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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 04/23/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-6 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claims 1-3 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2010/0026437 A1) in view of Imada et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2013/0063240 A1) and (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2004/0113739 A1).
With respect to claim 1, Lin et al., hereinafter referred to as “Lin,” teaches a transformer 2 (FIGs. 2A-3B), comprising:
a magnetic core assembly 23 comprising a first magnetic core and a second magnetic core;
a bobbin 21 comprising a bobbin main body (the body of bobbin 21), a bobbin channel 212 and a winding portion 211, wherein the bobbin channel runs through two opposite sides of the bobbin main body, and the winding portion is formed on an outer periphery surface (wall on which primary winding is wound) of the bobbin main body, the bobbin main body comprises a first receiving portion 21a (annotated FIG. 3A), and the first receiving portion is connected with the bobbin main body;
wherein a first cover part (yoke) of the first magnetic core is in direct contact with the first receiving portion (para. [0031]).
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Lin does not expressly teach
two first windings disposed around the winding portion, wherein one of the two first windings is disposed between the other one of the two first windings and the outer periphery surface of the bobbin main body;
a second winding disposed around the winding portion and disposed between the two first windings.
Imada et al., hereinafter referred to as “Imada,” teaches a transformer 20 (FIGs. 4-5), comprising:
two first windings P11a and any of P12a, P2 or P3 disposed around the winding portion 12a, wherein one of the two first windings is disposed between the other one of the two first windings and the outer periphery surface of the bobbin main body;
a second winding (e.g. winding S11) disposed around the winding portion and disposed between the two first windings (paras. [0048]-[0052]). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have the first and second windings as taught by Imada to the transformer of Lin to improve magnetic coupling between first and second windings.
Lin does not also expressly teach
at least one circuit board comprising a circuit board hole, wherein the circuit board hole and the bobbin channel are communicated with each other, and the magnetic core assembly partially penetrates through the circuit board hole and the bobbin channel, wherein the at least one circuit board comprises a first circuit board, wherein a first cover part of the first magnetic core is in direct contact with both the first circuit board and the first receiving portion.
Du et al., hereinafter referred to as “Du,” teaches a transformer 5 (FIGs. 2A-2E) comprising:
at least one circuit board 40 and or 45 comprising a circuit board hole (center aperture, FIG. 2A), wherein the circuit board hole and the bobbin channel (central channel of bobbin 701, FIG. 2D) are communicated with each other, and the magnetic core assembly 10 and 20 partially penetrates through the circuit board hole and the bobbin channel, wherein at least one circuit board comprise a first circuit board 40 or 45, wherein a first cover part of the first magnetic core is in direct contact with both the first circuit board and the first receiving portion (paras. [0035]-[0036]). The combination of Du to Lin would result in “wherein the at least one circuit board comprises a first circuit board, wherein a first cover part of the first magnetic core is in direct contact with both the first circuit board and the first receiving portion” as claimed. Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have the circuit board as taught by Du to the transformer of LIn to simplify electric design and reduce manufacturing cost and size (paras. [0004]-[0005]).
With respect to claim 2, Lin in view of Imada and Du teaches the transformer according to claim 1, wherein the at least one circuit board further comprises a second circuit board (Du, the other of circuit board 40 or 50), t the first circuit board is disposed between the first magnetic core and the bobbin main body and comprises a first circuit board hole (center aperture of circuit board 40), the second circuit board is disposed between the second magnetic core and the bobbin main body and comprises a second circuit board hole (center aperture of circuit board 40), the first circuit board hole, the second circuit board hole and the bobbin channel are communicated with each other, and the magnetic core assembly partially penetrates through the first circuit board hole, the second circuit board hole and the bobbin channel (Du, para. [0036]).
With respect to claim 3, Lin in view of Imada and Du teaches the transformer according to claim 2, wherein the first magnetic core comprises the first cover part (yoke), a first lateral core part (first outer leg), a second lateral core part (second outer leg) and a first middle core part (first middle leg), the first lateral core part and the second lateral core part are connected with two opposite sides of the first cover part, and the first middle core part is connected with the first cover part and disposed between the first lateral core part and the second lateral core part, wherein the second magnetic core comprises a second cover part (yoke), a third lateral core part (third outer leg), a fourth lateral core part (fourth outer leg) and a second middle core part (second middle leg), the second cover part is spatially corresponding in position to the first cover part, the third lateral core part and the fourth lateral core part are connected with two opposite sides of the second cover part, the third lateral core part is connected with the first lateral core part, the fourth lateral core part is connected with the second lateral core part, the second middle core part is connected with the second cover part and disposed between the third lateral core part and the fourth lateral core part, and the second middle core part is connected with the first middle core part, wherein the first middle core part and the second middle core part penetrates through the first circuit board hole, the second circuit board hole and the bobbin channel (Imada, paras. [0028]-[0029]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 and 5 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 4 recites, inter alia, the first receiving portion is connected with one side of the first lateral wall of the bobbin main body, the first receiving portion and the bobbin channel are staggered with each other, so that the first receiving portion is not covered on the bobbin channel, and the first receiving portion comprises a first concave having a first slot, wherein the second receiving portion is connected with one side of the second lateral wall of the bobbin main body, the second receiving portion and the bobbin channel are staggered with each other, so that the second receiving portion is not covered on the bobbin channel, and the second receiving portion comprises a second concave having a second slot.
Claim 5 depends on claim 4.
The references of record do not teach or suggest the aforementioned limitations, nor would it be obvious to modify those references to include such limitations.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MANGTIN LIAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5729. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 0800-1700.
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/MANG TIN BIK LIAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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