CTNF 18/092,846 CTNF 74634 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Election/Restrictions 08-25-01 AIA Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, Species I, Figures 1-6B with claims 1-4, 12-15 and 17 in the reply filed on 12/16/2025 is acknowledged. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 1-4 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ouyang et al. [CN 103782355 A] in view of Lu et al. [US 2019/0362885 A1] . Regarding claim 1, Ouyang et al. discloses a magnetic device [figures 1-2], comprising: - a magnetic core assembly comprising: - a first magnetic cover [102]; - a second magnetic cover [104] opposed to the first magnetic cover; - a first inner magnetic leg group [110, 112, 114, 116] disposed between the first magnetic cover and the second magnetic cover, wherein a first channel is formed between the first inner magnetic leg group [figure 2], and - a second inner magnetic leg group [110, 112, 114, 116] disposed between the first magnetic cover and the second magnetic cover, wherein a second channel is formed between the second inner magnetic leg group and the first inner magnetic leg group, and a third channel is formed between the second inner magnetic leg group [figure 2]; and - a winding assembly comprising four coupled windings [120, 122, 124, 126], wherein the four coupled windings comprise four first terminals and four second terminals [130, 132, figure 2] and arranged in the channels formed in the magnetic core assembly, wherein a first one of the four first terminals of the four coupled windings is located near a first lateral side of the magnetic core assembly and the first channel, a second one of the four first terminals of the four coupled windings is located near the first lateral side of the magnetic core assembly and the third channel, and the other two of the four first terminals of the four coupled windings are located near the first lateral side of the magnetic core assembly and the second channel, wherein a first one of the four second terminals of the four coupled windings is located near a second lateral side of the magnetic core assembly and the first channel, a second one of the four second terminals of the four coupled windings is located near the second lateral side of the magnetic core assembly and the third channel, and the other two of the four second terminals of the four coupled windings are located near the second lateral side of the magnetic core assembly and the second channel [figures 1-2]. Ouyang et al. discloses the instant claimed invention except for first and second outer magnetic legs. Lu et al. discloses a magnetic device [60, figures 6A-6D] comprising: - a magnetic core assembly including top and bottom covers [617, 618], a plurality of inner cores [611, 612, 613, 614] arranged between the top and bottom covers, and side cores [615, 616] arranged between the top and bottom covers and outside of the inner cores, wherein a plurality of channels formed between the inner cores and the side cores [figures 6A-6D]; and - a plurality of coils [figure 6A] arranged in the channels and between the inner cores, side cores and top/bottom covers. It would have been an obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include side cores in Ouyang et al., as suggested by Lu et al., for supporting the covers. Regarding claim 2, Ouyang et al. discloses the first inner magnetic leg group comprises a first inner magnetic leg and a second inner magnetic leg [110, 112, 114, 116], and the second inner magnetic leg group comprises a third inner magnetic leg and a fourth inner magnetic leg [110, 112, 114, 116]. The combination of Ouyang et al. and Lu et al. would have the first inner magnetic leg and the second inner magnetic leg are located near the first outer magnetic leg, the first inner magnetic leg is located near the first lateral side of the magnetic core assembly, and the second inner magnetic leg is located near the second lateral side of the magnetic core assembly, wherein the third inner magnetic leg and the fourth inner magnetic leg are located near the second outer magnetic leg, the third inner magnetic leg is located near the second lateral side of the magnetic core assembly, and the fourth inner magnetic leg is located near the first lateral side of the magnetic core assembly. Both Ouyang et al. and Lu et al. disclose a plurality of channels formed between the inner legs/cores, the covers and the side cores. Regarding claims 3-4, Ouyang et al. discloses the plurality of windings arranged in the channels with terminals arranged lateral sides of the magnetic core assembly. The combination of Ouyang et al. and Lu et al. would have these channels arranged between the inner cores and side cores. The windings [120, 122, 124 and 126] arranged in these channels between covers [104, 106], the inner cores [110, 112, 114, 116] and in combination of side cores [615, 616] of Lu et al. Ouyang et al. discloses primary windings [106, 108, 406, 408, 506, 508] and secondary windings [120-126, 420-426, 520-524] for the magnetic device. Lu et al. also discloses a plurality of primary and secondary coils [figure 6A] arranged on the inner cores and in the channels formed between top/bottom covers and size cores. The specific arrangement of the primary and secondary windings/coils relative to the magnetic core assembly would have been an obvious design consideration for the purpose of facilitating different magnetic flux/field characteristics . 07-22-aia AIA Claim (s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ouyang et al. in view of Lu et al . as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Toshinori [JP 2004-140006 A] . Regarding claim 17, Ouyang et al. discloses the first end and the second end of the first magnetic cover are opposed to each other, the first end and the second end of the second magnetic cover are opposed to each other, the first lateral side and the second lateral side of the magnetic core assembly are opposed to each other, the first inner magnetic leg group is connected between the first magnetic cover and the second magnetic cover, and the second inner magnetic leg group is connected between the first magnetic cover and the second magnetic cover [figures 1-2]. Ouyang et al. disclose the instant claimed invention except for the specific current flow. Toshinori discloses a magnetic device [figure 6] having at least four coils [611, 612, 613, 614] arranged on legs of a magnetic core structure [617], wherein current flow through the coils in the same direction which result in magnetic flux/field canceled each other [para 0006]. It would have been an obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use the current flow in the same direction teaching of Toshinori in Ouyang et al. for the purpose of facilitating different magnetic field/flux characteristics . 07-22-aia AIA Claim (s) 12-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ouyang et al. in view of Lu et al . as applied to claim s 1-2 above, and further in view of Chandrasekaran et al. [US 6,980,077 B1] . Regarding claims 12-13, Ouyang et al. in view of Lu et al. disclose the instant claimed invention except for the specific material of the magnetic core assembly. Chandrasekaran et al. discloses a magnetic core for a power device [figures 6a-9c] comprising: - a magnetic core including at least one core leg, side cores and top/bottom plates/cover [figures 6a-9b]; and - at least one coil [84, 120] wound around the at least one core leg, wherein the at least one core leg form of one magnetic material and the rest of the magnetic core form of a magnetic material that different from the magnetic material of the at least one core leg. Chandrasekaran et al. further discloses the magnetic materials could be ferrite or other magnetic materials. It would have been an obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use different magnetic materials for the inner core legs of Ouyang et al., as suggested by Chandrasekaran et al., for the purpose of facilitating the desire magnetic flux/field. Regarding claims 14-15, Chandrasekaran et al. further discloses the arrangement and/or location of the inner core leg relative to top/bottom covers [figures 8a-9c]. It would have been an obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to arrange the inner core leg with the same material of top/bottom cover regions for the magnetic core assembly of Ouyang et al., as suggested by Chandrasekaran et al., for the purpose of improving or maximizing flux density. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TUYEN T NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1996. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 8:30-5:30. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /TUYEN T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837 Application/Control Number: 18/092,846 Page 2 Art Unit: 2837 Application/Control Number: 18/092,846 Page 3 Art Unit: 2837 Application/Control Number: 18/092,846 Page 4 Art Unit: 2837 Application/Control Number: 18/092,846 Page 5 Art Unit: 2837 Application/Control Number: 18/092,846 Page 6 Art Unit: 2837 Application/Control Number: 18/092,846 Page 7 Art Unit: 2837 Application/Control Number: 18/092,846 Page 8 Art Unit: 2837