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 .
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 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) 1-4, 7-15, and 18-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Furukawa et al. (US 2021/0082630).
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Regarding claim 1, Furukawa et al. disclose in fig. 29B, a capacitor array comprising:
a capacitor part including a plurality of capacitor elements (10A, 10B) disposed in a planar arrangement in an in-plane direction orthogonal to a thickness direction (top-bottom), the plurality of capacitor elements (10A, 10B) including mutually adjacent capacitor elements (10A, 10B) that are separated from each other (Fig. 29B), wherein the plurality of capacitor elements (10A, 10B) each include a first electrode layer (21, 22) and a second electrode layer (24) that face each other in the thickness direction (top-bottom) with a dielectric layer (23) interposed between the first electrode layer (21, 22) and the second electrode layer (24);
a built-in member (13) disposed at an outer periphery of the capacitor part in the in-plane direction; and
a sealing layer (11, 12) that seals the capacitor part (10A, 10B) and the built-in member (13), wherein the built-in member (13A) has a higher melting temperature (glass epoxy resin– [0134]) than the sealing layer (11, 12 - epoxy resin – [0053]).
Regarding claim 2, Furukawa et al. disclose the built-in member (13) includes a configuration different from a configuration of each of the plurality of capacitor elements (10A, 10B).
Regarding claim 3, Furukawa et al. disclose the built-in member (13) is electrically insulated from the capacitor part (10A, 10B).
Regarding claim 4, Furukawa et al. disclose the built-in member (13) is spaced apart from the capacitor part (10A, 10B).
Regarding claim 7, Furukawa et al. disclose the built-in member (13) is exposed from the sealing layer (11, 12) in the in-plane direction.
Regarding claim 8, Furukawa et al. disclose the built-in member (13) is unexposed from the sealing layer in the thickness direction (only exposed on the length and width ends).
Regarding claim 9, Furukawa et al. disclose the built-in member (13) is made of an insulating material (glass epoxy resin– [0134]).
Regarding claim 10, Furukawa et al. disclose the first electrode layer (21, 22) is an anode plate (21, 22), the anode plate having:
a core made of metal (21 – [0069]), and
a porous part (22 – [0070]) on at least one major face of the core (21),
wherein the dielectric layer (23, [0072]) is on a surface of the porous part (22), and
wherein the second electrode layer (24) is a cathode layer on a surface of the dielectric layer (23).
Regarding claim 11, Furukawa et al. disclose the cathode layer includes a solid electrolyte layer (24a, [0074]) on the surface of the dielectric layer (23).
Regarding claim 12, Furukawa et al. disclose the built-in member (13) has a height at least equivalent to a thickness of the anode plate (21, 22).
Regarding claim 13, Furukawa et al. disclose the built-in member (13) includes a configuration different from a configuration of each of the plurality of capacitor elements (10A, 10B).
Regarding claim 14, Furukawa et al. disclose the built-in member (13) is electrically insulated from the capacitor part (10A, 10B).
Regarding claim 15, Furukawa et al. disclose the built-in member (13) is spaced apart from the capacitor part (10A, 10B).
Regarding claim 18, Furukawa et al. disclose the built-in member (13) is exposed from the sealing layer (11, 12) in the in-plane direction.
Regarding claim 19, Furukawa et al. disclose the built-in member (13) is unexposed from the sealing layer in the thickness direction (only exposed on the length and width ends).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-6, and 16-17 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: In combination with the other claim limitations, the prior art does not teach or suggest a capacitor array:
wherein the built-in member includes a configuration identical to a configuration of each of the plurality of capacitor elements, and is spaced apart and electrically insulated from the capacitor part (claim 5);
wherein a width between the built-in member and the capacitor part decreases along the thickness direction (claim 6);
wherein the built-in member includes a configuration identical to a configuration of the anode plate, and is spaced apart and electrically insulated from the capacitor part (claim 16); and
wherein a width between the built-in member and the capacitor part decreases along the thickness direction (claim 17).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
JP H06349680 A – Feed through type capacitor array
US 2007/0211414 A1 – Capacitor assembly formed within encapsulation
US 2020/0312576 A1 – Capacitor assembly contained within a sealing layer
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/ERIC W THOMAS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
ERIC THOMAS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2847
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