DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 11/25/2025 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 11/25/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that Tsunemi does not teach “a non-magnetic carrier layer” as claimed in claim 16. Applicant asserts that the adhesive layer 34 of Tsunemi is formed on one of the major surfaces of the composite material in a sheet form to constitute the composite magnetic material sheet (para. [0072]). Therefore, applicant contends that the adhesive layer 34 does not represent the “carrier layer” as claimed.
After careful consideration without passion or prejudice, the argument is respectfully found not persuasive. When the adhesive layer 34 of Tsunemi adheres the magnetic sheets 35 of the composite magnetic material 31 (the claimed “magnetic foil”), the adhesive layer becomes a “carrier” or bearer or holder of the magnetic sheets. Accordingly, it’s reasonable to interpret the adhesive layer 34 as the “carrier layer” as claimed. Therefore, the examiner maintains Tsunemi teaches “a non-magnetic carrier layer” as claimed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 16-19 and 22-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsunemi et al. (US PG. Pub. No. 2008/0055034) in view of Hangzhou et al. (DE 20 2016 104 063), and Sawa et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2014/0239892 A1).
With respect to claim 16, Tsunemi et al., hereinafter referred to as “Sawa,” teaches an inductive component 30 (Fig. 7), comprising:
a wire winding 33, around which a magnetic foil 31 wrapped;
wherein the magnetic foil comprises at least one magnetic layer and a non-magnetic carrier layer 34 in addition to the at least one magnetic layer,
wherein the at least one magnetic layer comprises a magnetic material, and
a non-magnetic and non-conductive insulating layer 14, which comprises a plastic and which is disposed between the magnetic foil and the wire winding (paras. [0066], [0071]-[0072]).
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Tsunemi does not expressly teach
an electrical shielding, which surrounds the magnetic foil.
Hangzhou et al., hereinafter referred to as “Hangzhou,” teaches an inductive component (Fig. 1), comprising:
an electrical shielding 5, which surrounds the magnetic foil 4 (para. [0021]).
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It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have the electrical shielding as taught by Hangzhou to the inductive component of Tsunemi to reduce electromagnetic radiation emission to the outside during operation (para. [0003]).
Tsunemi does not also expressly teach
the magnetic material is a nanocrystalline iron alloy.
Sawa et al., hereinafter referred to as “Sawa,” teaches an inductive component 11 (FIG. 11),
wherein the magnetic material (magnetic material of magnetic foil 1) is a nanocrystalline iron alloy (para. [051]).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have the nanocrystalline iron alloy as taught by Sawa to the inductive component of Tsunemi to reduce the thickness of the magnetic foil.
With respect to claim 17, Tsunemi in view of Hangzhou, and Sawa teaches the inductive component according to claim 16, wherein the magnetic foil is self-adhesive (para. [0071]).
With respect to claim 18, Tsunemi in view of Hangzhou, and Sawa teaches the inductive component according to claim 16, wherein the magnetic foil is wrapped around the wire winding in a plurality of layers (Tsunemi, para. [0072]).
With respect to claim 19, Tsunemi in view of Hangzhou, and Sawa teaches the inductive component according to claim 16, further comprising a magnetic core (winding core of drum core 32) disposed within the wire winding (para. [0071]).
With respect to claim 22, Tsunemi in view of Hangzhou, and Sawa teaches the inductive component according to claim 16, wherein the magnetic material is configured in a form of particles, which are embedded in a non-magnetic material (paras. [0066].
With respect to claim 23, Tsunemi in view of Hangzhou, and Sawa teaches the inductive component according to claim 16, wherein the at least one magnetic layer is made entirely of the magnetic material (Hangzhou, para. [0021]).
With respect to claim 24, Tsunemi in view of Hangzhou, and Sawa teaches the inductive component according to claim 16, wherein the magnetic foil has a maximum thickness of 100 μm (Tsunemi, para. [0068]). The thickness of the magnetic foil and the adhesive layer 24 are about the same, as shown in Fig. 9 of Tsunemi. Therefore, the thickness of the magnetic foil of Tsunemi would be less than 100 μm.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsunemi in view of Hangzhou, and Sawa as applied to claim 16 above, and further in view of Goodzeit et al. (U.S. Patent No. 6,921,042 B1).
With respect to claim 20, Tsunemi in view of Hangzhou, and Sawa teaches the inductive component according to claim 16. Tsunemi in view of Hangzhou, and Sawa does not expressly teach there is no magnetic core within the wire winding.
Goodzeit et al., hereinafter referred to as “Goodzeit,” teaches an inductive component (FIG. 2), wherein there is no magnetic core within the wire winding 1 (col. 6, lines 28-33).
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It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have the wire winding without a magnetic core as taught by Goodzeit to the inductive component of Tsunemi in view of Hangzhou, and Sawa to reduce cost and or weight.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MANGTIN LIAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5729. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 0800-1700.
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/MANG TIN BIK LIAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837