DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. 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 § 103
2. 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.
3. Claims 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. (KR-20210021724-A, disclosed in the IDS provided on 3 July 2024, machine translation used for rejection below) in view of James et al. (KR-20050042241-A, disclosed in the IDS provided on 3 July 2024, machine translation used for rejection below).
As to claim 1, Park discloses a method for manufacturing a secondary battery [0001], the method comprising:
stacking a plurality of electrode tabs and an electrode lead to form a tab-lead stack in a tab-lead stack forming process [0036]; and
welding the tab-lead stack to connect the plurality of electrode tabs to the electrode lead in a tab-lead stack welding process [0036].
However, Park does not disclose sequentially pressing a welded portion of the tab-lead stack in a tab-lead stack processing process.
James discloses an apparatus and method for forming weld joints having compressive residual stress patterns, wherein the method involves sequentially pressing a welded portion of the tab-lead stack in a tab-lead stack processing process [0010] to improve the fatigue life of the weld. It is appreciated that James is analogous art with the present application because it would be reasonably pertinent to use the teachings of James to solve the problem of the present application of needing pressure applied to a portion of material after welding has been completed.
As such, 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 method of manufacturing a secondary battery as disclosed within Park to further include the step of sequentially pressing a welded portion of the tab-lead stack in a tab-lead stack processing process to improve the fatigue life of the weld as disclosed within James.
As to claim 2, modified Park discloses the method of manufacturing a secondary battery of claim 1, however, Park does not disclose wherein the welding causes a plurality of shape-deformed portions at which shape deformation occurs to be formed in the welded portion in at least one direction, and wherein, in the tab-lead stacking processing process, the plurality of shape-deformed portions are continuously pressed in a formation direction of the plurality of shaped-deformed portions.
James discloses an apparatus and method for forming weld joints having compressive residual stress patterns, wherein the welding causes a plurality of shape-deformed portions (page 6 lines 2-4, page 7 lines 34-40) at which shape deformation occurs to be formed in the welded portion in at least one direction (page 6 lines 2-4, page 7 lines 34-40), and wherein, in the tab-lead stacking processing process, the plurality of shape-deformed portions are continuously pressed in a formation direction of the plurality of shaped-deformed portions (page 6 lines 2-4, page 7 lines 34-40) to produce a surface that is subject to less surface hardening. It is appreciated that James is analogous art with the present application because it would be reasonably pertinent to use the teachings of James to solve the problem of the present application of forming a series of deformed portions during the welding process.
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the method of manufacturing a secondary battery as disclosed within Park to additionally include that the welding causes a plurality of shape-deformed portions at which shape deformation occurs to be formed in the welded portion in at least one direction, and wherein, in the tab-lead stacking processing process, the plurality of shape-deformed portions are continuously pressed in a formation direction of the plurality of shaped-deformed portions to produce a surface that is subject to less surface hardening as disclosed within James.
As to claim 3, modified Park discloses the method of manufacturing a secondary battery of claim 1, however, Park does not disclose wherein the tab-lead stack processing process is performed through a roll-burnishing process or a ball-burnishing process.
James discloses an apparatus and method for forming weld joints having compressive residual stress patterns, wherein the tab-lead stack processing process is performed through a ball-burnishing process (figure 3, burnishing ball 110, page 7 lines 7-9) to induce a residual compressive stress layer. It is appreciated that James is analogous art with the present application because it would be reasonably pertinent to use the teachings of James to solve the problem of the present application of needing a roll-burnishing process or a ball-burnishing process to apply pressure to the weld.
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the method of manufacturing a secondary battery as disclosed within Park to additionally include that the tab-lead stack processing process is performed through a ball-burnishing process to induce a residual compressive stress layer as disclosed within James.
As to claim 4, modified Park discloses the method of manufacturing a secondary battery of claim 1, however, Park does not disclose wherein in the tab-lead stack processing process, the welded portion is pressed at a pressure of 100 kgf or higher.
James discloses an apparatus and method for forming weld joints having compressive residual stress patterns, wherein in the tab-lead stack processing process, the welded portion is pressed at a pressure of 100 kgf or higher (figure 5) to reduce fatigue life of the weld (page 7 lines 54-59). It is appreciated that James is analogous art with the present application because it would be reasonably pertinent to use the teachings of James to solve the problem of the present application of needing sufficient force applied to the weld during the processing step.
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the method of manufacturing a secondary battery as disclosed within Park to additionally include that in the tab-lead stack processing process, the welded portion is pressed at a pressure of 100 kgf or higher to reduce fatigue life of the weld as disclosed within James.
As to claim 5, modified Park discloses the method of manufacturing a secondary battery of claim 1, and Park further discloses wherein the tab-lead stack welding process is performed through ultrasonic welding or laser welding [0015].
4. Claims 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. (KR-20210021724-A, disclosed in the IDS provided on 3 July 2024, machine translation used for rejection below) in view of James et al. (KR-20050042241-A, disclosed in the IDS provided on 3 July 2024, machine translation used for rejection below) as applied to claim 1, and further in view of Lee (KR-20170104827-A, disclosed in the IDS provided on 3 July 2024, machine translation used for rejection below).
As to claim 6, modified Park discloses the method of manufacturing a secondary battery of claim 1, however, Park does not disclose wherein the method further comprises, before the tab-lead stack forming process: stacking the plurality of electrode tabs to form an electrode tab stack in an electrode tab stack forming process; and welding the electrode tab stack to connect the plurality of electrode tabs to each other in an electrode tab stack welding process.
Lee discloses a method of assembling a secondary battery, wherein the method comprises steps of stacking the plurality of electrode tabs to form an electrode tab stack in an electrode tab stack forming process (figure 1, stacked bodies 120); and welding the electrode tab stack to connect the plurality of electrode tabs to each other in an electrode tab stack welding process (figure 1, stacked bodies 120) to improve the mechanical safety of the battery [0030].
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the method of manufacturing a secondary battery as disclosed within Park to additionally include that the method comprises steps of stacking the plurality of electrode tabs to form an electrode tab stack in an electrode tab stack forming process; and welding the electrode tab stack to connect the plurality of electrode tabs to each other in an electrode tab stack welding process to improve the mechanical safety of the battery as disclosed within James.
As to claim 7, modified Park discloses the method of manufacturing a secondary battery of claim 6, however, Park does not disclose wherein the method further comprises sequentially pressing a welded portion of the electrode tab stack in an electrode tab stack processing process, wherein the electrode tab stack processing process is performed between the electrode tab stack welding process and the tab-lead stack forming process.
James discloses an apparatus and method for forming weld joints having compressive residual stress patterns, wherein the method further comprises sequentially pressing a welded portion of the electrode tab stack in an electrode tab stack processing process, wherein the electrode tab stack processing process is performed between the electrode tab stack welding process and the tab-lead stack forming process [0010] to improve the fatigue life of the weld. It is appreciated that James is analogous art with the present application because it would be reasonably pertinent to use the teachings of James to solve the problem of the present application of applying pressure to the electrode tab stack during the welding process.
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the method of manufacturing a secondary battery as disclosed within Park to additionally include that the method further comprises sequentially pressing a welded portion of the electrode tab stack in an electrode tab stack processing process, wherein the electrode tab stack processing process is performed between the electrode tab stack welding process and the tab-lead stack forming process to improve the fatigue life of the weld as disclosed within James.
As to claim 8, modified Park discloses the method of manufacturing a secondary battery of claim 1, however, Park does not disclose wherein the method comprises a step after the tab-lead stack processing process, of attaching a tape made of an insulating material to the welded portion of the tab-lead stack in a tape attaching process.
Lee discloses a method of assembling a secondary battery, wherein the method comprises a step after the tab-lead stack processing process, of attaching a tape made of an insulating material to the welded portion of the tab-lead stack in a tape attaching process [0053] to insulate the welded portion.
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the method of manufacturing a secondary battery as disclosed within Park to additionally include that the method comprises a step after the tab-lead stack processing process, of attaching a tape made of an insulating material to the welded portion of the tab-lead stack in a tape attaching process to insulate the welded portion as disclosed within James.
5. Claims 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over James et al. (KR-20050042241-A, disclosed in the IDS provided on 3 July 2024, machine translation used for rejection below) in view of Park et al. (KR-20210021724-A, disclosed in the IDS provided on 3 July 2024, machine translation used for rejection below).
As to claim 9, James discloses an apparatus for manufacturing (figure 3, welding apparatus 100), comprising:
a main body (figure 3, compression tool 106); and
a processing part disposed in the main body (figure 3, burnishing tool 107) and configured to continuously press and process a welded portion of at least one of a tab-lead stack of an electrode tab stack (page 7 lines 7-9).
However, James does not disclose wherein the tab-lead stack includes a plurality of electrode tabs being stacked with an electrode lead, and wherein the electrode tab stack includes a plurality of electrode tabs being stacked.
Park discloses a method for manufacturing a secondary battery, wherein the tab-lead stack includes a plurality of electrode tabs being stacked with an electrode lead, and wherein the electrode tab stack includes a plurality of electrode tabs being stacked [0036] to bond the electrode tabs and the electrode leads together. It is appreciated that Park is analogous art with the present application because it would be reasonably pertinent to use the teachings of Park to solve the problem of the present application of using the present apparatus to construct a secondary battery.
As such, 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 apparatus for manufacturing as disclosed within James to additionally include that the apparatus could be used on a battery and that the tab-lead stack includes a plurality of electrode tabs being stacked with an electrode lead, and wherein the electrode tab stack includes a plurality of electrode tabs being stacked to bond the electrode tabs and the electrode leads together as disclosed within Park.
As to claim 10, modified James discloses the apparatus for manufacturing of claim 9, and James further discloses wherein the processing part includes a ball (figure 3, burnishing ball 110), the ball being configured to move and press the welded portion while rotating (page 7 lines 7-9).
As to claim 11, modified James discloses the apparatus for manufacturing of claim 9, and James further discloses wherein the processing part includes a ceramic material [0011].
Conclusion
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/J.J.S./Examiner, Art Unit 1727
/BARBARA L GILLIAM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1727
