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 filed 05/05/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that Kobayashi does not teach “the gap has a gap length, wherein the gap length is the shortest distance through the gap between the first core portion and the second core portion” as amended claim 1, which was originally claimed in claim 2. Applicant asserts that Kobayashi only teaches the coil pitch is generally increased at the magnetic gap portion but does not disclosed the limitation of claim 1.
After careful consideration without passion or prejudice, the argument is not found
persuasive, respectfully. While the written description of Kobayashi may or may not expressly disclose such features, FIG. 7 reasonably shows the length of the second pitch 6b1 (annotated FIG. 7 below) is longer than the length of magnetic gap G, and drawings are part of the specification.
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Applicant is reminded that if the textual portion of the specification does not expressly recite structure corresponding to an element of a claim, drawings alone may provide that support. Vas-Cath, Inc. v. Mahurkar, 935 F.2d 1555, 1565 (Fed. Cir. 1991).
Note the examiner is not relying on the drawings for scale (specific dimensions), only what the drawings reasonably teach to a person of ordinary skill in the art (MPEP 2125: The drawings must be evaluated for what they reasonably disclose and suggest to one of ordinary skill in the art. In re Aslanian, 590 F.2d 911, 200 USPQ 500 (CCPA 1979)). Accordingly, the examiner maintains Kobayashi does not teach “the gap has a gap length, wherein the gap length is the shortest distance through the gap between the first core portion and the second core portion” as amended claim 1.
Drawings
The drawings received on 11/29/2022 are acceptable.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 1 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kobayashi et al. (JP 2012-079951).
With respect to claim 1, Kobayashi et al., hereinafter referred to as “Kobayashi,” teaches an inductor (FIGs. 6 and 7) comprising:
a helical conductor 6 encircling a central longitudinal axis (dotted line, annotated FIG. 6);
a core 7 having a core magnetic reluctance (magnetic core has inherent reluctance), the core comprising:
a first core portion 7a;
a second core portion 7b; and,
a gap G disposed between the first core portion and the second core portion and enclosed by the helical conductor, wherein the gap is configured to provide a gap magnetic reluctance wherein the gap magnetic reluctance is greater than the core magnetic reluctance;
wherein the helical conductor has:
a first region 62 of the conductor which encloses part 72a and or 72b of the core, wherein the first region comprises a first pitch (spacing between adjacent turns); and,
a second region 6b (annotated FIG. 6) of the conductor which encloses the gap wherein the second region comprises a second pitch 6b1 (annotated FIG. 7 above), wherein the second pitch is greater than the first pitch (spacing around region 6b, middle region, is more than spacing around region 62);
wherein, in use, the second region of the conductor is configured to reduce a magnitude of interaction between the second region of the conductor and the electromagnetic field generated around the gap,
the gap has a gap length (length of gap G in horizontal direction), wherein the gap length is the shortest distance through the gap between the first core portion and the second core portion; and,
the second pitch is greater than or equal to the gap length (paras. [0011], [0016], [0018], and [0024] and [0028]).
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With respect to claim 3, Kobayashi teaches the inductor of claim 1, wherein:
the conductor has a rectangular cross-section comprising two sides with length X (length in radial direction) and two sides with length Y (length in axial direction), wherein length X is greater than length Y (para. [0012]) (para. [0012]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. FIG. 19 and the corresponding written description of Folker et al. (U.S. Patent No. 9,183,974 B2) also teaches the limitations of claim 1.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 MANGTIN LIAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5729. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 0800-1700.
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 S. 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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/MANG TIN BIK LIAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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