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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/13/2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoon et al. (US20160078986 A1), in view of Sim et al. (US20190115135 A1) and Ahn et al. (US20170310294 A1), hereinafter Yoon, Sim, and Ahn respectively.
Regarding Claim 1, Yoon teaches a coil component (Fig. 1 and 2) comprising:
an element body (10) having a pair of main surfaces (upper and lower surfaces in the thickness direction) facing each other, and a first end surface (front surface in a width direction) and a second end surface (rear surface in a width direction) connecting the pair of main surfaces and parallel to each other;
a substrate (11) provided in the element body, extending parallel to the main surface of the element body, and having a first main surface (upper surface) and a second main surface (lower surface) parallel to the main surface of the element body;
a coil body (comprising coil parts 21-24) provided in the element body and including a plurality of coils (patterns of coils 21-24) each including a first coil portion (21 and 22 on the upper surface of the substrate) in a spiral shape provided on the first main surface of the substrate, a second coil portion (23 and 24 on the lower surface of substrate) in a spiral shape provided on the second main surface of the substrate, and a through-hole conductor (not numbered; via electrode; Par [0053-0054]) penetrating the substrate and electrically connecting the first coil portion and the second coil portion (Par [0051-0054]; Fig. 2), the plurality of coils being connected in series (coils 21 and 23, and 22 and 24 are connected in series to each other) and having one end portion exposed from the first end surface (front surface in a width direction) of the element body and the other end portion (rear lead portion) exposed from the second end surface (rear surface in a width direction) of the element body (coil parts 21 to 24 have exposed surfaces opposed in the width direction; Par [0042]); and
a first external terminal (31) provided on the first end surface of the element body and connected to one end portion of the coil body (Fig. 2; Par [0042]);
a second external terminal (32) provided on the second end surface of the element body and connected to the other end portion of the coil body (Fig. 2; Par [0042]). Yoon does not explicitly teach an embodiment wherein when viewed from a facing direction of the pair of main surfaces, the plurality of coils of the coil body are arranged along one direction and winding directions of the coils are alternately arranged, and wherein the plurality of coils of the coil body include a first coil located on the first end surface side and connected to one end of the coil body, a second coil located on a side farther from the first end surface than the first coil and having a smaller number of turns than the first coil, and a third coil located on the second end surface side and connected to the other end of the coil body.
Sim teaches a coil wherein, when viewed from a facing direction of the pair of main surfaces, the plurality of coils (211-213) of the coil body are arranged along one direction (width direction) and winding directions of the coils are alternately arranged (Fig. 4; Par [0035]), and
wherein the plurality of coils of the coil body include a first coil (211) located on the first end surface side (left side) and connected to one end of the coil body, a second coil (212) located on a side farther from the first end surface than the first coil, and a third coil (213) located on the second end surface side (right side) and connected to the other end of the coil body (Fig. 4; Par [0033-0035]).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the coil of Yoon with the teachings of Sim by including alternately arranged coils in order to allow the magnetic fields to reinforce each other.
Yoon in view of Sim does not explicitly teach a second coil having a smaller number of turns than the first coil.
Ahn teaches a coil wherein a second coil (140) that has a smaller number of turns than the first coil (150) (Par [0047-0048]; Fig. 3A).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the coil of Yoon in view of Sim with the teachings of Ahn by including a coil with fewer turns in order to maintain sufficient inductance while minimizing heat loss.
Regarding Claim 2, Yoon in view of Sim and Ahn teaches a coil component according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of coils of the coil body are respectively wound around a plurality of through holes (via electrode; Par [0053]) provided in the substrate (Par [0053-56]; Fig. 2; Yoon).
Regarding Claim 3, Yoon teaches a coil component according to claim 2, but does not teach wherein the through hole has an elliptical shape having a long axis extending in a direction intersecting a facing direction of the first end surface and the second end surface.
Sim teaches a coil wherein the through hole has an elliptical shape (Fig. 4) having a long axis extending in a direction intersecting a facing direction of the first end surface and the second end surface (the long axis intersects the facing direction of the end surface orthogonally; Fig. 4).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the coil of Yoon with the teachings of Sim by including coils with an elliptical shape in order to enhance magnetic coupling.
Claims 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoon in view of Sim and Ahn as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Lee et al. (US20210398737 A1), hereinafter Lee.
Regarding Claim 4, Yoon in view of Sim and Ahn teach the coil component according to claim 1, but does not explicitly teach a coil wherein inner core area of the second coil is larger than inner core area of the first coil when viewed from a facing direction of the pair of main surfaces.
Lee teaches a coil (211 and 221) wherein inner core area of the second coil (320) is larger than inner core area of the first coil (310) when viewed from a facing direction (xy-direction, viewing surface 106) of the pair of main surfaces (opposing surfaces 105 and 106 in the z-direction). (Par [0064-0066]; Fig. 4).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the coil of Yoon in view of Sim and Ahn with the teachings of Lee by including a second coil with a larger core area compared to the first coil in order to increase the degree of magnetic coupling between coils (Par [0064]; Lee)
Regarding Claim 5, Yoon in view of Sim and Ahn teach the coil component according to claim 1, but do not explicitly teach a coil wherein, when viewed from a facing direction of the pair of main surfaces, a connection portion connecting the coils extends to intersect an imaginary line connecting axes of both coils.
Lee teaches a coil wherein, when viewed from a facing direction of the pair of main surfaces, a connection portion (330) connecting the coils (211 and 221) extends to intersect an imaginary line (extending from each cores’ center in the x-direction towards the other coil) connecting axes of both coils (Par [0066]; Fig. 4).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the coil of Yoon in view of Sim and Ahn with the teachings of Lee by including a connection portion to improve inductance characteristics (Par [0063]; Lee).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AISLIN WEST whose telephone number is (571)272-0552. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.
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/AISLIN M WEST/Examiner, Art Unit 2837
/SHAWKI S ISMAIL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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