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 .
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 10 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 10 recites the limitation "the pressure value" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lim et al. [US2018/0047950] in view of Jeong [WO2021/015590, machine translation provided].
Lim discloses an apparatus for sealing a secondary battery, the apparatus comprising: a pair of sealing parts (141, 142) disposed to face each other and configured to adjust a distance therebetween such that a battery case, having an electrode assembly, can be interposed between the pair of sealing parts (Figures 7, 9; paragraphs 0034-0041). Lim does not disclose at least one sensing part disposed between the pair of sealing parts and configured to detect a change in pressure according to a change in the distance between the pair of sealing parts.
Jeon discloses an apparatus for sealing a secondary battery. Jeon discloses the apparatus includes a sealing bar (40) and at least one sensing part (50) disposed between the pair of sealing parts (on the surface of the sealing bar 40) and configured to detect a change in pressure according to a change in the distance between the pair of sealing parts (pages 2 and 4; Figures 2-6).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to modify the apparatus of Lim by including a sensing part on the surface of the sealing parts and located between the sealing parts as taught by Jeon in order to provide a more uniform pressing force and to provide a uniform bonding thickness.
With respect to claim 2, Lim discloses wherein each of the sealing parts comprises: a sealing block configured to press and seal a sealing portion of the battery case; and a pair of protrusions protruding from a surface of the sealing block, wherein the surface faces the battery case (Figures 7 and 9).
With respect to claim 3, Lim discloses the pairs of protrusions for each of the pair of sealing parts are disposed to face each other (Figures 7 and 9).
With respect to claim 4, Lim discloses the pair of protrusions are disposed on opposite ends of the sealing block, respectively (Figures 7 and 9).
With respect to claim 5, Jeon discloses sensing parts arranged dispersed across the entire pressing surface, it would have been obvious to include the sensing part is fixed to one of the protrusions to ensure the pressure is measured over the entire pressing surface.
With respect to claim 6, Jeon discloses sensing parts arranged dispersed across the entire pressing surface and when combined with Lim would result in the sensing part is configured to be pressed between the protrusions of the pair of sealing parts.
With respect to claim 7, Jeon discloses the sensing part is fixed to and supported by at least one of the pair of sealing parts (Figures 2-6).
With respect to claim 8, Jeon discloses the sensing part comprises at least one pressure sensor (page 2 and 4).
Claims 9 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lim, Jeong, and further in view of Yoon et al. [US2017/0074634, “Yoon”].
Lim as modified discloses an apparatus for sealing a secondary battery. Applicant is referred to paragraph 5 for a detailed discussion of Lim. Jeon discloses a sensing part for detecting pressure, wherein the sensing part is connected to a controller. Lim and Jeon fail to disclose an output interface.
Yoon discloses an apparatus including a mounting plate (20) and pressurizing plate (30), and a measurement means to measure a pressing force (paragraph 0010), wherein the measurement means is connected to a controller and display (paragraph 0013; Figure 1). The display is an output interface capable of displaying an alarm for a pressure force change.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to modify the apparatus of Lim to include an output interface as aught by Yoon in order to improve operation control and supervision by the user of the apparatus.
With respect to claim 10, Jeon and Yoon disclose a controller connected to sensors. Yoon discloses the controller is configured to compare the pressure value obtained by the sensing part with a preset pressure value to control a moving the distance of between the sealing part (paragraph 0018, 0054).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL MCNALLY whose telephone number is (571)272-2685. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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/DANIEL MCNALLY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1746
DPM
January 9, 2026