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 filed 06/11/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that Bichler does not teach “the outer primary coil is arranged offset with respect to the inner primary coil in a longitudinal direction of an axis of the core and in a direction closer to the gap than the inner primary coil” as amended claim 1. Applicant asserts that the outer primary coil 50b1 of Bichler is arranged in a direction further from the gap 2.
After careful consideration without passion or prejudice, the argument is not found persuasive, respectfully. Applicant’s amendment to the claim changes the scope of the claim. This allows the examiner to change the interpretation of claim 1. In the new interpretation, the examiner equates the offset arrangement as claimed to a different area of the primary coil 50 as in the rejection body of claim 1 in section 5 below. Under this new interpretation, Bichler still teaches “the outer primary coil is arranged offset with respect to the inner primary coil in a longitudinal direction of an axis of the core and in a direction closer to the gap than the inner primary coil” as amended claim 1.
The drawings objection made in the Office action dated 03/12/2026 is hereby withdrawn as a result of the amendment filed on 06/11/2026.
Similarly, the 35 USC 112(b) rejection made in the Office action mailed on 03/12/2026 is hereby withdrawn as a result of the amendment filed on 06/11/2026.
Drawings
The drawings received on 06/21/2023 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.
Claims 1 and 3-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bichler (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2014/0266537).
With respect to claim 1, Bichler teaches a transformer 3 (Figure 2) comprising:
a core 12a and 12b formed of a magnetic body, the core comprising a gap S;
a primary coil 50 wound around the core,
the primary coil having two coil layers 50a and 50b (annotated Figure 2) of an inner primary coil 50a and an outer primary coil 50b arranged more toward an outer peripheral side than the inner primary coil; and
a second coil 60 or 90 wound around the core,
wherein the outer primary coil is arranged offset (turn 50b1 is offset to turn between 50a1 and 50a2) with respect to the inner primary coil in a longitudinal direction (vertical axis direction) of an axis of the core and in a direction closer to the gap than the inner primary coil (paras. [0025] and [0029]).
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With respect to claim 3, Bichler teaches the transformer according to claim 2, wherein
the core has a lower portion core 12b and an upper portion core 12a that are arranged facing each other to form the gap S, and
the outer primary coil is arranged on an outer peripheral side of the gap to straddle the gap (para. [0029]).
With respect to claim 4, Bichler teaches the transformer according to claim 3, wherein the inner primary coil is arranged above the gap (para. [0029]). A portion of the inner primary coil is above the gap. Accordingly, under broadest reasonable interpretation, Bichler teaches the claimed limitations.
With respect to claim 5, Bichler teaches the transformer according to claim 3, wherein the second primary coil is arranged below the gap (para. [0029]). A portion of the secondary coil is above the gap. Accordingly, under broadest reasonable interpretation, Bichler teaches the claimed limitations.
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.
Claims 6 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bichler, as applied to claim 5 above, in view of Joseph (U.S. Patent No. 5,404,123).
With respect to claim 6, Bichler teaches the transformer according to claim 5. Bichler does not expressly teach the outer primary coil is arranged on an outer peripheral side of the secondary coil.
Joseph teaches a transformer (FIG. 3), wherein the outer primary coil 64 is arranged on an outer peripheral side of the secondary coil 63 (col. 2, lines 58-61 and col. 3, lines 3-6). 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 outer primary coil structure as taught by Joseph to the transformer of Bichler to provide the required magnetic coupling between the different coils to meet design requirements.
With respect to claim 7, Bichler in view of Joseph teaches the transformer according to claim 6, wherein the number of windings of the inner primary coil is smaller than the number of windings of the outer primary coil (Joseph, col. 2, lines 58-61 and col. 3, lines 3-6).
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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/MANG TIN BIK LIAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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