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 .
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 04/12/2023 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 04/12/2023 are acceptable.
Claim Objections
Claim 14 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 14, it appears “one surface” in line 3 should be --the one surface-- since claim 14 indirectly depends on claim 11, which recites “one surface” already.
Appropriate correction is required.
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, 3-5, 9 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Takahashi (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2020/0281078 A1).
With respect to claim 1, Takahashi teaches a coil component 500 (FIGs. 2A-3D), comprising:
a body 10;
a coil 50 disposed in the body;
an external electrode70 and or 72 disposed on one surface 12 of the body and including at least one recess 80 and or 82; and
a via electrode 86 and or 88 disposed in the body and connecting the coil to the external electrode (para. [0083] and [0090]).
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With respect to claim 3, Takahashi teaches the coil component of claim 1, wherein the body includes a first surface 16a and a second surface 16b opposing each other in a first direction (length direction), and a third surface 12 and a fourth surface 14 opposing each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and
wherein the via electrode is disposed nearer to the third surface than to the fourth surface (paras. [0049]-[0051] and [0090]).
With respect to claim 4, Takahashi teaches the coil component of claim 1,
wherein the external electrode includes an internal side (surface (side surface in contact with the bottom surface of the body) facing the body, and an external side surface (outer side) opposing the internal side surface, and
wherein the at least one recess is disposed in a region of the external side surface opposing a region in which the internal side surface is in contact with the via electrode (para. [0090]).
With respect to claim 5, Takahashi teaches the coil component of claim 1, wherein the external electrode and the via electrode are integrally formed (para. [0090]).
With respect to claim 9. Takahashi teaches the coil component of claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional area of the recess decreases from an external side to an internal side of the external electrode (para. [0090]).
With respect to claim 18, Takahashi teaches the coil component of claim 1, wherein the external electrode includes at least two recesses (para. [0114]).
With respect to claim 19, Takahashi teaches the coil component of claim 1, wherein the external electrode includes only two recesses (para. [0114]).
With respect to claim 20, Takahashi teaches the coil component of claim 1, wherein the external electrode includes a single recess (para. [0090]).
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 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahashi, as applied to claim 1 above, in view of Chong et al. (KR 10-2018-116604). This KR reference is provided in the IDS filed 04/12/2023 and therefore not cited in PTO-892.
With respect to claim 2, Takahashi teaches the coil component of claim 1. Takahashi does not expressly teach a cross-sectional area of the via electrode decreases from an external side to an internal side of the body.
Chong et al., hereinafter referred to as “Chong,” teaches a coil component 100 (FIGs. 1 and 2), wherein a cross-sectional area of the via electrode81a and or 82a decreases from an external side (outer side) to an internal side (inner side) of the body 50 (Abstract). 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 cross-sectional areas of the via electrode as taught by Chong to the coil component of Takahashi to reduce parasitic capacitance (abstract).
Claim 6-8 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahashi, as applied to claims 1 and 3 above, and further in view of Park (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2015/0137929 A1).
With respect to claim 6, Takahashi teaches the coil component of claim 1. Takahashi does not expressly teach
a pole portion disposed in the body, connected to the external electrode, and spaced apart from the coil and the via electrode.
Park teaches a coil component 100 (FIG. 1) comprising:
a pole portion 141-145 disposed in the body 10, connected to the external electrode 131 and or 132, and spaced apart from the coil 121-123 and the via electrode (lead-out connection to electrode 131) (paras. [0036], [0049] and [0073]). 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 pole portion as taught by Park to the coil component of Takahashi to improve adhesion of the external electrode (para. [0083]).
With respect to claim 7, Takahashi in view of Park teaches the coil component of claim 6,
wherein the external electrode includes an internal side surface (side in contact with the bottom surface of the body) facing the body, and an external side surface (outer side) opposing the internal side surface, and
wherein the at least one recess is disposed in a region of the external side surface opposing a region in which the internal side surface is in contact with the pole portion (Takahashi, para. [0090], Park, para. [0073]).
With respect to claim 8, Takahashi in view of Park teaches the coil component of claim 6, wherein the external electrode and the pole portion are integrally formed (Park, para. [0073]).
With respect to claim 17, Takahashi teaches the coil component of claim 3, further comprising:
a pole portion disposed in the body, connected to the external electrode, and spaced apart from the coil and the via electrode, wherein the pole portion is disposed nearer to the fourth surface than to the third surface.
Park teaches a coil component 100 (FIG. 1) comprising:
a pole portion 141-146 disposed in the body 10, connected to the external electrode 131 and or 132, and spaced apart from the coil and the via electrode (lead-out connection to electrode 131), wherein the pole portion is disposed nearer to the fourth surface S1 than to the third surface S2 (paras. [0036], [0049] and [0073]). 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 pole portion as taught by Park to the coil component of Takahashi to improve adhesion of the external electrode (para. [0083]).
Claims 10-12 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahashi, as applied to claim 1 above, in view of Yang et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2020/0027647 A1).
With respect to claim 10, Takahashi teaches the coil component of claim 1. Takahashi does not expressly teach
a support member disposed in the body and supporting the coil.
Yang et al., hereinafter referred to as “Yang,” teaches a coil component 1000 (FIGs. 1-6) comprising:
a support member IL disposed in the body 100 and supporting the coil 200 (para. [0046]). 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 support member as taught by Yang to the coil component of Takahashi to support the coil, thereby improving the mechanical stability of the coil (para. [0046]).
With respect to claim 11, Takahashi in view of Yang teaches the coil component of claim 10, wherein the coil includes a first coil pattern 211 disposed on one surface (lower surface) of the support member, a second coil pattern 212 disposed on the other surface (upper surface) of the support member, a first via 221 connecting the first and second coil patterns to each other, and first and second lead-out pads 231 and 242 extending from ends of outermost turns of the first and second coil patterns, respectively (Yang, paras. [0051] and [0053]).
With respect to claim 12, Takahashi in view of Yang teaches the coil component of claim 11, wherein the external electrode includes first and second external electrodes 300 and 400 disposed on one surface 106 of the body and spaced apart from each other, and
wherein the via electrode includes a first via electrode 610 connecting the first lead-out pad to the first external electrode, and a second via electrode 620 connecting the second lead-out pad to the second external electrode (Yang, paras. [0051] and [0064]).
With respect to claim 14, Takahashi in view of Yang teaches the coil component of claim 12, wherein the coil further includes a connection pad 232 spaced apart from the first coil pattern on [the] one surface of the support member and connected to the second via electrode, and a second via 223 connecting the second lead-out pad to the connection pad (Yang, para. [0053]).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahashi in view of Yang, as applied to claim 14 above, and further in view of Tawa (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2010/0328009 A1).
With respect to claim 15, Takahashi in view of Yang teaches the coil component of claim 14. Takahashi in view of Yang does not expressly teach, in the first coil pattern, a region adjacent to the connection pad is curved toward a center of the first coil pattern.
Tawa teaches a coil component (FIGs. 1-4), wherein, in the first coil pattern 18j, a region E adjacent to the connection pad v9 is curved r4 toward a center of the first coil pattern (para. [0035]). 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 curved portion as taught by Tawa to the coil component of Takahashi in view of Yang to provide maximum proximity distance between the first coil pattern and the connection pad (para. [0035]).
Claim 13 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahashi in view of Yang, as applied to claim 12 above, and further in view of Wang et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2015/0035640 A1).
With respect to claim 13, Takahashi in view of Yang teaches the coil component of claim 12. Takahashi in view of Yang does not expressly teach the second via electrode penetrates through the support member and is connected to the second lead-out pad.
Wang et al., hereinafter referred to as “Wang,” teaches a coil component (FIG. 3), wherein the second via electrode 35 and 37 penetrates through the support member 30 and is connected to the second lead-out pad (outer end of coil 32) (para. [0027]). 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 second via electrode penetrating through the support member and connected to the second lead-out pad as taught by Wang to the coil component of Takahashi in view of Yang to facilitate manufacturing.
With respect to claim 16, Takahashi in view of Yang and Wang teaches the coil component of claim 13, wherein the second via electrode is directly connected to the second lead-out pad (Wang, para. [0027]).
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.
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/MANG TIN BIK LIAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837