CTNF 18/827,935 CTNF 87297 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Priority 02-26 AIA Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. Drawings 06-37 AIA The drawings were received on September 9, 2024 . These drawings are acceptable . Specification 06-31 AIA 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 Objections 07-29-01 AIA Claim s 1-14 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 1 line 12, “film having disposed on” appears to be a typographical error (“film disposed on” was most likely intended; see also and compare claim 15 line 12). Claims 2-14 are objected to by reason of their dependency . Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-20-02-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Publication 2019/0180936 to Cha et al. (hereinafter Cha) in view of US Publication 2023/0154683 to Takata et al. (hereinafter Takata) . Claim 1 Cha (FIG. 1-4) discloses an electronic component, comprising: an element body (110) of a rectangular parallelepiped shape including a pair of end surfaces (3-4) opposing each other, and a first side surface (2) and a second side surface (6) adjacent to each other and to the pair of end surfaces (3-4); a plurality of external electrodes (131-132) disposed on both ends of the element body (110) in a direction in which the pair of end surfaces (3-4) oppose each other, a plurality of internal electrodes (121-122) disposed in the element body (110), and each electrically connected to a corresponding external electrode (131-132) of the plurality of external electrodes (131-132); and wherein the element body (110) includes: a first region (111) positioned away from the first side surface (2) and in which the plurality of internal electrodes (121-122) are disposed (paragraph 37, FIG. 2, 4), and a second region (114) including the first side surface (2) and having a dielectric constant smaller than a dielectric constant of the first region (111, paragraph 65-67), as recited in claim 1. Cha does not expressly disclose a plurality of external electrodes each including a conductive resin layer positioned on both the first side surface and the second side surface; an electrical insulation film having disposed on the element body, and the electrical insulation film includes a film portion positioned on a region, of the second side surface, between the conductive resin layers, as recited in claim 1. Takata (FIG. 2-3) discloses a plurality of external electrodes (5) each including a conductive resin layer (E2; paragraph 85) positioned on both a first side surface (3c) and a second side surface (3a); an electrical insulation film (Ei) having disposed on an element body (3), and the electrical insulation film (Ei) includes a film portion (Eia) positioned on a region, of the second side surface (3a), between the conductive resin layers (E2; FIG. 3). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings of Takata with Cha to incorporate an electrical insulation film and conductive resin layers as taught by Takata in the structure taught by Cha, 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 use of a conductive resin in an external electrode for shock resistance and crack prevention while avoiding a conductive resin layer not connected to an internal electrode layer from generating an electric field and causing migration (Takata paragraph 3-5). Claim 2 Cha with Takata teaches the electronic component according to claim 1, wherein the element body (Cha 110) further includes a third side surface (1) opposing the first side surface (2), and further includes a third region (113) including the third side surface (1) and having a dielectric constant smaller than the dielectric constant of the first region (111; paragraph 65-67, FIG. 2, 4), and the conductive resin layer (Takata E2) is further positioned on the third side surface (3c; FIG. 3). Claim 3 Cha with Takata teaches the electronic component according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of internal electrodes (Cha 121-122) oppose each other in a direction (thickness) orthogonal to the direction (length) in which the pair of end surfaces (3-4) oppose each other and a direction (width) in which the first side surface (2) and the third side surface (1) oppose each other (FIG. 3-4). Claim 4 Cha with Takata teaches the electronic component according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of internal electrodes (Cha 121-122; Takata 7-9) includes an outermost internal electrode (Takata 9A) adjacent to the second side surface (3a; FIG. 2), and when the outermost internal electrode (9A) and the conductive resin layer (E2) that is not electrically connected to the outermost internal electrode (9A) are viewed in a direction orthogonal to the first side surface (3c; FIG. 3), the outermost internal electrode (9A) overlaps with the conductive resin layer (E2) that is not electrically connected to the outermost internal electrode (9A; as shown in FIG. 2; paragraph 89). Claim 5 Cha with Takata teaches electronic component according to claim 2, wherein the conductive resin layer (Takata E2) continuously covers a part of the first side surface (3c), a part of the second side surface (3a), a part of the third side surface (3c), and a part of a corresponding end surface (3e) of the pair of end surfaces (5e; FIG. 1-4). Claim 6 Cha with Takata teaches the electronic component according to claim 1, wherein the element body (Takata 3) further includes a fourth side (3a) surface opposing the second side surface (3a), the conductive resin layer (E2) is further positioned on the fourth side surface (3a; FIG. 1-4), and the electrical insulation film (Ei) further includes a film portion (Ei; FIG. 2) positioned on a region, of the fourth side surface (3a), between the conductive resin layers (E2; FIG. 2). Claim 7 Cha with Takata teaches the electronic component according to claim 1, wherein: the element body (Cha 110) further includes a third side surface (1) opposing the first side surface (2) and a fourth side surface (5) opposing the second side surface (6), and further includes a third region (113) including the third side surface (1) and having a dielectric constant smaller than the dielectric constant of the first region (111; paragraph 65-67, FIG. 2, 4), the conductive resin layer (Takata E2) is further positioned on the fourth side surface (3a; FIG. 1-4), and the electrical insulation film (Ei) further includes a film portion (Ei; FIG. 2) positioned on a region, of the fourth side surface (3a), between the conductive resin layers (E2; FIG. 2). Claim 8 Cha with Takata teaches the electronic component according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of internal electrodes (Cha 121-122) oppose each other in a direction (thickness) in which the second side surface (6) and the fourth side surface (5) oppose each other. Claim 9 Cha with Takata teaches the electronic component according to claim 8, wherein: the plurality of internal electrodes (Cha 121-122; Takata 7-9) include a first outermost internal electrode (Takata 9A) adjacent to the second side surface (3a; FIG. 2) and a second outermost internal electrode (7a) adjacent to the fourth side surface (3a; FIG. 2), when the first outermost internal electrode (9A) and the conductive resin layer (E2) that is not electrically connected to the first outermost internal electrode (9A) are viewed in a direction orthogonal to the second side surface (3a, FIG. 2), the first outermost internal electrode (9A) overlaps with the conductive resin layer (E2) that is not electrically connected to the first outermost internal electrode (9A; as shown in FIG. 2; paragraph 89), and when the second outermost internal electrode (7A) and the conductive resin layer (E2) that is not electrically connected to the second outermost internal electrode (7A) are viewed in a direction orthogonal to the fourth side surface (3a, FIG. 2), the second outermost internal electrode (7A) overlaps with the conductive resin layer (E2) that is not electrically connected to the second outermost internal electrode (7A; paragraph 87). Claim 10 Cha with Takata teaches the electronic component according to claim 7, wherein the conductive resin layer (Takata E2) continuously covers a part of the first side surface (3c), a part of the second side surface (3a), a part of the fourth side surface (3a), and a part of a corresponding end surface (5e) of the pair of end surfaces (5e; FIG. 1-3). Claim 11 Cha with Takata teaches the electronic component according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of internal electrodes (Cha 121-122) is positioned in the first region (111) away from an end, of the first region (111), opposing the first side surface (2; FIG. 2). Claim 12 Cha with Takata teaches the electronic component according to claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of internal electrodes (Cha 121-122) is positioned in the first region (111) away from an end, of the first region (111), opposing the third side surface (1; FIG. 2). Claim 13 Cha with Takata teaches the e electronic component according to claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of internal electrodes (Cha 121-122) is positioned in the first region (111) away from an end, of the first region (111), opposing the third side surface (1; FIG. 2). Claim 14 Cha with Takata teaches the electronic component according to claim 1, wherein the conductive resin layer (Takata E2) includes a plurality of silver particles (paragraph 36). Claim 15 Cha (FIG. 1-4) discloses an electronic component comprising: an element body (110) of a rectangular parallelepiped shape including a pair of end surfaces (3-4) opposing each other, and a first side surface (2) and a second side surface (6) adjacent to each other and to the pair of end surfaces (3-4); a plurality of external electrodes (131-132) disposed on both ends of the element body (110) in a direction in which the pair of end surfaces (3-4) oppose each other, a plurality of internal electrodes (121-122) disposed in the element body (110), and each electrically connected to a corresponding external electrode (131-132) of the plurality of external electrodes (131-132); and the first side surface (2) has a surface electrical resistivity larger than a surface electrical resistivity of the second side surface (6; central region 111 including second side surface 6 has a higher dielectric constant than region 113-114 which includes the first side surface 2, see paragraph 65-67; change in dielectric constant by inclusion of Mn and other additives in side margins 113-114, paragraph 85-89; see also Table 1 comparative sample 1 vs experimental sample 2: increase of MnO 2 in side margin for improved electrical characteristics and lower dielectric constant; see also US Publication 2009/0225494 to Yamazaki, paragraph 66, shows that an increase in Mn in a dielectric ceramic increases the insulation property, such as in the increased Mn in side margin 113-114 of Cha relative to central region 111, therefore the surface electrical resistivity of the side margin 113-114 and first side surface (2) of Cha is higher than the surface electrical resistivity of the central region 111 and second side surface 6), as recited in claim 15. Cha does not expressly disclose a plurality of external electrodes each including a conductive resin layer positioned on both the first side surface and the second side surface; an electrical insulation film disposed on the element body, wherein the electrical insulation film includes a film portion positioned on a region, of the second side surface, between the conductive resin layers, as recited in claim 15. Takata (FIG. 2-3) discloses a plurality of external electrodes (5) each including a conductive resin layer (E2; paragraph 85) positioned on both a first side surface (3c) and a second side surface (3a); an electrical insulation film (Ei) disposed on an element body (3), wherein the electrical insulation film (Ei) includes a film portion (Eia) positioned on a region, of the second side surface (3a), between the conductive resin layers (E2a; FIG. 3). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings of Takata with Cha to incorporate an electrical insulation film and conductive resin layers as taught by Takata in the structure taught by Cha, 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 use of a conductive resin in an external electrode for shock resistance and crack prevention while avoiding a conductive resin layer not connected to an internal electrode layer from generating an electric field and causing migration (Takata paragraph 3-5) . Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure : US Publication 2024/0212942 (note applicant and inventorship) . Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHAN MILAKOVICH whose telephone number is (571)270-3087. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM EST. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. 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. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /NATHAN MILAKOVICH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847 Application/Control Number: 18/827,935 Page 2 Art Unit: 2847 Application/Control Number: 18/827,935 Page 3 Art Unit: 2847 Application/Control Number: 18/827,935 Page 4 Art Unit: 2847 Application/Control Number: 18/827,935 Page 5 Art Unit: 2847 Application/Control Number: 18/827,935 Page 6 Art Unit: 2847 Application/Control Number: 18/827,935 Page 7 Art Unit: 2847 Application/Control Number: 18/827,935 Page 8 Art Unit: 2847 Application/Control Number: 18/827,935 Page 9 Art Unit: 2847 Application/Control Number: 18/827,935 Page 10 Art Unit: 2847 Application/Control Number: 18/827,935 Page 11 Art Unit: 2847
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