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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 1-5, 13, 14, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2011/078309 (Kanda hereinafter) in view of US 3955385 (Becker hereinafter).
Regarding claim 1, Kanda discloses an electrode drying apparatus that discloses at least one material belt turning mechanism (Figure 3 with electrode supply roll 23a leading to electrode roll 23b and the intermediate rollers between within box 20), each configured for changing a travel direction of the material belt (Rollers 241-244 and rollers 24a-g), and comprising a first passing roller (Roller 241), a turning roller (Roller 242), and a second passing roller (Roller 24a) sequentially arranged in the travel direction of the material belt (Evident from Figure 3).
Kanda is silent with respect that the turning roller is configured to move in a first direction relative to the first passing roller and the second passing roller to adjust a wrap angle of the material belt on the turning roller, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to an axial direction of the turning roller.
However, Becker teaches a roller control system for processing a material as a belt (Figure 2) that discloses a first roller (Equivalent roller 13), a turning roller (Equivalent roller 11), a second roller (Equivalent roller 9), and that turning roller is configured to move in a first direction relative to the first passing roller and the second passing roller to adjust a wrap angle of the material belt on the turning roller (Pathway 12 per Column 2 Lines 41-54), wherein the first direction is perpendicular to an axial direction of the turning roller (At least a portion of the movement is in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the turning roller to create the arc pathway).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the roller set-up of Kanda with the adjustable turning roller of Becker to allow for particular drying and force applications to be applied.
Regarding claim 2, Kanda’s modified teachings are described above in claim 1 where the combination of Kanda and Becker would further disclose that the at least one material belt turning mechanism is each configured for changing the travel direction of the material belt from a second direction to a third direction (The turning mechanism of Kanda and Becker changes the direction from perpendicular to box 20 as the second direction in Kanda then angled per Becker and then perpendicular to the first direction leading towards 24a of Kanda as the third direction), wherein the second direction and the third direction are perpendicular to each other (Evident from Kanda Figure 3).
Regarding claim 3, Kanda’s modified teachings are described above in claim 2 where the combination of Kanda and Becker would further disclose that wherein an angle between the first direction and the second direction is 45°, and an angle between the first direction and the third direction is 45° (Figure 2 of Becker shows that the turning roller acts as an approximate half way split from the original 90° shown in Figure 3 of Kanda therefore creating two 45° angles).
Regarding claim 4, Kanda’s modified teachings are described above in claim 1 where the combination of Kanda and Becker would further disclose a box, wherein the at least one material belt turning mechanism is located inside the box (Box 20 of Kanda in Figure 3).
Regarding claim 5, Kanda’s modified teachings are described above in claim 4 where the combination of Kanda and Becker would further disclose that the at least one material belt turning mechanism each further comprises: a driving member configured for driving the turning roller to move in the first direction (Inherent of the movement line 12 shown in Figure 2 of Becker for there to be a driving member providing the movement).
Regarding claim 13, Kanda’s modified teachings are described above in claim 1 where the combination of Kanda and Becker would further disclose that a plurality of material belt turning mechanisms are provided to change the travel direction of the material belt multiple times (Kanda Figure 2 with rollers 241-244 and rollers 24a-g)
Regarding claim 14, Kanda’s modified teachings are described above in claim 1 where the combination of Kanda and Becker would further disclose that at least one first drying portion and at least one second drying portion (Kanda Figure 3 with sections 22a-g); wherein: the at least one first drying portion and the at least one second drying portion are opposite to and spaced from each other to form a gap through which the material belt passes (Evident from Figure 3 of Kanda, for example between 22a and 22b with respective housings 25a and 25b); and the at least one first drying portion is configured for drying one side of the material belt in a thickness direction (Figure 3 of Kanda), and the at least one second drying portion is configured for drying the other side of the material belt in the thickness direction (Figure 3 of Kanda).
Regarding claim 17, Kanda teaches an electrode drying apparatus and method of operation that discloses obtaining a solid content of an electrode plate (Figure 3 with electrode supply roll 23a leading to electrode roll 23b and the intermediate rollers between within box 20); and a turning roller in a drying apparatus (Roller 242 per Figure 3 of Kanda).
Kanda is silent to moving a turning roller in a drying apparatus in a first direction according to the solid content, to adjust a wrap angle of the electrode plate on the turning roller, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to an axial direction of the turning roller.
However, Becker teaches a roller control system for processing a material as a belt (Figure 2) that discloses a first roller (Equivalent roller 13), a turning roller (Equivalent roller 11), a second roller (Equivalent roller 9), moving a turning roller in a drying apparatus in a first direction according to the solid content, to adjust a wrap angle of the electrode plate on the turning roller (Pathway 12 per Column 2 Lines 41-54), wherein the first direction is perpendicular to an axial direction of the turning roller (At least a portion of the movement is in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the turning roller to create the arc pathway).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the roller set-up of Kanda with the adjustable turning roller of Becker to allow for particular drying and force applications to be applied.
Claims 6-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2011/078309 (Kanda) in view of US 3955385 (Becker) and further in view of US 2003/0207036 (Takehuma hereinafter).
Regarding claim 6, Kanda’s modified teachings are described above in claim 5 but are silent with respect to at least one track disposed inside the box and extending in the first direction; and at least one slider mounted on the at least one track and connected to the turning roller; wherein the driving member is used for driving the turning roller to slide along the at least one track.
However, Takehuma teaches a roller driven conveyor system that discloses at least one track disposed inside a housing and extending in the first direction (Track 62 in Figures 2a/2b with ¶ 38); and at least one slider mounted on the at least one track and connected to the turning roller (Slider 66 in as seen in Figures 2a/2b); wherein the driving member is used for driving the turning roller to slide along the at least one track (Driver 70 per ¶ 38).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the driver of Kanda/Becker with the specific slide and driver structure of Takehuma to allow for the position of the slide and driver and therefore the roller to be monitored.
Regarding claim 7, Kanda’s modified teachings are described above in claim 6 where the combination of Kanda, Becker, and Takehuma would further disclose that a mounting portion is disposed at an end of the at least one track (Mounting portion formed by 60 and 70 being attached to a frame or the box of Kanda); and the driving member comprises an adjusting screw (Screw 70 of Takehuma), the adjusting screw extends in the first direction (Resultant combination), the adjusting screw passes through and is screwed to the mounting portion (Evident from Figures 2a and 2b of Takehuma), and one end of the adjusting screw is connected to the at least one slider (Figures 2 a and 2b of Takehuma with 20b being the connection between the slider and roller of Kanda/Becker).
Regarding claim 8, Kanda’s modified teachings are described above in claim 6 where the combination of Kanda, Becker, and Takehuma would further disclose that the turning roller comprises a roller body and a shaft body (body 20B and shaft 20b of Takehuma in Figure 2a), and the roller body is sleeved over the shaft body in a rotatable manner (¶ 38 details that 20b and 20B are individually rotatable); and the at least one slider is connected to the shaft body (Evident of Figure 2a of Takehuma).
Regarding claim 9, Kanda’s modified teachings are described above in claim 8 where the combination of Kanda, Becker, and Takehuma would further disclose that two tracks and two sliders are provided, and the two tracks are arranged at an interval in an axial direction of the shaft body; and two axially opposite ends of the shaft body cooperate with the tracks through the sliders, respectively (The track shown in Figures 2a and 2b of Takehuma would be on either side of the roller and its shaft).
Regarding claim 10, Kanda’s modified teachings are described above in claim 6 where the combination of Kanda, Becker, and Takehuma would further disclose that a displacement sensor configured for detecting a position of the turning roller on the track (Sensor being the lines shown on 60 in Figure 2b of Takehuma to measure the height of 20b/20B).
Claims 11 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2011/078309 (Kanda) in view of US 3955385 (Becker) and further in view of CN 216459856 (Chen hereinafter).
Regarding claim 11, Kanda’s modified teachings are described above in claim 1 but are silent with respect to the turning roller is an adsorption roller configured to provide adsorption force for the material belt.
However, Chen teaches a roller for in a battery forming apparatus that discloses an adsorption roller (“As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the embodiment of the invention claims a roller, for coating machine, roller comprises a main body part 1. a dividing piece 2 and a pumping device (not shown in the figure), the main body part 1 has a plurality of cavities 11, each cavity 11 is respectively with a first through hole 111 and a second through hole 112, the indexing piece 2 has a third through hole 21, the third through hole 21 is used for communicating with the first through hole 111, the air pumping device is connected with the third through hole 21, wherein the main body part 1 can rotate relative to the indexing piece 2, when the main body part 1 rotates to the first through hole 111 and the third through hole 21 is connected, pumping device for through the third through hole 21 and the first through hole 111 corresponding to the cavity 11 of the air, The second through hole 112 is used for adsorbing the pole piece.”). The resultant combination would be such that the combination of Kanda/Becker/Chen would teach an adsorption roller configured to provide adsorption force for the material belt.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the turning roller of Kanda/Becker with the adsorption roller Chen to ensure that the rolled material stays connected to roller during operation.
Regarding claim 12, Kanda’s modified teachings are described above in claim 11 where the combination of Kanda, Becker, and Chen would further disclose that a surface of the adsorption roller is provided with a plurality of air holes, and the air holes are configured for providing adsorption force (Holes 112 of Chen per “the corresponding cavity 11 of the gas pressure is reduced, so as to pass through the second through hole 112 adsorption pole piece.”).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2011/078309 (Kanda) in view of US 3955385 (Becker) and further in view of US 2012/0285036 (Matsuyama hereinafter).
Regarding claim 15, Kanda’s modified teachings are described above in claim 14 but are silent with respect that the at least one first drying portion and/or the at least one second drying portion each comprise an air nozzle; and the air nozzle is configured for providing airflow.
However, Matsuyama teaches an apparatus for drying electrodes that discloses an air nozzle for providing airflow (¶ 33-34). The resultant combination would incorporate the air nozzle of Matsuyama into the drying sections of Kanda such that the at least one first drying portion and/or the at least one second drying portion each comprise an air nozzle; and the air nozzle is configured for providing airflow.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the electrode dyer of Kanda with the drying air nozzles of Matsuyama to increase the drying capability of Kanda.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2012/0285036 (Matsuyama) in view of WO 2011/078309 (Kanda) and further in view of in view of US 3955385 (Becker).
Regarding claim 16, Matsuyama teaches an electrode plate manufacturing device that discloses a coating apparatus configured for coating a surface of an electrode plate with a slurry (¶ 33-34 from electrode slurry 6); wherein in a travel direction of the electrode plate, the drying apparatus is provided downstream of the coating apparatus to dry the slurry on the electrode plate (Drying apparatus within 2 of Figure 1a-1c).
Matsuyama is silent with respect to the drying apparatus according to claim 1.
However, the combination of Kanda and Becker above in the rejection of claim 1 details the drying apparatus of claim 1.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the drying apparatus of Matsuyama with the combined drying apparatus taught in claim 1 above of Kanda and Becker to increase drying while allowing for particular drying and force applications to be applied.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CONNOR J. TREMARCHE whose telephone number is (571)272-2175. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 0700-1700 Eastern.
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/CONNOR J TREMARCHE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3762
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