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`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`17/420,165
`
`07/01/2021
`
`Yuma Kamiyama
`
`P210591US00
`
`9970
`
`WHDA, LLP
`8500 LEESBURG PIKE
`SUITE 7500
`TYSONS, VA22182
`
`CONLEY, O1K
`
`1752
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
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`DELIVERY MODE
`
`03/14/2024
`
`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):
`
`patentmail @ whda.com
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`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`1-5 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`5a) Of the above claim(s) _ is/are withdrawn from consideration.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) 1-5 is/are rejected.
`(] Claim(s)__ 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://www.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) The drawing(s)filed on 7/1/21 is/are: a)¥) accepted or b)L) 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)L) None ofthe:
`b)L) Some**
`a)Q) 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. |
`3.2.) 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
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3)
`
`4)
`
`(LJ Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`(Qj Other:
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20240309
`
`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`17/420,165
`Kamiyama etal.
`
`Office Action Summary Art Unit|AIA (FITF)StatusExaminer
`HELEN Ol CONLEY
`1752
`Yes
`
`
`
`-- The MAILING DATEof this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORYPERIOD FOR REPLYIS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensionsof 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 2/16/24.
`C} A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
`
`2a)() This action is FINAL. 2b)¥)This action is non-final.
`3) 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)(2) 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: 17/420,165
`Art Unit: 1752
`
`Page 2
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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, is being examined
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`underthe first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
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`Priority
`
`2.
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`Acknowledgmentis madeof applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C.
`
`119 (a)-(d).
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`Information Disclosure Statement
`
`3.
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`The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 2/16/24, 7/30/21 are
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`considered by the examiner.
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`Drawings
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`4.
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`The drawings submitted on 7/1/21 has been accepted.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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`5.
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`In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35
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`U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103)is incorrect, any
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`correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AlA) for the rejection will
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`not be considered a new ground ofrejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale
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`supporting the rejection, would be the same undereither status.
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`6.
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`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 madein 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, or in public use,
`on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effectivefiling 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
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/420,165
`Art Unit: 1752
`
`Page 3
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`patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and waseffectively filed
`before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
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`7.
`
`Claim(s) 1-3, 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by
`
`Suzuki et al. (US Publication 20170256821).
`
`Regarding claim 1, the Suzuki et al. reference discloses a secondary battery,
`
`comprising a multilayer electrode body obtained by laminating a plurality of electrode
`
`plates (121) with a separator interposed in between (150), a plurality of electrode tabs
`
`protruding from first ends of the plurality of electrode plates (122, 123). An exterior body
`
`having an opening receiving the multilayer electrode body (108). A sealing plate that
`
`closes the opening (109), a collector (103, 104) disposed on the sealing plate and
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`connected to the plurality of electrode tabs with a connector (103, 104), and a binding
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`memberthat binds the plurality of electrode tabs between the connector and the
`
`multilayer electrode body (combination of 104, 103, 105, 106).
`
`Regarding claim 2, the Suzuki et al. reference discloses wherein the plurality of
`
`electrode tabs have bent portions. and wherein the binding member binds the plurality
`
`of electrode tabs together at the bent portions (fig. 1, 2,18, 19, 22-26).
`
`Regarding claim 3, the Suzuki et al. reference disclose wherein the binding
`
`member has a mechanism of clamping the plurality of electrode tabs with a resin
`
`member (P[172]).
`
`Regarding claim 5, the Suzuki et al. reference discloses whereinafirst end of the
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`binding memberis fixed to the sealing plate (Fig. 3; 103,104 to 109).
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`8.
`
`Claim(s) 1-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by
`
`Takatusk et al. (JP2014-049311).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/420,165
`Art Unit: 1752
`
`Page 4
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`9.
`
`Regarding claim 1, the Takatsukaet al. reference discloses a secondary battery,
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`comprising a multilayer electrode body obtained by laminating a plurality of electrode
`
`plates with a separator interposed in between (301-303), a plurality of electrode tabs
`
`protruding from first ends of the plurality of electrode plates (301c, 302c ). An exterior
`
`body having an opening receiving the multilayer electrode body (1). A sealing plate that
`
`closes the opening (6), a collector (8a, 8b) disposed on the sealing plate and connected
`
`to the plurality of electrode tabs with a connector (42), and a binding memberthat binds
`
`the plurality of electrode tabs between the connector and the multilayer electrode body
`
`(WH).
`
`Regarding claim 2, the Takatusket al. reference disclsoes wherein the plurality of
`
`electrode tabs havebentportions and wherein the binding memberbindsthe plurality of
`
`electrode tabs together at the bent portions (weld).
`
`Regarding claim 3, the Suzuki et al. reference disclose wherein the binding
`
`member has a mechanism of clamping the plurality of electrode tabs with a resin
`
`member (Fig. 8,9; resin adhesive hot-melt).
`
`Regarding claim 4, the Takatusk et al. reference discloses wherein the binding
`
`member has a mechanism of bonding the plurality of electrode tabs together with an
`
`adhesive (501, 502).
`
`Regarding claim 5, the Suzuki et al. reference discloses whereinafirst end of the
`
`binding memberis fixed to the sealing plate (combinations of Fig. 1, 2, 4-8 ).
`
`Conclusion
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`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/420,165
`Art Unit: 1752
`
`Page 5
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`10.=Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to HELEN Ol CONLEY whosetelephone numberis
`
`(571)272-5162. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30 am - 5:00 pm.
`
`Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video
`
`conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-basedcollaboration tool. To schedule an
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`interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request
`
`(AIR) at http:/Avwww.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
`
`If attempts to reach the examinerby telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
`
`supervisor, Pamela Weiss can be reached on (571)270-7057. The fax phone number
`
`for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
`
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`Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA)or 571-272-1000.
`
`/Helen Oi K CONLEY/
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1752
`
`