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 § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1-4 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by CN 203862492U.
As to claim 1, CN’492 teaches (see Figs 1, 2 and 5) a coating die for applying a slurry onto a base material (see Abstract and para [0004] for a surface), comprising: a feed inlet (2) for injecting the slurry; a distributary channel (path 8), provided inside the coating die, the distributary channel comprising a first flow channel and a plurality of second flow channels (7), the first flow channel communicating the feed inlet (2) with the plurality of second flow channels, and the plurality of second flow channels being arranged to be spaced from one another in a first direction; a first confluence chamber (4), provided inside the coating die and communicated with the plurality of second flow channels to collect the slurry from the plurality of second flow channels (7); and a discharge outlet (3), communicated with the first confluence chamber (4) and configured to apply the slurry flowing through the distributary channel (path 8) and the first confluence chamber onto the base material (surface).
Regarding claim 2,CN’492 teaches the distributary channel further comprises a plurality of third flow channels (see Fig 5 for unnumbered paths parallel to path 8), and each of the second flow channels is communicated with the first confluence chamber (4) through at least two third flow channels.
As to claim 3, in CN’492 the plurality of third flow channels is evenly arranged to be spaced from one another in the first direction (see Fig 5).
Regarding claim 4, CN’492 teaches the distributary channel is one of a plurality of distributary channels (path 8 and other unnumbered paths) of the coating die, which are arranged in the first direction.
As to claim 19, CN’492 teaches a coating die capable of coating a battery electrode plate (see para [0002] and [0004]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 203862492U in view of Rothen (US 2014/0057081A1).
CN’492 teaches a feed inlet (2) but lacks teaching a plurality of feed inlets. Rothen teaches application die 8 proved with one of a plurality of feed inlets (20, 20’) of the coating die, which are communicated with the first flow channels (lines 23) of the distributary channels. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a plurality of feed inlets in CN’492 to supply a plurality of material in applying a plurality of layers of material as taught by Rothen (see para [0002]).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 203862492U in view of CN 113083617A .
CN’492 teaches (see Fig 2) a first die and a second die. However, CN’492 lacks teaching a gasket. CN’617 teaches a first die (1) and a second die (2) and a gasket (3, 4), wherein the first die and the second die are provided opposite to each other in a third direction, and the gasket (3, 4) is provided between the first die (1) and the second die (2) to form the discharge outlet (5) between the first die and the second die; and the feed inlet (see Fig 1) is provided in the first die or the second die. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include gasket provided between the first die and the second die as claimed in CN’492 so that the extrusion pressure and transverse surface density of the slurry is more uniform when extruding as taught in CN’617 (see 1st paragraph under Background).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-7 and 9-18 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: As to claims 6-7, CN’492 lacks teaching a second confluence chamber. CN’617 teaches a second confluence chamber provided between the first confluence chamber and the discharge outlet, and communicated with the discharge outlet; but lacks teaching a turbulent channel, communicating the first confluence chamber with the second confluence chamber, and being configured to disperse the slurry passing through the turbulent channel. Prior art of record does not disclose or suggest a coating die for applying a slurry onto a base material, comprising, among others, a feed inlet, a distributary channel, the distributary channel comprising a first flow channel and a plurality of second flow channels, a first confluence chamber, and a discharge outlet, communicated with the first confluence chamber and configured to apply the slurry flowing through the distributary channel and the first confluence chamber onto the base material, a second confluence chamber, provided between the first confluence chamber and the discharge outlet, and communicated with the discharge outlet; and a turbulent channel, communicating the first confluence chamber with the second confluence chamber, and being configured to disperse the slurry passing through the turbulent channel (as to claims 6-7), wherein the first die comprises a first surface facing the second die, and the distributary channel and the first confluence chamber are recessed from the first surface in a direction away from the second die; and the gasket is attached to the first surface and covers at least a portion of the distributary channel (as to claims 9-11); wherein the first die comprises a first surface facing the second die, and the first confluence chamber is recessed from the first surface in a direction away from the second die; and the distributary channel and the feed inlet are provided in the second die (regarding claims 12-18).
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YEWEBDAR T. TADESSE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1717
/YEWEBDAR T TADESSE/
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