93DETAILED 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 with without traverse of Species 1, Figures 1-10B, claims 1-4, 6 and 8-20, no generic claim, in the reply filed on 6/24/2026 is acknowledged.
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.
Claim 13 is rejected 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 13, there is no antecedent basis for “the surfaces of the heat-dissipation members” or “the cooler”. Applicant should clarify the structure and/or arrangement of the “heat-dissipation members” and/or “the cooler” relative to the resin. Applicant should clarify what is intended by “wherein the sealing resin is formed such that the surfaces of the heat-dissipation members or on a contact side with the cooler, of the primary winding or the secondary winding, and the metal plate, are at least partially exposed.” It is unclear to what applicant trying to claim.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 6, 8-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yuta [JP 2019-165148A].
Regarding claims 1 and 8, Yuta discloses a transformer [figures 1-17] comprising:
a core [2, 3] forming a magnetic circuit; and
a primary winding [5] and a secondary winding [6] wound at the core, wherein the primary winding and the secondary winding each include at least one winding member, and the transformer has a stacked arrangement in which one of the winding members composing the primary winding or the secondary winding that has a smaller number of turns is provided in one of outermost layers in a winding axis direction [figures 1-9], and
a metal plate [8] is provided in another of the outermost layers in the winding axis direction [figure 5], wherein the metal plate includes a winding portion wound around the core, and in the winding portion, a cutout continuing outward from a side close to the winding axis is provided [figure 5].
Regarding claim 6, Yuta further discloses the windings and part of the metal plate are connected to a cooler [housing 13] via a heat dissipating member [16].
Regarding claim 9, Yuta discloses a cross-sectional area of the primary winding or the secondary winding that has a smaller number of turns is larger than that of the primary winding or the secondary winding that has a larger number of turns [conductor turn of winding 5 larger than that of winding 6, figures 5-7].
Regarding claim 10, Yuta further discloses the primary winding and the secondary winding each include an extended portion [5b, 6b] extending outward from an outermost portion of a wound winding portion [figures 6-7].
Regarding claim 11, Yuta discloses the primary winding and the secondary winding have sectional shapes each formed in a rectangle or an oval having long sides and short sides, and face each other at the surfaces on the long-side side of each sectional shape [figures 5-7].
Regarding claim 12, Yuta further discloses a sealing resin [9] that seals at least a part or all of the primary winding, the secondary winding, and the metal plate.
Regarding claim 13, as best understood in view of the rejection under 35 USC 112 second paragraph, Yuta, in other embodiment, further discloses a heat-dissipation member [10] and a cooler [housing 13] in contact with sealing resin [16, figure 16]. Yuta discloses the heat-dissipation member is partially exposed [figure 16].
Regarding claim 14, Yuta discloses the use of the transformer in a power conversion device.
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.
Claim(s) 2-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yuta.
Regarding claims 2-3, Yuta further discloses the primary winding or the secondary winding that includes at least two winding members and of which the number of turns of each winding member is not less than two [figure 28]. Yuta also discloses the winding members wound in clockwise and/or counter-clockwise for the primary and secondary winding [figure 28]. Yuta further discloses the primary winding or the secondary winding that includes the at least two winding members [figure 28].
The specific clockwise and/or counter-clockwise and connections for the winding members would have been an obvious design consideration based on the intended applications and/or environments uses.
Claim(s) 4 and 15-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yuta in view of Wei et al. [CN 201081806 Y].
Yuta further discloses, in other embodiment of figure 28, the primary and secondary winding each including a plurality of winding members [5-1, 5-2, 6-1, 6-2] arranged in stacking direction.
Yuta discloses the instant claimed invention except for the specific arrangement of the winding members.
Wei et al. discloses a planar transformer [figures 1-2] comprising:
- a core structure [11, 12];
- primary and secondary coils [3, 4] arranged in stacking direction around the core structure; and
- insulating structure [21, 22] arranged about the coils, wherein the primary and second coils each including a plurality of coil members [3a, 3b, 3c, 4a/4b, 4c/4d] alternately arranged in stacking direction.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use the alternately stacking arrangement of Wei in Yuta for the purpose of improving magnetic leakage.
The specific primary/secondary winding members arrangement would have been an obvious design consideration for the purpose of facilitating electrical insulation and simplified manufacturing.
Regarding claim 15, Yute discloses the metal plate includes a winding portion wound around the core, and in the winding portion, a cutout continuing outward from a side close to the winding axis is provided [figure 9].
Regarding claim 16, Yuta discloses a cross-sectional area of the primary winding or the secondary winding that has a smaller number of turns is larger than that of the primary winding or the secondary winding that has a larger number of turns [conductor turn of winding 5 larger than that of winding 6, figures 5-7].
Regarding claim 17, Yuta discloses the primary winding and the secondary winding each include an extended portion [5b, 6b] extending outward from an outermost portion of a wound winding portion.
Regarding claim 18, Yuta discloses the primary winding and the secondary winding have sectional shapes each formed in a rectangle or an oval having long sides and short sides, and face each other at the surfaces on the long-side side of each sectional shape [rectangular shape, see figures 5 and spec].
Regarding claim 19, Yuta further discloses a sealing resin [9] that seals at least a part or all of the primary winding, the secondary winding, and the metal plate.
Regarding claim 20, Yuta discloses the use of the transformer in an electric power conversion device.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TUYEN T NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1996. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 8:30-5:30.
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TUYEN T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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