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 Objections
Claims 3-5 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 3 includes the limitation “to bend a plurality ends toward the other side” in line 5 that should be corrected to “to bend a plurality of ends towards the other side” or similar. Claims 4-5 are also objected to due to their dependency on claim 3.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the other side" in line 9. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "the other side" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the other side" in lines 6-7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claims 4-5 are also rejected based on their dependency on claim 3.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Takahashi (US-20220149490-A1), as cited in the IDS.
Regarding claim 1, Takahashi teaches a battery comprising: a winding electrode group formed by stacking and winding a separator and an electrode plate ([0042]; positive electrode, negative electrode, and the separator are stacked before winding; [0007] electrode wound body); and a current collector plate ([0007] positive and negative electrode current collector plates; [0046]), wherein the electrode group is configured in such a manner that ends of a plurality of electrode plates arranged in a radial direction are bent in the radial direction, and a plurality of bent ends are joined to the current collector plate ([0046] the non-covered portions 21C and 22C of the positive and negative electrodes on the end faces 41 and 42 at multiple points are joined to the positive and negative electrode current collector plates; [0065]; [0043] the non-covered portions are bent), wherein the bent end includes a first region bent toward one side in the radial direction and a second region bent from a leading edge of the first region toward the other side in the radial direction (fig. 1 and fig. 7 shows two regions bent towards two different sides).
Regarding claim 2, Takahashi teaches all of the limitations of claim 1. Takahashi also teaches wherein one side lies inward in the radial direction, and wherein the other side lies outward in the radial direction ([0071]-[0072] bent in the direction of the hole 35, or toward the central axis, meaning the bending is done in a radial manner; figs. 1 and 7 show the two bending regions bent inward and outward in the radial direction).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 20060240323 A1 teaches a peripheral active material unfilled portion lid is bent inward in the radial direction of an electrode assembly by pressing bending rollers ([0077]).
US 20110020695 A1 teaches that each electrode protrudes at a respective end to form a current-collecting section ([0060]), and that a roller is applied so as to compress the turns at the level of the current-collecting sections ([0087]) from the center to the periphery of the end of the collecting section ([0024]-[0026]).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MADISON L KYLE whose telephone number is (571)272-0164. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9 AM - 5 PM ET.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. 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, Niki Bakhtiari can be reached at (571) 272-3433. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/M.L.K./Examiner, Art Unit 1722
/ANCA EOFF/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1722
Prosecution Insights