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 have been considered but are moot in grounds of the new rejection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
1. Claims 1-3, 5-6, 11-12, 15 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Masuno et al. (JP 2003100548)(English translation) in view of Yang et al. (US 20200168391) and Kang et al. (US 20190311829).
Regarding claim 1, Masuno et al. (pages 3-6 and figures 1a-3b) discloses a body (see figures 3a-3b) including a coil unit disposed therein (see page 4, para 0016), and having first and second surfaces opposing each other in a first direction (see figures 3a-3b) with lead-out portions of the coil unit extending thereto, respectively, third and fourth surfaces connected to the first and second surfaces and opposing each other in a second direction (see figures 3a-3b), and fifth and sixth surfaces connected to the first to fourth surfaces and opposing each other in a third direction(see figures 3a-3b); a first external electrode disposed on the body (22), and including a first connection portion (24) covering the first surface of the body and a first pad portion (26) covering the sixth surface of the body (see figures 3a-3b), the first pad portion having a smaller width than the first connection portion (see figure 3b);
a second external electrode (22) disposed on the body, connected to the coil unit, and including a second connection portion (24) covering the second surface of the body (see figures 3a-3b) and a second pad portion (26) covering the sixth surface of the body (see figures 3a-3b), the second pad portion having a smaller width than the second connection portion (see figure 3b);
Masuno et al. page 4, para 0016 discloses a teaching wherein a coil unit is inside the element body 4, but does not expressly show a first external electrode disposed on the body connected to the coil unit, a second external electrode disposed on the body connected to the coil unit and wherein an insulating layer is covering the first and second connection portions disposed on the first and second surfaces of the body, respectively and wherein the insulating layer extends onto the sixth surface of the body to partially cover the first and second pad portions.
Yang et al. (figures 1-3 and para 0031-0076) discloses a teaching wherein a first external electrode (400) disposed on the body connected to the coil unit (300), a second external electrode (500) disposed on the body connected to the coil unit (300) and wherein an insulating layer (800) is covering the first and second connection portions disposed on the first and second surfaces of the body (see figures 1 and para 0072-0074)
Kang et al. (figures 3-5, 9-10a and para 0090-0094) disclose a teaching of wherein the insulating layer (600/620) extends onto the sixth surface of the body to partially cover the first and second pad portions. (see figures 3-5, 9-10a disclosing an opening placed in the insulating layer that exposes the first and second pad portions in the sixth surface; thereby allowing the pads to be partially covered in the sixth surface and not fully covered by the insulating layer in the sixth surface).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to design wherein a first external electrode disposed on the body connected to the coil unit, a second external electrode disposed on the body connected to the coil unit and wherein an insulating layer is covering the first and second connection portions disposed on the first and second surfaces of the body as taught by Yang et al. to the inductive device of Masuno et al. so as to reduce interference; prevent the inductive device from interfering with other sensitive electronics and so as to protect the inductive device from outside element thereby reducing the chances of a short circuit occurring.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to design wherein the insulating layer extends onto the sixth surface of the body to partially cover the first and second pad portions as taught by Kang et al. to the inductive device of Masuno et al. so as to reduce a short-circuiting form occurring while also improving the protection of the inductive device from outside elements.
Regarding claim 2, Masuno et al. (figure 3b) discloses wherein the first and second pad portions are spaced apart from the third and fourth surfaces of the body.
Regarding claim 3, Masuno et al. (figures 3a-3b) discloses wherein the width of each of the first and second connection portions is a size of each of the first and second connection portions measured in the second direction, and the width of each of the first and second pad portions is a size of each of the first and second pad portions measured in the second direction.
Regarding claim 5, Yang et al. (figures 1-3 and para 0072) discloses wherein the insulating layer extends to cover the third and fourth surfaces of the body.
Regarding claim 6, Yang et al. (figures 1-3 and para 0072) discloses wherein the insulating layer extends to cover the fifth surface of the body.
Regarding claim 11, Yang et al. (figure 2 and para 0066) discloses wherein each of the first and second connection portions and the first and second pad portions includes a first metal layer.
Regarding claim 12, Yang et al. (figure 2 and para 0066) discloses wherein the first metal layer in the first connection portion and the first metal layer in the first pad portion are integrally formed, and the first metal layer in the second connection portion and the first metal layer in the second pad portion are integrally formed.
Regarding claim 15, Yang et al. (figure 2) discloses further comprising a substrate (200) disposed in the body, with the coil unit being disposed on at least one surface thereof.
Regarding claim 17, Masuno et al. (pages 3-6 and figures 1a-3b) discloses a body (4) including a coil unit disposed therein (see page 4, para 0016), and having first and second surfaces opposing each other in a first direction (see figures 3a-3b), third and fourth surfaces connected to the first and second surfaces and opposing each other in a second direction (see figures 3a-3b), and fifth and sixth surfaces connected to the first to fourth surfaces and opposing each other in a third direction (see figures 3a-3b); a first external electrode (22) disposed on the body (see figures 3a-3b), and including a first connection portion (24) covering the first surface of the body and a first pad portion (26) covering the sixth surface of the body (see figures 3a-3b); a second external electrode (22) disposed on the body (see figures 3a-3b) and including a second connection portion (24) covering the second surface of the body (see figures 3a-3b) and a second pad portion (26) covering the sixth surface of the body(see figures 3a-3b); and wherein the first and second pad portions are spaced apart from the third and fourth surfaces of the body (see figures 3a-3b).
Masuno et al. see page 4, para 0016 discloses a teaching wherein a coil unit is inside the element body 4, but does not expressly show having first and second surfaces opposing each other in a first direction with lead-out portions of the coil unit extending thereto, first external electrode disposed on the body connected to the coil unit, a second external electrode disposed on the body (see figures 3a-3b), connected to the coil unit and a insulating layer covering the first and second connection portions disposed on the first and second surfaces of the body, respectively and wherein the insulating layer extends onto the sixth surface of the body to partially cover the first and second pad portions.
Yang et al. (figures 1-3 and para 0031-0076) discloses a teaching wherein first and second surfaces opposing each other in a first direction with lead-out portions of the coil unit extending thereto (see figure 2), first external electrode (400) disposed on the body connected to the coil unit (300), a second external electrode (500) disposed on the body connected to the coil unit (300) and an insulating layer (800) covering the first and second connection portions disposed on the first and second surfaces of the body, respectively (see figures 1-3 and para 0072).
Kang et al. (figures 3-5, 9-10a and para 0090-0094) disclose a teaching of wherein the insulating layer (600/620) extends onto the sixth surface of the body to partially cover the first and second pad portions. (see figures 3-5, 9-10a disclosing an opening placed in the insulating layer that exposes the first and second pad portions in the sixth surface; thereby allowing the pads to be partially covered in the sixth surface and not fully covered by the insulating layer in the sixth surface).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to design wherein a first external electrode disposed on the body connected to the coil unit, a second external electrode disposed on the body connected to the coil unit and wherein an insulating layer is covering the first and second connection portions disposed on the first and second surfaces of the body as taught by Yang et al. to the inductive device of Masuno et al. so as to reduce interference; prevent the inductive device from interfering with other sensitive electronics and so as to protect the inductive device from outside element thereby reducing the chances of a short circuit occurring.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to design wherein the insulating layer extends onto the sixth surface of the body to partially cover the first and second pad portions as taught by Kang et al. to the inductive device of Masuno et al. so as to reduce a short-circuiting form occurring while also improving the protection of the inductive device from outside elements.
2. Claims 4 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Masuno et al. (JP 2003100548)(English translation) in view of Yang et al. (US 20200168391) and Kang et al. (US 20190311829) in further view of Koike et al. (US 20190348215).
Regarding claim 4, the modified inductive of Masuno et al. (pages 3-6 and figures 1a-3b) discloses all the limitations as noted above but does not expressly disclose wherein, based on the second direction, a ratio of a distance by which each of the first and second pad portions is spaced apart from a respective one of the third and fourth surfaces of the body to a width of the body is 0.0167 or more and 0.0833 or less.
Koike et al. (figure 1 and para 0027) discloses a teaching wherein, based on the second direction, a ratio of a distance by which each of the first and second pad portions is spaced apart from a respective one of the third and fourth surfaces of the body to a width of the body is 0.0167 or more and 0.0833 or less. (note: by setting the parameters where W0= 2 and W1 = 1.1 will allow for Koike to have a number to be calculated that will meet the criteria of a width of the body is 0.0167 or more and 0.0833 or less)
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to design wherein, based on the second direction, a ratio of a distance by which each of the first and second pad portions is spaced apart from a respective one of the third and fourth surfaces of the body to a width of the body is 0.0167 or more and 0.0833 or less as taught by Koike et al to the modified inductive device of Masuno et al. so as to allow for the inductive device to withstand voltage while also allowing for the connection strength between the mounting substrate and the outer terminal is ensured
Regarding claim 20, the modified inductive of Masuno et al. (pages 3-6 and figures 1a-3b) discloses all the limitations as noted above but does not expressly disclose wherein, based on the second direction, a ratio of a distance by which each of the first and second pad portions is spaced apart from a respective one of the third and fourth surfaces of the body to a width of the body is 0.0167 or more and 0.0833 or less.
Koike et al. (figure 1 and para 0027) discloses a teaching wherein, based on the second direction, a ratio of a distance by which each of the first and second pad portions is spaced apart from a respective one of the third and fourth surfaces of the body to a width of the body is 0.0167 or more and 0.0833 or less. (note: by setting the parameters where W0= 2 and W1 = 1.1 will allow for Koike to have a number to be calculated that will meet the criteria of a width of the body is 0.0167 or more and 0.0833 or less)
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to design wherein, based on the second direction, a ratio of a distance by which each of the first and second pad portions is spaced apart from a respective one of the third and fourth surfaces of the body to a width of the body is 0.0167 or more and 0.0833 or less as taught by Koike et al to the modified inductive device of Masuno et al. so as to allow for the inductive device to withstand voltage while also allowing for the connection strength between the mounting substrate and the outer terminal is ensured
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RONALD HINSON whose telephone number is (571)270-7915. The examiner can normally be reached M to F; 8 -5.
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.
/RONALD HINSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
Prosecution Insights