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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This Office action is in response to the communication filed on 6/26/2026. Currently claims 1-20 are pending in the application.
ELECTION / RESTRICTION
Applicant's election of Group II, claims 1-18, with traverse, drawn to a method in the reply filed on 6/26/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground that the apparatus is not a generic winding apparatus and no undue burden on search on the examiner. However, the examiner’s position is that the apparatus can be used in place of a generic winder. Additionally, as discussed in the restriction requirement, the inventions are classified in different areas and the search required for group I is not required for group II and vice versa. Therefore, search and examination of the entire application cannot be conducted without serious burden and the restriction as indicated is proper. Therefore, the requirement is still deemed proper and is made FINAL.
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 1-20 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 1, the claim attempts to define the step of feeding materials by reference to the results of a "pre-winding" method, which is not part of the claimed method. The indented limitation of this formulation is not clear, resulting in the claim which does not clearly set forth the metes and bounds of the patent protection desired, making it indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter. It is noted that the claim does not include any previous reference to a pre-winding step. Consequently, features related to pre-winding will not be considered as limiting the scope of the claim in any aspect.
Claims 2-8 depend directly or indirectly on claim 1,
Regarding claims 1, and 9, the feature "surplus misalignment" in claim 1, and 9, is not clearly defined as recited. This feature must be defined clearly since the resulting claim does not clearly set forth the metes and bounds of the patent protection desired, making it indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter, as it is noted that for a non-wound sheet, the term "surplus misalignment" is not meaningful.
Claims 2-8 depend directly or indirectly on claim 1 and claims 10-18 depend directly or indirectly on claim 9.
Regarding claims 2, and 10, the terms "first circle" and "second circle" in claims 2, and 10 are not clear, as recited. These terms, which imply a trajectory, must be defined clearly since the resulting claim does not clearly set forth the metes and bounds of the patent protection desired, making it indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter.
Regarding claims 4, 7, 12, 16, and 18, It is noted that the subject-matter of claims are related to data fitting according to quadratic/cubic function relationship. However, the parameters referred to in these claims are completely undefined, making it indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter.
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 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. 103 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made 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 non-obviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C.103 as being obvious over Wang et al. (CN 109 585 902 A), hereafter, referred to as “Wang”, in view of Xie et al. (CN 218 996 812 U), hereafter, referred to as “Xie”.
Regarding claim 1, Wang teaches a method for cell winding comprising of feeding materials, preparing winding and detecting and correcting misalignments of cathode tabs; by teaching in Fig. 1-2 and in para. [0026]- [0061] a method for cell winding, the method comprising the steps of: providing a positive electrode sheet (7), a negative electrode sheet (8) and a separator sheet (9); preparing winding by fixing ends of all sheets to a winding needle (1); detecting and measuring/calculating tab misalignment by a misalignment detecting mechanism (6); depending on the measured misalignment, a thickness adjusting mechanism (23) comprising two rollers of adjustable pressure provides an uneven indentation onto the positive electrode sheet (7) to correct said tab misalignment. The amount/depth of indentation is adjusted by the pressure of the rollers of the thickness adjusting mechanism (23), (Fig. 2). The technical details of the thickness adjusting mechanism (23) are shown in Fig. 2.
But Wang fails to explicitly teach the use of embossing to align the cathode tabs, that are adjacent to the winding end. However, Xie teaches in Fig. 1-5 and in para. [0026]- [0037] a method for manufacturing a cell winding, comprising the steps of: providing a positive electrode sheet (1 ), a negative electrode sheet (3) and a separator sheet (5, 6); preparing winding by fixing ends of all sheets to a winding device (7); measuring and controlling a possible misalignment of the positive electrode tabs in real time by a measuring mechanism (9) and a control mechanism (8) by measuring a dislocation distance of the tabs; triggering an error correction when said dislocation distance falls outside a predetermined acceptable range, such that an embossing mechanism (2) embosses the positive electrode sheet (4) to adjust the embossing length and to achieve alignment of the tabs. Embossing results to a "surplus misalignment" of the tabs, such that alignment can be corrected. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Xie, and use a known technique of using embossing to align the cathode tabs, that are adjacent to the winding end (KSR Rationale C, MPEP 2143). Since both the references deal with winding of battery cells, one would have reasonable expectation of success from the combination.
Regarding claim 2, Wang, in view of Xie teaches a method, wherein during the feeding materials, the surplus misalignment satisfies that: after the pre-winding, the first cathode tab is positioned in a first circle of the cathode electrode subjected to the pre-winding, and the second cathode tab is positioned in a second circle of the cathode electrode subjected to the pre-winding; and there is a surplus between the second cathode tab and the first cathode tab, wherein the surplus is a distance from a geometric center of the first cathode tab to a geometric center of the second cathode tab along a winding trajectory, as it would have been obvious that the winding process results in a circular cylindrical structure.
Regarding claim 3, Wang, in view of Xie teaches in (Xie, Fig. 1, element 2) a method, comprising obtaining, according to the surplus and winding parameters of the winding device, an embossing depth formed by the rolling device; and obtaining, according to a correspondence between the embossing depth and an embossing pressure, the embossing pressure provided by the rolling device, such that the first cathode tab is aligned with the second cathode tab after winding of the cathode electrode.
Regarding claim 4, Wang, in view of Xie teaches in (Xie, Fig. 1, element 2) a method, comprising embossing where embossing depth (thickness) is controlled by embossing pressure between the rollers (element 2). It would have been obvious that obtaining a cubic function relationship between the embossing depth and the embossing pressure; and the embossing depth is set to be represented as y, the embossing pressure is set to be represented as x, and the embossing depth y and the embossing pressure x satisfy: y = ax3 + bx2 + cx + d, wherein a, b, c, and d represent at least relation constants corresponding to a material of the cathode electrode and parameters of the rolling device; and the embossing pressure x provided by the rolling device is obtained according to y = ax3 + bx2+ cx + d and the embossing depth y; would be matter of data fitting according to a functional relationship.
Regarding claim 5, Wang, in view of Xie teaches in (Xie, Fig. 1, element 2) a method, comprising: obtaining, according to the surplus and winding parameters of the winding device, an embossing depth formed by the rolling device; and obtaining a distance between tabs on the cathode electrode, other than the first cathode tab and the second cathode tab, in an unwinding state of the cathode electrode according to the embossing depth and the winding parameters of the winding device, such that the tabs on the cathode electrode, other than the first cathode tab and the second cathode tab, are aligned after winding of the cathode electrode.
Regarding claim 6, Wang, in view of Xie teaches in (Wang, Fig. 1, element 6; Xie, Fig. 1, element 2) a method, comprising: obtaining, according to a correspondence between a misalignment amount of tabs on the cathode electrode and an embossing pressure, the embossing pressure provided by the rolling device; obtaining, according to a correspondence between an embossing depth and the embossing pressure, the embossing depth formed by the rolling device; and obtaining a value of the surplus according to the embossing depth and winding parameters of the winding device, to obtain a distance between the first cathode tab and the second cathode tab in an unwinding state of the cathode electrode.
Regarding claim 7, Wang, in view of Xie teaches in (Wang, Fig. 1, element 6, a misalignment detection system; and Xie, Fig. 1, element 2, an embossing mechanism) a method, comprising misalignment measured by the detection system, and embossing where embossing process is controlled by embossing pressure between the rollers (element 2). It would have been obvious that obtaining a quadratic function relationship between the misalignment amount of the tabs on the cathode electrode and the embossing pressure; and the misalignment amount of the tabs on the cathode electrode is set to be represented as Zi, the embossing pressure is set to be represented as x, and the misalignment amount z1 of the tabs on the cathode electrode and the embossing pressure x satisfy: z1 = fx2 + gx +h, wherein f, g, and h represent at least relation constants corresponding to a material of the cathode electrode; would be matter of data fitting according to a functional relationship.
Regarding claim 8, Wang, in view of Xie teaches in (Wang, Fig. 1, element 6, a misalignment detection system; and Xie, Fig. 1, element 2, an embossing mechanism) a method, wherein the embossing comprises: obtaining, according to a correspondence between a misalignment amount of tabs on the cathode electrode and an embossing pressure, the embossing pressure provided by the rolling device; obtaining, according to a correspondence between an embossing depth and the embossing pressure, the embossing depth formed by the rolling device; and obtaining, according to the embossing depth and winding parameters of the winding device, a distance between tabs on the cathode electrode, other than the first cathode tab and the second cathode tab, in an unwinding state of the cathode electrode, such that the tabs of the cathode electrode, other than the first cathode tab and the second cathode tab, are aligned after the winding of the cathode electrode.
Regarding claim 9, Wang teaches a method for cell winding comprising of feeding materials, preparing winding and detecting and correcting misalignments of cathode tabs; by teaching in Fig. 1-2 and in para. [0026]- [0061] a method for cell winding, the method comprising the steps of: providing a positive electrode sheet (7), a negative electrode sheet (8) and a separator sheet (9); preparing winding by fixing ends of all sheets to a winding needle (1); detecting and measuring/calculating tab misalignment by a misalignment detecting mechanism (6); depending on the measured misalignment, a thickness adjusting mechanism (23) comprising two rollers of adjustable pressure provides an uneven indentation onto the positive electrode sheet (7) to correct said tab misalignment. The amount/depth of indentation is adjusted by the pressure of the rollers of the thickness adjusting mechanism (23), (Fig. 2). The technical details of the thickness adjusting mechanism (23) are shown in Fig. 2.
But Wang fails to explicitly teach the use of embossing to align the cathode tabs, that are adjacent to the winding end. However, Xie teaches in Fig. 1-5 and in para. [0026]- [0037] a method for manufacturing a cell winding, comprising the steps of: providing a positive electrode sheet (1 ), a negative electrode sheet (3) and a separator sheet (5, 6); preparing winding by fixing ends of all sheets to a winding device (7); measuring and controlling a possible misalignment of the positive electrode tabs in real time by a measuring mechanism (9) and a control mechanism (8) by measuring a dislocation distance of the tabs; triggering an error correction when said dislocation distance falls outside a predetermined acceptable range, such that an embossing mechanism (2) embosses the positive electrode sheet (4) to adjust the embossing length and to achieve alignment of the tabs. Embossing results to a "surplus misalignment" of the tabs, such that alignment can be corrected. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Xie, and use a known technique of using embossing to align the cathode tabs, that are adjacent to the winding end (KSR Rationale C, MPEP 2143). Since both the references deal with winding of battery cells, one would have reasonable expectation of success from the combination. It would also have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to use a pre-winding process step to substitute the detecting and measuring/calculating tab misalignment by a misalignment detecting mechanism (6), because that would allow a pre-winding device which is similar to a winding device, making the maintenance operation easier to perform.
Regarding claim 10, the rejection of claim 9 applies here. Wang, in view of Xie teaches a method, wherein during the pre-winding, the surplus misalignment satisfies that: after the pre-winding, in the each two adjacent cathode tabs on the experimental cathode electrode, one cathode tab is positioned in a first circle, and another cathode tab is positioned in a second circle; there is a surplus between the one cathode tab positioned in the first circle and the another cathode tab positioned in the second circle, wherein the surplus is a distance from a geometric center of the one cathode tab positioned in the first circle to a geometric center of the another cathode tab positioned in the second circle along a winding trajectory, as it would have been obvious that the winding process results in a circular cylindrical structure.
Regarding claim 11, the rejection of claim 9 applies here. Wang, in view of Xie teaches in (Xie, Fig. 1, element 2) a method of cell winding, Based on the teaching of Wang, in view of Xie, it would have been obvious to any ordinary artisan that the method would comprise of obtaining, according to the surplus and winding parameters of the winding device, an embossing depth required to be formed by the rolling device; obtaining a correspondence between the embossing depth and an embossing pressure by presetting and fixing material parameters of the experimental cathode electrode and parameters of the rolling device and applying a plurality of sets of different embossing pressures to a plurality of sets of experimental cathode electrodes; and obtaining, according to the correspondence between the embossing depth required and the embossing pressure, an embossing pressure required to be provided by the rolling device to enable the cathode tabs on the production cathode electrode to be aligned with each other after the winding of the production cathode electrode.
Regarding claim 12, the rejection of claim 9 applies here. Wang, in view of Xie teaches in (Xie, Fig. 1, element 2) a method, comprising embossing where embossing depth (thickness) is controlled by embossing pressure between the rollers (element 2). It would have been obvious that obtaining a cubic function relationship between the embossing depth and the embossing pressure; and the embossing depth is set to be represented as y, the embossing pressure is set to be represented as x, and the embossing depth y and the embossing pressure x satisfy a function relationship: y=ax3+bx2+cx+d, wherein a, b, c, and d represent relation constants corresponding to the material parameters of the experimental cathode electrode and the parameters of the rolling device; would be matter of data fitting according to a functional relationship.
Regarding claim 13, the rejection of claims 9, and 12 applies here. Wang, in view of Xie teaches in (Xie, Fig. 1, element 2) a method of cell winding, Based on the teaching of Wang, in view of Xie, it would have been obvious to any ordinary artisan that the method would comprise of obtaining an embossing depth required in a region between a first cathode tab and a second cathode tab, that are adjacent to one end of the production cathode electrode where winding of the production cathode electrode starts, on the production cathode electrode according to a surplus between a first cathode tab and a second cathode tab on the experimental cathode electrode that are adjacent to one end of the experimental cathode electrode where winding of the experimental cathode electrode starts; and obtaining an embossing pressure required to be applied by the rolling device to the region between the first cathode tab and the second cathode tab on the experimental cathode electrode according to the function relationship between the embossing depth and the embossing pressure.
Regarding claim 14, the rejection of claims 9, and 12 applies here. Wang, in view of Xie teaches in (Xie, Fig. 1, element 2) a method of cell winding, Based on the teaching of Wang, in view of Xie, it would have been obvious to any ordinary artisan that the method would comprise of obtaining an embossing depth required in a region between each two adjacent cathode tabs, other than the first cathode tab and the second cathode tab, on the experimental cathode electrode according to a surplus between the each two adjacent cathode tabs, other than the first cathode tab and the second cathode tab, on the experimental cathode electrode; and obtaining an embossing pressure required to be applied by the rolling device to the region between the each two adjacent cathode tabs, other than the first cathode tab and the second cathode tab, on the experimental cathode electrode according to the function relationship between the embossing depth and the embossing pressure.
Regarding claim 15, the rejection of claim 9 applies here. Wang, in view of Xie teaches in (Xie, Fig. 1, element 2) a method of cell winding, Based on the teaching of Wang, in view of Xie, it would have been obvious to any ordinary artisan that the method would comprise of obtaining a plurality of sets of different embossing depths required to be formed by the rolling device on a plurality of sets of experimental cathode electrodes according to the winding parameters of the winding device and a plurality of sets of different surpluses of the plurality of sets of experimental cathode electrodes; obtaining a plurality of sets of different embossing pressures required to be applied by the rolling device to the plurality of sets of experimental cathode electrodes according to the plurality of sets of different embossing depths required by the plurality of sets of experimental cathode electrodes; obtaining a plurality of sets of misalignment amounts of tabs on the plurality of sets of experimental cathode electrodes after winding by respectively applying the plurality of sets of different embossing pressures required to the plurality of sets of experimental cathode electrodes; and obtaining a correspondence between the plurality of sets of misalignment amounts of the tabs on the plurality of sets of experimental cathode electrodes and the plurality of sets of different embossing pressures required according to the plurality of sets of different embossing pressures required and the plurality of sets of misalignment amounts of tabs on the plurality of sets of experimental cathode electrodes.
Regarding claim 16, the rejection of claim 9 applies here. Wang, in view of Xie teaches in (Wang, Fig. 1, element 6, a misalignment detection system; and Xie, Fig. 1, element 2, an embossing mechanism) a method, comprising misalignment measured by the detection system, and embossing where embossing process is controlled by embossing pressure between the rollers (element 2). It would have been obvious that, wherein there is a quadratic function relationship between the misalignment amount of the tabs on the experimental cathode electrode and the embossing pressure; and the misalignment amount of the tabs on the experimental cathode electrode is set to be represented as Zi, the embossing pressure is set to be represented as x, where the misalignment amount z1 of the tabs on the experimental cathode electrode and the embossing pressure x satisfy: z1=fx2+gx+h, wherein f, g, h represent relation constants corresponding to a material of the experimental cathode electrode; would be matter of data fitting according to a functional relationship.
Regarding claim 17, the rejection of claim 9 applies here. Wang, in view of Xie teaches in (Xie, Fig. 1, element 2) a method of cell winding, Based on the teaching of Wang, in view of Xie, it would have been obvious to any ordinary artisan that the method would comprise of obtaining a plurality of sets of different embossing depths required to be formed by the rolling device on a plurality of sets of experimental anode electrodes according to the winding parameters of the winding device and a plurality of sets of different surpluses of the experimental cathode electrodes; obtaining a plurality of sets of different embossing pressures required to be applied by the rolling device to the plurality of sets of experimental anode electrodes according to the plurality of sets of different embossing depths required by the plurality of sets of experimental anode electrodes; obtaining a plurality of sets of misalignment amounts of tabs on the plurality of sets of experimental anode electrodes after winding by applying the plurality of sets of different embossing pressures required respectively to the plurality of sets of experimental anode electrodes; and obtaining a correspondence between the plurality of sets of misalignment amounts of the tabs on the plurality of experimental anode electrodes and the plurality of sets of different embossing pressures required according to the plurality of sets of different embossing depths required and the plurality of sets of misalignment amounts of the tabs on the plurality of sets of experimental anode electrodes.
Regarding claim 18, Wang, in view of Xie teaches in (Wang, Fig. 1, element 6, a misalignment detection system; and Xie, Fig. 1, element 2, an embossing mechanism) a method, comprising misalignment measured by the detection system, and embossing where embossing process is controlled by embossing pressure between the rollers (element 2). It would have been obvious that a quadratic function relationship between the misalignment amount of the tabs on the experimental anode electrode and the embossing pressure; and the misalignment amount of the tabs on the experimental anode electrode is set to be represented as z2, the embossing pressure is set to be represented as x, wherein the misalignment amount z2 of the tabs on the experimental anode electrode and the embossing pressure x satisfy: Z2=lx2+mx+n, wherein l, m, n represent relation constants corresponding to a material of the experimental anode electrode; would be matter of data fitting according to a functional relationship.
Examiner’s Note
The examiner included a few prior arts which were not used in the rejection but are relevant to the disclosure.
CN 115 882 166 A1 (Guangdong Lyric Robot Automation Co Ltd): Guangdong Lyric Robot Automation Co Ltd (CN 115 882 166 A) teaches in Fig. 1-11 and in paragraphs [0056]-[0124] a method of cell winding with the aim of optimizing tab misalignment, comprising the steps of: (S100) obtaining historical data of tab misalignment amount and reference pressure value of the embossing roller; (S200) determining the current reference pressure value of the embossing roller according to the historical tab misalignment amount of the previous historical cycle, the historical reference pressure value and the open-loop compensation coefficient; (S300) determining the closed-loop pressure compensation value of the embossing roller according to the historical tab misalignment amounts and the closed-loop compensation coefficients of all historical cycles; (S400) obtaining a target pressure value of the embossing roller according to the current reference pressure value and the closed-loop pressure compensation value, and controlling the embossing roller to perform an embossing operation based on the target pressure value. According to that process, the misalignment/dislocation of the battery cell tabs can be adjusted, and the misalignment condition of the battery cell tabs can be optimized.
CN 217 035 728 U (Guan et al.): Guan et al. teaches a utility model relates to a pole lug dislocation adjusting mechanism. Guan teaches a tab misalignment adjustment mechanism is characterized in that it includes a bracket, a rubber roller and a thickness adjustment component, wherein the rubber roller is rotatably mounted on the bracket, the thickness adjustment component is aligned with the rubber roller, and the electrode moves between the rubber roller and the thickness adjustment component.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMMAD M AMEEN whose telephone number is (469) 295 9214. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F from 9.00 am to 6.00 pm (Eastern Time).
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/MOHAMMAD M AMEEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1742
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