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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
`
`16/640,208
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`02/19/2020
`
`Yuma Kamiyama
`
`P200174US00
`
`7911
`
`WESTERMAN, HATTORI, DANIELS & ADRIAN, LLP
`8500 LEESBURG PIKE
`SUITE 7500
`TYSONS, VA 22182
`
`HARRIS, GARY D
`
`ART UNIT
`1727
`
`PAPER NUMBER
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`NOTIFICATION DATE
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`DELIVERY MODE
`
`01/26/2022
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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*
`1-7 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`5a) Of the above claim(s) ___ is/are withdrawn from consideration.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) 1and3-7 is/are rejected.
`Claim(s) 2 is/are objectedto.
`C] Claim(s)
`are subjectto restriction and/or election requirement
`* 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) The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)M The drawing(s) filed on 02/19/2020 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:
`c)() None ofthe:
`b)( Some**
`a) All
`1.2 Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.1) Certified copies of the priority documents have beenreceived in Application No.
`3.4 Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in 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 12/19/2020.
`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 20220121
`
`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`16/640 208
`Kamiyamaetal.
`
`Office Action Summary Art Unit|AIA (FITF) StatusExaminer
`GARY D HARRIS
`1727
`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) Responsive to communication(s) filed on 12/19/2020.
`C} A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
`
`2a)L) This action is FINAL. 2b)¥)This action is non-final.
`3)02 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\0) 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: 16/640,208
`Art Unit: 1727
`
`Page 2
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`LITHIUM-ION BATTERY
`
`Primary Examiner: Gary Harris
`
`Art Unit: 1727
`
`January 21, 2022
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Notice of Pre-AlA or AIA Status
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`1.
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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013,
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`is being examined
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`under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
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`Priority
`
`2.
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`Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C.
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`119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of recordin the file.
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`Information Disclosure Statement
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`3.
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`The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 12/19/2020 was
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`considered by the examiner.
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`4.
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`The drawings were received on 02/19/2020. These drawings are acceptable.
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`Drawings
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`Specification
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`5.
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`Thetitle of the invention is not descriptive. A newtitle is required that is clearly
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`indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/640,208
`Art Unit: 1727
`
`Page 3
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`Claim Rejections — 35 USC § 102
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`The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form
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`the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
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`A person shall be entitled to a patent unless —
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`(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, orin public use,
`on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed
`invention.
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`6.
`
`Claims 1 & 3-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated
`
`by KUBO et al. US 2019/0148778.
`
`4s to Claim 1, Kubo discloses a lithium-ion battery (see abstract and title)
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`comprising an electrode assembly including a first slectrode and a second electrode
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`(see figure 4). Wherein: the first electrode includes a substrate [0017] A first active
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`material layer formed on a surface of the substrate (0018-00201, and a first tab section
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`(16) having a substrate-exposed portion in which the first active material layer is not
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`formec on the surface (see figure 4}. The first active material layer has one or more
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`naiches (perforalions} in an end of the first achive melerial layer [(O007]. An outer ecige
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`Of the notches (77) encloses an end of a boundary where the first tab section (16) and
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`the first active material layer come into contact (0007-0008, 0037 & 00501.
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`és to Claim 3, Kubo discloses the lihium-lon battery according to Claim 4,
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`wherein the notches are in an end of the first tab section (perforalion 17, is at the end of
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`the tab 16, see figure 4).
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`&s to Claim 4, Kubo discloses the lithium-ion baltery according to Claim 1,
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`wherein a cortact portion of the ouier edge of the notches with the firsi active material
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`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/640,208
`Art Unit: 1727
`
`Page 4
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`layer has a circular arc when viewed from the stacking direction of the first electrode
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`and the second slectrade (17 is circular, see figure 4).
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`&s to Claim 5, Kubo discloses the lithium-ion baltery according to Claim 1,
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`wherein the subsirale is an aluminum foil or an aluminum alloy foil [0016.
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`4s to Claim 6, Kubo discloses the Hihium-lon battery according to Claim 4,
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`wherein the notches are al both ends of the boundary (perforations are on both ends,
`
`see figure 4}.
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`4s to Claim 7, Kubo discloses the Hihium-lon battery according to Claim 4,
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`wherein: the first electrade (13) is a positive electrode and the second electrode (14) is
`
`a negative electrode; anc the first active material layer has an inherent fing density of
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`an active material of 3.5 g/cm’ cr more. This feature is inherent given Kubo is using
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`similar materiais which produce an energy density of 0.1 to 1.0 mAn/ome [O05] and
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`looks to optimize hole area to be 40%or less from the viewpoint of energy density
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`[0034], See MPEP 2112.
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`Allowable Subject Matter
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`7.
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`Claim 2 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would
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`be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base
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`claim and anyintervening claims.
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`Glaim 2 requires the lithium-ion battery according to Claim 1, wherein in the
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`electrode assembly, a terminal edge of the notches on a side of the first tao section is
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`placed al @ position that does not overian a second active material layer of the secand
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/640,208
`Art Unit: 1727
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`Page 5
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`electrode when viewed from 4 stacking direction of the first electrode and the second
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`electrodes.
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`Claim 2 provides sufficient specifichy when added to the independent claim as
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`the notches, terminal edge are clearly Hlustraled for instance in figure 4.
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`8.
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`A restriction has not been made between the article claims and/or method claims
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`as no substantive limitations have been presented at this time. The examiner notesif
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`applicant amends method claims and adds substantive limits a restriction may be
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`required at that time.
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`9.
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`Figures, Paragraph, Column and line numbers are provided for convenience.
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`However, the entire reference should be considered.
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`Conclusion
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`10.
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
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`examiner should be directed to Gary Harris whose telephone numberis (571)272-6508.
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`The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Sat. 5:30AM-8PM EST(flex).
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
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`supervisor, Barbara Gilliam can be reached on (571)272-1330. The fax phone number
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`for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571)273-8300.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/640,208
`Art Unit: 1727
`
`Page 6
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`
`system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
`
`/GARY D HARRIS/
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1727
`
`