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 claim(s) 1 and its depending claims 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.
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.
Claim 17 and its depending claims 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.
Claim 17 recites the limitation "the first electrode layer" in Line 7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 6-9, 12-13, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han et al. (US Publication 2019/0157006) in view of Otani (US Publication 2016/0172110).
In re claim 1, Han discloses a multilayer electronic component, comprising:
a body (110 – Figure 2, ¶26) including a dielectric layer (111 – Figure 2, ¶28) and internal electrodes (121, 122 – Figure 2, ¶28) alternately arranged in a first direction (‘Z’ direction – Figure 2) with the dielectric layer (111 – Figure 2) between the internal electrodes (121, 122 – Figure 2), and including first and second surfaces (1, 2- Figure 1, ¶27) opposing each other in the first direction, third and fourth surfaces (3, 4 – Figure 1, ¶27) connected to the first and second surfaces and opposing each other in a second direction (‘X’ direction – Figure 1), and fifth and sixth surfaces (5, 6 – Figure 1, ¶27) connected to the first to fourth surfaces and opposing each other in a third direction (‘Y’ direction – Figure 1);
external electrodes (130, 140 – Figure 1, Figure 2, ¶26) disposed on the body and respectively connected to the internal electrodes (121, 122 – Figure 2) via the third and fourth surfaces (3, 4 – Figure 1, Figure 2); and
wherein the external electrodes (130, 140 – Figure 1, Figure 2) comprise a first electrode layer (131, 141 – Figure 2, ¶39) disposed directly on the body (110 – Figure 2),
wherein a thickness of the first electrode layer is 10 nm or more and 1 µm or less (¶48),
Han does not disclose a first inorganic material, including at least one inorganic material among sulfur (S) or fluorine (F), and wherein at least a portion of the first inorganic material is arranged between the body and the first electrode layer in the second direction.
Otani discloses a first inorganic material (23 – Figure 2, Figure 4, ¶51), including at least one inorganic material among sulfur (S) or fluorine (F) (¶51), and wherein at least a portion of the first inorganic material is arranged between the body (12 – Figure 2, Figure 4, ¶51) and the first electrode layer (22a, 22b – Figure 2, ¶51) in the second direction (‘L’ direction – Figure 1, Figure 4).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the fluorine layer as described by Otani to prevent the occurrence of solder splatter caused by evaporation of moisture in the conductive resin layer during a soldering process (¶44 – Otani).
In re claim 6, Han in view of Otani discloses the multilayer electronic component according to claim 1, as explained above. Han does not disclose a coating layer disposed on an external surface of the body, wherein the coating layer includes the first inorganic material.
Otani discloses a coating layer (23 – Figure 2, Figure 4) disposed on an external surface of the body (12 – Figure 2, Figure 4), wherein the coating layer includes the first inorganic material (¶44).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the fluorine layer as described by Otani to prevent the occurrence of solder splatter caused by evaporation of moisture in the conductive resin layer during a soldering process (¶44 – Otani).
In re claim 7, Han in view of Otani discloses the multilayer electronic component according to claim 6, as explained above. Han does not disclose wherein the coating layer is disposed between the body and the external electrodes and in at least a portion of a region in which the external electrodes are not disposed.
Otani discloses wherein the coating layer (23 – Figure 2, Figure 4) is disposed between the body (12 – Figure 2, Figure 4) and the external electrodes (20a, 20b – Figure 2, Figure 4, ¶44) and in at least a portion of a region in which the external electrodes are not disposed (Figure 2, Figure 4).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the fluorine layer as described by Otani to prevent the occurrence of solder splatter caused by evaporation of moisture in the conductive resin layer during a soldering process (¶44 – Otani).
In re claim 8, Han in view of Otani discloses the multilayer electronic component according to claim 1, as explained above. Han further discloses wherein the first electrode layer (131, 141 – Figure 2) is disposed on the third and fourth surfaces (3, 4 – Figure 2) of the body, respectively, and a second electrode layer (132, 142 – Figure 2, ¶39) is in contact with the first electrode layer (131, 142 – Figure 2) and disposed on at least a portion of the first, second, fifth, and sixth surfaces (1, 2, 5, 6 – Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3) of the body (110 – Figure 1), respectively.
In re claim 9, Han in view of Otani discloses the multilayer electronic component according to claim 8, as explained above. Han further discloses wherein the second electrode layer (132, 142 – Figure 2) is further disposed to cover the first electrode layer (131, 141 – Figure 2).
In re claim 12, Han in view of Otani discloses the multilayer electronic component according to claim 1, as explained above. Han further discloses wherein the external electrodes (130, 140 – Figure 2) comprise a second electrode layer (132, 142 – Figure 2), the first electrode layer (131, 141 – Figure 2) is disposed on the third and fourth surfaces (3, 4 – Figure 1, Figure 2) of the body (110 – Figure 1), respectively, and the second electrode layer (132, 142 – Figure 2) extends from the first electrode layer (131, 141 – Figure 2) and is disposed on at least a portion of the first, second, fifth, and sixth surfaces of the body (1, 2, 5, 6 – Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3).
In re claim 13, Han in view of Otani discloses the multilayer electronic component according to claim 12, as explained above. Han further discloses wherein the second electrode layer (132, 142 – Figure 2) is further disposed to cover the first electrode layer (131, 141 – Figure 2).
In re claim 16, Han in view of Otani discloses the multilayer electronic component according to claim 1, as explained above. Han does not disclose wherein the first inorganic material is disposed on an external surface of the body to have surface roughness.
Otani discloses a wherein the first organic material (23 – Figure 2, ¶31) is disposed on an external surface of the body to have a surface roughness (¶41; Note that the method involves a plasma polymerization process, which provides for a surface roughness.).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the fluorine layer as described by Otani to prevent the occurrence of solder splatter caused by evaporation of moisture in the conductive resin layer during a soldering process (¶44 – Otani).
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han et al. (US Publication 2019/0157006) in view of Otani (US Publication 2016/0172110) and in further view of Park et al. (US Patent 10,395,840).
In re claim 4, Han in view of Otani discloses the multilayer electronic component according to claim 1, as explained above. Han does not disclose a second inorganic material, including at least one inorganic material among silicon (Si), lithium (Li), or sodium (Na), disposed between the body and the external electrodes.
Park discloses a water repellent material (140 – Figure 3, col.7 l.56) applied to a ceramic capacitor (100 – Figure 1, Figure 3, col.3 l.44) is a silicone inorganic material (col.7 ll.56-60).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the silicon-containing inorganic compound to improve humidity resistance reliability (col.7 ll.56-58: Park).
Claim(s) 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han et al. (US Publication 2019/0157006) in view of Otani (US Publication 2016/0172110) and in further view of Saruban (US Publication 2020/0411247).
In re claim 10, Han in view of Otani discloses the multilayer electronic component according to claim 9, as explained above. Han does not disclose wherein the external electrodes comprise the first inorganic material therein.
Saruban discloses wherein the external electrodes (4 – Figure 1, Figure 2, ¶49) comprise the first inorganic material (11 – Figure 2, ¶52) therein (¶52).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the inorganic material in the external electrodes to significantly increase reliability of the component (¶52: Saruban).
In re claim 11, Han in view of Otani and in further view of Saruban discloses the multilayer electronic component according to claim 10, as explained above. Han does not disclose wherein the first inorganic material is disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.
Otani discloses wherein the first inorganic material (23 – Figure 2) is disposed between the first electrode layer (22a, 22b – Figure 2, ¶51) and the second electrode layer(24a, 24b – Figure 2, ¶51).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the fluorine layer as described by Otani to prevent the occurrence of solder splatter caused by evaporation of moisture in the conductive resin layer during a soldering process (¶44 – Otani).
Claim(s) 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han et al. (US Publication 2019/0157006) in view of Otani (US Publication 2016/0172110) and in further view of Lee et al. (US Publication 2022/0172898).
In re claim 14, Han in view of Otani discloses the multilayer electronic component according to claim 13, as explained above. Han does not disclose wherein the external electrodes comprise a second inorganic material including at least one inorganic material among silicon (Si), lithium (Li), or sodium (Na) therein.
Lee discloses wherein the external electrodes (131, 132 – Figure 2, ¶47) comprise a second inorganic material (151 – Figure 2, Figure 4, ¶46) including at least one inorganic material among silicon (Si), lithium (Li), or sodium (Na) therein (¶45).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the inorganic material as described by Lee to improve moisture reliability.
In re claim 15, Han in view of Otani and in further view of Lee discloses the multilayer electronic component according to claim 14, as explained above. Han does not disclose wherein the second inorganic material is disposed between the second electrode layer and the first electrode layer.
Lee discloses wherein the second inorganic material (151 – Figure 2, Figure 4) is disposed between the second electrode layer (142 – Figure 4, ¶43) and the first electrode layer (141 – Figure 4, ¶43).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the inorganic material as described by Lee to improve moisture reliability.
Claim(s) 17 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han et al. (US Publication 2019/0157006) in view of Saruban (US Publication 2020/0411247) and in further view of Otani (US Publication 2016/0172110).
In re claim 17, Han discloses a multilayer electronic component, comprising:
a body (110 – Figure 2, ¶26) including a dielectric layer (111 – Figure 2, ¶28) and internal electrodes (121, 122 – Figure 2, ¶28) with the dielectric layer (111 – Figure 2) between the internal electrodes (121, 122 – Figure 2), and
an external electrode (130, 140 – Figure 1, Figure 2) disposed on the body (110 – Figure 1),
wherein the external electrodes (130, 140 – Figure 1, Figure 2) comprises a electrode layer (131, 141 – Figure 2) disposed directly on the body (110 – Figure 2) to connect to one of the internal electrodes (121, 122 – Figure 2) in a given direction (Figure 2), and a second electrode layer (132, 142 – Figure 2) disposed on the first electrode layer (131, 141 – Figure 2),
wherein a thickness of the first electrode layer is 10 nm or more and 1 µm or less (¶48).
Han does not disclose the external electrode further comprises an inorganic material, including one or more among sulfur (S), fluorine (F), silicon (Si), lithium (Li), or sodium (Na), dispersed in the first electrode layer.
Saruban discloses wherein the external electrodes (4 – Figure 1, Figure 2, ¶49) comprises an inorganic material (11 – Figure 2, ¶52), including one or more among sulfur (S), fluorine (F), silicon (Si), lithium (Li), or sodium (Na) (¶52), dispersed in the first electrode layer (5 – Figure 2, ¶53).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the inorganic material in the external electrodes to significantly increase reliability of the component (¶52: Saruban).
Han does not disclose wherein at least a portion of the inorganic material is arranged between the body and the first electrode layer in the given direction.
Otani discloses the first inorganic material (23 – Figure 2, Figure 4, ¶51), is arranged between the body (12 – Figure 2, Figure 4, ¶51) and the first electrode layer (22a, 22b – Figure 2, ¶51) in the given direction (‘L’ direction – Figure 1, Figure 4).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the fluorine layer as described by Otani to prevent the occurrence of solder splatter caused by evaporation of moisture in the conductive resin layer during a soldering process (¶44 – Otani).
In re claim 19, Han in view of Saruban and in further view of Otani discloses the multilayer electronic component according to claim 17, as explained above. Han does not disclose wherein the second electrode layer is in contact with the inorganic material and the first electrode layer.
Otani discloses wherein the second electrode layer (24a, 24b – Figure 2, Figure 3, Figure 4) is in contact with the inorganic material (23 – Figure 2, Figure 3, Figure 4) and the first electrode layer (22a, 22b – Figure 2, Figure 3, Figure 4).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the fluorine layer as described by Otani to prevent the occurrence of solder splatter caused by evaporation of moisture in the conductive resin layer during a soldering process (¶44 – Otani).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 2-3 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. The prior art does not teach nor suggest (in combination with other claim limitations) pores are present on an external surface of the body disposed below the external electrodes, and the first inorganic material is disposed in the pores.
Claim 5 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. The prior art does not teach nor suggest (in combination with other claim limitations) pores are present on an external surface of the body disposed below the external electrodes, and the second inorganic material is disposed in the pores.
Claim 21 is allowed. The prior art does not teach nor suggest (in combination with other claim limitations) pores are present on an external surface of the body disposed below the external electrodes, and the first inorganic material is disposed in the pores, and wherein the pores include pores having an average diameter of less than 1 nm.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure
Lee et al. (US Patent 11,901,131) Figure 3
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ARUN RAMASWAMY whose telephone number is (571)270-1962. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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/ARUN RAMASWAMY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2848