DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is responsive to the Applicant’s communication filed 30 July 2024. In view of this communication, claims 1-20 are pending in the application.
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.
Claim Objections
Claims 19-20 are objected to because of the following informalities: claims 19-20 refer to the sixth plating electrode layer, which is not defined in claim 16, upon which claims 19 and 20 depend. For the sake of the rejections of claims 19-20, the sixth plating electrode layer was taken to be analogous to the sixth plating electrode layer as recited in claims 1-3. 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.
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-5 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iwama et al. (US 20230290578 A1), hereinafter referred to as Iwama et al, in view of Kim et al. (US 20200082984 A1), hereinafter referred to as Kim et al.
Regarding claim 1, Iwama et al. teaches a multilayer body ceramic capacitor comprising:
a multilayer body (2) including a plurality of ceramic layers (Fig. 2, paragraph 22: element body 2 comprising ceramic layers), a plurality of first internal electrodes (6) (Fig. 2, paragraph 31: first internal electrodes 6), and a plurality of second internal electrodes (7) stacked in a height direction (Fig. 2, paragraph 32: second internal electrodes 7), a first main surface (2C) and a second main surface (2C) opposed to each other in the height direction (Fig. 2, paragraph 24: main surfaces 2C), a first end surface (2A) and a second end surface (2A) opposed to each other in a lengthwise direction orthogonal to the height direction (Fig. 2, paragraph 23: end surfaces 2A perpendicular to main surfaces 2C), and a first side surface (2B) and a second side surface (2B) opposed to each other in a width direction orthogonal to the height direction and the lengthwise direction (Fig. 2, paragraph 23: side surfaces 2B perpendicular to main surfaces 2C and end surfaces 2A);
a first end-surface electrode (3) on the first end surface (2A) and extending from the first end surface (2A) so as to cover portions of the first main surface (2C), the second main surface (2C), the first side surface (2B), and the second side surface (2B) (Fig. 1 and paragraph 26: first external electrodes 3 formed such that they cover end surfaces 2A, side surfaces 2B, and main surfaces 2C);
a second end-surface electrode (3) on the second end surface (2A) and extending from the second end surface (2A) so as to cover portions of the first main surface (2C), the second main surface (2C), the first side surface (2B), and the second side surface (2B) (Fig. 1 and paragraph 26: first external electrodes 3 formed such that they cover end surfaces 2A, side surfaces 2B, and main surfaces 2C);
a first side-surface electrode (4) on the first side surface (2B) and extending from the first side surface (2B) so as to cover portions of the first main surface (2C) and the second main surface (2C) (Fig. 1 and paragraph 28: second external electrodes 4 formed such that they cover end surfaces 2A, side surfaces 2B, and main surfaces 2C); and
a second side-surface electrode (4) on the second side surface (2B) and extending from the second side surface (2B) so as to cover portions of the first main surface (2C) and the second main surface (2C) (Fig. 1 and paragraph 28: second external electrodes 4 formed such that they cover end surfaces 2A, side surfaces 2B, and main surfaces 2C);
the first internal electrodes (6) being connected to the first end-surface electrode (3) and the second end-surface electrode (3) (Fig. 2 and paragraph 31: first internal electrodes 6 formed to electrically connect electrodes 3 on the end surfaces 2A);
the second internal electrodes (7) being connected to the first side-surface electrode (4) and the second side-surface electrode (4) (Fig. 3 and paragraph 32: second internal electrodes 7 formed to electrically connect electrodes 4 on the side surfaces 2B); wherein
the first end-surface electrode (3) and the second end-surface electrode (3) each include a first base electrode layer (3A), a first plating electrode layer (3B) on the first base electrode layer (3A), and a second plating electrode layer (3C) on the first plating electrode layer (3B) (Fig. 2 and paragraph 27: electrodes 3 comprise base sintered layer 3A, plated layer 3B, and plated layer 3C); and
the first side-surface electrode (4) and the second side-surface electrode (4) each include a second base electrode layer (4A), a third plating electrode layer (4B) on the second base electrode layer (4A), a fourth plating electrode layer (4C) on the third plating electrode layer (4B) (Fig. 2 and paragraph 29: second external electrodes 4 comprise base layer 4A and plated layers 4B, 4C).
Iwama et al. does not teach a fifth plating electrode layer on the fourth plating electrode layer, and a sixth plating electrode layer on the fifth plating electrode layer. Kim et al. does teach a fifth plating electrode layer (131b2) on the fourth plating electrode layer (131b1), and a sixth plating electrode layer (131b3) on the fifth plating electrode layer (131b2) (Kim et al. Fig. 6 and paragraph 32: Ni-Sn plating layers 131b2 and Sn plating layer 131b3 formed on Ni plating layer 131b1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form additional plating electrode layers as taught by Kim et al. to the side-surface electrodes of Iwama et al. because the additional plating layers of Kim et al. improve moisture resistance reliability in the electrodes (Kim et al. paragraph 32).
Regarding claim 2, Iwama et al. in view of Kim et al. teaches the multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 1, wherein
the first plating electrode layer (Iwama et al. 3B) and the fifth plating electrode layer (Kim et al. 131b2) include a same material (see Iwama et al. paragraph 27 and Kim et al. paragraph 32: both plating layers include nickel); and
the second plating electrode layer (Iwama et al. 3C) and the sixth plating electrode layer (Kim et al. 131b3) include a same material (see Iwama et al. paragraph 27 and Kim et al. paragraph 32: both plating layers include tin).
Regarding claim 3, Iwama et al. in view of Kim et al. teaches the multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 2, wherein
the third plating electrode layer (Iwama et al. 4B) includes a same material as the first plating electrode layer (Iwama et al. 3B) and the fifth plating electrode layer (Kim et al. 131b2) (see Iwama et al. paragraphs 27 and 29 and Kim et al. paragraph 32: both plating layers include nickel); and
the fourth plating electrode layer (Iwama et al. 4C) includes a same material as the second plating electrode layer (Iwama et al. 3C) and the sixth plating electrode layer (Kim et al. 131b3) (see Iwama et al. paragraphs 27 and 29 and Kim et al. paragraph 32: both plating layers include tin).
Regarding claim 4, Iwama et al. in view of Kim et al. teaches the multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 2, wherein
a main component of the first plating electrode layer (Iwama et al. 3B) and the fifth plating electrode layer (Kim et al. 131b2) is Ni (see Iwama et al. paragraph 27 and Kim et al. paragraph 32); and
a main component of the second plating electrode layer (Iwama et al. 3C) and the sixth plating electrode layer (Kim et al. 131b3) is Sn (see Iwama et al. paragraph 27 and Kim et al. paragraph 32: both plating layers include tin).
Regarding claim 5, Iwama et al. in view of Kim et al. teaches the multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 3, wherein
a main component of the first plating electrode layer (Iwama et al. 3B), the third plating electrode layer (Iwama et al. 4B), and the fifth plating electrode layer (Kim et al. 131b2) is Ni (see Iwama et al. paragraphs 27 and 29 and Kim et al. paragraph 32: each plating layer includes nickel); and
a main component of the second plating electrode layer (Iwama et al. 3C), the fourth plating electrode layer (Iwama et al. 4C), and the sixth plating electrode layer is Sn (see Iwama et al. paragraphs 27 and 29 and Kim et al. paragraph 32: each plating layer includes tin).
Regarding claim 12, Iwama et al. teaches a multilayer-ceramic-capacitor manufacturing method for manufacturing the multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 1, the multilayer-ceramic-capacitor manufacturing method comprising:
producing the multilayer body (2) (Fig. 2, paragraph 22: element body 2 comprising ceramic layers);
forming, on the multilayer body (2), the first base electrode layer (3A) of the first end-surface electrode (3), the first base electrode layer (3A) of the second end-surface electrode (3) (paragraph 27), the second base electrode layer (4A) of the first side-surface electrode (4), and the second base electrode layer (4A) of the second side-surface electrode (4) (paragraph 29);
forming the third plating electrode layer (4B) on the second base electrode layer (4A) (Fig. 2 and paragraph 29: plated layer 4B formed on electrode layer 4A);
forming the fourth plating electrode layer (4C) on the third plating electrode layer (4B) (Fig. 2 and paragraph 29: plated layer 4C formed on layer 4B);
forming the first plating electrode layer (3B) on the first base electrode layer (3A) (paragraph 27); and
forming the second plating electrode layer (3C) on the first plating electrode layer (3B) (paragraph 27).
Iwama et al. does not teach forming the fifth plating electrode layer on the fourth plating electrode layer and forming the sixth plating electrode layer on the fifth plating electrode layer.
Kim et al. does teach forming the fifth plating electrode layer (131b2) on the fourth plating electrode layer (131b1) and forming the sixth plating electrode layer (131b3) on the fifth plating electrode layer (131b2) (Kim et al. Fig. 6 and paragraph 32: Ni-Sn plating layers 131b2 and Sn plating layer 131b3 formed on Ni plating layer 131b1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the fifth plating electrode layer on the fourth plating electrode layer of Iwama et al. and form the sixth plating electrode layer on the fifth plating electrode layer as taught by Kim et al. because the additional plating layers of Kim et al. improve moisture resistance reliability in the electrodes (Kim et al. paragraph 32).
Claim(s) 6 and 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iwama et al. in view of Kim et al., and further in view of Lee et al. (US 20150090485 A1), hereinafter Lee et al.
Regarding claim 6, Iwama et al. in view of Kim et al. teaches the multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 1, but does not teach that a total thickness dimension of portions of the third plating electrode layer, the fourth plating electrode layer, the fifth plating electrode layer, and the sixth plating electrode layer that are provided on the first main surface or the second main surface is greater than a total thickness dimension of portions of the first plating electrode layer and the second plating electrode layer that are provided on the first main surface or the second main surface.
Lee et al. does teach that a total thickness dimension of portions of the third plating electrode layer, the fourth plating electrode layer, the fifth plating electrode layer, and the sixth plating electrode layer that are provided on the first main surface or the second main surface is greater than a total thickness dimension of portions of the first plating electrode layer and the second plating electrode layer that are provided on the first main surface or the second main surface (Lee et al. teaches that the thicknesses of the electrode layers 133a, 134a, 136a may be 5 µm (see paragraph 68), while the thicknesses of the nickel and tin plating layers (see paragraphs 69-70) may be 2 µm and 3 µm, respectively, resulting in a total thickness of 10 µm for the combined electrode layers and up to 12 µm for the combined plating layers).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the thicknesses of the electrode and plating layers of Iwama et al. in view of Kim et al. as taught by Lee et al., in accordance with the thicknesses disclosed in instant claim 6, because such modifications would constitute mere changes in size and a change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955).
Regarding claim 8, Iwama et al. in view of Kim et al. and Lee et al. teaches the multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 6, wherein
the total thickness dimension of the portions of the third plating electrode layer, the fourth plating electrode layer, the fifth plating electrode layer, and the sixth plating electrode layer that are provided on the first main surface or the second main surface is about 33.5 μm or greater and not greater than about 68.0 μm (Lee et al. Table 1 and paragrphs 69-70 teaches a tin and nickel plating layer of 9µm, resulting in a combined thickness of 36 µm for the four plating layers of Iwama et al. in view of Kim et al.); and
the total thickness dimension of the portions of the first plating electrode layer and the second plating electrode layer that are provided on the first main surface or the second main surface is about 2.5 μm or greater and not greater than about 12.0 μm (Lee et al. paragraph 68: the thicknesses of the electrode layers 133a, 134a, 136a may be 5 µm, resulting in a total thickness of 10 µm for the combined electrode layers).
Regarding claim 9, Iwama et al. in view of Kim et al. and Lee et al. teaches the multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 8, wherein
a thickness dimension of the portion of the third plating electrode layer that is provided on the first main surface or the second main surface is about 1.0 μm or greater and not greater than about 6.0 μm (Lee et al. paragraph 68: the thickness of the plating electrode layer may be 5 µm);
a thickness dimension of the portion of the fourth plating electrode layer that is provided on the first main surface or the second main surface is about 30.0 μm or greater and not greater than about 50.0 μm (Lee et al. paragraph 68: the thickness of the plating electrode layer may be 25 µm);
thickness dimensions of the portions of the first plating electrode layer and the fifth plating electrode layer that are provided on the first main surface or the second main surface are each about 1.0 μm or greater and not greater than about 6.0 μm (Lee et al. paragraph 69: the nickel plating layers may have a thickness of 2 µm); and
thickness dimensions of the portions of the second plating electrode layer and the sixth plating electrode layer that are provided on the first main surface or the second main surface are each about 1.5 μm or greater and not greater than about 6.0 μm (Lee et al. paragraph 69: the tin plating layers may have a thickness of 2 µm).
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iwama et al. in view of Kim et al. as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Zaima et al. (US 20160189867 A1), hereinafter referred to as Zaima et al.
Regarding claim 10, Iwama et al. in view of Kim et al. teaches the multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 1, but does not teach that the thickness dimensions of portions of the first base electrode layer and the second base electrode layer that are provided on the first main surface or the second main surface are each about 3.0 μm or greater and not greater than about 150.0 μm.
Zaima et al. does teach that the thickness dimensions of portions of the first base electrode layer and the second base electrode layer that are provided on the first main surface or the second main surface are each about 3.0 μm or greater and not greater than about 150.0 μm (Zaima et al. paragraph 80: the thicknesses of the base electrodes are 20µm).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the base electrode layers of Iwama in view of Kim et al. with a thickness of about 3.0 μm or greater and not greater than about 150.0 μm because a change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955).
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iwama et al. in view of Kim et al. as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Onodera et al. (US 20190080845 A1), hereinafter referred to as Onodera et al.
Regarding claim 11, Iwama et al. in view of Kim et al. teaches the multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 1, but does not teach that the first side-surface electrode and the second side-surface electrode are connected to each other on at least one of the first main surface or the second main surface.
Onodera does teach that the first side-surface electrode (6c) and the second side-surface electrode (6c) (see Onodera et al. Figs. 10-11 and paragraph 111) are connected to each other on at least one of the first main surface or the second main surface (see Onodera et al. Fig. 11 and paragraph 107: electrode portions 6c are connected via electrode portion 6a on the bottom of the capacitor).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the side surface electrodes of Iwama et al. in view of Kim et al. such that they are connected to one another on the bottom surface of the capacitor as taught by Onodera et al. because such a configuration reduces cracking in the electrodes (see Onodera et al. paragraph 123).
Claim(s) 16-17 and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ahn et al. (US 20150041202 A1), hereinafter referred to as Ahn et al., in view of Iwama et al. and Kim et al.
Regarding claim 16, Ahn et al. teaches a multilayer-ceramic-capacitor mounting structure comprising:
a board (200) (Fig. 12, paragraph 172); and
a multilayer ceramic capacitor (110) mounted on the board (200) (Fig. 12, paragraph 58); wherein the board (11) includes:
a main surface on which a first land electrode (221), a second land electrode (222), a third land electrode (223), and a fourth land electrode (224) (Fig. 12, paragraph 182) are provided;
the first end-surface electrode (151), the second end-surface electrode (152), the first side-surface electrode (152c), and the second side-surface electrode (153) are respectively bonded to the first land electrode (221), the second land electrode (222), the third land electrode (223), and the fourth land electrode (224) with a bonding material (Fig. 12, paragraph 182; see also paragraph 177: capacitor terminals are connected to electrode pads via a solder).
Ahn et al. does not teach a multilayer-ceramic-capacitor mounting structure comprising: a board; and a multilayer ceramic capacitor mounted on the board; wherein the multilayer ceramic capacitor includes: a multilayer body including a plurality of ceramic layers, a plurality of first internal electrodes, and a plurality of second internal electrodes stacked in a height direction, a first main surface and a second main surface opposed to each other in the height direction, a first end surface and a second end surface opposed to each other in a lengthwise direction orthogonal to the height direction, and a first side surface and a second side surface opposed to each other in a width direction orthogonal to the height direction and the lengthwise direction; a first end-surface electrode that is on the first end surface and extends from the first end surface so as to cover portions of the first main surface, the second main surface, the first side surface, and the second side surface; a second end-surface electrode that is on the second end surface and extends from the second end surface so as to cover portions of the first main surface, the second main surface, the first side surface, and the second side surface; a first side-surface electrode that is on the first side surface and extends from the first side surface so as to cover portions of the first main surface and the second main surface; and a second side-surface electrode that is on the second side surface and extends from the second side surface so as to cover portions of the first main surface and the second main surface; the first internal electrodes are connected to the first end-surface electrode and the second end-surface electrode; the second internal electrodes are connected to the first side-surface electrode and the second side-surface electrode; the first end-surface electrode and the second end-surface electrode each include a first base electrode layer and a first plating electrode layer on the first base electrode layer, and the first side-surface electrode and the second side-surface electrode each include a second base electrode layer, a third plating electrode layer on the second base electrode layer, a fourth plating electrode layer on the third plating electrode layer, and a fifth plating electrode layer on the fourth plating electrode layer and a thickness dimension of the bonding material present between the first end-surface electrode and the first land electrode and a thickness dimension of the bonding material present between the second end-surface electrode and the second land electrode are each greater than a thickness dimension of the bonding material present between the first side-surface electrode and the third land electrode and a thickness dimension of the bonding material present between the second side-surface electrode and the fourth land electrode.
Iwama et al. does teach a multilayer ceramic capacitor, wherein the multilayer ceramic capacitor includes:
a multilayer body (2) including a plurality of ceramic layers (Fig. 2, paragraph 22: element body 2 comprising ceramic layers), a plurality of first internal electrodes (6) (Fig. 2, paragraph 31: first internal electrodes 6), and a plurality of second internal electrodes (7) stacked in a height direction (Fig. 2, paragraph 32: second internal electrodes 7), a first main surface (2C) and a second main surface (2C) opposed to each other in the height direction (Fig. 2, paragraph 24: main surfaces 2C), a first end surface (2A) and a second end surface (2A) opposed to each other in a lengthwise direction orthogonal to the height direction (Fig. 2, paragraph 23: end surfaces 2A perpendicular to main surfaces 2C), and a first side surface (2B) and a second side surface (2B) opposed to each other in a width direction orthogonal to the height direction and the lengthwise direction (Fig. 2, paragraph 23: side surfaces 2B perpendicular to main surfaces 2C and end surfaces 2A);
a first end-surface electrode (3) on the first end surface (2A) and extending from the first end surface (2A) so as to cover portions of the first main surface (2C), the second main surface (2C), the first side surface (2B), and the second side surface (2B) (Fig. 1 and paragraph 26: first external electrodes 3 formed such that they cover end surfaces 2A, side surfaces 2B, and main surfaces 2C);
a second end-surface electrode (3) on the second end surface (2A) and extending from the second end surface (2A) so as to cover portions of the first main surface (2C), the second main surface (2C), the first side surface (2B), and the second side surface (2B) (Fig. 1 and paragraph 26: first external electrodes 3 formed such that they cover end surfaces 2A, side surfaces 2B, and main surfaces 2C);
a first side-surface electrode (4) on the first side surface (2B) and extending from the first side surface (2B) so as to cover portions of the first main surface (2C) and the second main surface (2C) (Fig. 1 and paragraph 28: second external electrodes 4 formed such that they cover end surfaces 2A, side surfaces 2B, and main surfaces 2C); and
a second side-surface electrode (4) on the second side surface (2B) and extending from the second side surface (2B) so as to cover portions of the first main surface (2C) and the second main surface (2C) (Fig. 1 and paragraph 28: second external electrodes 4 formed such that they cover end surfaces 2A, side surfaces 2B, and main surfaces 2C);
the first internal electrodes (6) being connected to the first end-surface electrode (3) and the second end-surface electrode (3) (Fig. 2 and paragraph 31: first internal electrodes 6 formed to electrically connect electrodes 3 on the end surfaces 2A);
the second internal electrodes (7) being connected to the first side-surface electrode (4) and the second side-surface electrode (4) (Fig. 3 and paragraph 32: second internal electrodes 7 formed to electrically connect electrodes 4 on the side surfaces 2B);
the first end-surface electrode (3) and the second end-surface electrode (3) each include a first base electrode layer (3A), a first plating electrode layer (3B) on the first base electrode layer (3A), and a second plating electrode layer (3C) on the first plating electrode layer (3B) (Fig. 2 and paragraph 27: electrodes 3 comprise base sintered layer 3A, plated layer 3B, and plated layer 3C);
the first side-surface electrode (4) and the second side-surface electrode (4) each include a second base electrode layer (4A), a third plating electrode layer (4B) on the second base electrode layer (4A), a fourth plating electrode layer (4C) on the third plating electrode layer (4B) (Fig. 2 and paragraph 29: second external electrodes 4 comprise base layer 4A and plated layers 4B, 4C); and
a thickness dimension of the bonding material present between the first end-surface electrode (3) and the first land electrode and a thickness dimension of the bonding material present between the second end-surface electrode (3) and the second land electrode are each greater than a thickness dimension of the bonding material present between the first side-surface electrode (4) and the third land electrode and a thickness dimension of the bonding material present between the second side-surface electrode (4) and the fourth land electrode (see Iwama et al. Fig. 8 and paragraphs 45-46: the height of the side electrodes 4 is greater than the height of the end electrodes 3 when measured from the upper surface 2C of the multilayer capacitor 2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to replace the capacitor of Ahn et al. with the capacitor disclosed by Iwama et al. because the capacitor disclosed by Iwama et al. improves pick-up performance (Iwama et al. paragraph 6) and provides improved self-alignment at the time the capacitor is mounted on a board (Iwama et al. paragraphs 45-47).
Ahn et al. in view of Iwama et al. does not teach a fifth plating electrode layer on the fourth plating electrode layer. Kim et al. does teach a fifth plating electrode layer (131b2) on the fourth plating electrode layer (131b1). (Kim et al. Fig. 6 and paragraph 32: Ni-Sn plating layer 131b2 formed on Ni plating layer 131b1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form additional plating electrode layers as taught by Kim et al. to the side-surface electrodes of Iwama et al. because the additional plating layers of Kim et al. improve moisture resistance reliability in the electrodes (Kim et al. paragraph 32).
Regarding claim 17, Ahn et al. in view of Iwama et al. and Kim et al. teaches the multilayer-ceramic-capacitor mounting structure according to claim 16, wherein the bonding material is solder (Ahn et al. paragraph 177: capacitor terminals are connected to electrode pads via a solder).
Regarding claim 19, Ahn et al. in view of Iwama et al. and Kim et al. teaches the multilayer-ceramic-capacitor mounting structure according to claim 16, wherein the first plating electrode layer (Iwama et al. 3B) and the fifth plating electrode layer (Kim et al. 131b2) include a same material (see Iwama et al. paragraph 27 and Kim et al. paragraph 32: both plating layers include nickel); and
the second plating electrode layer (Iwama et al. 3C) and the sixth plating electrode layer (Kim et al. 131b3) include a same material (see Iwama et al. paragraph 27 and Kim et al. paragraph 32: both plating layers include tin).
Regarding claim 20, Ahn et al. in view of Iwama et al. and Kim et al. teaches the multilayer-ceramic-capacitor mounting structure according to claim 19, wherein the third plating electrode layer (Iwama et al. 4B) includes a same material as the first plating electrode layer (Iwama et al. 3B) and the fifth plating electrode layer (Kim et al. 131b2) (see Iwama et al. paragraphs 27 and 29 and Kim et al. paragraph 32: both plating layers include nickel); and
the fourth plating electrode layer (Iwama et al. 4C) includes a same material as the second plating electrode layer (Iwama et al. 3C) and the sixth plating electrode layer (Kim et al. 131b3) (see Iwama et al. paragraphs 27 and 29 and Kim et al. paragraph 32: both plating layers include tin).
Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ahn et al., in view of Iwama et al. and Kim et al., in further view of Park et al. (US 20150022937 A1), hereinafter referred to as Park et al.
Regarding claim 18, Ahn et al. in view of Iwama et al. and Kim et al. teaches the multilayer-ceramic-capacitor mounting structure according to claim 16, but does not teach that the third land electrode and the fourth land electrode are one integrated land electrode.
Park et al. does teach that the third land electrode and the fourth land electrode may be one integrated land electrode (Park et al. Fig. 10 and paragraph 171: electrode pad 223 connected to terminals 153).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the third and fourth land electrodes of Ahn et al. in view of Iwama et al. and Kim et al. as one integrated land electrode as taught by Park et al. because it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to make plural parts unitary as a matter of obvious engineering choice. In re Larson, 144 USPQ 347 (CCPA 1965); In re Lockart, 90 USPQ 214 (CCPA 1951).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7 and 13-15 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 7, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations recited in the claim that the total thickness dimension of the portions of the first plating electrode layer and the second plating electrode layer that are provided on the first main surface or the second main surface is about 3.6% or greater and not greater than about 36.0% of the total thickness dimension of the portions of the third plating electrode layer, the fourth plating electrode layer, the fifth plating electrode layer, and the sixth plating electrode layer that are provided on the first main surface or the second main surface.
Regarding claim 13, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations recited in the claim that the producing the multilayer body is performed concurrently with the forming the first base electrode layer of the first end-surface electrode, the first base electrode layer of the second end-surface electrode, the second base electrode layer of the first side-surface electrode, and the second base electrode layer of the second side-surface electrode.
Regarding claim 14, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations recited in the claim forming a seventh plating electrode layer on the portion of the first plating electrode layer, stripping and removing the seventh plating electrode layer so as to expose the portion of the first plating electrode layer, and completing the first plating electrode layer by subjecting the portion of the first plating electrode layer to plating growth so as to increase a thickness dimension.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Aida et al. (US 10991513 B2)
Sasaki et al. (US 20210057163 A1)
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/JOHN B FREAL/Examiner, Art Unit 2847
/TIMOTHY J THOMPSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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