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 .
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 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.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 23 December 2025 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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(s) 1-3, 5, 7, 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN116230404A hereafter referred to as Fujian.
In regards to claim 1, Fujian discloses
A miniaturized capacitor having built-in conductive leads, comprising:
a substrate (2 – fig. 2; [0056]);
a main capacitor body, disposed on the substrate, including a capacitor unit (4 – fig. 2; [0056]) and a packaging structure (1 & 3 – fig. 2; [0056]) wrapping the capacitor unit, a side surface of the packaging structure being in contact with the substrate (fig. 1-2);
a plurality of conductive members (7 & 8 – fig. 2; [0059]), penetrating individually through the substrate; and
a plurality of conductive leads (5 & 6 – fig. 2; [0058]), penetrating individually through the packaging structure, but not protruding from the side surface of the packaging structure (fig. 1-2), whereby the plurality of conductive leads are disposed between the capacitor unit, the packaging structure and the substrate, and the capacitor unit is connected with the plurality of conductive members via the plurality of conductive leads, the plurality of conductive leads being respectively bonded to the plurality of conductive members via a conductive glue ([0107-0108]).
In regards to claim 2, Fujian discloses
The miniaturized capacitor having built-in conductive leads of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of conductive members includes a first conductive pad, at least one through hole and a second conductive pad, the first conductive pad is disposed on an upper surface of the substrate, the second conductive pad is disposed on a lower surface of the substrate, and the first conductive pad is connected with the second conductive pad via the at least one through hole (fig. 2 & 6; [0094-0095]).
In regards to claim 3, Fujian discloses
The miniaturized capacitor having built-in conductive leads of claim 1, wherein the plurality of conductive leads are wrapped by the capacitor unit, the packaging structure and the substrate (fig. 1-2).
In regards to claim 5, Fujian discloses
The miniaturized capacitor having built-in conductive leads of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of conductive leads includes a bendable portion (51), a welding portion (52) and a wiring portion (53), the bendable portion is connected with the wiring portion via the welding portion, and the wiring portion and the corresponding conductive member are electrically connected (fig. 2 & 5; [0063-0064]).
In regards to claim 7, Fujian discloses
The miniaturized capacitor having built-in conductive leads of claim 5, wherein the bendable portion, the welding portion and the wiring portion are all flat shaped (fig. 5 – lead is formed of flat plate shaped metal).
In regards to claim 9, Fujian discloses
The miniaturized capacitor having built-in conductive leads of claim 1, wherein the packaging structure is made of an insulation material ([0056]).
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.
Claim(s) 1-4 & 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chung et al. (US 2024/0170225) in view of Fukase et al. (US 2015/0287670).
In regards to claim 1,
Chung ‘225 discloses a miniaturized capacitor having built-in conductive leads, comprising:
a substrate (20 U – fig. 4-5; [0019]);
a main capacitor body, disposed on the substrate, including a capacitor unit (70 – fig. 4-5; [0026]) and a packaging structure (60 – fig. 4-5; [0021]) wrapping the capacitor unit, a side surface of the packaging structure being in contact with the substrate (fig. 4-5);
a plurality of conductive members (29A/23A/23AI & 29C/23C/23CI – fig. 4-5; [0026]), penetrating individually through the substrate; and
a plurality of conductive terminals, penetrating individually through the packaging structure, but not protruding from the side surface of the packaging structure, whereby the plurality of conductive terminals are disposed between the capacitor unit, the packaging structure and the substrate, and the capacitor unit is connected with the plurality of conductive members via the plurality of conductive terminal. Chung ‘225 fails to disclose a plurality of conductive leads, penetrating individually through the packaging structure, but not protruding from the side surface of the packaging structure, whereby the plurality of conductive leads are disposed between the capacitor unit, the packaging structure and the substrate, and the capacitor unit is connected with the plurality of conductive members via the plurality of conductive leads, the plurality of conductive leads being respectively bonded to the plurality of conductive members via a conductive glue.
Fukase ‘670 discloses a plurality of conductive leads (39 – fig. 7; [0050]), penetrating individually through the packaging structure (5 – fig. 7; [0029]), but not protruding from the side surface of the packaging structure, whereby the plurality of conductive leads are disposed between the capacitor unit, the packaging structure and the substrate (1 – fig. 7; [0050]), and the capacitor unit (100 – fig. 7; [0050]) is connected with the plurality of conductive members (1 – fig. 7; ; [0050]) via the plurality of conductive leads, the plurality of conductive leads being respectively bonded to the plurality of conductive members via a conductive glue (4 – fig. 7; [0027]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the leads of Fukase ‘670 with the capacitor of Chung ‘225 to obtain a capacitor with improved protection from stresses such as those caused by vibration.
In regards to claim 2,
Chung ‘225 as modified by Fukase ‘670 further discloses wherein each of the plurality of conductive members includes a first conductive pad (23A & 23C of Chung ‘225), at least one through hole (29A & 29C of Chung ‘225) and a second conductive pad (23AI & 23CI of Chung ‘225), the first conductive pad is disposed on an upper surface of the substrate, the second conductive pad is disposed on a lower surface of the substrate, and the first conductive pad is connected with the second conductive pad via the at least one through hole (fig. 5; [0026] of Chung ‘225).
In regards to claim 3,
Chung ‘225 as modified by Fukase ‘670 further discloses wherein the plurality of conductive leads are wrapped by the capacitor unit, the packaging structure and the substrate (fig. 4-5 of Chung ‘225 & fig. 7 of Fukase ‘670).
In regards to claim 4,
Chung ‘225 as modified by Fukase ‘670 further discloses wherein each of the plurality of conductive leads is L shaped (fig. 7 of Fukase ‘670).
In regards to claim 9,
Chung ‘225 as modified by Fukase ‘670 further discloses wherein the packaging structure is made of an insulation material ([0019-0021] of Chung ‘225).
In regards to claim 10,
Chung ‘225 as modified by Fukase ‘670 further discloses wherein the substrate is one of a printed circuit board and a flexible circuit board ([0019-0020] of Chung ‘225).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(S) 6, 8, & 11 is/are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The prior art does not teach or suggest (in combination with the other claim limitations) wherein the welding portion includes a connection area and a welding area connected with the connection area, and the wiring portion is welded onto the welding area (claim 6), wherein a thickness of the welding portion or the wiring portion is greater than that of the bendable portion (claim 8), wherein each of the plurality of conductive leads is in L-shape, a projection of each of the plurality of conductive leads onto the substrate is completely located within a projection of the capacitor unit onto the substrate, and an outer edge of the projection of each of the plurality of conductive leads onto the substrate does not overlap with an outer edge of the projection of the capacitor unit onto the substrate (claim 11).
Communication
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID M SINCLAIR whose telephone number is (571)270-5068. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH from 8AM-4PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Timothy Dole can be reached at (571) 272-2229. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/David M Sinclair/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2848