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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 December 10, 2025 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 1, 3 – 7, and 9 - 10 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
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.
Claims 1, 3 – 7, and 9 - 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yoshikawa et al. (U.S. Patent Publication No. 2022/0143761).
Regarding claim 1, Yoshikawa discloses a solder composition containing Sn (Abstract, claim 1), comprising: 2.5% by mass or more and 3.5% by mass or less of Cu (0.1% to 2.0% of Cu is disclosed; Abstract, claim 1); 0.1% by mass or more and 0.5% by mass or less of Ni (0.01% to 0.4% of Ni is disclosed; Abstract, claim 1); 0.01% by mass or more and 0.5% by mass or less of P (0.001% to 0.08% of P is disclosed; Abstract, claim 1), and more than 0.01% by mass and 0.5% by mass or less of Ge (0.001% to 0.08% of Ge is disclosed; Abstract, claim 1), wherein the solder composition substantially does not include Sb (lead-free solder alloy, paragraph [0010]; Sb is not included in the alloy composition, Abstract and claim 1) and Co (Co is not included in the alloy composition disclosed in the Abstract, and optional in the solder alloy composition disclosed in claim 1).
Regarding claim 3, Yoshikawa discloses 0.001% by mass or more and 0.5% by mass or less of Ga (claim 1).
Regarding claim 4, Yoshikawa discloses a solder portion containing the solder composition according to claim 1 (paragraph [0011]).
Regarding claim 5, Yoshikawa discloses a terminal electrode, wherein the terminal electrode includes a connection portion to which a lead portion of a wire is connected, and the lead portion is electrically connected to the connection portion by the solder portion (paragraph [0011]).
Regarding claim 6, Yoshikawa discloses wherein the lead portion of the wire is entangled into the connection portion (paragraph [0011]).
Regarding claim 7, Yoshikawa discloses wherein the terminal electrode further includes a mounting portion, and the connection portion is disposed on a side opposite to a mounting side in comparison to the mounting portion (paragraph [0011]).
Regarding claim 9, Yoshikawa discloses wherein the solder composition contains from more than 0.1% by mass to 0.5% by mass or less of Ni (Abstract, claim 1).
Regarding claim 10, Yoshikawa discloses the solder composition further comprising: more than 0.015% by mass and 0.1% by mass or less of Ge (Abstract, claim 1).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TREMESHA W BURNS whose telephone number is (571)270-3391. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am - 4:30 pm EST.
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TREMESHA W. BURNS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2847
/TREMESHA W BURNS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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