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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on December 23, 2024 is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kwak et al. (US 2021/0184272 A1).
Kwak et al. teaches a simultaneous inspection device of multiple secondary battery cell pouches comprising:
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With regard to claim 1, a separator defect inspection apparatus (FIG. 1, device 100) for a secondary battery ( FIG. 11 in view of FIG. 1, secondary battery cell pouch 1), the separator defect inspection apparatus (FIG. 1, device 100) comprising: a base plate (FIG. 1, movable member 120) that is provided to be movable toward a secondary battery ( FIG. 11 in view of FIG. 1, secondary battery cell pouch 1); and a compression unit (FIG. 1, pressing panel 130 and pressing drive unit 160) that provides a localized protrusion structure (FIGS. 4 and 5 in view of FIG. 1, pressing pad 136 and pressing piece 137) to an exterior of the base plate (FIG. 1, movable member 120) to compress a predetermined area of the secondary battery ( FIG. 11 in view of FIG. 1, secondary battery cell pouch 1) (For more details, please read the Abstract; paragraphs: [0011]-[0025], [0042]-[0057] and [0100]-[0125]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-14 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The primary reason for the indication of the allowability of claims 2-9 is the inclusion therein, in combination as currently claimed, of the limitation of the compression unit is provided to be movable on the base plate along a longitudinal direction of the base plate. This limitation is found in claims 2-9 is neither disclosed nor taught by the prior art of record, alone or in combination.
The primary reason for the indication of the allowability of claims 10-14 is the inclusion therein, in combination as currently claimed, of the limitation of an interleaving sheet that is removably inserted between the separator defect inspection apparatus and another neighboring separator defect inspection apparatus to protect the secondary battery. This limitation is found in claims 10-14 is neither disclosed nor taught by the prior art of record, alone or in combination.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Applicants’ attention is invited to the followings whose inventions disclose similar devices.
Min et al. (US 11,287,478 B2) teaches a separator damage detecting apparatus for detecting a separator damage of a secondary battery. The separator damage detecting apparatus includes a short circuit measuring unit configured to apply a voltage to the electrode assembly and detect a leakage current .
CONTACT INFORMATION
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HOAI-AN D. NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571) 272-2170. The examiner can normally be reached MON-THURS (7:00 AM - 5:00 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, LEE E. RODAK can be reached at 571-270-5628. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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HOAI-AN D. NGUYEN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2858
/HOAI-AN D. NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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