`geste
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`DATE MAILED: 07/25/2024
`
`16/651,945
`
`03/27/2020
`
`Tomohiro UEDA
`
`094704-0053
`
`3144
`
`TITLE OF INVENTION: CYLINDRICAL SECONDARY BATTERY
`
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`03/27/2020
`16/651,945
`TITLE OF INVENTION: CYLINDRICAL SECONDARY BATTERY
`
`Tomohiro UEDA
`
`094704-0053
`
`3144
`
`
`
`
`
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`APPLN. TYPE PUBLICATION FEE DUE|PREV. PAID ISSUE FEEENTITY STATUS ISSUE FEE DUE TOTAL FEE(S) DUE DATE DUE
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`WYROUGH, PAUL CHRISTIAN ST
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`03/27/2020
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`Tomohiro UEDA
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`094704-0053
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`3144
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`Rimon PC - Panasonic Corporation
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`WYROUGH,PAUL CHRISTIAN ST
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`1728
`DATE MAILED: 07/25/2024
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`

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`.
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`.
`
`16/651,945
`
`UEDAetal.
`
`PAUL C WYROUGH
`
`1728
`
`Yes
`
`-- The MAILING DATEof this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address--
`All claims being allowable, PROSECUTION ON THE MERITS IS (OR REMAINS) CLOSED in this application. If not included
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`2._) Anelection was madeby the applicant in responseto a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
`restriction requirement and election have been incorporatedinto this action.
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`c) () Noneofthe:
`a) MAI
`b) (] Some*
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`Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1728
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`* Certified copies not received:
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`Applicant has THREE MONTHS FROM THE "MAILING DATE"of this communication to file a reply complying with the requirements
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`Attachment(s)
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`Paper No./Mail Date
`.
`3.) Examiner's Comment Regarding Requirementfor Deposit
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`4.C) Interview Summary (PTO-413),
`Paper No./Mail Date.
`/PAUL CHRISTIAN ST WYROUGH/
`Examiner, Art Unit 1728
`
`5. (2 Examiner's Amendment/Comment
`6.
`Examiner's Statement of Reasons for Allowance
`
`7. CZ Other
`
`.
`
`/MATTHEW T MARTIN/
`
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL-37 (Rev. 08-13)
`
`Notice of Allowability
`
`.
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20240711
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/651 ,945
`Art Unit: 1728
`
`Page 2
`
`DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE
`
`Notice of Pre-AlA or AIA Status
`
`1. The present application is being examined under the pre-AlAfirst to invent
`
`provisions.
`
`Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
`
`A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set
`
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`
`application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set
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`forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action
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`has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on
`
`02/02/2024 has been entered.
`
`Claim Status
`
`2. This office action is in response to the Request for Continued Examination filed
`
`02/02/2024
`
`3. Currently, no claims are amended.
`
`4. Claims 8-22 are pending in this application.
`
`Claim Rejections
`
`5. The claim rejection of claims 8-22 are withdrawn dueto applicant’s arguments
`
`(see remarksfiled 12/07/2023).
`
`Allowable Subject Matter
`
`6. Claims 8-22 are allowed.
`
`7. The following is an examiner's statement of reasons for allowance:
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/651 ,945
`Art Unit: 1728
`
`Page 3
`
`The closest prior art of record is Kin (JP 2003123829 A), Okuda (JP 2013143224A),
`
`Suehiro (WO 2017163557 A1), Anderson (US 1,234,456), and Kojima (JP 2008226500
`
`A). Kin teaches a cylindrical secondary battery [0001] comprising:
`
`°
`
`°
`
`°
`
`a bottomed cylindrical battery case [0007] having an opening [0006];
`
`an electrode group (Fig. 7, 2; [0006));
`
`an electrolyte solution, the electrode group and the electrolyte solution being
`
`housed in the battery case [0003];
`
`°
`
`and a sealing memberblocking the opening of the battery case (Fig. 1, 12;
`
`[0031], “cap assembly”),
`
`°
`
`°
`
`°
`
`wherein the electrode group includes a positive electrode (Fig. 1, 30; [0030)),
`
`a negative electrode (Fig. 1, 40; [0030)),
`
`and a separator placed between the positive electrode and the negative
`
`electrode (Fig. 1, 50; [0030]);
`
`°
`
`and is formed by winding the positive electrode and the negative electrode with
`
`the separator therebetween [0030];
`
`°
`
`the negative electrode includes a negative electrode current collector and a
`
`negative electrode mix layer formed on at least one principal surface of the negative
`
`electrode current collector (Fig. 1, 42; [(0031));
`
`°
`
`the positive electrode includes a positive electrode current collector and a
`
`positive electrode mix layer formed on at least one principal surface of the positive
`
`electrode current collector (Fig. 1, 32; [0031]);
`
`°
`
`the separator includes an inner non-contact region (Fig. 1; 54) which is located
`
`on the inner peripheral side of the electrode group and both surfacesof the inner non-
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/651 ,945
`Art Unit: 1728
`
`Page 4
`
`contact region of the separator are not in contact with the negative electrode mix layer
`
`and not in contact with the positive electrode mix layer (Fig. 1, [0034));
`
`°
`
`the length of the inner non-contact region (Fig. 1; 54); it can be said that the inner
`
`non-contact region does not come into contact with the negative electrode due to it
`
`being further wound from separator 50 (Fig. 1, [0034]); the electrode group includes a
`
`cylindrical section formed by the negative electrode mix layer formed on a principal
`
`surface of the negative electrode current collector that is located innermost in the
`
`electrode group (Fig. 1, [0034}]),
`
`°
`
`and the cylindrical section has a hollow space (Fig. 1, [0034], see space within
`
`cylindrical section, wherein the hollow spaceis not required to be at the central portion),
`
`°
`
`However, Kin fails to teach the non-contact region 5% or more of the length of
`
`the separator in a winding direction of the electrode group and the diameter of the
`
`cylindrical section is 2.5 mm orless.
`
`Okuda teaches the central portion of a wound electrode body is formed by
`
`winding the innermost part of the separator to effectively suppress the depletion of
`
`electrolytic solution. Therefore, the suppression of electrolyte depletion is recognized
`
`as a result-effective variable dependent on the amountof winding,
`
`in which an
`
`increased amount of winding, which requires a greater length of the innermost
`
`separator, corresponds to an improved suppression of the electrolyte depletion. There
`
`would be reasonable expectation of success to attempt different length percent values
`
`of the non-contact region until the electrolyte depletion was suppressed. Therefore,it is
`
`not inventive to discover the optimum workable range or value by routine
`
`experimentation, and it would have been obvious to oneof ordinary skill in the art before
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/651 ,945
`Art Unit: 1728
`
`Page 5
`
`the effectivefilling date of the claimed invention,
`
`to modify Kin by employing an inner
`
`length of non-contact region being 5% or more of the length of the separator (see MPEP
`
`2144.05 Il.). However, modified Kin fails to teach the diameter of the core thickness 2.5
`
`mm or less. Suehiro teaches a cylindrical battery (Fig. 10, 14) with a cylindrical core
`
`thickness is .7mm or more and 1.5 mm or less, which overlaps with the claimed range
`
`([077]; “when the diameter of the core 50 is too large, the battery capacity becomes
`
`small’).
`
`It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill of the art before the effectivefiling
`
`date to combine an innermost cylindrical section of 1.5 mm or less as taught by Suehiro
`
`with the cylindrical battery as taught by modified Kin in order to improve battery
`
`capacity.
`
`However, modified Kin fails to teach the hollow spacethatis at the center portion
`
`of the electrode group is in direct contact with the negative electrode current collector
`
`and the separator traverses the hollow spaceto partition the hollow space, wherein the
`
`hollow spaceis in direct contact with the exposed portion of the negative electrode
`
`current collector. Kojima teaches wherein the inner non-contact region of the separator
`
`traverses the hollow spaceto partition (Fig. 4B, W5; [041], “split’) the hollow space
`
`[016],
`
`in order to simplify manufacturing, shortening production time (see abstract, [051],
`
`[041]), wherein the hollow spaceis in direct contact with the exposed portion of the
`
`negative electrode current collector (Fig. 4 (B), copper foil W3 in contact with hollow
`
`core portion). However, since Kin teaches in paragraph 0034 “it is desirable that
`
`additional winding of the innermost separator 54 at the center of the electrodejelly roll
`
`20 is performed tightly (without gaps and tightly)”, Kin is considered to teach away
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`combination with Kojima. The core in Kojima provides a hollow space which directly
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`Application/Control Number: 16/651 ,945
`Art Unit: 1728
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`Page 6
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`goes against the desires of Kin to have acentral core without gaps.
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`In light of the
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`above,nothing in the prior art, alone or in combination, teaches the features as claimed.
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`Assuch, all claims are allowed.
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`Conclusion
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`Anyinquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
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`examiner should be directed to PAUL WYROUGH whosetelephone numberis
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's
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`supervisor, MATTHEW MARTIN can be reached on (571) 270-7871. The fax phone
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`Application/Control Number: 16/651 ,945
`Art Unit: 1728
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`Page 7
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`USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information
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`system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA)or 571-272-1000.
`
`/PAUL CHRISTIAN ST WYROUGH/
`Examiner, Art Unit 1728
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`/MATTHEW T MARTIN/
`Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1728
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`