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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) were submitted on 04/08/2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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, 2, 4, 5 and 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by US Patent Application Publication 2019/0044122 to Mizuguchi et al.
With respect to claim 1, Mizuguchi et al. teach an energy storage device comprising: an electrode assembly 3 comprising a plurality of plates and elongated in a first direction; a container 2 configured to accommodate the electrode assembly 3 and elongated in the first direction; and a first terminal 41 is configured to be electrically connected to the electrode assembly 3, wherein the container 2 includes a side surface portion at an end portion of the container 2 in the first direction, such that the side surface portion includes a first terminal mounting portion 2C on which the first terminal 41 is mounted, and a first recessed portion 2a is formed at a position different from a position where the first terminal mounting portion 2C is disposed (Mizuguchi et al.: Sections [0059]-[0061]; Figs. 1-5).
With respect to claim 2, Mizuguchi et al. teach the energy storage device, wherein the side surface portion of the container 2 is elongated in a second direction that intersects with the first direction, the first terminal mounting portion 2C in the side surface portion of the container 2 is disposed at one end portion of the side surface portion in the second direction, and the first recessed portion 2a in the side surface portion of the container 2 is disposed at an other end portion of the side surface portion in the second direction (Mizuguchi et al.: Sections [0059]-[0061]; Figs. 1-5).
With respect to claims 4 and 8, Mizuguchi et al. teach the energy storage device, further comprising: a second terminal 42 is configured to be electrically connected to the electrode assembly 3, and mounted on a second terminal mounting portion 2C disposed in the first recessed portion 2a in the side surface portion of the container 2 (Mizuguchi et al.: Sections [0059]-[0061]; Figs. 1-5).
With respect to claims 5 and 9, Mizuguchi et al. teach the energy storage device, wherein the first terminal 41 and the second terminal 42 disposed on the side surface portion have different polarities (Mizuguchi et al.: Sections [0059]-[0061]; Figs. 1-5).
With respect to claims 10, Mizuguchi et al. teach the energy storage device, wherein the electrode assembly 3 includes an electrode assembly body 3, and a pair of connecting portions 81 and 82 protruding from one end portion of the electrode assembly body 3 in the first direction; and disposed within the side surface portion of the container 2 (Mizuguchi et al.: Sections [0059]-[0061]; Figs. 1-5).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 3, 7 and 11-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Application Publication 2019/0044122 to Mizuguchi et al. in view of JPH06124698A to Suzuki.
With respect to claims 3 and 7, Mizuguchi et al. do not specifically teach the energy storage device, wherein the side surface portion of the container 2 is formed such that the first terminal mounting portion 2C is disposed in a second recessed portion formed at a position different from a position where the first recessed portion is disposed on the side surface portion.
However, Suzuki teaches the energy storage device, wherein the side surface portion of the container 2 is formed such that the first terminal mounting portion 10 is disposed in a second recessed portion formed at a position different from a position where the first recessed portion is disposed on the side surface portion (Suzuki: Sections [0004]-[0007]; ).
It would have been obvious as of the effective filing dated of the claimed invention to have modified Mizuguchi et al. with the teaching above from Suzuki with the motivation of having a means such the location of recessed portions could be anywhere of the container.
With respect to claim 11, Mizuguchi et al. teach the energy storage device, further comprising: a second terminal 42 is configured to be electrically connected to the electrode assembly 3, and mounted on a second terminal mounting portion 2C disposed in the first recessed portion 2a in the side surface portion of the container 2 (Mizuguchi et al.: Sections [0059]-[0061]; Figs. 1-5).
With respect to claim 12, Mizuguchi et al. teach the energy storage device, wherein the first terminal 41 and the second terminal 42 disposed on the side surface portion have different polarities (Mizuguchi et al.: Sections [0059]-[0061]; Figs. 1-5).
With respect to claims 13-15, Mizuguchi et al. teach the energy storage device, wherein the electrode assembly 3 includes an electrode assembly body 3, and a pair of connecting portions 81 and 82 protruding from one end portion of the electrode assembly body 3 in the first direction; and disposed within the side surface portion of the container 2 (Mizuguchi et al.: Sections [0059]-[0061]; Figs. 1-5).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LINGWEN R ZENG whose telephone number is (571)272-6649. The examiner can normally be reached 8am-5pm.
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/LINGWEN R ZENG/Examiner, Art Unit 1723 8/8/2026
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