DETAILED ACTION
The Applicant’s amendment filed on March 17, 2026 was received. Claims 1, 5 and 18 were amended. Claims 19-20 were added. Claims 6-14 remain withdrawn.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action issued December 18, 2025.
Claim Interpretation
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
Claim limitation “feed unit” in claim 1 has/have been interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because it uses/they use a generic placeholder “unit” coupled with functional language “feed(ing)” without reciting sufficient structure to achieve the function. Furthermore, the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. The term “unit” is merely a generic placeholder for the term “means.”
Since the claim limitation(s) invokes 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, claim 1 has/have been interpreted to cover “rollers” corresponding to structure described in the specification that achieves the claimed function, and equivalents thereof (Spec., para [0065]; Drawings, Figs. 1 and 2).
Claim limitation “metering unit” in claims 1, 2, 15, and 16 has/have been interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because it uses/they use a generic placeholder “unit” coupled with functional language “metering” without reciting sufficient structure to achieve the function. Furthermore, the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. The term “unit” is merely a generic placeholder for the term “means.”
Since the claim limitation(s) invokes 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, claims 1, 2, 15, and 16 has/have been interpreted to cover “a container” corresponding to structure described in the specification that achieves the claimed function, and equivalents thereof (Spec., para [0068]; Drawings, Fig. 3).
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The claim rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, on claim 18 is withdrawn because the claim has been amended.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The claim rejections under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schunemann and Yoshiki on claims 1-5 and 15-18 are withdrawn because independent claim 1 has been amended.
Claims 1-5 and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schunemann (US 20250108400) in view of Yoshiki (JP2018125201 provided translation cited below) and Tomotoshi (JPH01316402 provided translation cited below).
In regards to claims 1 and 5, Schunemann teaches a coating device (see e.g., Fig. 11) to manufacture an electrode, comprising:
a feed unit (substrate infeed 200) to feed a substrate (006) into a pressing gap (laminating gap 107) (para 0225; see e.g., Fig. 3);
a first metering unit (dry powder mixture 004) to accommodate a powder and fill a first metering gap (first gap 104) with the powder (para 0081; see e.g. Fig. 11); and
a roller device having a first application roller (first roller 102), a first pressing roller unit (second roller 103), and a second pressing roller unit (second roller 103’) (para 0081-0082; see e.g., Fig. 11),
the first metering gap (first gap 104) is provided between the first application roller (first roller 102) and the first pressing roller unit (second roller 103) (para 0081-0082; see e.g., Fig. 11), wherein
the pressing gap (second gap 107) is provided between the first pressing roller unit (second roller 103) and the second pressing roller unit (second roller 103’) (para 0081-0082; see e.g., Fig. 11),
the roller device being mechanically configured to apply powders as a two-ply layer to the first pressing roller unit (second roller 103) in the first metering gap (first gap104) via a
first application force (para 0093-0094), and
the roller device is further mechanically configured to transfer a two-ply layer from the first pressing roller unit (second roller 103) to a first side of the supplied substrate (006) in the pressing gap (second gap 107) via a pressing force (para 0103-0105).
Schunemann further teaches a shielding plate (124) in an area of metering gap (104) (para 0123; see for example Fig. 13).
Schunemann does not explicitly teach that the first metering unit (004) accommodates a first powder and a second powder and configured to parallel fill the first metering gap (104) with first and second powders.
However, Yoshiki teaches a metering unit (2) for accommodating a first chamber (21) for a first powder (first wet granules) and a second chamber (22) and a third chamber for a second powder (second wet granules) that provides a parallel fill to a metering gap with the first and second powders, for the benefit of passing granules of different sizes and suppressing cracking of the electrode material (para 0058-0059; see e.g., Figs. 2-4).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the first metering unit (004) of Schuemann, as taught by Yoshiki, for the benefit of passing granules of different sizes and suppressing cracking of the electrode material.
Schuemann and Yoshiki do not explicitly teach a first shielding plate is provided in a region of the first application roller and/or a second shielding plate is provided in a region of the first pressing roller unit, the first shielding plate and/or the second shielding plate preventing the first or second powder from lying on the first pressing roller unit prior to the first metering gap or preventing the first or second powder from adhering to the first application roller.
However, Tomotoshi teaches a first plate-7 (first shielding plate) and a second plate-8 (second shielding plate), where is the first plate-7 is positioned around rolling roll-1 and the second plate-8 is positioned around rolling roll-2. Tomotoshi teaches the first plate-7 and the second plate-8 maybe adjusted to control the biting angle (fig. 1-2; pg. 5, lines 7-15).
Tomotoshi teaches the biting angle correlates to the location where the powder contacts the rolling roll-1 prior to the metering gap (fig. 1-2; pg. 7, lines 11-17).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the adjustable first and second plate provided at the metering gap of Tomotoshi onto the first metering unit and first metering gap of Schuemann and Yoshiki because Tomotoshi teaches it will reduce the formation of cracks (pg. 7, lines 24-26).
In regards to claim 2, Schuemann, Yoshiki and Tomotoshi, where Schuemann further teaches a second metering unit (004’) to accommodate powders and configured to fill a second metering gap (104’) with powders (para 0081; see e.g. Fig. 11),
the roller device has a second application roller (102’) (para 0081-0082; see e.g., Fig. 11),
the second metering gap (104’) is provided between the second application roller (102’) and the second pressing roller unit (para 0081-0082; see e.g., Fig. 11),
the roller device being mechanically configured to apply powders as a second two-ply layer to the second pressing roller unit (103’) in the second metering gap (104’) via a second application force (para 0093-0094), and
the roller device is mechanically configured to transfer a second two-ply layer from the second pressing roller unit (103’) to a second side of the substrate (006) in the pressing gap via the pressing force (para 0103-0105).
Schunemann does not explicitly teach that the second metering unit (004’) accommodates a first powder and a second powder and configured to parallel fill the first metering gap (104) with first and second powders.
However, Yoshiki teaches a metering unit (2) for accommodating a first chamber (21) for a first powder (first wet granules) and a second chamber (22) and a third chamber for a second powder (second wet granules) that provides a parallel fill to a metering gap with the first and second powders, for the benefit of passing granules of different sizes and suppressing cracking of the electrode material (para 0058-0059; see e.g., Figs. 2-4).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the second metering unit (004’) of Schunemann, as taught by Yoshiki, for the benefit of passing granules of different sizes and suppressing cracking of the electrode material.
In regards to claim 3, in the aforementioned embodiment shown in Fig. 11, Schunemann does not explicitly teach that the first pressing roller unit comprises two pressing rollers.
However, in a different embodiment (see e.g., Fig. 5), Schunemann further teaches a pressing roller unit comprising first and second pressing rollers (103, 118), and a compressing gap between the first and second pressing rollers (103, 118), for the benefit of guiding the film between the metering gap and press nip (para 0091; see e.g., Fig. 5).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a second pressure roller (118) with the first pressure roller (103) in the aforementioned embodiment shown in Fig. 11, as taught by Schunemann, for the benefit of guiding the film between the metering gap and press nip.
In regards to claims 4, 15 and 20, Schunemann does not explicitly teach that the first metering unit (004) and the second metering unit (004’) each have a separating plate for separating different powders in a region of the first metering gap (104).
However, Yoshiki further teaches a metering unit (2) having separating plates (21a,b) for separating different powders in a region of a metering gap, wherein the metering unit (2) is configured to continuously fill the metering gap, for the benefit of passing granules of different sizes and suppressing cracking of the electrode material (para 0058-0059; see e.g., Figs. 2-4).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the first metering unit (004) and the second metering unit (004’) of Schunemann, as taught by Yoshiki, for the benefit of passing granules of different sizes and suppressing cracking of the electrode material.
In regards to claim 5, Schuemann and Yoshiki do not explicitly teach a third shielding plate is provided in a region of the second application roller or a fourth shielding plate is provided in a region of the second pressing roller unit.
However, Tomotoshi teaches a first plate-7 (shielding plate) and a second plate-8 (shielding plate), where is the first plate-7 is positioned around rolling roll-1 and the second plate-8 is positioned around rolling roll-2. Tomotoshi teaches the first plate-7 and the second plate-8 are adjusted to control the biting angle (fig. 1-2; pg. 5, lines 7-15).
Tomotoshi teaches the biting angle correlates to the location where the powder contacts the rolling roll-1 prior to the metering gap (fig. 1-2; pg. 7, lines 11-17).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the adjustable first and second plate provided at the metering gap of Tomotoshi onto the second metering unit and second metering gap of Schuemann and Yoshiki because Tomotoshi teaches it will reduce the formation of cracks (pg. 7, lines 24-26).
In regards to claim 16, Schunemann in view of Yoshiki and Tomotoshi, the metering unit (2) of the prior art combination is mechanically configured to meter powders such that a thickness of 40-150 µm can be obtained for a two-ply layer in the pressing gap, with a layer thickness of 10-70 µm for the first powder, since Yoshiki teaches that the first powder may have various particle sizes, and further teaches a pressing gap between 50 µm -10mm (para 0049).
In regards to claim 17, Schunemann further teaches that the first and second application rollers and/or the first and second pressing roller units are controlled to a temperature between 80°C and 150°C (para 0087).
In regards to claim 18, Schunemann further teaches rotating the first and second pressing roller units (103, 103’) at a same first rotational speed (para 0135). Schunemann further teaches rotating the first pressing roller (103) and the first application roller (102) at a rotational speed ratio between 10:1 and 10:4 (para 0134). Schunemann also teaches that various rotational speed ratios are possible since the rollers are independently driven (para 0133).
In regards to claim 19, the first pressing roller unit has a first pressing roller and a second pressing roller, a first compressing gap being provided between the first pressing roller and the second pressing roller to compress the first at least two-ply layer, the second pressing roller unit has a third pressing roller and a fourth pressing roller, a second compressing gap being provided between the third pressing roller and the fourth pressing roller to compress the second at least two-ply layer, the first metering gap is provided between the first application roller and the second pressing roller of the first pressing roller unit, the second metering gap is provided between the second application roller and the fourth pressing roller of the second pressing roller unit, and the pressing gap is provided between the first pressing roller of the first pressing roller unit and the third pressing roller of the second pressing roller unit.
However, in a different embodiment (see e.g., Fig. 5), Schunemann further teaches a pressing roller unit comprising first and second pressing rollers (103, 118), and a compressing gap between the first and second pressing rollers (103, 118), for the benefit of guiding the film between the metering gap and press nip (para 0091; see e.g., Fig. 5).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a second pressure roller (118) with the first pressure roller (103) and the second pressing roller unit (103’) in the aforementioned embodiment shown in Fig. 11, as taught by Schunemann, for the benefit of guiding the film between the metering gap and press nip.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed March 17, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant’s principal arguments are:
Yoshiki has a first chamber 21 for supplying first wet granules and second and third chambers 22 and 23 for supplying second wet granules into a metering gap between rollers 31 and 32, such metering unit 2 is not configured to apply the first and second wet granules as an at least two-ply layer, as required by claim 1. Rather, Yoshiki discloses that above the supply region 41, the first and second wet granules are separated so as not to be mixed, but below the supply region, the first and second wet granules are mixed in order to obtain the effect of the present invention, which is to suppress cracking of the electrode active material. Thus, the layer 12 that is formed between the rollers 31 and 32 is described by Yoshiki as an electrode mixture layer 12 (see also the mixture layer 12 formed in Fig. 2). Applicant submits that such mixture layer 12 fails to disclose the claimed first at least two-ply layer recited in claim 1 (see, e.g., Fig. 3 of the present Application). As such, even if one skilled in the art was to provide the metering unit 2 of Yoshiki in the system of Schunemann, the result would be application of a mixture layer on the substrate 006, as opposed to the at least two-ply layer of claim 1.
Applicant submits, however, that the alleged shielding plates 124 of Schunemann are not able to provide the effects of preventing the first or second powder from lying on the first pressing roller unit prior to the first metering gap or preventing the first or second powder from adhering to the first application roller, as now clarified in amended claim 1.
In response to Applicant’s arguments, please consider the following comments:
Yoshiki does teach the metering unit (2) that has the first chamber (21) for the first powder (first wet granules) and the second chamber (22) and the third chamber for the second powder (second wet granules) that provides the parallel fill to the metering gap as discussed above. This structure of the chambers with different powders is equivalent to the recited claimed metering unit (interpreted as a chamber) which accommodates the first and second powders and providing parallel fill.
With regards to two-ply layers, the courts have held that expressions relating the apparatus to contents thereof during an intended operation are of no significance in determining patentability of the apparatus claim (MPEP 2115). Also, the courts have held that a claim containing a “recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus” if the prior art apparatus teaches all the structural limitations of the claim (MPEP 2114).
A new ground rejection of Schunemann in view of Yoshiki and Tomotoshi is presented above to address amend claim 1.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action..
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Binu Thomas whose telephone number is (571)270-7684. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday, 8:00AM-5:00PM PT.
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/Binu Thomas/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1717
