 3-4 and 7-8, [0066], e.g., the width and length of the negative electrode sheet 30 are required to be 4 mm wider than the width and length of the positive electrode sheet 20 (when the width the negative electrode sheet 30 are 4 mm wider than the width positive electrode sheet 20, as shown in Fig. 4, each of the bending segments comprises the thinned portion, and a length of each of the second hot-melted segments in the length direction of the separator is 5-50 mm (20-24 mm))).
Claim 7 contains product-by-process limitation, e.g., cutoff. The Wang teaches all of the positively recited structure of the claimed the electrode assembly with the bending segments. The determination of patentability is based upon the apparatus structure itself. The patentability of a product or apparatus does not depend on its method of production or formation. If the product in the product-by-process claim is the same as or obvious from a product of the prior art, the claim is unpatentable even though the prior product was made by a different process. (see MPEP § 2113). Claim 7 as written does not distinguish the product of the instant application from the product of the Wang.
Regarding claim 8, Wang teaches the electrode assembly according to claim 1 as disclosed above. Wang teaches a second electrode plate opposite to the first electrode plate in polarity, wherein the second electrode plate comprises multiple second stacking segments, and in a stacked state of the electrode assembly, each second stacking segment is provided between two adjacent first stacking segments (Wang, Figs. 1-8, [0056]- [0057], [0072]-[0073], e.g., negative electrode sheets 30 or positive electrode sheets 20; the continuous positive electrode separator bag 10 is stacked in a Z-shape; the continuous negative electrode separator bag 40 is stacked in a Z-shape; (as shown in Figs. 3-4 and 7-8, the second electrode plate comprises multiple second stacking segments, and in a stacked state of the electrode assembly, each second stacking segment is provided between two adjacent first stacking segments)).
Regarding claim 9, Wang teaches the electrode assembly according to claim 1 as disclosed above. Wang teaches wherein in the height direction of the separator, one side end of the first electrode plate has a first tab extending out of the separators, and the second hot-melted segment avoids the first tab (Wang, Figs. 3 and 7, [0063], [0079], e.g., there is no need to seal at the positive electrode tab 23; there is no need to seal at the negative electrode tab 33; (as shown in Figs. 3 and 7, in the height direction of the separator, one side end of the first electrode plate has a first tab extending out of the separators, and the second hot-melted segment avoids the first tab)).
Regarding claim 10, Wang teaches the electrode assembly according to claim 9 as disclosed above. Wang teaches wherein regions, avoiding the first tab, of the second edge portions on two sides of the first electrode plate in the thickness direction of the first electrode plate are all hot-melt connected to form the second hot-melted segment (Wang, Figs. 3-4 and 7-8, [0062], [0078], e.g., each of the positive electrode sheets 20 is sealed between the upper top surface diaphragm 11 and the lower bottom surface diaphragm 12 by hot melting; the hot-melt method involves heating and pressing the upper top surface separator 11 and the lower bottom surface separator 12 together around the periphery of the positive electrode 20, thereby bonding and sealing the upper top surface separator 11 and the lower bottom surface separator 12 at the pressing point within the positive electrode 20; each of the negative electrode sheets 30 is sealed between the upper top surface diaphragm 11 and the lower bottom surface diaphragm 12 by hot melting; the hot-melt method involves heating and pressing the upper top surface separator 11 and the lower bottom surface separator 12 together around the periphery of the negative electrode sheet 30, thereby bonding and sealing the upper top surface separator 11 and the lower bottom surface separator 12 at the pressing point within the negative electrode sheet 30; (as shown in Figs. 3 and 7, regions, avoiding the first tab, of the second edge portions on two sides of the first electrode plate in the thickness direction of the first electrode plate are all hot-melt connected to form the second hot-melted segment)).
Regarding claim 11, Wang teaches the electrode assembly according to claim 1 as disclosed above. Wang teaches wherein the corresponding first edge portions on two sides of the first electrode plate in the thickness direction of the first electrode plate are entirely hot-melt connected to form the first hot-melted segment (Wang, Figs. 3 and 7, [0062], [0078], e.g., each of the positive electrode sheets 20 is sealed between the upper top surface diaphragm 11 and the lower bottom surface diaphragm 12 by hot melting; the hot-melt method involves heating and pressing the upper top surface separator 11 and the lower bottom surface separator 12 together around the periphery of the positive electrode 20 (which is being interpreted as entirely hot-melt), thereby bonding and sealing the upper top surface separator 11 and the lower bottom surface separator 12 at the pressing point within the positive electrode 20; each of the negative electrode sheets 30 is sealed between the upper top surface diaphragm 11 and the lower bottom surface diaphragm 12 by hot melting; the hot-melt method involves heating and pressing the upper top surface separator 11 and the lower bottom surface separator 12 together around the periphery of the negative electrode sheet 30 (which is being interpreted as entirely hot-melt), thereby bonding and sealing the upper top surface separator 11 and the lower bottom surface separator 12 at the pressing point within the negative electrode sheet 30).
Regarding claim 12, Wang teaches the electrode assembly according to claim 1 as disclosed above. Wang teaches wherein a length of the first hot-melted segment in the length direction of the separator is 1-5 mm, and a height of the second hot-melted segment in the height direction of the separator is 1-5 mm (Wang, Figs. 3 and 7, [0063], [0079], e.g., the width of the seal on the upper top surface separator 11 and the lower bottom surface separator 12 can be 2 mm).
Regarding claim 13, Wang teaches the electrode assembly according to claim 1 as disclosed above. Wang teaches wherein the first electrode plate is an anode plate (Wang, Figs. 6-8, [0072]-[0073], e.g., negative electrode sheets 30).
Regarding claim 14, Wang teaches a battery cell (Wang, Figs. 1-8, [0002], [0008], [0056], [0058], [0074]), comprising the electrode assembly according to claim 1 as disclosed above.
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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (“Wang”, CN 106252732 A, disclosed in IDS, see machine translation).
Regarding claim 15, Wang teaches the battery cell according to claim 14 as disclosed above. Wang teaches a battery, comprising the battery cell (Wang, Figs. 1-8, [0002], [0008], [0056], [0058], [0074]).
Wang does not teach multiple ones of the battery cells.
However, the mere duplication of parts (mere duplication of the battery cell), without any new or unexpected results, is within the ambit of one of ordinary skill in the art. (see MPEP § 2144.04).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HAIXIA ZHANG whose telephone number is (571)272-5697. The examiner can normally be reached Monday and Tuesday 9-5.
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/HAIXIA ZHANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1723
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