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`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and TrademarkOffice
`Address; COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`16/636,818
`
`02/05/2020
`
`Hajime Nishino
`
`P200111US00
`
`4012
`
`WESTERMAN, HATTORI, DANIELS & ADRIAN, LLP
`8500 LEESBURG PIKE
`SUITE 7500
`TYSONS, VA 22182
`
`ANTHONY,JULIAN
`
`ART UNIT
`1722
`
`PAPER NUMBER
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`NOTIFICATION DATE
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`DELIVERY MODE
`
`02/14/2022
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`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above-indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e-mail address(es):
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`patentmail @ whda.com
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`1-8 is/are pending in the application.
`)
`Claim(s)
`5a) Of the above claim(s) ___ is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`C} Claim(s)
`is/are allowed.
`Claim(s) 1-8 is/are rejected.
`S)
`) © Claim(s)____is/are objected to.
`C] Claim(s
`are subjectto restriction and/or election requirement
`)
`S)
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you maybeeligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`http:/Awww.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPHfeedback@uspto.gov.
`
`) )
`
`Application Papers
`10)C2 The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)C) The drawing(s) filed on
`is/are: a)(] accepted or b)(_) objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12) Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d)or (f).
`Certified copies:
`cc) None ofthe:
`b)1 Some**
`a)) All
`1.1) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.1.) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.4 Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been receivedin this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`* See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`1)
`
`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date 2-19-20.
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3) (J Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`(Qj Other:
`
`4)
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20220114
`
`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`16/636 ,818
`Nishino etal.
`
`Office Action Summary Art Unit|AIA (FITF) StatusExaminer
`JULIAN ANTHONY
`1722
`Yes
`
`
`
`-- The MAILING DATEofthis communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLYIS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available underthe provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply betimely filed after SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing
`date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133}.
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, evenif timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`1)C) Responsive to communication(s) filed on
`C) A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
`
`2a)C) This action is FINAL. 2b)¥)This action is non-final.
`3)0) An election was madeby the applicant in responseto a restriction requirement set forth during the interview
`on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`4\() Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quayle, 1935 C.D. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/636,818
`Art Unit: 1722
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`Page 2
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined underthe
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`first inventor to file provisions of the AJA.
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`Information Disclosure Statement
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`The IDSfiled on February 19 2020 has been considered.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which formsthe basis for all obviousness
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`rejectionsset forth in this Office action:
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`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 obviousbefore the effective
`filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinaryskill in the art to which the claimed
`invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the mannerin which the invention was made.
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`Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshinoetal.
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`(US 2002/0045094) in view of Barneset al. (US 2002/0197471) and Kobeet al. (US
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`2003/0175497)
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`For claim 1: Yoshino teaches a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprising a
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`coiled electrode assembly (Yoshino in Fig. 5) and a nonaqueous electrolyte ([0044], the coiled
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`electrode assembly including a positive electrode 21, a negative electrode 12, and a separator 24
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`interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode ([0032]), a positive
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`electrode lead 11 ({0031], [0034]) electrically connected to the positive electrode, a positive
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/636,818
`Art Unit: 1722
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`Page 3
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`electrode insulating tape 42 ([0038]) that covers a portion of the positive electrode (Fig. 7), and
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`the coiled electrode assembly is formed by coiling the positive electrode and the negative
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`electrode with the separator interposed therebetween. (Fig. 5, [0032]) The positive electrode
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`includes a positive electrode current collector 25 ({0033]) that includesa first main surface and a
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`second main surface that is opposedto the first main surface (Fig. 6) and a positive electrode
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`active material layer 26 that is supported by the first main surface and the second main surface
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`(Id.). The first main surface includesa first exposed section which faces the negative electrode
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`(Fig. 5) and on whichthe positive electrode active material layer is not arranged, and the positive
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`electrode lead is connected to the first exposed section. ([0038]) The positive electrode lead
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`includes an extension section that protrudes from the first exposed section and an overlapping
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`section (i.e. non-protruding portion of lead attached to the exposed section) that overlaps the first
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`exposed section. (Id., Fig. 8A)
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`Yoshino discloses covering the positive electrode lead with the positive electrode
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`insulating tape. (Yoshino in [0038]) Yoshino doesnot explicitly disclose covering at least a
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`portion of the first exposed section and a portion of the overlapping section. However, the
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`skilled artisan would find obvious to coverat least a portion of the first exposed section and a
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`portion of the overlapping section in view of both these sections being exposed regions (Id.) and
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`would be motivated by the need and desire to protect these exposed regions from a short circuit
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`and in order to maintain electrical insulation. (Id.) Accordingly, the positive electrode insulating
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`tape includesa first layer 41 that adheresto the first exposed section and to the overlapping
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`section. (Id., Fig. 7)
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`Yoshino does not explicitly teach the positive electrode insulating tape to include a base
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`and a second layer interposed between the base andthefirst layer. However, Barnes in the same
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/636,818
`Art Unit: 1722
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`Page 4
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`field of endeavor teaches a tape with a base layer 12 and a second layer 14. (Barnes in ([0054-
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`0055) The skilled artisan would find obvious to modify Yoshino’s “adhesive tape 42” with the
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`tape of Barnes. The motivation for such a modification is for a higher degree of thermal
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`resistance and deformation resistance ([0012]) and no loss of adhesion at elevated temperatures.
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`({0042])
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`Asto the second layer expanding when heated above a threshold, Kobe teaches a foam
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`material 10 which expands on heating. (Kobe in [0042]) The skilled artisan would find obvious
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`to further modify Yoshino with a second layer that expands when heated abovea threshold. The
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`motivation for such a modification is such material being resistant to fire which is desired in
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`applications with exposureto electrical current, short circuits, and device generated heat.
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`({0005]).
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`For claim 2: In Kobe, the foam material contains a resin and a foamingfiller. (Kobe in
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`[0035], [0048], [0078])
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`For claims 3-4: The foamingfiller contains an alkali metal silicate such as magnesium
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`aluminum silicate, as well as sodium silicate present in Expantrol. (Kobe in [0047], [0113-0114])
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`For claim 5: The foamingfiller contains calcium carbonate, inter alia. (Kobe in [0048])
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`For claim 6: In Yoshino, the second main surface includes a second exposed section
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`which correspondsto the first exposed section and on whichthe positive electrode active
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`material layer is not arranged. (Yoshino in Fig. 6) Yoshino does not explicitly teach at least a
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`portion of the second main surface being covered with the positive electrode insulating tape.
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`However, as Yoshino discloses this portion being exposed ([0038]), the skilled artisan would
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`find obvious to cover a portion of the second main surface in orderto protect this exposed region
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`from a short circuit and in order to maintain electrical insulation. (Id.)
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/636,818
`Art Unit: 1722
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`Page 5
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`For claim 7: The extension section of the positive electrode lead protrudes from an
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`interior region of the coiled electrode assembly. (Yoshino in [0034], Figs. 4, 6)
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`For claim 8: The battery further comprises a negative electrode lead 12 electrically
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`connected to the negative electrode (Yoshino in [0034]), and the positive electrode lead contains
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`aluminum and the negative electrode lead contains copper. ([0066], [0069])
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`Conclusion
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
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`examinershould be directed to JULIAN ANTHONYwhose telephone numberis (571) 272-1289
`
`and email is julian.anthony @uspto.gov. The examiner can normally be reached on Mondayto
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`Friday from 9:30am to 5:30pm.
`
`Examinerinterviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using
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`encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at
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`http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
`
`If attempts to reach the examinerby telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
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`supervisor, Cynthia Kelly, can be reached on (571) 272-1526. The fax phone numberfor the
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`organization wherethis application or proceedingis assigned is 571-273-8300.
`
`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent
`
`Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications
`
`maybe obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished
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`Application/Control Number: 16/636,818
`Art Unit: 1722
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`Page 6
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`system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would
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`
`/Julian Anthony/
`Examiner, Art Unit 1722
`
`/CYNTHIA H KELLY/
`Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1722
`
`