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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
In paragraph 0025, EVANOHM is misspelled. Also, EVANOHM® is a trademark.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hofer et al. WO2018/080177 (translation attached, also is equivalent to US Pat. 11,605,863) in view of Ikoshi et al. (translation attached).
Regarding claims 1-3 and 6, Hofer teaches a shunt resistor (see at least fig. 1 and under the heading of “Best Mode” in the translation) comprising:
a resistance body (metal bar with ohmic resistance 30, comprising copper-manganese alloy “manganin”; also see comparative resistance materials listed in paragraph 0025 of the current specification); and
an electrode (a pair of aluminum electrodes 10 and 20; aluminum in the claims) joined to the resistance body and made of aluminum as a main component.
Hofer teaches the claimed invention except for a plated portion configured to cover at least a joined portion between the resistance body and the electrode, the plated portion being configured of a plating having higher specific resistance than the resistance body.
Ikoshi teaches a shunt resistor having a plated portion (Ni-P plated layer 12; Ni-P in the claims) configured to cover at least a joined portion between the resistance body (resistor 11 is entirely covered) and the electrode (electrical connection portions 13 and 14). Ikoshi teaches that the plated layer 12 covering the shunt resistor allows for controlling the TCR (to reach value of TCR close to zero as possible; last paragraph on 5th page of the translation), as well as increasing the bond-ability of the resistor.
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Ikoshi with Hofer, since the plated layer comprising of Ni-P for the purpose of controlling the TCR of the resistor device of Hofer.
Regarding claims 4 and 7-8, the plated portion taught is Ni-P (same material found in the current specification paragraph 0036).
Regarding claim 5, Hofer does not use solder to connect the resistor body 30 to the aluminum electrodes 10 and 20.
Regarding claim 9, Hofer teaches the claimed invention except for the thickness of the plated portion is equal to or greater than 0.5 µm and equal to or smaller than 10.0 µm.
Ikoshi teach the plated portion 12 having a thickness of 5 µm (However, the thickness of the plated portion is limited 5 µm to control the TCR of the shunt. See the paragraph starting “The plating layer 12” in 3rd page of the translation.) for the purpose of controlling the TCR of the resistive shunt.
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Ikoshi with Hofer, since controlling the thickness of the plated allows for controlling the TCR of the resistor device of Hofer.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KYUNG S LEE whose telephone number is (571)272-1994. The examiner can normally be reached 7AM-3PM M-F.
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/KYUNG S LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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