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 .
Elections/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Species 1 (Claims 1-9 and 13-19) in the reply filed on 01/21/2026 is acknowledged.
However, since applicant did not distinctly indicate whether election is with or without traverse and did not point out any supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.03(a) and 818.03(c)).
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-9 and 13-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim (US 20200294712 A1).
Regarding Claim 1:
Kim teaches that a coil component comprising:
a body having first (103, Fig. 1; para 0060-0063) and second surfaces (104)
opposing each other in a thickness direction (i.e. Z direction in Fig. 1); and
a coil portion (42, 44) embedded within the body,
wherein the coil portion includes
first (42) and second coil (44) patterns,
a first lead-out portion (62) and a first dummy lead-out portion (63) extending from the first coil pattern in the thickness direction, and respectively exposed to the first and second surfaces (claim does not require that lead-out portions directly expose to the first and second surfaces. Therefore, given the broadest reasonable interpretation (BRI) of the claim interpretation, Kim reads the limitations) of the body, while being spaced apart (construed from Fig. 1) from each other, and
a second lead-out portion (64) and a second dummy lead-out portion (65) extending from the second coil pattern in the thickness direction, and respectively exposed to the first and second surfaces of the body, while being spaced apart from each other.
Regarding Claim 2:
As applied to claim 1, Kim teaches that the body further has third (101) and fourth surfaces (102) connecting the first and second surfaces of the body to each other and opposing each other in a length direction (i.e. X direction in Fig. 1) , and the first lead-out portion and the second dummy lead-out portion are exposed to the third surface, while being spaced apart from each other (construed from Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 3:
As applied to claim 1, Kim teaches that the second lead-out portion and the first dummy lead-out portion are exposed to the fourth surface, while being spaced apart from each other (construed from Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 4:
As applied to claim 3, Kim teaches that further comprising an internal insulating layer (23, Fig. 1; para 0044) embedded within the body between the first and second coil patterns, wherein the first and second coil patterns are respectively disposed on one surface and other surface of the internal insulating layer.
Regarding Claim 5:
As applied to claim 4, Kim teaches that the body further has fifth (105) and sixth surfaces (106) connecting the first to fourth surfaces of the body to each other and opposing each other in a width direction (i.e. Y direction) , the one surface of the internal insulating layer faces toward the fifth surface of the body, and the other surface of the internal insulating layer faces to the sixth surface of the body (construed form Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 6:
As applied to claim 5, Kim teaches that the internal insulating layer includes a support portion (24) and a plurality of protrusions (31, 32, Fig. 2) extending from the main portion in the thickness direction and respectively supporting the first and second lead-out portions and the first and second dummy lead-out portions and respectively exposed to the first to fourth surfaces of the body.
Regarding Claim 7:
As applied to claim 6, Kim teaches that the plurality of protrusions include the first to fourth protrusions (31a, 31b, 32a, 32b; see Fig. 2; para 0065) , the first protrusion is exposed to the surface to which the first lead-out portion of the body is exposed, the second protrusion is exposed to the surface to which the first dummy lead-out portion of the body is exposed, the third protrusion is exposed to the surface to which the second lead-out portion of the body is exposed, and the fourth protrusion is exposed to the surface to which the second dummy lead-out portion of the body is exposed (construed from Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 8:
As applied to claim 4, Kim teaches that the coil portion further includes a via passing through (46, Fig. 1) the internal insulating layer and connecting the first and second coil patterns to each other, and a direction in which the via passes through the internal insulating layer is substantially parallel to the first to fourth surfaces of the body.
Regarding Claim 9:
As applied to claim 4, Kim teaches that first (851) and second external electrodes (852) disposed on the first surface of the body, while being spaced apart from each other, and respectively connected to the first and second lead-out portions.
Regarding Claim 13:
Kim teaches that a coil component comprising:
a body having first (103, Fig. 1; para 0060-0063) and second surfaces (104)
opposing each other in a thickness direction (i.e. Z direction in Fig. 1); and
third (101) and fourth surfaces (102) connecting the first and second surfaces of the body to each other and opposing each other in a length direction (i.e. X direction in Fig. 1) ,
a coil portion (42, 44) embedded within the body,
wherein the coil portion includes
first (42) and second coil (44) patterns,
a first lead-out portion (62) extending from the first coil pattern in the thickness
direction, and exposed to each of the first and third surfaces of the body
a second lead-out portion (64) extending from the second coil pattern in the thickness direction, and exposed to each of the first and fourth surfaces of the body,
Regarding Claim 14:
As applied to claim 13, Kim teaches that the coil portion further includes and a first dummy lead-out portion (63) extending from the first coil pattern in the thickness direction and exposed to each of the second and fourth surfaces of the body, and a second dummy lead-out portion (65) extending from the second coil pattern in the thickness direction and exposed to each of the second and third surfaces of the body.
Regarding Claim 15:
As applied to claim 14, Kim teaches that further comprising an internal insulating layer (23, Fig. 1; para 0044) embedded within the body between the first and second coil patterns, wherein the first and second coil patterns are respectively disposed on one surface and the other surface of the internal insulating layer.
Regarding Claim 16:
As applied to claim 15, Kim teaches that first (851) and second external electrodes (852) disposed on any one the first to fourth surfaces of the body, while being spaced apart from each other, and respectively connected to the first and second lead-out portions.
Regarding Claim 17:
As applied to claim 4, Kim teaches that the one surface (i.e. upper surface of 24 in Fig. 1) of the internal insulating layer is parallel to the fifth surface of the body, and the other surface (i.e. lower surface of 24 in Fig. 1) of the internal insulating layer is parallel to the sixth surface of the body (construed from Fig. 1)
Regarding Claim 18:
As applied to claim 5, Kim teaches that the coil portion has an axis (i.e. center axis of coil in Fig. 1) parallel to a width direction (i.e. Z direction) of the body.
Regarding Claim 19:
As applied to claim 1, Kim teaches that the first and the second coil patterns have a flat spiral shape (see para 0058).,
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
/SHAWKI S ISMAIL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2837
Prosecution Insights