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 1-3, 5, 8 and 10-14 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.
With respect to drawings objection, FIG. 3 of the present invention appears to show air gaps g1 and g2 (annotated FIG. 3) between winding posts, and air gaps g1 and g2 have the same size. However, the drawings objection was rather the drawings not showing any gap, let alone gaps equal size, on the side posts. The drawings objection of claims 11 and 12 could be overcome by amending the claims to reflect that air gap(s) is/are formed on the winding posts or showing air gaps similar to annotated gaps g1 and g2 on the side posts. In this field of art, the amended space 17 in the specification is not considered “air gap” as claimed.
“Air gap” in a magnetic circuit serves, inter alia, to increase reluctance, prevent core saturation and control magnetic flux. Gaps g1 and g2 would serve as “air gap” but the amended specification space 17 would not.
Accordingly, the drawings objection of claims 11 and 12 are maintained.
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Drawings
The drawings were received on 01/26/2026. These drawings are acceptable. However, all the drawings objection has not been overcome. Accordingly, some of the drawings objection are maintained
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the ““the first connection terminal, the second connection terminal, the third connection terminal, and the fourth connection terminal are disposed in a gap between adjacent side posts of the magnetic core” as amended claim 1, the “one of the plurality of winding posts and the plurality of side posts of the magnetic core is formed with an air gap” as claimed in claim 11 and the “at least two of the plurality of winding posts and the plurality of side posts of the magnetic core are formed with air gaps of equal size” of claim 12 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1-3, 5, 8 and 10-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 1, the originally filed specification does not disclose “the first connection terminal, the second connection terminal, the third connection terminal, and the fourth connection terminal are disposed in a gap between adjacent side posts of the magnetic core” as amended.
Claims 2, 3, 5, 8 and 10-14 are rejected as being directly or indirectly dependent on claim 1.
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, 5, 8 and 10-14 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.
Regarding claim 1, it’s not clear what’s intended by “the first connection terminal, the second connection terminal, the third connection terminal, and the fourth connection terminal are disposed in a gap between adjacent side posts of the magnetic core” as amended. As seen in FIG. 4 of the present invention, two “pin[s] 15” are disposed in a space or gap between two adjacent side posts on right end side. Even if two similar two pins are disposed in a space or gap between two adjacent side posts on the opposite left end side, there is no four pins between the any adjacent side posts. On the other hand, there are four terminal 161 on each skeleton, but the terminals 161 are outside of a “gap” between the front two adjacent side posts. So, the limitation in question is not clear. The rejection could be overcome by amending the limitations in question as the first connection terminal and the second connection terminal are disposed in a first gap between adjacent two side posts on one end side, and the third connection terminal and the fourth connection terminal are disposed in a second gap between adjacent another two side posts on a second end side opposite to the one end side or a meaning to this effect. However, such amendment may still be obvious over the combination of Andres and Yang references below in the rejection of claim 1.
In addition, applicant should clarify which cover plate (i.e. the first cover plate of the second cover plate) is referred by “the cover plate” as recited in line 26.
Claims 2, 3, 5, 8 and 10-14 are rejected as being directly or indirectly dependent on claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-3, 5, 8, 10, 13 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Andres et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2014/0266530 A1) in view of Yang et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2017/0214330 A1).
With respect to claim 1, Andres et al., hereinafter referred to as “Andres,” teaches a magnetic assembly 400 (FIG. 11 provided below for convenience) characterized in comprising a magnetic core 402 and a plurality of windings 404, 406 and or 408, wherein the magnetic core comprises a first cover plate 424, a second cover plate 422, a plurality of winding posts 430 and 432 and a plurality of side posts 436, 426, 428 and 440 arranged around the plurality of winding posts, the number of the winding posts is at least 2, and the number of the side posts is at least 4;
the first cover plate and the second cover plate are respectively connected to top and bottom surfaces (upper and lower surfaces) of the plurality of winding posts and the plurality of side posts of the magnetic core,
the plurality of windings comprises a first winding 464, a second winding 466, a third winding 406 and a fourth winding 408; the magnetic assembly includes a second transformer (transformer formed by first and second windings and the corresponding magnetic cores) and a third transformer (transformer formed by third and fourth windings and the corresponding magnetic cores);
the first winding and the third winding are wound around the first winding post, the second winding and the fourth winding are wound around the second winding post;
the second transformer has a primary side coil (coil of the first winding) and a secondary side coil (coil of third winding), wherein the primary side coil of the second transformer is the first winding and the secondary side coil of the second transformer is the third winding;
the third transformer has a primary side coil (coil of second winding) and a secondary side coil (coil of fourth winding), wherein the primary side coil of the third transformer is the second winding and the secondary side coil of the third transformer is the fourth winding;
the magnetic assembly further comprises a first skeleton and a second skeleton, wherein the first skeleton is provided between the third winding and the corresponding cover plate, and the second skeleton is provided between the fourth winding and the corresponding cover plate (paras. [0067]-[0070]).
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Andres does not expressly teach
the first skeleton includes a first connection terminal and a second connection terminal connected respectively to both ends of the third winding, and the second skeleton includes a third connection terminal and a fourth connection terminal connected respectively to both ends of the fourth winding;
the first skeleton and the second skeleton are formed of insulating materials so that the third winding and the fourth winding are insulated from the cover plate;
the first connection terminal, the second connection terminal, the third connection terminal, and the fourth connection terminal are disposed in a gap between adjacent side posts of the magnetic core.
Best understood in view of 35 USC 112(b) rejection, Yang et al., hereinafter referred to as “Yang,” teaches a magnetic assembly (Fig. 2B), wherein
the first skeleton 31 includes a first connection terminal 31a (annotated Fig. 2B) and a second connection terminal 31b connected respectively to both ends (leads) of the third winding 30, and the second skeleton 41 includes a third connection terminal 41a and a fourth connection terminal 41b connected respectively to both ends (leads) of the fourth winding 40;
the first skeleton and the second skeleton are formed of insulating materials so that the third winding and the fourth winding are insulated from the cover plate (yoke of magnetic core 10 or 20);
the first connection terminal, the second connection terminal, the third connection terminal, and the fourth connection terminal are disposed in a gap (concave portion between side columns 11, 12, 21 and 22) between adjacent side posts 11, 12, 21 and 22 of the magnetic core 10 and 20 (paras. [0034], [0036], [0038] and [0039]).
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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 skeletons and the connection terminals as taught by Yang to the magnetic assembly of Andres to improve the stability of the windings and ease of connection to the circuit board.
With respect to claim 2, Andres in view of Yang teaches the magnetic assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, the plurality of side posts include a first side post 436, a second side post 426, a third side post 428, and a fourth side post 440;
the first side post, the second side post, the third side post and the fourth side post enclose a quadrangle, and a plurality of winding posts of the magnetic core are disposed inside the quadrangle (Andres, para. [0070]).
With respect to claim 3, Andres in view of Yang teaches the magnetic assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, the plurality of winding posts include a first winding post 430 and a second winding post 432;
the first cover plate and the second cover plate are respectively connected to top and bottom surfaces of the first winding post, the second winding post and the plurality of side posts of the magnetic core (Andres, paras. [0067] and [0070]).
With respect to claim 5, Andres in view of Yang teaches the magnetic assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, the first winding and the second winding have the same number of turns (2 turns) (Andres, para. [0081]).
With respect to claim 8, Andres in view of Yang teaches the magnetic assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, the first winding and the second winding are connected in series, the magnetic assembly further comprises a first pin 462 connected to the first winding and a second pin 460 connected to the second winding (Andres, para. [0081])
With respect to claim 10, Andres in view of Yang teaches the magnetic assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that, the magnetic fluxes flowing through the first winding post and the second winding post are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction (Andres, para. [0045]).
With respect to claim 11, Andres teaches the magnetic assembly according to claim 1. Andres does not expressly teach, in the embodiment of FIG. 11, at least one of the plurality of winding posts and the plurality of side posts of the magnetic core is formed with an air gap.
Yang teaches a magnetic assembly (FIG. 12), characterized in that, at least one of the plurality of winding posts 21 and the plurality of side posts 24a and 24b of the magnetic core is formed with an air gap (“gap”)(para. [0036]). 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 air gap as taught by Yang to the magnetic assembly of Andres to provide the required magnetic saturation characteristics to meet design requirements.
With respect to claim 12, Andres in view of Yang and Fushimi teaches the magnetic assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that, at least two of the plurality of winding posts and the plurality of side posts of the magnetic core are formed with air gaps of equal size (Fushimi, para. [0088]).
With respect to claim 13, Andres in view of Yang teaches a power module, characterized in comprising a magnetic assembly according to claim 1 (Andres, para. [0026]).
With respect to claim 14, Andres in view of Yang teaches a switching power supply, characterized in comprising a power module according to claim 13 (Andres, para. [0029]).
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 MANGTIN LIAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5729. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 0800-1700.
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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