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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 07/29/2024 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.
Claims 4 and 5 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 4 recites “the conveying path.” However, claim 3 recites “a conveyance path,” not “a conveying path.” It is unclear whether “the conveying path” in claim 4 refers to the “conveyance path” introduced in claim 3 or to a different path associated with conveying of the electrode by the conveyance apparatus. Accordingly, the scope of the limitation requiring the control unit to move the movable unit for stacking work “along the conveying path” is unclear.
Applicant may overcome this rejection by amending claim 4 to consistently refer to “the conveyance path” introduced in claim 3, if such amendment is supported by the originally filed disclosure.
Claim 5 recites “based on the image data in which a posture of the electrode is captured from above the stator.” However, “the image data” lacks proper antecedent basis. Claims 1-4 do not previously recite image data, an image capturing unit, a camera, or any other element that generates or supplies image data. Accordingly, it is unclear what specific image data is being relied upon by the control unit, whether the image data is generated by a component of the claimed apparatus or by an external device, and what structural or functional relationship the image data has to the claimed apparatus.
Claim 5 further recites “the inclination of the electrode with respect to the vertical axis.” However, “the vertical axis” lacks proper antecedent basis. Claims 1-4 do not previously recite a vertical axis. It is therefore unclear whether the claimed “vertical axis” refers to an axis normal to the horizontally installed main surface of the stator, a gravity-based vertical axis, an axis of the electrode, an axis of the movable unit for stacking work, or another reference axis. Because the reference axis used to determine the claimed inclination is not clearly identified, the metes and bounds of the claimed control based on “the inclination of the electrode with respect to the vertical axis” are unclear.
Applicant may overcome this rejection by amending the claims to introduce the image data and the vertical axis with proper antecedent basis and sufficient clarity. For example, claim 5 may be amended to recite “image data” on first introduction, or a preceding claim may be amended to recite a camera or imaging unit configured to generate the image data. Claim 5 may also be amended to recite, for example, “a vertical axis perpendicular to the main surface” or another clearly defined reference axis, if supported by the originally filed disclosure.
REFERENCES RELIED UPON
Reference 1: Abe, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0363499 A1, published November 17, 2022.
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 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Reference 1.
Reference 1 discloses each and every limitation of claims 1-5 as set forth below.
────────────
Claim 1 - Rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) over Reference 1
An electrode stacking apparatus, comprising: a stator including a horizontally installed main surface and a plurality of coils arranged under the main surface; a movable unit for stacking work including: a first mover that is movable above the main surface by magnetic levitation; a base installed on an upper part of the first mover; an electrode holding unit configured to press, from above, the base and a sheet-type electrode fed on a top surface of the base; and a driving mechanism for driving the electrode holding unit by an external force acting thereon; a movable unit for operation work including a second mover that is movable above the main surface and an operation unit fixed to the second mover and configured to operate the driving mechanism by coming in contact with the driving mechanism; and a control unit configured to control respective movements of the movable unit for stacking work and the movable unit for operation work by adjusting an amount of current to be flowed through the coils.
Analysis
Reference 1 discloses an electrode stacking apparatus for stacking sheet-shaped electrodes 1. The apparatus includes a planar motor device B, an electrode conveyor device A or electrode conveyor devices A1 and A2, and a control device C. The sheet-shaped electrode 1 of Reference 1 corresponds to the claimed sheet-type electrode.
Reference 1 discloses the claimed stator. In particular, planar motor device B includes a flat plate-shaped stator 50 having a flat surface 51. The flat surface 51 corresponds to the claimed main surface. The stator 50 is positioned below the electrode conveyor device A or electrode conveyor devices A1 and A2, and the movers 40 move above the flat surface 51 while the electrode 1 is stacked downwardly onto stacked electrode holders 60. Thus, the flat surface 51 is the horizontally installed working surface of the stator 50. Reference 1 further discloses stator elements 52 having coil layers 53A, 53B, 53C, and 53D, with coils 54A, 54B, and 54C arranged in the coil layers. The coils 54A, 54B, and 54C are arranged in the stator 50 under the flat surface 51 and interact magnetically with permanent magnet pieces 41 of the mover 40.
Reference 1 discloses the claimed movable unit for stacking work. The stacked electrode holder 60 fixed to or carried on a mover 40 forms a movable unit used for stacking work. The mover 40 corresponds to the claimed first mover. The mover 40 is movable above the flat surface 51 of the stator 50 in any direction along the flat surface 51 and is also rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the flat surface 51 while magnetically floating from the flat surface 51. The mover 40 includes permanent magnet pieces 41 arranged in magnet regions 42A, 42B, 42C, and 42D, and the interaction between these magnet regions and the coils 54A, 54B, and 54C produces the forces for magnetic levitation and movement.
Reference 1 discloses a base installed on an upper part of the first mover. The stacked electrode holder 60 includes a base 61, a pantograph-type elevator mechanism 62, and a bottom plate 63. The stacked electrode holder 60 is carried on the mover 40. The bottom plate 63 is supported above the mover 40 through the base 61 and elevator mechanism 62 and receives the sheet-shaped electrodes 1 on its top surface. The bottom plate 63 therefore corresponds to the claimed base for receiving and supporting the electrode stack, or alternatively the base 61 together with the bottom plate 63 and elevator mechanism 62 forms the base structure installed on the upper part of the mover 40.
Reference 1 discloses the claimed electrode holding unit. The stacked electrode holder 60 includes clamps 64 and 66. The clamps 64 and 66 press the sheet-shaped electrode 1 or stacked sheet-shaped electrodes 1 downwardly from above onto the bottom plate 63. In the holding state, the clamp 64 holds down the sheet-shaped electrodes 1 on the bottom plate 63. Thus, the clamp 64, alone or together with clamp 66, corresponds to the claimed electrode holding unit configured to press, from above, the base and a sheet-type electrode fed on a top surface of the base.
Reference 1 discloses the claimed driving mechanism. The stacked electrode holder 60 includes clamp mechanisms 65 and 67 for operating the clamps 64 and 66. The clamp mechanism 65 includes a slide mechanism 69 and a tilt mechanism 68. The slide mechanism 69 includes slider 70, roller 71, compression spring 72, camshaft 73, cam 74, arm 75, and roller 76. The tilt mechanism 68 includes tilt head 78, roller 79, camshaft 80, cam 81, arm 82, roller 83, and coil spring 84. When rollers 76 and 83 are acted upon by an external cam, camshafts 73 and 80 are turned, slider 70 moves, tilt head 78 tilts or rises, and clamp 64 switches between its holding and released/open states. These components correspond to the claimed driving mechanism for driving the electrode holding unit by an external force acting thereon.
Reference 1 discloses the claimed movable unit for operation work. In the second embodiment, Reference 1 discloses moving cam devices 91. Each moving cam device 91 is composed of a cam mover 40 provided with a cam 92. The cam mover 40 is movable above the flat surface 51 of the stator 50 in the same planar motor device B. The cam 92 is fixed to or carried by the cam mover 40 and operates the clamp mechanisms of the stacked electrode holders 60 by coming into contact with the rollers 76 and 83. Thus, the cam mover 40 corresponds to the claimed second mover, and cam 92 corresponds to the claimed operation unit fixed to the second mover and configured to operate the driving mechanism by contact with the driving mechanism.
Reference 1 discloses the claimed control unit. The control device C controls movement of the movers 40 by adjusting amounts of current supplied to the coils 54A, 54B, and 54C in coil layers 53A, 53B, 53C, and 53D of the stator 50. Reference 1 expressly uses the control device C to control both the electrode-holding movers 40 that carry the stacked electrode holders 60 and the cam movers 40 that carry the cams 92 of the moving cam devices 91. The control device C therefore corresponds to the claimed control unit configured to control respective movements of the movable unit for stacking work and the movable unit for operation work by adjusting current through the coils.
Accordingly, Reference 1 discloses every limitation of claim 1.
────────────
Claim 2 - Rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) over Reference 1
The electrode stacking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation unit of the movable unit for operation work includes a cam that comes in contact with the driving mechanism, the driving mechanism of the movable unit for stacking work includes a driven element that is driven by coming in contact with the cam, and the electrode holding unit is configured such that a state thereof is switched between a holding state in which the electrode is pressed from above and an open state in which a new electrode can be received from above depending on the movement of the driven element.
Analysis
Reference 1 discloses that the operation unit of the movable unit for operation work includes a cam that comes in contact with the driving mechanism. In particular, moving cam device 91 includes cam mover 40 provided with cam 92. The cam 92 moves with the cam mover 40 along cam reference running paths K8 and K9 and engages components of the stacked electrode holder 60.
Reference 1 discloses that the driving mechanism includes a driven element driven by contact with the cam. The clamp mechanism 65 of stacked electrode holder 60 includes rollers 76 and 83. The roller 76 is attached to arm 75 for driving camshaft 73, and roller 83 is attached to arm 82 for driving camshaft 80. The cam 92 of moving cam device 91 engages rollers 76 and 83, thereby turning camshafts 73 and 80 and causing the clamp mechanism 65 to operate. Rollers 76 and 83 correspond to the claimed driven element because they are physically driven by contact with cam 92.
Reference 1 further discloses switching the electrode holding unit between a holding state and an open state depending on movement of the driven element. In the holding state, clamp 64 presses the sheet-shaped electrodes 1 from above against bottom plate 63. When rollers 76 and 83 are driven by cam 92, camshafts 73 and 80 turn, slider 70 rises, and tilt head 78 tilts so that clamp 64 leaves the region above the sheet-shaped electrodes 1. This creates an open state in which a new sheet-shaped electrode 1 can be received from above. After the new electrode is received, clamp 64 returns to press the electrode stack from above. The holding state is shown by the clamp 64 pressing the sheet-shaped electrodes 1 against bottom plate 63, and the open/released state is shown by the clamp 64 raised and tilted away from the electrode-receiving region.
Thus, Reference 1 discloses the operation unit including cam 92, the driving mechanism including rollers 76 and 83 as driven elements, and the electrode holding unit including clamp 64 configured to switch between a holding state and an open state based on movement of those driven elements.
Accordingly, Reference 1 discloses every limitation of claim 2.
────────────
Claim 3 - Rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) over Reference 1
The electrode stacking apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a conveyance apparatus configured to at least hold and convey the electrode along a conveyance path set above the stator and provide the electrode to the movable unit for stacking work that moves along the conveyance path.
Analysis
Reference 1 discloses a conveyance apparatus. In the first embodiment, electrode conveyor device A is arranged above planar motor device B. In the second embodiment, first electrode conveyor device A1 and second electrode conveyor device A2 are arranged above planar motor device B. These electrode conveyor devices correspond to the claimed conveyance apparatus.
Reference 1 discloses that the conveyance apparatus holds and conveys the electrode. The electrode conveyor device A includes rail 10, movers 12, conveyor plates 20, and clamps 21 and 22 for holding the sheet-shaped electrode 1 on the conveyor plate 20. In the second embodiment, electrode conveyor devices A1 and A2 include movers 12 and conveyor plates 20 having clamps 19 that hold side portions of the sheet-shaped electrode 1. These components hold the sheet-shaped electrode 1 during conveyance.
Reference 1 discloses that the conveyance path is set above the stator. Rail 10 of the electrode conveyor device A, and corresponding rails of electrode conveyor devices A1 and A2, define conveyance paths above the flat surface 51 of stator 50. The sheet-shaped electrode 1 is conveyed along these paths while the movers 40 carrying stacked electrode holders 60 move below the electrode conveyor device along the flat surface 51.
Reference 1 discloses that the conveyance apparatus provides the electrode to the movable unit for stacking work. During stacking, the conveyor plates 20 holding the sheet-shaped electrode 1 move in the conveyance direction, and the first and second movers 40 carrying stacked electrode holders 60 move in synchronization below them. The clamps 19 of the conveyor plates 20 are released, the sheet-shaped electrode 1 drops onto the stacked electrode holders 60, and clamps 64 of the stacked electrode holders 60 then hold the sheet-shaped electrode 1 on the stacked electrode holders 60. The stacked electrode holder 60 carried by mover 40 is the claimed movable unit for stacking work.
Thus, Reference 1 discloses a conveyance apparatus configured to hold and convey the electrode along a conveyance path set above stator 50 and provide the electrode to the stacked electrode holder 60 carried by mover 40, which moves along the conveyance path.
Accordingly, Reference 1 discloses every limitation of claim 3.
────────────
Claim 4 - Rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) over Reference 1
The electrode stacking apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to move the movable unit for stacking work along the conveying path in correspondence with the conveying of the electrode by the conveyance apparatus and perform control of a position of the movable unit for operation work so that the electrode holding unit is brought into a state of being opened when the conveyance apparatus drops the electrode.
Analysis
Reference 1 discloses that the control device C moves the movable unit for stacking work along the conveyance path in correspondence with conveyance of the electrode. During stacking, the movers 40 carrying stacked electrode holders 60 are moved in synchronization with the movement of the sheet-shaped electrode 1 held by the electrode conveyor device A or by electrode conveyor devices A1 and A2. The first movers 40 and second movers 40 are aligned with corresponding conveyor plates 20 and move in the conveyance direction while the sheet-shaped electrode 1 is being conveyed. This corresponds to moving the movable unit for stacking work along the conveying path in correspondence with conveyance of the electrode by the conveyance apparatus.
Reference 1 discloses control of the movable unit for operation work. The moving cam devices 91, each including a cam mover 40 and cam 92, move along cam reference running paths K8 and K9. The control device C calculates the next reference positions for the cam movers 40 and controls movement of those cam movers 40 by adjusting current supplied to the stator coils 54A, 54B, and 54C. Thus, the control device C controls the position of the cam movers 40 that function as the claimed movable unit for operation work.
Reference 1 discloses that the electrode holding unit is opened when the conveyance apparatus drops the electrode. During transfer, moving cam device 91 reaches the relevant mover 40 and conveyor plate 20. The holding action of the sheet-shaped electrode 1 by clamp 19 of conveyor plate 20 is released, and clamp 64 of the stacked electrode holder 60 is moved to a release/open position. At that time, the part of the sheet-shaped electrode 1 that had been held by clamp 19 drops onto the stacked electrode holder 60 carried by mover 40. After the part of the sheet-shaped electrode 1 drops, clamp 64 is turned onto the dropped sheet-shaped electrode 1 and holds it on the stacked electrode holder 60.
Reference 1 therefore discloses the same timing relationship required by claim 4: the stacking-work mover 40 moves in correspondence with the conveyed electrode 1, the operation-work cam mover 40 is position-controlled, the clamp 64 is opened by cam 92 when the electrode conveyor releases/drops the electrode 1, and the clamp 64 thereafter returns to hold the dropped electrode on the stacked electrode holder 60.
Accordingly, Reference 1 discloses every limitation of claim 4.
────────────
Claim 5 - Rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) over Reference 1
The electrode stacking apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the control unit is configured to set an inclination of the movable unit for stacking work in view of the inclination of the electrode with respect to the vertical axis based on the image data in which a posture of the electrode is captured from above the stator and to perform control of the displacement of the movable unit for operation work in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance path of the movable unit for stacking work in view of the position and the inclination of the movable unit for stacking work.
Analysis
Reference 1 discloses image data in which a posture of the electrode is captured from above the stator. Reference 1 provides a camera 33 for capturing the new sheet-shaped electrode 1 held on conveyor plate 20. Camera 33 captures images of the electrode 1, and the control device C performs image processing to recognize the shape and holding position of the electrode 1. The captured image is used to determine deviation of the electrode 1 relative to a preset regular holding position R. The camera 33 and captured image data correspond to the claimed image data in which a posture of the electrode is captured from above the stator.
Reference 1 discloses determining inclination of the electrode. In Reference 1, the new sheet-shaped electrode 1 may deviate in the x-axis direction by Ax, deviate in the y-axis direction by Ay, and deviate in rotational angle by angle a relative to the regular holding position R. The rotational deviation angle a is the inclination/posture angle of the electrode 1 in plan view. Because the mover 40 rotates about an axis perpendicular to the flat surface 51 of stator 50, and because the flat surface 51 is the horizontal working surface of the stator 50, the axis perpendicular to the flat surface 51 corresponds to the claimed vertical axis.
Reference 1 discloses setting an inclination of the movable unit for stacking work in view of the inclination of the electrode. When the electrode 1 is detected as being rotationally deviated by angle a, the control device C changes the positions and rotational angle positions of the movers 40 that carry the stacked electrode holders 60. The movers 40 are rotated by angle a so that the new sheet-shaped electrode 1 is stacked aligned with the stacked electrodes on the stacked electrode holders 60. Thus, the control device C sets the inclination of the stacking-work mover 40 and stacked electrode holder 60 in view of the detected inclination of the electrode 1.
Reference 1 further discloses control based on the position and inclination of the movable unit for stacking work. In the second embodiment, the control device C calculates correction values Ax, Ay, and a based on images captured by camera 33. The control device C then calculates changed set positions of the electrode-holding movers A1-A5 and B1-B5 based on correction values Ax, Ay, and a. These movers A1-A5 and B1-B5 are the movers carrying stacked electrode holders 60 and therefore correspond to the claimed movable units for stacking work.
Reference 1 discloses controlling displacement of the operation-work movable unit in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance path. The cam movers 40 of moving cam devices 91 move along cam reference running paths K8 and K9. The conveyance direction corresponds to the y-axis direction, and the direction perpendicular to that conveyance direction corresponds to the x-axis direction. Reference 1 expressly discloses that the control device C may change the set positions of the cam movers 40 from their reference positions based on the correction values Ax, Ay, and a and the adjusted amounts of movement in the x-axis and y-axis directions. Because the x-axis direction is perpendicular to the conveyance direction, controlling the x-axis position of the cam movers 40 corresponds to controlling displacement of the movable unit for operation work in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance path.
Reference 1 also discloses why this displacement is performed in view of the position and inclination of the stacking-work movable units. The cam movers 40 carry cams 92 that must engage rollers 76 and 83 of the stacked electrode holders 60. If the electrode-holding movers 40 carrying the stacked electrode holders 60 are shifted and rotated based on Ax, Ay, and a, the cam movers 40 must be positionally coordinated with those shifted/rotated stacked electrode holders 60 so that cam 92 can properly engage rollers 76 and 83. Reference 1 expressly provides that the cam mover set positions can be changed based on the same correction values Ax, Ay, and a used to change the set positions of the electrode-holding movers. This corresponds to controlling the displacement of the operation-work movable unit in view of the position and inclination of the stacking-work movable unit.
Accordingly, Reference 1 discloses every limitation of claim 5.
Conclusion
JP 2021-131943 A was reviewed but is not relied upon in the above rejection. That reference is generally relevant to battery-electrode lamination and position adjustment using movable elements and a linear motor. However, it is less suitable as a primary reference because it does not provide as clean a disclosure of the claimed planar motor arrangement with a flat stator surface, magnetically levitated movers, stacked-electrode holders carried by planar movers, and moving cam devices having cam movers 40 with cams 92 for operating clamp mechanisms. Reference 1 is closer to the pending claims and provides a stronger single-reference rejection.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON C SMITH whose telephone number is (703)756-4641. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30 AM - 5:00 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, Joseph Morano can be reached at (571) 272-6684. 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.
/Jason C Smith/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3615
Prosecution Insights