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 11/20/2023 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 at least the part of the surface of the metal magnetic particle where the insulating film is disposed includes a surface of the metal magnetic particle exposed to portions of internal surfaces of the first and second recesses and the first and second surfaces of the body” as recited in claim 10 and the “at least the part of the surface of the metal magnetic particle where the insulating film is disposed includes on a surface of the metal magnetic particle exposed to the third to fifth surfaces of the body” as claimed in claim 11 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 § 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.
Claims 13 and 14 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, it’s not clear which of the “first and second external electrodes” is referred by “the external electrode” as recited in line 5.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 USC 112(b) as being dependent from claim 13 therefore inheriting the indefiniteness thereof.
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 and 6-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lim et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2021/0383959 A1, hereinafter “Lim”) in view of Choi et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2016/0086716 A1, hereinafter “Choi”).
With respect to claim 1, Lim teaches a coil component 1000 (FIGs. 1-9) comprising:
a body 100 having a first surface 102 and a second surface 101, opposing each other in a first direction (L axis direction), a third surface 103 and a fourth surface 104), opposing each other in a second direction (W axis direction), and a fifth surface 105 and a sixth surface 106, opposing each other in a third direction (T axis direction), the body having a first recess R1 and a second recess R2 respectively formed in the first surface and the second surface;
a coil 200 embedded in the body, the coil including first and second lead-out portions 232 and 231 respectively having at least portions extending to and being in contact with the first and second recesses;
first and second external electrodes 500 and 400 disposed on the sixth surface of the body to be spaced apart from each other, first and second external electrodes respectively extending to and being in contact with the first and second recesses through which being connected to the first and second lead-out portions; and
a first insulating layer 620 and 630 disposed on the first to fifth surfaces of the body, the first insulating layer disposed on at least portions of an outer surface of the first and second external electrodes,
wherein the body includes a metal magnetic particle (“magnetic metal powder” para. [0047]) and a resin (“resin” para. [0046]) (paras. [0041], [0044], [0045] and [0065]).
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Lim does not expressly teach
an insulating film is disposed on at least a part of a surface of the metal magnetic particle, and
the at least the part of the surface of the metal magnetic particle is exposed to a surface of at least one of the first to fifth surfaces of the body.
Choi teaches a coil component 100 (FIG. 4) comprising:
an insulating film 60 is disposed on at least a part of a surface of the metal magnetic particle 51, and
the at least the part of the surface of the metal magnetic particle is exposed to a surface (upper surface) of at least one of the first to fifth surfaces of the body 50 (paras. [0052] and [0057]).
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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 have the insulating film on the surface of the metal magnetic particle exposed to the surface of the magnetic body as taught by Choi to the coil component of Lim to delaminate the insulation coating layer, thereby serving to prevent plating spread of the external electrodes (paras. [0028] and [0029]) .
With respect to claim 6, Lim in view of Choi teaches the coil component of claim 1, wherein the insulating film includes phosphate-based glass (Choi, para. [0054]).
With respect to claim 7, Lim in view of Choi teaches the coil component of claim 6, wherein the phosphate-based glass includes one or more selected from the group consisting of iron phosphate salt, zinc phosphate salt, and manganese phosphate salt (Choi, para. [0055]).
With respect to claim 8, Lim in view of Choi teaches the coil component of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second external electrodes includes a connection portion 510 and 410 disposed in the first and second recesses being in contact with the first and second lead-out portions, and an extension portion 520 and 420 disposed on the sixth surface of the body, and
the first insulating layer is disposed on the connection portion (Lim, paras. [0045] and [0075]).
With respect to claim 9, Lim in view of Choi teaches the coil component of claim 8, wherein the first insulating layer exposes at least a portion of the extension portion (Lim, para. [0080]).
With respect to claim 10, Lim in view of Choi teaches the coil component of claim 1, wherein the at least the part of the surface of the metal magnetic particle where the insulating film is disposed includes a surface of the metal magnetic particle exposed to portions of internal surfaces of the first and second recesses and the first and second surfaces of the body (Choi, para. [0050]). The combination would result in the claimed limitations.
With respect to claim 11, Lim in view of Choi teaches the coil component of claim 10, wherein the at least the part of the surface of the metal magnetic particle where the insulating film is disposed includes on a surface of the metal magnetic particle exposed to the third to fifth surfaces of the body (Choi, para. [0050]). The combination would result in the claimed limitations.
With respect to claim 12, Lim in view of Choi teaches the coil component of claim 8, further comprising:
a second insulating layer 610 disposed on the sixth surface of the body and not disposed on the extension portion (para. [0080]).
Claims 2-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lim in view of Choi, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Yang et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2020/0168391 A1, hereinafter “Yang”).
With respect to claim 2, Lim in view of Choi teaches the coil component of claim 1. Lim in view of Choi does not expressly a thickness of the insulating film is less than 5 μm.
Yang teaches a coil component (FIGs. 1-4), wherein a thickness of the insulating film 21 is less than 5 μm (para. [0045]).
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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 have the thickness of insulting film as taught by Yang to the coil component of Lim in view of Choi to avoid deterioration of the magnetic properties (para. [0.045]).
With respect to claim 3, Lim in view of Choi and Yang teaches the coil component of claim 2, wherein a sum of thicknesses of the insulating film and the first insulating layer 800 is 10 μm or less (Yang, paras. [0045] and [0075]).
With respect to claim 4, Lim in view of Choi teaches the coil component of claim 3, wherein a thickness of the first insulating layer is 5 μm or more (Yang, para. [0075]).
With respect to claim 5, Lim in view of Choi teaches the coil component of claim 1. Lim in view of Choi does not expressly teach the insulating film includes an oxide insulating film.
Yang teaches a coil component (FIGs. 1-4), wherein the insulating film 21 includes an oxide insulating film (para. [0042]). 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 oxide insulating film as taught by Yang to the coil component of Lim in view of Choi to improve electrical insulation (para. [0043]).
Claims 13 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lim in view of Choi, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Lim et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2020/0118729 A1, hereinafter “Lim’729”).
With respect to claim 13, Lim in view of Choi teaches the coil component of claim 1. Lim in view of Choi does not expressly teach:
a filling portion filling at least a portion of each of the first and second recesses, wherein the filling portion is in contact with at least a portion of the external electrode.
Best understood in view of 35 USC 112(b) rejection, Lim’729 teaches a coil component 2000 (FIGs. 10 and 11) comprising:
a filling portion 500 filling at least a portion of each of the first and second recesses R, wherein the filling portion is in contact with at least a portion 410 and 310 of the external electrode (para. [0071]). 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 filling portion as taught by Lim’729 to the coil component of Lim in view of Choi to protect the connection portion of the electrodes.
With respect to claim 14, Lim in view of Choi and Lim’529 teaches the coil component of claim 13, wherein the first insulating layer disposed on at least a portion of an outer surface of the filling portion (Lim’529, para. [0079]).
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.
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 http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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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