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 Species I in the reply filed on 08/13/2026 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)).
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 09/29/2023 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 are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “each diameter of the first to fourth vias is greater than the line width of each of the innermost turns of the first to fourth coils in the parallel connection section” as recited in claim 10 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 § 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 19-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 19, there is no detailed explanation of “at least one of first and second coils includes at least a portion of an outermost turn and at least a portion of the innermost turn both overlapping at least one of the first and second external electrodes along a thickness direction of the coil component” as claimed. Specifically, the specification does not explain what the “overlapping…along a thickness direction” means in such a way that it is clear to a person with ordinary skill in the art..
Similar rejection is applied to claim 18.
Claims 20-22 are rejected as being dependent on claim 19.
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 7 and 18-22 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.
Claim 7 recites the limitation “the another side surface” and "the surfaces" in lines 2-3 and 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It’s not also clear if “the surfaces” refers to any combination or all of the one surface, the one side surface and the other side surfaces or else.
Regarding claim 19, it’s not clear what’s intended by “at least one of first and second coils includes at least a portion of an outermost turn and at least a portion of the innermost turn both overlapping at least one of the first and second external electrodes along a thickness direction of the coil component” as claimed. Since the specification does not explain ““overlapping…along a thickness direction” means, it is not clear if the “overlapping…along the thickness direction” means overlapping when viewed in the thickness direction (T direction) or overlapping when viewed in length direction (L direction) or width direction (W direction). Even when viewed in the length direction or width direction, the turns of the coils can overlap with the electrode “along a thickness direction” as claimed.
Similar rejection is applied to claim 18.
Claims 20-22 are also rejected under 35 USC 112(b) as being dependent from claim 19 and therefore inheriting the indefiniteness thereof.
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 1, 2, 4-9, 13 and 16-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeong (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2016/0217917 A1) in view of Hamada et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2017/0207020, hereinafter “Hamada”).
With respect to claim 1, Jeong teaches a coil component 100 (FIGs. 1-6, FIGs. 2 and 4 provided for convenience) comprising:
a body 50;
first and second support members 21 and 22 disposed on the body;
first and second coils 61 and 62 disposed on the first support member and respectively having at least one turn;
first via 69 connecting innermost turns of the first and second coils to each other;
third and fourth coils 63 and 64 disposed on the second support member and respectively having at least one turn;
third 69 connecting innermost turns of the third and fourth coils to each other; and
first to fourth external electrodes 81, 82, 85 and 86 disposed on the body and respectively connected to the first to fourth coils (paras. [0020], [0031], [0033] and [0073]).
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Jeong does not expressly teach
first and second vias connecting innermost turns of the first and second coils to each other;
third and fourth vias connecting innermost turns of the third and fourth coils to each other; and
wherein each of the innermost turns of the first and second coils has a parallel connection section between a point connected to the first via and a point connected to the second via, each of the innermost turns of the third and fourth coils has a parallel connection section between a point connected to the third via and a point connected to the fourth via, and
a line width of each of the innermost turns of the first to fourth coils in the parallel connection section is smaller than a line width of each adjacent outer turns.
Hamada teaches a coil component (FIGs. 6A and 6B) comprising:
first and second vias 4 and 11 connecting innermost turns of the first and second coils 2 and 3 to each other;
wherein each of the innermost turns of the first and second coils has a parallel connection section (section between vias 4 and 11) between a point 7 connected to the first via and a point 9 connected to the second via, and
a line width (“width dimension” para. [0071]) of each of the innermost turns of the first to second coils in the parallel connection section is smaller (“width dimension…smaller” para. [0072]) than a line width (“width dimension” para. [0072]) of each adjacent outer turns (paras. [0049] and [0069]-[0072]).
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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 parallel connection section and the line width as taught by Hamada to the coil component of Jeong to increase inductance (para. [0072]).
With respect to claim 2, Jeong in view of Hamada teaches the coil component of claim 1, wherein the line width of each of the innermost turns of the first to fourth coils in the parallel connection section is smaller than a line width of each of the innermost turns in the other section except the parallel connection section (Hamada, paras. [0049]).
With respect to claim 4, Jeong in view of Hamada teaches the coil component of claim 1, wherein the first and second coils connected to each other through the first and second vias are spaced apart from and magnetically coupled to the third and fourth coils connected to each other through the third and fourth vias (Jeong, para. [0082] and Hamada, paras. [0049] and [0069]).
With respect to claim 5, Jeong in view of Hamada teaches the coil component of claim 1, wherein the body includes a core 55 passing through the first to fourth coils and the first and second support members, and
the first to fourth coils share the core disposed in a center of the first and second support members (Jeong, para. [0038]-[0040]).
With respect to claim 6, Jeong in view of Hamada teaches the coil component of claim 5, wherein the first and second support members respectively include first and second through-holes 69 in each of which the core is disposed (Jeong, para. [0069] and Tachibana, para. [0049]).
With respect to claim 7, best understood in view of 35 USC 112(b) rejection, Jeong in view of Hamada teaches the coil component of claim 1, wherein the body includes one surface ST2, and one side surface SW1 and the other side surface SW2 opposing each other and connected to the one surface,
the first to fourth coils include first to fourth lead portions 61’-64’ extending to the surfaces of the body to respectively be in contact with the first to fourth external electrodes,
the first and second lead portions extend to the one side surface of the body while being spaced apart from each other, and
the third and fourth lead portions extend to the other side surface of the body while being spaced apart from each other (Jeong, paras. [0023], [0064] and [0065]).
With respect to claim 8, Jeong in view of Hamada teaches the coil component of claim 7, wherein the first to fourth external electrodes are disposed on the one surface of the body while being spaced apart from one another,
the first and second external electrodes extend to the one side surface of the body to respectively be connected to the first and second lead portions, and
the third and fourth external electrodes extend to the other side surface of the body to respectively be connected to the third and fourth lead portions (Jeong, paras. [0064] and [0065]).
With respect to claim 9, Jeong in view of Hamada teaches the coil component of claim 1, wherein the first and second vias pass through the first support member, and
the third and fourth vias pass through the second support member (Jeong, para. [0069] and Hamada, para. [0049]). The combination of the cited references would result in the claimed limitations.
With respect to claim 13, Jeong teaches a coil component 100 (FIGs. 1-6) comprising:
a body 50;
first to fourth coils 61-64 disposed in the body and respectively having at least one turn;
an insulating film (“insulation film” para. [0036]) covering the first to fourth coils;
first via 69 connecting innermost turns of the first and second coils to each other;
third via 69 connecting innermost turns of the third and fourth coils to each other; and
first to fourth external electrodes 81, 82, 85 and 86 disposed on the body and respectively connected to the first to fourth coils (paras. [0020], [0031], [0033] and [0073]). Joeng does not expressly teach
first and second vias connecting innermost turns of the first and second coils to each other;
third and fourth vias connecting innermost turns of the third and fourth coils to each other; and
wherein each of the innermost turns of the first and second coils has a parallel connection section between a point connected to the first via and a point connected to the second via, each of the innermost turns of the third and fourth coils has a parallel connection section between a point connected to the third via and a point connected to the fourth via, and
a line width of each of the innermost turns of the first to fourth coils in the parallel connection section is smaller than a line width of each adjacent outer turn.
Hamada teaches a coil component (FIGs. 6A and 6B) comprising:
first and second vias 4 and 11 connecting innermost turns of the first and second coils 2 and 3 to each other;
wherein each of the innermost turns of the first and second coils has a parallel connection section (section between vias 4 and 11) between a point 7 connected to the first via and a point 9 connected to the second via, and
a line width (“width dimension” para. [0071]) of each of the innermost turns of the first to fourth coils in the parallel connection section is smaller (“width dimension…smaller” para. [0072]) than a line width (“width dimension” para. [0072]) of each adjacent outer turn (paras. [0049] and [0069]-[0072]). 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 parallel connection section and the line width as taught by Hamada to the coil component of Jeong to increase inductance (para. [0072]).
With respect to claim 16, Jeong in view of Hamada teaches the coil component of claim 13, wherein the line width of each of the innermost turns of the first to fourth coils in the parallel connection section is smaller than a line width of each of the innermost turns in the other section except the parallel connection section (Hamada, paras. [0071] and [0072]).
With respect to claim 17, Jeong in view of Hamada teaches the coil component of claim 13, wherein the first and second coils connected to each other through the first via are spaced apart from and magnetically coupled to the third and fourth coils connected to each other through the third via (Jeong, para. [0033] and Hamada, para. [0049]).
With respect to claim 18, best understood in view of 35 USC 112(b) rejection, Jeong in view of Hamada teaches the coil component of claim 13, wherein at least one of first to fourth coils includes at least a portion of an outermost turn and at least a portion of the innermost turn both overlapping (overlapping when viewed in W direction as seen in FIGs. 3A and 3B) at least one of the first to fourth external electrodes along a thickness direction of the coil component (paras. [0020]).
With respect to claim 19, best understood in view of 35 USC 112(b) rejection, Jeong teaches a coil component 100 (FIGs. 1-6) comprising:
a body 50;
first and second support members 21 and 22 disposed in the body;
first and second coils 61 and 62 disposed on the first support member and respectively having at least one turn;
first via 69 connecting innermost turns of the first and second coils to each other;
third and fourth coils 63 and 64 disposed on the second support member and respectively having at least one turn;
third via 69 connecting innermost turns of the third and fourth coils to each other; and
first to fourth external electrodes 81, 82, 85 and 86 disposed on the body and respectively connected to the first to fourth coils
at least one of first and second coils includes at least a portion of an outermost turn and at least a portion of the innermost turn both overlapping (overlapping when viewed in W direction as seen in FIGs. 3A and 3B) at least one of the first and second external electrodes along a thickness direction of the coil component (paras. [0020], [0031], [0033] and [0073]).
Jeong does not expressly teach
first and second vias connecting innermost turns of the first and second coils to each other;
third and fourth vias connecting innermost turns of the third and fourth coils to each other; and
wherein each of the innermost turns of the first and second coils has a parallel connection section between a point connected to the first via and a point connected to the second via.
Hamada teaches a coil component 10a (FIG. 2) comprising:
first and second vias 4 and 11 connecting innermost turns of the first and second coils 2 and 2to each other;
wherein each of the innermost turns of the first and second coils has a parallel connection section(section between vias 4 and 11) between a point 7 connected to the first via and a point 9 connected to the second via (paras. [0049], [0070] and [0072]). 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 parallel connection section as taught by Hamada to the coil component of Jeong to increase inductance (para. [0072]).
With respect to claim 20, Jeong in view of Hamada teaches the coil component of claim 19, wherein a line width (“width dimension” para. [0069]) of each of the innermost turns of the first to fourth coils in the parallel connection section is smaller than a line width (“width dimension” para. [0069]) of each adjacent outer turns (Hamada, para. [0069]).
With respect to claim 21, Jeong in view of Hamada teaches the coil component of claim 20, wherein the line width of each of the innermost turns of the first to fourth coils in the parallel connection section is smaller than a line width of each of the innermost turns in the other section except the parallel connection section (Jeong, para. [0033] and Hamada, para. [0069])).
Claims 3, 11, 12 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeong in view of Hamada, as applied to claims 1, 2, 11 and 20 above, and further in view of Valentin (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2017/0076853 A1).
With respect to claims 3 and 22, Jeong in view of Hamada teaches the coil component of claims 2. Jeong in view of Hamada does not expressly teach the line width of each of the innermost turns of the first to fourth coils in the parallel connection section is half or less of the line width of each of the adjacent outer turns.
Valentin teaches a coil component 10A (FIGs. 1 and 2), wherein the line width (width of innermost turn) of each of the innermost turns of the first to fourth coils 100 and 200 in the parallel connection section is half or less (by visual inspection) of the line width of each of the adjacent outer turns (para. [0052]). 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 line width as taught by Valentin to the coil component of Jeong in view of Hamada to provide the required current density to meet design requirements.
With respect to claim 11, Jeong in view of Hamada teaches the coil component of claim 1. Jeong in view of Hamada does not expressly teach each of the first to fourth coils has a shape of a square spiral wound parallel to a surface of the body.
Valentin teaches a coil component 10A (FIGs. 1 and 2), wherein the each of the first to second coils 100 and 200 has a shape of a square spiral wound parallel to a surface of the body (para. [0052]). 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 square-shaped spiral as taught by Valentin to the coil component of Jeong in view of Hamada to the provide the desired coupling coefficient to meet design requirements.
With respect to claim 12, Jeong in view of Hamada and Valentin teaches the coil component of claim 11. Jeong in view of Hamada wherein each of the first to fourth vias is connected to one corner region of each of the innermost turns of the first to fourth coils (Valentin, para. [0052]).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeong in view of Hamada, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kobayashi (U.S. Patent No. 6,580,350 B1).
With respect to claim 10, Jeong in view of Hamada teaches the coil component of claim 1. Jeong in view of Hamada does not expressly teach each diameter of the first to fourth vias is greater than the line width of each of the innermost turns of the first to fourth coils in the parallel connection section.
Kobayashi teaches a coil component (FIG. 2), wherein each diameter of the first to fourth vias 40 is greater than the line width of each of the innermost turns of the first to fourth coils 30 in the parallel connection section (col. 4, lines 25-30). 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 diameter of the vias as taught by Kobayashi to the coil component of Jeong in view of Hamada to provide a stable electrical connection between the coils.
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 PTO-892.
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/MANG TIN BIK LIAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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