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 with traverse of Group I, Species II, Figures 5-9, claims 1-9 and 15-20, in the reply filed on 3/5/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that searching Groups I-II and Species I-II-III together would not impose a burden on the Examiner. This is not found persuasive because searching other Group and/or Species would require additional search and/or consideration in other areas, class/subclass. Claims 1-9 and 15-20 will be examined herewith.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 8-9 and 15-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tang et al. [CN 204155718 U] in view of Xu et al. [US 2007/0175701 A1].
Regarding claims 1 and 15, Tang et al. discloses an integrated magnetic assembly [figures 1-2] comprising:
a magnetic core assembly comprising:
a first core component [2] including a first plurality of legs extending from a first inner face;
a second core component [3] including a second plurality of legs extending from a second inner face; and
a center core component [1] located between the first core component and the second core component and coupled to the first and second core components, the center core component including a top surface, a first inner side and a second inner side [figure 1], wherein, where the first plurality of legs of the first core component and the first inner side of the center core component define at least two first channels, and the second plurality of legs of the second core component and the second inner side of the center core component define at least two second channels, wherein the two first channels are defined between the first core component and the center core component, and the two second channels are defined between the second core component and the center core component [figures 1-2], and
at least one winding arranged in the channels.
Tang et al. disclose the instant claimed invention except for the specific of the winding.
Xu et al. discloses a magnetic device [figures 4-10] comprising:
- a core structure [figures 4, 7-8 and 10] including a plurality of legs formed channels between the legs; and
- a coil structure [figures 4-5, 7 and 9] arranged in the channels, wherein the coil structure including a pair winding plates [46, 32/34, 46], a pair of winding legs [46 of Figure 5] extending from a first end of the pair of winding plates [46 of Figure 5, also in Figures 7 and 9], a pair of connection legs [figures 4-5, 7 and 9] extending from a second end of the pair of winding plates, and a connection tab joining the connection legs [figures 4-5, 7 and 9].
Xu et al. further disclose, in figures 5, 7 and 9, the pair of winding legs, the pair of winding plates, the pair of connection legs and the connection tab together define a single continuous conductive element between the pair of the winding legs.
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 winding structure of Xu et al. in Tang et al. for the purpose of providing low profile structure and surface mounting.
The specific use of the single conductive element of Xu et al. as an “electrically continuous path” for the purpose of facilitating different desired inductance for different applications and/or environments.
Regarding claim 3, the specific length of the center leg of the first/second cores relative to other legs would have been an obvious design consideration for the purpose facilitating and/or controlling magnetic flux/field desired.
Regarding claims 4 and 17, Tang et al. further discloses a plurality of gaps are formed between the first core component, the second core component, the center core component, and the winding [figures 1-2].
Regarding claims 8-9, Xu et al. discloses wherein the winding legs and the connection legs are located in the channels.
Regarding claims 2 and 16, Xu et al. discloses the winding plates having different configurations [figures 4-5, 7 and 9-11]. These winding plates configurations would have extension [see figure 11] that would extend of the core legs within the channels and act as heat-sink.
Claim(s) 5 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tang et al. in view of Xu et al. as applied to claims 1,4, 15 and 17 above, and further in view of Cheng et al. [CN 113823491 A].
Tang et al. in view of Xu et al. disclose the instant claimed invention except for the air gaps filled with at least one of an interfacial epoxy with glass bead and Nomex with a bridge bond.
Cheng et al. discloses the use of adhesive/glue like epoxy with glass bead filled in air gap core structure of an integrated inductor device.
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 epoxy with glass bead in the air gaps of Tang et al., as suggested by Cheng et al., for the purpose of controlling the air gap size.
Claim(s) 6-7 and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tang et al. in view of Xu et al. as applied to claims 1 and 15 above, and further in view of Hawley et al. [US 2023/0335328 A1].
Regarding claims 16 and 19, Tang et al. further discloses the center core component includes a projection [figures 1-2].
Xu et al. further discloses the winding plates arranged to form a space between the winding plates [figures 4-5, 7 and 9-11], wherein the space configured to arrange over and/or between the core structure.
Tang et al. in view of Xu et al. disclose the instant claimed invention except for the specific projection and the winding plates.
Hawley et al. discloses a low-profile inductor [figure 1] comprising:
- a core structure including a plurality of legs/projections that formed a plurality of channels; and
- a coil structure [serpentine conductors 160a/b] arranged in the channels, wherein the coil structure includes at least one coil plate including coil plates, coil legs and connection [figures 1, 3B-3F], wherein the coil plates formed space between to accommodate the legs and/or projections of the core structure.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use the coil/core arrangement of Hawley et al. in Tang et al., as modified, for the purpose of facilitating surface mounting the reduce the size.
Regarding claims 7 and 20, the specific height of projections and/or thickness of the winding plates would have been an obvious design consideration for the purpose of incorporating the core/coil into a smaller magnetic device.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7/22/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that:
[1] Examiner fails to identify any structure in Xu corresponding to a connection tab joining the connection legs;
[2] Xu discloses two separate inductors [32, 34] rather than a single “electrically continuous” conductive path; and
[3] Xu maintained the “inductors” as separate conductive structure up to the point at which they meet at Vout and nothing in Xu discloses or suggest “integrally joining” the inductors by a connection tab to form the claimed “single electrically continuous conductive path.
The Examiner disagrees.
Regarding [1], Xu discloses a coil structure [figures 4-5, 7 and 9] including a pair of winding plates [46, figure 5], a pair of winding legs [46, figure 5] extending from a first end of the pair of the winding plates, a pair of connection legs [46, figure 5] extending from a second end of the pair of winding plates and a connection tab [44] joining the connection leg [figure 5, see annotated of figure 5 below].
PNG
media_image1.png
566
818
media_image1.png
Greyscale
As annotated, the connection plates of Xu are equivalent to connection plates [238, figure 5] of the present application. The winding legs of Xu are equivalent to winding legs [240, figure 5] of the present application. The connection legs of Xu are equivalent to connection legs [244, figure 5] of the present application. The connection tab of Xu is equivalent to connection tab [242, figure 5] of the present application.
Regarding [2], Xu discloses that the “inductors” [32, 34] connected to switches [open or close Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4]. Xu also discloses these “inductors” formed from a single continuous conductive path [or structure, see figures 5, 7 and 9]. Xu further discloses that using these switches can be used to control the coupling/flowing the electric current for the “inductors”, as desired [see para 0032 and 0040].
Regarding [3], Xu discloses the “inductors” connected by the connection tab [44] forming a single continuous conductive path/structure. Xu discloses the use of the switch [open or close of Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4] for “coupling” the “inductors” for the coupling/flowing current, as desired [para 0032, 0040] and this would “define a single electrically continuous conductive path between the pair of winding legs”.
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 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. 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 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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). 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
