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 species B and D and subspecies D1, D4 and D6 in the reply filed on 12/31/2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 6 and 13 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species B and subspecies D2, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 12/31/2025.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in CN on 09/14/2023. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the CN202311186339.0 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 4, 5, 7, 11 – 12 and 14 – 18 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lai (US PG Pub. 2024/0097285 A1, foreign priority date of 09/20/2022).
Regarding Claim 1, Lai discloses a battery cell (Fig. 1; [0080]), comprising a shell (housing 2, Fig. 1; [0080];[0087]) having a first wall (cover 31, Fig. 1; [0083];[0088]); an electrode terminal (Fig. 1, 33; [0083]) mounted on the first wall in an insulated manner, that is Lai teaches insulatively fixing the terminal to the cover by passing it through hole 310 which results in the terminal being mounted on an underside of the cover and thus necessarily reads on the claimed terminal structure.
Lai further discloses an electrode assembly accommodated in the cell (Fig. 1, 1; [0085 – 0086] ;[0088]), wherein the electrode assembly comprises a main body part (Refer to main cylindrical body of wound cell shown to be accommodated in housing 2 in Fig. 1), a first tab (Fig. 1, 12; [0081];[0085]), and a second tab (Fig. 1, 11; [0081];[0085]), the first tab and the second tab have opposite polarities ([0086]), and in a thickness direction of the first wall, the first tab and second tab are both arranged at one end of the main body part facing the first wall (Refer to how in Fig. 1, in a vertical direction of the cell and in thus thickness direction of the first wall, the tabs 11 and 12 are arranged on the upper end of the electrode assembly 1 that faces cover 3; [0085]); a first adapter (second current collector piece 42; Figs. 1 and 4; [0084];[0089]), wherein the first adapter {i.e. second current collector piece} comprises a first connecting portion (welding part 422, Figs. 1 and 4; [0089]) and a second connecting portion (body part 421, Figs. 1 and 4; [0089]), the first connecting portion {i.e. welding part 422} is connected to the first wall ([0084];[0089]), and the second connecting portion {i.e. body part 421} is connected to the first tab {i.e. tabs 12} ([0084];[0089]); and a second adapter (first current collector piece 41, Fig. 1; [0084];[0089]), wherein the second adapter {i.e. first current collector piece} connects the electrode terminal and the second tab {i.e. tabs 11} ([0084];[0095]); and, wherein in a thickness direction of the first wall, an orthographic projection of the first adaptor {i.e. second current collector piece} does not overlap an orthographic projection of the second adapter {i.e. first current collector piece} (Refer to the shape and position of the second current collector piece 42 and first current collector piece 41 in Figs. 1 and 2), and, in a thickness direction of the first wall, an orthographic projection of the first connecting portion {i.e. welding part 422} does not overlap and orthographic projection of the second tab {i.e. tabs 11} (Refer to how in Fig. 1 the second current collector piece, and thus by extension the welding part 422, does not overlap the area of the electrode assembly including tabs 11).
Regarding Claim 4, Lai discloses all limitations as set forth above. Lai further discloses wherein the first adapter {i.e. second current collector piece} further comprises a transition portion (connecting part 423, Figs. 1 and 4; [0089]).
Lai teaches forming the body part 421, the welding part 422 and the connecting part 423 of the second current collector piece by bending, and the connecting part is the bent portion of the second current collector piece that, by being integral to both the body part and welding part, connects the body part and welding part together (Refer to Figs. 4 – 6; [0089]). Furthermore, in figs. 1 and 4 – 6, the connecting part 423 is shown to bend upward {i.e. toward cover 31 in Fig. 1} from an outer edge of body part 421 {i.e. corresponds to second connecting portion} to form welding part 422 {i.e. corresponds to claimed first connecting portion} ([0089]). As such, the connecting part of the second connecting portion in Lai provides the claimed structure of wherein the transition portion extends from an edge of the second connecting portion in a direction approaching the first wall, and the transition portion connects the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion.
Regarding Claim 5, Lai discloses all limitations as set forth above. Lai further discloses wherein, in a thickness direction of the first wall, the orthographic projection of the first connecting portion is arc-shaped (Refer to arc-shape of welding part 422 shown in Figs. 1 – 2 and 5).
Regarding Claims 7, Lai discloses all limitations as set forth above. In Lai the corresponding first connecting portion is welding part 422 and, in Figs. 1 – 2 and 5, Lai shows the connecting portion having an arc shape. One with ordinary skill in the art would reasonably expect, due to the welding part having an arc shape that is smaller than a semi-circle, to, in a peripheral direction of the electrode assembly, provide a central angle within the claimed range of 0 < α ≤ 180°.
Regarding Claim 11, Lai discloses all limitations as set forth above. Lai further discloses wherein the battery cell further comprises an insulating member (Fig. 1, 43; [0084]), the insulating member is located between the electrode assembly and the first wall (Refer to position of insulator 43 in Fig. 1), and the insulating member isolates the first adapter {i.e. second current collector piece} from the second adapter {i.e. first current collector piece} ([0084]), and further wherein the insulating member comprises an insulating body (Refer to entire body of insulator 43) and a partitioning portion (Refer to assembly through holes 4331/4332).
In Lai, the first current collector piece {i.e. corresponds to claimed second adaptor} is included on top of and over the right side of insulator 43 (Fig. 1; [0065];[0074 – 0079]). As such, the insulator is included between the housing of the battery cell and the first current collector piece, and, due to the function and position of the insulator, one with ordinary skill in the art would reasonably expect the corresponding insulating body of Lai to necessarily and inherently insulate and isolate the second adaptor from the shell.
The assembly through holes 4331/4332, which correspond to the claimed portioning portion, are formed in an inner portion of the insulator body, as such, the assembly through holes are necessarily connected to an inner ring surface of the insulating body. Furthermore, because the assembly through holes are regions of the insulator that keep the current collector pieces apart from one another and further because the insulator functions to insulatively connect the current collector pieces ([0058];[0066]), one with ordinary skill in the art would reasonably expect the corresponding partitioning portion of Lai to necessarily and inherently insulate and isolate the first adapter from the second adapter.
Regarding Claims 12, Lai discloses all limitations as set forth above. Lai further discloses the electrode assembly comprising a first electrode plate and a second electrode plate (positive and negative electrode plate; [0085 – 0086]), and the electrode assembly being a wound electrode assembly (Refer to Fig. 1; [0085]); the first electrode plate comprising a plurality of first sub tabs, the plurality of first sub tabs forming the second tab (Refer to second tabs 12; [0079 – 0080];[0085 – 0086]) and the second plate comprising a plurality of second sub-tabs, the plurality of second sub tabs forming the second tab (Refer to first tabs 11; [0079 – 0080];[0085 – 0086]).
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Annotated Fig. 1 showing sub-tabs in Lai.
In Fig. 1, Lai does not appear to show tabs included at an innermost portion of the wound electrode assembly; therefore, one with ordinary skill in the art would reasonably expect the wound cell of Lai to have at least one innermost turn of the first electrode plate not include a first-sub tab and at least one innermost turn of the second electrode plate not include a second sub-tab , and thus have a tab configuration within the claimed scope of wherein the first electrode plate of the innermost n1 turn is not provided with the first sub-tab, and n1 ≥ 1 ; and the second electrode plate of the innermost n2 turn not provided with the first sub-tab, and n2 ≥ 1.
Regarding Claims 14 – 15, Lai discloses all limitation as set forth above. Lai further discloses wherein the electrode assembly is a wound electrode assembly (Refer to Fig. 1; [0085]); the first tab comprises a plurality of first sub-tabs (Refer to second tabs 12; [0079 – 0080];[0085 – 0086]) and the second tab comprises a plurality of second sub-tabs (Refer to first tabs 11; [0079 – 0080];[0085 – 0086]) (Claims 14 and 15).
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Annotated Fig. 1 showing corresponding first and second sub-tabs in Lai.
Furthermore, in Fig. 1, from the innermost portion to the outermost portion of cell 1, Lai shows the sizes of the sub-tabs gradually increasing; therefore, Lai further discloses in a direction from the inner turn to an outer turn of the electrode assembly, the sizes of the plurality of first sub-tabs and second sub-tabs gradually increasing in the winding direction of the electrode assembly (Refer to annotated Fig. 1 above) (Claims 14 and 15 cont.).
Regarding Claim 16, Lai discloses all limitations as set forth above. Lai further discloses wherein the first tab has a fifth surface facing the first wall (Refer to corresponding firth surface shown in annotated Fig. 1 below), and the fifth surface is sector-shaped (Refer to the shape of the corresponding fifth surface shown below and how it is similar to the sector-shape surface 1310 shown in Fig. 15 of the instant application).
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Annotated Fig. 1 showing corresponding fifth surface of Lai’s corresponding first tab.
Regarding Claim 17, Lai discloses all limitations as set forth above. Lai further discloses, in a peripheral direction of the main body part, the fifth surface (Refer fifth surface show in annotated Fig. 1 below) having a first edge and a second edge that are far away from each other (Refer to edges shown annotated Fig. 1 below) .
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Annotated Fig. 1 showing corresponding first and second edge of Lai’s fifth surface.
Furthermore, since the fifth surface is sector-shaped and further is of a sector-shape that makes up an area that is less than an area of a semi-circle, one with ordinary skill in the art would reasonably expect an angle between the first edge and the second edge β1 to provide an angle within the claimed ranged of 0 < β1 ≤ 180 °.
Regarding Claim 18, Lai discloses all limitations as set forth above. Lai further discloses the second tab having a sixth surface facing the first wall (Refer to corresponding sixth surface shown in annotated Fig. 1 below), the sixth surface being sector-shaped (Refer to the shape of the corresponding sixth surface shown below and how it is similar to the sector-shape surface 1310 shown in Fig. 15 of the instant application), and, in a peripheral direction of the main body part, the sixth surface (Refer sixth surface show in annotated Fig. 1 below) having a third edge and a fourth edge that are far away from each other (Refer to edges shown annotated Fig. 1 below).
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Annotated Fig. 1 showing corresponding sixth surface and edges of the sixth surface in Lai.
Furthermore, since the sixth surface is sector-shaped, and further is of a sector-shape that makes up an area that is less than an area of a semi-circle, one with ordinary skill in the art would reasonably expect an angle between the third edge and the fourth edge β2 to provide an angle within the claimed ranged of 0 < β2 ≤ 270 °.
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.
Claim(s) 2 – 3 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lai (US PG Pub. 2024/0097285 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Yang (CN105226209A, Machine translation provided).
Regarding Claims 2 – 3, Lai discloses all limitations as set forth above. Lai further discloses wherein the first connecting portion {i.e. welding portion 422} has a first surface in contact with the first wall (Refer to corresponding first surface shown in annotated Fig. 4 below and [0084];[0090]), and the second connecting portion {i.e. body part 421} has a second surface in contact with the first tab (Refer to corresponding second surface shown in annotated Fig. 4 below and [0072 – 0073]).
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Annotated Fig. 4 showing corresponding first and second surfaces in Lai.
Based on the position of the positions of the corresponding surfaces shown in annotated Fig. 4 above, one with ordinary skill in the art would reasonably expect, in a thickness direction of the first wall, there to be a height difference h1 between the first and second surface; however, Lai does not explicitly disclose the height difference meeting h1 ≤ 3 mm.
Yang teaches a cylindrical battery cell having an ultra-thin cap and the cap includes a cover, an explosion-proof sheet, an insulating ring, a connecting piece and a sealing ring (Fig. 1; [0031]). Yang further teaches having a height from the highest point of the top cover to the lowest point of the connecting piece h2 be less than or equal to 3.0 mm for purpose of increasing the internal space of the battery and improving battery capacity without changing the external dimensions of the battery ([0008];[0016]).
Since Lai teaches a similar cylindrical cell cap structure {i.e. cover with current collecting structure and insulating structure} and already teaches a desire to reduce the space occupation of the current collector component (Lai: [0033]), it have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have a height difference h1 the between the first and second surface of Lai’s connecting portions be within the claimed range of ≤ 3 mm in order to obtain a cap height within the range taught by Yang {i.e. less than or equal to 3mm}, with a reasonable expectation of success in increasing the internal space of Lai’s the battery and improving battery capacity.
In Lai, the cross-sectional area of the main body part is the circular area of the entire top surface of the electrode assembly. As established above, the corresponding first surface in Lai is the top surface of welding portion 422 and the corresponding second surface is the underside of the third protrusion part 426 (Refer to Figs. 1 and 4 – 5). Based on the relative sizes of the components and surfaces shown in the figures, one with ordinary skill in the art would reasonably expect the a cross-sectional area of the main body part S, an area of the first surface S1, and an area of the second surface S2 to meet S1+S2 ≤ S/2 (Claim 3).
Regarding Claim 9, Lai discloses all limitations as set forth above. Lai further discloses wherein the second adapter {i.e. first current collector piece} comprises a the third connecting portion connected to the electrode terminal (boss part 412, Fig. 1; [0068 – 0069]) and a fourth connecting portion connected to the second tab (second protrusion part 413; [0072 – 0073]); and in the thickness direction of the first wall, and orthographic projection of the third connecting portion does not overlap an orthographic projection of the fourth connecting portion (Refer to how in Fig. 1 the boss part 413 and second protrusion part 413 do not overlap).
Lai further discloses wherein the third connecting portion {i.e. boss part 412} has a third surface in contact with the electrode terminal (Refer to top circular surface of boss part 412 shown in Figs. 1 – 2 and [0068 – 0069]) and the fourth connecting portion {i.e. second protrusion part 413} has a second surface in contact with the first tab (Refer to underside of second protrusion part 413 shown in Fig. 9 and [0072 – 0073]).
Based on the position of the positions of the corresponding surfaces shown in Figs. 1 and 9, one with ordinary skill in the art would reasonably expect, in a thickness direction of the first wall, there to be a height difference h2 between the third and fourth surface; however, Lai does not explicitly disclose the height difference meeting h2 ≤ 3 mm.
Yang teaches a cylindrical battery cell having an ultra-thin cap and the cap includes a cover, an explosion-proof sheet, an insulating ring, a connecting piece and a sealing ring (Fig. 1; [0031]). Yang further teaches having a height from the highest point of the top cover to the lowest point of the connecting piece h2 be less than or equal to 3.0 mm for purpose of increasing the internal space of the battery and improving battery capacity without changing the external dimensions of the battery ([0008];[0016]).
Since Lai teaches a similar cylindrical cell cap structure {i.e. cover with current collecting structure and insulating structure} and already teaches a desire to reduce the space occupation of the current collector component (Lai: [0033]), it have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have a height difference h2 the between the third and fourth surface of Lai’s connecting portions within the claimed range of ≤ 3 mm in order to obtain a cap height within the range taught by Yang {i.e. less than or equal to 3mm}, with a reasonable expectation of success in increasing the internal space of Lai’s the battery and improving battery capacity.
In Lai, the cross sectional area of the main body part is the circular area of the entire top surface of the electrode assembly. As established above, the corresponding third surface in Lai is the top circular surface of boss part 412 and the corresponding second surface is the underside of second protrusion part 413 (Refer to Figs. 1 – 2 and 9). Based on the relative sizes of the components and surfaces shown in the figures, one with ordinary skill in the art would reasonably expect the a cross-sectional area of the main body part S, an area of the third surface S3, and an area of the fourth surface S4 to meet S3+S4 ≤ S/2.
Claim(s) 8 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lai (US PG Pub. 2024/0097285 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Xiong (CN115377623A, Machine translation provided).
Regarding Claims 8, Lai discloses all limitations as set forth above. In Lai the corresponding first connecting portion is welding part 422 and, in Figs. 1 – 2 and 5, Lai shows the connecting portion having an arc shape. One with ordinary skill in the art would reasonably expect, due to the welding part having an arc shape that is smaller than a semi-circle, to, in a peripheral direction of the electrode assembly, provide a central angle greater at least overlapping the claimed range of 0 < α ≤ 120°.
Lai teaches having the area of the welding part 422 be appropriately increased, so as to increase the current passing area and improve the current passing capacity of the second current collector piece 42 ([0089]). Lai also teaches matching the shape of the welding part to the shape of the fifth recess part so that the welding part can be embedded in the recess and the occupation of the internal space of the battery is reduced ([0092]).
Xiong teaches a cylindrical battery cell current collector that has at least one second protrusion 21 for welding the current collector to the battery cover (Figs. 1 – 2; [0045]). Xiong further teaches an embodiment where the second protrusions are arc-shaped and, in the circumferential direction of the main body 40, controlling the central angle of the of the arc-shaped protrusion to be not less than 60°. Xiong further teaches that when the angle is too small, it is difficult to ensure the stability of the welding ensure the stability and flow conduction capacity of the welding between the current collector and the battery cover.
One with ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that an increase in the central angle would necessarily require an increase in size with respect to the welding part.
Therefore, selection of a central angle with the claimed range for the corresponding first connection portion would have been obvious to one with ordinary in the art for the purpose of optimizing the size of the welding part {i.e. selecting a size that achieves the desired reduction in the space occupation of the current collector while also ensuring that the area of the welding part is large enough to ensure the stability and flow conduction capacity of the welding between the current collector and the battery cover, with a reasonable expectation of success and without undue experimentation [See MPEP 2144.05(II)].
Claim(s) 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lai (US PG Pub. 2024/0097285 A) and Yang (CN105226209A), as applied to claim 9 above, and further as evidenced by Lee (KR20230067490A, Machine translation provided).
Regarding Claim 10, Lai discloses all limitations as set forth above. Lai further discloses wherein the electrode assembly is a wound electrode assembly ([0085]), the main body part having a central through hole (Refer to the hole shown in the center of the wound cell 1 in Fig. 1), and the third connecting portion {i.e. boss part 412} covering at least a part of the central hole, that is one with ordinary skill in the art would reasonably expect, based on the positions of the central cell hole and the position of boss part 412, that boss part 412 would cover the hole when includes over cell 1 (Refer to Fig. 1).
Lai does not explicitly disclose the center through hole penetrating the main body part in an axial direction of the main body part; however, one with ordinary skill in the art would reasonably expect the hole shown in Lai to penetrate the main body part in an axial direction of the main body part, because, as evidenced by Lee, when manufacturing wound cells for a cylindrical battery a cavity 102 that extends in axial direction of the core is known to form at the location where the winding core was used in the electrode assembly winding process (Figs. 13 – 16; [0042 – 0044];[0116]).
Claim(s) 19 – 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lai (US PG Pub. 2024/0097285 A) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Lee (KR20230067490A).
Regarding Claims 19 – 20, Lai discloses all limitations as set forth above. Lai teaches a cylindrical lithium ion battery cell (Fig. 1; [0085 – 0086]). Lai further teaches that lithium ion batteries have applications as power sources for mobile phones, laptop computers, electric tools, and electric vehicles ([0002]).
Lai does not particularly disclose a battery comprising the battery cell according to claim 1 (Claim 19) or an electrical apparatus comprising the battery cell according to claim 1, wherein the battery cell is configured to provide electric energy (Claim 20).
Lee, also directed to lithium ion cylindrical battery cells, teaches forming a battery pack from a group of cylindrical battery cells and implementing the battery pack in an electrical vehicle so that the vehicle is able to operate by receiving power form the battery pack (Figs. 18 – 19; [0230 – 0234]).
Since Lai teaches a cylindrical battery cell similar to the one taught in Lee, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to form battery pack with Lai’s cells and further implement the battery pack in a vehicle, as taught by Lee, and thus obtain the claimed battery and electrical apparatus, with a reasonable expectation of success in applying the battery cells in a vehicle and obtaining a functioning, battery-powered vehicle.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ARYANA Y ORTIZ whose telephone number is (571)270-5986. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
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/A.Y.O./Examiner, Art Unit 1751
/JONATHAN G LEONG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1751 2/10/2026