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 Objections
Claims 1-6 are objected to because of the following informalities: The phrase “more to on the other side” is grammatically incorrect. 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.
Claim 5 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 5 recites the limitation "the outer periphery." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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)(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 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lee (US 2024/0088425).
Claim 1: Lee discloses a power storage cell (secondary battery 190, 200; ¶¶ 391-392, 436; figs. 17-18), including a wound electrode assembly which includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode (¶¶ 26, 124, 392, 396); and a case accommodating the wound electrode assembly (housing 142; ¶¶ 392-393; fig. 17), wherein the first electrode includes a first current collector and a first electrode material layer coating a portion of the first current collector and facing the separator in a radial direction of the wound electrode assembly (¶¶ 127, 192), wherein the first current collector has a first coated portion that is coated with the first electrode material layer (¶¶ 27, 127); and a plurality of first uncoated portions that are not coated with the first electrode material layer and located more to a one axial side of the wound electrode assembly than the first coated portion is (¶¶ 27-28, 132, 67, 125, 192-193), wherein the plurality of first uncoated portions are disposed side by side in a winding direction of the wound electrode assembly (¶¶ 136, 162), and at least some of the plurality of first uncoated portions are disposed side by side spaced apart from each other in the winding direction (¶¶ 29, 136, 162, 227-228).
Claim 2: Lee discloses the wound electrode assembly includes a covered portion that is covered with the plurality of first uncoated portions and an uncovered portion that is not covered with the plurality of first uncoated portions as viewed from the one axial side (¶¶ 31, 34, 139, 156-161; fig. 5).
Claim 3: Lee discloses the plurality of first uncoated portions are arranged along the radial direction (¶¶ 29-30, 29-41, 137-138, 221-230).
Claim 4: Lee discloses a distance between first uncoated portions among the plurality of first uncoated portions which are disposed spaced apart from each other in the winding direction gradually increases to a winding end side in the winding direction (¶¶ 32-33, 147-151, 227-228).
Claim 5: Lee discloses among the plurality of first uncoated portions, first uncoated portions that are on the outer periphery of the wound electrode assembly are disposed side by side, adjacent to each other in the winding direction (¶¶ 213, 352, 357, 368, 373; figs. 14-16).
Claim 6: Lee discloses the second electrode includes a second current collector and a second electrode material layer with which a portion of the second current collector is coated, the second electrode material facing the separator in the radial direction, wherein the second current collector has a second coated portion that is coated with the second electrode material layer, and a plurality of second uncoated portions that are not coated with the second electrode material layer, the plurality of second portions being located more to on the other axial side of the wound electrode assembly than the second coated portion is, wherein the plurality of second uncoated portions are disposed side by side in the winding direction, and at least some of the plurality of second uncoated portions are disposed side by side spaced apart from each other in the winding direction (¶¶ 56-57, 127, 137, 192, 353, 361; fig. 13).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LARRY THROWER whose telephone number is (571)270-5517. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-5pm MT M-F.
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/LARRY W THROWER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1754
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