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. 1-3, and claims 1, 2, 5, 6, 9-11, 13-16 and 18 in the reply filed on 06/30/2026 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)). Claims 3, 4, 7, 8, 12 and 17 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
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 08/09/2023, 02/04/2025 and 06/30/2025 are 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 08/09/2023 are acceptable.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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 11 and 16 arerejected 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.
Regarding claim 11, applicant should clarify if “a surface parallel to the bottom surface is defined as a top surface” in lines 2 and 3 is the same element as or different from “a main surface” as recited in claim 1. For examination purpose, the “a surface…defined as a top surface” is the same “main surface” claimed in claim 1. Similar rejection is applied in claim 16.
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, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 13-15 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Takeda et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2019/0066912 A1, hereinafter “Takeda”).
With respect to claim 1, Takeda teaches an inductor component 1 (FIGs. 1-7), comprising:
a rectangular parallelepiped element body 10 having six outer surfaces 13-18; and
inductor wiring 20 extending inside the element body,
wherein
the element body has a first electrode 30 or 40 connected to a first end (end connected to first electrode) of the inductor wiring and a second electrode (the other of electrode 30 or 40) connected to a second end (end connected to second electrode) of the inductor wiring,
when, among the six outer surfaces of the element body,
one specific surface 18 is defined as a main surface,
one surface 14 or 15 perpendicular to the main surface is defined as an end surface, and
one surface 17 perpendicular to the main surface and the end surface is defined as a bottom surface,
the first electrode includes a bottom surface electrode portion 31 or 41 exposed to an outside of the element body in a region of the bottom surface including a boundary portion (ridge portion) with the end surface, and an end surface electrode portion 32 or 42 exposed to the outside of the element body in a region of the end surface including a boundary portion (ridge portion) with the bottom surface, and
when a size (size of dotted arrow, annotated FIG. 6) of the bottom surface electrode portion in a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface is defined as a thickness (thickness of electrode 31 or 41 as shown by dotted arrow) of the bottom surface electrode portion, and a portion (portion at 31a1) of the bottom surface electrode portion farthest from the end surface is defined as a leading end 31a1,
the thickness of at least part of the bottom surface electrode portion including the leading end decreases toward the leading end (paras. [0026], [0029], [0036], [0042], [0075] and [0077]). FIG. 6 clearly shows the thickness of the bottom surface electrode portion decreasing from the end surface 15 toward the leading end 31a1.
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With respect to claim 2, Takeda teaches the inductor component according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the bottom surface electrode portion continuously decreases toward the leading end with a constant gradient (para. [0077]).
With respect to claim 5, Takeda teaches an inductor component 1 (FIGs. 1-7), comprising:
a rectangular parallelepiped element body 10 having six outer surfaces 13-18; and
inductor wiring 20 extending inside the element body,
wherein
the element body has a first electrode 30 or 40 connected to a first end (end connected to first electrode) of the inductor wiring and a second electrode (the other of electrode 30 or 40) connected to a second end (end connected to second electrode) of the inductor wiring,
when, among the six outer surfaces of the element body,
one specific surface 18 is defined as a main surface,
one surface 14 or 15 perpendicular to the main surface is defined as an end surface, and
one surface 17 perpendicular to the main surface and the end surface is defined as a bottom surface,
the first electrode includes a bottom surface electrode portion 31 or 41 exposed to an outside of the element body in a region of the bottom surface including a boundary portion (ridge portion) with the end surface, and an end surface electrode portion 32 or 42 exposed to the outside of the element body in a region of the end surface including a boundary portion (ridge portion) with the bottom surface, and
when a size (size of ta) of the end surface electrode portion in a direction perpendicular to the end surface is defined as a thickness (thickness ta of electrode 32) of the end surface electrode portion, and a portion (portion at 32a1, annotated FIG. 6 above) of the end surface electrode portion farthest from the bottom surface is defined as a leading end 32a2,
the thickness of at least part of the end surface electrode portion including the leading end decreases toward the leading end (paras. [0026], [0029], [0036], [0042], [0075] and [0077]). FIG. 6 clearly shows the thickness of the end surface electrode portion decreasing from the bottom surface 17 toward the leading end 32a1.
With respect to claim 6, Takeda teaches the inductor component according to claim 5, wherein
the thickness of the end surface electrode portion continuously decreases toward the leading end with a constant gradient (para. [0077]).
With respect to claims 9 and 14, Takeda teaches the inductor component according to claims 1 and 5, respectively, wherein
when, among the six outer surfaces of the element body, a surface 16 parallel to the end surface is defined as a second end surface,
the second electrode includes a second bottom surface electrode portion 41a exposed to the outside of the element body in a region of the bottom surface including a boundary portion (ridge portion) with the second end surface, and a second end surface electrode portion 42a exposed to the outside of the element body in a region of the second end surface including a boundary portion with the bottom surface (para. [0042]).
With respect to claims 10 and 15, Takeda teaches the inductor component according to claims 1 and 5, respectively, wherein
the inductor wiring includes an annular winding portion 21 in which turns of the inductor wiring overlap with each other when viewed in a direction (W axis direction) perpendicular to the main surface, and
the winding portion includes a wiring main body (wound portion) extending with a constant line width and a protrusion portion 20a (annotated FIG. 1 above) protruding from an edge of the wiring main body (para. [0034]).
With respect to claims 13 and 18, Takeda teaches the inductor component according to claims 1 and 5, respectively, further comprising:
a covering electrode 31b and 32b or 41b and 42b covering a surface, exposed to the outside of the element body, of one or more selected from the first electrode and the second electrode (paras. [0037] and [0042]).
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 11 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takeda, as applied to claims 1 and 5 above, in view of Kido (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2017/0256352 A1).
With respect to claims 11 and 16, best understood in view of 35 USC 112(b) rejection, Takeda teaches the inductor component according to claim 1, wherein
when, among the six outer surfaces of the element body, a surface 18 parallel to the bottom surface is defined as a top surface,
the inductor wiring includes an annular winding portion 21 in which turns of the inductor wiring overlap with each other when viewed in a direction (W axis direction) perpendicular to the main surface,
the winding portion includes
an upper side portion (top side portion) closest to the top surface among portions parallel to the top surface,
a lower side portion (bottom side portion) extending from a position closest to the bottom surface to the same position as an end of the upper side portion facing the end surface in a direction perpendicular to the end surface, and
a lateral side portion (side portions closest to end surfaces 15 and 16) connecting an end of the lower side portion facing the end surface and the end of the upper side portion facing the end surface (para. [0029]). Takeda does not expressly teach
at least part of the lateral side portion is positioned closer to the end surface than is the end of the upper side portion facing the end surface.
Kido teaches an inductor component 100 (FIG. 2), wherein
at least part 18-a (annotated FIG. 3A) of the lateral side portion (left or right side portion) is positioned closer to the end surface (left or right side surface) than is the end of the upper side portion 18-b facing the end surface (para. [0068]).
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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 inductor wiring portions as taught by Kido to the inductor component of Takeda to provide the required inductance to meet design requirements.
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.
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, 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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