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 .
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 09/08/2023 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 are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “the plurality of conductor layers include two layers of the first conductor layer, and wherein the two first conductor layers are adjacent in the axial direction” as recited in claim 8, the “the clearance areas in the two respective first conductor layers differ in planar position as viewed in the axial direction” as claimed in claim 9 and the “the two first conductor layers are inner layers among the plurality of conductor layers that are each not positioned at an end portion in the axial direction” of claim 10 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 1-3 and 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Katayama et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2010/0033286 A1, hereinafter “Katayama”) in view of Suzuki et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2007/0057755 A1).
With respect to claim 1, Katayama teaches a coil component (FIGs. 1-7) comprising:
a magnetic element body 1; and
a coil part (conductor patterns 12, 22, 32 and 42 and ceramic layers 11, 21, 31 and 41) embedded in the magnetic element body,
wherein the coil part has a structure in which a plurality of interlayer insulating films 11, 21, 31 and 41 and a plurality of conductor layers (layers conductive patterns 12, 22, 32 and 42) are stacked,
wherein each of the plurality of conductor layers has a coil pattern 12, 22, 32 and 42,
wherein one or more first conductor layers 12 of the plurality of conductor layers each have a clearance area (area with no coil pattern overlapping with magnetic ceramic layer 13) having no coil pattern and extending radially outward from a center axis (axis at the middle of the coil part) of the coil part,
wherein the magnetic element body includes:
a first magnetic resin layer (layer insider coil part) provided in an inner diameter area of the coil part;
a second magnetic resin layer (layer outside coil part) provided in a radially outside area of the coil part;
a third magnetic resin layer (magnetic layer above the coil part) covering the coil part from one side in an axial direction of the coil part;
a fourth magnetic resin layer (magnetic layer below the coil part) covering the coil part from other side in the axial direction; and
a fifth magnetic resin layer 13 filled in the clearance area and contacting the first and second magnetic resin layers, and
wherein other conductor layers of the plurality of conductor layers than the first conductor layer do not have the clearance area filled with the fifth magnetic resin layer (paras. [0066], [0073]-[0075]).
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Katayama does not expressly teach the coil part has a structure in which a plurality of interlayer insulating films and a plurality of conductor layers are alternately stacked even though the structure of Katayama could have been interpreted as having the claimed “alternately” limitation.
Nonetheless, Suzuki teaches a coil component (FIGs. 3 and 4),
wherein the coil part (coil part formed by windings and 35a-35d layers 33a-33e) has a structure in which a plurality of interlayer insulating 33a-33e films and a plurality of conductor layers 35a-35d are alternately stacked (para. [0047]).
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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 incorporate alternately stacked coil part structure as taught by Suzuki to the coil component of Katayama to provide the required insulation characteristics and or magnetic saturation characteristics to meet design requirements.
With respect to claim 2, Katayama in view of Suzuki teaches the coil component as claimed in claim 1, wherein only one layer of the plurality of conductor layers is formed as the first conductor layer (Katayama, para. [0073]).
With respect to claim 3, Katayama in view of Suzuki teaches the coil component as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first conductor layer is positioned at an end portion (lower end portion as seen in Fig. 7) on one side of the plurality of conductor layers in the axial direction (para. [0073]).
With respect to claim 5, Katayama in view of Suzuki teaches the coil component as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the magnetic element body has a rectangular shape having a long side (length side) extending in a first direction (horizontal direction) and a short side (width side) extending in a second direction (into the page direction) perpendicular to the first direction as viewed in the axial direction, and
wherein the clearance area extends in the first direction (para. [0073]).
With respect to claim 6, Katayama teaches a coil component (FIGs. 1-7) comprising:
a magnetic element body 1; and
a coil part (conductor patterns 12, 22, 32 and 42 and ceramic layers 11, 21, 31 and 41) embedded in the magnetic element body,
wherein the coil part has a structure in which a plurality of interlayer insulating films 11, 21, 31 and 41 and a plurality of conductor layers (layers of conductive patterns 12, 22, 32 and 42) stacked,
wherein each of the plurality of conductor layers has a coil pattern 12, 22, 32 and 42, wherein a first conductor layer 12 included in the plurality of conductor layers has a clearance area (area with no coil pattern overlapping with magnetic ceramic layer 13) having no coil pattern and extending radially outward from a center axis (axis at the middle of the coil part) of the coil part,
wherein the magnetic element body includes:
a first magnetic resin layer (layer insider coil part) provided in an inner diameter area of the coil part;
a second magnetic resin layer (layer outside coil part) provided in a radially outside area of the coil part;
a third magnetic resin layer (magnetic layer above the coil part) covering the coil part from one side in an axial direction of the coil part;
a fourth magnetic resin layer (magnetic layer below the coil part) covering the coil part from other side in the axial direction; and
a fifth magnetic resin layer 13 filled in the clearance area and contacting the first and second magnetic resin layers, and
wherein the clearance area filled with the fifth magnetic resin layer is provided only in the first conductor layer of the plurality of conductor layers (paras. [0066], [0073]-[0075]).
Katayama does not expressly teach the coil part has a structure in which a plurality of interlayer insulating films and a plurality of conductor layers are alternately stacked even though the structure of Katayama could have been interpreted as having the claimed “alternately” limitation.
Nonetheless, Suzuki teaches a coil component (FIGs. 3 and 4),
wherein the coil part (coil part formed by windings and 35a-35d layers 33a-33e) has a structure in which a plurality of interlayer insulating 33a-33e films and a plurality of conductor layers 35a-35d are alternately stacked (para. [0047]).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate alternately stacked coil part structure as taught by Suzuki to the coil component of Katayama to provide the required insulation characteristics and or magnetic saturation characteristics to meet design requirements.
With respect to claim 7, Katayama teaches a coil component (FIGs. 1-7) comprising:
a magnetic element body 1; and
a coil part (conductor patterns 12, 22, 32 and 42 and ceramic layers 11, 21, 31 and 41) embedded in the magnetic element body,
wherein the coil part has a structure in which a plurality of interlayer insulating films 11, 21, 31 and 41 and a plurality of conductor layers (layers of conductive patterns 12, 22, 32 and 42) are stacked,
wherein each of the plurality of conductor layers has a coil pattern 12, 22, 32 and 42,,
wherein a first conductor layer included in the plurality of conductor layers has a clearance area (area with no coil pattern overlapping with magnetic ceramic layer 13) having no coil pattern and extending radially outward from a center axis (axis at the middle of the coil part) of the coil part,
wherein the magnetic element body includes:
a first magnetic resin layer (layer insider coil part) provided in an inner diameter area of the coil part;
a second magnetic resin layer (layer outside coil part) provided in a radially outside area of the coil part;
a third magnetic resin layer (magnetic layer above the coil part) covering the coil part from one side in an axial direction of the coil part;
a fourth magnetic resin layer (magnetic layer below the coil part) covering the coil part from other side in the axial direction; and
a fifth magnetic resin layer 13 filled in the clearance area and contacting the first and second magnetic resin layers, and
wherein, in other conductor layers of the plurality of conductor layers other than the first conductor layer, the first and second magnetic resin layers are isolated by the coil pattern included in the conductor layer (paras. [0066], [0073]-[0075]).
Katayama does not expressly teach the coil part has a structure in which a plurality of interlayer insulating films and a plurality of conductor layers are alternately stacked even though the structure of Katayama could have been interpreted as having the claimed “alternately” limitation.
Nonetheless, Suzuki teaches a coil component (FIGs. 3 and 4),
wherein the coil part (coil part formed by windings and 35a-35d layers 33a-33e) has a structure in which a plurality of interlayer insulating 33a-33e films and a plurality of conductor layers 35a-35d are alternately stacked (para. [0047]).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate alternately stacked coil part structure as taught by Suzuki to the coil component of Katayama to provide the required insulation characteristics and or magnetic saturation characteristics to meet design requirements.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Katayama in view of Suzuki, as applied to claim 3 above, and further in view of Okada et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2014/0176286 A1, hereinafter “Okada”).
With respect to claim 4, Katayama in view of Suzuki teaches the coil component as claimed in claim 3. Katayama in view of Suzuki does not expressly teach
a terminal electrode covering the third magnetic resin layer; and
a conductor post embedded in the third magnetic resin layer having one end connected to one end of the coil pattern positioned in the first conductor layer and other end connected to the terminal electrode.
Okada teaches a coil component (FIG.2), comprising:
a terminal electrode 5a and or 5b covering the third magnetic resin layer 2 and or layer 1 between layer 2 and coil pattern 4); and
a conductor post 7 embedded in the third magnetic resin layer having one end (lower end) connected to one end of the coil pattern 4 positioned in the first conductor layer and other end (upper end) connected to the terminal electrode (para. [0089]). 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 incorporate the electrode and the conductor post as taught by Okada to the coil component of Katayama in view of Suzuki to provide surface mount coil component so that a proper connection between the electrode and the circuit board could be made to meet design requirements.
Claims 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Katayama in view of Suzuki, as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of Yamauchi et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2018/0374628 A1, hereinafter “Yamauchi”).
With respect to claim 8, Katayama in view of Suzuki teaches the coil component as claimed in claim 7. Katayama in view of Suzuki does not expressly teach
wherein the plurality of conductor layers include two layers of the first conductor layer, and
wherein the two first conductor layers are adjacent in the axial direction.
Yamauchi teaches a coil component 1 (FIG. 2A),
wherein the plurality of conductor layers 230-236 include two layers (layers 234 and 235 on the top two layers on the right column layers) of the first conductor layer, and
wherein the two first conductor layers are adjacent in the axial direction (para. [0064]). 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 two layers as taught by Yamauchi to the coil component of Katayama in view of Suzuki to increase inductance.
With respect to claim 9, Katayama in view of Suzuki and Yamauchi teaches the coil component as claimed in claim 8, wherein the clearance areas in the two respective first conductor layers differ in planar position as viewed in the axial direction (Yamauchi, para. [0064]).
With respect to claim 10, Katayama in view of Suzuki teaches the coil component as claimed in claim 8, wherein the two first conductor layers are inner layers among the plurality of conductor layers that are each not positioned at an end portion in the axial direction (Yamauchi, para. [0064]).
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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