Filed on behalf of Eve Energy Co., Ltd.
`
`By:
`
`Timothy J. Maier
`Siddhesh V. Pandit
`Christopher J. Maier
`Maier & Maier PLLC
`345 S. Patrick Street
`Alexandria, VA 22314
`Tel: (703) 740-8322
`Fax: (703) 991-7071
`tjm@maierandmaier.com
`svp@maierandmaier.com
`cjm@maierandmaier.com
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`EVE ENERGY CO., LTD.
`Petitioner
`
`v.
`
`VARTA MICROBATTERY GMBH,
`Patent Owner
`
`Case IPR2021-00474
`
`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW OF U.S. PATENT NO.
`9,496,581
`
`Mail Stop PATENT BOARD
`Patent Trial and Appeal Board
`U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
`
`VARTA Ex. 2022 Page 1 of 98
`EVE Energy v. VARTA
`IPR2022-01484
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`

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`IPR2021-00474 – Petition for Inter Partes Review of Claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No.
`9,496,581
`
`Table of Contents
`
`I.
`
`INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 1
`
`II. MANDATORY NOTICES (37 C.F.R. § 42.8(a)(1)) .......................................... 1
`
`A. Real Party-in-Interest .............................................................................................. 1
`
`B. Related Matters ........................................................................................................ 1
`
`C. Lead and Back-up Counsel ..................................................................................... 4
`
`III. SERVICE INFORMATION ............................................................................... 4
`
`IV. PAYMENT OF FEES ......................................................................................... 4
`
`V.
`
`TIME FOR FILING PETITION ......................................................................... 5
`
`VI. GROUNDS FOR STANDING (37 C.F.R. § 42.104(a)) ..................................... 5
`
`VII. 35 U.S.C. § 325(d) and § 314(a) ......................................................................... 5
`
`VIII. THE TECHNICAL BACKGROUND RELATED TO THE ‘581 PATENT ..... 7
`
`IX. RELIEF SOUGHT .............................................................................................. 8
`
`X. OVERVIEW OF THE ‘581 PATENT .............................................................. 10
`
`A. Summary of the ‘581 Patent ................................................................................. 10
`
`B. Relevant Prosecution History ............................................................................... 16
`
`XI. THE PERSON OF ORDINARY SKILL IN THE ART ................................... 16
`
`XII. CLAIM CONSTRUCTION .............................................................................. 16
`
`XIII. OVERVIEW OF THE APPLIED REFERENCES ........................................... 17
`
`A. U.S. Patent No. 3,748,182 to Brown (“Brown”) .................................................. 17
`
`B. The ‘572 Publication (“Higuchi”) ......................................................................... 20
`
`C. U.S. Patent Application No. 2006/0124973 (“Arai”) .......................................... 23
`
`D. Japanese Patent Publication H07-153488 (“Kageyama”) .................................. 26
`
`E. EP 0829105 to Okochi et al. (“Okochi”) .............................................................. 27
`
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`IPR2021-00474 – Petition for Inter Partes Review of Claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No.
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`F. Japanese Patent Publication P2003-31266A (“Kano”) ...................................... 29
`
`XIV. UNPATENTABILITY OF THE CHALLENGED CLAIMS AS OF
`FEBRUARY 9, 2009 ......................................................................................... 30
`
`A. Ground 1: Claims 1-12 Are Unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 103 over Brown,
`Arai, Okochi, and Higuchi .................................................................................... 31
`
`1. A POSITA Would Have Been Motivated to Combine Brown, Arai,
`Okochi, and Higuchi..................................................................................... 31
`
`2. Claim 1 ........................................................................................................... 33
`
`a. Preamble – “A button cell comprising:” .................................................... 33
`
`b. “a housing cup and a housing top separated from one another by an
`electrically insulating seal and which form a housing with a flat bottom
`area and a flat top area parallel to it” ........................................................ 34
`
`c. “and an electrode-separator assembly within the housing comprising at
`least one positive and at least one negative electrode in the form of flat
`layers and connected to one another by at least one flat separator”....... 35
`
`d. “wherein the electrode layers are aligned essentially at right angles to
`the flat bottom area and the flat top area” ................................................ 38
`
`e. “and the electrode-separator assembly is a spiral winding having end
`faces defining side surfaces of the spiral winding facing in an axial
`direction relative to the flat bottom area and the flat top area” ............. 41
`
`f. “and one of the electrodes connects to the flat bottom area or the flat top
`area via an output conductor comprising a foil resting flat between an
`end face of the spiral winding and the flat top or the flat bottom area to
`which it is connected.”.................................................................................. 44
`
`3. Claim 2 ........................................................................................................... 49
`
`4. Claim 3 ........................................................................................................... 52
`
`5. Claim 4 ........................................................................................................... 54
`
`6. Claim 5 ........................................................................................................... 57
`
`7. Claim 6 ........................................................................................................... 58
`
`8. Claim 7 ........................................................................................................... 61
`
`9. Claim 8 ........................................................................................................... 62
`
`
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`IPR2021-00474 – Petition for Inter Partes Review of Claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No.
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`10. Claim 9 ........................................................................................................... 64
`
`11. Claim 10 ......................................................................................................... 66
`
`12. Claim 11 ......................................................................................................... 70
`
`13. Claim 12 ......................................................................................................... 71
`
`B. Ground 2: Claim 13 Is Unpatentable Under 35 U.S.C. § 103 Over the
`Combination of Brown, in view of Arai, Okochi, Higuchi, and Kageyama ..... 72
`
`1. A POSITA Would Have Been Motivated to Modify Brown, in view of
`the teachings of Arai, Okochi, Higuchi, and Kageyama ........................... 72
`
`2. Claim 13 ......................................................................................................... 74
`
`XV. Ground 3: Claims 1-2, 4-5, and 8-11 are Anticipated By Kano under 35 U.S.C.
`§ 102 .................................................................................................................. 77
`
`1. Claim 1 .................................................................................................................... 77
`
`a. Preamble – “A button cell comprising:” .................................................... 77
`
`b. “a housing cup and a housing top separated from one another by an
`electrically insulating seal and which form a housing with a flat bottom
`area and a flat top area parallel to it” ........................................................ 78
`
`c. “and an electrode-separator assembly within the housing comprising at
`least one positive and at least one negative electrode in the form of flat
`layers and connected to one another by at least one flat separator”....... 79
`
`d. “wherein the electrode layers are aligned essentially at right angles to
`the flat bottom area and the flat top area” ................................................ 80
`
`e. “and the electrode-separator assembly is a spiral winding having end
`faces defining side surfaces of the spiral winding facing in an axial
`direction relative to the flat bottom area and the flat top area” ............. 80
`
`f. “and one of the electrodes connects to the flat bottom area or the flat top
`area via an output conductor comprising a foil resting flat between an
`end face of the spiral winding and the flat top or the flat bottom area to
`which it is connected.”.................................................................................. 82
`
`2. Claim 2 .................................................................................................................... 82
`
`3. Claim 4 .................................................................................................................... 83
`
`4. Claim 5 .................................................................................................................... 84
`
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`IPR2021-00474 – Petition for Inter Partes Review of Claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No.
`9,496,581
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`5. Claim 8 .................................................................................................................... 84
`
`6. Claim 9 .................................................................................................................... 85
`
`7. Claim 10 .................................................................................................................. 85
`
`8. Claim 11 .................................................................................................................. 87
`
`XVI. CONCLUSION ................................................................................................. 87
`
`XVII.
`
`CERTIFICATION OF SERVICE (37 C.F.R. §§ 42.6(e), 42.105(a)) ........ 89
`
`XVIII. CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE WITH TYPE-VOLUME
`LIMITATION .................................................................................................... 90
`
`
`
`
`
`
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`
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`IPR2021-00474 – Petition for Inter Partes Review of Claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No.
`9,496,581
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`
`
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
`
`
`
`Cases
`
`KSR Intern. Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 401 (2007) .................................... passim
`
`
`
`Statutes
`
` §
`
` 314(a) ............................................................................................................................ 6
`35 U.S.C. § 112 .............................................................................................................. 18
`35 U.S.C. § 314(a) ............................................................................................................ 7
`35 U.S.C. § 325(d) ........................................................................................................... 6
`35 U.S.C. §102(b) .................................................................................................... 11, 12
`35 U.S.C. §103 ......................................................................................... 10, 36, 103, 108
`35 U.S.C. §325(d) ............................................................................................................ 7
`
`
`
`Rules
`
`37 C.F.R. § 42.10(a) ......................................................................................................... 4
`37 C.F.R. § 42.10(b) ......................................................................................................... 4
`37 C.F.R. § 42.102(a)(2) .................................................................................................. 5
`37 C.F.R. § 42.103(a) ....................................................................................................... 5
`37 C.F.R. § 42.104(a) ....................................................................................................... 5
`37 C.F.R. § 42.15(a) ......................................................................................................... 5
`37 C.F.R. § 42.24 ......................................................................................................... 123
`37 C.F.R. § 42.8(a)(1) ...................................................................................................... 1
`37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(3) ...................................................................................................... 4
`37 C.F.R. § 42.6(e) ....................................................................................................... 121
`37 C.F.R. § 42.105(a) ................................................................................................... 121
`
`
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`IPR2021-00474 – Petition for Inter Partes Review of Claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No.
`9,496,581
`
`
`
`EXHIBIT LIST
`
`
`
`Exhibit No.
`
`Description
`
`1001
`
`U.S. Patent No. 9,496,581 to Pytlik et al. (“the ‘581 patent”)
`
`1002
`
`U.S. Patent No. 3,748,182 to Brown (“Brown”)
`
`1003
`
`Certified Translation of Chinese Patent Publication No. CN
`101286572 (“Higuchi”)1
`
`1004
`
`U.S. Patent Application No. 2006/0124973 (“Arai”)
`
`1005
`
`RESERVED
`
`1006
`
` Certified Translation of Japanese Patent Publication H07-
`153488 (“Kageyama”)2
`
`1007
`
`File History of U.S. Patent No. 9,496,581
`
`
`
`1 Per 37 C.F.R. § 42.63(b), Petitioner provides an English translation of Ex. 1008,
`
`which is Chinese Patent Publication No. CN 101286572. Throughout the Petition,
`
`citations are to Exhibit 1003, which is the certified English translation of Ex. 1008.
`
`2 Per 37 C.F.R. § 42.63(b), Petitioner provides an English translation of Ex. 1012,
`
`which is Japanese Patent Publication H07-153488. Throughout the Petition, citations
`
`are to Exhibit 1006, which is the certified English translation of Ex. 1012.
`
`
`
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`IPR2021-00474 – Petition for Inter Partes Review of Claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No.
`9,496,581
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`1008
`
`Chinese Patent Publication No. CN 101286572 (“Higuchi”)
`
`1009
`
`EP 0829105 to Okochi et al. (“Okochi”)
`
`1010
`
`Curriculum Vitae of Marc Juzkow, MSc, MBA
`
`1011
`
`Declaration of Marc Juzkow, MSc, MBA
`
`1012
`
`Japanese Patent Publication H07-153488
`
`1013
`
`Certified Translation of Japanese Patent Publication 2003-
`031266 (“Kano”)3
`
`1014
`
`Japanese Patent Publication 2003-031266
`
`1015
`
`Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online, 2021
`
`
`
`3 Per 37 C.F.R. § 42.63(b), Petitioner provides an English translation of Ex. 1014,
`
`which is Japanese Patent Publication P2003-31266A. Throughout the Petition,
`
`citations are to Exhibit 1013, which is the certified English translation of Ex. 1014.
`
`
`
`VARTA Ex. 2022 Page 8 of 98
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`IPR2021-00474 – Petition for Inter Partes Review of Claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No.
`9,496,581
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`
`
`Petitioner Eve Energy Co., Ltd. (“Petitioner”) petitions for inter partes review
`
`of claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No. 9,496,581 to Pytlik et al. entitled “Button Cells and
`
`Method of Producing Same” (“the ‘581 patent,” Ex. 1001) assigned to Varta
`
`Microbattery GmbH (“Varta,” “Patent Owner,” or “PO”).
`
`I.
`
`INTRODUCTION
`
`The ‘581 patent claims resulted from Varta’s representations during prosecution
`
`that the claims covered a button cell battery that was resistant to axial mechanical loads
`
`during the charging and discharging process. But the claimed subject matter merely
`
`confirmed what was already known in the art, that using spirally wound electrode-
`
`separator assemblies that have electrode layers aligned at essentially right angles to the
`
`top and bottom of the button cell housing was old and well-known in the prior art. Ex.
`
`1011, ¶14.
`
`II. MANDATORY NOTICES (37 C.F.R. § 42.8(a)(1))
`
`A. Real Party-in-Interest
`
`The real party-in-interest is Eve Energy Co., Ltd.
`
`B. Related Matters
`
`The ‘581 patent, entitled “Button Cells and Method of Producing Same,” issued
`
`on November 15, 2016, from U.S Patent Application No. 14/827,387 (“the ’387
`
`
`
`1
`
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`IPR2021-00474 – Petition for Inter Partes Review of Claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No.
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`application”), filed August 17, 2015. The ‘581 patent is a divisional application of U.S.
`
`Patent No. 9,153,835 and claims foreign priority to German Application No. 10 2009
`
`008 859, filed on February 9, 2009, German Application No. 10 2009 030 359, filed on
`
`June 18, 2009, and German Application No. 10 2009 060 788 (collectively, “the
`
`German Applications”), filed on December 22, 2009.4 Ex. 1001 at 1.
`
`The ’581 patent is the subject of four (4) pending District Court cases. These 4
`
`cases are listed below:
`
`1. VARTA Microbattery GmbH v. Costco Wholesale Corporation, United States
`
`District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Case No. 2:20-cv-00051-JRG
`
`(Pending);
`
`2. VARTA Microbattery GmbH v. Best Buy Co., Inc., United States District Court
`
`for the Eastern District of Texas, Case No. 2:20-cv-00054-JRG (Pending);
`
`3. VARTA Microbattery GmbH v. PEAG, LLC, United States District Court for
`
`
`
`4 Petitioner does not concede that any claim of the ‘581 patent is entitled to the
`
`priority date of the German Applications, and reserves the right to challenge
`
`Varta’s right of priority; however, for purposes of this Petition, Petitioner will
`
`refer to the earliest possible priority date of the ‘581 patent as February 9, 2009.
`
`
`
`2
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`IPR2021-00474 – Petition for Inter Partes Review of Claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No.
`9,496,581
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`the Eastern District of Texas, Case No. 2:20-cv-00071-JRG (Pending);
`
`4. VARTA Microbattery GmbH v. Audio Partnership LLC, et al., United States
`
`District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Case No. 2:20-cv-00138-JRG
`
`(Pending).
`
`The ’581 Patent was also subject to the following three (3) dismissed District
`
`Court cases:
`
`
`
`1. VARTA Microbattery GmbH v. Audio Partnership LLC, et al., United States
`
`District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Case No. 1:20-cv-01568
`
`(Dismissed);
`
`2. VARTA Microbattery GmbH v. Samsung Electronics America., Inc., United
`
`States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Case No. 2:20-cv-00029-JRG
`
`(Dismissed);
`
`3. VARTA Microbattery GmbH v. Amazon.com, Inc., United States District
`
`Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Case No. 2:20-cv-00052-JRG (Dismissed).
`
`
`
`Finally, claims 1-12 of the ‘581 patent are currently being challenged in
`
`IPR2020-01211, which was instituted on January 6, 2021.
`
`
`
`3
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`IPR2021-00474 – Petition for Inter Partes Review of Claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No.
`9,496,581
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`
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`C. Lead and Back-up Counsel
`
`Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(3) and 37 C.F.R. § 42.10(a), Petitioner appoints
`
`Timothy J. Maier (Reg. No. 51,986) as its lead counsel, and Siddhesh V. Pandit (Reg.
`
`No. 58,572) and Christopher J. Maier (Reg. No. 53,255) as its back-up counsel.
`
`Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 42.10(b), a power of attorney is being filed with this
`
`designation of lead and backup counsel.
`
`III. SERVICE INFORMATION
`
`Petitioner provides the following service information for designated counsel:
`
`
`Maier & Maier PLLC
`345 S. Patrick Street
`Alexandria, VA 22314
`Tel: (703) 740-8322
`Fax: (703) 991-7071
`
`Petitioner consents to electronic service by email to the following email
`
`addresses:
`
`tjm@maierandmaier.com;
`
`svp@maierandmaier.com;
`
`cjm@maierandmaier.com; and
`
`patent@maierandmaier.com.
`
`IV. PAYMENT OF FEES
`
`4
`
`
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`IPR2021-00474 – Petition for Inter Partes Review of Claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No.
`9,496,581
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`
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`Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. §§ 42.103(a) and 42.15(a), the required fees are
`
`submitted with this Petition. If additional fees are due during this proceeding, the
`
`Office is authorized to charge Deposit Account No. 50-5976.
`
`V. TIME FOR FILING PETITION
`
`The ‘581 patent issued on November 15, 2016. This Petition is being filed after
`
`the date of the grant of the patent. 37 C.F.R. § 42.102(a)(2).
`
`VI. GROUNDS FOR STANDING (37 C.F.R. § 42.104(a))
`
`Petitioner certifies that the ‘581 patent is available for inter partes review and
`
`that Petitioner is not barred or estopped from requesting an inter partes review
`
`challenging the claims on the grounds identified in this Petition.
`
`VII. 35 U.S.C. § 325(d) and § 314(a)
`
`Petitioner relies on Exhibits 1002 – 1004, 1006, 1008-1009, and 1012-1014 as
`
`the basis for its Petition, which are: (i) U.S. Patent No. 3,748,182 to Brown; (ii)
`
`Certified Translation of Chinese Patent Publication No. CN 101286572; (iii) U.S.
`
`Patent Application No. 2006/0124973 to Arai et al.; (iv) Certified Translation of
`
`Japanese Patent Publication H07-153488 (“Kageyama,” Ex. 1006); (v) EP 0829105 to
`
`Okochi et al.; and (vi) Certified Translation of Japanese Patent Publication P2003-
`
`31266A to Kano et al. (“Kano,” Ex. 1013).
`
`
`
`5
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`IPR2021-00474 – Petition for Inter Partes Review of Claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No.
`9,496,581
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`
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`Only Kageyama and Kano were cited on the face of the ‘581 patent, although
`
`they were not applied during patent prosecution to reject any of the then pending
`
`claims. The other four references, including Ex. 1002 which is used as the primary
`
`prior art reference in this Petition, were never brought to the attention of the USPTO,
`
`either during the original prosecution of the ‘581 patent or in IPR2020-01211. As a
`
`result, the prior art asserted in the challenges below do not constitute the same or
`
`substantially the same prior art that was previously presented to the Office, as required
`
`by 35 U.S.C. § 325(d).
`
`Further, the Board should not exercise its discretion under 35 U.S.C. § 314(a) to
`
`deny institution of this Petition because the General Plastic (“GP”) factors weigh
`
`against the use of such discretion. Petitioner has not previously challenged the ‘581
`
`patent, and it is not involved nor has any control over the proceeding in IPR2020-
`
`01211. Due to the lack of involvement or control, Petitioner cannot control whether the
`
`parties in IPR2020-01211 ultimately decide to settle. Thus, none of the General Plastic
`
`factors apply to Petitioner under the circumstances. Moreover, joinder is not
`
`appropriate here and institution of the present Petition is warranted, especially in light
`
`of the non-cumulative nature of the prior art relied upon herein.
`
`
`
`6
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`Finally, Petitioner is not currently a party to any litigation involving the ‘581
`
`patent and could be adversely affected if the parties to IPR2020-01211 settle their
`
`dispute before a Final Written Decision.
`
`VIII. THE TECHNICAL BACKGROUND RELATED TO THE ‘581 PATENT
`
`Batteries typically have electrodes and a housing that encloses the electrodes.
`
`The shape of a battery may vary depending on its intended use. For instance, some
`
`batteries may be cylindrical, with a height that exceeds its diameter. Examples of these
`
`batteries include AAA, AA, C, and D batteries. Ex. 1011, ¶88. Other batteries may
`
`have a flat or button shape, with a diameter that exceeds the height. These batteries are
`
`often referred to as coin-shaped, flat-shaped, or button cell batteries. These batteries
`
`may be rechargeable.
`
`The ‘581 patent relates to button cell batteries, which typically have a housing
`
`that consists of two housing half-parts, a cell cup and a cell top. Ex. 1011, ¶30.
`
`Prefabricated electrode-separator assemblies are inserted into the housing and then
`
`sealed, thereby forming a sealed button cell battery. Ex. 1011, ¶31. In some button
`
`cells, the electrode-separator assembly is stacked parallel to the flat cell cup and cell
`
`top. Ex. 1011, ¶32. Charging and discharging of the battery causes expansion and
`
`contraction of the electrode-separator assembly within the housing. Ex. 1011, ¶33.
`
`When the electrode-separator assembly is stacked inside the housing in a parallel
`
`
`
`7
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`IPR2021-00474 – Petition for Inter Partes Review of Claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No.
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`manner, the expansion and contraction can push against the cell cup and cell top,
`
`causing undesirable separation. Id.
`
`To mitigate this problem, it was known to orient the electrode-separator
`
`assembly such that the stack inside the housing is orthogonal to the flat portion of the
`
`cell cup and cell top. Ex. 1011, ¶¶34-35. When oriented orthogonally, expansion and
`
`contraction would cause the electrode-separator assembly to push radially against the
`
`sides of the cell cup and cell top, which would reduce the chances of axial separation
`
`of the housing. Ex. 1011, ¶36. Despite the fact that orthogonal orientation of the
`
`electrode-separator assembly has been known since at least 1972, the ‘581 patent
`
`attempts to exclude others from using a button cell battery that employs this
`
`rudimentary and obvious configuration that would have been obvious to a person of
`
`ordinary skill in the art (“POSITA”) at the time the invention was made. Ex. 1011,
`
`¶¶38-41.
`
`IX. RELIEF SOUGHT
`
`Petitioner respectfully requests institution of an IPR and cancellation of claims
`
`1-13 of the ‘581 patent in a final written decision. This Petition is supported by a
`
`Declaration from Mr. Marc Juzkow, MSc, MBA (Ex. 1011), along with his curriculum
`
`vitae (Ex. 1010). Mr. Juzkow’s Declaration explains the background of battery
`
`technology, including button cell technology, and explains what the prior art would
`
`
`
`8
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`IPR2021-00474 – Petition for Inter Partes Review of Claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No.
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`have taught to a POSITA. There is a reasonable likelihood that, as of the earliest
`
`possible priority date, February 9, 2009, at least one of challenged claims is
`
`unpatentable on the following grounds:
`
`Ground
`
`Claims
`
`Statutory Basis
`
`1
`
`2
`
`3
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Ground 1: Claims 1-12
`
`Ground 2: Claim 13
`
`Ground 3: Claims 1-2, 4-
`5, 8-11
`
`§ 103
`
`§ 103
`
`§ 102
`
`Prior Art
`
`Brown, Arai, Okochi, and
`Higuchi
`Brown, Arai, Okochi,
`Higuchi, and Kageyama
`Kano
`
`Brown (Ex. 1002) was filed on May 26, 1972 and issued on July 24, 1973. Thus,
`
`Brown is prior art under at least 35 U.S.C. §102(b).
`
`Higuchi (Original Ex. 1003 & Certified Translation Ex. 10085) was filed on
`
`April 10, 2008, published on October 15, 2008, and claims priority to Japanese
`
`Application No. 2007-105148, filed April 12, 2007, before the priority date of the ‘581
`
`patent. Thus, Higuchi is prior art under at least 35 U.S.C. §102(a).
`
`
`
`5 Petitioner cites to Exhibit 1003 because it is the Certified English Translation of
`
`Exhibit 1008.
`
`
`
`9
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`IPR2021-00474 – Petition for Inter Partes Review of Claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No.
`9,496,581
`
`
`
`Arai (Ex. 1004) was filed on December 13, 2005 and claims priority to Japanese
`
`Patent No. 2004-360659, filed December 14, 2004. Arai was published on June 15,
`
`2006, before the priority date of the ‘581 patent. Arai is prior art at least 35 U.S.C.
`
`§102(b).
`
`
`
`Kageyama (Original Ex. 1012 & Certified Translation Ex. 1006) was filed
`
`on November 30, 1993 and published on June 16, 1995, before the priority date of the
`
`‘581 patent. Kageyama is prior art under at least 35 U.S.C. §102(b).
`
`Okochi (Ex. 1009) was filed on March 27, 1997 and was published on March
`
`18, 1998. The application claims priority to JP 7,352,996, filed March 28, 1996, before
`
`the priority date of the ‘581 patent. Okochi is prior art under at least under 35 U.S.C.
`
`§102(b).
`
`
`
`Kano (Original Ex. 1013 & Certified Translation Ex. 1014) was filed on July 16,
`
`2001 and was published on January 31, 2003, before the priority date of the ‘581
`
`patent. Kano is prior art at least under 35 U.S.C. §102(b).
`
`X. OVERVIEW OF THE ‘581 PATENT
`
`A.
`
`Summary of the ‘581 Patent
`
`The ‘581 patent relates to button cell batteries that have two metallic housing
`
`half-parts separated from one another by an electrically insulating seal. Ex. 1001, 1:17-
`
`
`
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`IPR2021-00474 – Petition for Inter Partes Review of Claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No.
`9,496,581
`
`
`19; Ex. 1011, ¶30. The general structure of the button cell battery is illustrated in FIG.
`
`1, reproduced below:
`
`
`
`
`
`The housing half-parts are referred to as a “housing cup” and a “housing top.” Id.,
`
`3:10-12; Ex. 1011, ¶31. Together, the two-housing cup and the housing top form a
`
`housing that has a flat bottom area and a flat top area parallel to it. Id., 3:7-10; Ex.
`
`1011, ¶31. The housing may contain widely differing electrochemical systems,
`
`including primary and secondary lithium systems. Id., 1:34-37; Ex. 1011, ¶31. The
`
`electrochemical systems consist of prefabricated, rechargeable electrode-separator
`
`assemblies, which eliminates the need to arrange individual electrodes and separators
`
`within the housing. Id., 1:38-44; Ex. 1011, ¶31.
`
`
`
`11
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`IPR2021-00474 – Petition for Inter Partes Review of Claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No.
`9,496,581
`
`
`
`
`The ‘581 patent admits that button cells having a housing consisting of housing
`
`half-parts that have a flat top and flat bottom were well known. Ex. 1011, ¶32.
`
`Similarly, the ‘581 patent admits that using housing half-parts to enclose rechargeable
`
`electrode-separator assemblies was well-known before the earliest priority date of the
`
`‘581 patent. Ex. 1011, ¶32. Prior art electrode-separator assemblies were arranged flat,
`
`one on top of the other, so that the electrode-separator assemblies were parallel to the
`
`flat top and flat bottom. Id., 1:44-57; Ex. 1011, ¶32. According to the ‘581 patent, this
`
`configuration allowed stacks of any desired height to be matched to the available
`
`dimensions of the button cell housing so that all of the available volume within the
`
`housing could be used. Id., 1:50-57; Ex. 1011, ¶32. According to the ‘581 patent, the
`
`prior art method of stacking the electrode-separator assemblies parallel to the flat top
`
`and bottom of the housing resulted in problems, such as faults occurring when the
`
`assemblies contact one another and leakage of the electrodes and separators. Id., 1:58 –
`
`2:4; Ex. 1011, ¶32.
`
`
`
`Some button cell housings are closed in a liquid tight manner by beading the
`
`edge of the cell cup over the edge of the cell top. Id., 2:5-11; Ex. 1011, ¶33.
`
`Alternately, the cell cup and cell top are held together in the axial direction exclusively
`
`by a force-fitting connection that do not have a beaded over edge. Id., 2:12-18; Ex.
`
`1011, ¶33. The electrodes within the cell housings are continually subject to volume
`
`
`
`12
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`IPR2021-00474 – Petition for Inter Partes Review of Claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No.
`9,496,581
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`
`changes during the charging and discharging process. Id., 2:18-26; Ex. 1011, ¶33.
`
`Regardless of whether a beaded edge or non-beaded edge is used, volume changes in
`
`the prior art arrangement of electrode-separator assemblies results in axial forces that
`
`push apart the cell cup and the cell top. Id., 2:26-29; Ex. 1011, ¶33.
`
`The ‘581 patent sought to produce a button cell that is more resistant to
`
`mechanical loads in the axial direction than what it alleges were “conventional button
`
`cells.” Id., 2:30-36; Ex. 1011, ¶34. The ‘581 patent allegedly solved the problem in the
`
`prior art because its “button cell is distinguished in particular by the electrode layers
`
`having a very particular orientation, specifically being aligned essentially at right
`
`angles to the flat bottom and top areas. While button cells known from the prior art
`
`with stacked electrode-separator assemblies always contain these assemblies inserted
`
`flat such that the electrode layers are aligned essentially parallel to the flat bottom and
`
`top areas, the situation in our button cell is the opposite of this.” Id., 3:31-39; Ex. 1011,
`
`¶36.
`
`The ‘581 patent alleges that “the right-angled alignment of the electrode layers
`
`has an unexpectedly considerable advantage, specifically because it has been