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 statement (IDS) submitted on July 10, 2024 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 § 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.
Claim 13 is 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Claim 13 recites the limitation "L1" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim, because it depends upon claim 11, but L1 is defined in claim 12.
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)(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 1-3 and 7-11 and 14-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang (CN-205828571-U; machine translation relied upon).
Regarding claim 1, Wang teaches a battery cell comprising an electrode assembly, wherein the electrode assembly is a wound structure, and the electrode assembly comprises a flat region and a first bent region, in a first direction (L direction on figure 6), the first bent region being connected to an end of the flat region (machine translation at page 1; figure 6), the electrode assembly comprises a second electrode plate 2 which is preferably a negative electrode plate, a first electrode plate 1 which is preferably a positive electrode plate, and an isolating film (claimed first separator) configured to separate the positive electrode plate from the negative electrode plate, wherein the positive electrode plate comprises a first bent section located in the first bent region, and a positive electrode winding starting section and a first flat section located in the flat region, wherein in a second direction (T direction on figure 6), the positive electrode winding starting section is disposed opposite to the first flat section, the first flat section and the positive electrode winding starting section are connected to two ends of the first bent section respectively, and an end of the positive electrode winding starting section facing away from the first bent section is a positive electrode winding starting end of the positive electrode plate, the negative electrode plate comprises a negative electrode winding starting section, wherein the negative electrode winding starting section is located in the flat region, in the second direction, the negative electrode winding starting section is located between the positive electrode winding starting section and the first flat section, and in the first direction, an end of the negative electrode winding starting section facing the first bent section is a negative electrode winding starting end of the negative electrode plate, wherein a negative electrode active substance layer 22 is disposed on one side of the negative electrode winding starting section opposite to a positive electrode active substance layer 12 on the positive electrode winding starting section, a negative electrode active substance layer is disposed on another side of the negative electrode winding starting section opposite to a positive electrode active substance layer on the first flat section, the first separator has a first winding starting end, which is disposed at a distance measured at about 2 mm from the negative electrode winding starting end (such being taken to read on the definition of flush of 0-5 mm set forth in paragraph [0088] of the specification, especially given that conventional battery cells are typically much smaller than depicted, and thus the actual distance is even smaller), and an extension direction of a winding axis, the first direction, and the second direction of the electrode assembly being perpendicular to each other (machine translation at pages 3-5; figure 6). The description of the article pictured can be relied on, in combination with the drawings, for what they would reasonably teach one of ordinary skill in the art (see MPEP at 2125).
Regarding claim 2, Wang teaches that the electrode assembly further comprises a second bent region, in the first direction, the second bent region being located on a side of the flat region facing away from the first bent region, the negative electrode plate further comprises a second bent section located in the second bent region and a second flat section located in the flat region, wherein in the second direction, the second flat section is disposed opposite to the negative electrode winding starting section, and the second flat section and the negative electrode winding starting section are connected to two ends of the second bent section respectively, wherein positive electrode active substance layers on two sides of the positive electrode winding starting section are disposed opposite to the negative electrode active substance layer on the negative electrode winding starting section and a negative electrode active substance layer on the second flat section respectively (figure 6).
Regarding claim 3, Wang teaches that the negative electrode plate comprises a current collector 21, and the positive electrode plate comprises a current collector 11, and teaches a specific embodiment where both whole surfaces of the negative and positive current collector are covered in an active material layer 12/11 respectively (machine translation at page 4, second and fifth paragraphs).
Regarding claims 7-8, Wang teaches that the electrode assembly further comprises a second separator, wherein the second separator is configured to separate the positive electrode plate from the negative electrode plate, the first separator having the first winding starting end, and the second separator having a second winding starting end, wherein the first separator and the second separator are disposed on two sides of the electrode plate 2, the first winding starting end is flush with the electrode plate winding starting end, and the second winding starting end is flush with the electrode winding starting end (machine translation at page 5, last paragraph; figure 6). As was stated above, the electrode plate is preferably the negative electrode plate (such a configuration reading on claim 7), but the alternative configuration has the electrode plate as the positive electrode plate (such a configuration reading on claim 8).
Regarding claims 9-11, Wang teaches an adhesive paper G (taken to be the claimed protective member) located between the first positive active substance portion and the negative electrode winding start end, the adhesive paper G being located in the first bent region and the adjacent flat regions, and partially overlaps the negative electrode winding starting section (machine translation at page 5, second paragraph; figure 7).
Regarding claim 14, Wang teaches that the two ends of the first section are each connected to the second section, and in the second direction, the second sections at the two ends of the first section are located on two sides of the negative electrode winding starting section respectively (figure 7).
Regarding claim 15, Wang teaches that the protective member is fixed to the first positive electrode active substance portion (machine translation at page 5, second paragraph; figure 7).
Regarding claim 16, Wang teaches that the positive electrode plate further comprises a positive electrode winding terminating section located in the flat region, wherein an end of the positive electrode winding terminating section is a positive electrode winding terminating end of the positive electrode plate; and the negative electrode plate further comprises a negative electrode winding terminating section, wherein an end of the negative electrode winding terminating section forms a negative electrode winding terminating end of the negative electrode plate, and the negative electrode winding terminating section is located on an outer side of the positive electrode winding terminating section (figure 6).
Regarding claim 17, Wang teaches that the negative electrode active substance layer is provided on a side of the negative electrode winding terminating section facing the winding axis, and the negative electrode active substance layer is not provided on a side of the negative electrode winding terminating section facing away from the winding axis (figure 6).
Regarding claim 18, Wang teaches that the negative electrode active substance layer is provided on both sides of the negative electrode winding terminating section (figure 5).
Regarding claim 19, Wang teaches that the electrode assembly further comprises a second separator, wherein the second separator is configured to separate the positive electrode plate from the negative electrode plate; wherein the first separator further comprises a first winding terminating section, an end of the first winding terminating section being a first winding terminating end of the first separator, and the second separator further comprises a second winding terminating section, an end of the second winding terminating section being a second winding terminating end of the second separator; and the negative electrode plate further comprises a negative electrode winding terminating section, wherein an end of the negative electrode winding terminating section forms a negative electrode winding terminating end of the negative electrode plate; wherein the first winding terminating section and the second winding terminating section are located on two sides of the negative electrode winding terminating section respectively, the first winding terminating end is flush with the negative electrode winding terminating end, and the second winding terminating end is flush with the negative electrode winding terminating end (figure 6).
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.
Claim 25 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang (CN-205828571-U; machine translation relied upon).
Regarding claim 25, Wang does not specifically disclose an electric device comprising the battery, but it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the battery in an electric device, in order to power the device.
Claims 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Sheng (CN 113422107; machine translation relied upon).
Regarding claim 4, Wang teaches two separators 3 located on two sides of the negative electrode plate (machine translation at page 5, last paragraph; figure 6), but does not specifically disclose that the first and second separator are connected to form first and second connection portions, and in an extending direction of the winding axis, the first and second connection portions are located on two sides of the negative electrode plate. Sheng teaches using first and second diaphragm layers 11 and 12 (claimed first and second separators), where these layers are connected one both sides of the electrode plate 9 (machine translation at page 9, fifth paragraph; figure 11). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form first and second connection portions on both sides of the electrode plate as taught by Sheng in the battery cell of Wang in order to improve the safety and cycle performance of the battery (see Sheng machine translation at page 3, third to last paragraph).
Regarding claim 5, for the combination set forth above, the first separator has a first winding starting section located in the flat region, an end of the first winding starting section being the first winding starting end of the first separator, and the second separator has a second winding starting section located in the flat region, an end of the second winding starting section being a second winding starting end of the second separator; wherein in the second direction, the first winding starting section and the second winding starting section are located on two sides of the negative electrode winding starting section respectively, wherein the first winding starting section and the second winding starting section are connected to form the first connection portion and the second connection portion, and in the extension direction of the winding axis, the first connection portion and the second connection portion are located on two sides of the negative electrode winding starting section respectively (see Wang at figure 6).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Hosokawa (US Pub. No. 2023/0170461).
Regarding claim 6, Wang teaches that the separators comprise an isolating film (machine translation at page 3, last full paragraph) but does not specifically disclose using an adhesive layer to adhere an adjacent plate to the base film. Hosokawa teaches that it is preferable for an adhesion layer to be provided on one or both sides of a separator 26 (paragraph [0045]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use an adhesive layer on one or both sides as taught by Hosokawa in the battery of Wang in order to enhance an adhesive property of a negative and/or positive active material layer and the separator base film (see Hosokawa at paragraph [0045]).
Claims 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang as applied to claim 11 above, and further in view of Chen (CN-219321579-U; machine translation relied upon).
Regarding claims 12-13, Wang does not specifically disclose the distance L1 between an end of the second section facing away from the first section and the negative electrode winding starting end. Chen teaches using a first extension 42 having a length D (equivalent to claimed distance L1) of not less than 1 mm and not higher than 50 mm, with a specific embodiment of 5 mm (machine translation at page 5, seventh paragraph; figure 2). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use a length as taught by Chen for the flat section of the protective member of Wang in order to allow normal transfer between the positive and negative plates (see Chen machine translation at page 5, sixth paragraph).
Claims 20-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Park (US Pub. No. 2023/0327298).
Regarding claims 20-24, Wang does not specifically disclose riveting the positive tab to the positive electrode plate and/or the negative tab to the negative electrode plate. Park teaches forming holes 300h in the positive and/or negative electrode plates and having an extension portion 300e that passes through the electrode plate and a fixing part 300c which is formed on the opposite side of the electrode plate (taken to read on the claimed riveted limitation) (paragraphs [0043] and [0056]-[0058]; figure 7). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to connect electrode tabs as taught by Park to the positive and negative electrode plates of Wang in order to improve the efficiency of the electrode process and increase the capacity of the electrode (see Park at paragraph [0026]).
Conclusion
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/P.N.S/ Examiner, Art Unit 1749 September 26, 2026
/KATELYN W SMITH/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1749
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