DETAILED ACTION
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 .
In light of the latest conducted interview on June 12th. 2026 and latest filed remarks filed on 06/18/2026, the previous finality filed on 04/22/2026 has been withdrawn. A new None Final action is taken place as set forth below.
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 6, and 8-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Takahashi et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 10,236,497).
Regarding claim 1: Takahashi discloses a reference point marking apparatus for marking reference points on a multi-lane electrode with a plurality of electrode lanes arranged in a width direction, the marking apparatus comprising:
a first marking machine (Fig. 3A; via 120) configured to mark reference points on an uncoated portion of an electrode lane on one end of the multi-lane electrode or uncoated portions of electrode lanes on both ends thereof in the width direction (Figs. 3B & 4A; via indicators 125 at one end);
a second marking machine (Fig. 3A; via 102a and/or 102b) configured to mark reference points on uncoated portions of electrode lanes excluding the electrode lane on the one end or electrode lanes excluding the electrode lanes on the both ends while moving in the width direction (Fig. 3B; via 103 and/or 103a); and
a controller configured to control the first marking machine and the second marking machine (Fig. 3A; via controller 102a and/or 105b).
Regarding claim 2: wherein the first marking machine comprises a one-end marking machine (Fig. 3A; via 120) configured to mark reference points on the uncoated portion of the electrode lane on the one end of the multi-lane electrode in the width direction, and
the second marking machine is (Fig. 3A; via 102a and/or 102b) configured to mark reference points on the uncoated portions of the electrode lanes excluding the electrode lane on the one end of the multi-lane electrode.
Regarding claim 3: wherein the first marking machine comprises a one-end marking machine and an other-end marking machine (Fig. 4s; via 120 making multiple marks 125 along the width) configured to respectively mark reference points on the uncoated portion of the electrode lane on the one end and an uncoated portion of another end of the multi-lane electrode in the width direction, and the second marking machine (via 102a and/or 102b) is configured to mark reference points on an uncoated portion on one electrode lane or uncoated portions of electrode lanes between the one end and the other end (Fig. 4A; via marks 103a).
Regarding claim 6: wherein, when the multi-lane electrode is moved in the longitudinal direction, the first marking machine and the second marking machine are configured to mark reference points on uncoated portions of electrode lanes at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction of the multi- lane electrode, see for example (Figs. 2A, 2C, 3A-3D, and 5A; via the marking machine applies marks while the electrode 101 is moving).
Regarding claim 8: wherein the multi-lane electrode comprises a double-sided electrode, an upper surface and a lower surface of which are coated with an electrode active material, and the first marking machine and the second marking machine are located on the upper and lower surfaces of the multi-lane electrode, respectively, see for example (Fig. 3A; via 102a & 102b each is marking in one side of the 101).
Regarding claim 9: wherein the marked reference points comprise coordinates or sequence information thereof in the longitudinal direction of the multi-lane electrode and sequence information of each electrode lane in a width direction of the multi-lane electrode, see for example (Figs. 3B-3D and 4; showing sequence information in the longitudinal direction).
Regarding claim 10: further comprising a position measuring device configured to obtain coordinate data (via the use of multiple detecting means 104), the coordinate data indicating a position of the multi-lane electrode in the longitudinal direction according to an amount of rotation of an unwinder or a rewinder when the multi-lane electrode is moved in a roll-to-roll state between the unwinder and the rewinder in the longitudinal direction, and wherein the first marking machine and the second marking machine are configured to mark reference points on the basis of the coordinate data (Fig. 3A; via 104b).
Regarding claim 11: wherein the first marking machine is further configured to mark a defective point and/or a defective section of the multi-lane electrode instead of marking reference points or in addition to marking reference points (via “the identification information is linked to coating layer inspection result information so as to sort a defective product”).
Regarding claim 12: further comprising at least one defect inspector (via “a unit electrode in which the abnormality has been detected n the inspection can be selected for elimination”) configured to inspect the multi-lane electrode moving in the roll-to-roll state to obtain inspection data about defects and obtain defect coordinate data of the multi-lane electrode related to a defective point and/or a defective section at which the inspection data is obtained in connection with the position measuring device (via “wherein the identification information is linked to coating layer inspection result information so as to sort a defective product”), the at least one defect inspector being provided before a position of the first marking machine, wherein the first marking machine is configured to mark the defective point and/or the defective section on an uncoated portion on one end of the multi-lane electrode or uncoated portions on both ends of the multi-lane electrode in the width direction, based on the defect coordinate data received from the at least one defect inspector, see for example (Fig. 3A).
Regarding claim 13: wherein the controller calculates a point in time when a portion of the multi-lane electrode, (via “which is calculated from a moving speed of the collector 101”) corresponding to the defective point and/or the defective section reaches the first marking machine, based on a distance between the at least one defect inspector and the first marking machine and a speed of movement of the multi-lane electrode, and controls the first marking machine to mark the defective point and/or the defective section at the point in time.
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.
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(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahashi et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 10,236,497).
Regarding claim 7: Takahashi does not disclose that the second marking machine (via 102a and/or 102b) is configured to mark reference points on a plurality of electrode lanes while moving in the width direction, a marking path of the second marking machine comprises a diagonal path inclined backward in the longitudinal direction due to a speed of movement of the multi-lane electrode in the longitudinal direction. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of applicant’s claimed invention, to have modified Takahashi’s marking machine to make it a movable mechanism, since it has been held that making an old device portable or movable without producing any new and unexpected result involves only routine skill in the art. In re Lindberg, 93 USPQ 23.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAMEH TAWFIK whose telephone number is (571)272-4470. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri. 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM.
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, Shelle Self can be reached at 571-272-4524. 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.
/SAMEH TAWFIK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3731
Prosecution Insights