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 1-7, 11, 13, 15-17, 19 and 20 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.
The drawings objection made in the Office action mailed on 05/19/2026 is withdrawn.
Drawings
The drawings received on 01/19/2023 are acceptable.
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.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yamamori et al. (U.S. Patent No. 5,696,477, hereinafter “Yamamori”).
With respect to claim 1, Yamamori teaches a magnetic element (Fig. 5), comprising:
a magnetic core 6, comprising at least one magnetic column (the magnetic column inside bobbin 10) extending along a first direction (vertical direction);
a first winding 16A surrounding the at least one magnetic column;
a second winding 17A at least partially surrounding the first winding, wherein the number of turns of the second winding is less than or equal to the number of turns of the first winding; and
a third winding 17B at least partially surrounding the second winding, wherein the number of turns of the third winding is less than or equal to the number of turns of the first winding;
wherein the first winding is a primary winding, and the second winding and the third winding are secondary windings (col. 7, lines 15-28).
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Claims 1 and 2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Serrano et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2017/0117091 A1, hereinafter “Serrano”).
With respect to claim 1, Serrano teaches a magnetic element (FIGs. 4A and 4B), comprising:
a magnetic core 406, comprising at least one magnetic column (the magnetic column on which windings are wound) extending along a first direction (horizontal direction as seen in FIG. 4B);
a first winding 413-426 surrounding the at least one magnetic column;
a second winding 408 at least partially surrounding the first winding, wherein the number of turns of the second winding is less than or equal to the number of turns of the first winding; and
a third winding 409 at least partially surrounding the second winding, wherein the number of turns of the third winding is less than or equal to the number of turns of the first winding;
wherein the first winding is a primary winding, and the second winding and the third winding are secondary windings (paras. [0047] and [0048]).
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With respect to claim 2, Serrano teaches the magnetic element according to claim 1, wherein the number of turns of the second winding is greater than or equal to the number of turns of the third winding (para. [0048]).
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.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamamori or Serrano, as applied to claim 1 above, in view of Ren et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2019/0311846 A1, hereinafter “Ren”).
With respect to claim 3, Yamamori or Serrano teaches the magnetic element according to claim 1. Yamamori or Serrano does not expressly teach the second winding and the third winding are flatwise-wound windings.
Ren teaches a magnetic element (Fig. 6), wherein the second winding Ns1_1 and or Ns2_1 and the third winding Ns1_1 and or Ns2-2 are flatwise-wound windings (paras. [0055] 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 flatwise-wound windings as taught by Ren to the magnetic element of Yamamori or Serrano to reduce skin effect or resistance.
Claims 3-7, 11, 13, 15-17, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamamori or Serrano, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Cai et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2020/0161042 A1, hereinafter “Cai”).
With respect to claim 3, Yamamori or Serrano teaches the magnetic element according to claim 1. Yamamori or Serrano does not expressly teach the second winding and the third winding are flatwise-wound windings.
Cai teaches a magnetic element (Figs. 6 and 7), wherein the second winding 23 a and the third winding 25 are flatwise-wound windings (paras. [0150] and [0169]). 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 flatwise-wound windings as taught by Cai to the magnetic element of Yamamori or Serrano to reduce skin effect or resistance.
With respect to claim 4, Yamamori or Serrano in view of Cai teaches the magnetic element according to claim 3, wherein:
the first winding is connected to a first terminal 241 or 243, and the first terminal is located on a first side (upper side) of the magnetic element and has a first projection (upward projection) of the first terminal on a surface (surface on which the first terminal is disposed) of the first side of the magnetic element;
the second winding and the third winding have a first projection 24a (annotated FIG. 6) of the second winding and a first projection 25a of the third winding on the surface of the first side of the magnetic element, respectively; and
the first projection of the first terminal is at least partially located outside the first projection of the second winding or the first projection of the third winding (Cai, paras. [0153], [0154] [0169] and [0170]).
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With respect to claim 5, Yamamori or Serrano in view of Cai teaches the magnetic element according to claim 4, wherein:
the second winding is connected to a second terminal 241, and the third winding is connected to a third terminal 251;
the second terminal and the third terminal are located on the first side of the magnetic element and have a first projection (terminal 243 protrudes upward) of the second terminal and a first projection (terminal 253 protrudes upward) of the third terminal on the surface of the first side of the magnetic element, respectively (Cai, para. [0170]).
With respect to claim 6, Yamamori or Serrano in view of Cai teaches the magnetic element according to claim 5, wherein:
the first projection of the second terminal is located within the first projection of the second winding (the first projection of the second terminal is located between the left and right projections of the second winding); and
the first projection of the third terminal is located within the first projection of the third winding (the first projection of the third terminal is located between the left and right projections of the third winding) (Cai, para. [0170]).
With respect to claim 7, Yamamori or Serrano in view of Cai teaches the magnetic element according to claim 5, wherein:
the first projection of the second winding has two boundaries (two opposite foil ends of the second winding) arranged in the first direction, and the first projection of the second terminal is extended from one boundary to the other boundary of the first projection of the second winding; and
the first projection of the third winding has two boundaries (two opposite foil ends of the third winding) arranged along the first direction, and the first projection of the third terminal is extended from one boundary to the other boundary of the first projection of the third winding (Cai, para. [0170]).
With respect to claim 11, Yamamori or Serrano in view of Cai teaches the magnetic element according to claim 4, wherein the surface of the first side of the magnetic element is provided with a plurality of signal terminals (“toothed portions,” FIG. 8A, para. [0173]), and projections of the plurality of signal terminals on the surface of the first side of the magnetic element are not overlap with the first projection of the first terminal, the first projection of the second winding and the first projection of the third winding (Cai, para. [0173]).
With respect to claim 13, Yamamori or Serrano in view of Cai teaches the magnetic element according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic core comprises two magnetic columns (two legs as seen in FIG. 3), an outside of each magnetic column is wounded with the first winding, the second winding and the third winding, and the outermost windings of the two magnetic columns are connected through an adhesive (Cai, para. [0183]).
With respect to claim 15, Yamamori or Serrano in view of Cai teaches the magnetic element according to claim 1, wherein the secondary windings comprise two secondary windings, a part of the second winding and a part of the third winding are one of the two secondary windings, the other part of the second winding and the other part of the third winding are the other of the two secondary windings (Yamamori, col. 7, lines 24-28, Serrano, para. [0048], and Cai, para. [0170]).
With respect to claim 16, Yamamori or Serrano in view of Cai teaches the magnetic element according to claim 1. Yamamori or Serrano does not expressly teach the second winding and the third winding are formed by a bendable substrate; or
wherein the second winding and the third winding are integrally formed.
Cai teaches a magnetic element (Figs. 6 and 7), wherein the second winding and the third winding are formed by a bendable substrate 22 (Cai, para. [0158])
With respect to claim 17, Yamamori or Serrano in view of Cai teaches the magnetic element according to claim 1. Yamamori or Serrano does not expressly teach
the first winding is connected to a first terminal, and the first terminal comprises a connection structure surface-mounted on the first winding;
the second winding is connected to a second terminal and the third winding is connected to a third terminal;
the first terminal, the second terminal and the third terminal are located on a first side of the magnetic element; and
an upper surface of the connection structure, an upper surface of the second terminal and an upper surface of the third terminal are coplanar.
Cai teaches a magnetic element (Figs. 6 and 7), wherein
the first winding is connected to a first terminal 241 or 243, and the first terminal comprises a connection structure (vertical connection) surface-mounted on the first winding;
the second winding is connected to a second terminal 243 and the third winding is connected to a third terminal 253;
the first terminal, the second terminal and the third terminal are located on a first side (upper side) of the magnetic element; and
an upper surface (top surface) of the connection structure, an upper surface of the second terminal and an upper surface of the third terminal are coplanar (Cai, para. [0170]). 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 terminals and the connection structure as taught by Cai to the magnetic element of Yamamori or Serrano to improve ease of connection to external circuit.
With respect to claim 19, Yamamori or Serrano teaches a power module (“power module” para. [0002]), comprising:
the magnetic element according to claim 1. Yamamori or Serrano does not expressly teach
a first carrier board at least partially covering a surface of a first side of the magnetic element;
a first switch, located on a surface of a side of the first carrier board away from the magnetic element; and
a second switch, located on the surface of the side of the first carrier board away from the magnetic element (Cai, para. [0276]).
Cai teaches a power module (Figs. 6 and 7), comprising:
a first carrier board 74 (FIG. 23D) at least partially covering a surface of a first side (upper side) of the magnetic element;
a first switch (left switch 73), located on a surface (surface on which first switch is provided) of a side (side on which first switch is provided) of the first carrier board away from the magnetic element; and
a second switch (middle switch 73) , located on the surface of the side of the first carrier board away from the magnetic element (Cai, para. [0276]). 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 carrier board and switches as taught by Cai to the power module of Yamamori or Serrano to provide the control functionality of the magnetic element to meet design requirements.
With respect to claim 20, Yamamori or Serrano in view of Cai teaches the power module according to claim 19, further comprising at least two first switches (switches 73 as shown in FIG. 23B) and at least two second switches, and the at least two first switches and the at least two second switches are alternately distributed along the first direction (Cai, para. [0276]).
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
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