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 § 102
2. 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.
3. Claims 1-3, 5, 10, 11, 14, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Machida (US-20140342205-A1, provided in the IDS received on 5 November 2025).
As to claim 1, Machida discloses a winding battery (figure 2, battery element 10), wherein the winding battery comprises a positive electrode plate (figure 2, strip positive electrode 11) and a negative electrode plate (figure 2, strip negative electrode 12) which are formed by winding (figure 3), the positive electrode plate comprises a positive electrode current collector (figure 2, positive electrode current collector 11b) and a first coating layer disposed on a surface of the positive electrode current collector (figure 2, cathode active material layer 11a), and the negative electrode plate comprises a negative electrode current collector (figure 2, negative electrode current collector 12b) and a negative electrode active layer disposed on a surface of the negative electrode current collector (figure 2, anode active material layer 12a); and
the first coating layer comprises a first insulating adhesive layer (figure 3, insulating member 16a, [0028]) and a positive electrode active layer (figure 2, cathode active material layer 11a), the positive electrode active layer is disposed on the surface of the positive electrode current collector (figure 2, cathode active material layer 11a), the first insulating adhesive layer is connected to the positive electrode active layer (figure 3, insulating member 16a, [0028]), and at least one cross section of the first insulating adhesive layer and an end surface, close to a winding start point, of the negative electrode active layer are located in a same plane (figure 3, insulating member 16a).
As to claim 2, Machida discloses the winding battery of claim 1, and Machida further discloses wherein the first insulating adhesive layer comprises a first region (figure 3, insulating member 16a) and a second region that are connected to each other (figure 3, insulating member 16a), the first region is disposed on a surface, away from the positive electrode current collector, of the positive electrode active layer (figure 3, insulating member 16a), and the second region is disposed on a side, close to the winding start point, of the positive electrode active layer and disposed on the surface of the positive electrode current collector (figure 3, insulating member 16a).
As to claim 3, Machida discloses the winding battery of claim 2, and Machida further discloses wherein a thickness of the first region is same as a thickness of the second region (figure 3, insulating member 16a, [0041]), and the thickness of the first region and the thickness of the second region are 4 µm to 16 µm (figure 3, insulating member 16a, [0041]).
As to claim 5, Machida discloses the winding battery of claim 1, and Machida further discloses wherein the first insulating adhesive layer comprises a first region (figure 3, insulating member 16a) and a second region that are connected to each other (figure 3, insulating member 16a), the first region and the second region are both disposed on the surface of the positive electrode current collector (figure 3, insulating member 16a), the first region is connected to the positive electrode active layer (figure 3, insulating member 16a), an end surface, close to the winding start point, of the first region and the end surface, close to the winding start point, of the negative electrode active layer are located in a same plane (figure 3), and the second region is located at a side, close to the winding start point, of the first region (figure 3, insulating member 16a).
As to claim 10, Machida discloses the winding battery of claim 1, and Machida further discloses wherein a thickness of the first insulating adhesive layer disposed on a surface, close to a winding center, of the positive electrode current collector is T1, and a thickness of the first insulating adhesive layer disposed on a surface, away from the winding center, of the positive electrode current collector is T2, wherein T1 = T2 (figure 3, insulating member 16a, [0041]).
As to claim 11, Machida discloses the winding battery of claim 1, and Machida further discloses wherein the positive electrode current collector comprises a coating region (figure 4C, positive electrode current collector 11b) and a foil uncoating region (figure 4C, positive electrode current collector 11b), the coating region is configured to dispose the first coating layer (figure 4C, positive electrode current collector 11b), and the foil uncoating region is located at a side, close to a winding center, of the coating region (figure 4C, positive electrode current collector 11b).
As to claim 14, Machida discloses the winding battery of claim 1, and Machida further discloses wherein the winding battery further comprises a positive electrode tab (figure 2, positive electrode terminal 14a) disposed on the surface of the positive electrode current collector (figure 2, positive electrode terminal 14a) and a negative electrode tab (figure 2, negative electrode terminal 14b) disposed on the surface of the negative electrode current collector (figure 2, negative electrode terminal 14b), and in a length direction of the winding battery, a vertical projection of the positive electrode tab and the negative electrode tab does not overlap with a vertical projection of the first insulating adhesive layer (figure 2, positive electrode terminal 14a and negative electrode terminal 14b).
As to claim 16, Machida discloses an electronic device [0003], the electronic device comprises a winding battery (figure 2, battery element 10), wherein the winding battery comprises a positive electrode plate (figure 2, strip positive electrode 11) and a negative electrode plate (figure 2, strip negative electrode 12) which are formed by winding (figure 3), the positive electrode plate comprises a positive electrode current collector (figure 2, positive electrode current collector 11b) and a first coating layer disposed on a surface of the positive electrode current collector (figure 2, cathode active material layer 11a), and the negative electrode plate comprises a negative electrode current collector (figure 2, negative electrode current collector 12b) and a negative electrode active layer disposed on a surface of the negative electrode current collector (figure 2, anode active material layer 12a); and
the first coating layer comprises a first insulating adhesive layer (figure 3, insulating member 16a, [0028]) and a positive electrode active layer (figure 2, cathode active material layer 11a), the positive electrode active layer is disposed on the surface of the positive electrode current collector (figure 2, cathode active material layer 11a), the first insulating adhesive layer is connected to the positive electrode active layer (figure 3, insulating member 16a, [0028]), and at least one cross section of the first insulating adhesive layer and an end surface, close to a winding start point, of the negative electrode active layer are located in a same plane (figure 3, insulating member 16a).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
4. 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.
5. Claims 4 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Machida (US-20140342205-A1, provided in the IDS received on 5 November 2025) as applied to claim 1, and further in view of Zhang et al. (CN-112886072-A, provided in the IDS received on 5 November 2025, machine translation used for rejection below).
As to claim 4, Machida discloses the winding battery of claim 2, however, Machida does not disclose wherein the first insulating adhesive layer comprises a substrate layer and an adhesive layer, a thickness of the substrate layer is 2 µm to 12 µm, and a thickness of the adhesive layer is 2 µm to 14 µm.
Zhang discloses a winding battery having a first insulating layer, wherein the first insulating adhesive layer comprises a substrate layer (page 5 lines 55-60) and an adhesive layer (page 5 lines 55-60), and a thickness of the adhesive layer is 2 µm to 14 µm (page 6 lines 1-4) for adhering the coating to a bending region of the electrode. While Zhang does not explicitly teach that a thickness of the substrate layer is 2 µm to 12 µm, Zhang does disclose that the thickness of the substrate layer can be set according to actual needs (page 6 lines 1-4), additionally it has been held that “[W]here the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation.” See In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955). The discovery of an optimum value of a known result effective variable, without producing any new or unexpected results, is within the ambit of a person of ordinary skill in the art. (see MPEP § 2144.05, II.).
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 winding battery as disclosed within Machida to include that the first insulating adhesive layer comprises a substrate layer and an adhesive layer, a thickness of the substrate layer is 2 µm to 12 µm, and a thickness of the adhesive layer is 2 µm to 14 µm for adhering the coating to a bending region of the electrode as disclose within Zhang.
As to claim 9, Machida discloses the winding battery of claim 2, but Machida does not explicitly disclose wherein a length of the first region is 3mm to 5mm. However, it has been held that where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device. In re Rose , 220 F.2d 459, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955); In re Rinehart, 531 F.2d 1048, 189 USPQ 143 (CCPA 1976); In Gardner v. TEC Systems, Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 USPQ 232 (1984). Also see MPEP 2144. 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 winding battery as disclosed within Machida to include that a length of the first region is 3mm to 5mm.
6. Claims 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Machida (US-20140342205-A1, provided in the IDS received on 5 November 2025) as applied to claim 5, and further in view of Zhang et al. (CN-112886072-A, provided in the IDS received on 5 November 2025, machine translation used for rejection below).
As to claim 6, Machida discloses the winding battery of claim 5, however, Machida does not disclose wherein the first insulating adhesive layer comprises a substrate layer and an adhesive layer, a thickness of the substrate layer in the first region is same as a thickness of the substrate layer in the second region, and a thickness of the adhesive layer in the first region is greater than a thickness of the adhesive layer in the second region.
Zhang discloses a winding battery having a first insulating layer, wherein the first insulating adhesive layer comprises a substrate layer (page 5 lines 55-60) and an adhesive layer (page 5 lines 55-60) for adhering the coating to a bending region of the electrode. While Zhang does not explicitly teach that a thickness of the substrate layer in the first region is the same as a thickness of the substrate layer in the second region or that a thickness of the adhesive layer in the first region is greater than a thickness of the adhesive layer in the second region, it has been held that where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device. In re Rose , 220 F.2d 459, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955); In re Rinehart, 531 F.2d 1048, 189 USPQ 143 (CCPA 1976); In Gardner v. TEC Systems, Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 USPQ 232 (1984).
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 winding battery as disclosed within Machida to include that the first insulating adhesive layer comprises a substrate layer and an adhesive layer, a thickness of the substrate layer in the first region is same as a thickness of the substrate layer in the second region, and a thickness of the adhesive layer in the first region is greater than a thickness of the adhesive layer in the second region for adhering the coating to a bending region of the electrode as disclose within Zhang.
As to claim 7, Machida discloses the winding battery of claim 5, however, Machida does not disclose wherein the first insulating adhesive layer comprises a substrate layer and an adhesive layer, a thickness of the substrate layer in the first region is greater than a thickness of the substrate layer in the second region, and a thickness of the adhesive layer in the first region is same as a thickness of the adhesive layer in the second region.
Zhang discloses a winding battery having a first insulating layer, wherein the first insulating adhesive layer comprises a substrate layer (page 5 lines 55-60) and an adhesive layer (page 5 lines 55-60) for adhering the coating to a bending region of the electrode. While Zhang does not explicitly teach that a thickness of the substrate layer in the first region is greater than a thickness of the substrate layer in the second region or that a thickness of the adhesive layer in the first region is the same as a thickness of the adhesive layer in the second region, it has been held that where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device. In re Rose , 220 F.2d 459, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955); In re Rinehart, 531 F.2d 1048, 189 USPQ 143 (CCPA 1976); In Gardner v. TEC Systems, Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 USPQ 232 (1984).
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 winding battery as disclosed within Machida to include that the first insulating adhesive layer comprises a substrate layer and an adhesive layer, a thickness of the substrate layer in the first region is greater than a thickness of the substrate layer in the second region, and a thickness of the adhesive layer in the first region is same as a thickness of the adhesive layer in the second region for adhering the coating to a bending region of the electrode as disclose within Zhang.
As to claim 8, Machida discloses the winding battery of claim 5, and Machida further discloses a thickness of the second region is 4 µm to 16 µm. But, Machida does not disclose wherein a thickness of the first region is 1.03 to 1.08 times a thickness of the positive electrode active layer. However, it has been held that where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device. In re Rose , 220 F.2d 459, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955); In re Rinehart, 531 F.2d 1048, 189 USPQ 143 (CCPA 1976); In Gardner v. TEC Systems, Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 USPQ 232 (1984). Also see MPEP 2144. 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 winding battery as disclosed within Machida to include that a thickness of the first region is 1.03 to 1.08 times a thickness of the positive electrode active layer.
7. Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Machida (US-20140342205-A1, provided in the IDS received on 5 November 2025) as applied to claim 11, and further in view of Zhang et al. (CN-112886072-A, provided in the IDS received on 5 November 2025, machine translation used for rejection below).
As to claim 12, Machida discloses the winding battery of claim 11, however, Machida does not disclose wherein a surface, close to the winding center, of the negative electrode plate is provided with a second insulating adhesive layer, and in a length direction of the winding battery, a vertical projection of an end region, close to the winding start point, of the positive electrode current collector at least partially overlaps with a vertical projection of the second insulating adhesive layer.
Zhang discloses a winding battery having a first insulating layer, wherein a surface, close to the winding center, of the negative electrode plate is provided with a second insulating adhesive layer (figure 1, protective adhesive paper layer 35, page 7 lines 25-37), and in a length direction of the winding battery, a vertical projection of an end region, close to the winding start point, of the positive electrode current collector at least partially overlaps with a vertical projection of the second insulating adhesive layer (figure 1, protective adhesive paper layer 35, page 7 lines 25-37) to prevent burs from piercing the separator.
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 winding battery as disclosed within Machida to include that a surface, close to the winding center, of the negative electrode plate is provided with a second insulating adhesive layer, and in a length direction of the winding battery, a vertical projection of an end region, close to the winding start point, of the positive electrode current collector at least partially overlaps with a vertical projection of the second insulating adhesive layer to prevent burs from piercing the separator as disclose within Zhang.
8. Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Machida (US-20140342205-A1, provided in the IDS received on 5 November 2025) as applied to claim 1, and further in view of Nishiie et al. (US-20220045367-A1).
As to claim 13, Machida discloses the winding battery of claim 1, and Machida further discloses wherein the first insulating adhesive layer comprises a first region (figure 3, insulating member 16a) and a second region (figure 3, insulating member 16a), the first region is located on a surface, away from the positive electrode current collector, of the positive electrode active layer (figure 3, insulating member 16a). However, Machida does not disclose wherein the second region is connected to the first region and wraps an end surface, close to the winding start point, of the positive electrode active layer.
Nishiie discloses a battery having a winding structure having an electrode plate with a first insulating adhesive layer, wherein the second region is connected to the first region and wraps an end surface, close to the winding start point, of the positive electrode active layer (Figure 6C, insulating member 25A3, [0114]) to cover the entirety of the exposed surface of the current collector.
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 winding battery as disclosed within Machida to include that the second region is connected to the first region and wraps an end surface, close to the winding start point, of the positive electrode active layer to cover the entirety of the exposed surface of the current collector as disclose within Zhang.
9. Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Machida (US-20140342205-A1, provided in the IDS received on 5 November 2025) as applied to claim 1.
As to claim 15, Machida discloses the winding battery of claim 1, but, Machida does not explicitly disclose wherein a width of the first insulating adhesive layer is greater than or equal to a width of the positive electrode active layer. However, it has been held that where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device. In re Rose , 220 F.2d 459, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955); In re Rinehart, 531 F.2d 1048, 189 USPQ 143 (CCPA 1976); In Gardner v. TEC Systems, Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 USPQ 232 (1984). Also see MPEP 2144. 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 winding battery as disclosed within Machida to include that a width of the first insulating adhesive layer is greater than or equal to a width of the positive electrode active layer.
Conclusion
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/J.J.S./Examiner, Art Unit 1727
/BARBARA L GILLIAM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1727
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