Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/257,081

COIL, PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING A COIL, AND ASSEMBLY

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Jun 12, 2023
Priority
Dec 11, 2020 — EU 10 2020 215 704.9 +1 more
Examiner
HOSSAIN, KAZI S
Art Unit
2837
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Würth Elektronik Eisos GmbH & Co. Kg
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
80%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 80% — above average
80%
Career Allowance Rate
502 granted / 629 resolved
+11.8% vs TC avg
Strong +16% interview lift
Without
With
+16.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 11m
Avg Prosecution
32 currently pending
Career history
660
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.2%
-39.8% vs TC avg
§103
89.2%
+49.2% vs TC avg
§102
7.3%
-32.7% vs TC avg
§112
1.6%
-38.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 629 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
DETAILED ACTION The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . Elections/Restrictions Applicant’s election of Group I (Claims 1-13 and 24) in the reply filed on 05/20/2026 is acknowledged. However, since applicant did not distinctly indicate whether election is with or without traverse and did not point out any supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.03(a) and 818.03(c)). Drawings The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, an electrically conductive winding, wherein the winding has a first winding connection and a second winding connection, and having a magnetic core, wherein the winding extends up to a maximum angle of 290° as claimed in claim 1 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121 (d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as "amended." If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either "Replacement Sheet" or "New Sheet" pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance. 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 1-2, 4 and 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang (CN 111508685A; The Examiner is using US 20210304956 A1 for translation purpose). Regarding Claim 1: Wang teaches that a coil having an electrically conductive winding (10, Fig. 2C; para 0038-0048), wherein the winding (102, Fig. 2A) has a first winding connection and a second winding connection (104, Fig. 2A), and having a magnetic core (20), wherein the winding extends up to a maximum angle of 290°, in particular 270° (not labeled; i.e. angle between 101 and 104 in Fig. 2A) ,around the core and the winding is fixed to the core. Regarding Claim 2: As applied to claim 1, Wang teaches that the winding extends at least by an angle of 160°, in particular 180°, around the core (construed from Fig. 2C). Regarding Claim 4: As applied to claim 1, Wang teaches that the winding is at least partly formed of metal sheet or of a metal wire (see para 0041) with {a square} or rectangular cross section (construed from Fig. 2A). Regarding Claim 10: As applied to claim 1, Wang teaches that the core is provided with a groove (see para 0039) running around the core by at least 160° (construed from Fig. 2B), wherein the winding is partially inserted (see Fig. 2C) into the groove. Regarding Claim 11: As applied to claim 10, Wang teaches that the winding is latched into the groove, pressed into the groove and/or bonded into the groove (construed from Fig. 2C). 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 of this title, 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. Claims 3, 5-7, 12-13 and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang in view of Njiende (US 20200234867 A1). Regarding Claim 3: As applied to claim 1, Wang teaches one winding in that each winding extends around the core at least by an angle of 160° and at most by an angle of 290 except two windings are provided, further wherein each winding has a first winding connection and a second winding connection However, Njiende teaches two windings (left and right winding 4. Fig. 1; para 0013) are provided, further wherein each winding has a first winding connection (left part 7 in Fig. 1) and a second winding connection (right part 7 in Fig. 1). 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 two windings are provided, further wherein each winding has a first winding connection and a second winding connection to provide a combined choke with improved electrical insulation of the coils, with improved heat dissipation of the coils (para 0020). Regarding Claim 5: As applied to claim 1, Wang does not teach that the winding has at least one first latching element and the core has at least one second latching element, wherein, in the mounted state of the winding on the core, the at least one latching element of the winding interacts with the at least one second latching element of the core in order to hold the winding on the core. However, Njiende teaches the winding has at least one first latching element (not labeled; protruded part in lower element 11 in Fig. 19) and the core has at least one second latching element (not labeled; protruded part in upper element 11 in Fig. 19, wherein, in the mounted state of the winding on the core, the at least one latching element of the winding interacts with the at least one second latching element of the core in order to hold the winding on the core (construed from Fig. 19) 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 winding has at least one first latching element and the core has at least one second latching element, wherein, in the mounted state of the winding on the core, the at least one latching element of the winding interacts with the at least one second latching element of the core in order to hold the winding on the core to provide a combined choke with improved electrical insulation of the coils, with improved heat dissipation of the coils (para 0020). Regarding Claim 6: As applied to claim 5, the modified Wang teaches that the at least one first latching element is formed as a protrusion (not labeled; i.e. projected part from protruded part of element 11 in Fig. 19) on the winding which projects in the direction of the core, and the at least one second latching element on the core is formed as a recess or {step in the core}, wherein the recess or step in the core is designed to match the protrusion on the winding (construed from Fig. 19). Regarding Claim 7: As applied to claim 1, Wang does not teach that a shielding component made of ferrite or an electrically nonconductive metal alloy is provided, which at least partly surrounds the core and the winding. However, Wang taught in para 0068 that a plate can be easily arranged on top of or under the common mode core with the at least two windings wound therearound, regardless whether the common mode core is a toroidal core or a rectangular core. The plate has also the advantage of providing a magnetic shielding, 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 a shielding component made of ferrite or an electrically nonconductive metal alloy is provided, which at least partly surrounds the core and the winding to reduce magnetic field in the vicinity of the integrated magnetic component according to the inventio (para 0068). Regarding Claim 12: As applied to claim 1, Wang does not teach that the core is provided with at least one circumferential protrusion, the winding engaging partially around the protrusion. However, Njiende teaches the core is provided with at least one circumferential protrusion (12, Fig. 3; para 0015-0016), the winding engaging partially around the protrusion. 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 core is provided with at least one circumferential protrusion, the winding engaging partially around the protrusion to provide a combined choke with improved electrical insulation of the coils, with improved heat dissipation of the coils (para 0020). Regarding Claim 13: As applied to claim 12, the modified Wang teaches that a section of the winding is pressed onto the protrusion (construed form Fig. 3). Regarding Claim 24: As applied to claim 1, Wang teaches the first winding connection and the second winding connection are formed as connection pads except a printed circuit board wherein the first winding connection and the second winding connection are formed as connection pads and are soldered to connection areas of a printed circuit board However, Njiende teaches a printed circuit board (9, Fig. 1; para 0113) wherein the first winding connection( left 7, Fig. 1) and the second winding connection ( right 7, Fig. 1) are formed as connection pads and are soldered to connection areas of a printed circuit board It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to a printed circuit board wherein the first winding connection and the second winding connection are formed as connection pads and are soldered to connection areas of a printed circuit board to provide a combined choke with improved electrical insulation of the coils, with improved heat dissipation of the coils (para 0020). Claims 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang in view of Njiende and further in view of Song (US 20170104358 A1). Regarding Claim 8: As applied to claim 7, the modified Wang teaches the shielding component except the shielding component is bonded to the core by means of adhesive. However, Song taught in claim 1 that a magnetic field shielding sheet, comprising: a magnetic field shielding area comprising magnetic field shielding layers disposed on a surface of a coil part configured to provide a wireless power charging function to shield a magnetic field generated from the coil part and an adhesive layer bonding the magnetic field shielding layers to each other; and heat radiation fillers disposed within the adhesive layer. 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 shielding component is bonded to the core by means of adhesive to provide secure connection with electric component. Regarding Claim 9: As applied to claim 7, the modified Wang teaches that the adhesive has } ferrite particles} or particles of an electrically non-conductive metal alloy (see para 0060). 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 892. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Kazi Hossain whose telephone number is 571-272-8182. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday from Monday to Thursday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM (EST). 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 https:/www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Shawki Ismail can be reached on 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. /KAZI HOSSAIN/ Examiner, Art Unit 2837 /SHAWKI S ISMAIL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2837
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jun 12, 2023
Application Filed
Jun 22, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
80%
Grant Probability
96%
With Interview (+16.1%)
2y 11m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 629 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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