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 1 (Figures 1-3, claims 1-7 and 9-13) in the reply filed on 09/01/26 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)).
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.
1 Claims 1-4, 6, 9-10 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawahara et al. (US 20200303116) in view of Narita et al. (WO 2017208428)(English translation).
Regarding claim 1, Kawahara et al. (figures 1-9c and para 0022-0060) discloses an element body (10); an inductor wire (20) which is in the element body and wound on a plane (see figure 1); and an insulation wall (34) which is on both side surfaces of the inductor wire in a direction parallel to the plane and orthogonal to an extension direction of the inductor wire (see figures 5-7/9a-9c), the insulation wall including a first portion on an inner peripheral surface of an innermost periphery of the inductor wire and a second portion on an outer peripheral surface of an outermost periphery of the inductor wire (see figures 5-7/9a-9c), and in a section orthogonal to the extension direction of the inductor wire (see figures 5-7/9a-9c).
Kawahara et al. does not expressly disclose at least one of the first portion and the second portion being inclined with respect to a first direction orthogonal to the plane.
Narita et al. (figures 1- 2 and page 4) discloses a teaching wherein insulation walls such as at least one of the first portion and the second portion being inclined with respect to a first direction orthogonal to the plane
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the applicant claimed invention to design wherein at least one of the first portion and the second portion being inclined with respect to a first direction orthogonal to the plane as taught by Narita et al. to the inductive device of Kawahara et al. so as to minimize the overall parasitic capacitance while also reducing the chances of insulation walls cracking or delaminating where thermal and mechanical stresses may concentrate at the sharp corners of the insulation walls.
Regarding claim 2, Narita et al. page 4) discloses wherein in the section orthogonal to the extension direction of the inductor wire, the at least one of the first portion and the second portion is inclined in a manner that a width of the inductor wire in a direction parallel to the plane increases toward a forward direction or a reverse direction of the first direction. (see page disclosing wherein the angle of the wall can be higher or lower allowing for a width of the coil to be increased/decreased)
Regarding claim 3, Narita et al. (page 00) discloses wherein in the section orthogonal to the extension direction of the inductor wire, an angle defined by the plane and the at least one of the first portion and the second portion is from 45° to 85°.
Regarding claim 4, Kawahara et al. (figures 1-9c) discloses wherein the inductor wire includes a wire portion wound on the plane and a pad portion (32a) at an end portion in an extension direction of the wire portion (see figure 2 and para 0031), the pad portion includes at least one of a part of the inner peripheral surface of the innermost periphery and a part of the outer peripheral surface of the outermost periphery (see figure 2 and para 0031).
Kawahara et al. discloses the insulation wall on the at least the outer peripheral surface of the outermost periphery is covered with respect to the first direction in a cross section orthogonal to the extension direction of the inductor wire but does not expressly discloses the outer peripheral surface of the outermost periphery is inclined with respect to the first direction in a cross section orthogonal to the extension direction of the inductor wire.
Narita et al. (figures 1- 2 and page 4) discloses a teaching wherein insulation walls that surround the outer and inner peripherals portions of the inductor wire can be inclined with respect to the first direction in a cross section orthogonal to the extension direction of the inductor wire.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the applicant claimed invention to design wherein the insulation wall on the at least the outer peripheral surface of the outermost periphery is inclined with respect to the first direction in a cross section orthogonal to the extension direction of the inductor wire as taught by Narita et al. to the inductive device of Kawahara et al. so as to minimize the overall parasitic capacitance while also reducing the chances of insulation walls cracking or delaminating where thermal and mechanical stresses may concentrate at the sharp corners of the insulation walls.
Regarding claim 6, Kawahara et al. (figures 1-9c) discloses wherein
wherein a number of turns of the inductor wire is 1 turn or more (see figure 2), the insulation wall includes a third portion other than the first portion and the second portion, and in the section orthogonal to the extension direction of the inductor wire (see figures 4-6), the third portion, which is adjacent to the at least one of the first portion and the second portion in a direction parallel to the plane, is parallel to the first direction (see Kawahara et al. figures 4-6 and also Narita et al. figures 1- 2)
Regarding claim 9, Narita et al. (page 4) discloses wherein in the section orthogonal to the extension direction of the inductor wire, an angle defined by the plane and the at least one of the first portion and the second portion is from 45° to 85°.
Regarding claim 10, Kawahara et al. (figures 1-9c) discloses wherein the inductor wire includes a wire portion wound on the plane and a pad portion (32a) at an end portion in an extension direction of the wire portion (see figure 2 and para 0031), the pad portion includes at least one of a part of the inner peripheral surface of the innermost periphery and a part of the outer peripheral surface of the outermost periphery (see figure 2 and para 0031).
Kawahara et al. discloses the insulation wall on the at least the outer peripheral surface of the outermost periphery is covered with respect to the first direction in a cross section orthogonal to the extension direction of the inductor wire but does not expressly discloses the outer peripheral surface of the outermost periphery is inclined with respect to the first direction in a cross section orthogonal to the extension direction of the inductor wire.
Narita et al. (figures 1- 2 and page 4) discloses a teaching wherein insulation walls that surround the outer and inner peripherals portions of the inductor wire can be inclined with respect to the first direction in a cross section orthogonal to the extension direction of the inductor wire.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the applicant claimed invention to design wherein the insulation wall on the at least the outer peripheral surface of the outermost periphery is inclined with respect to the first direction in a cross section orthogonal to the extension direction of the inductor wire as taught by Narita et al. to the inductive device of Kawahara et al. so as to minimize the overall parasitic capacitance while also reducing the chances of insulation walls cracking or delaminating where thermal and mechanical stresses may concentrate at the sharp corners of the insulation walls.
Regarding claim 12, Kawahara et al. (figures 1-9c) discloses wherein
wherein a number of turns of the inductor wire is 1 turn or more (see figure 2), the insulation wall includes a third portion other than the first portion and the second portion, and in the section orthogonal to the extension direction of the inductor wire (see figures 4-6), the third portion, which is adjacent to the at least one of the first portion and the second portion in a direction parallel to the plane, is parallel to the first direction (see Kawahara et al. figures 4-6 and also Narita et al. figures 1- 2)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 7, 11 and 13 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RONALD HINSON whose telephone number is (571)270-7915. The examiner can normally be reached M to F; 8 -5.
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/RONALD HINSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
