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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 2-7 and 15-20 in the reply filed on 7/30/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 8-13 and 21-25 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Group II-V, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 7/30/2026.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. 18842933, filed on 8/30/2024.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 9/04/2026 was filed after the filing date of the application on 8/30/20240. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 1-7 and 14-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Rajala (US 6022443).
Regarding claim 1, Rajala teaches a supply device for supplying segments of energy cells, to a cell stacking device (see Figure 1-2), wherein
the supply device supplies the segments to the cell stacking device in a successive arrangement in a material flow, (see Figure 1-2) wherein
the successive segments are arranged at a respective first distance to one another in the supply device (at 90, see Figure 1-2),
wherein the supply device is equipped with a spreading device in which the distance between successive segments in the material flow is increased such that the successive segments are at an increased distance from one another in the material flow when supplied to the cell stacking device (at 91, see Figure 1-2.
Regarding claim 2, Rajala teaches the supply device is formed by a drum run (80, see Figure 1).
Regarding claim 3, Rajala teaches the spreading device is formed by at least a first (80) and a second drum (82) of the drum run, wherein the segments are handed over from a lateral surface of the first drum to a lateral surface of the second drum, and the first drum hands over the segments at a first circumferential speed of its lateral surface at a takeover point and the second drum takes over the segments at a second circumferential speed of its lateral surface, and the second circumferential speed is greater than the first circumferential speed (see Figure 1-2).
Regarding claim 4, Rajala teaches a transfer drum (30) is provided between the first and second drums, the transfer drum is driven to a pulsating rotational speed with an alternating acceleration and deceleration between the first circumferential speed and the second circumferential speed, and wherein the transfer drum takes over the segments from the first drum at the first circumferential speed and hands over the segments to the second drum at the second circumferential speed (see Figure 1-2).
Regarding claim 5, Rajala teaches the transfer drum has at least two, transfer dies (40a, b, c, see Figure 4).
Regarding claim 6, Rajala teaches the first drum has a first radius and the second drum has a second radius, wherein the second radius is larger than the first radius (see Figures 1-2).
Regarding claim 7, Rajala teaches the first drum and the second drum have the same rotational speed (col. 1 lines 42-50).
Regarding claim 14, Rajala teaches a method for supplying segments of energy cells to a cell stacking device, comprising: a supply device which supplies the segments to the cell stacking device in a successive arrangement in a material flow (see Figure 1-2), wherein the successive segments are arranged at a respective first distance to one another when entering the supply device (see Figure 1-2), characterized in that wherein the supply device has a spreading device in which the distance between successive segments in the material flow is increased such that the successive segments in the material flow at the inlet to the cell stacking device are arranged at a second distance to one another which is greater than the first distance (see Figure 1-2).
Regarding claim 15, Rajala teaches the segments are transported in the supply device in a drum run (see Figure 1-2).
Regarding claim 16, Rajala teaches the spreading device is formed by at least a first and a second drum of the drum run (see Figure 1-2), wherein the segments are handed over from a lateral surface of the first drum to a lateral surface of the second drum, and the first drum hands over the segments at a first circumferential speed of its lateral surface at a takeover point (see Figure 1-2), and the second drum takes over the segments at a second circumferential speed of its lateral surface, and the second circumferential speed is greater than the first circumferential speed (see Figure 1-2).
Regarding claim 17, Rajala teaches a transfer drum is provided between the first and second drums, the transfer drum is driven to a pulsating rotational speed with an alternating acceleration and deceleration between the first circumferential speed and the second circumferential speed, wherein the transfer drum takes over the segments from the first drum at the first circumferential speed and hands over the segments to the second drum at the second circumferential speed (see Figure 1-2).
Regarding claim 18, Rajala teaches the transfer drum has at least two, transfer dies (40a, b, c, see Figure 4).
Regarding claim 19, Rajala teaches the first drum has a first radius and the second drum has a second radius, wherein the second radius is larger than the first radius (see Figure 1-2).
Regarding claim 20, Rajala teaches the first drum and the second drum are each driven by a drive device at identical rotational speeds (col. 1 lines 42-50).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LIANG DONG whose telephone number is (571)270-0479. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 8 AM-6 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, Ashley Boyer can be reached at 571-272-4502. 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.
/LIANG DONG/Examiner, Art Unit 3724 9/18/2026
Prosecution Insights