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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: S21 (FIG. 2) and 221A (FIG. 4B). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claim(s) 1 to 4, 6 to 7 and 9 to 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsui et al (US 20160172657), and further in view of Guen (US 20190312252) and ABE et al. (US 20190081356).
Regarding claim 1 and 7, Matsui teaches:
Referring to FIG 1 and FIG 2, a battery can 11 that contains the wound electrode body 20 that includes main components (such as cathode 21 with a cathode active material layer 21B and a cathode current collector 21A facing a first end face of the electrode wound body, the first end face being in the first direction; an anode 22 with an anode active material layer 22B and an anode current collector 22A facing a second end face of the electrode wound body, the second end face being opposite to the first end face in the first direction; and a separator 23 in between and are wound around a central axis extending in a first direction ) in the secondary battery. Where the electrode body 20 is impregnated with an electrolytic solution [0114] that includes an impregnation electrolytic solution with which the electrode structure is impregnated and a non-impregnation electrolytic solution with which the electrode structure is not impregnated [0021]. The electrolytic solution contains a solvent [0115], wherein the solvent may include a nitrile.
Matsui is silent about the cover and not cover part. In the same field of endeavor, secondary battery, Guen teaches a battery with a first electrode 121 and a second electrode 122 that include an electrode activated portions 21a and 22a, which are regions where an active material is coated on a thin plate that is formed of a metal foil, and electrode uncoated regions 21b and 22b, which are regions where an active material is not coated [0030], considered equivalent to the covered part and the un-covered part by the active material layer. The first electrode active material uncoated (i.e., non-covered) regions 21b and the second electrode active material uncoated region 22b contact the current collecting members 140 and 142, Fig 2 and 3 [0040]. The first and second electrode being equivalent to the positive and negative electrode. Guen disclose the first and second electrode active material non-coated region are connected to the current collector at the same end of the spirally wound electrode assembly (FIG. 3) and is silent about the first electrode or second electrode non-coated part is joined to the first or second current collector at the other end of the wound electrode body, However, making the first uncoated region of the first electrode and the second uncoated region of the second electrode at two end of the wound electrode assembly instead of the same end as disclosed by Guen would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art since such change is considered a mere change in position, and according to the MPEP, shifting the position of parts within a device will not render the device patentable if the position change does not alter the device’s operation. (see In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950); MPEP § 2144.04 VI. C.)
Combination is silent about the dinitrile compound or the ratio of a weight, however, it would be obvious to a person ordinary skill in the art at the time to modify Matsui in view of Abe to arrive at the claimed ratio. Matsui already teaches that controlling the amount of volume of the non-impregnation electrolytic solution to an internal volume of the outer package [0021]. In the same field of endeavor, electrolytic solution, Abe teaches a non-aqueous electrolytic solution comprising a non-aqueous solvent and an electrolyte, which further contains a combination of a nitrile compound (or a dinitrile compound) [abs]. The dinitrile compound can be succinonitrile [0015]. Also, teaches that this compound can be adjust with different ranges of amount [ 0012, 0017 and claim 1] with the purpose of improve the battery performance and storage characteristics [abs]. A person ordinary skill in the art would recognize that, the amount of dinitrile compound is an adjustable parameter. Because the amount of electrolyte additive is relative to the size and amount of the electrode active material with which the battery is configured this range would have been a routine way of controlling the additive loading. The non-impregnation solution in large quantities can reduces the effect of the active material, limiting the device’s performance. Optimizing the dinitrile compound with respect of the active material area to obtain the claimed range would involve routine experimentation of a result effective variable to ensure a full potential of the total active material, rather than the exercise of inventive skill.
Regarding claim 2, Matsui doesn’t teach:
An outermost positive electrode wind part location or a first edge parts of the positive electrode exposed part.
In the same field of endeavor, rechargeable battery, Guen shows in FIG 3, an outermost positive electrode wind part that is located in an outermost wind of the positive electrode included in the electrode wound body is located on an inner side relative to an outermost negative electrode wind part that is located in an outermost wind of the negative electrode included in the electrode wound body, and first edge parts of the positive electrode exposed part that is wound around the central axis are bent toward the central axis, the first edge parts being adjacent to each other in a radial direction of the electrode wound body. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time to been motivated to incorporate the winding configuration of Guen into the electrode assembly of Matsui because Guen provides a known arrangement for positioning the outermost positive electrode winding part relative to the first edge portions of the exposed positive electrode portions. Applying this arrangement would provide a predictable way of organizing and positioning the exposed portions in the structure, while maintaining the electrode configuration of Matsui.
Regarding claim 3, Matsui doesn’t teach:
The first edge parts are bent toward the central axis to overlap each other.
In the same field of endeavor, rechargeable battery, Guen teaches an uncoated region 21b and 22b of the first and second electrode are bend by bending towards a central axis of the wound structure and overlap each other (FIG 3) [0040]. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time to been motivated to incorporated to Matsui’s structure, the bending and overlapping each other following the teaches from Guen to compactly arrange the uncoated regions within the wound structure and provide a reliable electrical connection while reducing unused space. Guen applies this known configuration to a rechargeable battery, incorporating it into Matsui would have been a predictable modification using a known technique for its intended purpose, with a reasonable expectation of results.
Regarding claim 4, Matsui doesn’t teach:
A second edge part of the negative electrode exposed around the central axis…
In the same field of endeavor, rechargeable battery, Guen referring to Fig 3, the second edge parts of the negative electrode exposed part that is wound around the central axis are bent toward the central axis to overlap each other, the second edge parts being adjacent to each other in the radial direction. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time to been motivated to incorporated the second edge of the negative electrode exposed around the central axis that in bent and overlapping each other of Guen into Matsui to provide a suitable and known arrangement of the negative electrode region around the central axis of the wound structure and facilitate reliable electrical connection. Both references concern to a rechargeable battery electrode assemblies, this would be a predictable use of a known electrode configuration for its intended purpose, with a reasonable expectation of results.
Regarding claim 6, Matsui teaches:
The separator 23, may be, a porous film including one synthetic resin for example, polyethylene [0110].
Regarding claim 9, Matsui teaches:
The anode material may include a material (a metal-based material), for example silicon [0088 -0090].
Regarding claim 10, Matsui teaches:
The cathode material may be preferably a lithium-containing compound, since high energy density is achieved thereby. Examples of the lithium-containing compound may include a lithium-transition-metal composite oxide and a lithium-transition-metal-phosphate compound, for example, cobalt (Co), nickel, manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), and the like [0074].
Regarding claim 11, Matsui teaches:
A secondary battery; a control section configured to control operation of the secondary battery. The secondary battery includes: an outer package [0023].
Regarding claim 12, Matsui teaches:
An electric vehicle including: a secondary battery; a conversion section configured to convert electric power supplied from the secondary battery into drive power; a drive section configured to operate according to the drive power; and a control section configured to control operation of the secondary battery [0024].
Regarding claim 13, Matsui teaches:
FIG. 5 illustrates a block configuration of a hybrid automobile as an example of electric vehicles. For example, the electric vehicle may include a control section 74, an engine 75, an electric power source 76, a driving motor 77, a differential 78, an electric generator 79, a transmission 80, a clutch 81, inverters 82 and 83, and various sensors 84 in a housing 73 made of metal. In addition, thereto, the electric vehicle may include, for example, a front drive shaft 85 and a front tire 86 that are connected to the differential 78 and the transmission 80, a rear drive shaft 87, and a rear tire 88 [0200]. Matsui is silent about the electric aircraft; however, it would be obvious to a person ordinary skill in the art to identify that the electric aircraft can be an example of the electric vehicles disclosed by Matsui.
Regarding claim 14, Matsui teaches:
An electric power tool including: a secondary battery; and a movable section configured to be supplied with electric power from the secondary battery [0026].
Regarding claim 15, Matsui teaches:
An electronic apparatus including a secondary battery as an electric power supply source [0027].
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsui et al (US 20160172657), Guen (US 20190312252) and ABE et al. (US 20190081356) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Komura (US 10665843).
Regarding claim 5, Matsui doesn’t teach:
The thickness of the positive electrode covered part.
In the same field of endeavor, rechargeable battery, Guen teaches a battery with a first electrode 121 and a second electrode 122 that include an electrode activated portions 21a and 22a. Combination is silent about the thickness of the positive electrode covered part or the positive electrode current collector. In the same field of endeavor, electrode, Komura teaches a positive current collecting foil 22 having a thickness of 6 μm to 20 μm (concretely, 15 μm in the present embodiment) and a positive active material layer 23 has a thickness of for example 10 μm to 90 μm (concretely, 68 μm in the present embodiment) [Col. 4, ln 31-36]. It would be obvious to a person ordinary skill in the art at the time to combine the cover part of Guen with the thickness range taught by Komura because both references address the same electrode structure and the thickness of the positive electrode covered part is a routine design parameter that directly affects electrode performance and manufacture.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsui et al (US 20160172657), Guen (US 20190312252) and ABE et al. (US 20190081356) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of WO (2020151658)
Regarding claim 8, Matsui teaches:
The electrolytic solution contains and an electrolyte salt, in particular
L
i
B
F
4
…
[0115 and 0123].
Combination is silent about the weight percent. In the same field of endeavor WO’1658 teaches the lithium salt additive for an electrolytic solution of a secondary battery about 0.01% to about 10 wt%. It would be obvious to a person ordinary skill in the art at the time to select the range of the weight percentage of 0.001 to 0.1 since WO’ 1658 provide a known concentration for achieving the desired electrolyte properties with a known lithium salt disclosed by Matsui.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to NICOLAS J ROSA BERRIOS at telephone number (571)270-1856.
Examiner interviews are available via a variety of formats. See MPEP § 713.01. 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, Alison Hindenlang can be reached on (571) 270-7001. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ Nicolas Rosa / Examiner / Art Unit 1741 /
08/24/2026
/ALISON L HINDENLANG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1741
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