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 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, 2, 4, 5, and 13 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 “wherein the main body corresponds to an electrode assembly in which a plurality of positive electrodes, negative electrodes, and separators are stacked in the rechargeable battery” in the third paragraph of the body of the claim. Examiner notes that the preamble of the claim is directed towards “a multipurpose jig for setting of a manufacturing apparatus of a rechargeable battery.” Therefore, it is unclear as to whether Application intends the limitation to positively require a step of ‘corresponding the main body to an electrode assembly,’ such that the claim is directed towards ‘a multipurpose jig and a rechargeable battery,’ or whether Applicant intends the limitation to recite functional language of the ‘main body,’ such that the claim is directed towards the ‘multipurpose jig’ itself. For the purposes of this Office Action, Examiner will interpret the limitation as “wherein the main body is configured to correspond to an electrode assembly in which a plurality of positive electrodes, negative electrodes, and separators are stacked in the rechargeable battery.”
Claim 1 further recites the limitation “a plurality of positive electrodes” in the last paragraph of the claim. It is unclear as to whether Applicant intends the limitation to refer to the “plurality of positive electrodes” previously set forth in the claim or whether Applicant intends to set forth a second set of ‘plurality of positive electrodes’ which are separate and independent from the ‘plurality of positive electrodes’ previously set forth. For the purposes of this Office Action, Examiner will interpret the limitation so as to refer to the ‘plurality of positive electrodes’ previously set forth in the claim.
Claim 1 further recites the limitation “a plurality of negative electrodes” in the last paragraph of the claim. It is unclear as to whether Applicant intends the limitation to refer to the ‘plurality of negative electrodes’ previously set forth in the claim or whether Applicant intends to set forth a second set of ‘plurality of negative electrodes’ which are separate and independent from the ‘plurality of negative electrodes’ previously set forth. For the purposes of this Office Action, Examiner will interpret the limitation so as to refer to the ‘plurality of negative electrodes’ previously set forth in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4, 5, and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Song (Korean Patent Number KR 1998-018607, cited in IDS).
As to claim 1, Song teaches a multipurpose jig (element 10 being the ‘multipurpose jig’; machine translation, abstract), comprising: a main body that includes a first reference face for setting a manufacturing apparatus manufacturing a rechargeable battery (figure 4, element 12 being the ‘first reference face,’ see below; machine translation, page 6, paragraphs 9 – 11); and a protrusion that protrudes from one side of the main body and includes a second reference face for setting the manufacturing apparatus (figure 4, element 11 being the ‘second reference face,’ see below; machine translation, page 6, paragraphs 9 – 11).
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Song further teaches that the main body and the protrusion are a single body, a thickness of the main body is greater than a thickness of the protrusion, and the first reference face and the second reference face are connected (figure 4, elements 12 and 11, see above; machine translation, page 6, paragraphs 8 – 10), wherein the first reference face and the second reference face are transverse to one another (figure 4, elements 12 and 11).
It is the position of the Examiner that the main body (figure 4, see above) is configured to correspond to an electrode assembly in which a plurality of positive electrodes, negative electrodes, and separators are stacked in the rechargeable battery. This can be found because the main body of Song has the same shape as that of the instant application (Song, figure 4, see above; Specification, figure 1, element 10). It is further the position of the Examiner that a position of the second reference face with respect to the first reference face is configured to correspond to positions of positive electrode tabs connected to the plurality of positive electrodes included in the rechargeable battery or positions of negative electrode tabs connected to the plurality of negative electrodes included in the rechargeable battery (figure 4, elements 12 and 11). This can be found because Song teaches the first and second reference faces being connected and perpendicular to one another (figure 4, elements 12 and 11), such that the first and second reference faces are positioned relative to one another in a similar manner to that of the Specification (Song, figure 4, elements 12 and 11; Specification, figure 1, elements 100a and 120a).
As to claim 2, Song teaches that each of the main body and the protrusion has a rectangular parallelepiped shape (figure 4, see above), the first reference face is one of opposite narrow faces of the main body (figure 4, element 12 and surface opposite element 12 being the ‘opposite narrow faces,’ see below), and the second reference face is one of opposite wide faces of the protrusion (figure 4, element 11 and surface opposite element 11 being the ‘opposite wide faces,’ see below).
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As to claim 4, Song teaches that the protrusion is disposed only at a portion of an edge of the one of the opposite narrow faces of the main body (figure 4, see below).
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As to claim 5, Song further teaches a working handle provided at an other of the opposite narrow faces of the main body (figure 1, element 14 being the ‘working handle’; page 6, last paragraph).
As to claim 13, Song teaches that the protrusion comprises a first wide face opposite the second reference face (figure 4, surface opposite element 11 being the ‘first wide face’ and element 11 being the ‘second reference face,’ see below), wherein the main body comprises a second wide face perpendicular to the first reference face (figure 4, surface opposite element 13 being the ‘second wide face’ and element 12 being the ‘first reference face,’ see below), and wherein the first wide face and the second wide face are disposed on a same plane (figure 4, see below).
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Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed August 11, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues, on pages 6 – 7, that the main body of Song is not configured to ‘correspond to an electrode assembly in which a plurality of positive electrodes, negative electrodes, and separators are stacked in a rechargeable battery’ as recited by claim 1. Examiner disagrees. It is the position of the Examiner that the main body (figure 4, see above) ‘corresponds to the electrode assembly’ because the main body of Song has the same shape as that of the instant application (Song, figure 4, see above; Specification, figure 1, element 10).
Applicant further argues, on page 7, that ‘a position of the second reference face with respect to the first reference face is configured to correspond to positions of positive electrode tabs connected to the plurality of positive electrodes included in the rechargeable battery or positions of negative electrode tabs connected to the plurality of negative electrodes included in the rechargeable battery’ as recited by claim 1. Examiner again disagrees. It is the position of the Examiner that the first and second references faces of Song are so configured because Song teaches the first and second reference faces being connected and perpendicular to one another (figure 4, elements 12 and 11), such that the first and second reference faces are positioned relative to one another in a similar manner to that of the Specification (Song, figure 4, elements 12 and 11; Specification, figure 1, elements 100a and 120a).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kawai (U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2019/0267579) teaches a multipurpose jig comprising: a main body that includes a first reference face; and a protrusion that protrude from one side of the main body and includes a second reference face; wherein the main body and the protrusion are a single body, a thickness of the main body is greater than a thickness of the protrusion, and the first reference face and the second reference face are connected, wherein the first reference face and the second reference face are transverse to one another.
Yoo (International Publication Number WO 2018/030570 A1) teaches a multipurpose jig comprising: a main body that includes a first reference face; and a protrusion that protrude from one side of the main body and includes a second reference face; wherein the main body and the protrusion are a single body, a thickness of the main body is greater than a thickness of the protrusion, and the first reference face and the second reference face are connected, wherein the first reference face and the second reference face are transverse to one another.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER BESLER whose telephone number is (571)270-5331. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 10:30 am - 7:30 pm (EST).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas Hong can be reached at (571) 272-0993. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISTOPHER J. BESLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3726
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