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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Species I, FIGs. 1-3, and claims 1-12 and 14-22 in the reply filed on 01/08/2026 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01/30/2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings received on 01/30/2023 are acceptable.
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 15-17 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 15, it’s not clear what’s intended by “a first coil including a first winding portion disposed on one surface of the support member” as recited in lines 5 and 6. Specifically, it’s not clear if “one surface” as recited in 6 is the same as or different from the “a surface” of line 4. For examination purpose, the “one surface” in line 6 is interpreted as being the same as the “one surface” in line 4. Similar clarification needs to be made for the “a second coil…” as recited in lines 7 and 8.
Claims 16 and 17 are rejected as being dependent on claim 15.
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.
Claims 1-8, 11, 12, 14 and 18-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2021/0343471 A1).
With respect to claim 1, Wang et al., hereinafter referred to as “Wang,” teaches a coil component (FIG. 3) comprising:
a body 4;
a first coil 2 disposed within the body and including a first winding portion 21 having a turns number less than one turn;
a second coil 3 disposed within the body and including a second winding portion 31 having a turns number less than one turn;
a first external electrode 23 and a second external electrode 23a (see annotated FIG. 1 for illustration purpose), respectively connected to one end (end of end portion 211) and the other end (end of end portion 221) of the first coil; and
a third external electrode 33a and a fourth external electrode 33, respectively connected to one end (end of end portion 311) and the other end (end of end portion 321) of the second coil,
wherein a portion 21a (annotated FIG. 3) of the first winding portion is disposed on an internal side (internal region) of the second winding portion, and a portion 31a of the second winding portion is disposed on an internal side (internal region) of the first winding portion (paras. [0021], [0022], [0031] and [0032]).
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With respect to claim 2, Wang teaches the coil component of claim 1, wherein
the first and second winding portions share a core 4a (annotated FIG. 3) with each other (para. [0032]).
With respect to claim 3, Wang teaches the coil component of claim 1, wherein
each of the first and second winding portions has a 3/4 turn (para. [0032]). The examiner interprets “terminal end portion[s]” 211, 221, 311 and 321 are not part of the “winding portions” as claimed.
With respect to claim 4, Wang teaches the coil component of claim 1, further comprising:
a support member 11 disposed in the body,
wherein the first and second winding portions are disposed on one surface (upper surface) of the support member (para. [0022]).
With respect to claim 5, Wang teaches the coil component of claim 4, wherein the first and second winding portions are disposed on the same level with respect to the one surface (upper surface) of the support member (para. [0021]).
With respect to claim 6, Wang teaches the coil component of claim 4, wherein one end of the first coil is as one end of the first winding portion, and one end of the second coil is as one end of the second winding portion (para. [0021]).
With respect to claim 7, Wang teaches the coil component of claim 6, wherein the other end of the first coil and the other end of the second coil are disposed on the other surface (lower surface) opposing the one surface of the support member (para. [0021]).
With respect to claim 8, Wang teaches the coil component of claim 7, wherein the other end of the first coil and the other end of the second coil are disposed on the same level with respect to the other surface of the support member (para. [0021]).
With respect to claim 11, Wang teaches the coil component of claim 7, wherein the body has a first surface (right surface in x axis direction, annotated FIG. 3 above) and a second surface (left surface in x axis direction, annotated FIG. 3 above) opposing each other in a first direction (x axis direction),
the one end and the other end of the first coil are led out to the first surface, and
the one end and the other end of the second coil are led out to the second surface (para. [0021]).
With respect to claim 12, Wang teaches the coil component of claim 11, wherein the first external electrode is disposed in a position facing the fourth external electrode, and
the second external electrode is disposed in a position facing the third external electrode (paras. [0021] and [0022]).
With respect to claim 14, Wang teaches the coil component of claim 1, wherein the first and second coils are not connected to each other in the coil component (para. [0031]).
With respect to claim 18, Wang teaches a coil component (FIG. 4) a coil component (FIG. 3) comprising:
a body 4 including a first surface (left surface) and a second surface (right surface) opposing each other in a first direction (x axis direction, annotated FIG. 3 above) and a third surface (back surface surface) and a fourth surface (front surface) opposing each other in a second direction (y axis direction);
a first coil 2 and a second coil 3 disposed within the body and sharing a core 4a (annotated FIG. 3 above) with each other;
a first external electrode 23 and a second external electrode 23a (annotated FIG. 1 above for illustration purpose) disposed on the body and connected to the first coil; and
a third external electrode 33a and a fourth external electrode 33 disposed on the body and connected to the second coil,
wherein among winding portions 21, 22, 31 and 32 of the first coil and the second coil, only the winding portion 21 and or 22 of the first coil is disposed between the core and the first surface (left surface), and
among the winding portions of the first coil and the second coil, only the winding portion 31 and or 32of the second coil is disposed between the core and the second surface (second surface) (paras. [0021], [0022], [0031] and [0032]).
With respect to claim 19, Wang teaches the coil component of claim 18, wherein
the winding portion of the first coil and the winding portion of the second coil are disposed between the core and the third surface and between the core and the fourth surface (para. [0031]).
With respect to claim 20, Wang teaches the coil component of claim 18, further comprising:
a support member 11 disposed in the body,
wherein the winding portion of the first coil and the winding portion of the second coil are disposed on one side of the support member (para. [0022]).
With respect to claim 21, Wang teaches the coil component of claim 20, wherein the winding portion of the first coil and the winding portion of the second coil are disposed on the same level with respect to one surface of the support member (para. [0021]).
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 9, 10 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang, as applied to claim 9 above, in view of Ishida et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2017/0169936 A1).
With respect to claim 9, Wang teaches the coil component of claim 7. Wang does not expressly teach in the first coil, an additional turn is not formed by the other end of the first coil other than the first winding portion.
Ishida et al., hereinafter referred to as “Ishida,” teaches a coil component 10 (FIG. 2), wherein in the first coil L, an additional turn is not formed by the other end 32 of the first coil other than the first winding portion 20 (para. [0049]). 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 first coil as taught by Ishida to the coil component of Wang to facilitate manufacturing.
With respect to claim 10, Wang in view of Ishida teaches the coil component of claim 9, wherein in the second coil L2, an additional turn is not formed by the other end 36b of the second coil other than the second winding portion 25 (Ishida, para. [0056]).
With respect to claim 22, Wang teaches the coil component of claim 18. Wang does not expressly teach the first and second external electrodes are closer to the first surface than the second surface, and the third and fourth external electrodes are closer to the second surface than the first surface.
Ishida teaches a coil component 10 (FIG. 2), wherein the first and second external electrodes 15a and 15b are closer to the first surface (left surface) than the second surface (right surface), and the third and fourth external electrodes 15c and 15d are closer to the second surface than the first surface (para. [0069]). 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 electrodes as taught by Ishida to the coil component of Wang to reduce the length of the other end, thereby reducing resistance.
Claims 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang in view of Ishida.
With respect to claim 15, best understood in view of 35 USC 112(b) rejection, Wang teaches a coil component (FIG. 4) comprising:
a body 4;
a support member 11 disposed within the body and having one surface (upper surface) and the other surface (lower surface) opposing each other;
a first coil 2 including a first winding portion 21 disposed on one surface of the support member;
a second coil 3 including a second winding portion 31 disposed on one surface of the support member;
a first external electrode 23 and a second external electrode 23a (annotated FIG. 1 above for illustration purpose), respectively connected to one end (end of end portion 211) and the other end (end of end portion 221) of the first coil; and
a third external electrode 33a and a fourth external electrode 33, respectively connected to one end (end of end portion 311) and the other end (end of end portion 321) of the second coil,
wherein the one end of the first coil is as one end of the first winding portion, and the one end of the second coil is as one end of the second winding portion,
the other end of the first coil and the other end of the second coil are disposed on the other surface of the support member (paras. [0021], [0022], [0031] and [0032]). Wang does not expressly teach
in the first coil, an additional turn is not formed by the other end of the first coil other than the first winding portion, and
in the second coil, an additional turn is not formed by the other end of the second coil other than the second winding portion.
Ishida teaches a coil component 10 (FIG. 2),
wherein in the first coil L, an additional turn is not formed by the other end 32 of the first coil other than the first winding portion 20, and the second coil L2, an additional turn is not formed by the other end 36b of the second coil other than the second winding portion 25 (paras. [0049] and [0056]). 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 first coil as taught by Ishida to the coil component of Wang to facilitate manufacturing of the first and second coils.
With respect to claim 16, Wang in view of Ishida teaches the coil component of claim 15, wherein each of the first and second winding portion has a turns number less than one turn (Wang, para. [0031]). The examiner interprets “terminal end portion[s]” 211, 221, 311 and 321 are not part of the “winding portions” as claimed.
With respect to claim 17, Wang in view of Ishida teaches the coil component of claim 15, wherein a portion 21a (annotated FIG. 3 above) of the first winding portion is disposed on an internal side (inner side) of the second winding portion, and a portion 31a of the second winding portion is disposed on an internal side (inner side) of the first winding portion (Wang, para. [0031]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. A list of pertinent prior art is attached in form PTO-892.
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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