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 Species 1, Figures 1-3 and Claims 1-2, 15 in the reply filed on 10/9/2025 is acknowledged.
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) 1-3angle is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshino et al. [US 2021/0280359 A1] in view of Oki [CN 103093938 A].
Regarding claims 1 and 15, Yoshino et al. discloses a coil device [figures 1 and 8], comprising:
- a magnetic core comprising a winding core portion [13] and a pair of flange portions [11, 12]; and
- a plurality of winding wires [W] wound on the winding core portion of the magnetic core, wherein the winding core portion is an octagonal cylinder [figures 7A-7B] , wherein the flange portions are respectively provided to two ends of the octagonal cylinder;
wherein each of the flange portions has a top surface, wherein one end of each of the winding wires is connected to the top surface of one of the flange portions, wherein the other end of each of the winding wires is connected to the top surface of the other one of the flange portions [figure 8];
wherein the octagonal cylinder has a first lateral surface [62] and a second lateral surface [61 or 63] adjacent to each other, wherein the first lateral surface of the octagonal cylinder is parallel to the top surface of each of the flange portions.
Yoshino et al. disclose the instant claimed invention except for an area of the first lateral surface of the octagonal cylinder is less than an area of the second lateral surface of the octagonal cylinder.
Oki discloses a core structure having a winding core portion [21] having an octagonal shape with one surface thereof smaller than another surface that adjacent thereof [see figure 2].
It would have been an obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use the octagonal shape of Oki in Yoshino et al. for the purpose of facilitating wounding/mounting and/or assembling/manufacturing.
Regarding claim 2, Yoshina et al. discloses different inclined angles [figures 6A-6B-7A-7B].
The specific angles for the inclined would have been an obvious design consideration for the purpose of improving of wounding and/or assembling/manufacturing.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TUYEN T NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1996. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 8:30-5:30.
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 http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Shawki Ismail can be reached at 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.
/TUYEN T NGUYEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837