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 and 8-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (US 20200373059).
Regarding claim 1, Yang et al. (figures 5-13 and para 0048-0076) discloses a first magnetic core (1) defining a first channel (see figure 5 showing a channel starting from the left end of the core and ends at the right end of the core in the lateral direction of the drawing) and further including first and second posts (5,4) disposed within the first channel (see figures 5-13); a second magnetic core (2) defining a second channel (see figure 5 showing a channel starting from the left end of the core and ends at the right end of the core in the lateral direction of the drawing) and further including third and fourth posts (5,4) disposed within the second channel (see figures 5-13), wherein the first magnetic core is coupled to the second magnetic core such that the first post is aligned with the third post and the second post is aligned with the fourth post (see para 0049-0055); a primary winding (8)(see also para 0056) of wire formed around the first and third posts (5,5) (see figures 5-13);
a secondary winding of wire (9) formed around the first and third posts (see figures 5-13); and an inductor winding (7) of wire formed around the second and fourth posts (4,4), wherein the inductor winding is connected in series with the primary winding (see para 0056).
Yang et al. does not explicitly disclose the inductor winding having two or more turns. However, Yang et al. (para 0068) discloses a teaching wherein the inductor winding can be designed to have a plurality of windings, such as 2 or 4 winding turns.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the applicant claimed invention to design wherein inductor winding has two or more turns as taught by Yang et al. so as to allow for a higher inductance which allows the inductive device to more effective at resisting sudden changes in current, an increased magnetic field strength, and a more compact core design since adding more turns can achieve a desired high inductance value without needing a larger/heavier core.
Regarding claim 8, Yang et al. (figures 5-13 and para 0048-0076) discloses a first magnetic core (1) defining a first channel (see figure 5 showing a channel starting from the left end of the core and ends at the right end of the core in the lateral direction of the drawing); a second magnetic core (2) defining a second channel (see figure 5 showing a channel starting from the left end of the core and ends at the right end of the core in the lateral direction of the drawing), wherein the first magnetic core is coupled to the second magnetic core(see figures 5-13); a first post (5) positioned within the first channel and within the second channel (see figures 5-13), the first post extending from the first magnetic core to the second magnetic core (see figures 5-13); a second post (4) positioned within the first channel and within the second channel (see figures 5-13), the second post extending from the first magnetic core to the second magnetic core (see figures 5-13); a primary winding (8) of wire formed around the first post (see figures 5-13); a secondary winding (9) of wire formed around the first post(see figures 5-13); and an inductor winding (7) of wire formed around the second post(see also para 0056).
Yang et al. does not explicitly disclose the inductor winding having two or more turns. However, Yang et al. (para 0068) discloses a teaching wherein the inductor winding can be designed to have a plurality of windings, such as 2 or 4 winding turns.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the applicant claimed invention to design wherein inductor winding has two or more turns as taught by Yang et al. so as to allow for a higher inductance which allows the inductive device to more effective at resisting sudden changes in current, an increased magnetic field strength, and a more compact core design since adding more turns can achieve a desired high inductance value without needing a larger/heavier core.
Regarding claim 9, Yang et al. (para 0056-0057) discloses wherein the inductor winding is connected in series to the primary winding.
Regarding claim 10, Yang et al. (figures 5-13) discloses wherein the first post is formed from a portion of the first magnetic core and from a portion of the second magnetic core.
Regarding claim 11, Yang et al. (figures 5-13) discloses wherein the second post is formed from a portion of the first magnetic core and from a portion of the second magnetic core.
2. Claims 2 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (US 20200373059) in view of Lai (US 20200286667).
Regarding claim 2, Yang et al. (figures 5-13 and para 0048-0076) discloses a void is defined between the first and the second magnetic cores but does not expressly disclose and a thermally conductive potting compound is disposed within the void.
Lai (para 0027 and figures 1-7) discloses a thermally conductive potting (140) compound is disposed within the void.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date if the applicant claimed invention to design a thermally conductive potting compound disposed within the void as taught by Lai to the inductive of Yang et al so as to prevent overheating, improve performance, and enhance reliability of the inductive device.
Regarding claim 15, Yang et al. (figures 5-13 and para 0048-0076) discloses a void is defined between the first and the second magnetic cores but does not expressly disclose and a thermally conductive potting compound is disposed within the void.
Lai (para 0027 and figures 1-7) discloses a thermally conductive potting (140) compound is disposed within the void.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date if the applicant claimed invention to design a thermally conductive potting compound disposed within the void as taught by Lai to the inductive of Yang et al so as to prevent overheating, improve performance, and enhance reliability of the inductive device.
3. Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (US 20200373059) in view of Dai (US 20190043653).
Regarding claim 3, Yang et al. (figures 5-13 and para 0048-0076) discloses all the limitations as not above, but does not expressly disclose wherein the first post is separated from the third post by a gap.
Dai (para 0023 and figures 1-2) discloses a teaching wherein the first post is separated from the third post by a gap (124).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date if the applicant claimed invention to wherein the first post is separated from the third post by a gap as taught by Dai to the inductive of Yang et al so as to reduce core losses by controlling the flux more effectively
4. Claim 4 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (US 20200373059) in view of Jin et al. (US 20230223186).
Regarding claim 4, Yang et al. (figures 5-13 and para 0048-0076) discloses all the limitations as not above, but does not expressly disclose wherein the first and the second magnetic cores each have U-shaped bodies.
Jin et al.(figures 1-2) discloses a teaching wherein the first and the second magnetic cores (51) each have U-shaped bodies.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date if the applicant claimed invention to wherein the first and the second magnetic cores each have U-shaped bodies as taught by Jin et al to the inductive of Yang et al so as to allow the inductive device to have low leakage inductance and improved voltage isolation.
Regarding claim 16, Yang et al. (figures 5-13 and para 0048-0076) discloses all the limitations as not above, but does not expressly disclose wherein the first and the second magnetic cores each have U-shaped bodies.
Jin et al.(figures 1-2) discloses a teaching wherein the first and the second magnetic cores (51) each have U-shaped bodies.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date if the applicant claimed invention to wherein the first and the second magnetic cores each have U-shaped bodies as taught by Jin et al to the inductive of Yang et al so as to allow the inductive device to have low leakage inductance and improved voltage isolation.
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.
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/RONALD HINSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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