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
Claims 1-8 are pending and under consideration on the merits.
Examiner Note
It is noted that all references hereinafter to Applicant’s Specification are to the published application US 2025/0070424 A1, unless stated otherwise. Further, it is noted that italicized text in parentheses recited in any rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102 or 35 U.S.C. 103 indicates the element of the claimed invention to which the preceding prior art element corresponds. Additionally, any italicized text utilized hereinafter is to be interpreted as emphasis placed thereupon.
Specification
The title of the disclosure is objected to because 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: “Battery, battery case, and terminal part”
Appropriate action is required.
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.
Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Harayama et al. (US 2015/0140415 A1; “Harayama”).
Regarding claim 1, Harayama discloses a battery (a battery) [element 100, 0032-0033, FIG. 1] comprising a battery case (a battery case) [element 110, 0033-0038] formed with a through hole (formed with a through hole) [elements 113h and 113k, 0049, FIGs. 2-3], wherein the battery case comprises a case body [element 111, 0033, FIG. 1] and a case lid [element 113, 0033, FIG. 1]. The battery further comprises a connecting member of a terminal member inserted and extending through the through hole to inside and outside of the battery case (a terminal part provided extending through the through hole to inside and outside of the battery case) [elements 135 and 145, 0038-0039, 0049, 0051, FIGs. 2-3], and a first insulating member/gasket made of electrically insulating resin (a resin member) [element 170, 0047, 0061, FIG. 2] interposed and fixedly clamped between the case lid and the connecting member (provided between and joined to the battery case and the terminal part) [0046-0047, 0052, FIG. 2].
The connecting member includes an insert-through part (a columnar portion) [elements 132 and 142, 0038-0039, 0049, 0051, FIG. 2], wherein at least a part of the insert-through part is located in the through hole (at least a part of which is located in the through hole) [0049, 0051, FIG. 2]. The connecting member further includes a seat part, of which is a flat plate-like shape (a terminal plate-shaped portion) [elements 131 and 141, 0039, 0043, 0048, FIG. 2], that is located in the battery case [FIG. 2] and has a shape extending more widely than the through hole along an inner surface of the battery case [FIG. 2].
The first insulating member includes an insertion part, of which has a cylindrical shape (a tube-shaped portion) [element 175, 0047, 0049, FIG. 2] located between a wall surface of the through hole and the insert-through part [0049, FIG. 2], and an insulating interposed part, of which is a flat plate-like shape (a resin plate-shaped portion) [element 171, 0047, FIG. 2] located between the inner surface of the battery case and the seat part [0047, FIG. 2].
The battery case, comprising the case lid, includes a protrusion (a protruding portion) [element 113p, 0054, 0090, FIG. 2], on the inner surface along a circumferential edge of the through hole [0054, 0090, FIG. 2]. The protrusion includes a joining inner surface (a joining inner surface) [0054, 0090, FIG. 2], see below for Figure 1. Annotated FIG. 2 of Harayama, that bites or digs into and presses a portion of an upper surface of the insulating interposed part [0054, 0090, FIG. 2], and is located protruding toward the inside of the battery case as compared with a portion of the inner surface that is father from the through hole than the joining inner surface [0054, 0090, FIG. 2], see below for Figure 1. Annotated FIG. 2 of Harayama, thereby, in totality, reading on the protruding portion including a joining inner surface that is joined to the resin plate-shaped portion and located protruding toward the inside of the battery case as compared with a portion of the inner surface, that is farther from the through hole than the joining inner surface, as claimed.
The protrusion and the seat part each have a side surface that does not project outward beyond a side surface of the insulating interposed part [FIG. 2], see below for Figure 1. Annotated FIG. 2 of Harayama, thereby, reading on the protruding portion and the terminal plate-shaped portion each have a side surface that does not project outward beyond a side surface of the resin plate-shaped portion, as claimed.
PNG
media_image1.png
671
702
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Figure 1. Annotated FIG. 2 of Harayama
Regarding claim 2, in view of the rejection of claim 1 above, Harayama discloses that the side surface of the insulating interposed part projects beyond the side surface of both the protrusion and the seat part, thereby, reading on the side surface of the resin plate-shaped portion projects beyond at least one of the side surface of the protruding portion and the side surface of the terminal plate-shaped portion, as claimed.
Regarding claim 3, in view of the rejection of claim 1 above, Harayama discloses that the first insulating member/gasket, including the insulating interposed part, is made of a fluorinated resin [0047, 0070-0080], of which is an extruded product made of, inter alia tetrafluoroethylene perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer (PFA) [0047, 0079-0080], wherein, since tetrafluoroethylene perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer is a mixture of multiple components, hence the copolymer, it reads on base resin containing filler, as claimed.
The filler in the first insulating member/gasket is mainly oriented in an orientation direction parallel to the joining inner surface of the battery case and a joining surface of the seat part joined to the insulating interposed part, as that direction is the longest in that orientation [FIG. 2].
Regarding claim 4, in view of the rejection of claim 2 above, Harayama discloses that the first insulating member/gasket, including the insulating interposed part, is made of a fluorinated resin [0047, 0070-0080], of which is an extruded product made of, inter alia tetrafluoroethylene perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer (PFA) [0047, 0079-0080], wherein, since tetrafluoroethylene perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer is a mixture of multiple components, hence the copolymer, it reads on base resin containing filler, as claimed.
The filler in the first insulating member/gasket is mainly oriented in an orientation direction parallel to the joining inner surface of the battery case and a joining surface of the seat part joined to the insulating interposed part, as that direction is the longest in that orientation [FIG. 2].
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.
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.
Claims 5-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Harayama as applied to claims 1-4 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) above, in view of Kohno (US 2013/0260212 A1; “Kohno”).
Regarding claims 5, 6, 7, and 8, Harayama discloses the battery set forth above in the rejection of claims 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Harayama further discloses that the protrusion of the battery case and the seat part each include a region that faces the insulating interposed part (at least one of the protruding portion of the battery case and the terminal plate-shaped portion of the terminal part includes a region that faces the resin plate-shaped portion) [0047, 0053-0054, 0063, FIG. 2].
Harayama remains silent regarding at least one of the protruding portion of the battery case and the terminal plate-shaped portion of the terminal part is formed with fine asperities, and the resin member penetrates into the asperities to form an anchor structure.
Kohno is directed to a secondary battery and secondary battery module including external terminals exposed from the battery container [0001, 0010, 0032]. Kohno teaches positive and negative external terminals [elements 4A and 4B respectively, 0036, FIG. 5] are formed in an integral form with their respective connecting plate [elements 5A and 5B respectively, 0036, FIG. 5] and are exposed at a battery cover [element 3, 0036, FIG. 5]. Insulating base materials [elements 13A and 13B, 0037, FIG. 5] are interposed between the external terminals and the battery cover [0037], and seal up a through-holes in the battery cover [elements 31A and 31B, 0037, FIG. 5]. The surfaces of the battery cover, the positive and negative external terminals, and the positive and negative connecting plates are all roughened [0108, 0110-0111]. A resin-made insulating base material may enter into fine dents and dimples of the positive and negative connecting plates and the battery cover [104-0107, 0109, 0111, 0117], thereby forming a connection boundary with fine projections and depressions is formed, which in turn produces an anchor effect and maintains high connecting strength [0117].
Harayama and Kohno each constitute prior art which is directly analogous to the claimed invention – ------a battery comprising a battery case formed with a through hole. In view of the combined teachings of the foregoing prior art, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the battery of Harayama so that the surfaces of the battery case, comprising the case lid, and the connecting member, including the seat part, are all roughened, thereby allowing the fluorinated resin, of which makes up the first insulating member, to enter into fine dents and dimples of the battery case, comprising the case lid, and the connecting member, including the seat part, in order to produce an anchor effect, to thereby enhance and maintain high connecting strength and airtightness [Kohno, 0111, 0117].
In accordance with the aforesaid modifications, the battery of modified Harayama would have the surfaces of the battery case, comprising the case lid, and the connecting member, including the seat part, all roughened, thereby allowing the fluorinated resin, of which makes up the first insulating member, to enter into fine dents and dimples of the battery case, comprising the case lid, and the connecting member, including the seat part, in order to produce an anchor effect, thereby, in totality, reading on at least one of the protruding portion of the battery case and the terminal plate-shaped portion of the terminal part is formed with fine asperities, and the resin member penetrates into the asperities to form an anchor structure, as claimed.
Pertinent Prior Art
The following constitutes a list of prior art which are not relied upon herein, but are considered pertinent to the claimed invention and/or written description thereof. The prior art are purposely made of record hereinafter to facilitate compact/expedient prosecution, and consideration thereof is respectfully suggested.
Kim et al., US 2015/0255760 A1 – is directed towards a rechargeable battery comprising a case, a cap plate, and positive and negative electrode terminals installed in the cap plate [0028, FIG. 2], and teaches that the cap plate has a protruding portion on an inner surface along a circumferential edge of a through hole [FIG. 2].
Kim et al., US 2013/0029188 A1 – is directed towards a secondary battery comprising a case, a cap plate, and first and second (positive and negative) electrode terminals extending through a through hole of the case [0008-0011, 0042, 0051, 0055, 0066-0072, FIGs. 1B and 1C], and teaches that the cap plate has a protruding portion on an inner surface along a circumferential edge of a through hole [0059, FIGs. 1B and 1C].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JENNA X. COLTON whose telephone number is (571)272-2210. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8AM-5PM.
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, Aaron Austin can be reached at (571)272-8935. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JENNA X. COLTON/Examiner, Art Unit 1782
/AARON AUSTIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1782
Prosecution Insights