DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim 1 is amended
Claim 2 is cancelled
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 of this title, 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.
3. Claims 1, and 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Keiichi (US 20200033428 A1) in view of Kwak (US 20130162385).
Regarding Claim 1:
Keiichi teaches A coil component comprising:
an element body (1, Fig. 3; para 0035-0070) made of a metal powder-containing
resin (see para 0036);
a pair of coils (3a, 3b, Fig. 2-3) provided in the element body, the pair of coils
overlap each other in a coil axis direction (vertical direction in Fig. 2), and each of the pair of coils has a pair of end portions (left/right end part of 3a/3b in Fig. 2 and Fig. 4, respectively) extending to a surface (surface of 2 in Fig. 2) of the element body;
two pairs of external terminals (6a-6b/6a’-6b’, Fig. 5) provided on the surface of the
element body and connected to the end portions of the pair of coils, respectively;
a magnetic sheet (4) provided in the element body and interposed
between the pair of coils in the coil axis direction;
an insulator (10, Fig. 3) interposed between at least one of the pair of coils
and the magnetic sheet.
Keiichi does not teach wherein the magnetic sheet is made of a magnetic material containing magnetic powder and resin.
However, Kwak teaches that the magnetic sheet (130, Fig. 2; para 0035 and 0065) is made of a magnetic material containing magnetic powder and resin.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to the magnetic sheet is made of a magnetic material containing magnetic powder and resin to provide a coil part capable of improving matching between a first coil pattern and a second coil pattern (see para 0018).
Regarding Claim 4:
As applied to claim 1, the modified Keiichi teaches that a thickness (i.e. thickness of 4 in vertical direction in Fig. 3) of the magnetic sheet is greater than a thickness (thickness (i.e. thickness of 10 in vertical direction in Fig. 3) of a portion of the insulator interposed between the magnetic sheet and the coil (construed from Fig. 3)
Regarding Claim 5:
As applied to claim 1, the modified Keiichi teaches the magnetic sheet and the element body except a magnetic permeability of the magnetic sheet is higher than a magnetic permeability of the element body.
As of limitation "a magnetic permeability of the magnetic sheet is higher than a magnetic permeability of the element body ", it is seen that Keiichi certainly teaches substantially identical structure as shown in Fig. 2-3 such as an element body made of a metal powder-containing resin, a magnetic sheet is made of a magnetic material containing magnetic powder, resin and an insulator provided in the element body in same filed of endeavor. As per MPEP § 2112.01.I guideline, where the claimed and prior art products are identical or substantially identical in structure or composition, or are produced by identical or substantially identical processes, a prima facie case of either anticipation or obviousness has been established. In re Best, 562 F.2d 1252, 1255, 195 USPQ 430, 433 (CCPA 1977). Therefore, it is obvious to be labeled as a magnetic permeability of the magnetic sheet is higher than a magnetic permeability of the element body.
Regarding Claim 6:
As applied to claim 1, Keiichi teaches that at least one of a portion corresponding to an inner peripheral region of the coil (upper inner part of 3a or lower part 3b in Fig. 3) and a portion corresponding to an outer peripheral region (left/right upper part of 3a or 3b in Fig. 3) of the coil is omitted from the magnetic sheet.
3. Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Keiichi in view of Kwak and further in view of Araki (US 20210098181).
Regarding Claim 3:
As applied to claim 1, Keiichi teaches the magnetic powder of the magnetic sheet except the magnetic powder of the magnetic sheet has a flat shape.
However, Araki taught in para 0059 that the first magnetic portion 10 contains the flat-shaped magnetic particles.
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 magnetic powder of the magnetic sheet has a flat shape provides a coil component having high moisture resistance(see para 0006].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. A list of pertinent prior art is attached in form 892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Kazi Hossain whose telephone number is 571-272-8182. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday from Monday to Thursday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM (EST).
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at https:/www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Shawki Ismail can be reached on 571-272-3985. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https:/www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent- center for more information about Patent Center and https:/www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/KAZI HOSSAIN/
Examiner, Art Unit 2837
/TSZFUNG J CHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837