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 . 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted 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 were received on 19 March 2024. These drawings are acceptable.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (US 20240282531 and Kim ‘531).
In regards to claim 1, Kim ‘531 discloses an electronic component, comprising: an element body portion (110 – FIG. 6; [0045]) having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape (FIGs. 5-6, [0045]), and a terminal electrode portion (131, 132 – FIG. 6; [0045]) formed on each of a pair of end surfaces (110e, 110f – FIG. 6; [0048]) of the element body portion, wherein the terminal electrode portion includes a base electrode layer (1311, 1321 – FIG. 6; [0070]) that is in direct contact with the end surface and a surface electrode layer (1313, 1323 – FIG. 6; [0070]) that covers the base electrode layer and constitutes an outermost surface of the terminal electrode portion (FIG. 6), and in a cross section passing through a center of the element body portion and perpendicular to an element body lower surface (upward surface of body 111 as seen in FIG. 6) and the end surface of the element body portion (cross section of FIG. 6, noting FIG. 5), a relation between a thickness T2 of the surface electrode layer and a thickness T4 of the surface electrode layer satisfies 1.3 ≤ T4/T2 ≤ 15.0 (see Table 1, Example 3, noting T4/T2 of 2.5 (=1.0/0.4)), the thickness T2 being along a second reference line that is parallel to the element body lower surface and passes through a height of three quarters of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface (thickness of region 131e2 as seen in FIG. 6, noting ten electrodes 121, 122 total and the second reference line is considered to pass through a height below a height of the third electrode 121, 122 from the bottom of the body as seen in FIG. 6, i.e. a height of three quarters of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface), and the thickness T4 being along a fourth reference line that is parallel to the element body lower surface and passes through a height of one quarter of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface (thickness of region 131e1 as seen in FIG. 6, noting ten electrodes 121, 122 total and the fourth reference line is disclosed as passing through a height above a height of the third electrode 121, 122 from the bottom of the body as seen in FIG. 6, i.e. a height of one quarter of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface).
In regards to claim 2, Kim ‘531 further discloses wherein the surface electrode layer contains Sn or Au ([0028]).
In regards to claim 3, Kim ‘531 further discloses wherein the surface electrode layer contains Sn ([0028]), and the relation between the thickness T2 of the surface electrode layer along the second reference line and the thickness T4 of the surface electrode layer along the fourth reference line satisfies 2.5 ≤ T4/T2 ≤ 15.0 (see Table 1, Example 3, noting T4/T2 of 2.5 (=1.0/0.4)).
In regards to claim 4, Kim ‘531 further discloses wherein the surface electrode layer contains Au ([0028]), and the relation between the thickness T2 of the surface electrode layer along the second reference line and the thickness T4 of the surface electrode layer along the fourth reference line satisfies 2.5 ≤ T4/T2 ≤ 8.0 (see Table 1, Example 3, noting T4/T2 of 2.5 (=1.0/0.4)).
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 5-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim ‘531 in view of McConnell et al. (US 20140002952 and hereinafter McConnell ‘952).
In regards to claim 5, Kim ‘531 discloses an electronic component structure, comprising: an electronic component including an element body portion (110 – FIG. 6; [0045]) having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape (FIGs. 5-6, [0045]), and a terminal electrode portion (131, 132 – FIG. 6; [0045]) formed on each of a pair of end surfaces (110e, 110f – FIG. 6; [0048]) of the element body portion, a first-stage electronic component (component of FIG. 6), and in the first-stage electronic component, the terminal electrode portion includes a base electrode layer (1311, 1321 – FIG. 6; [0070]) that is in direct contact with the end surface and a surface electrode layer (1313, 1323 – FIG. 6; [0070]) that covers the base electrode layer and constitutes an outermost surface of the terminal electrode portion (FIG. 6), and in a cross section passing through a center of the element body portion and perpendicular to the element body lower surface and the end surface of the element body portion (cross section of FIG. 6, noting FIG. 5), a relation between a thickness T2 of the surface electrode layer and a thickness T4 of the surface electrode layer satisfies 1.3 ≤ T4/T2 ≤ 15.0 (see Table 1, Example 3, noting T4/T2 of 2.5 (=1.0/0.4)), the thickness T2 being along a second reference line that is parallel to the element body lower surface and passes through a height of three quarters of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface (thickness of region 131e2 as seen in FIG. 6, noting ten electrodes 121, 122 total and the second reference line is considered to pass through a height below a height of the third electrode 121, 122 from the bottom of the body as seen in FIG. 6, i.e. a height of three quarters of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface), and the thickness T4 being along a fourth reference line that is parallel to the element body lower surface and passes through a height of one quarter of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface (thickness of region 131e1 as seen in FIG. 6, noting ten electrodes 121, 122 total and the fourth reference line is disclosed as passing through a height above a height of the third electrode 121, 122 from the bottom of the body as seen in FIG. 6, i.e. a height of one quarter of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface).
Kim ‘531 further discloses an element body lower surface that does not face other electronic components (upward surface of body 111 as seen in FIG. 6) but fails to expressly disclose, in entirety, the electronic component structure comprising a plurality of the electronic components, the terminal electrode portions of the respective electronic components being connected to each other, wherein at least one of the plurality of electronic components is a first-stage electronic component, the first-stage electronic component having an element body lower surface that does not face other electronic components.
McConnell ‘952 teaches an electronic component structure comprising a plurality of the electronic components (FIG. 2), the terminal electrode portions (7 – FIG. 2; [0077]) of the respective electronic components being connected to each other (FIG. 2), wherein at least one of the plurality of electronic components is a first-stage electronic component (downward electronic component as seen in FIG. 2), the first-stage electronic component having an element body lower surface (downward surface of downward electronic component as seen in FIG. 2) that does not face other electronic components (FIG. 2).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings of McConnell ‘952 with Kim ‘531 to incorporate the electronic component structure comprising a plurality of the electronic components, the terminal electrode portions of the respective electronic components being connected to each other, wherein at least one of the plurality of electronic components is a first-stage electronic component, the first-stage electronic component having an element body lower surface that does not face other electronic components as taught by McConnell ‘952 in the structure taught by Kim ‘531, as one having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this with a reasonable expectation of success because such a combination and/or modification allows for providing a stacked MLCC which can be mounted without a lead frame wherein board flexure does not cause the expected amount of stress cracking of the MLCC's (McConnell ‘952: [0014]).
In regards to claim 6, modified Kim ‘531 further teaches wherein the surface electrode layer contains Sn (Kim ‘531: [0028]), and the relation between the thickness T2 of the surface electrode layer along the second reference line and the thickness T4 of the surface electrode layer along the fourth reference line satisfies 2.5 ≤ T4/T2 ≤ 15.0 (see Kim ‘531: Table 1, Example 3, noting T4/T2 of 2.5 (=1.0/0.4)).
In regards to claim 7, modified Kim ‘531 further teaches wherein at least one of the plurality of electronic components is a second-stage electronic component (upward electronic component as seen in McConnell ‘952: FIG. 2) having an element body lower surface facing an element body upper surface of the first-stage electronic component (seen in McConnell ‘952: FIG. 2), the terminal electrode portion in the second-stage electronic component includes a base electrode layer (Kim ‘531: 1311, 1321 – FIG. 6; [0070]) that is in direct contact with the end surface and a surface electrode layer (Kim ‘531: 1313, 1323 – FIG. 6; [0070]) that covers the base electrode layer and constitutes an outermost surface of the terminal electrode portion (Kim ‘531: FIG. 6), and in a cross section passing through a center of the element body portion in the second-stage electronic component and perpendicular to the element body lower surface and the end surface of the element body portion (cross section of Kim ‘531: FIG. 6, noting FIG. 5), a relation between a thickness T42 of the surface electrode layer and the thickness T2 of the surface electrode layer satisfies 1.3 ≤ T42/T2 ≤ 32 (see Kim ‘531: Table 1, Example 3, noting T4/T2 of 2.5 (=1.0/0.4)), the thickness T42 being along the fourth reference line that is parallel to the element body lower surface and passes through a height of one quarter of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface (thickness of region 131e2 as seen in Kim ‘531: FIG. 6, noting ten electrodes 121, 122 total and the second reference line is considered to pass through a height below a height of the third electrode 121, 122 from the bottom of the body as seen in FIG. 6, i.e. a height of three quarters of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface), and the thickness T2 being along the second reference line in the first-stage electronic component (thickness of region 131e1 as seen in FIG. 6, noting ten electrodes 121, 122 total and the fourth reference line is disclosed as passing through a height above a height of the third electrode 121, 122 from the bottom of the body as seen in FIG. 6, i.e. a height of one quarter of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface).
In regards to claim 8, modified Kim ‘531 further teaches wherein at least one of the plurality of electronic components is an nth-stage electronic component (upward electronic component as seen in McConnell ‘952: FIG. 2, noting n is 2) having an element body lower surface facing any one of other electronic components (seen in McConnell ‘952: FIG. 2), and in the nth-stage electronic component, the terminal electrode portion includes a base electrode layer (Kim ‘531: 1311, 1321 – FIG. 6; [0070]) that is in direct contact with the end surface and a surface electrode layer (Kim ‘531: 1313, 1323 – FIG. 6; [0070]) that covers the base electrode layer and constitutes an outermost surface of the terminal electrode portion (Kim ‘531: FIG. 6), and in a cross section passing through a center of the element body portion and perpendicular to the element body lower surface and the end surface of the element body portion (cross section of Kim ‘531: FIG. 6, noting FIG. 5), a relation between a thickness T2n of the surface electrode layer and a thickness T4n of the surface electrode layer satisfies 1.3 ≤ T4n/T2n ≤ 15.0 (see Kim ‘531: Table 1, Example 3, noting T4/T2 of 2.5 (=1.0/0.4)), the thickness T2n being along the second reference line that is parallel to the element body lower surface and passes through a height of three quarters of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface (thickness of region 131e2 as seen in Kim ‘531: FIG. 6, noting ten electrodes 121, 122 total and the second reference line is considered to pass through a height below a height of the third electrode 121, 122 from the bottom of the body as seen in FIG. 6, i.e. a height of three quarters of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface), and the thickness T4n being along the fourth reference line that is parallel to the element body lower surface and passes through a height of one quarter of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface (thickness of region 131e1 as seen in FIG. 6, noting ten electrodes 121, 122 total and the fourth reference line is disclosed as passing through a height above a height of the third electrode 121, 122 from the bottom of the body as seen in FIG. 6, i.e. a height of one quarter of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface).
In regards to claim 9, modified Kim ‘531 further teaches wherein all electronic components other than the first-stage electronic component among the plurality of electronic components are the nth-stage electronic components (seen in McConnell ‘952: FIG. 2).
In regards to claim 10, modified Kim ‘531 further teaches wherein another one of the plurality of electronic components is an uppermost-stage electronic component (upward electronic component as seen in McConnell ‘952: FIG. 2) having an element body upper surface that does not face other electronic components (seen in McConnell ‘952: FIG. 2), the terminal electrode portion in the uppermost-stage electronic component includes a base electrode layer (Kim ‘531: 1311, 1321 – FIG. 6; [0070]) that is in direct contact with the end surface and a surface electrode layer (Kim ‘531: 1313, 1323 – FIG. 6; [0070]) that covers the base electrode layer and constitutes an outermost surface of the terminal electrode portion (Kim ‘531: FIG. 6), and in a cross section passing through a center of the element body portion in the uppermost-stage electronic component and perpendicular to the element body lower surface and the end surface of the element body portion (cross section of Kim ‘531: FIG. 6, noting FIG. 5), a relation between a thickness T2max of the surface electrode layer and the thickness T4 of the surface electrode layer satisfies T2max < T4 (see Kim ‘531: FIG. 6 and McConnell ‘952: FIG. 2), the thickness T2max being along the second reference line that is parallel to the element body lower surface and passes through a height of one quarter of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface, and the thickness T4 being along the fourth reference line in the first-stage electronic component.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (US 20160005539 and hereinafter Lee ‘539) in view of Katsube et al. (US 20080081200 and hereinafter Katsube ‘200).
In regards to claim 1, Lee ‘539 discloses an electronic component, comprising: an element body portion (110 – FIG. 1; [0026]) having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape (FIG. 1, [0054]), and a terminal electrode portion (131 – FIG. 2; [0027]) formed on each of a pair of end surfaces of the element body portion, wherein the terminal electrode portion includes a surface electrode layer (131, 132 – FIG. 2; [0026]) that covers the base electrode layer and constitutes an outermost surface of the terminal electrode portion (FIG. 2), and in a cross section passing through a center of the element body portion and perpendicular to an element body lower surface and the end surface of the element body portion (cross section of FIG. 2, noting FIG. 3), a relation between a thickness T2 of the surface electrode layer and a thickness T4 of the surface electrode layer satisfies 1.3 ≤ T4/T2 ≤ 15.0 (see [0061] and Table 1, Samples 4-8, noting 1.5≦b/a≦4 may be satisfied), the thickness T2 being along a second reference line that is parallel to the element body lower surface and passes through a height of three quarters of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface (W1 as seen in FIG. 2, noting eighteen electrodes 121, 122 total and the second reference line is disclosed as passing through a height above a height of the fifth electrode 121, 122 from the bottom of the body as seen in FIG. 2, i.e. a height of three quarters of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface), and the thickness T4 being along a fourth reference line that is parallel to the element body lower surface and passes through a height of one quarter of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface (W2 as seen in FIG. 2, noting eighteen electrodes 121, 122 total and the fourth reference line is considered to pass through a height below a height of the fifth electrode 121, 122 from the bottom of the body as seen in FIG. 2).
Lee ‘539 fails to expressly disclose the terminal electrode portion includes a base electrode layer that is in direct contact with the end surface.
Katsube ‘200 teaches the terminal electrode portion includes a base electrode layer (6a, 6b – FIG. 1; [0042]) that is in direct contact with the end surface and a surface electrode layer (9a, 9b – FIG. 1; [0042]) that covers the base electrode layer (FIG. 1).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings of Katsube ‘200 with Lee ‘539 to incorporate the terminal electrode portion includes a base electrode layer that is in direct contact with the end surface and a surface electrode layer that covers the base electrode layer as taught by Katsube ‘200 in the structure taught by Lee ‘539, as one having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this with a reasonable expectation of success because such a combination and/or modification allows for a highly reliable electronic device can be efficiently manufactured which has an external electrode capable of preventing the entry of a plating solution and moisture of external environment inside thereof and to improve solder wettability (Katsube ‘200: [0026], [0042]).
In regards to claim 2, modified Lee ‘539 further teaches wherein the surface electrode layer contains Sn or Au (Katsube ‘200: [0042]).
In regards to claim 3, modified Lee ‘539 further teaches wherein the surface electrode layer contains Sn (Katsube ‘200: [0042]), and the relation between the thickness T2 of the surface electrode layer along the second reference line and the thickness T4 of the surface electrode layer along the fourth reference line satisfies 2.5 ≤ T4/T2 ≤ 15.0 (see Lee ‘539: Table 1, Samples 7-8).
Claims 5-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee ‘539 in view of Katsube ‘200 and in further view of McConnell ‘952.
In regards to claim 5, Lee ‘539 discloses an electronic component structure, comprising: an electronic component including an element body portion (110 – FIG. 1; [0026]) having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape (FIG. 1, [0054]), and a terminal electrode portion (131 – FIG. 2; [0027]) formed on each of a pair of end surfaces of the element body portion, a first-stage electronic component (component of FIGs. 1-3), and in the first-stage electronic component, the terminal electrode portion includes a surface electrode layer (131, 132 – FIG. 2; [0026]) that constitutes an outermost surface of the terminal electrode portion (FIG. 2), and in a cross section passing through a center of the element body portion and perpendicular to the element body lower surface and the end surface of the element body portion (cross section of FIG. 2, noting FIG. 3), a relation between a thickness T2 of the surface electrode layer and a thickness T4 of the surface electrode layer satisfies 1.3 ≤ T4/T2 ≤ 15.0 (see [0061] and Table 1, Samples 4-8, noting 1.5≦b/a≦4 may be satisfied), the thickness T2 being along a second reference line that is parallel to the element body lower surface and passes through a height of three quarters of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface (W1 as seen in FIG. 2, noting eighteen electrodes 121, 122 total and the second reference line is disclosed as passing through a height above a height of the fifth electrode 121, 122 from the bottom of the body as seen in FIG. 2, i.e. a height of three quarters of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface), and the thickness T4 being along a fourth reference line that is parallel to the element body lower surface and passes through a height of one quarter of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface (W2 as seen in FIG. 2, noting eighteen electrodes 121, 122 total and the fourth reference line is considered to pass through a height below a height of the fifth electrode 121, 122 from the bottom of the body as seen in FIG. 2).
Lee ‘539 fails to expressly disclose the terminal electrode portion includes a base electrode layer that is in direct contact with the end surface, the electronic component structure comprising a plurality of the electronic components, the terminal electrode portions of the respective electronic components being connected to each other, wherein at least one of the plurality of electronic components is a first-stage electronic component, the first-stage electronic component having an element body lower surface that does not face other electronic components.
Katsube ‘200 teaches the terminal electrode portion includes a base electrode layer (6a, 6b – FIG. 1; [0042]) that is in direct contact with the end surface and a surface electrode layer (9a, 9b – FIG. 1; [0042]) that covers the base electrode layer (FIG. 1).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings of Katsube ‘200 with Lee ‘539 to incorporate the terminal electrode portion includes a base electrode layer that is in direct contact with the end surface and a surface electrode layer that covers the base electrode layer as taught by Katsube ‘200 in the structure taught by Lee ‘539, as one having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this with a reasonable expectation of success because such a combination and/or modification allows for a highly reliable electronic device can be efficiently manufactured which has an external electrode capable of preventing the entry of a plating solution and moisture of external environment inside thereof and to improve solder wettability (Katsube ‘200: [0026], [0042]).
McConnell ‘952 teaches an electronic component structure comprising a plurality of the electronic components (FIG. 2), the terminal electrode portions (7 – FIG. 2; [0077]) of the respective electronic components being connected to each other (FIG. 2), wherein at least one of the plurality of electronic components is a first-stage electronic component (downward electronic component as seen in FIG. 2), the first-stage electronic component having an element body lower surface (downward surface of downward electronic component as seen in FIG. 2) that does not face other electronic components (FIG. 2).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings of McConnell ‘952 with Lee ‘539 as modified by Katsube ‘200 to incorporate the electronic component structure comprising a plurality of the electronic components, the terminal electrode portions of the respective electronic components being connected to each other, wherein at least one of the plurality of electronic components is a first-stage electronic component, the first-stage electronic component having an element body lower surface that does not face other electronic components as taught by McConnell ‘952 in the structure taught by Lee ‘539 as modified by Katsube ‘200, as one having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this with a reasonable expectation of success because such a combination and/or modification allows for providing a stacked MLCC which can be mounted without a lead frame wherein board flexure does not cause the expected amount of stress cracking of the MLCC's (McConnell ‘952: [0014]).
In regards to claim 6, modified Lee ‘539 further teaches wherein the surface electrode layer contains Sn (Katsube ‘200: [0028]), and the relation between the thickness T2 of the surface electrode layer along the second reference line and the thickness T4 of the surface electrode layer along the fourth reference line satisfies 2.5 ≤ T4/T2 ≤ 15.0 (see Lee ‘539: Table 1, Samples 7-8).
In regards to claim 7, modified Lee ‘539 further teaches wherein at least one of the plurality of electronic components is a second-stage electronic component (upward electronic component as seen in McConnell ‘952: FIG. 2) having an element body lower surface facing an element body upper surface of the first-stage electronic component (seen in McConnell ‘952: FIG. 2), the terminal electrode portion in the second-stage electronic component includes a base electrode layer (Katsube ‘200: 6a, 6b – FIG. 1; [0042]) that is in direct contact with the end surface and a surface electrode layer (Lee ‘539: 131, 132 – FIG. 2; [0026]) that covers the base electrode layer (Katsube ‘200: FIG. 1) and constitutes an outermost surface of the terminal electrode portion (Lee ‘539: FIG. 2; Katsube ‘200: FIG. 1), and in a cross section passing through a center of the element body portion in the second-stage electronic component and perpendicular to the element body lower surface and the end surface of the element body portion (cross section of Lee ‘539: FIG. 2, noting FIG. 3), a relation between a thickness T42 of the surface electrode layer and the thickness T2 of the surface electrode layer satisfies 1.3 ≤ T42/T2 ≤ 32 (see Lee ‘539: [0061] and Table 1, Samples 4-8, noting 1.5≦b/a≦4 may be satisfied), the thickness T42 being along the fourth reference line that is parallel to the element body lower surface and passes through a height of one quarter of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface (W1 as seen in FIG. 2, noting eighteen electrodes 121, 122 total and the second reference line is disclosed as passing through a height above a height of the fifth electrode 121, 122 from the bottom of the body as seen in FIG. 2, i.e. a height of three quarters of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface), and the thickness T2 being along the second reference line in the first-stage electronic component (W2 as seen in FIG. 2, noting eighteen electrodes 121, 122 total and the fourth reference line is considered to pass through a height below a height of the fifth electrode 121, 122 from the bottom of the body as seen in FIG. 2).
In regards to claim 8, modified Lee ‘539 further teaches wherein at least one of the plurality of electronic components is an nth-stage electronic component (upward electronic component as seen in McConnell ‘952: FIG. 2, noting n is 2) having an element body lower surface facing any one of other electronic components (seen in McConnell ‘952: FIG. 2), and in the nth-stage electronic component, the terminal electrode portion includes a base electrode layer (Katsube ‘200: 6a, 6b – FIG. 1; [0042]) that is in direct contact with the end surface and a surface electrode layer (Lee ‘539: 131, 132 – FIG. 2; [0026]) that covers the base electrode layer (Katsube ‘200: FIG. 1) and constitutes an outermost surface of the terminal electrode portion (Lee ‘539: FIG. 2; Katsube ‘200: FIG. 1), and in a cross section passing through a center of the element body portion and perpendicular to the element body lower surface and the end surface of the element body portion (cross section of Lee ‘539: FIG. 2, noting FIG. 3), a relation between a thickness T2n of the surface electrode layer and a thickness T4n of the surface electrode layer satisfies 1.3 ≤ T4n/T2n ≤ 15.0 (see Lee ‘539: [0061] and Table 1, Samples 4-8, noting 1.5≦b/a≦4 may be satisfied), the thickness T2n being along the second reference line that is parallel to the element body lower surface and passes through a height of three quarters of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface (W1 as seen in FIG. 2, noting eighteen electrodes 121, 122 total and the second reference line is disclosed as passing through a height above a height of the fifth electrode 121, 122 from the bottom of the body as seen in FIG. 2, i.e. a height of three quarters of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface) and the thickness T4n being along the fourth reference line that is parallel to the element body lower surface and passes through a height of one quarter of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface (W2 as seen in FIG. 2, noting eighteen electrodes 121, 122 total and the fourth reference line is considered to pass through a height below a height of the fifth electrode 121, 122 from the bottom of the body as seen in FIG. 2).
In regards to claim 9, modified Lee ‘539 further teaches wherein all electronic components other than the first-stage electronic component among the plurality of electronic components are the nth-stage electronic components (seen in McConnell ‘952: FIG. 2).
In regards to claim 10, modified Lee ‘539 further teaches wherein another one of the plurality of electronic components is an uppermost-stage electronic component (upward electronic component as seen in McConnell ‘952: FIG. 2) having an element body upper surface that does not face other electronic components (seen in McConnell ‘952: FIG. 2), the terminal electrode portion in the uppermost-stage electronic component includes a base electrode layer (Katsube ‘200: 6a, 6b – FIG. 1; [0042]) that is in direct contact with the end surface and a surface electrode layer (Lee ‘539: 131, 132 – FIG. 2; [0026]) that covers the base electrode layer (Katsube ‘200: FIG. 1) and constitutes an outermost surface of the terminal electrode portion (Lee ‘539: FIG. 2; Katsube ‘200: FIG. 1), and in a cross section passing through a center of the element body portion in the uppermost-stage electronic component and perpendicular to the element body lower surface and the end surface of the element body portion (cross section of Lee ‘539: FIG. 2, noting FIG. 3), a relation between a thickness T2max of the surface electrode layer and the thickness T4 of the surface electrode layer satisfies T2max < T4 (see Lee ‘539: FIG. 2 and McConnell ‘952: FIG. 2), the thickness T2max being along the second reference line that is parallel to the element body lower surface and passes through a height of one quarter of the entire element body portion from the element body lower surface, and the thickness T4 being along the fourth reference line in the first-stage electronic component (Lee ‘539: FIG. 2 and McConnell ‘952: FIG. 2).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 20240428994 – FIGs. 1-2
US 20210272754 – FIG. 3
US 20160049249 – FIG. 4
US 20150364261 – FIG. 8
JP 2020150070 – FIG. 2
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Timothy Dole can be reached at 571-272-2229. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DANIEL M DUBUISSON/Examiner, Art Unit 2848
/Timothy J. Dole/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2848