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, FIGs. 1-4 and claims 1-23 in the reply filed on 08/20/2026 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 11/02/2023 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 received on 11/02/2023 are acceptable.
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 1-10, 13 and 16-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ryu et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2018/0374627 A1, hereinafter “Ryu”) in view of Tashiro et al. (U.S. Patent No. 5,515,022, hereinafter “Tashiro”).
With respect to claim 1, Ryu teaches a coil component 100 (FIGs. 1-3) comprising:
a body 1 having a first surface (left end surface L axis direction) and a second surface (right end surface in L axis direction) opposing each other in a first direction (L axis direction);
a support member 12 disposed in the body, and having one surface (upper surface) and the other surface (lower surface) opposing each other;
a coil 13 including:
first and second coil portions (conductor portions 131 on upper and lower surfaces of the support member) disposed on the one surface and the other surface of the support member and having at least one turn, respectively, and
a via 132a (annotated FIG. 2) passing through the support member to connect the first and second coil portions to each other; and
first and second external electrodes 21 and 22 respectively disposed on the first and second surfaces of the body and connected to the coil,
wherein the via includes an upper surface (upper end face) in contact with the first coil portion and a lower surface (lower end face) in contact with the second coil portion (paras.[0026]-[0028, [0033] and [0036]).
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Ryu does not expressly teach
a ratio VDU/VDL of a diameter VDU of the upper surface to a diameter VDL of the lower surface is 1.06 or more and 1.64 or less even though FIG. 2 and the corresponding reasonable teaches such features. Tashiro teaches a coil component 1 (FIGs. 1) comprising
a ratio VDU/VDL (r0/r1) of a diameter VDU of the upper surface to a diameter VDL of the lower surface is 1.06 or more and 1.64 or less (col. 6, lines 23-28 and 39-41).
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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 ratio as taught by Tashiro to the coil component of Ryu to provide improved large-scale production, improved product yield, reduced performance variation and reduced change with time without causing problem in filling or adversely affecting wiring density (col. 6, lines 36-47).
With respect to claim 2, Ryu in view of Tashiro teaches the coil component of claim 1, wherein the via has a smaller diameter closer to the other surface of the support member (Ryu, para. [0035], Tashiro, Tashiro, col. 6, lines 23-28 and 39-41) ).
With respect to claim 3, Ryu in view of Tashiro teaches the coil component of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the support member is 5 μm or more (Ryu, para. [0035]).
With respect to claim 4, Ryu in view of Tashiro teaches the coil component of claim 3, wherein the thickness of the support member is 10 μm or more and 45 μm or less (Ryu, para. [0035]).
With respect to claim 5, Ryu in view of Tashiro teaches the coil component of claim 1, wherein the via includes a seed layer 132 (Ryu, para. [0038]).
With respect to claim 6, Ryu in view of Tashiro teaches the coil component of claim 5, wherein the support member includes a via hole (“via hole” para. [0036]) in which the via is disposed, and at least a portion of the seed layer is disposed along an inner surface of the via hole (Ryu, para. [0036]).
With respect to claim 7, Ryu in view of Tashiro teaches the coil component of claim 6, wherein the inner surface of the via hole is inclined at an acute angle with respect to the other surface of the support member (Ryu, para. [0036]).
With respect to claim 8, Ryu in view of Tashiro teaches the coil component of claim 6, wherein the seed layer passes through the via hole (Ryu, paras. [0036] and [0038]).
With respect to claim 9, Ryu in view of Tashiro teaches the coil component of claim 8, wherein the seed layer is integrally disposed along the one surface of the support member, the inner surface of the via hole, and the other surface of the support member (Ryu, paras. [0036] and [0038]).
With respect to claim 10, Ryu in view of Tashiro teaches the coil component of claim 1, wherein the via connects an innermost turn end of the first coil portion and an innermost turn end of the second coil portion to each other (Ryu, para. [0036]).
With respect to claim 13, Ryu in view of Tashiro teaches the coil component of claim 1, wherein the coil further includes a first lead portion (outer terminal connected to the first electrode) extending from an outermost turn of the first coil portion to the first surface, and a second lead portion (outer terminal connected to second electrode) extending from an outermost turn of the second coil portion to the second surface (para. [0028]).
With respect to claim 16, Ryu in view of Tashiro teaches the coil component of claim 5, further comprising an insulating film 14 integrally covering the support member and the coil,
wherein at least a portion of the seed layer is in contact with the insulating film (Ryu, para. [0043]).
With respect to claim 17, Ryu in view of Tashiro teaches the coil component of claim 1, wherein the body further includes a third surface (bottom surface) and a fourth surface (top surface) opposing each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and each of the first and second external electrodes at least partially extends to the third surface (Ruy, para. [0023]).
With respect to claim 18, Ryu in view of Tashiro teaches the coil component of claim 17, wherein the body further includes a fifth surface (back surface in W axis direction) and a sixth surface (front surface in W axis direction) opposing each other in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions, and
each of the first and second external electrodes at least partially extends to the fourth to sixth surfaces of the body (Ruy, para. [0023]).
With respect to claim 19, Ryu in view of Tashiro teaches the coil component of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second external electrodes includes at least one of palladium (Pd), silver (Ag), platinum (Pt), and gold (Au) (Ruy, para. [0028]).
With respect to claim 20, Ryu teaches a coil component 100 (FIGs. 1-3) comprising:
a body 1 having a first surface (left end surface L axis direction) and a second surface (right end surface in L axis direction) opposing each other in a first direction (L axis direction);
a support member 12 disposed in the body, and having one surface (upper surface) and the other surface (lower surface) opposing each other;
a coil including:
first and second coil portions (conductor portion 131 on upper and lower surfaces of the support member) disposed on the one surface and the other surface of the support member and having at least one turn, respectively, and
a via 132a (annotated FIG. 2) passing through the support member to connect the first and second coil portions to each other; and
first and second external electrodes 21 and 22 respectively disposed on the first and second surfaces of the body and connected to the coil,
wherein the via includes an upper surface (upper end surface) in contact with the first coil portion and a lower surface (lower end surface) in contact with the second coil portion, and
the diameter VDU of the upper surface is greater than a line width of each of the at least one turn of the first and second coil portions (paras.[0026]-[0028, [0033] and [0036]).
Ryu does not expressly teach
a ratio VDU/VDL of a diameter VDU of the upper surface to a diameter VDL of the lower surface is 1.06 or more and 1.64 or less even though FIG. 2 and the corresponding reasonable teaches such features. Tashiro teaches a coil component 1 (FIGs. 1) comprising
a ratio VDU/VDL (r0/r1) of a diameter VDU of the upper surface to a diameter VDL of the lower surface is 1.06 or more and 1.64 or less (col. 6, lines 23-28 and 39-41).
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 ratio as taught by Tashiro to the coil component of Ryu to provide improved large-scale production, improved product yield, reduced performance variation and reduced change with time without causing problem in filling or adversely affecting wiring density (col. 6, lines 36-47).
With respect to claim 21, Ryu in view of Tashiro teaches the coil component of claim 20, wherein the via connects an innermost turn end of the first coil portion and an innermost turn end of the second coil portion to each other (Ryu, para. [0036]).
Claims 11, 12, 14, 15, 22 and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ryu in view of Tashiro, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Ohkubo et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2017/0178789 A1, hereinafter “Ohkubo”).
With respect to claim 11, Ryu in view of Tashiro teaches the coil component of claim 1. Ryu in view of Tashiro does not expressly teach an aspect ratio of each turn of the first and second coil portions is 4.5 or more.
Ohkubo teaches a coil component 1 (FIGs.1-5), wherein an aspect ratio (h/W2) of each turn of the first and second coil portions is 4.5 or more (para. [0040]). 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 aspect ratio as taught by Ohkubo to the coil component of Ryu in view of Tashiro to reduce resistance.
With respect to claim 12, Ryu in view of Tashiro and Ohkubo teaches the coil component of claim 11, wherein the aspect ratio of each turn of the first and second coil portions is 6 or more (Ohkubo, para. [0040]).
With respect to claim 14, Ryu in view of Tashiro and Ohkubo teaches the coil component of claim 11, wherein the body further includes a third surface (front side surface) and a fourth surface (back side surface) opposing each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and
in a cross-section of the coil component passing through a center of the body and perpendicular to the first direction, a ratio Tc/LWc (h/W2) of a thickness Tc of each turn of the first and second coil portions in the second direction to a line width LWc of each turn of the first and second coil portions is 4.5 or more (Ohkubo, para. [0040]).
With respect to claim 15, Ryu in view of Tashiro and Ohkubo teaches the coil component of claim 14, wherein the ratio Tc/LWc is 6 or more (Ohkubo, para. [0040]).
With respect to claim 22, Ryu in view of Tashiro teaches the coil component of claim 20. Ryu in view of Tashiro does not expressly teach an aspect ratio of each of the at least one turn of the first and second coil portions is 4.5 or more.
Ohkubo teaches a coil component 1 (FIGs.1-5), wherein an aspect ratio (h/W2) of each of the at least one turn of the first and second coil portions is 4.5 or more (para. [0040]). 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 aspect ratio as taught by Ohkubo to the coil component of Ryu in view of Tashiro to reduce resistance.
With respect to claim 23, Ryu in view of Tashiro and Ohkubo teaches the coil component of claim 22, wherein the aspect ratio of each of the at least one turn of the first and second coil portions is 6 or more (Ohkubo, para. [0040]).
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.
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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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Shawki S. Ismail can be reached at 571-272-3985. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MANG TIN BIK LIAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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