DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
Claims 1-4, 7, and 11-16 are currently pending. Claims 5, 6, and 8-10 are cancelled. The previous objection to the specification is withdrawn. The amended claim 1 does overcome the previously stated 102 and 103 rejections based on Lee et al. However, the amended claim 1 does not overcome the previously stated 102 and 103 rejections based on Kim. Therefore, upon further consideration, claims 1-4, 7, and 11-16 are rejected under the following 102 and 103 rejections.
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.
Claims 1, 3, 7, and 13-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim (US 2005/0221178).
Regarding claims 1, 3, 7, and 13-16, Kim discloses a secondary battery comprising:
an electrode assembly “8” comprising a positive plate “2” (positive electrode plate) having uncoated regions “2a” (positive electrode non-coating portion), a negative plate “6” (negative electrode plate) having uncoated regions “6a” (negative electrode non-coating portion), a first separator “4” between the positive plate and the negative plate, the uncoated regions “2a” and uncoated regions “6a” being exposed at opposite sides of the electrode assembly, and a second separator “4”, wherein the electrode assembly is a stack type electrode assembly;
a container “16” (case) having a top opening and an internal space accommodating the electrode assembly;
a base plate “24” (cap plate) sealing the top opening of the container;
a positive collector plate “10” (positive electrode current collector plate) perpendicular to the uncoated region “2a” (positive electrode non-coating portion) and welded to the uncoated region “2a” along a first welding line “40” (first laser welding line) that extends continuously in a direction perpendicular to an edge of the uncoated region;
a negative collector plate “12” (negative electrode current collector plate) perpendicular to the uncoated region “6a” (negative electrode non-coating portion) and welded to the non-coating portion along a second welding line “40” (second laser welding line) that extends continuously in a direction perpendicular to an edge of the uncoated region;
a positive terminal “18” (positive electrode terminal) on the base plate and electrically connected to the positive collector plate;
a negative terminal “20” (negative electrode terminal) on the base plate and electrically connected to the negative collector plate;
wherein the positive electrode plate is in line contact with the edge of the uncoated region (positive electrode non-coating portion), and
wherein the negative electrode plate is in line contact with the edge of the uncoated region (negative electrode non-coating portion) (Fig. 5);
wherein the base plate “24” (cap plate) has a safety vent “28” (vent hole), and wherein the safety vent is sealed by a vent member “28”;
wherein the at least one first laser welding line comprises a plurality of first laser welding lines, to the plurality of first laser welding lines being spaced apart along a direction parallel to the edge of the uncoated regions “2a” (positive electrode non-coating portion), and/or wherein the at least one second laser welding line comprises a plurality of second laser welding lines, the plurality of second laser welding lines being spaced apart along a direction parallel to the edge of the uncoated regions “6a” (negative electrode non-coating portion);
wherein the positive collector plate has an area corresponding to an area of one side of the electrode assembly, and/or wherein the negative collector plate has an area corresponding to an area of the another side of the electrode assembly;
wherein the positive collector plate does not have a portion extending beyond an area of the one side of the electrode assembly, and/or wherein the negative collector plate does not have a portion extending beyond an area of the another side of the electrode assembly (Fig. 8);
wherein the base plate has an electrolyte injection hole (not labeled), wherein the electrolyte injection hole is sealed with a plug; and
an insulation member “26” between the base plate and the negative electrode terminal “20” ([0045],[0048],[0055],[0058] and Fig. 1 and 8).
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 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 2005/0221178) in view of Umeyama et al (US 2016/0072119). The Kim reference is applied to claim 1 for reasons stated above.
However, Kim does not expressly teach at least one of the positive electrode current collector plate or negative electrode current collector plate that has a thickness of approximately 1 mm or more (claim 2).
Umeyama et al discloses a current collecting plate “74” that has a thickness of about 1 mm ([0078]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Kim secondary battery to include at least one of the positive electrode current collector plate or negative electrode current collector plate that has a thickness of about 1 mm in order to provide a current collector plate with suitable strength for welding to current collector non-coating portions.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 2005/0221178) in view of Lee et al (US 2015/0111091). The Kim reference is applied to claim 3 for reasons stated above.
However, Kim does not expressly teach a vent member that has a notch (claim 4).
Lee et al discloses a vent member “163” that has a notch ([0068] and Fig. 1a).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Kim secondary battery to include a vent member that has a notch in order to provide a safety vent having a relatively small thickness to facilitate venting of the battery ([0068]).
Claims 11 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 2005/0221178). The Kim reference is applied to claim 1 for reasons stated above.
However, Kim does not expressly teach at least one of the positive electrode current collector plate or the negative electrode current collector plate that has a rectangular plate shape (claim 11); at least one of one side or the another side of the electrode assembly that has a rectangular shape (claim 12).
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the Kim battery to include at least one of the positive electrode current collector plate or the negative electrode current collector plate that has a rectangular plate shape and at least one of one side or the another side of the electrode assembly that has a rectangular shape because changes in shape was held to be obvious (In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966)).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 8/28/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The Applicant argues that “Kim discloses that the positive and negative collector plates 10, 12 are welded to the uncoated regions 2a and 6a at discrete square regions (FIG. 2 of Kim) that are parallel to the edge of the uncoated regions 2a and 6a or along jagged shapes (FIG. 8 of Kim), rather than along a line extending continuously in a direction perpendicular to the edge of the uncoated regions 2a and 6a. Thus, Kim fails to disclose, teach, or even suggest "a positive electrode current collector plate perpendicular to the positive electrode non-coating portion and welded to the positive electrode non-coating portion along at least one first laser welding line that extends continuously in a direction perpendicular to an edge of the positive electrode non-coating portion" and "a negative electrode current collector plate perpendicular to the negative electrode non-coating portion and welded to the negative electrode non-coating portion along at least one second laser welding line that extends continuously in a direction perpendicular to an edge of the negative electrode non-coating portion," as recited in amended independent claim 1. Kim also teaches that the uncoated regions of the positive and negative electrodes are folded and in close contact with the positive and negative collector plates. Such contact through the folded portions constitutes surface contact, rather than line contact. Thus, Kim also fails to disclose, teach, or even suggest "wherein the positive electrode current collector plate is in line contact with the edge of the positive electrode non-coating portion, and wherein the negative electrode current collector plate is in line contact with the edge of the negative electrode non-coating portion".
In response, the Office first points out that Kim is not limited to the embodiment shown in Fig. 2. Although Fig. 8 of Kim shows a welding line that has a jagged shape, this welding line still extends continuously in a direction perpendicular to an edge of the positive electrode non-coating portion. Therefore, the embodiment shown in Fig. 8 still reads on the amended claim 1. With respect to Kim teaching uncoated regions of the positive and negative electrodes that are folded, Kim also discloses uncoated regions 2a and 6a that remain flat without bending as shown in Fig. 5. Therefore, Kim does teach “the positive electrode current collector plate is in line contact with the edge of the positive electrode non-coating portion, and the negative electrode current collector plate is in line contact with the edge of the negative electrode non-coating portion”.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/T.S.C/Examiner, Art Unit 1751
/JONATHAN G LEONG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1751 10/7/2026
