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 § 102
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.
Claims 1-2 | 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by YUKI et al. WO 2020017082 A1 [YUKI].
Regarding claims 1 | 6, YUKI teaches A fixation structure comprising: a structure [parts 7a, 7b and support parts 81a-81d]; a first magnetic component [see core 2a] and a second magnetic component [see core 2b] fixed to the structure [parts 7a, 7b and support parts 81a-81d, fig. 2] and facing each other in a first direction [2a and 2b face each other, figs. 1-2]; and a spacer member [see insulating spacer 5] disposed between the first magnetic component [2a] and the second magnetic component [2b, fig. 2], wherein the spacer member [5] and the structure [parts 7a, 7b and support parts 81a-81d] are spaced away from each other [figs. 1-2]. An electronic unit comprising the fixation structure [under TECHNICAL-FIELD, it teaches that The present invention relates to a transformer [10], a power converter unit using the transformer, and a power converter].
Regarding claim 2, YUKI teaches The fixation structure according to claim 1, further comprising a first positioning mechanism [6b2 | 6b3 | 6a2 | 6a3] configured to position the spacer member [5] with respect to the structure [parts 7a, 7b and support parts 81a-81d] in a direction orthogonal to the first direction [when viewed from left to right or right to left, fig, 2].
Regarding claim 4, YUKI teaches The fixation structure according to claim 2, further comprising a second positioning mechanism [bobbin supporting unit. 4a1, 4a2, 4b1, 4b2] configured to position another component other than the first magnetic component and the second magnetic component and the spacer member [bobbin supporting unit. 4a1, 4a2, 4b1, 4b2, fig. 2].
Regarding claim 5, YUKI teaches The fixation structure according to claim 1, wherein the structure includes a second projecting portion [if 81a is the first one, 81b or 81c or d would be the second one] projecting in the first direction toward the spacer member [5], and a gap between the spacer member [5] and the structure is formed between the second projecting portion [if 81a is the first one, 81b or 81c or d would be the second one] and the spacer member [5, figs. 1-2].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 3 is 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:
The prior arts of record when considered as a whole, alone or in combination neither anticipates nor renders obvious the combination of -
Claim 3: the first positioning mechanism includes: a first projecting portion formed on one of the spacer member and the structure and extending in the first direction; and an insertion portion formed on the other of the spacer member and the structure and for inserting the first projecting portion in the insertion portion.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See (PTO-892).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMAD A MUSLEH whose telephone number is ((571)272-9086. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 10 am - 7 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Shawki S. Ismail can be reached on 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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/Mohamad A Musleh/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837