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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 06/24/2026 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-5 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yoo et al. [U.S. Pub. No. 2014/0062637].
Regarding Claim 1, Yoo et al. shows a multilayer coil (Figs. 1-6 and Drawing I below) component comprising:
an element assembly (see Figs. 1-6) that has a first surface (surface S1, see Drawing I below) extending in a second direction (direction D2) and a second surface (surface S2) extending in a first direction (direction D1) orthogonal to the first surface (see Drawing I below);
a coil (30, Paragraph [0039]) that is disposed inside the element assembly (see Figs. 1-6); and
a terminal electrode (50) that has a first electrode part (electrode part P1) extending in the first direction (direction D1) orthogonal to the first surface (surface S1) along the second surface (surface S2, see Drawing I below), the first electrode part (electrode part P1) including an end (end ED1) that is most distal from the first surface than the remaining portions of the first electrode part (see Drawing I below, end ED1 is most distal from surface S1 than the remaining portions of electrode part P1), the first electrode part (electrode part P1) extending from the first surface to the end (see Drawing I below),
wherein at least a portion of the first electrode part (electrode part P1) of the terminal electrode (50) is disposed inside the element assembly (see Figs. 1-6 and see Drawing I below), and
wherein the end (end ED1) is provided with a V-shaped recess (recess R1, see Drawing I below) when seen in a third direction (front-back direction of Drawing I below) orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction (see Drawing I below).
Regarding Claim 2, Yoo et al. shows the recess portion (recess R1) of the first electrode part (electrode part P1) is formed without the second surface (see Drawing I below, recess R1 is formed without surface S2).
Regarding Claim 3, Yoo et al. shows the recess portion (recess R1) of the first electrode part (electrode part P1) is provided at a position offset in the first direction (direction D1) compared to a center of the first direction of the first electrode part when seen from the third direction (see Drawing I below, recess R1 is provided at a position offset in direction D1 compared to a center of direction D1 of electrode part P1 when seen from the front-back direction).
Regarding Claim 4, Yoo et al. shows the recess portion (recess R1) of the first electrode part (electrode part P1) is provided at a position distanced from the second surface (surface S2) compared to the center of the first electrode part when seen from the third direction (see Drawing I below, recess R1 is provided at a position distanced from surface S2 compared to the center of electrode part P1 when seen from the front-back direction).
Regarding Claim 5, Yoo et al. shows the terminal electrode (E1) has a second electrode part (electrode part P2) extending in the second direction (direction D2) orthogonal to the second surface along the first surface (see Drawing I below), and exhibits an L-shape when seen in the third direction (see Drawing I below).
Regarding Claim 10, Yoo et al. shows a multilayer coil component (Figs. 1-7 and Drawings I-IV below) comprising:
an element assembly (see Figs. 1-7) that has a first surface (surface S1, see Drawing I or Drawing II below) extending in a second direction (direction D2) and a second surface (surface S2) extending in a first direction (direction D1) orthogonal to the first surface (see Drawing I or Drawing II below);
a coil (30, Paragraph [0039]) that is disposed inside the element assembly (see Figs. 1-7); and
a terminal electrode (50) that has a first electrode part (electrode part P1) extending in the first direction (direction D1) orthogonal to the first surface (surface S1) along the second surface (surface S2, see Drawing I or Drawing II below), the first electrode part (electrode part P1) including an end (end ED1) that is most distal from the first surface than the remaining portions of the first electrode part (see Drawing I or Drawing II below, end ED1 is most distal from surface S1 than the remaining portions of electrode part P1), the first electrode part (electrode part P1) extending from the first surface to the end (see Drawing I or Drawing II below), the end including an end surface parallel to the first surface (see Drawing I or Drawing II below, end ED1 have an end surface parallel to surface S1),
wherein at least a portion of the first electrode part (electrode part P1) of the terminal electrode (50) is disposed inside the element assembly (see Figs. 1-7 and see Drawing I or Drawing II below), and
wherein, in a third direction (front-back direction of Drawings I, III or Drawing II, IV below) orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction (see Drawings I, III or Drawings II, IV below, the end surface forms a line that extends from a first end point (left end point EP1) along the second direction to a second end point (right end point EP2) with a middle portion (middle portion MP) between the first end point and the second end point and with a recess (recess R1) provided in the middle portion apart from the first end point and the second end point (see Drawings I, III or Drawings II, IV below, end surface forms a line that extends from a left end point EP1 along the direction D2 to a right end point EP2 with a middle portion MP between the left end point EP1 and the right end point EP2 with a recess R1 provided in the middle portion MP apart from the left end point EP1 and the right end point EP2).
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.
Claim(s) 5-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoo et al. in view of Aoki et al. [U.S. Pub. No. 2018/0342341].
Regarding Claim 5, Yoo et al. shows the claimed invention as applied above.
In addition, Aoki et al. shows the terminal electrode (left element 3) has a second electrode part (left element 31) extending in the second direction (D2) orthogonal to the second surface (2a) along the first surface (2c), and exhibits an L-shape when seen in the third direction (D1, see Figs. 1-4, Paragraph [0032]).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have the terminal electrode has a second electrode part extending in the second direction orthogonal to the second surface along the first surface, and exhibits an L-shape when seen in the third direction as taught by Yoo et al. for the coil component as disclosed by Tseng et al. to facilitate electrical connection with increase stability and reliability.
Regarding Claim 6, Yoo et al. shows the claimed invention as applied above but does not show at least a portion of the second electrode part of the terminal electrode is disposed inside the element assembly, and wherein an end of the second electrode part is provided with a recess portion.
Aoki et al. shows at least a portion of the second electrode part (left element 31) of the terminal electrode (left element 3) is disposed inside the element assembly (see Figs. 1-4), and wherein an end (top end) of the second electrode part (left element 31) is provided with a recess portion (left or right element 21).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have at least a portion of the second electrode part of the terminal electrode is disposed inside the element assembly, and wherein an end of the second electrode part is provided with a recess portion as taught by Aoki et al. for the coil component as disclosed by Yoo et al. to suppress separation of the conductor to improve adhesion between the conductors and the element body (Paragraph [0008]-[0009]).
Regarding Claim 7, Aoki et al. shows the recess portion (left or right element 21) of the second electrode part (left element 31) is formed without the first surface (2c, see Figs. 1-4).
Regarding Claim 8, Aoki et al. shows the recess portion (left or right element 21) of the second electrode part (left element 31) is provided at a position offset in the second direction (D3) compared to a center of the second direction of the second electrode part when seen from the third direction (see Figs. 1-4, left element 31 is provided at a position offset in the second direction D3 compared to a center of the second direction D3 of left element 31 when seen from the third direction D1).
Regarding Claim 9, Aoki et al. shows the recess portion (left or right element 21) of the second electrode part (left element 31) is provided at a position distanced from the first surface (2c) compared to the center of the second electrode part when seen from the third direction (see Figs. 1-4, left element 31 is provided at a position distanced from the element 2c compared to the center of left element 31 when seen from the third direction D1).
Claim(s) 5-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoo et al. in view of Kido [U.S. Pub. No. 2017/0256352].
Regarding Claim 5, Yoo et al. shows the claimed invention as applied above.
In addition, Kido shows (Figs. 1-3A, 7C, 10B, 10C and Drawings 1-3 below) the terminal electrode (25a) has a second electrode part (element 42 with portion of element 44, 48b, 49) extending in the second direction (D2) orthogonal to the second surface (left surface) along the first surface (bottom surface), and exhibits an L-shape when seen in the third direction (Front-Back direction, see Figs. 1-3A, 7C, 10B, 10C and Drawings 1-3 below, Paragraph [0043]).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have the terminal electrode has a second electrode part extending in the second direction orthogonal to the second surface along the first surface, and exhibits an L-shape when seen in the third direction as taught by Kido for the coil component as disclosed by Yoo et al. to facilitate electrical connection with increase stability and reliability.
Regarding Claim 6, Yoo et al. shows the claimed invention as applied above but does not show at least a portion of the second electrode part of the terminal electrode is disposed inside the element assembly, and wherein an end of the second electrode part is provided with a recess portion.
Kido shows (Figs. 1-3A, 7C, 10B, 10C and Drawings 1-3 below) at least a portion of the second electrode part (element 42 with portion of element 44, 48b, 49) of the terminal electrode (25a) is disposed inside the element assembly (see Figs. 1-3A, 7C, 10B, 10C and Drawings 1-3 below), and wherein an end (top end) of the second electrode part (element 42 with portion of element 44, 48b, 49) is provided with a recess portion (recess R2).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have at least a portion of the second electrode part of the terminal electrode is disposed inside the element assembly, and wherein an end of the second electrode part is provided with a recess portion as taught by Kido for the coil component as disclosed by Yoo et al. to reduce dislodging of the electrodes while improving the efficiency with which the inductance of the inductor is obtained (Paragraph [0089]).
Regarding Claim 7, Kido shows the recess portion (recess R2) of the second electrode part (element 42 with portion of element 44, 48b, 49) is formed without the first surface (bottom surface, see Figs. 1-3A, 7C, 10B, 10C and Drawings 1-3 below).
Regarding Claim 8, Kido shows the recess portion (recess R2) of the second electrode part (element 42 with portion of element 44, 48b, 49) is provided at a position offset in the second direction (D3) compared to a center of the second direction of the second electrode part when seen from the third direction (see Figs. 1-3A, 7C, 10B, 10C and Drawings 1-3 below, element 42 with portion of element 44, 48b, 49 is provided at a position offset in the second direction D3 compared to a center of the second direction D3 of element 42 with portion of element 44, 48b, 49 when seen from the third direction Front-Back).
Regarding Claim 9, Kido shows the recess portion (recess R2) of the second electrode part (element 42 with portion of element 44, 48b, 49) is provided at a position distanced from the first surface (bottom surface) compared to the center of the second electrode part when seen from the third direction (see Figs. 1-3A, 7C, 10B, 10C and Drawings 1-3 below, element 42 with portion of element 44, 48b, 49 is provided at a position distanced from the bottom surface compared to the center of element 42 with portion of element 44, 48b, 49 when seen from the third direction Front-Back).
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Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-10 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TSZFUNG J CHAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7981. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 8:00AM-6:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Shawki 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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/TSZFUNG J CHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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