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 .
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.
Status of the Claims
Amendments were filed 12/16/25. Claims 1-7, 9-14, and 16-20 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 16-18 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yang et al (US 2012/0135142 A1, hereinafter Yang’US142).
Regarding claim 16, Yang’US142 teaches an electrode substrate of a secondary battery (paragraph [0097], current collectors of a lithium-ion secondary battery) comprising:
a substrate foil (fig 2, porous sintered aluminum layer 15) formed of material for an electrode substrate of a secondary battery (paragraph [0003], aluminum foil has generally been used as a current collector for positive electrodes of a lithium-ion battery, paragraph [0097], aluminum composite in which porous sintered aluminum is integrated onto an aluminum foil, used as current collectors);
a reinforcement body contained in the substrate foil (paragraph [0033], note the use of a sintering aid powder containing titanium in the raw mixed powder, paragraph [0081], metal skeletons having a three-dimensional network structure with Al--Ti compounds uniformly dispersed in the porous sintered aluminum, construed as a reinforcement body contained in the substrate foil); and
a metal layer (fig 2, aluminum foil 8) coated on a surface of the substrate foil (fig 2, note aluminum foil 8 is on a surface of porous sintered aluminum layer 15).
Regarding claim 17, Yang’US142 teaches wherein a material for the reinforcement body comprises a conductive material with greater strength than a material for the substrate foil (titanium).
Regarding claim 18, Yang’US142 teaches wherein a material for the reinforcement body comprises one or more materials selected from titanium (paragraph [0033]).
Regarding claim 20, Yang’US142 teaches a material for the metal layer (fig 2, paragraph [0097], aluminum foil layer 8) is the same type of the substrate foil (fig 2, paragraph [0097], porous sintered aluminum layer 15).
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(s) 1-7 and 9-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang (CN 111193030 A, previously cited, hereinafter Yang’CN030) in view of Yoon (US 2017/0252798, previously cited), Weldy (US 3,914,504, previously cited), and Xie (CN 101383407 A, previously cited).
Regarding claim 1, Yang’CN030 teaches an apparatus for manufacturing an electrode substrate of a secondary battery, the apparatus comprising:
preparing a reinforcement material (paragraph [0014], fibers);
melting a substrate material and mixing the molded reinforcement body in the melted substrate material for dispersion (paragraph [0016], aluminum melt with the fibers and stirring);
casting (paragraph [0016], hot casting and rolling) a slab with the melted substrate material produced by the melting furnace; and
a rolling mill (paragraph [0016], rolling on a rolling mill) configured to form an electrode substrate by rolling the slab.
Yang’CN030 teaches steps of treating the reinforcement material, melting and stirring the aluminum melt, and casting, but is quiet to the apparatus for doing such, such as a molding machine, a furnace, and a mold.
Yoon teaches a method for manufacturing carbon fiber reinforced aluminum composites (abstract) including a stir casting process during a melting and casting process (abstract). Yoon et al teaches pre-treating the carbon fibers, melting aluminum alloys, stirring, inputting the carbon fiber into the aluminum melt, and casting (paragraph [0027]). The composite may be additionally processed, including forging, rolling, or extrusion (paragraph [0114]). Note that the melting step is performed in a furnace (paragraph [0032]) and that the casting step includes tapping the aluminum melt with the fibers into a mold or continuous casting method (paragraph [0112]). Short carbon fiber used in the invention is mostly manufactured through a sizing step with epoxy (paragraph [0076]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Yang’CN030 to include the teachings of Yoon, such as a furnace and a casting mold, for performing the functions of melting and casting as taught in Yang’CN030.
All the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would yield nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. KSR, 550 U.S. at 416, 82 USPQ2d at 1395. MPEP 2143(I)(A).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use sized carbon fibers when manufacturing a carbon fiber reinforced aluminum composite by melting, stirring, casting in a mold, and rolling, as Yoon teaches the process can be commercialized as an economical manufacturing process suitable for mass production, standardize the characteristics of the composite, and ensure reliability (Yoon, paragraph [0013]).
The combination of Yang’CN030 as modified by Yoon suggests a reinforcement material such as epoxy sized fibers (Yoon, paragraph [0076]), but is quiet to the molding machine for molding a reinforcement body from the reinforcement material.
Weldy teaches that carbon fibers sized with epoxy sizing compositions can be used to prepare fiber reinforced composite structures, and that in a common method, reinforced composite structure can be prepared by incorporating chopped sized carbon fibers into the matrix resin and then forming the composite structure, for example, by press molding (col 4 lines 1-25).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the combination such that the reinforcement material is an epoxy sized carbon fiber that is press molded, thereby suggesting a press molding machine, as taught in Weldy, as an alternative method of delivering the carbon fibers for use in a reinforced composite.
The combination is quiet to a surface coater configured to coat a metal layer on a surface of the formed electrode substrate.
Xie teaches a positive electrode of a lithium ion battery (Machine Translation, Technical Field), having low manufacturing cost and good performance (Machine Translation, Summary lines 1-10), where an aluminum matrix layer is coated with a layer of non-aluminum metal at one end surface (Summary, lines 1-10). The invention coats the non-aluminum metal layer by electroplating or non-electroplating (p.2 lines 1-10) (thereby suggesting a surface coater) thus forming the positive electrode tabs, having good flexibility, low cost, good solderability, good mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance (p.2 lines 33-43).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include a surface coater so as to coat a non-aluminum metal layer onto an aluminum matrix layer of a positive electrode, as Xie teaches a low cost method for forming positive electrode tabs having good flexibility, good solderability, good mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance (p.2 lines 33-43).
Regarding claim 2, the combination teaches wherein the reinforcement material inputted into the reinforcement body molding machine comprises a conductive material with greater strength than the substrate material (material worked upon, MPEP 2115, does not further limit the claim, however, note that Yang’CN030 teaches a carbon fiber, which enhances the strength (paragraph [0014])).
Regarding claim 3, the combination teaches wherein the reinforcement material is one or more materials selected from: carbon fiber (material worked upon, MPEP 2115, does not further limit the claim, however, note that Yang’CN030 teaches a carbon fiber, which enhances the strength (paragraph [0014])).
Regarding claim 4, the combination teaches wherein a shape of the reinforcement body molded by the reinforcement body molding machine is one or more shapes selected from: a fiber shape (material worked upon, MPEP 2115, does not further limit the claim, however, note that Yang’CN030 teaches a carbon fiber, which enhances the strength (paragraph [0014])).
Regarding claim 5, the combination teaches wherein the melting furnace comprises: a substrate material input unit (Yoon, paragraph [0084], matrix material charged in a crucible); a reinforcement body input unit (Yoon, paragraph [0084], supply device for supplying the carbon fiber used as the reinforcing agent) configured to input the reinforcement body molded by the reinforcement body molding machine; a heating unit (Yoon, paragraph [0085], melting furnace, e.g., induction, electric resistance, gas, arc) configured to generate heat for melting the input substrate material; and a stirring unit (paragraph [0089-0090], stirring, mechanical stirring by an impeller) configured to mix the reinforcement body molded by the reinforcement body molding machine in the melted substrate material for dispersion.
Regarding claim 6, the combination teaches wherein the melting furnace is further configured to melt the substrate material by heating the substrate material and the molded reinforcement body at a first temperature, and the first temperature is set to a temperature at which the substrate material melts and the molded reinforcement body does not melt (Yoon, paragraph [0136], aluminum and carbon fiber composite was charged into crucible, and composite was melted at temperature up to 720°C).
Regarding claim 7, the combination teaches wherein the melting furnace is further configured to melt the substrate material at a first temperature (Yoon, paragraph [0123], aluminum melted at temperatures up to 720°C), and receive the molded reinforcement body responsive to the first temperature being adjusted to a second temperature (Yoon, paragraph [0125], the fibers were heat-treated at 500°C before inputting into melt), the first temperature is set to a temperature at which the substrate material melts and the molded reinforcement body does not melted, and the second temperature is set to a temperature lower than the first temperature (paragraph [0123-0125], 720°C melts the aluminum, 500°C is lower).
Regarding claim 9, Yang’CN030 teaches a method for manufacturing an electrode substrate of a secondary battery (paragraph [0002], porous aluminum strip for positive electrode material), the method comprising:
preparing a reinforcement material (paragraph [0014], fibers, such as carbon fibers, used to enhance the strength of the porous aluminum strip and prevent from tearing);
melting a substrate material and mixing the molded reinforcement body in the melted substrate material for dispersion (paragraph [0016], adding salt particles and fibers to aluminum melt and stirring);
molding a slab with the melted substrate material comprising the molded reinforcement body (paragraph [0016], performing hot casting);
and forming an electrode substrate by rolling the slab (paragraph [0016], rolling on a rolling mill).
Yang’CN030 teaches preparing a reinforcement material including fibers, such as glass fibers, carbon fibers, or alumina fibers (paragraph [0014]), but is quiet to a step of molding a reinforcement body from the reinforcement material.
Yoon teaches a method for manufacturing carbon fiber reinforced aluminum composites (abstract) including a stir casting process during a melting and casting process (abstract). Yoon et al teaches pre-treating the carbon fibers, melting aluminum alloys, stirring, inputting the carbon fiber into the aluminum melt, and casting (paragraph [0027]). The composite may be additionally processed, including forging, rolling, or extrusion (paragraph [0114]). Note that the casting step includes tapping the aluminum melt with the fibers into a mold or continuous casting method (paragraph [0112]). Short carbon fiber used in the invention is mostly manufactured through a sizing step with epoxy (paragraph [0076]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Yang’CN030 to include the teachings of Yoon, such as using sized carbon fibers when manufacturing a carbon fiber reinforced aluminum composite by melting, stirring, casting in a mold, and rolling, as Yoon teaches the process can be commercialized as an economical manufacturing process suitable for mass production, standardize the characteristics of the composite, and ensure reliability (Yoon, paragraph [0013]).
The combination of Yang’CN030 as modified by Yoon suggests a reinforcement material such as epoxy sized fibers (Yoon, paragraph [0076]), but is quiet to a step of molding a reinforcement body from the reinforcement material.
Weldy teaches that carbon fibers sized with epoxy sizing compositions can be used to prepare fiber reinforced composite structures, and that in a common method, reinforced composite structure can be prepared by incorporating chopped sized carbon fibers into the matrix resin and then forming the composite structure, for example, by press molding (col 4 lines 1-25).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the combination such that the reinforcement material is an epoxy sized carbon fiber that is press molded, as taught in Weldy, as an alternative method of delivering the carbon fibers for use in a reinforced composite.
The combination is quiet to coating a metal layer at a surface of the formed electrode substrate.
Xie teaches a positive electrode of a lithium ion battery (Machine Translation, Technical Field), having low manufacturing cost and good performance (Machine Translation, Summary lines 1-10), where an aluminum matrix layer is coated with a layer of non-aluminum metal at one end surface (Summary, lines 1-10). The invention coats the non-aluminum metal layer by electroplating or non-electroplating (p.2 lines 1-10) (thereby suggesting a surface coater) thus forming the positive electrode tabs, having good flexibility, low cost, good solderability, good mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance (p.2 lines 33-43).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to coat a non-aluminum metal layer onto an aluminum matrix layer of a positive electrode, as Xie teaches a low cost method for forming positive electrode tabs having good flexibility, good solderability, good mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance (p.2 lines 33-43).
Regarding claim 10, the combination teaches wherein the reinforcement material for molding the reinforcement body comprises a conductive material having a greater strength than the substrate material (Yang’CN030, paragraph [0014], carbon fiber, fiber enhances the strength).
Regarding claim 11, the combination teaches wherein the reinforcement material is carbon fiber (Yang’CN030, paragraph [0014], carbon fiber).
Regarding claim 12, the combination teaches wherein a shape of the reinforcement body molded in the molding the reinforcement body is a fiber shape (Yang’CN030, paragraph [0014], carbon fiber).
Regarding claim 13, the combination teaches wherein the melting the substrate material and mixing the molded reinforcement body in the melted substrate material for dispersion comprises: melting the substrate material by heating the substrate material and the molded reinforcement body at a first temperature, and wherein the first temperature is set to a temperature at which the substrate material melts and the molded reinforcement body does not melt (Yoon, paragraph [0136], 720°C).
Regarding claim 14, the combination teaches wherein the melting the substrate material and mixing the molded reinforcement body in the melted substrate material for dispersion comprises: melting the substrate material at a first temperature (Yoon, paragraph [0123], 720°C), adjusting the first temperature to a second temperature, and receiving the molded reinforcement body after adjusting the first temperature (paragraph [0125-0126], inputting carbon fiber which were pre-treated at 500°C), wherein the first temperature is set to a temperature at which the substrate material melts and the molded reinforcement body does not melt (720°C), and the second temperature is lower than the first temperature (500°C).
Claim(s) 16-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al (US 2012/0135142 A1, hereinafter Yang’US142) in view of Yang’CN030 (CN 111193030 A, previously cited).
Regarding claim 16, Yang’US142 teaches an electrode substrate of a secondary battery (paragraph [0097], current collectors of a lithium-ion secondary battery) comprising:
a substrate foil (fig 2, porous sintered aluminum layer 15) formed of material for an electrode substrate of a secondary battery (paragraph [0003], aluminum foil has generally been used as a current collector for positive electrodes of a lithium-ion battery, paragraph [0097], aluminum composite in which porous sintered aluminum is integrated onto an aluminum foil, used as current collectors); and
a metal layer (fig 2, aluminum foil 8) coated on a surface of the substrate foil (fig 2, note aluminum foil 8 is on a surface of porous sintered aluminum layer 15).
Yang’US142 is quiet to a reinforcement body contained in the substrate foil (porous sintered aluminum layer).
Yang’CN030 teaches a porous aluminum strip for use as a material for a positive electrode (paragraph [0002]). Yang’CN030 teaches the porous aluminum comprises fibers (paragraph [0009]), such as glass fibers, carbon fibers, or alumina fibers (paragraph [0014]), used to enhance the strength of the porous aluminum strip and prevent the porous material from tearing during the rolling process (paragraph [0014]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Yang’US142 to include fibers, such as carbon fibers, to the porous aluminum layer, as Yang’CN030 teaches the fibers would enhance the strength of the porous aluminum strip and prevent the porous material from tearing during a rolling process.
Regarding claim 17, the combination teaches wherein a material for the reinforcement body comprises a conductive material with greater strength than a material for the substrate foil (Yang’CN030, paragraph [0014], may be carbon fiber, enhances the strength).
Regarding claim 18, the combination teaches wherein a material for the reinforcement body comprises one or more materials selected from carbon fiber (Yang’CN030, paragraph [0014]).
Regarding claim 19, the combination teaches wherein a shape of the reinforcement body is one or more shapes selected from a fiber shape (Yang’CN030, paragraph [0014], carbon fiber).
Regarding claim 20, the combination teaches a material for the metal layer is the same type of the substrate foil (Yang’US142, figure 2, paragraph [0097], metal layer is aluminum foil (fig 2, ref 8), substrate foil is porous sintered aluminum (fig 2, ref 15)).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/16/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Independent claims 1, 9, and 16 have been amended to incorporate the subject matter of claims 8, 15, and 20.
Applicant argues that Yang’CN030 forms a three-dimensional porous aluminum strip where the positive electrode slurry is embedded in the pores of the porous collector. Applicant argues that as Yang’CN030 intentionally creates pores that are filled by electrode active material, there would be no reason to include a surface coater or to provide a coating, as the coating would fill the intentionally formed micropores in the substrate of Yang’CN030, which would render Yang’CN030 unsatisfactory for its intended purpose.
Applicant’s argument has been considered, but is not persuasive. As discussed above, it would have been obvious to include a surface coater and/or a surface coating, in order to form the positive electrode tabs of a battery. Xie’s coated portion (shown as reference 2 in the drawings) is only at an end portion of the aluminum strip, and not intended to be coated on an entire surface of the aluminum strip. The coating is to form electrode tabs, which correspond to applicant’s electrode tabs (14,15, see figure 1), which can be on a portion of the current collector that is not coated with the electrode active material (applicant’s specification, paragraph [0063]). Note that the claims do not require any particular structure of the surface coater or the surface coating, and do not require the coating to be over any specific portion of the substrate, whether that is a portion to be coated or not coated with the electrode active material. Although applicant’s disclosed invention (see specification, paragraph [00107]) describes a different use of the coating, such as for neutralizing or reducing the possibility that reinforcement bodies protrude from the surface of the substrate, the claims do not require any particular structure and only require either a surface coater or a surface coating, which is met by Xie, for forming electrode tabs at an end portion of the aluminum strip.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/JACKY YUEN/
Examiner
Art Unit 1735
/KEITH WALKER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1735
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