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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on February 9, 2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
In response to the amendment received February 9, 2026:
Claims 1, 3, 6, 8-20, 22 and 25-26 are pending. Claims 2, 4-5, 7, 21 and 23-24 have been cancelled as per applicant’s request.
The previous prior art rejection has been withdrawn in light of the amendments. However, a new prior art rejection has been made below regarding claim 26.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim 26 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abe et al. (JP2008041581A) in view of Xie et al. (WO 2022/100280A), Yeo et al. (KR2008/0037867A), Ikuta et al. (US 2007/0072083) and Fukatani et al. (US 2020/0251739). The English machine translations of Abe et al., Xie et al. and Yeo et al. were attached in a prior Office action and are referenced below.
Regarding Claim 26, Abe et al. teaches a wound electrode group (Para. [0029]) wherein a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a separator are stacked and then wound to form the wound electrode group (Para. [0010]) comprising a positive electrode (i.e. a positive electrode sheet) comprising a positive electrode current collector (Fig. 5, #22) and a positive electrode active material-containing layer (Fig. 5, #21) (i.e. a positive electrode active material layer) wherein the positive electrode active material-containing layer is disposed on at least one side of the positive electrode current collector in a thickness direction and the positive electrode sheet is provided with a straight portion and to-be-bent portions (see Fig. 4 and 5) and an insulating layer (Fig. 5, #50) (i.e. thickening layer) is provided between the positive electrode active material-containing layer and the positive electrode current collector (Para. [0030]) (i.e. a thickening layer is disposed on at least one side of the positive electrode current collector of at least a part of the to-be-bent portions in the thickness direction and the thickening layer is disposed between the positive electrode current collector and the positive electrode active material layer) and the insulating layer (i.e. thickening layer) is disposed at the at least part of the to-be-bent portions but not at the straight portion (see Fig. 5) wherein the positive electrode active material-containing layer covering a surface of the insulating layer (Fig. 5, #21 in the bent region) may be a first positive electrode active material layer and the positive electrode active material-containing layer located in the straight portion (Fig. 5, #21 in the straight region) and connected to the first positive electrode active material layer may be a second positive electrode active material.
Abe et al. further teaches wherein in a winding direction a positive electrode sheet (Fig. 8, #21, #22) has a second bent portion (see innermost portion on the left side of the wound assembly in Fig. 8) adjacent to a first bent portion (innermost portion on the right side of the wound assembly in Fig. 8) and the insulating layer (Fig. 8, #50) is disposed on at least one side of the positive electrode current collector of the second bent portion in the thickness direction (see Annotated Abe et al. – Fig. 8 below) (i.e. the thickening layer disposed on at least one side the of the positive electrode current collector of at least two of the to-be-bent portions in the thickness direction, the thickness layer is disposed on at least two of the to-be-bent portions but not at the straight portion) . Since Abe et al. discloses several embodiments in a single disclosure, it would be within the skill of one of ordinary skill in the art to look to the additional embodiments disclosed by Abe et al. to provide additional functionality to the wound electrode assembly. Additionally, the embodiment of Figure 8 provides improved reliability of the battery (Para. [0049]).
Annotated Abe et al. – Fig. 8
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Abe et al. does not teach at least one of the at least two of the to-be-bent portions is not located at an innermost side of the positive electrode sheet after the positive electrode sheet is wound.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to move one of the thickening layers to be located at a to-be-bent portion not located at the innermost side of the positive electrode sheet after the positive electrode sheet is wound, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70. Shifting the one of the innermost thickening layers of Abe (for example from the second bent portion to the fourth bent portion) would not have modified the operation of the device or provide any unexpected results and thus is an obvious matter of design choice within the skill of the art. See MPEP 2144.04(VI)C.
Abe et al. does not teach a plurality of hole regions are distributed in the thickening layer and the hole region is provided therein with a positive electrode active material for connecting the positive electrode current collector and the first positive electrode active material layer.
However, Xie et al. teaches a positive electrode sheet (Fig. 8, #11) comprising a current collector (Fig. 8, #111) (i.e. a positive electrode current collector), a first protective layer (Fig. 8, #114) (i.e. a thickening layer) disposed on the current collector comprising hollow portions (Fig. 8, #116) (i.e. a plurality of hole regions are distributed in the thickening layer) and a first active material layer (i.e. a positive electrode active material) (Fig. 8, #112) is disposed in the hollow portions (i.e. the hole region is provided therein with a positive electrode active material for connecting the positive electrode current collector and the first positive electrode active material layer).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the safety coating layer (i.e. the thickening layer) of Abe et al. to incorporate the teaching of the hollow portions as taught by Xie et al., as it would provide high protection capability against puncture, collision and other harsh environments, thereby improving the safety performance of the battery (Para. [0088]) and provides good electrical conduction (Para. [0086]).
Abe et al. does not teach a ratio of a thickness of the first positive electrode active material layer to a thickness of the second positive electrode active material layer is 20-45%.
However, Yeo et al. teaches a lithium battery comprising an electrode assembly comprising a round part (i.e. to-be-bent portion) comprising a low coating part (i.e. a first positive electrode active material layer) in which the thickness of the positive electrode active material part is thinner than the other parts, wherein the other parts are the high-coating portion (Para. [0031], [0047]) wherein the low coating part is coated to a thickness of 50% or less of the thickness of the adjacent positive electrode active material portion [in the straight portion] (Para. [0029], [0047]) (i.e. a ratio of a thickness of the first positive electrode material layer to a thickness of the second positive electrode active material layer is 50% or less, overlapping with the claimed range of 20%-45%).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Abe et al. to incorporate the teaching of the low coating part in the round portion is coated to a thickness of 50% or less of the thickness of the adjacent positive electrode active material portion [in the straight portion],as taught by Yeo et al., as such a ratio can increase the number of winding times of the wound battery, which increases the capacity of the battery, thus improving battery capacity characteristics (Para. [0041]).
Abe et al. further teaches the insulating layer (i.e. the thickening layer) (Fig. 5, #50) and when an electrically insulating material is used as a film it may be formed directly on the active-material containing layer by attaching in the form of adhesive tape having an adhesive layer (Para. [0042]) (i.e. where the thickening layer is bonded to the first positive electrode active material layer is a bonding surface).
Abe et al. does not teach a ratio of an area of the plurality of hole regions distributed on the bonding surface to an area of the bonding surface is 20% to 29%.
However, Ikuta et al. teaches a porous insulating layer (i.e. thickening layer) wherein the porous insulating layer containing a resin binder may be formed on the surface of the positive electrode active material layer (Para. [0030], [0057]) wherein the surface of the active material layer has the first regions provided with the porous insulating layer and the second regions not provided with the porous insulating layer (Para. [0057]) wherein the first regions account 20 to 90% of the surface of the active material layer (Para. [0041]) (i.e. a ratio of an area of the plurality of hole regions distributed on the bonding surface to an area of the bonding surface is 10% to 80%, overlapping with the claimed range of 20% to 29%).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the insulating layer of Abe et al. to incorporate the teaching of the hole ratio as taught by Ikuta et al., as such a ratio would allow for high ion conductivity of the active material layer and safety due to secured insulation (Para. [0041], [0042]). In the case where the claimed ranges “overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art” a prima facie case of obviousness exists. In re Wertheim, 541 F.2d 257, 191 USPQ 90 (CCPA 1976); In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 16 USPQ2d 1934 (Fed. Cir. 1990).” See MPEP §2144.05(I).
Abe et al. further teaches the insulating layer (i.e. thickening layer) is made of an electrically insulating material (Para. [0026], line 281).
Abe et al. does not teach wherein a material of the thickening layer comprises one or more of acrylic acid-methacrylic acid copolymer, acrylic acid-butenoic acid copolymer, acrylic acid-itaconic acid copolymer, acrylic acid-maleic acid copolymer, acrylic acid-n-butyl methacrylate copolymer, and acrylic acid-isobutyl methacrylate copolymer.
However, Fukatani et al. teaches a porous insulating layer for a positive electrode (Para. [0028]) (i.e. a thickening layer) wherein the porous insulating layer comprises a binder (Para. [0062]) such as a polymer obtained by polymerization of monomers including acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, itaconic acid, maleic acid (Para. [0068]), butyl-methacrylate and isobutyl methacrylate (Para. [0065]) (i.e. the thickening layer comprises one or more of acrylic acid-methacrylic acid copolymer, acrylic acid-itaconic acid copolymer, acrylic acid-maleic acid copolymer, acrylic acid-n-butyl methacrylate copolymer, and acrylic acid-isobutyl methacrylate copolymer).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the insulating layer (i.e. thickening layer) Abe et al. to incorporate the teaching of the porous insulating layer binder as taught by Fukatani et al., as such a composition would provide capability of suppressing or reducing a layer thickness increase of an active layer of an electrode (Para. [0033]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 1, 3, 6, 8-20, 22 and 25 allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: none of the prior art of record alone or in combination teach, suggest or render obvious the inventions of at least claims 1 and 22.
Claims 1 and 22 teach a positive electrode sheet requiring the elements therein. Notably, the claims require a ratio of a thickness of a second positive electrode active layer to a sum of a thickness of a first positive electrode active layer and a thickening layer is 1:(1.05-1.1). Abe et al. (previously cited) teaches a positive electrode (i.e. a positive electrode sheet) comprising an insulating layer (Fig. 5, #50) (i.e. thickening layer) is provided between the positive electrode active material-containing layer and the positive electrode current collector (Para. [0030]) wherein the positive electrode active material-containing layer covering a surface of the insulating layer (Fig. 5, #21 in the bent region) may be a first positive electrode active material layer and the positive electrode active material-containing layer located in the straight portion (Fig. 5, #21 in the straight region) and connected to the first positive electrode active material layer may be a second positive electrode active material. However, there is no teaching of a ratio of a thickness of a second positive electrode active layer to a sum of a thickness of a first positive electrode active layer and a thickening layer is 1:(1.05-1.1) as claimed. There is no suggestion or motivation to arrive at the claimed invention of claims 1 and 22 in the prior art. Thus, none of the prior art alone or in combination renders obvious the claimed invention of claims 1 and 22. Since claims 3, 6, 8-20 and 25 are dependent upon claim 1, they are allowable for the same reason.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed February 9, 2026 have been fully considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to the combination of the references being used in the current rejection in light of the amendment.
Applicant’s arguments are drawn to a previous prior art combination and thus, are not persuasive in light of the newly cited prior art.
Conclusion
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/ARMINDO CARVALHO JR./Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1729