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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 1-6 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 7/1/2026.
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.
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “comprising” and “said,” should be avoided.
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) 7 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Kwak et al. (US 2015/0131206 A1).
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Regarding claim 7, Kwak et al. disclose a solid electrolytic capacitor comprising an anode body (10 – [0032]), an anode lead (11) and an anode lead frame (20), wherein:
the anode lead (11) extends forward from a front surface of the anode body in a front-rear direction (left-right);
the anode lead frame (20) has a standing portion (23);
the anode lead (11) has a front end which is welded [0083] to a predetermined region on a rear surface of the standing portion (23); and
at least one of the front end of the anode lead (11) and the predetermined region of the standing portion (23) is formed with a laser trace [0083].
While Kwak et al. are silent with regard to the laser trace is on at least one of the front end of the anode lead and the predetermined region of the standing portion, it appears to be an inherent feature. The trace must be along the front end of the anode lead or rear surface of the standing portion in order to attached the lead and lead frame together.
Regarding claim 13, Kwak et al. disclose the solid electrolytic capacitor comprises a cathode layer [0037] and a cathode lead frame (30);
the cathode layer [0037] is electrically connected with the cathode lead frame (30) via a conductive adhesive (50); and
the conductive adhesive (50) is a conductive metal paste [0057].
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
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.
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kwak et al. (US 2015/0131206 A1).
Regarding claim 12, Kwak et al. disclose the solid electrolytic capacitor comprises an outer coating resin (40);
the anode body (10 – [0032]) and the anode lead (11) are located in the outer coating resin (40)
Kwak et al. disclose the claimed invention except for a distance between a front surface of the outer coating resin and the front surface of the anode body is 0.3 mm or more but is 0.5 mm or less.
It is known in the solid electrolytic capacitor art that the distance between the front surface of the outer coating resin and the front surface of the anode body is important for achieving insulation reliability and volumetric efficiency relative to the external environment.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the device of Kwak et al. such that the distance between a front surface of the outer coating resin and the front surface of the anode body is 0.3 mm or more but is 0.5 mm or less, since such a modification would form a solid electrolytic capacitor the provides sufficient insulation between the anode body and the external environment while maintaining desirable volumetric efficiency.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-11 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 solid electrolytic capacitor:
wherein the standing portion is formed with two notches; the two notches are formed on opposite ends of the standing portion in the lateral direction, respectively; and each of the notches is recessed inward of the standing portion in the lateral direction (claim 8); and
wherein the recessed portion is located at a position which corresponds to the
predetermined region in a vertical plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction and is recessed rearward (claim 9).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
JP H 05-175085 A – Solid electrolytic capacitor having anode lead connected to anode connector
US 5,377,073 A – Solid electrolytic capacitor having multiple capacitor elements laser welded
US 2002/0061613 A1 – Solid electrolytic capacitor having anode lead wire welded to an anode lead frame
US 2002/0054470 A1 – Solid electrolytic capacitor having anode lead wire connected to an anode terminal
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIC THOMAS whose telephone number is (571)272-1985. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 6:00 AM-2:30 PM.
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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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/ERIC W THOMAS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
ERIC THOMAS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2847
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