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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to Claims 1-21 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive, further they are moot because a new grounds of rejection.
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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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 1-3, 5-8, 10-13, 15-18, 20 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being unpatentable over Kobayashi et al. (hereinafter Kobayashi), U.S. Patent Application Publication 2009/0323253, in view of Shigeo et al., (hereinafter Shigeo), Japanese Patent JP2008300769A, and further in view of Konoue et al., (hereinafter Zhang), U.S. Patent Application Publication 2011/0037557.
Regarding Claim 1, Kobayashi teaches, (except where italicized), an electronic component (Fig. 7) comprising:
a body (9) including a coil having coil conductor layers stacked in a direction along a coil axis and an extended wiring line, and the body having a mounting surface (4) which faces a mounting substrate (not shown, “mounted on portable electronic appliances” [0004]) and an exposure surface (5, 6) from which the extended wiring line (12, 13) is exposed;
a first electrode (26) attached to the mounting surface; and
a second electrode (20) which is electrically connected to the extended wiring line and which is attached to the exposure surface, and all other of the coil conductor layers are out of physical contact with the second electrode,
wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are spaced from each other. (Kobayashi: Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 7, para. [0048], [0053], [0079], [0080], [0081]).
Kobayashi does not explicitly teach, including a coil having coil conductor layers stacked in a direction along a coil axis and an extended wiring line, and the body and
all other of the coil conductor layers are out of physical contact with the second electrode.
However, Shigeo teaches (Fig. 1(c)), including a coil having coil conductor layers (“the present invention can be generally applied to various multilayer ceramic electronic components other than multilayer capacitors, such as multilayer inductors” [0062]). (Shigeo: Figs. 1 and 2, machine translation, para. [0047], [0049], [0062], [0067]).
Further, Konoue teaches (Fig. 1), stacked in a direction along a coil axis and an extended wiring line (4a, 4b), and the body (11) and,
all other of the coil conductor layers (2) are out of physical contact with the second electrode (5a, 5b). (Konoue: Figs. 1 and 2, para. [0025]-[0027]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the electronic component of Kobayashi to include the coil having coil conductor layers of Shigeo, the motivation being that “the present invention can be generally applied to various multilayer ceramic electronic components other than multilayer capacitors, such as multilayer inductors” [0062]. (Shigeo: Figs. 1 and 2, machine translation, para. [0062]).
Further, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the coil having coil conductor layers of the combination of Kobayashi in view of Shigeo to include the stacked in a direction along a coil axis and an extended wiring line (4a, 4b), and the body (11) and, all other of the coil conductor layers (2) are out of physical contact with the second electrode of Konoue, the motivation being to provide a coil resistant to cracks with “the multilayer coil component include[ing] plural internal conductors made of Ag provided between adjacent magnetic ceramic layers and interconnected to each other to form a helical coil surrounded by magnetic ceramic” [0015]. (Konoue: Figs. 1 and 2, para. [0015]). Therefore, the limitations of Claim 1 would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Regarding Claim 2, the combination of Kobayashi in view of Shigeo and further in view of Konoue further teaches, wherein the body has a corner portion that is configured by the exposure surface and the mounting surface and that is R-chamfered. (Kobayashi: Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 7, para. [0067]).
Regarding Claim 3 and similarly claim 11, the combination of Kobayashi in view of Shigeo and further in view of Konoue further teaches, further comprising: a third electrode (22) that covers the first electrode and the second electrode. (Kobayashi: Fig. 7, para. [0081]).
Regarding Claim 5 and similarly claim 12 and 13, the combination of Kobayashi in view of Shigeo and further in view of Konoue further teaches, wherein the first electrode or the second electrode contains Ag or Cu (“...consisting of Ni, Sn, Pb, Au, Ag, Pd, Bi, and Z...” [0083]). (Kobayashi: Fig. 7, para. [0083]).
Regarding Claim 6 and similarly claims 15 and 16, the combination of Kobayashi in view of Shigeo and further in view of Konoue teaches (Fig. 1(c)), wherein the body has a length between the first electrode and the second electrode along an outer surface of the body, the length being from 6 µm to 66 µm inclusive (“the discontinuous width F shown in FIG. 1(c),...is preferably set to approximately 1 to 15% of the fold length G of the fold portion 4b of the external electrode” [0047], “the discontinuous width J shown in FIG. 2( b ) is preferably set in the range of 1 to 10% of the chip dimension I of the ceramic sintered body 2” [0049], “sintered body 2 measuring 1.6 mm x 0.8 mm x 0.8 mm high was prepared” [0067], comprises a length between “being from 6 µm to 66 µm inclusive”), the motivation being that “it is possible to reliably prevent the occurrence of cracks and also to reliably form a plating film on the exposed portion” [0048]. (Shigeo: Figs. 1 and 2, machine translation, para. [0047], [0048], [0049], [0067]).
Regarding Claim 7 and similarly claim 17 and 18, the combination of Kobayashi in view of Shigeo and further in view of Konoue further teaches, wherein an insulation member (“Cu oxide-containing region 21” [0081] comprises an insulation member) is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. (Kobayashi: Fig. 7, para. [0081]).
Regarding Claim 8, the combination of Kobayashi in view of Shigeo and further in view of Konoue further teaches, wherein the insulation member (21) extends from the exposure surface to the mounting surface. (Kobayashi: Fig. 7, para. [0081]).
Regarding Claim 10 and similarly claim 20, the combination of Kobayashi in view of Shigeo and further in view of Konoue further teaches, a coil component comprising:
the electronic component according to Claim 1 (Kobayashi, Fig. 7), in which the body includes coil conductor layers, via conductors and insulation layers, that are laminated together (Shigeo: “the present invention can be generally applied to various multilayer ceramic electronic components other than multilayer capacitors, such as multilayer inductors” [0062]), the motivation being that “the present invention can be generally applied to various multilayer ceramic electronic components other than multilayer capacitors, such as multilayer inductors” [0062]. (Kobayashi: Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 7, para. [0048], [0053], [0079], [0080], [0081]), (Shigeo: Figs. 1 and 2, machine translation, para. [0062]).
Regarding Claim 21, the combination of Kobayashi in view of Shigeo and further in view of Konoue further teaches, wherein the extended wiring line (4a, 4b) is closer to the mounting surface than any other of the coil conductor layers (2), the motivation being to provide ease of connection to the external electrode during manufacturing. (Konoue: Figs. 1 and 2, para. [0015]).
Claims 4 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Kobayashi in view of Shigeo and further in view of Konoue, as applied to claim 3, in view of Kobayashi (2nd embodiment, Fig. 5).
Regarding Claim 4, the combination of Kobayashi in view of Shigeo and further in view of Konoue is silent on including a third electrode that is a plated electrode that contains Ni and Sn. (Kobayashi: Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 7, para. [0048], [0053], [0079], [0080], [0081]).
The combination of Kobayashi in view of Shigeo and further in view of Konoue does not explicitly teach, wherein the third electrode is a plated electrode that contains Ni and Sn.
However, Kobayashi (2nd embodiment, Fig. 5 ) teaches, wherein the third electrode is a plated electrode that contains Ni and Sn (“a first layer,...composed of Ni having a solder barrier property and a second layer,...composed of Sn” [0075]). (Kobayashi (2nd embodiment): Fig. 5, para. [0075]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the third electrode of the combination of Kobayashi in view of Shigeo and further in view of Konoue to include the upper layer plating film (23) of Kobayashi, (2nd embodiment, Fig. 5), the motivation being to provide “a solder barrier property and...good solder wettability” [0075]. (Kobayashi (2nd embodiment): Fig. 5, para. [0075]). Therefore, the limitations of Claim 4 would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Regarding Claim 14, the combination of Kobayashi in view of Shigeo and further in view of Konoue and still further in view of Kobayashi (2nd embodiment) further teaches, wherein the first electrode or the second electrode contains Ag or Cu (“...consisting of Ni, Sn, Pb, Au, Ag, Pd, Bi, and Z...” [0083]). (Kobayashi: Fig. 7, para. [0083]).
Claims 9 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Kobayashi in view of Shigeo and further in view of Konoue, as applied to claims 7 and 8, respectively, in view of Toshiki et al., (hereinafter Toshiki), Japanese Patent JP 2015084360 A.
Regarding Claim 9 and similarly claim 19, the combination of Kobayashi in view of Shigeo and further in view of Konoue is silent on the insulation member including a glass layer. (Kobayashi: Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 7, para. [0048], [0053], [0079], [0080], [0081]).
The combination of Kobayashi in view of Shigeo and further in view of Konoue does not explicitly teach, wherein the insulation member contains a glass material.
However, Toshiki teaches (Fig. 2), wherein the insulation member (130) contains a glass material (“glass layer” [0030]). (Toshiki: Figs. 1, 2 and 5, machine translation, para. [0030]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the insulation member of the combination of Kobayashi in view of Shigeo and further in view of Konoue to include the glass layer of Toshiki, the motivation being that “the glass layer 130 can prevent the plating solution from penetrating into the element body 110 through the openings in the sintered metal layer 121” [0033]. (Toshiki: Figs. 1 and 2, machine translation, para. [0033]). Therefore, the limitations of Claim 9 would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Uenishi et al. (US 20190096577), and Kenjiro et al. (JP 2005236161 A).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/MALCOLM BARNES/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
4/4/2026
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