CTNF 18/451,717 CTNF 89385 DETAILED ACTION 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1 and 3-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Yoshioka. (US 20170006704 A1) . Regarding Claim 1: Yoshioka teaches that an inductor (1, Fig. 3) component comprising: a first internal conductor (22, Fig. 3; para 0055-0092); a second internal conductor ( 21 ); an insulating interlayer (31, Fig. 3) between the first internal conductor and the second internal conductor and having a first main surface (31X, Drawing: 1) on the first internal conductor side, a second main surface (31Y, Drawing: 1) on the second internal conductor side, and a via ( 31a, Fig. 3) extending therethrough between the first main surface and the second main surface; and a via conductor (222, Drawing: 1) inserted through the via and electrically connecting the first internal conductor and the second internal conductor, wherein, in a first section including a central axis (AX, Drawing: 1) of the via conductor, the via conductor has a wedge portion ( 22a ) interposed between the insulating interlayer and the first internal conductor in a direction parallel to the central axis ( construed from Drawing: 1 ). PNG media_image1.png 298 709 media_image1.png Greyscale Drawing: 1, an annotated version of Fig. 3 Regarding Claim 3: As applied to claim 1, Yoshioka teaches that wherein in the first section, the first main surface includes a first portion (31Xa, Drawing: 1) in contact with the first internal conductor, and when a second reference line ( S2, Drawing: 1) is defined as a straight line including the first portion, the first internal conductor has a recessed portion (not labeled; i.e. the portion which is filled with 212b in Darwing: 1) recessed from the second reference line, and the via conductor has a protruding portion (212b, Drawing:1) protruding into the recessed portion. Regarding Claim 4: As applied to claim 1, Yoshioka teaches that in the first section, the via has a flat inner surface (not labeled; i.e. lower surface of 31a in Drawing: 1), the inner surface includes a first open end (31Za, Drawing: 1) on the first internal conductor side and a second open end (31Zb, Drawing: 1) on the second internal conductor side, the first main surface includes a first portion in contact with the first internal conductor, the insulating interlayer has a connection portion between the first open end of the inner surface and an end portion of the first portion on the first open end side, and the connection portion includes a convexly curved surface ( construed form Drawing: 1 ). Regarding Claim 5: As applied to claim 1, Yoshioka teaches that an element body (40 and 35 formed the body in Fig. 3), wherein the first internal conductor and the second internal conductor are in the element body, and wherein at least one of the first internal conductor and the second internal conductor is an inductor conductor (see claim 1; i.e. coil ). Regarding Claim 6: As applied to claim 5, Yoshioka teaches that wherein both of the first internal conductor and the second internal conductor are inductor conductors (see claim 1; i.e. coil ). Regarding Claim 7: As applied to claim 5, Yoshioka teaches that the element body includes a magnetic layer (i.e. layer 40; see para 0060). Regarding Claim 8: As applied to claim 5, Yoshioka teaches that wherein the element body includes a non-magnetic insulating layer (i.e. layer 35; see para 0057 where polymer or polyimide is non-magnetic ) . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 2 and 9-11 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. 13-03-01 AIA The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Claim 2 recites , wherein in the first section, the via has a flat inner surface, the inner surface includes a first open end on the first internal conductor side and a second open end on the second internal conductor side, and when a first reference line is defined as a straight line including the first open end and parallel to the central axis, the wedge portion is on a side opposite to the central axis with respect to the first reference line, and a distance from an intersection point of the first internal conductor and the insulating interlayer to the first open end in a direction perpendicular to the central axis is from 3 µm to 10 µm. The references of record do not teach or suggest the aforementioned limitations, nor would it be obvious to modify those references to include such limitations . 13-03 Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.” , Conclusion 07-96 AIA 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 892 . Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Kazi Hossain whose telephone number is 571-272-8182. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday from Monday to Thursday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM (EST). 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 https:/www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Shawki Ismail can be reached on 571-272-3985. 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. /KAZI HOSSAIN/ Examiner, Art Unit 2837 /SHAWKI S ISMAIL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2837 Application/Control Number: 18/451,717 Page 2 Art Unit: 2837 Application/Control Number: 18/451,717 Page 3 Art Unit: 2837 Application/Control Number: 18/451,717 Page 4 Art Unit: 2837 Application/Control Number: 18/451,717 Page 5 Art Unit: 2837
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