DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to the application filed on 09/17/2024.
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 09/17/2024 has been considered by the examiner.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species A in the reply filed on 07/10/2026 is acknowledged.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in claim 14. Therefore, the “all limitations of claim 14” must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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
Claims 10-11 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 10 lines 4 and 7 “a first reference potential wiring pattern” and “a second reference potential wiring patterns” this should be “the first reference potential wiring pattern” and “the second reference potential wiring patterns”. Claim 111 lines 4 and 7 “a first reference potential wiring pattern”, “a DC positive potential wiring”, “a second reference potential wiring patterns” and “an input positive potential wiring pattern” this should be “the first reference potential wiring pattern”, “the DC positive potential wiring”, “the second reference potential wiring patterns” and “the input positive potential wiring pattern”. 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.
Claim(s) 1-2 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takatsuji WO2021124758 (US 2022/0302832 used for translation) in view of Jimenez US 10756779.
Regarding Claim 1, Takatsuji teaches (Figures 1-6) a switching power supply device (fig. 1) that converts a voltage input from a DC power supply into power and supplies the power to a load (see fig. 1, 16), the switching power supply device comprising: a power conversion circuit (11) including an input capacitor, (12) an output capacitor (15), a switching element (13), and an inductor (14); and a common-mode choke coil (8) that is between the DC power supply and the power conversion circuit (see fig. 1) and includes a core material (core of 8) around which a first winding and a second winding (8a-b) are linearly wound (around the core) and aligned by being turned in one direction (look at the polarity in fig. 2), wherein the power conversion circuit and the common-mode choke coil configure a noise equalization circuit (8-11) that is an electric closed circuit (see fig. 1, 5) including a low-frequency band blocking filter the low-frequency band blocking filter including the input capacitor and a mutual inductance of the common-mode choke coil (see fig. 1 with 8 and 12). (For Example: Par. 23-32)
Takatsuji does not teach including a high-frequency band blocking filter and the low-frequency band blocking filter; and the high-frequency band blocking filter including the mutual inductance and a stray capacitance of the common-mode choke coil.
Jimenez teaches (Figure 6-7) including a high-frequency band blocking filter (501) and the low-frequency band blocking filter (503); and the high-frequency band blocking filter (501) including the mutual inductance (L1) and a stray capacitance (Cp) of the common-mode choke coil. (For example: Col. 9 lines 42-67)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the circuit of Takatsuji to include including a high-frequency band blocking filter and the low-frequency band blocking filter; and the high-frequency band blocking filter including the mutual inductance and a stray capacitance of the common-mode choke coil, as taught by Jimenez to reduce common noise issues in the system.
Regarding Claim 2, Takatsuji teaches (Figures 1-6) wherein the low-frequency band blocking filter is configured to reduce propagation of a noise component in a predetermined frequency range of 30 MHz or less (see fig. 5 and par. 52) from the power conversion circuit to the DC power supply, and the band blocking filter is configured to reduce propagation of a noise component in a predetermined frequency range of 100 MHz or more (see fig. 5-6, par. 51 and 53-54) from the power conversion circuit to the DC power supply. (For Example: Par. 23-32 and 50-60)
Takatsuji does not teach including a high-frequency band blocking filter and the low-frequency band blocking filter.
Jimenez teaches (Figure 6-7) including a high-frequency band blocking filter (501) and the low-frequency band blocking filter (503). (For example: Col. 9 lines 42-67)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the circuit of Takatsuji to include including a high-frequency band blocking filter and the low-frequency band blocking filter; as taught by Jimenez to reduce common noise issues in the system.
Regarding Claim 13, Takatsuji teaches (Figures 1-6) wherein an input-side terminal of the common-mode choke coil is configured to connect to a battery (6, par. 23).
Claim(s) 3, 15 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takatsuji WO2021124758 (US 2022/0302832 used for translation) in view of Jimenez US 10756779 and further in view of Takatsuji US2017/0256356 (herein Takatsuji2).
Regarding Claims 3 and 15, Takatsuji teaches (Figures 1-6) the switching power supply device.
Takatsuji does not teach wherein a self-resonant frequency of the common-mode choke coil is 30 MHz or more.
Takatsuji2 teaches (Figure 6-7) wherein a self-resonant frequency of the common-mode choke coil is 30 MHz or more. (For Example: Par.43 and 57-58)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the circuit of Takatsuji to include wherein a self-resonant frequency of the common-mode choke coil is 30 MHz or more, as taught by Jimenez to reduce normal mode noise in an AM band and common mode noise in a FM band.
Regarding Claims 5 and 17, Takatsuji teaches (Figures 1-6) the switching power supply device.
Takatsuji does not teach wherein in the common-mode choke coil, a start of winding and an end of winding of the first winding are separated from each other, and a start of winding and an end of winding of the second winding are separated from each other.
Takatsuji2 teaches (Figure 2-3) wherein in the common-mode choke coil, a start of winding and an end of winding of the first winding (16a) are separated from each other, and a start of winding and an end of winding of the second winding (16b) are separated from each other. (For Example: Par. 37-45)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the circuit of Takatsuji to include wherein in the common-mode choke coil, a start of winding and an end of winding of the first winding are separated from each other, and a start of winding and an end of winding of the second winding are separated from each other, as taught by Jimenez to reduce normal mode noise in an AM band and common mode noise in a FM band.
Claim(s) 4, 14 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takatsuji WO2021124758 (US 2022/0302832 used for translation) in view of Jimenez US 10756779 and further in view of Yamakaji US 2023/0344330.
Regarding Claims 4 and 16, Takatsuji teaches (Figures 1-6) the switching power supply device.
Takatsuji does not teach wherein the core material includes alumina or Ni-Zn-based ferrite.
Jimenez teaches (Figure 6-7 and 15) wherein the core material includes alumina or Ni-Zn-based ferrite. (For example: Par. 100)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the circuit of Takatsuji to include wherein the core material includes alumina or Ni-Zn-based ferrite, as taught by Jimenez to avoid deterioration of the desired attenuation characteristic.
Regarding Claim 14, Takatsuji teaches (Figures 1-6) the switching power supply device.
Takatsuji does not teach wherein an input-side terminal of the common-mode choke coil is configured to connect to a power supply that is configured to convert commercial AC power into DC power.
Jimenez teaches (Figure 6-7 and 15) wherein an input-side terminal of the common-mode choke coil (5) is configured to connect to a power supply that is configured to convert commercial AC power into DC power (17 bridge). (For example: Par. 177-180)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the circuit of Takatsuji to include wherein an input-side terminal of the common-mode choke coil is configured to connect to a power supply that is configured to convert commercial AC power into DC power, as taught by Jimenez to avoid deterioration of the desired attenuation characteristic.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 9-12 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.
Reasons for Indicating Allowable Subject Matter
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for indicating Allowable Subject Matter:
Claim 9; prior art of record fails to disclose either by itself or in combination: “… each of the first reference potential wiring pattern, the second reference potential wiring pattern, the DC positive potential wiring pattern, and the input positive potential wiring pattern is on the insulating base material, one end of the first winding is connected to a low potential side of the DC power supply via the first reference potential wiring pattern, and another end of the first winding is connected to a low potential side of the load via the second reference potential wiring pattern, one end of the second winding is connected to a high potential side of the DC power supply via the DC positive potential wiring pattern, and another end of the second winding is connected to an input side of the power conversion circuit via the input positive potential wiring pattern, the power conversion circuit has a portion overlapping the second reference potential wiring pattern in plan view in a direction orthogonal to a plane of the insulating base material, the second reference potential wiring pattern is not in a region overlapping the first reference potential wiring pattern in plan view in the direction orthogonal to the plane of the insulating base material, and the input positive potential wiring pattern is not in a region overlapping the DC positive potential wiring pattern in plan view in the direction orthogonal to the plane of the insulating base material”.
These features taken alone or in combination are neither disclosed nor suggested by the prior art of record.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GUSTAVO A ROSARIO-BENITEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-7888. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9AM-5PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, MONICA LEWIS can be reached at 5712721838. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GUSTAVO A ROSARIO-BENITEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838
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