DETAILED ACTION
The applicant’s amendment filed on March 20, 2026 was received. Claims 1 and 13 were amended.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office 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 § 102
Claims 1-6, 10-13 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liu (CN 210092264 U; see English machine translation already of record).
Regarding claims 1 and 4, Liu teaches a battery cell 100 including a first electrode 10 (second electrode plate), a second electrode 20 (first electrode plate), a separating membrane 30 (isolation assembly), wherein the separating membrane 30 is provided between the first electrode 10 and the second electrode 20 (see paragraphs 36-38 and 44). The first electrode 10 and the second electrode 20 are wound together with the separating membrane 30 such that, at the starting end of the winding structure, the first electrode 10 includes a first U-shaped segment 11, and the second electrode 20 includes a second U-shaped segment 21, which is arranged opposite to the first U-shaped segment 11 to form an interlocking structure (see paragraphs 44 and 45). The first U-shaped segment 11 and the second U-shaped segment 21 each include two oppositely arranged straight segments. A bent transition segment (bent area) is provided between the two oppositely arranged straight segments (see paragraph 46).
The separating membrane 30 of Liu comprises multiple layers L1, L2, L3 and L4 as illustrated in the first annotated FIG. 7 below.
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The layers L1-L4 of the separating membrane 30 of Liu are wound from the innermost portion of the battery cell 100 to the outermost portion of the battery cell 100, including within the bent transition segments on each end of the battery cell 100.
In particular, in the region indicated by the box in the second annotated FIG. 7 below, the layers L1, L3 and L4 of the separating membrane 30, collectively constituting multiple layers of material, are provided in a bent transition segment between the second electrode 20, located at the top of the box, and the first electrode 10, located at the bottom of the box (multi-layer structural area composed of multiple layers of material; located in the bent area between the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate).
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Regarding claim 2, Liu teaches that a folded back section 112 (first bent portion) of the first electrode 10 is provided close to a bending area 211 (first bent portion) of the second electrode 20 facing the center of the battery cell 100 and both have the same bending direction (see paragraph 45). As can be seen in the first annotated FIG. 7 above, the layer L1 of the separating membrane 30 is provided between the folded back section 112 and the bending area 211.
Regarding claim 3, as can be seen in the first annotated FIG. 7 above, the bent portion (second bent portion) of the first electrode 10 opposite to the folded back section 10 is provided adjacent to the bent portion (second bent portion) of the second electrode 20 opposite to the bending area 211. Furthermore, it can be seen that the layer L2 of the separating membrane 30 is provided between these bent portions.
Regarding claims 5 and 18, Liu teaches that the first electrode may be an anode (second electrode plate is a negative electrode plate) and the second electrode may be the cathode (first electrode is a positive electrode plate). As can be seen in the first annotated FIG. 7 above, the folded back section 112 of the first electrode 10 is provided on an inner side of the 211 (first bent portion of the second electrode plate located on an inner side of the first bent portion of the first electrode plate). Likewise, on the opposite end of the battery cell 100, the bent portion of the first electrode 10 is provided on an inner side of the bent portion of the second electrode 20 (second bent portion of the second electrode plate located on an inner side of the second bent portion of the first electrode plate).
Regarding claims 6, 10 and 11, as can be seen in the first annotated FIG. 7 above, the layers L1 (first isolation layer) and L3 (third isolation layer) are formed by folding a first separating member (first isolation member), while the layers L2 (second isolation layer) and L4 (fourth isolation layer) are formed by folding a second separating member (second isolation member). Furthermore, it can be seen that the layers L1 and L2 are greater in length that the either of the first electrode 10 and second electrode 20.
Regarding claim 12, as can be seen in the first annotated FIG. 7 above, the layers L1 and L2 are provided on opposite sides of the second electrode 20.
Regarding claim 13, as can be seen in the first annotated FIG. 7 above, each of the layers L1-L4 include portions that extend beyond the start of the second electrode 20 and portions which are provided between the first electrode 10 and the second electrode 20.
Regarding claim 19, it is well known in the art to accommodate wound electrode assemblies, together with an electrolyte solution, within a battery can (shell).
Regarding claim 20, it is well known in the art to provide a plurality of individual battery cells within a battery module.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu as applied to claims 1-6, 10-13 and 18-20 above.
Regarding claim 14, as can be seen in the first annotated FIG. 7 above, a winding start of the layers L1 and L3 are provided between a winding start of the layers L2 and L4. Furthermore, it can be seen that the layer L2 is provided on inner side of the first electrode 10, and that curved portions of the layers L1, L2, L3 and L4 are provided on an outer side of the innermost portion of the first electrode 10.
Although Liu is silent as to a distance between an isolation section of the layers L3 and L4, it is noted that where the only difference between the prior art and the claims is a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device, and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device is not patentably distinct from the prior art device. See In re Gardner v.TEC Syst., Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 USPQ 232 (1984) (see MPEP § 2144.04).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15-17 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed March 20, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant’s principal arguments are as follows:
Liu, in FIG. 7 and other figures, does not show that the separating membrane 30 is at least partly multi-layered. That is, Liu does not disclose or suggest that the separating membrane has an area between the first electrode 10 and the second electro 20 which is composed of multiple layers of material, and at least a portion of the multi-layer area is located in the bent area.
In response to Applicant’s arguments, please consider the following comments:
As set forth above with reference to the second annotated FIG. 7, the layers L1, L3 and L4 of the separating membrane 30, collectively constituting multiple layers of material, are provided in a bent transition segment between the second electrode 20, located at the top of the box, and the first electrode 10, located at the bottom of the box.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEPHAN J ESSEX whose telephone number is (571)270-7866. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 6:00 pm.
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/STEPHAN J ESSEX/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1727
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