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 of claims 1-7 in the reply filed on 04/20/2026 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)). Claims 8-13 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 06/04/2023 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 submitted on 06/04/2023 are acceptable.
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.
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 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Arimitsu et al. (US-20220020527-A1) in further view of Shimizu et al. (US-20200312523-A1), hereinafter Arimitsu and Shimizu respectively.
Regarding Claim 1, Arimitsu teaches an inductor (1, Fig. 1, 3), comprising: a coil (2), the coil comprising a coil body (3) and a first lead (3a) protruding from the coil body, a first conductive lead frame (4a), the first lead being electrically fixed to the first conductive lead frame; and a housing (5 and 6), the housing encapsulating the coil and exposing the first conductive lead frame (Par [0055; 0066-0069]; Fig. 1, 3-4). Arimitsu does not teach an embodiment wherein the first lead has a U-bend portion.
Shimizu teaches a lead (14) with the U-bend portion (Par [0054-0055]; Fig. 1).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the inductor of Arimitsu with the teachings of Shimizu by having a lead portion with a U-bend in order to prevent certain elements from accidental contact with the coil body.
Regarding Claim 2, Arimitsu in view of Shimizu teaches the inductor according to claim 1, wherein the coil body (3) has a helical axis, the first lead (3a) as a whole is located on a single side of the coil body in a direction parallel to the helical axis (Par [0068]; Fig. 1,3; Lead 3a linearly extends along the y-axis; Arimitsu).
Regarding Claim 3, Arimitsu in view of Shimizu teaches the inductor according to claim 1, wherein the coil body (3) has a helical axis, but does not explicitly teach an embodiment wherein the first lead has a coil connecting portion and a frame connecting portion the first lead is connected to the coil body through the coil connecting portion, the first lead is connected to the first conductive lead frame through the frame connecting portion, and the coil connecting portion and the frame connecting portion are located on the same side of the coil body in a direction parallel to the helical axis.
Shimizu teaches an inductor wherein the coil body (12) has a helical axis, the first lead (14B) has a coil connecting portion and a frame connecting portion (see modified Fig. 1), the first lead (14B) is connected to the coil body through the coil connecting portion, the first lead is connected to the first conductive lead frame through the frame connecting portion, and the coil connecting portion and the frame connecting portion are located on the same side of the coil body (Both the coil connecting portion and the frame connecting portion are below the coil body) in a direction parallel to the helical axis (Par [0054-0055]; see also modified Fig. 1).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the inductor of Arimitsu with the teachings of Shimizu by having a lead with a coil connecting portion and a frame connecting portion in order to expose the end portion of the leads without removing insulation from the other lead portions (Par [0064-0065]; Shimizu).
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Regarding Claim 4, Arimitsu in view of Shimizu teaches the inductor according to claim 1, wherein the coil body (12) has a helical axis, but does not explicitly teach the first lead has a coil connecting portion and a frame connecting portion, the first lead is connected to the coil body through the coil connecting portion, the first lead is connected to the first conductive lead frame through the frame connecting portion, and the coil connecting portion and the frame connecting portion are located on opposite sides of the coil body in a direction parallel to the helical axis.
Shimizu teaches the first lead (14A) has a coil connecting portion and a frame connecting portion, the first lead (14A) is connected to the coil body through the coil connecting portion, the first lead is connected to the first conductive lead frame through the frame connecting portion, and the coil connecting portion and the frame connecting portion are located on opposite sides of the coil body (the coil connection portion is above the coil body while the frame connecting portion is below the coil body) in a direction parallel to the helical axis (Par [0054-0055]; see modified Fig. 1 of Shimizu).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the inductor of Arimitsu with the teachings of Shimizu by having a lead with a coil connecting portion and a frame connecting portion in order to expose the end portion of the leads without removing insulation from the other lead portions (Par [0064-0065]; Shimizu).
Regarding Claim 5, Arimitsu in view of Shimizu teaches the inductor according to claim 1, wherein the coil body (3) has a helical axis, and a portion of the first lead (3a) that connects with the first conductive lead frame (4a) and the coil body overlap in a direction parallel to the helical axis (Par [0066-0069]; Fig. 1, 3-4; Arimitsu).
Regarding Claim 6, Arimitsu in view of Shimizu teaches the inductor according to claim 1, wherein the housing (5 and 6) contains a magnetic material (Par [0058]) and passes through the coil (Par [0055-0058]; Fig. 1, 3-4; Arimitsu).
Regarding Claim 7, Arimitsu in view of Shimizu teaches the inductor according to claim 1, wherein the coil comprises a second lead (3b) protruding from the coil body (3), the inductor comprises a second conductive lead frame (4b), the second lead (3b) is electrically fixed to the second conductive lead frame (4b), the housing exposes the second conductive lead frame, and the first conductive lead frame and the second conductive lead frame are structurally parallel (Par [0066-0069]; Fig. 1, 3-4; Arimitsu).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure can be viewed in form PTO-892 Notice of References. The references are considered relevant as they are directed to inductors with conductive frames and leads with of varying configurations.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AISLIN WEST whose telephone number is (571)272-0552. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.
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 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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/AISLIN M WEST/Examiner, Art Unit 2837
/SHAWKI S ISMAIL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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