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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. JP 2023-079353, filed on 05/12/2023.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDSs) submitted on 04/10/2024, 12/16/2024, 09/18/2025, and 01/27/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings received on 04/10/2024 were reviewed and are acceptable.
Specification
The specification filed on 04/10/2024 was reviewed and is acceptable.
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.
(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.
Claim(s) 1-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (WO 2023/282723 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses an electrode assembly [10] comprising: a plurality of electrodes (first electrodes and second electrodes; [11]) arranged side by side in one direction ([t]he first and the second electrodes may be alternately disposed between the spacer sections of the first separator; [10]; see Fig. 1); and a separator formed in a zigzag shape (first separator may be folded in a zigzag manner to form the spacer sections; [39]) and configured to insulate the plurality of electrodes from each other (Inorganic particles having piezoelectricity refer to materials which are a nonconductor at normal pressure but have a property of conducting electricity due to a change in the internal structure when a certain pressure is applied. [they] also generate an electric potential difference between opposing surfaces, e.g., of a separator, by causing one surface to be positively charged and the other surface to be negatively charged, or vice versa; [72]; [e]ach of the electrodes in the stack are separated from one another by a separator positioned therebetween; [0018]), wherein the separator includes: a plurality of intervening portions (spacer sections; [11]), each of which is interposed between a pair of electrodes adjacent to each other in the one direction (the first separator may include a plurality of spacer sections each positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode and side sections each connected to and extending between sides of adjacent ones of the spacer sections; [81]); an upper folded portion which connects an upper end of one intervening portion of the plurality of intervening portions and an upper end of another intervening portion of the plurality of intervening portions which is adjacent to the one intervening portion on one side of the one direction (side sections 4b each connected to and extending between sides of adjacent ones of the spacer sections 4a; [81]; the side sections may be bent one or more times in directions parallel to a stacking direction of the stack; [18]); and a lower folded portion which connects a lower end of the one intervening portion of the plurality of intervening portions and a lower end of another intervening portion of the plurality of intervening portions which is adjacent to the one intervening portion on the other side of the one direction (the side sections may be positioned on alternating sides of the first and the second electrodes of the stack; [13]; the side sections may be bent one or more times in directions parallel to a stacking direction of the stack; [18]), at least one of the upper folded portion and the lower folded portion is connected to the electrode (the first electrode and the first separator and the first separator and the second electrode may be bonded to each other; [89]).
Regarding claim 2, Kim discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above.
Kim further discloses that the plurality of electrodes include a plurality of positive electrodes and a plurality of negative electrodes (the first electrode and the second electrode may be a positive electrode and a negative electrode. When the first electrode is a positive electrode, the second electrode may be a negative electrode, and when the first electrode is a negative electrode, the second electrode may be a positive electrode; [50]), the negative electrode is disposed above the lower folded portion (see 1.1. Modified figure 1 of Kim below), and the lower folded portion is connected to a lower end of the negative electrode (the first separator may be bonded to at least one of the first electrodes; the first separator may be bonded to at least one of the second electrodes; [20]).
<1.1. Modified figure 1 of Kim et al.>
PNG
media_image1.png
414
854
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 3, Kim discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above.
Kim further discloses that the separator further includes an outermost covering portion (second separator; [84]) which collectively covers the upper folded portion and the lower folded portion (the second separator may be positioned on an upper surface, a lower surface, and at least one pair of opposing side surfaces of the stack S; [84]), and the lower folded portion is connected to the outermost covering portion (the second separator positioned on at least one pair of opposite side surfaces of the stack S may be in contact with at least one or more side sections; [85]).
Regarding claim 4, Kim discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above.
Kim further discloses that the plurality of electrodes include a plurality of positive electrodes and a plurality of negative electrodes (the first electrode and the second electrode may be a positive electrode and a negative electrode. When the first electrode is a positive electrode, the second electrode may be a negative electrode, and when the first electrode is a negative electrode, the second electrode may be a positive electrode; [50]), and an upper end of the negative electrode is connected to the outermost covering portion (the second separator may be bonded to at least one of the first electrodes; [20]; the second separator may be bonded to at least one of the second electrodes; [20]).
Regarding claim 5, Kim discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above.
Kim further discloses that the upper folded portion is connected to the outermost covering portion (the second separator positioned on at least one pair of opposite side surfaces of the stack S may be in contact with at least one or more side sections; [85]).
Regarding claim 6, Kim discloses all the claim limitations as set forth above.
Kim further discloses that the plurality of electrodes include a plurality of positive electrodes and a plurality of negative electrodes (the first electrode and the second electrode may be a positive electrode and a negative electrode. When the first electrode is a positive electrode, the second electrode may be a negative electrode, and when the first electrode is a negative electrode, the second electrode may be a positive electrode; [50]), the plurality of negative electrodes include an outermost negative electrode disposed outermost in the one direction (see 1.2. Modified figure of Kim below), and a lower end of the outermost negative electrode is connected to the outermost covering portion (the second separator may be bonded to at least one of the first electrodes. In some arrangements, the second separator may be bonded to at least one of the second electrodes; [20]; see 1.2. Modified figure of Kim below).
<1.2. Modified figure 1 of Kim et al.>
PNG
media_image2.png
423
880
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Jang et al. (US 2023/0071671 A1) discloses an electrode assembly with a wrapping separator wrapped around the stack.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JESSICA N LIZARAZU whose telephone number is (571)272-9697. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:30am-6:00pm.
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, Nicole Buie-Hatcher can be reached at 5712703879. 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.
/J.N.L./Examiner, Art Unit 1725
/JAMES M ERWIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725 08/27/2026
Prosecution Insights