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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 07/06/2026 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1, 3-10, and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites “wherein the first and second lead-out portions include an anchor portion protruding further toward the third and fourth surfaces of the body” is indefinite and unclear. The current claim limitation appears to state that an anchor portion of the first lead-out portion is protruding further toward both the third and fourth surfaces of the body and an anchor portion of the second lead-out portion is protruding further toward both the third and fourth surfaces of the body. Based on the support, the claim limitation should state “the first lead-out portion include an anchor portion protruding further toward the third surface of the body” and “the second lead-out portion include an anchor portion protruding further toward the fourth surface of the body”.
Claim 17 recites “wherein each of the first and second lead-out portions includes an anchor portion protruding further toward a corresponding one of the third and fourth surfaces of the body” is indefinite and unclear. Based on the support, the claim limitation should state “the first lead-out portion include an anchor portion protruding further toward the third surface of the body” and “the second lead-out portion include an anchor portion protruding further toward the fourth surface of the body”.
Claim 17, line 19 and line 23, recites “a portion” which is indefinite and unclear whether the term “a portion” is the same in lines 19 and 23. The examiner suggests clarification. As best understood, line 23 should recite “the portion”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 17-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li et al. [U.S. Pub. No. 2020/0357565].
Regarding Claim 17, Li et al. shows a coil component (Figs. 1-2 and Drawings A-D below) comprising:
a body (50) having first (103) and second (104) surfaces opposing each other in a first direction (Z-direction), and third (101) and fourth (102) surfaces connecting the first and second surfaces to each other (see Figs. 1-2) and opposing each other in a second direction (X-direction);
a substrate (element 23 including elements 24, 231, 232, Paragraph [0037]) disposed in the body (see Figs. 1-2);
a coil unit (42, 44) disposed on the substrate (see Figs. 1-2), and including a coil pattern (42, 44), first and second lead-out portions (lead-out portion L which represents elements 62, 64, see Drawing A below) connected to the coil pattern (see Figs. 1-2 and Drawing A below) and extending to the first surface (103) of the body (see Figs. 1-2 and Drawing A below), and first and second sub lead-out portions (sub lead-out portion S which represents partial elements 63, 65, see Drawing A below) corresponding to the first and second lead-out portions (element 63 corresponding to element 62 and element 64 corresponding to element 65) and spaced apart from the coil pattern (see Figs. 1-2 and Drawing A below), the first and second lead-out portions and the first and second sub lead-out portions opposing each other, respectively, with respect to the substrate (see Figs. 1-2 and Drawing A below, lead-out portion L which represents element 62 and sub lead-out portion S which represents partial element 63 opposing each other with respect to element 23; lead-out portion L which represents element 64 and sub lead-out portion S which represents partial element 65 opposing each other with respect to element 23); and
external electrodes (851, 852) disposed on the first surface (103) of the body (see Figs. 1-2) and connected to the lead-out portions, respectively (see Figs. 1-2),
wherein a maximum size of each of the first and second lead-out portions in the second direction is greater than a maximum size of each of the first and second sub lead-out portions in the second direction (see Fig. 2 and Drawing A below, wherein a maximum size of the lead-out portion L which represents elements 62, 64 is greater than a maximum size of the sub lead-out portion S which represents partial elements 63, 65 in the X-direction),
wherein each of the first and second lead-out portions (lead-out portion L which represents elements 62, 64, see Drawing A below) includes an anchor portion (anchor portion AP which represents elements 62, 64, see Drawing C or Drawing D below) protruding further toward a corresponding one of the third and fourth surfaces of the body than a portion of the respective lead-out portion contacting the first surface of the body, respectively (anchor portion AP of element 62 protrudes further toward a corresponding element 101 than a portion P of the element 62 contacting the element 103 and anchor portion AP of element 64 protrudes further toward a corresponding element 102 than a portion P of the element 64 contacting the element 103, see Drawing A below, see also Drawing C or Drawing D below), and
wherein the anchor portion of the first and second lead-out portions protrudes further in a direction from the first surface toward the second surface of the body than a portion of the respective lead-out portion contacting the first surface of the body (topmost portion of anchor portion AP of element 62 protrude further in a direction from element 103 toward element 104 than a portion P of the respective element 62 contacting element 103 and topmost portion of anchor portion AP of element 64 protrude further in a direction from element 103 toward element 104 than a portion P of the respective element 64 contacting element 103, see Drawing A below, see also Drawing C or Drawing D below),
wherein sub vias (111, 113) penetrating through the substrate (element 23 including elements 24, 231, 232, Paragraph [0037]) each connect a respective one of the first and second lead-out portions to a corresponding one of the first and second sub lead-out portions (see Drawing A below, see also Drawing C or Drawing D below, element 111 penetrating through element 231 of element 23 connect element 62 to a corresponding element 63 and element 113 penetrating through element 232 of element 23 connect element 64 to a corresponding element 65, Paragraph [0066]).
Regarding Claim 18, Li et al. shows each of the sub lead-out portions occupies a smaller volume within the body than each of the lead-out portions (see Figs. 1-2 and Drawing A below, sub lead-out portion S which represents partial elements 63, 65 occupies a smaller volume within element 50 than lead-out portion L which represents elements 62, 64).
Regarding Claim 19, Li et al. shows (see Fig. 2 and see Drawings A-B below) each of the lead-out portions (lead-out portion L which represents elements 62, 64, see Drawing A below) includes a first region (region R1, see Drawing B below) and a second region (region R2), the second region having a smaller size in the second direction and being closer to the first surface of the body than the first region (see Fig. 2 and Drawings A-B below, region R2 have a smaller size in the X-direction and being closer to element 103 than region R1).
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Drawing 5
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Drawing I
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 3-10, and 16 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 07/06/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant’s arguments that Li et al. does not show “wherein sub vias penetrating through the substrate each connect a respective one of the first and second lead-out portions to a corresponding one of the first and second sub lead-out portions” is found not persuasive. Li et al. shows sub vias (111, 113) penetrating through the substrate (element 23 including elements 24, 231, 232, Paragraph [0037]) each connect a respective one of the first and second lead-out portions to a corresponding one of the first and second sub lead-out portions (see Drawing A below, see also Drawing C or Drawing D below, element 111 penetrating through element 231 of element 23 connect element 62 to a corresponding element 63 and element 113 penetrating through element 232 of element 23 connect element 64 to a corresponding element 65, Paragraph [0066]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TSZFUNG J CHAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7981. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 8:00AM-6:00PM.
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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.
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/TSZFUNG J CHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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