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
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 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.
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by YAO et al (US 2020/0126731).
Regarding claim 17, YAO discloses a multilayer ceramic capacitor (Fig. 1-3) comprising: a multilayer body (Fig. 1, 11) including: a multilayer body chip (Fig. 2-3, 11 where internal electrodes are) and side margin portions (Fig. 3, sides outside internal electrodes) on both side of the multilayer body chip in a width direction (Fig. 3, W); and two external electrodes (Fig. 2, 14a/b) on end surfaces (Fig. 2, 15a/b) of the multilayer body in a length direction (Fig. 2, L) intersecting a lamination direction (Fig. 2, T); wherein the multilayer chip includes an inner layer portion (Fig. 2, 122) and two outer layer portions (Fig. 2, 121 (considered different portions because they have different aspects to their materials [0029]) on both side of the inner layer portion in the lamination direction (Fig. 2); the inner layer portion includes internal electrode layers in the lamination direction (Fig. 2); the inner layer portion and the side margin portions each include ceramic grains ([0029]); a difference between an average grain size of the ceramic grains in the inner layer portion and an average grain size of the ceramic grains in the side margin portions is about 100 nm or less ([0029] 10% of 220 = 22nm which teaches the claim limitations), and a grain size of the ceramic grains is about 140 nm or more and about 270 nm or less ([0029]).
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) 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over YAO et al (US 2020/0126731) in view of Hashimoto (US 2020/0411248)
Regarding claim 18, YAO fails to teach the claim limitations.
Hashimoto teaches that the internal electrode layers include Ni as a main component ([0066]); and tin is located on an interface between the internal electrode layers and a dielectric layer ([0071]).
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 Hashimoto to the invention of YAO, in order to provide a multilayer electronic component having high flexural strength (Hashimoto [0006].
Regarding claim 19, YAO, as modified by Hashimoto, further teaches that the tin is solidly dissolved in the internal electrode layers (Hashimoto [0063-0066]).
Regarding claim 20, YAO, as modified by Hashimoto, further teaches that the tin is solidly dissolved in the dielectric layer (Hashimoto [0057]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 and 3-14 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding independent claim 1, the prior art fails to teach or suggest, alone or in combination:
A multilayer ceramic capacitor comprising: a multilayer body including: a multilayer body chip and side margin portions on both sides of the multilayer body chip in a width direction; and two external electrodes on end surfaces of the multilayer body in a length direction intersecting a lamination direction; wherein the multilayer body chip includes an inner layer portion and two outer layer portions on both sides of the inner layer portion in the lamination direction; the inner layer portion includes internal electrode layers in the lamination direction; the inner layer portion and the side margin portions each include ceramic grains; a difference between an average grain size of the ceramic grains in the inner layer portion and an average grain size of the ceramic grains in the side margin portions is about 100 nm or less; the inner layer portion and the side margin portions each include Si and Ti; and a molar ratio of Si to Ti in the inner layer portion is higher than a molar ratio of Si to Ti in the side margin portions.
Specifically, the prior art fails to teach or make obvious, alone or in combination, the limitation of “the inner layer portion and the side margin portions each include Si and Ti; and a molar ratio of Si to Ti in the inner layer portion is higher than a molar ratio of Si to Ti in the side margin portions” in combination with the other claim limitations.
Cited Prior Art
Tsuru et al (US 2020/0303125) teaches relevant art in Table 2.
SIM et al (US 2022/0139624) teaches relevant art in Fig. 3.
Nishimura et al (US 2015/0155099) teaches relevant art in [0038].
Yamaguchi (US 2014/0268489) teaches relevant art in [0029].
TERAOKA et al (US 2020/0111613) teaches relevant art in Fig. 3.
SUGITA et al (US 2016/0049255) teaches relevant art in [0062-0096].
HASHIMOTO et al (US 2020/0105468) teaches relevant art in Fig. 3.
PARK et al (US 2021/0005382) teaches relevant art in Fig. 1-3.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 08/25/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Regarding applicants arguments that the prior art fails to teach distinct inner and outer layer portions the examiner notes that as shown in the prior art the material for the inner and outer layer portions is different (YAO [0029]) this would show a distinction between the sections.
In response to applicant's argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., that there is a shown boundary between the layers and they are not in any way uniform) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
Applicant therefore does not provide any persuasive evidence that the limitations as claimed are not taught by the prior art.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL P MCFADDEN whose telephone number is (571)270-5649. The examiner can normally be reached M-Thur 8am-9pm PST.
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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.
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/MICHAEL P MCFADDEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
