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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-7 and 9 in the reply filed on 12/26/2025 is acknowledged.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the substrate located in a center hole of the cup must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 7, applicant should clarify the structure and/or arrangement of the substrate intended by “a substrate located in a center hole of the cup”. It appears that the substrate [150] is not located in the center hole [102H] of the cup. The structure and/or location/arrangement of the substrate relative to a center hole of the cup in the final product is not clear. Applicant should clarify.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipate by Ratz et al. [US 2015/0228401 A1].
Regarding claim 1, Ratz et al. discloses a transformer assembly comprising:
- a transformer core [201];
- a cup [205] that receives the transformer core;
- a lid [204] that engages with the cup and covers the transformer core; and
- a winding wound [203] around the cup and the lid; wherein the cup and/or the lid include at least one hole [figures 2-4] through which the transformer core is exposed to an exterior of the cup and the lid when the lid is engaged with the cup, wherein the at least one hole is located in the cup and/or lid where the winding is wound around the cup and the lid [figures 2-4].
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.
Claim(s) 1-7 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aarab [US 2017/0365390 A1] in view of Ratz et al.
Regarding claim 1, Aarab discloses a transformer assembly [figures 2-5] comprising:
- a transformer core [para 0049];
- a cup [40] that receives the transformer core;
- a lid [50] that engages with the cup and covers the transformer core; and
- a winding wound [14, 16, 18] around the cup and the lid.
Aarab disclose the instant claimed invention except for at least one hole formed in the cup and/or lid.
Ratz et al. discloses a transformer assembly comprising:
- a transformer core [201];
- a cup [205] that receives the transformer core;
- a lid [204] that engages with the cup and covers the transformer core; and
- a winding wound [203] around the cup and the lid; wherein the cup and/or the lid include at least one hole [figures 2-4] through which the transformer core is exposed to an exterior of the cup and the lid when the lid is engaged with the cup, wherein the at least one hole is located in the cup and/or lid where the winding is wound around the cup and the lid [figures 2-4].
It would have been an obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include at least one hole in the cup and/or lid of Aarab’s transformer, as suggested by Ratz et al., for the purpose providing heat dissipation from the core.
Regarding claims 2 and 5, Aarab further discloses a clip [24] that is at least partially inserted into a center hole of the cup, wherein the clip includes insulating material. The specific material and/or method to form the clip would have been an obvious design consideration for the purpose of improving manufacturing.
Regarding claim 3, Aarab further discloses a recess [or groove 48, 34, 38, 64] form to support the clip [24, figures 1-6], wherein the clip having a plurality of projections [80, figure 5] engage with the recesses/grooves.
The specific arrangement of the recess/groove would have been an obvious design consideration for the purpose of improving assembling/manufacturing.
Regarding claim 4, Aarab further discloses another substrate [12] having a plurality of holes formed there in, wherein the transformer assembly disposed on the substrate. Aarab also discloses a mounting/supporting structure for mounting the transformer onto the substrate, wherein the mounting/supporting structure includes the clip [24] and base plate [22] having support elements [30] for supporting the transformer on the substrate.
It would have been an obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the mounting/supporting structure with the cup of Aarab for the purpose of simplifying the structure and/or assembling/manufacturing.
Regarding claim 6, Aarab further discloses a bottom surface of the cup includes pips or feet [52] that locate the transformer assembly with respect to a substrate or base plate [22, figures 1-6].
Regarding claim 7, as best understood in view of the rejection under 35 USC 112 paragraph, Aarab discloses the clip [24] located in a center hole of the cup [205].
The specific material [FR4, a known material used in magnetic/electronic device] use for the clip would have been an obvious design consideration for the purpose of providing and/or improving insulation/isolation.
Regarding claim 9, both Aarab and Ratz et al. discloses each of the cup and the lid includes a center hole with a diameter of about 2 mm or greater.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-6 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mitsuhiro [JP 2000-208343 A] in view of Ratz et al.
Regarding claim 1, Aarab discloses a magnetic assembly [figures 1-3] comprising:
- core [3];
- a cup [4, 5, 6] that receives the transformer core;
- a lid [4, 5, 6] that engages with the cup and covers the transformer core; and
- a winding wound [2] around the cup and the lid.
Mitsuhiro discloses the instant claimed invention except for at least one hole formed in the cup and/or lid.
Ratz et al. discloses a transformer assembly comprising:
- a transformer core [201];
- a cup [205] that receives the transformer core;
- a lid [204] that engages with the cup and covers the transformer core; and
- a winding wound [203] around the cup and the lid; wherein the cup and/or the lid include at least one hole [figures 2-4] through which the transformer core is exposed to an exterior of the cup and the lid when the lid is engaged with the cup, wherein the at least one hole is located in the cup and/or lid where the winding is wound around the cup and the lid [figures 2-4].
It would have been an obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include at least one hole in the cup and/or lid of Mitsuhiro, as suggested by Ratz et al., for the purpose providing heat dissipation from the core.
Regarding claims 2 and 5, Mitsuhiro further discloses a clip [7] that is at least partially inserted into a center hole of the cup, wherein the clip includes insulating material. The specific material and/or method to form the clip would have been an obvious design consideration for the purpose of improving manufacturing.
Regarding claim 3, Mitsuhiro further discloses a recess [groove figure 3] form to support the clip [7], wherein the clip having a plurality of projections [figures 2-3] engage with the recesses/grooves [figures 2-3].
Regarding claim 6, Mitsuhiro further discloses a bottom surface of the cup includes pips or feet [8] that locate the transformer assembly with respect to a substrate [not show].
Regarding claim 9, both Mitsuhiro and Ratz et al. discloses each of the cup and the lid includes a center hole with a diameter of about 2 mm or greater.
Conclusion
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/TUYEN T NGUYEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837