Appeal No. 2004-1101
Application No. 09/262,325
electrode collector to be more forward than the outermost
end of the positive electrode collector “on the last wind
of both the positive and negative electrode current
collectors”.1 Answer, page 4. The examiner states that if
one follows a direction from the innermost ends to the
outermost ends of the negative electrode and positive
electrode collectors, the outermost end of the negative
electrode collector as depicted in Figure 5 of Yamashita is
more forward than the outermost end of the positive
electrode collector. Answer, page 4. On page 3 of Paper
No. 22, the examiner states that even though the positive
electrode collector shown in Figure 5 of Yamashita is
coiled more times than the negative electrode collector,
Figure 5 clearly shows that, in a direction from the
innermost ends to the outermost ends of the collectors, the
outermost end of the negative collector is more forward
than the outermost end of the positive collector.
On page 3 of the brief, appellant argues that the
clear meaning of the claim language, in the context of a
coiled structure, is that for the end of the negative
collector to be forward than the end of the positive
collector, the negative collector must extend beyond the
positive collector. Appellant argues that if one uncoils
the electrode shown in Figure 5 of Yamashita, it is the end
of the positive collector which comes first.
1 We disagree with the examiner’s statement here. The outermost end of
the collector (negative or positive) would have to be at the end of the
collector, which would be at the end of the last wind.
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