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 .
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.
1. Claims 1-4, 6 and 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tanaka et al. (JP 2017069349)(English translation) in view of Aoyagi (JP 2016134848)(English translation)
Regarding claim 1, Tanaka et al. (figures 1-4 and pages 2-5) discloses a first wire (40), a second wire (50), and a drum core having a winding core part where the first wire and the second wire are wrapped around (see figure 1); wherein the drum core has a first flange (22) at one end along a first axis of the winding core part and a second flange (23) at the other end along the first axis of the winding core part (see figures 1-2); the first flange has a first terminal (60) and a second terminal (60) connecting to the first wire (see figures 1-2) the second flange has a third terminal (60) and a fourth terminal (60) connecting to the second wire (see figures 1-2); the first wire has a first coil part wound around the winding core part by pressing a back of the first coil part towards the winding core part (see figure 1); the first coil part has a first winding width W1 defined by components along the first axis which is a distance between a first outer winding wire portion positioned closest to the first flange and a first inner winding wire portion positioned furthest from the first flange (see figure 1); the second wire comprises a second coil part wound around the winding core part by pressing a back of the second coil part towards the winding core part (see figure 1); the second coil part has a second winding width W2 defined by components along the first axis which is a distance between a second outer winding wire portion positioned closest to the second flange(see figure 1) and a second inner winding wire portion positioned furthest from the second flange (see figure 1); the first coil part is arranged at a position closer to the first flange and spaced apart from the second coil part by a distance W3 defined by components along the first axis between the first inner winding wire portion and the second inner winding wire portion (see figure 1).
Tanaka et al. does not expressly disclose a teaching wherein W3 > W1 or W3 > W2 is satisfied.
Aoyagi (see figure 6/drawing below and page 4) discloses a teaching W3 > W1.(note: see page 4 disclosing how one side of the coil part is densely wound leading to a smaller width (W1) and the side of the coil part is sparsely wound leading to a large width (W2), which is creating a large spacing/width (W3) between the coil parts)
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Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the before the effective filing date of the applicant claimed invention to design teaching wherein the coil part discloses wherein W3 > W1 as taught by Aoyagi to the inductive device of Tanaka et al so as to allow the user the capability to easily remove sections of the inductive device without potentially damaging another section of the coil part since adequate spacing is provided between the coil parts.
Regarding claim 2, Tanaka et al. (figures 1-2) discloses wherein a first connecting position where the first terminal and the first wire connect and a second connecting position where the second terminal and the first wire connect are arranged at a first direction side along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis of the first flange, and a third connecting position where the third terminal and the second wire connect and a fourth connecting position where the fourth terminal and the second wire connect are arranged at the first direction side along the second axis of the second flange.
Regarding claim 3, Tanaka et al. (figures 1-2) discloses wherein the first connecting position is arranged at an opposite side of the second connecting position while placing a connecting portion connecting the first flange and the winding core part between the first connecting position and the second connecting position along a direction of the third axis being perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis; and
the third connecting position is arranged at an opposite side of the fourth connecting position while placing a connecting portion connecting the second flange and the winding core part between the third connecting position and the fourth connecting position along the direction of the third axis.
Regarding claim 4, Tanaka et al. (figures 1-2) discloses wherein the first wire bends at a first winding end part which is one end of the first coil part towards the first connecting position and away from the first coil part, the first wire bends at a second winding end part which is the other end of the first coil part towards the second connecting position and away from the first coil part, the second wire bends at a third winding end part which is one end of the second coil part towards the third connecting position and away from the second coil part, and the second wire bends at a fourth winding end part which is the other end of the second coil part towards the fourth connecting position and away from the second coil part.
Regarding claim 6, Tanaka et al. (figures 1-2) discloses wherein a first terminal second portion, a second terminal second portion, a third terminal second portion, and a fourth terminal second portion are arranged on a same plane in a mountable way which is perpendicular to the second axis and at a second direction side which is an opposite side of the first direction side along the second axis.
Regarding claim 8, Tanaka et al. (figures 2-3 and page 4) discloses a plate core (30) magnetically connecting the first flange and the second flange.
Regarding claim 9, Tanaka et al. (figures 2-3 and page 4) discloses wherein the plate core has a flat plate-like core base surface which opposes the winding core part.
2. Claims 5 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tanaka et al. (JP 2017069349)(English translation) in view of Aoyagi (JP 2016134848)(English translation) in further view of Kajiwara et al. (JP 2006121013)(English translation).
Regarding claim 5, Tanaka et al. (figures 1-4 and pages 2-5) discloses all the limitations as noted above but does not expressly disclose wherein the first terminal comprises a first terminal first portion having a plane perpendicular to the second axis, a first terminal second portion arranged at an opposite side of the first terminal first portion across the first flange along the direction of the second axis and has a plane parallel to the first terminal first portion, and a first connection part connecting the first terminal first portion and the first terminal second portion; the second terminal comprises
a second terminal first portion having a plane perpendicular to the second axis, a second terminal second portion arranged at an opposite side of the second terminal first portion across the first flange along the direction of the second axis and has a plane parallel to the second terminal first portion, and a second connection part connecting the second terminal first portion and the second terminal second portion; the third terminal comprises a third terminal first portion having a plane perpendicular to the second axis, a third terminal second portion arranged at an opposite side of the third terminal first portion across the second flange along the direction of the second axis and has a plane parallel to the third terminal first portion, and a third connection part connecting the third terminal first portion and the third terminal second portion; and the fourth terminal comprises a fourth terminal first portion having a plane perpendicular to the second axis,a fourth terminal second portion arranged at an opposite side of the fourth terminal first portion across the second flange along the direction of the second axis and has a plane parallel to the fourth terminal first portion, and a fourth connection part connecting the fourth terminal first portion and the fourth terminal second portion.
Kajiwara et al. (figures 1-6 and pages 1-4) discloses a teaching the first terminal comprises a first terminal first portion having a plane perpendicular to the second axis, a first terminal second portion arranged at an opposite side of the first terminal first portion across the first flange along the direction of the second axis and has a plane parallel to the first terminal first portion, and a first connection part connecting the first terminal first portion and the first terminal second portion; the second terminal comprises a second terminal first portion having a plane perpendicular to the second axis, a second terminal second portion arranged at an opposite side of the second terminal first portion across the first flange along the direction of the second axis and has a plane parallel to the second terminal first portion, and a second connection part connecting the second terminal first portion and the second terminal second portion; the third terminal comprises a third terminal first portion having a plane perpendicular to the second axis, a third terminal second portion arranged at an opposite side of the third terminal first portion across the second flange along the direction of the second axis and has a plane parallel to the third terminal first portion, and a third connection part connecting the third terminal first portion and the third terminal second portion; and the fourth terminal comprises a fourth terminal first portion having a plane perpendicular to the second axis, a fourth terminal second portion arranged at an opposite side of the fourth terminal first portion across the second flange along the direction of the second axis and has a plane parallel to the fourth terminal first portion, and a fourth connection part connecting the fourth terminal first portion and the fourth terminal second portion.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the before the effective filing date of the applicant claimed invention to design a teaching the first terminal comprises a first terminal first portion having a plane perpendicular to the second axis, a first terminal second portion arranged at an opposite side of the first terminal first portion across the first flange along the direction of the second axis and has a plane parallel to the first terminal first portion, and a first connection part connecting the first terminal first portion and the first terminal second portion; the second terminal comprises a second terminal first portion having a plane perpendicular to the second axis, a second terminal second portion arranged at an opposite side of the second terminal first portion across the first flange along the direction of the second axis and has a plane parallel to the second terminal first portion, and a second connection part connecting the second terminal first portion and the second terminal second portion; the third terminal comprises a third terminal first portion having a plane perpendicular to the second axis, a third terminal second portion arranged at an opposite side of the third terminal first portion across the second flange along the direction of the second axis and has a plane parallel to the third terminal first portion, and a third connection part connecting the third terminal first portion and the third terminal second portion; and the fourth terminal comprises a fourth terminal first portion having a plane perpendicular to the second axis, a fourth terminal second portion arranged at an opposite side of the fourth terminal first portion across the second flange along the direction of the second axis and has a plane parallel to the fourth terminal first portion, and a fourth connection part connecting the fourth terminal first portion and the fourth terminal second portion as taught by Kajiwara et al. to the inductive device of Tanaka et al so as to allow for improved mechanical strength between the wires and the terminals thereby reducing the chance of the wires breaking away for the inductive device.
Regarding claim 7, Tanaka et al. (figures 1-4 and pages 2-5) discloses all the limitations as noted above but does not expressly disclose wherein the winding core part has a flat plane to the first direction side along the second axis.
Kajiwara et al. (figure 2) discloses wherein the winding core part has a flat plane to the first direction side along the second axis.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the before the effective filing date of the applicant claimed invention to design a teaching wherein the winding core part has a flat plane to the first direction side along the second axis as taught by Kajiwara et al. to the inductive device of Tanaka et al so as to for improved heat dissipation and improved electrical performance.
Conclusion
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/RONALD HINSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837