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.
Drawings
The drawings received on are 12/05/2023.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 2 and 4-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ryu et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2018/0374627 A1, hereinafter “Ryu”).
With respect to claim 1, Ryu teaches a coil component 200 (FIG. 4) comprising:
an element body 1;
a substrate 12 disposed inside the element body;
a coil conductor 131 and 131’ including a first winding portion 131 or 131’ provided in a planar spiral shape on one surface (upper or lower surface) of the substrate, a second winding portion (the other of winding portion 131 or 131’) provided in a planar spiral shape on the other surface (the other of upper or lower surface) of the substrate, and a penetration portion 132 penetrating the substrate and connecting end portions (inner ends) of the first winding portion and the second winding portion to each other; and
a pair of terminal electrodes 21 and 22 provided on a surface (e.g., left and right end surfaces) of the element body and connected to the first winding portion and the second winding portion of the coil conductor, respectively,
wherein when a thickness (“thickness” para. [0045]) of the first winding portion in a thickness direction (T axis direction) of the substrate is a first thickness and a thickness (“thickness” para. [0045]) of the second winding portion is defined as a second thickness, the first thickness and the second thickness are different from each other (para. [0045]).
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With respect to claim 2, Ryu teaches the coil component according to claim 1, wherein in the thickness direction of the substrate, the substrate extends at a height position shifted from an intermediate height position of the element body (para. [0045]). Since the thickness of winding portion 131’ is thicker, and the distance between upper surface of the coil pattern 13a and the upper surface of the element body is the same as that of the lower side, the substrate 12 would need to be shifted above the intermediate height position.
With respect to claim 4, Ryu teaches the coil component according to claim 1, wherein the element body has a pair of end surfaces (left and right end surfaces) orthogonal to the substrate and facing each other and a mounting surface (lower surface) orthogonal to the thickness direction of the substrate on the other surface side of the substrate, and
wherein the pair of terminal electrodes is provided on each of the pair of end surfaces (para. [0027]).
With respect to claim 5, Ryu teaches the coil component according to claim 4, wherein each of the terminal electrodes has an L shape, the each of the terminal electrodes continuously covering the end surface and the mounting surface (para. [0027]).
With respect to claim 6, Ryu teaches the coil component of claim 4, wherein the second thickness is smaller than the first thickness (para. [0045]).
With respect to claim 7, Ryu teaches the coil component according to claim 1, wherein the element body is made of a material containing metal powder and resin (para. [0025]).
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.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ryu.
With respect to claim 3, Ryu teaches the coil component according to claim 1. Ryu does not expressly teach, in the embodiment of FIG. 4, in the thickness direction of the substrate, the substrate extends at an intermediate height position of the element body.
However, Ryu teaches, in the embodiment of FIG. 2, in the thickness direction of the substrate, the substrate 12 extends at an intermediate height position of the element body (para. [0026]). 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 substrate position with respect to the magnetic body as in the embodiment of FIG. 2 Ryu to the coil component of Ryu in the embodiment of FIG. 4 to provide the required mechanical stability of the substrate.
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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