Information Disclosure Statement
Applicants cites U.S. 6017490 and JP 10212503 in both the information disclosure statements of 7/27/23 and 4/29/25. The duplicate citations in the later filed information disclosure statement have lines drawn through them.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Paragraphs [0006], [0008], [0019], and [0029] teach the disclosed core has a value resulting from dividing the BET specific surface area of the core by the specific surface area calculated using the outer dimensions of the core of 5000 or less. Paragraph [0029] also teaches and paragraph [0054] teaches the disclosed core has a value resulting from dividing the BET specific surface area of the core after hot forming by the specific surface area calculated using the outer dimensions of the core of 5000 or less” Thus it is unclear if the ratio of paragraphs [0006], [0008], [0019], and [0029] is based on the core after hot forming or not.
Paragraphs [0044] and [0045] teaches the hot forming temperature is equal to or higher than one of the softening temperature of the low-melting glass and the glass transition temperature of the glass alloy powder which is high than the other one or the first crystallization temperature of the nanocrystalline powder which is high than the other one. It is unclear what is “the other one”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 2 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, because the specification, while being enabling for a powder magnetic core comprising at least 85 vol% magnetic powder bonded via a binder layer having an iron, or core, loss at 1 MHz and 50 mT of 2500 kW/m3 and a magnetic permeability at 1 MHz of 50 or greater, wherein the magnetic powder is a soft iron based amorphous or nanocrystalline alloy, the binding layer composed of a low-melting glass and a resin and the core is produced by hot forming granules of a resin and low-melting glass coated soft iron based amorphous or nanocrystalline alloy particles, does not reasonably provide enablement for a powder magnet core comprising at least 85 vol% magnetic powder bonded via a binder layer having an iron, or core, loss at 1 MHz and 50 mT of 2500 kW/m3 and a magnetic permeability at 1 MHz of 50 or greater. The specification does not enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make the invention commensurate in scope with these claims.
It is notoriously well known in the art that the magnetic properties of a magnetic powder core is determined by the composition of the magnetic and binder composition, the microstructure of the core and the manner by which the core is produced. Here the claims do not limit the core to composition to any specific composition or microstructure and the claimed core can be produced by any known method. Since there is no guidance in the claims, the art is known to be unpredictable due to all the factors that affect the properties of a powder magnetic core and in order for one of ordinary skill in the art to determine what powder magnet cores have these claimed properties; millions of combinations of composition and processes must be tested; it would require undue experimentation in order to produce the cores of claims 2 and 3. In re Wands, 858 F.2d 731, 737, 8 USPQ2d 1400, 1404 (Fed. Cir. 1988).
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-11, 15 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 15 and 16 recites the limitation "the other one". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 1-11 are indefinite as to whether the claimed BET specific surface area to specific surface area calculated using the outer dimensions of the core is for a powder magnetic core in which a magnetic powder is bonded via a binder layer and which contains at least 85 vol% magnetic powder applies to a core produced by any method or to a core produced by hot forming.
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.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by WO 2021/133149.
This reference teaches a powder magnet core comprising soft magnetic amorphous alloy powder bonded via a binder layer, wherein the amount of binder in the core is 0.5-3 wt% wherein the core is produced by hot forming a mixture of allot powder and binder. This amount of binder means the core contains 97-99.5 wt% magnetic powder, which would be expected to have a volume filling percentage that fall within the claimed range, when the weight percentage range is converted to volume percent, absent any showing to the contrary. The taught forming process is the same as applicants and thus the ratio of the BET specific surface area of the taught core after hot forming by the specific surface area calculated using the outer dimensions of the taught core, would be expected to fall within the claimed range, absent any showing to the contrary.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12-14 and 17-19 are allowed.
Claims 15 and 16 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The claimed process is not taught or suggested by the cited prior art of record. U.S. 2022/0293336 claimed the process of these claims, but applicants filed a Terminal Disclaimer over this application in U.S. 2022/0293336. Thus it cannot be used as art of the claims in this application. JP 2022-138505 teaches the claimed process but is excluded art under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to C. MELISSA KOSLOW whose telephone number is (571)272-1371. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Tues:7:45-3:45 EST;Thurs-Fri:6:30-2:00EST; and Wed:7:45-2:00EST.
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/C Melissa Koslow/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1734
cmk
8/5/26
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