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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the strip material (recited within claims 1, 8-9, 20, and 22-23) and the pneumatic control apparatus (recited within claim 4), all must be shown or the features canceled from the claims. No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 16-17 and 23 are objected to because of the following informalities that requires appropriate corrections:
In claim 16, line 2, the limitation “a guide apparatus” should read -- at least one guide apparatus --. (since the dependent claim 18 recites, the slide block mechanism of the slide rod apparatus in the claimed invention including four guide apparatuses, examiner suggest amending claim 16 limitations in this manner to improve the overall clarity and comprehensibility of the subsequent claim 18).
In claim 16, line 3, the limitation “the guide apparatus” should read -- the at least one guide apparatus --.
In claim 17, line 1-2, the limitation “the guide apparatus” should read -- the at least one guide apparatus --.
In claim 23, line 8, the limitation “the break end” should read -- a break end --.
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.
(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 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhang et al. (Chinese Patent Application/Publication CN216872016U hereinafter referred to as “Zhang”).
In regards to claim 1, Zhang teach (Figures 1-7) a strip threading apparatus (electrode manufacturing mechanism 1) comprising: a slide rail (guide rails 2) that is disposed along a conveyance path (production direction ‘X’) of a strip material (battery pole piece/electrode, as described in the Abstract and in paragraphs 0059-0061); a slide rod apparatus (traction plate 32 of the traction mechanism 3) that is detachably connected to the slide rail (guide rails 2); and a traction body (combines structure of the drive unit 31, the power supply/taking components 34, the drive wheels 35, the cover 36, and the mounting bracket/base 37 of the traction mechanism 3) that is slidable along the slide rail (guide rails 2) (see also paragraphs 0059-0097 in the translated CN216872016U provided with this office action).
In regards to claim 2, Zhang teach all intervening claim limitations as shown above. Zhang further teach (Figures 1-7), the slide rail (guide rails 2) including a first rail (left-side guide rail 2) and a second rail (right-side guide rail 2) that are disposed opposite to each other (figures 2-5 clearly illustrate, the electrode manufacturing mechanism 1 having two of the guide rails 2).
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 1-5 and 22-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stitz et al. (U.S. PGPUB 2006/0076449 A1 hereinafter referred to as “Stitz”) in view of Lisec (U.S. Patent 4,589,541 A).
In regards to claim 1, Stitz teach (Figure 1) a strip threading apparatus (auxiliary device 21 and the rails/guides of the rewinder 1) comprising: a slide rail (rails/guides described in paragraphs 0019 and 0049) that is disposed along a conveyance path (movement path 22) of a strip material (material web 9); and a slide rod apparatus (auxiliary device 21) that is detachably connected to the slide rail (rails/guides described in paragraphs 0019 and 0049). Yet, fails to explicitly disclose, the strip threading apparatus (auxiliary device 21 and the rails/guides of the rewinder 1) additionally including a traction body that is slidable along the slide rail (rails/guides described in paragraphs 0019 and 0049) and that is operatively configured to move the slide rod apparatus (auxiliary device 21) along said slide rail (rails/guides described in paragraphs 0019 and 0049) in the conveyance path (movement path 22) (see also paragraphs 0041-0061 and 0068-0069).
However, Lisec teach (Figures 1-2) a material threading apparatus (combined structure of 23, 25, and 26) comprising: a slide rail (25 and 26) that is disposed along a conveyance path (22/29) of a strip material (1); a slide apparatus (24 of 23) that is detachably connected to the slide rail (25/26); and a traction body (28 of 23) that is slidable along the slide rail (25); wherein the traction body (28) is connected (via magnetically) to the slide apparatus (24) and is configured to move said slide apparatus (24) along the slide rail (25/26) (see also Col. 2, line 42 - Col. 3, line 45).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Stitz’s strip threading apparatus with a traction body that is similar to the one suggested by Lisec; where said traction body is connected to the slide rod apparatus and configured to move along the slide rail so as to move said slide rod apparatus along in a conveyance path of the strip material being threaded/transported. Arranging such a traction body (which can be actuated pneumatically) within in the strip threading apparatus taught by Stitz, would effectively enable the slide rod apparatus (which is designed to grip and carry the strip material for further processing) to be efficiently and effortlessly displace along the slide rail when required; thereby facilitating the proper threading/conveying of the strip material for additional processing (e.g. cutting, splicing, winding, etc.).
In regards to claim 2, Stitz in view of Lisec teach all intervening claim limitations as shown above. Stitz teach (Figure 1), the slide rail (rails/guides described in paragraphs 0019 and 0049) including a first rail and a second rail that are disposed opposite to each other (paragraphs 0019 and 0049 disclose, the rewinder 1 can have at least two rails/guides which are arranged on both sides of the material web 9).
In regards to claims 3-5, Stitz in view of Lisec teach all intervening claim limitations as shown above. Yet, Lisec fails to teach, the first rail and/or the second rail being a hollow sealed rail, a traction body being configured to slide inside the hollow sealed rail that is connected to a pneumatic control apparatus, or such a traction body being magnetically connected to the slide rod apparatus.
On the contrary, Lisec does teach (Figures 1-2), the slide rail (25/26) of the material threading apparatus (combined structure of 23, 25, and 26) including a first rail (25) and a second rail (26) that are disposed opposite to each other; the first rail (25) being a hollow sealed rail; the traction body (28) of the material threading apparatus (combined structure of 23, 25, and 26) being configured to slide inside the hollow sealed rail/first rail (25); the hollow sealed rail/first rail (25) being connected to a pneumatic control apparatus (Col. 2, line 3- 20, Col. 2, line 66 - Col. 3, line 10, and Col. 4, line 9-11 disclose, the moving of 28 within 25 in the direction 29, being performed by application of pressure to 25; therefore it is evident that 25 is inherently connected to the pneumatic control apparatus that is capable of supplying, controlling, and/or adjusting the pressure with 25), such that the traction body (28) slides within said hollow sealed rail/first rail (25) under an action of a pneumatic pressure difference; and the traction body (28) being magnetically connected to the slide apparatus (24) of the material threading apparatus (combined structure of 23, 25, and 26), such that said traction body (28) pulls said slide apparatus (24) along the hollow sealed rail/first rail (25).
Therefore, based on the additional suggestions in Lisec reference, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure at least one slide rail Stitz’s strip threading apparatus as a hollow sealed rail, and to provide said strip threading apparatus with a pneumatically actuated traction body that is slidably disposed within the hollow sealed rail and that is magnetically connected to the slide rod apparatus, and a pneumatic control apparatus that is designed supply/adjust the pressure in the hollow sealed rail for controlling motion of the traction body withing the hollow sealed rail (thereby also slidably displacing the slide rod apparatus along the hollow sealed rail). Such a modifications would provide the strip threading apparatus taught by Lisec with an effective, efficient, and simple means for effortlessly moving the slide rod apparatus (which is designed to grip and carry the strip material for further processing) along the slide rails when required; thereby facilitating the proper threading/conveying of the strip material for additional processing (e.g. cutting, splicing, winding, etc.).
In regards to claim 22, Stitz teach (Figure 1) a method for splicing (via the splice device 37) a strip material (material webs 9 from the parent reel 8 and the new parent reel 16, which are connected/joined together by the splice device 37) by using a strip threading apparatus (auxiliary device 21 and the rails/guides of the rewinder 1); wherein the strip material (materials web 9) is spliced by using the strip threading apparatus (auxiliary device 21 and the rails/guides of the rewinder 1) comprises a slide rail (rails/guides described in paragraphs 0019 and 0049) that is disposed along a conveyance path (movement path 22) of the strip material (material webs 9), and a slide rod apparatus (auxiliary device 21) that is detachably connected to the slide rail (rails/guides described in paragraphs 0019 and 0049). Yet, fails to explicitly disclose, the strip threading apparatus (auxiliary device 21 and the rails/guides of the rewinder 1) additionally including a traction body that is slidable along the slide rail (rails/guides described in paragraphs 0019 and 0049) and that is operatively configured to move the slide rod apparatus (auxiliary device 21) along said slide rail (rails/guides described in paragraphs 0019 and 0049) in the conveyance path (movement path 22) (see also paragraphs 0041-0061 and 0068-0069).
Nevertheless, Lisec teach (Figures 1-2) a material threading apparatus (combined structure of 23, 25, and 26) comprising: a slide rail (25 and 26) that is disposed along a conveyance path (22/29) of a strip material (1); a slide apparatus (24 of 23) that is detachably connected to the slide rail (25/26); and a traction body (28 of 23) that is slidable along the slide rail (25); wherein the traction body (28) is connected (via magnetically) to the slide apparatus (24) and is configured to move said slide apparatus (24) along the slide rail (25/26) (see also Col. 2, line 42 - Col. 3, line 45).
Consequently, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the strip threading apparatus used for Stitz’s strip material splicing method, with a traction body that is similar to the one suggested by Lisec; where said traction body is connected to the slide rod apparatus and configured to move along the slide rail so as to move said slide rod apparatus along in a conveyance path of the strip material being threaded/transported. Arranging such a traction body (which can be actuated pneumatically) within in the strip threading apparatus taught by Stitz, would effectively enable the slide rod apparatus (which is designed to grip and carry the strip material for further processing) to be efficiently and effortlessly displace along the slide rail when required; thereby facilitating the proper threading/conveying of the strip material to the splicing station or for other additional processing (e.g. cutting, winding, etc.).
In regards to claim 23, Stitz in view of Lisec teach all intervening claim limitations as shown above. Stitz further teach (Figure 1), the strip material (material web 9 from the parent reel 8 and the new parent reel 16, which are connected/joined together by the splice device 37) broken into a first strip material (material webs 9 from the parent reel 8) and a second strip material (material web 9 from the new parent reel 16), the first strip material (material webs 9 from the parent reel 8) being upstream of the second strip material (material web 9 from the new parent reel 16) along a conveyance direction (movement path 22) of the strip material (material webs 9), and the method comprising: connecting, at a break end of the second strip material (leading end of the material web 9 from the new parent reel 16), the slide rod apparatus (auxiliary device 21) and the slide rail (rails/guides described in paragraphs 0019 and 0049); connecting the slide rod apparatus (auxiliary device 21) and the second strip material (material web 9 from the new parent reel 16); driving the traction body (traction body disposed within the slide rail when Stitz’s strip threading apparatus is modified in view of Lisec as explained above in the claim 22 rejection statement) to the break end of the second strip material (leading end of the material web 9 from the new parent reel 16) such that the traction body (traction body in the modified strip threading apparatus) pulls the slide rod apparatus (auxiliary device 21) to slide along the slide rail (rails/guides described in paragraphs 0019 and 0049) to a break end of the first strip material (trailing/cut end of the material web 9 from the parent reel 8); and splicing (via the splice device 37) the first strip material (material web 9 from the parent reel 8) and the second strip material (material web 9 from the new parent reel 16).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-21 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
In regards to claim 6, Stitz in view of Lisec teach all intervening claim limitations as shown above. Yet, Lisec further teaches (Figures 1-2), the hollow sealed rail/first rail (25) being a sealed circular tube, the traction body (28) being a cylindrical magnetic ball, and a diameter of the cylindrical magnetic ball (28) being less than an inside diameter of the sealed circular tube (25). Yet, Lisec does not explicitly disclose, the traction body (28) having a sealing ring that is socketed to a surface of the cylindrical magnetic ball (28) for sealing a clearance between the cylindrical magnetic ball and the sealed circular tube (25). Stitz and Zhang also fail to propose the first/second slide rail and the traction body in the strip threading apparatus having the specific structure and/or features reacted by claim 6. Furthermore, all other prior art of record, either individually or in combination, also do not appear to reveal nor render obvious, the precise structural arrangement and the operative functionality of the strip threading apparatus described collectively within claims 1-3 and 6. Thus, claim 6 looks to contain allowable subject matter over the cited prior art references; specially when said limitations are viewed in light of applicant’s specification, and when they are considered together with the superseding limitations in parent claims 1-3.
Claims 7-9 depends from claim 6. Subsequently, claims 7-9 also include the above noted allowable subject matter in parent claims.
In regards to claim 10, Zhang or Stitz in view of Lisec, both teach all intervening claim limitations as shown above. However, Zhang, Stitz, and Lisec, all fail to explicitly disclose, the slide rod apparatus in the strip threading apparatus including a slide block mechanism that is slidably connected to the slide rail in the strip threading apparatus, and a connecting rod that is connected to said slide block mechanism at its end portion. Furthermore, all other prior art of record, either individually or in combination, also do not appear to teach nor render obvious, the precise structural arrangement and the operative functionality of the strip threading apparatus described collectively within claims 1 and 10. Thus, claim 10 looks to contain allowable subject matter over the cited prior art references; specially when said limitations are viewed in light of applicant’s specification, and when they are considered together with the superseding limitations in parent claim 1.
Claims 11-21 depends from claim 10. Subsequently, claims 11-21 also include the above noted allowable subject matter in parent claim 10.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: See the attached PTO-892 for complete list of pertinent prior art references made of record by the examiner.
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/R.J.D./Examiner, Art Unit 3654
/MARC Q JIMENEZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3615
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