DETAILED ACTION 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 -7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kimura (JP-2002-151367, provided machine translation cited below) . In regards to claim 1 , Kimura teaches a slit plate ( 11 , intaglio jig) comprising : an elastic body such as rubber (abstract, para. 15); a plurality of grooves-12 (recessed portion) is formed in the elastic body, the grooves contain a conductive paste-31 (fig. 1-4 , see marked up figures below ; para. 15-18); the grooves comprise: an opening (shown) having an opening width (shown), the opening width capable of conforming to the width of an electronic component body ( 25 , external electrode) (fig. 1-5 , see marked up figures below ; para. 20-22); a bottom surface is at a slits-13 /14 (H1+H2 in fig. 3) , the bottom surface is at a predetermined depth from top of the opening (shown in fig. 3-6 , see marked up figures below ; para. 16); at least one protru s ion portion s (see marked up figures below ) has a protrusion height (see H2 in fig. 3) locally protruding from the bottom surface at the slits-13 /14 (fig. 1-6 , see marked up figures below ; para. 16-17). In regards to claim 2 , Kimura teaches the grooves comprising the opening is rectangular in plan view with the opening width shorter than an opening length (fig. 1-2 , see marked up figures above ); side surfaces (see sidewall s -12a) fac e each other in a direction of the opening width (fig. 1-2; para. 16-17); at least one protrusion portion is at least one step portion formed on at least one of both the side surfaces (see fig. 1-2 , see marked up figures above ). In regards to claim 3 , Kimura teaches two step portions formed between the side surface and to the bottom surface a the slits-13 (see marked up figures above). In regards to claim 4 , Kimura teaches two step portions have line symmetry with respect to a center line that bisects the width (see fig. 3-4 & see marked up figures above). In regards to claim 5 , Kimura teaches the plurality of slits-13/14 provide grooves in a plane of the bottom surface in plan view (fig. 1-2) and the protrusion portions are between at least two grooves/ slits-13/14 (see marked up figures above). In regards to claim 6 , Kimura teaches the plurality of slits-13/14 provide a grid shape groove ( fig. 1-2) and the protrusion portions are disposed at a position surrounded by the plurality of slits-13/14 (see marked up figures above). In regards to claim 7 , Kimura teaches the plurality of slits-13/14 and protrusion provide line symmetry with respect to a center line that bisects the opening width (fig. 1-2; see marked up figures above). Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Onodera ( JP - 2020 - 027830 , provided machine translation cited below) . In regards to claim 1 , Onodera teaches a jig ( 1 3 , intaglio jig) comprising: an rubber/elastic body (para. 86 ) ; and a groove-15 ( recessed portion ) is formed in the elastic body and in which the conductive paste is contained (fig. 9-13; para. 87); the groove-15 ( recessed portion ) including an opening (see #13a-g) having an opening width that conforms to a width of the element body - 3 ( external electrode ) (fig. 9-13; para. 86); a bottom surface -13g at a predetermined depth from the opening (fig. 9-13; para. 87-90) , and at least one protrusion portion at provided at surface-13c and surface-13b, the protrusion portion provides a protrusion height locally protruding from the bottom surface -13g is less than the predetermined depth (fig. 9-13). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT Binu Thomas whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)270-7684 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT Monday to Thursday, 8:00AM-5:00PM PT . 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 http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, FILLIN "SPE Name?" \* MERGEFORMAT Dah-Wei Yuan can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT 571-272-1295 . 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. /Binu Thomas/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1717