Appeal 2006-2692
Application 10/480,360
Claim 1 illustrates Appellants’ invention of a method for
manufacturing a lithium battery comprising a stack of a negative electrode, a
separator, and a positive electrode.
1. A method of manufacturing a lithium battery comprising a stack of
a negative electrode, a separator, and a positive electrode, which method
comprises applying negative electrode material on a negative current
collector so as to form the negative electrode, applying positive electrode
material on a positive current collector so as to form the positive electrode,
and arranging a separator between the negative electrode and the positive
electrode, and which method further comprises:
a) producing a pattern of holes in the negative electrode;
b) producing a pattern of holes in the positive electrode;
c) applying a polymeric material on at least one side of the
stack; and
d) subjecting the polymeric material to heat and pressure, so
that the polymeric material penetrates the holes, whereby the negative
electrode, the positive electrode and the separator are stuck and pressed
together, characterized in that the polymeric material comprises a polymer
having a melt flow index of at least 0.5g/10 min. at 190ēC.
The Examiner relies on the evidence in this reference:
Hikmet WO 00/04601 A1 Jan. 27, 2000
The Examiner applies Hikmet (WO 00/04601, Jan. 27, 2000) to claim
1 and other claims under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b), and further applies Hikmet to
yet other claims under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) on the essentially the same
teachings, the two grounds of rejection submitted for review on appeal by
Appellants (Answer 3-5; Br. 8).
The grounds of rejection turn on the fact issue whether Hikmet would
have disclosed to one of ordinary skill in the art “polymeric material [which]
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