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 Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are:
With claim 1, “a supply unit configured to supply an electrode plate.” The corresponding structure in the disclosure for performing the claimed to supply may have the form of a belt conveyor capable of continuously supplying a plurality of electrode plates 10 by a belt rotating in an endless orbit (paragraph 0063). Therefore, the interpretation of the “a supply unit configured to supply…” is a conveyor belt.
With claim 1, “a sensing unit configured to sense defects in the electrode plate transferred by the transfer unit.” The corresponding structure in the disclosure for performing the claimed to sense may include an alignment table 410 and a sensing member 420… the sensing member 420 may include a vision sensor capable of acquiring the information of the exterior of the electrode plate 10 in the form of a three-dimensional image by photographing the electrode plate 10 seated on the alignment table 410 (paragraph 0072 and 0074). Therefore, the interpretation of the “a sensing unit configured to sense…” is a vision sensor with an alignment table.
With claim 1, “a controller configured to control operations of the transfer unit and the discharge unit based on information sensed by the sensing unit.” The corresponding structure in the disclosure for performing the claimed to control may be implemented as an electronic control unit (ECU), a central processing unit (CPU), a processor, or a system on chip (SOC) electrically connected to the transfer unit 300, the sensing unit 400, and the discharge unit 500, and may run an operating system or application to control a plurality of hardware or software components, and perform various types of data processing and calculations. The control unit 600 may be configured to execute at least one command stored in a memory and store execution result data in the memory (paragraph 0092). Therefore, the interpretation of the “a controller configured to control…” is an ECU/CPU/processor/SOC with memory.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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.
Claim(s) 1—2, 4—5, 13—14, and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong, et al. (WO 2019/160220 A1) in view of Jung, et al. (WO 2020/149638 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Hong, et al. teaches a secondary battery manufacturing apparatus (abstract) comprising: a supply unit (item—10) configured to supply an electrode plate (paragraph 0046); a stack table (item—40 and 41; examiner notes the stack unit is item 40 and stack base is item 41) spaced apart from the supply unit and on which the electrode plate is configured to be stacked (figure 4, paragraph 0029); a transfer unit (item—22, 21a, 21b, 21d, 21c, 21d, 21e, and 21f, figure 11) movably arranged outside the supply unit and the stack table and configured to transfer the electrode plate supplied from the supply unit to the stack table (figure 4 and 11, paragraph 0045; examiner notes the transfer unit is a rotating body noted as item 22 with a plurality of electrode plate holding panels noted as items 21a—21f that moves the electrode plate using vacuum suction force on the surfaces of the panels); a sensing unit (item—19, 34, and 35) configured to sense defects in the electrode plate transferred by the transfer unit (figure 8 and 12, paragraph 0045, 0051-0052, 0061; examiner notes sensor unit includes a laser noted as item 19, a camera noted as item 35, and an alignment base/table noted as item 34 for the electrode plate to be seen by the camera); a discharge unit (item—31a, 31b, 32, and 37) between the supply unit and the stack table and configured to discharge the electrode plate from the transfer unit (figure 5, paragraph 0045, 0050; examiner notes the discharge unit has a tray as the collection member noted as item 37, a separator noted as items 31a and 31b, and a rotating adjustment member noted as item 32); and a controller configured to control operations of the transfer unit and the discharge unit based on information sensed by the sensing unit (paragraph 0052, 0067, 0070; examiner notes Hong, et al. uses a PC control or PLC control).
However, Hong, et al. does not limit the supply unit (item—10) structure but only teaches the movement direction of the electrode plate feeding the stacking apparatus (figure 10, paragraph 0058) and thus does not teach the supply unit having the form of a conveyor belt.
Jung, et al. teaches an electrode assembly manufacturing (abstract) comprising: a supply unit (item—170) configured to supply an electrode plate (figure 1, paragraph 0073-0074; examiner notes the supply unit capable of continuously supplying a plurality of electrodes by a belt rotating in an endless orbit); a stack table (item—110) spaced apart from the supply unit and on which the electrode plate is configured to be stacked (figure 1, paragraph 0027); and a transfer unit (item—174) movably arranged outside the supply unit and the stack table and configured to transfer the electrode plate supplied from the supply unit to the stack table (figure 1, paragraph 0074; examiner notes the transfer unit vacuum adsorbs the electrode to transfer the electrode from the supply unit to the stack table).
Hong, et al. and June, et al. are in the corresponding field of stacking electrodes manufacturing assembly apparatus. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to configure the stacking manufacturing apparatus battery taught by Hong, et al. with the supply unit conveyor belt taught by Jung, et al. to create the claimed invention for a battery manufacturing apparatus.
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Modified Figure 5 Hong, et al.
With regards to claim 2, Hong, et al. further teaches the sensing unit comprises: an alignment table (item—34) between the supply unit (item—10) and the stack table (item—40) and on which the electrode plate is configured to be seated (figure 5); and a sensing member (item—35) arranged to face the alignment table (item—34) and configured to acquire information of an exterior of the electrode plate seated on the alignment table (figure 12, paragraph 0051—0052).
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Modified Figure 5 Hong, et al.
With regards to claim 4, Hong, et al. further teaches the discharge unit is between the alignment table and the supply unit.
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Modified Figure 5 Hong, et al.
With regards to claim 5, Hong et. al further teaches the discharge unit comprises: an adjustment member (item—32) movably arranged between the supply unit and the stack table; a separation member (item—31a and 31b) of which a position is variable in conjunction with movement of the adjustment member and configured to separate the electrode plate from the transfer unit (item—21d); and a collection member (item—37) spaced apart from the adjustment member and configured to collect the electrode plate separated by the separation member.
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Modified Figure 7 Hong, et al.
With regards to claim 13, Hong, et al. further teaches the collection member (item—37) is arranged under the adsorption member (item—31a and 31b, figure 7).
With regards to claim 14, Hong, et al. further teaches the collection member (item—37) comprises a collection opening into which the electrode plate dropping from the adsorption member is receivable (figure 7).
With regards to claim 18, Hong, et al. further teaches the controller operates the transfer unit to be moved to a position where the electrode plate faces the discharge unit when the electrode plate transferred by the transfer unit is determined to be defective (paragraph 0052).
Claim(s) 3 and 15—17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong, et al. (WO 2019/160220 A1) in view of Jung, et al. (WO 2020/149638 A1) and further view of Kook, et. al (KR 2021/0154419 A).
With regards to claim 3, Hong, et al. claims the discharge unit can move between the alignment base (item—34) and the electrode plate alignment panel (item—21d), but has no limit on the discharge unit placement prior to moving (claim 12). Hong, et al. and Jung, et al. render obvious the features of claim 1 but do not teach the discharge unit between the alignment table and the stack table.
Kook, et. al teaches a stacking apparatus for secondary battery manufacturing (paragraph 0029) where the discharge unit (item—192, figure 2, paragraph 0011, 0018, 0048, and 0061) is between the alignment table (item—130, figure 7 and 9, paragraph 0067) and the stack table (item—181, figure 2, paragraph 0036).
Hong, et al., June, et al., and Kook, et al. are in the corresponding field of stacking electrodes manufacturing assembly apparatus. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to configure the stacking manufacturing apparatus battery taught by Hong, et al. and June, et al. with the discharge position taught by Cox to create the claimed invention for a battery manufacturing apparatus.
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Modified figure 2 Kook, et al.
With regards to claim 15, Kook, et al. further teaches a cross-sectional area of the collection member (item—191 and 192, figure 2 and 4) increases toward the collection opening.
With regards to claim 16, Kook, et al. further teaches the adsorption member rotates by a certain angle while adsorbing the electrode plate transferred by the transfer unit, the collection opening perpendicularly faces an end portion of the electrode plate (figure 2, paragraph 0047).
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Modified figure 2 Kook, et al.
With regards to claim 17, Kook, et al. further teaches the collection opening is arranged perpendicular to a direction of gravity (figure 2 and 4).
Claim(s) 6—9, 12 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong, et al. (WO 2019/160220 A1) in view of Jung, et al. (WO 2020/149638 A1) in further in view of Yang, et al. (WO 2023/128670 A1).
With regards to claim 6, Hong, et al. and Jung, et al. render obvious the features of claim 1 but do not teach a second adjustment member.
Yang, et al. teaches the adjustment member (item—157, figure 10 and 13, paragraph 0070 and 0154 ) comprises: a first adjustment member (item—158, figure 10 and 13, paragraph 0157) arranged between the supply unit (item—110, figure 2, paragraph 0053) and the stack table (figure—180, figure 2, paragraph 0091) to be movable up and down (figure 13, paragraph 0159); and a second adjustment member (item—159, figure 10 and 13, paragraph 0194 ) rotatably connected to the first adjustment member and configured to support the separation member (item—121, figure 2).
Hong, et al. June, et al., and Yang, et al. are in the corresponding field of stacking electrodes manufacturing assembly apparatus. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to configure the stacking manufacturing apparatus battery taught by Hong, et al. and June, et al. with the adjustment member taught by Yang, et al. to create the claimed invention for a battery manufacturing apparatus.
With regards to claim 7, Yang, et. al. further teaches the second adjustment (item—159) member is rotatable about a direction crossing an upward and downward movement direction of the first adjustment member (item –158, paragraph 0175).
With regards to claim 8, Yang, et al. further teaches the separation member (item—121) comprises an adsorption member (item—155, figure 11) extending from the second adjustment member and configured to generate vacuum pressure to adsorb the electrode plate (paragraph 0165).
With regards to claim 9, Yang, et al. further teaches the adsorption member comprises a plurality of adsorption members (item—155, figure 11), and adsorption members of the plurality of adsorption members are arranged along a longitudinal direction of the second adjustment member (figure 10 and 11).
With regards to claim 12, Yang, et al. further teaches the adsorption member is detachably connected to the second adjustment member (figure 16).
With regards to claim 19, Yang, et al. further teaches the controller (paragraph 0156) moves the first adjustment member upward in a state in which the electrode plate is adsorbed to the adsorption member and then rotates the second adjustment member when a width of the electrode plate crossing a longitudinal direction of the second adjustment member exceeds a certain size (figure 12, paragraph 0156, 0157, 0159,0161, 0165, 0166-0167,0174-0175).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong, et al. (WO 2019/160220 A1) in view of Jung, et al. (WO 2020/149638 A1) and further in view of Kim, et al. (KR 2018/0103259 A).
With regards to claim 10, Hong, et al., and Jung, et al. render obvious the features of claim 1 but do not teach a cross-sectional area of the adsorption member.
Kim, et al. teaches a cross-sectional area of an adsorption member (item—204) becomes wider toward an end portion thereof (figure 4) wherein a vacuum channel is applied through the adoption opening for a vacuum to be applied to the electrode plate (paragraph 0028).
Hong, et al., June, et al., and Kim, et al. are in the corresponding field of stacking electrodes manufacturing assembly apparatus wherein a transfer unit with a vacuum connected to an absorption member is used to stack the electrode plates. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to configure the stacking manufacturing apparatus battery taught by Hong, et al. and June, et al., with the adsorption member taught by Kim, et al. to create the adsorption member contacted with the electrode plate whereby the vacuum channel connected to a main body of the adsorption member providing a structure that enables adsorption of the electrode plate with efficient transfer abilities for a battery manufacturing apparatus as claimed.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong, et al. (WO 2019/160220 A1) in view of Jung, et al. (WO 2020/149638 A1) and further in view of Yoon, et al. (KR 2018/0109576 A).
With regards to claim 11, Hong, et al. and Jung, et al. render obvious the features of claim 1 but do not teach the adsorption member is elastically deformable.
Yoon, et. al teaches an adsorption member (item—530, figure 4) can be made from elastically deformable material (paragraph 0112) wherein the adsorption member has a curve to gradually adhere to the electrode plate to minimize lifting between the adsorption member and electrode plate (paragraph 0111).
Hong, et al., June, et al., and Yoon, et al. are in the corresponding field of stacking electrodes manufacturing assembly apparatus wherein a transfer unit with a vacuum connected to an absorption member is used to stack the electrode plates. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to configure the stacking manufacturing apparatus battery taught by Hong, et al. and June, et al. with the adsorption member material taught by Yoo, et al. to minimize lifting between the adsorption member and electrode plate that enables adsorption of the electrode plate with efficient transfer abilities for a battery manufacturing apparatus as claimed.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong, et al. (WO 2019/160220 A1) in view of Jung, et al. (WO 2020/149638 A1).
Regarding claim 20, Hong, et al. teaches a secondary battery manufacturing method (figure 1 and 2, paragraph 0026--0027) comprising: supplying, by a supply unit (item—10), an electrode plate (figure 5 and 10, paragraph 0046 and 0058); transferring, by a transfer unit (item—22, 21a, 21b, 21d, 21c, 21d, 21e, and 21f), the electrode plate supplied by the supply unit (figure 5, 11, and 12, paragraph 0059 and 0061); determining whether the electrode plate transferred by the transfer unit is defective (figure 12, paragraph 0050, 0052, 0061, and 0063); stacking, by the transfer unit (item—22, 21a, 21b, 21d, 21c, 21d, 21e, and 21f), the electrode plate on a stack table (item—40 and 41; examiner notes the stack unit is item 40 and stack base is item 41) when the electrode plate transferred by the transfer unit is determined to be normal (figure 5, paragraph 0045, 0050; examiner notes the discharge unit has a tray as the collection member (item—37), a separator (item—31a and 31b ), and a rotating adjustment member (item—32)), the electrode plate from the transfer unit when the electrode plate transferred by the transfer unit is determined to be defective.
However, Hong, et al. does not limit the supply unit (item—10) structure but only teaches the movement direction of the electrode plate feeding the stacking apparatus (figure 10, paragraph 0058) and thus does not teach the supply unit having the form of a conveyor belt.
Jung, et al. teaches an electrode assembly manufacturing method comprising: supplying, by a supply unit (item—170), an electrode (figure 1, paragraph 0073-0074; examiner notes the supply unit capable of continuously supplying a plurality of electrodes by a belt rotating in an endless orbit); transferring, by a transfer unit (item—174), the electrode supplied by the supply unit (figure 1); and stacking, by the transfer unit, the electrode plate on a stack table (item—110) when the electrode plate transferred by the transfer unit (figure 1, paragraph 0074; examiner notes the transfer unit vacuum adsorbs the electrode to transfer the electrode from the supply unit to the stack table).
Hong, et al. and June, et al. are in the corresponding product field of an electrode manufacturing apparatus for secondary battery method. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to configure the battery stacking manufacturing method taught by Hong, et al. with the supply unit conveyor belt taught by Jung, et al. to create the claimed invention for a secondary battery manufacturing method.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KELVIN MITCHELL FRAZIER whose telephone number is (571)270-5955. The examiner can normally be reached Monday- Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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/K.M.F./Examiner, Art Unit 1783
/MARIA V EWALD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1783
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