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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: “451h” (see paragraph [00124] of the specification). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) 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.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
In paragraph [0066], in the 4th and 6th lines, both instances of “cap assembly 120” should be corrected since “120” refers to an “electrode assembly”.
In paragraph [0073], 8th line, replace “161” with “130” after “plate”.
In paragraph [0081], 5th line, replace “153” with “151c” after “welding groove”.
In paragraph [0089], 4th line, replace “153” with “151c” after “groove”.
In paragraph [00106], 12th line, replace “110a” with “111a” after “terminal hole”.
In paragraph [00123], 11th line, replace “110a” with “111a” after “terminal hole”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 9 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 1, 9th line, it is believed that “a” should be added before “terminal hole”.
In claim 9, 2nd line, add “of” after “upper portion” for clarity.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-9, 13-17, and 19-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN 219498109 U, of which a complete copy of the Chinese document with an English abstract was provided with the Information Disclosure Statement dated July 10, 2025, and with a machine translation provided with this Office Action.
Regarding independent claim 1, CN ‘109 discloses a cylindrical secondary battery (abstract; pages 4-8 of translation under the heading “Description of the Elements”; and Figures 1-5, 8, and 9), in which the cylindrical secondary battery (100) of Figure 1 includes the following structural features:
an electrode assembly (120) comprising a first electrode plate, a separator, and a second electrode plate (see pages 4 and 5 of translation under the heading “Description of the Elements”; and Figures 2 and 3);
a case (housing (110)) accommodating the electrode assembly (120), the case (110) comprising a lower end that is open and electrically coupled to the second electrode plate (see pages 4-6 of translation under the heading “Description of the Elements”; and Figures 3-5);
a first current collector plate (current collecting part (140)) between a top surface of the electrode assembly (120) and the case (110), the first current collector plate (140) being electrically connected to the first electrode plate (see abstract; pages 4-6 of translation under the heading “Description of the Elements”; and Figures 3-5);
a terminal (150) passing through a terminal hole in a top surface of the case (110), the terminal (150) comprising a lower end electrically and mechanically coupled to a top surface of the first current collector plate (140) – see abstract; pages 4-6 of translation under the heading “Description of the Elements”; and Figures 3-5); and
a cap plate (end cover (160)) configured to seal the lower end of the case (110), wherein the terminal (150) includes a lower terminal (adjacent coupling part (131)) comprising a welding groove having a depth from a top surface of the terminal (150) in a downward direction, and an upper terminal (133) in the welding groove of the lower terminal (adjacent coupling part (131)), as shown in pages 4-6 of translation under the heading “Description of the Elements”; and Figures 3-5.
Regarding claim 2, CN ‘109 discloses that the lower terminal (adjacent coupling part (131)) comprises a head (first fixing portion (135)) on an upper portion of the top surface of the case (110), and a coupling part (thinning area (131)) extending from a central portion of the head (135) toward an inside of the case (110), the coupling part (131) and the head (135) being integral (see pages 5 and 6 of translation under the heading “Description of the Elements”; and Figure 5).
Regarding claim 3, CN ‘109 discloses that a top surface of the first current collector plate (140) is coupled to a bottom surface of the lower terminal (adjacent coupling part (131)) by a welding bead in the welding groove (see pages 4-6 of translation under the heading “Description of the Elements”; and Figures 3-5).
Regarding claim 4, CN ‘109 discloses that the welding groove extends through the central portion of the head (135) and downward from an upper portion of the coupling part (131) – see pages 4-6 of translation under the heading “Description of the Elements”; and Figures 4 and 5.
Regarding claims 5 and 6, CN ‘109 discloses that a planar size of the head (135) is greater than a planar size of the coupling part (131), as well as that a planar size of a lower portion of the coupling part (131) is greater than an area of the terminal hole of the case (110) – see pages 4-6 of translation under the heading “Description of the Elements”; and Figures 3-5.
Regarding claims 7-9, CN ‘109 discloses that the lower terminal (adjacent coupling part (131)) comprises a head (136) on a lower portion of a top surface of the case (110), and a coupling part (131) extending from a central portion of the head (136) toward an outside of the case (110), the coupling part (131) being integrated with the head (136), wherein the welding groove extends downward from a central portion of a top surface of the coupling part (131), and further including a coupling member (portion of head (135)) on an upper portion of a top surface of the case (110), and being coupled to the coupling part (131) – see pages 4-6 of translation under the heading “Description of the Elements”; and Figures 3-5.
Regarding claims 13-17, CN ‘109 discloses that the upper terminal (133) comprises a main body in the welding groove, such that an outer diameter of the main body is less than an inner diameter of the welding groove, as well as a flange extending from an upper portion of the main body and covering a top surface of the lower terminal (adjacent coupling part (131)), wherein a bottom surface of the main body is spaced apart from a bottom surface of the welding groove, and wherein a thickness of an edge area of the flange includes a stepped portion, including being reduced in thickness than other areas of the flange (see pages 4-6 of translation under the heading “Description of the Elements”; the 3rd full paragraph on page 8 of translation beginning with “Referring to FIG. 8 to FIG. 9”; and Figures 4, 5, 8, and 9).
Regarding claims 19, 21, and 22, CN ‘109 discloses that a top surface of the upper terminal (133) protrudes further upward than a top surface of the lower terminal (adjacent coupling part (131)), in which the upper terminal (133) further comprises a flange having a stepped portion and extending along a top surface of the lower terminal (adjacent coupling part (131)) – see pages 4-6 of translation under the heading “Description of the Elements”; the 3rd full paragraph on page 8 of translation beginning with “Referring to FIG. 8 to FIG. 9”; and Figures 4, 5, 8, and 9.
Regarding claim 20, CN ‘109 discloses that an outer diameter of a lower area of the upper terminal (133) in the welding groove is greater than a diameter of an upper area of the upper terminal (133) outside of the welding groove (see pages 4-6 of translation under the heading “Description of the Elements”; the 3rd full paragraph on page 8 of translation beginning with “Referring to FIG. 8 to FIG. 9”; and Figures 4, 5, 8, and 9.
Regarding claim 23, CN ‘109 discloses that a top surface of the upper terminal (133) is below a top surface of the lower terminal (adjacent coupling part (131)) – see pages 4-6 of translation under the heading “Description of the Elements”; the 3rd full paragraph on page 8 of translation beginning with “Referring to FIG. 8 to FIG. 9”; and Figures 4, 5, 8, and 9.
Regarding claim 24, CN ‘109 discloses that the upper terminal (133) comprises an escape groove extending upward from a bottom surface of the upper terminal (133), as shown in pages 5 and 6 of translation under the heading “Description of the Elements”; and Figure 5.
Regarding claim 25, CN ‘109 discloses that the upper terminal (133) and the lower terminal (adjacent coupling part (131)) are welded to each other (see pages 5 and 6 of translation under the heading “Description of the Elements”; and Figure 5).
Regarding claim 26, the top surface of the terminal (150) would have a diameter of 11 mm or more, and wherein the diameter of the top surface of the terminal (150) is less than a diameter of a top surface of the case (110) – see pages 5 and 6 of translation under the heading “Description of the Elements”; and Figure 5.
Regarding claims 27 and 28, CN ‘109 discloses that an upper inner diameter of the welding groove is greater than a lower inner diameter of the welding groove, wherein a first gasket (one or more of (137,138,139)) is located between the terminal (150) and the case (110) – see pages 5 and 6 of translation under the heading “Description of the Elements”; and Figure 5.
Regarding claims 29 and 30, CN ‘109 discloses that the case (110) comprises a beading part recessed into the case (110) above the cap plate (160), and a crimping part at a lower portion of the case (110), wherein a lower end of the crimping part is bent inward and fixes the cap plate (160), such that a second gasket (one or more of (138,139)) is located between the cap plate (160) and the beading part and between the cap plate (160) and the crimping part, wherein the cap plate (160) is non-polar (see pages 5 and 6 of translation under the heading “Description of the Elements”; and Figure 5).
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.
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.
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.
Claims 10-12 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 219498109 U.
Regarding claims 10-12, CN ‘109 discloses the limitations set forth in the combination of claims 1, 7, and 9, and further including that the coupling member (portion of head (135)) comprises a coupling hole passing through a center of the coupling member (portion of head (135)), wherein the coupling part (131) of the lower terminal (adjacent coupling part (131)) comprises a deformable part in the form of a thinning area of (131). Although CN ‘109 does not explicitly disclose that an upper side of the deformable part passes through the coupling hole while being riveted to the coupling member having a protrusion that protrudes from a lower area of the coupling hole with a stepped portion, wherein the deformable part of the lower terminal is above the protrusion in the coupling part, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that a combination of riveted and protruding, stepped portions would be advantageous for securing components of the coupling member (portion of head (135)) disclosed by CN ‘109. In addition, one of ordinary skill in the art would have determined that optimal selection of securing/attaching means within the coupling member would result from routine experimentation with a reasonable expectation of success, for the purpose of improving strength of attachment portions, thus improving contact for reduced heat transfer (CN ‘109; abstract).
Regarding claim 18, although CN ‘109 discloses the limitations set forth in the combination of claims 1 and 13, CN ‘109 fails to explicitly disclose an anisotropic conductive material between a bottom surface of the flange and a top surface of the lower terminal. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that selection of materials to be used between surfaces of the flange and lower terminal would be readily conducted by routine experimentation, since anisotropic conductive materials would include improved properties over a substantial portion of other materials to be used in secondary batteries, including the property of reducing heat transfer (CN ‘109; abstract). With regard to the types of materials that are suitable for use, it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEVIN P KERNS whose telephone number is (571)272-1178. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-430pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Keith Walker can be reached at (571)272-3458. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KEVIN P KERNS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1735 August 25, 2026
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