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.
Claim Objections
Claim 15 is objected to because of the following informalities: In line 4, “wall (8)” should read --wall--. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wakimoto et al. (US 20190267665 A1), hereinafter “Wakimoto”.
Regarding claim 1, Wakimoto teaches a method for producing a secondary battery (corresponding to the claimed method to produce an energy storage battery) (Wakimoto, [0011], lines 1-3) comprising:
Producing positive and negative electrode plates, and stacking the plates with separators interposed between the plates (corresponding to the claimed step of providing an electrochemical cell which is a least partially complete) (Wakimoto, [0054], lines 1-18)
A first negative electrode current collector 8a disposed on the inner surface of the negative electrode terminal (corresponding to the claimed electrochemical cell provided with an electrical collector) (Wakimoto, [0068], lines 4-12)
A prismatic outer body 1, wherein fig. 1 from Wakimoto shows the prismatic outer body comprising a wall (corresponding to the claimed step of providing a container having a first wall) (Wakimoto, [0093], lines 1-3; Fig. 1)
inserting a negative electrode external terminal 9 into the negative electrode terminal attachment hole 2b of the sealing plate 2, wherein figs. 1-2 from Wakimoto show the negative electrode external terminal 9 on the outer surface of the first wall (corresponding to the claimed step of placing, on an outer surface of the first wall, an outer body, which constitutes an electrical pole of the battery) (Wakimoto, [0068], lines 4-12; Figs. 1-2).
Inserting the electrode body 3 into the prismatic outer body 1 (corresponding to the claimed step of inserting the electrochemical cell into the container bringing the electrical collector close to the first wall) (Wakimoto, [0093], lines 1-3)
A sealing plate 2 comprising a negative electrode terminal attachment hole 2b (corresponding to the claimed step of providing the electrical collector with access from an outside of the container in order to permit a weld between the electrical collector and the outer body) (Wakimoto, [0068], lines 4-12; [0093], lines 1-3; Figs. 2, 7, 9, & 12)
Welding a crimped end of the negative electrode external terminal 9 to the first negative electrode current collector 8a (corresponding claimed step of welding the electrical collector and the outer body to one another at said access in order to establish an electrical connection) (Wakimoto, [0068], lines 12-14 & 17-20; Figs. 2 & 9).
Regarding claim 2, Wakimoto teaches the sealing plate 2 comprising the negative electrode terminal attachment hole 2b (corresponding to the claimed access comprising a first through hole made in the first wall) (Wakimoto, [0068], lines 6-12; Figs. 2, 7, 9, & 12).
Regarding claim 18, Wakimoto teaches the method further comprising an external insulating member 13 disposed on the outer surface side of the negative electrode terminal attachment hold 2b (corresponding to the claimed step of placing a first insulating gasket inside the access in order to line the access and the claimed step of placing a second insulating gasket between the outer body and an outer surface of the first wall) (Wakimoto, [0068], lines 1-6; Figs. 2 & 16).
Wakimoto also teaches the method further comprising an internal insulating member 12 disposed on the inner surface of the negative electrode terminal attachment hole 7b (corresponding to the claimed step of placing a third insulating gasket between an inner surface of the first wall and the electrical collector) (Wakimoto, [0068], lines 1-6; Figs. 2 & 16).
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.
Claims 3-5, 7, 9-10, 12, 14-15, 17, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wakimoto et al. (US 20190267665 A1) in view of Lin et al. (CN 209200018 U), hereinafter “Lin”, wherein an English machine translation of Lin is cited.
Regarding claim 3, Lin teaches a secondary battery comprising:
a second metal layer 502 on a side of a top cover sheet 40 (corresponding to the claimed outer body arranged on the outer surface of the first wall) (Lin, [0057], lines 4-9; Fig. 7)
the second metal layer 502 comprising a recess 50b (corresponding to the claimed access comprises a second hole made in the outer body) (Lin, [0058], lines 3-9; Fig. 7)
Fig. 7 from Lin shows recess 50b (corresponding to the claimed second hole) aligned with through hole 50a (corresponding to the claimed first through hole), and the second metal layer 502 on the side of top cover sheet 40 (corresponding to the claimed second hole is at least partially aligned with the first through hole, when the outer body is arranged on the outer surface of the first wall). Lin also teaches an annular weld 70 that penetrates the bottom wall of recces 50b (corresponding to the claimed weld made at the second hole) (Lin, [0058], lines 3-9). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to add Lin’s second metal layer comprising recess 50b to the method of Wakimoto in order to prevent interference between a welding part and the bus bar (Lin, [0058], lines 9-12), and to add Lin’s annular weld at the bottom of a recess to the method of Wakimoto in order to fix the connection of the electrode terminal (Lin, [0054], lines 20-22).
Regarding claim 4, Lin teaches that a welding apparatus may weld the electrode terminal and part of a current collecting member from the outer side of the electrode terminal (corresponding to the claimed weld is made from the outside of the container, operating from an opposite side of the electrochemical cell relative to the first wall) (Lin, [0018], lines 4-11). Lin further teaches welding the first metal layer 501 in recess 50b and the current collecting layer member 60 (corresponding to the claimed weld is made through the second hole) (Lin, [0060], lines 5-10; Fig. 7). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to add Lin’s welding from the outer side of the electrode terminal through a recess to the method of modified Wakimoto in order to prevent metal particles generated during welding from entering the case (Lin, [0018], lines 4-11).
Regarding claim 5, Lin further teaches that recess 50b (corresponding to the claimed second hole) exposes the upper surface of the first metal layer 501 (Lin, [0060], lines 5-10; Fig, 7). Lin further teaches welding the first metal layer 501 and the current collecting member 60 (corresponding to the claimed weld is at least partially arranged inside the second hole) (Lin, [0060], lines 5-10; Fig. 7). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to add Lin’s welding step inside a recess to the method of modified Wakimoto in order to fix the connection of the electrode terminal (Lin, [0054], lines 20-22).
Regarding claim 6, Lin teaches that recess 50b (corresponding to the claimed second hole) may penetrate through the second metal layer 502 (corresponding to the claimed outer body comprising the first through hole) (Lin, [0060], lines 1-5; [0056], lines 10-11). Fig. 7 from Lin further shows recess 50b and through hole 50a aligned coaxially (corresponding to the claimed second hole is coaxial to the first through hole, when the outer body is arranged on the outer surface of the first wall). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to add Lin’s recess and through hole arrangement to the method of modified Wakimoto in order to prevent mixing of metals when welding (Lin, [0060], lines 5-10).
Regarding claim 7, Lin teaches that recess 50b may penetrate the second metal layer 502 and extend into the first metal layer 501 (corresponding to the claimed second hole of the outer body is a through hole) (Lin, [0060], lines 1-5; Fig. 7). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to add Lin’s recess and through hole arrangement to the method of modified Wakimoto in order to prevent mixing of metals when welding (Lin, [0060], lines 5-10).
Regarding claim 9, fig. 8 from Lin shows a plugging portion 500 attached to the current collecting member 60 (corresponding to the claimed electrical collector comprises a protrusion) (Lin, [0061], lines 1-6). Lin further teaches plugging through hole 50a with the plugging portion 500 (corresponding to the claimed protrusion is inserted into the first through hole of the first wall) (Lin, [0061], lines 1-6; Fig. 8). Lin also teaches connecting outer-side welding portion 71 with welding portion 70 to form a blocking portion 500 (Lin, [0061], lines 6-9), wherein annular weld 70 is inside recess 50b (corresponding to the claimed protrusion is inserted into the second hole of the outer body) (Lin, [0058], lines 6-7).
Lin’s step of connecting the outer-side welding portion 71 with welding portion 70 also corresponds to the claimed weld made between the outer body and the protrusion of the electrical collector because the annular weld 70 is within the second metal layer 502 (corresponding to the claimed outer body) and the outer-side welding portion 71 forms the blocking portion 500 (corresponding to the claimed protrusion) (Lin, [0061], lines 4-10; [0057], lines 10-11; Fig. 9). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to add Lin’s plugging and blocking portions to the method of modified Wakimoto in order to provide protection to the annular weld (Lin, [0061], lines 1-6), and to add Lin’s step of plugging a through hole to the method of modified Wakimoto in order to interference-fit a through hole (Lin, [0061], lines 1-6).
Regarding claim 10, Lin teaches that the blocking portion 500 may be interference-fitted to through hole 50a such that the blocking portion 500 matches the shape of through hole 50a (Lin, [0061], lines 4-6; Figs. 8-9). Annotated fig. 8 from Lin below further shows current collecting portion 60 protruding through a hole in top sheet 40 (corresponding to the claimed first through hole). Annotated fig. 8 from Lin further shows the current collecting portion 60 comprising a blocking portion 500 (corresponding to the claimed protrusion) inserted into through hole 50a (corresponding to the claimed second hole), such that an outer surface of the blocking portion 500 is coplanar to an outer surface of the electrode terminal 50 (corresponding to the claimed outer surface of the protrusion is coplanar to an outer surface of the outer body). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to add Lin's blocking portion to the method of modified Wakimoto in order to block the entry of foreign matter into the through hole (Lin, [0061], lines 1-4).
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Regarding claim 12, Wakimoto teaches the negative electrode external terminal 9 inserted into the through hole of the first negative electrode current collector 8a (corresponding to the claimed rivet engaging the first through hole of the first wall) (Wakimoto, [0068], lines 4-12). Figs. 2, 7, 9, and 12 from Wakimoto further show the negative electrode external terminal 9 comprising a head arranged on the outside of the sealing plate 2 (corresponding to the claimed rivet comprises a head, which is arranged on the outside of the container and constitutes the outer body) (See annotated Fig. 9 from Wakimoto below). Figs. 2, 7, 9, and 12 from Wakimoto also show the negative electrode external terminal 9 comprising a counter-head below sealing plate 2 (correspond to the claimed rivet comprising a counter-head which is arranged inside the container) (See annotated Fig. 9 from Wakimoto below).
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Regarding claim 14, Lin teaches an electrode terminal 50 (corresponding to the claimed outer body consists of only a connection element) disposed outside of a top cover sheet 40 (corresponding to the claimed container) (Lin, [0063], lines 1-6). Furthermore, fig. 4 from Lin shows the electrode terminal 50 completely arranged on the outside of top cover sheet 40. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to add Lin's electrode terminal arrangement to the method of modified Wakimoto in order to perform welding from the outside of the electrode terminal to reduce contamination (Lin, [0063], lines 1-12).
Regarding claim 15, modified Wakimoto teaches the secondary battery the negative electrode terminal 9 (corresponding to the claimed protrusion) comprising external members 13 interposed between the sealing plate 2 (corresponding to the claimed first wall) and the negative electrode terminal 9 (corresponding to the claimed protrusions of the electrical collector is surrounded by a fixing element having a function of compressing an insulating gasket against an inner surface of the first wall) (Wakimoto, [0045], lines 3-6; Figs. 2, 9, 12, & 16). Figs. 2, 9, 12, and 16 from Wakimoto further show the insulating member 13 surrounding an upper base of the negative electrode external terminal 9.
Regarding claim 17, figs. 8 and 9 show the current collecting pate 60 comprising a blocking portion 500 (corresponding to the claimed electrical collector comprises a protrusion) (Lin, [0061], lines 1-6). Lin further teaches interference-fitting the blocking portion 500 with through hole 50a (corresponding to the claimed protrusion is inserted into the first through hole of the first wall) (Lin, [0061], lines 1-6). Figs. 8 and 9 from Lin also show an annular weld 70 and an outer weld 71 between the blocking portion 500 and the electrode terminal 50 (corresponding to the claimed weld made between the outer body and the protrusion of the electrical current collector) (Lin, [0038], line 1; [0040], line 1). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to add Lin's blocking portion to the method of modified Wakimoto in order to block the entry of foreign matter into the through hole (Lin, [0061], lines 1-6), and to add Lin’s annular weld and outer weld to the method of modified Wakimoto in order to connect the electrode terminal and the extension of the current collecting member (Lin, [0054], lines 20-23).
Regarding claim 19, Lin teaches that a welding apparatus welds the current collecting member and the electrode terminal from the outside of the electrode terminal (corresponding to the claimed weld is made from outside of the container through the outer body and operating from an opposite side of the electrochemical cell relative to the first wall) (Lin, [0018], lines 4-1). Annotated fig. 8 from Lin below shows the direction of welding that passes through one side of the electrode terminal 50 (corresponding to the claimed outer body) to another surface of the electrode terminal 50 (corresponding to the claimed weld is made passing through the outer body from side to side). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to add Lin's step of performing welding outside of the electrode terminal to the method of modified Wakimoto in order to reduce the generation of metal particle and improve battery safety (Lin, [0018], lines 4-11).
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Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wakimoto (US 20190267665 A1) in view of Lin (CN 209200018 U), as applied to claims 3-7, 9-10, 12, 14-15, 17, and 19 above, and further in view of Song et al. (CN 103178231 A), hereinafter “Song”, wherein an English machine translation of Song is cited.
Regarding claim 8, Song teaches an electrode lead-out structure (Song, [0003], lines 1-3) comprising:
a collector plate comprising a collector plate protrusion (corresponding to the claimed protrusion of the electrical collector) (Song, [0016], lines 1-3)
a blind positioning hole formed by the collector plate protrusion and a plate body (corresponding to the claimed second hole of the outer body is blind and forms a recess into which a protrusion of the electrical collector is inserted) (Song, [0016], lines 3-6; Fig. 2)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to substitute Song's blind positioning hole for the recess of modified Wakimoto in order to save assembly time and improve production efficiency (Song, [0019], lines 1-8).
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wakimoto (US 20190267665 A1) in view of Lin (CN 209200018 U), as applied to claims 3-7, 9-10, 12, 14-15, 17, and 19 above, and further in view of Li et al. (US 20180358605 A1), hereinafter “Li”.
Regarding claim 11, Li teaches sealing a battery cover and a polar rod in a riveting manner, such that the large end of the polar rod penetrates through the cover plate through hole (Li, [0008], lines 11-13; [0019], lines 1-5; Fig. 1). Fig. 1 from Li further shows an outer surface of the polar rod 2 projecting from an outer surface of the polar rod connecting plate 3 (corresponding to the claimed outer surface of the protrusion, after having inserted the protrusion into the second hole, at first projects from an outer surface of the outer body) (Li, [0030], lines 1-6). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to add Li's sealing step to the method of modified Wakimoto in order to fully seal the polar rod with the cover plate (Li, [0019], lines 1-5).
Fig. 2 from Li further shows a hole in the upper pressing member 1 comprising an outward flaring (corresponding to the claimed second hole of the outer body has outwardly a flaring) (Li, [0031], lines 1-8). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to substitute Li's upper pressing member shape for the shape of the electrode terminal of modified Wakimoto in order to connect the polar rod large end in a riveting manner (Li, [0031], lines 1-8).
Li also teaches a step of connecting the upper pressing member 1 to the polar rod large end 21 in a riveting manner using a riveting impact force (corresponding to the claimed method further comprising a step of at least partially bucking the outer surface of the protrusion against the outer body) (Li, [0031], lines 1-12). Furthermore, fig. 2 from Li shows the polar rod large end 21 and the upper pressing member 1 as coplanar (corresponding to the claimed outer surface of the protrusion coplanar to the outer surface of the outer body). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to add Li's connecting step to the method of modified Wakimoto in order to improve the battery cover plate sealing property (Li, [0032], lines 24-30).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wakimoto (US 20190267665 A1) in view of Lin (CN 209200018 U), as applied to claims 3-7, 9-10, 12, 14-15, 17, and 19 above, and further in view of Tsutsumi et al. (US 10193107 B2), hereinafter “Tsutsumi”.
Regarding claim 13, Tsutsumi teaches a step of swaging a rivet member 12 in a through hole 3a of an electric storage device, such that the proximal end of the first swaged part 12b forms a flange shape (corresponding to the claimed rivet as at first only the head, whereas the counter-head is obtained after having inserted the rivet through the first through hole of the first wall by bucking the rivet against an inner surface of the first wall) (Tsutsumi, col. 7, lines 45-55; col. 3 lines 38- 43; col. 11, lines 37-43; Figs. 4, 5A, & 5B). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to add Tsutsumi's step of swaging rivet member to the method of modified Wakimoto in order to seal the circumference of through holes (Tsutsumi, col. 11 lines 44-53).
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wakimoto (US 20190267665 A1) in view of Lin (CN 209200018 U), as applied to claims 3-7, 9-10, 12, 14-15, 17, and 19 above, and further in view of Palazzo et al. (US 20210399367 A1), hereinafter “Palazzo”, as cited in the IDS dated 8/28/2024.
Regarding claim 16, Palazzo teaches an electrochemical cell (Palazzo, [0018], lines 1-3) comprising an opening 34A axially aligned with the current collector opening 32A, wherein fig. 2B from Palazzo further shows that the current collector 32 does not comprise a protrusion (corresponding to the claimed electrical collector has no protrusion) (Palazzo, [0035], lines 4-11; [0031], lines 1-3; Figs. 2 & 2B). Palazzo further teaches welding a press-fit closure plug into a fill port 30 of the battery casing (corresponding to the claimed weld made inside the second hole of the outer body) (Palazzo, [0039], lines 1-7). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to substitute Palazzo’s current collector for the current collector of modified Wakimoto in order to provide an open pathway for electrolyte to flow through the current collector (Palazzo, [0035], lines 4-11), and to add Palazzo's weld location to the method of modified Wakimoto in order to seal the fill port (Palazzo, [0007], lines 3-5).
Double Patenting
Claims 1, 4-6, 16, and 18 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 4-6, and 17-18 of U.S. Patent No. 12,580,282, hereinafter “the ‘282 patent”. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other.
Regarding the instant claim 1, claim 1 of the ‘282 patent teaches a production method of an energy storage battery comprising the steps:
providing an electrochemical cell, which is at least partially complete and provided with an electrical collector
providing a container having a first wall
placing, on an outer surface of the first wall, an outer body that constitutes an electrical pole of the battery
inserting the electrochemical cell into the container bringing the electrical collector adjacent the first wall
providing the electrical collector with access from the outside of the container to allow a weld between the electrical collector and the outer body
welding the electrical collector and the outer body to one another at said access to establish an electrical connection
Regarding the instant claim 4, claim 4 of the ‘282 patent teaches the weld made from the outside of the container through the second hole and operating from the opposite side of the first wall with respect to the electrochemical cell.
Regarding the instant claim 5, claim 5 of the ‘282 patent teaches the weld at least partially arranged inside the second hole.
Regarding the instant claim 6, claim 6 of the ‘282 patent teaches that the second hole is coaxial to the first hole, when the outer body is arranged on the outer surface of the first wall.
Regarding the instant claim 16, claim 18 of the ‘282 patent teaches an energy storage battery comprising:
an electrochemical cell, which is at least partially complete and provided with an electrical collector
a container comprising a first wall
the first wall having an outer surface
an outer body constituting an electrical pole of the battery placed on the outer surface
the electrical collector comprising an access from the outside of the container to weld the electrical collector to the outer body to establish an electrical connection
the access comprising a first through hole made in the first wall of the container and a second hole made in the outer body and arranged at least partially aligned with the first hole, when the outer body is arranged on the outer surface of the first wall
wherein the weld is made at the second hole
wherein the electrical collector has no protrusion and the weld is made inside the second hole of the outer body (corresponding to the claimed electrical collector has no protrusion and the weld is made inside the second hole of the outer body)
Regarding the instant claim 18, claim 17 of the ‘282 patent teaches:
placing a first insulating gasket inside said first through hole against an inner surface of the first wall to line the access with the second hole (corresponding to the claimed first insulating gasket inside the access in order to line the access)
placing a second insulating gasket between the outer body and an outer surface of the first wall
placing a third insulating gasket between an inner surface of the first wall and the electrical collector
Claims 1-3, 14-15, and 18 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 2-3, 5-12 and 14 of copending Application No. 18/835,449, hereinafter “the ‘449 application”. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other.
Regarding the instant claim 1, claim 2 of the ‘449 application teaches a method to produce an energy storage battery comprising the steps of:
providing an electrochemical cell, which is at least partially complete and is provided with an electrical collector
providing a container having a first wall
placing, on an outer surface of the first wall, an outer body, which constitutes an electrical pole of the battery
inserting the electrochemical cell into the container bringing the electrical collector close to the first wall
and making a weld between the electrical collector and the outer body in order to establish an electrical connection
wherein the weld is made from the outside of the container operating from an opposite side of the first wall relative to the electrochemical cell
wherein the outer body has a first hole and the weld is made at the first hole (corresponding to the claimed electrical collector with access from an outside of the container)
Regarding the instant claim 2, claim 5 of the ‘449 application teaches that the first hole of the outer body is a through hole (corresponding to the claimed access comprises a first through hole made in the first wall)
Regarding the instant claim 3, claim 3 of the ‘449 application teaches:
making a weld between the electrical collector and the outer body (corresponding to the claimed weld is made at the second hole)
the first wall has a second through hole, which is at least partially aligned with the first hole, when the outer body is arranged on the outer surface of the first wall (corresponding to the claimed access comprises a second hole, which is made in the outer body and is at least partially aligned with the first through hole, when the outer body is arranged on the outer surface of the first wall)
Regarding the instant claim 14, claim 11 of the ‘449 application teaches the outer body only consists of a connection element completely arranged on the outside of the container.
Regarding the instant claim 15, claim 12 of the ‘449 application teaches that the protrusion of the electrical collector is surrounded, at a base, by a fixing element having a function of compressing an insulating gasket against an inner surface of the first wall.
Regarding the instant claim 18, claim 14 of the ‘449 application teaches steps of:
placing a first insulating gasket inside a second through hole of the first wall to line the second through hole (corresponding to the claimed step of placing a first insulating gasket inside the access in order to line the access)
placing a second insulating gasket between the outer body and an outer surface of the first wall (corresponding to the claimed step of placing a second insulating gasket between the outer body and an outer surface of the first wall)
placing a third insulating gasket between an inner surface of the first wall and the electrical collector (corresponding to the claimed step of placing a third insulating gasket between an inner surface of the first wall and the electrical collector)
This is a provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection because the patentably indistinct claims have not in fact been patented.
Conclusion
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/R.M.A./ Examiner, Art Unit 1734
/JONATHAN JOHNSON/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1734
