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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KOBAYASHI et al (US 2009/0323253) in view of Saito et al (US 2016/0086733).
Regarding claim 1, KOBAYOSHI teaches an electronic component (Fig. 1-6) comprising: an element body (Fig. 3, 9); an external electrode (Fig. 3, 10) including a conductive layer (Fig. 3, 20) including a plurality of silver particles ([0055]) and a metal plating layer (Fig. 3, 22) disposed outside the conductive layer with a gap (Fig. 3, at 21) between the metal plating layer and the element body (Fig. 3), the external electrode being disposed on the element body (Fig. 3); and an oxide of a metal component included in the metal plating layer ([0057]), the oxide being in contact with the metal plating layer and the element body and being disposed in the gap between the metal plating layer and the element body (Fig. 3).
However, KOBAYASHI fails to teach that the conductive layer is a conductive resin layer.
Saito teaches that the conductive layer (Fig. 1, 13a) is a conductive resin layer [0048]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Saito to the invention of KOBAYASHI, in order to increase the reliability of the capacitor (Saito [0032]).
Regarding claim 2, KOBAYOSHI, as modified by Saito, further teaches that the metal plating layer includes a copper plating layer ([0056]), and the oxide includes an oxide of copper included in the copper plating layer ([0057]).
Regarding claim 3, KOBAYOSHI, as modified by Saito, further teaches that the metal plating layer includes an other metal plating layer (Fig. 5, 23) different from the copper plating layer (Fig. 5), the other metal plating layer being disposed outside the copper plating layer with a gap between the other metal plating layer and the element body (Fig. 5, there is a gap where 22/21 are).
Regarding claim 4, KOBAYOSHI, as modified by Saito, further teaches that the other metal plating layer includes a nickel plating layer ([0074]).
Regarding claim 5, KOBAYOSHI fails to teach the claim limitations.
Saito teaches that the other metal plating layer includes a solder plating layer outside the nickel plating layer ([0132]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Saito to the invention of KOBAYASHI, in order to increase the reliability of the capacitor (Saito [0032]).
Regarding claim 6, KOBAYOSHI, as modified by Saito, further teaches that the solder plating layer has a gap between the solder plating layer and the element body (Fig. 3, there is at least some gap between the outside of 23 and the body where 21 and 22 are).
Regarding claim 7, KOBAYOSHI, as modified by Saito, further teaches that the oxide extends along an edge of the conductive resin layer (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 8, KOBAYOSHI teaches an electronic component (Fig. 1-6), comprising: an element body (Fig. 3, 9); an external electrode (Fig. 3, 10) disposed on the element body and including a conductive layer (Fig. 3, 20) including a plurality of silver particles [0055]); and an oxide (Fig. 3, 21) disposed in front of an edge of the conductive layer and in contact with the element body (Fig. 3).
However, KOBAYASHI fails to teach that the conductive layer is a conductive resin layer.
Saito teaches that the conductive layer (Fig. 1, 13a) is a conductive resin layer [0048]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Saito to the invention of KOBAYASHI, in order to increase the reliability of the capacitor (Saito [0032]).
Regarding claim 9, KOBAYOSHI, as modified by Saito, further teaches that the oxide extends along the edge of the conductive resin layer (Fig. 3, extends at least partially on the top edge).
Regarding claim 10, KOBAYOSHI, as modified by Saito, further teaches that the external electrode includes a metal plating layer (Fig. 3, 22) outside the conductive resin layer (Fig. 3), and the oxide includes an oxide of a metal component included in the metal plating layer ([0057]).
Regarding claim 11, KOBAYOSHI, as modified by Saito, further teaches that the metal plating layer includes a copper plating layer ([0056]), and the oxide includes an oxide of copper included in the copper plating layer ([0057]).
Regarding claim 12, KOBAYOSHI, as modified by Saito, further teaches that the metal plating layer includes an other metal plating layer (Fig. 5, 23) different from the copper plating layer (Fig. 5), the other metal plating layer being disposed outside the copper plating layer (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 13, KOBAYOSHI, as modified by Saito, further teaches that the other metal plating layer includes a nickel plating layer ([0074]).
Regarding claim 14, KOBAYOSHI fails to teach the claim limitations.
Saito teaches that the other metal plating layer includes a solder plating layer outside the nickel plating layer ([0132]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Saito to the invention of KOBAYASHI, in order to increase the reliability of the capacitor (Saito [0032]).
Regarding claim 15, KOBAYOSHI, as modified by Saito, further teaches that the metal plating layer is separated from the element body (Fig. 5, 22 is separated from the body), and the oxide is disposed between the metal plating layer and the element body (Fig. 5, outside of 23 is separated from the body in at least some places).
Additional Relevant Prior Art:
AHN et al (US 2013/0250480) teaches relevant art in Fig. 1-3.
Yang et al (US 2019/0385795) teaches relevant art in Fig. 1-10.
Kang (US 2022/0122777) teaches relevant art in Fig. 1-4.
YI et al (US 2023/0178302) teaches relevant art in Fig. 1-6.
LEE et al (US 2022/0172898) teaches relevant art in Fig. 1-2.
Conclusion
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/MICHAEL P MCFADDEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2848