CTNF 18/968,787 CTNF 84450 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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 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. Email Communication Applicant is encouraged to authorize the Examiner to communicate with applicant via email by filing form PTO/SB/439 either via USPS, Central Fax, or EFS-Web. See MPEP 502.01, 502.03, 502.05. Specification 06-11 AIA 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. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 07-30-02 AIA The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention. 07-34-01 Claim(s) 7-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. In regards to claim 7, Claim 7 recites “the cathode section has a pair of principal surfaces … ” which causes the claim to be indefinite as it is unclear to which cathode section is being referred to. For the purpose of examination, the examiner is taking “the cathode section has a pair of principal surfaces … ” to read “in each of the solid electrolytic capacitor elements, the cathode section has a pair of principal surfaces … ”. Claims not directly addressed above are rejected in the same manner as claim 7 based on said claims dependency on claim 7. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1, 3, 7, 9, & 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by JP2008091452A hereafter referred to as Hasegawa . In regards to claim 1, Hasegawa discloses A solid electrolytic capacitor element, comprising: an anode section (4 – fig. 8; [0012]) disposed on one end side and a cathode section (5 – fig. 8; [0012]) disposed on an other end side, wherein the cathode section has a pair of principal surfaces, a pair of side surfaces each connecting the pair of principal surfaces to each other and extending along a direction connecting the one end and the other end, and a first end surface connecting the pair of principal surfaces to each other and located at the other end (seen in fig. 2 & 8), at least one of the side surfaces has at least one recess (42 – fig. 8; [0032]) including a first end on the one end side and a second end on the other end side, and a distance between the first end surface and the second end is 0.05L1 or more, where the L1 represents a distance between the one end and the other end ([0032] – distance will be approximately 0.5L1). In regards to claim 3, Hasegawa discloses The solid electrolytic capacitor element according to claim 1, wherein a shape of the recess is square or rectangular ([0031]). In regards to claim 7, Hasegawa discloses A solid electrolytic capacitor, comprising: a stack having a plurality of solid electrolytic capacitor elements each including an anode section (4 – fig. 8; [0012]) disposed on one end side and a cathode section (5 – fig. 8; [0012]) disposed on an other end side, wherein the cathode section has a pair of principal surfaces, a pair of side surfaces each connecting the pair of principal surfaces to each other and extending along a direction connecting the one end and the other end, and a first end surface connecting the pair of principal surfaces to each other and located at the other end(seen in fig. 2 & 8), in each of the solid electrolytic capacitor elements, at least one of the side surfaces has at least one recess (42 – fig. 8; [0032]) including a first end on the one end side and a second end on the other end side, the at least one of the recesses of each of the solid electrolytic capacitor elements is aligned in a stacking direction of the stack (fig. 6 & 8), and in each of the solid electrolytic capacitor elements, a distance between the first end surface and the second end is 0.05L1 or more, where the L1 represents a distance between the one end and the other end ([0032] – distance will be approximately 0.5L1). In regards to claim 9, Hasegawa discloses The solid electrolytic capacitor according to claim 7, wherein a shape of the recess is square or rectangular ([0031]). In regards to claim 13, Hasegawa discloses The solid electrolytic capacitor according to claim 7, wherein the recesses of two or more of the solid electrolytic capacitor elements have a same distance between the first end and the second end (fig. 8; [0032]) . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-23-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 1-2, 4-8, & 10-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ishizaki et al. (US 2015/0262759) in view of Hasegawa . In regards to claim 1, Ishizaki ‘759 discloses a solid electrolytic capacitor element, comprising: an anode section (12 – fig. 1; [0021]) disposed on one end side and a cathode section (11 – fig. 1; [0021]) disposed on an other end side, wherein the cathode section has a pair of principal surfaces, a pair of side surfaces each connecting the pair of principal surfaces to each other and extending along a direction connecting the one end and the other end, and a first end surface connecting the pair of principal surfaces to each other and located at the other end (fig. 1-2), at least one of the side surfaces has at least one recess (18 – fig. 2; [0047]) including a first end on the one end side and a second end on the other end side, and a distance between the first end surface and the second end is xL1 or more, where the L1 represents a distance between the one end and the other end and x is a number greater than 0 ([0047]). Ishizaki ‘759 fails to explicitly discloses the distance is 0.05L1 or more. Hasegawa discloses a distance between the first end surface and the second end is 0.05L1 or more, where the L1 represents a distance between the one end and the other end ([0032] – distance will be approximately 0.5L1). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the recesses of Ishizaki ‘759 such that the distance is 0.05L1 or more as taught by Hasegawa to obtain a capacitor wherein the ESR is small. Furthermore, Ishizaki ‘759 discloses the distance between the first end surface and the second end is a result effective variable, particularly for reducing conductive bonding material exposure, increased capacitance, and decreased ESR ([0018] & [0047]). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to construct the capacitor of Ishizaki ‘759 such that the distance is 0.05L1 or more in order to reduce the ESR, increase capacitance, and prevent conductive bonding exposure from the resin, as taught by Ishizaki ‘759. Where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233. In regards to claim 2, Ishizaki ‘759 as modified by Hasegawa further discloses wherein a shape of the recess is trapezoidal (fig. 2 of Ishizaki ‘759). In regards to claim 4, Ishizaki ‘759 as modified by Hasegawa further discloses wherein each of the pair of side surfaces has the at least one recess (fig. 2; [0047] of Ishizaki ‘759) In regards to claim 5, Ishizaki ‘759 as modified by Hasegawa further discloses wherein the recess on one of the side surfaces and the recess on an other of the side surfaces face each other (fig. 2 of Ishizaki ‘759) In regards to claim 6, Ishizaki ‘759 discloses a solid electrolytic capacitor, comprising: the solid electrolytic capacitor element of claim 1 (see claim 1 rejection above); and a cathode terminal (20 – fig. 1-2; [0021] of Ishizaki ‘759) having an opposing surface facing the first end surface, and electrically connected to the cathode section, wherein the cathode terminal has a sidewall portion (33 – fig. 1-2; [0036] of Ishizaki ‘759) facing the side surface of the cathode section and accommodated at least partially in the recess; and the recess and the sidewall portion are electrically connected to each other via a conductive adhesive ([0036] of Ishizaki ‘759). In regards to claim 7, Ishizaki ‘759 discloses a solid electrolytic capacitor, comprising: a stack having a plurality of solid electrolytic capacitor elements each including an anode section (12 – fig. 1; [0021]) disposed on one end side and a cathode section (11 – fig. 1; [0021]) disposed on an other end side, wherein the cathode section has a pair of principal surfaces, a pair of side surfaces each connecting the pair of principal surfaces to each other and extending along a direction connecting the one end and the other end, and a first end surface connecting the pair of principal surfaces to each other and located at the other end (fig. 1-2), in each of the solid electrolytic capacitor elements, at least one of the side surfaces has at least one recess (18 – fig. 2; [0047]) including a first end on the one end side and a second end on the other end side, the at least one of the recesses of each of the solid electrolytic capacitor elements is aligned in a stacking direction of the stack (fig. 1-2), and in each of the solid electrolytic capacitor elements, a distance between the first end surface and the second end is xL1 or more, where the L1 represents a distance between the one end and the other end and x is a number greater than 0 ([0047]). Ishizaki ‘759 fails to explicitly discloses the distance is 0.05L1 or more. Hasegawa discloses a distance between the first end surface and the second end is 0.05L1 or more, where the L1 represents a distance between the one end and the other end ([0032] – distance will be approximately 0.5L1). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the recesses of Ishizaki ‘759 such that the distance is 0.05L1 or more as taught by Hasegawa to obtain a capacitor wherein the ESR is small. Furthermore, Ishizaki ‘759 discloses the distance between the first end surface and the second end is a result effective variable, particularly for reducing conductive bonding material exposure, increased capacitance, and decreased ESR ([0018] & [0047]). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to construct the capacitor of Ishizaki ‘759 such that the distance is 0.05L1 or more in order to reduce the ESR, increase capacitance, and prevent conductive bonding exposure from the resin, as taught by Ishizaki ‘759. Where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233. In regards to claim 8, Ishizaki ‘759 as modified by Hasegawa further discloses wherein a shape of the recess is trapezoidal (fig. 2 of Ishizaki ‘759). In regards to claim 10, Ishizaki ‘759 as modified by Hasegawa further discloses wherein in each of the solid electrolytic capacitor elements, each of the pair of side surfaces has the at least one recess (fig. 2; [0047] of Ishizaki ‘759). In regards to claim 11, Ishizaki ‘759 as modified by Hasegawa further discloses wherein in each of the solid electrolytic capacitor elements, the recess on one of the side surfaces and the recess on an other of the side surfaces face each other (fig. 2; [0047] of Ishizaki ‘759). In regards to claim 12, Ishizaki ‘759 as modified by Hasegawa further discloses further comprising a cathode terminal (20 – fig. 1-2; [0021] of Ishizaki ‘759) having an opposing surface facing the first end surface of each of the solid electrolytic capacitor elements, and electrically connected to the cathode section, wherein the cathode terminal has a sidewall portion (33 – fig. 1-2; [0036] of Ishizaki ‘759) facing the side surface of the cathode section and accommodated at least partially in the recess; and the recess and the sidewall portion are electrically connected to each other via a conductive adhesive ([0036] of Ishizaki ‘759). In regards to claim 13, Ishizaki ‘759 as modified by Hasegawa further discloses wherein the recesses of two or more of the solid electrolytic capacitor elements have a same distance between the first end and the second end (fig. 2 of Ishizaki ‘759) . Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2013/0222977 – fig. 1-2 US 2013/0329341 – fig. 1-2 JP2011035057A – fig. 6-7 Communication Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID M SINCLAIR whose telephone number is (571)270-5068. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH from 8AM-4PM. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, TIMOTHY J 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. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /David M Sinclair/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847 Application/Control Number: 18/968,787 Page 2 Art Unit: 2847 Application/Control Number: 18/968,787 Page 3 Art Unit: 2847 Application/Control Number: 18/968,787 Page 4 Art Unit: 2847 Application/Control Number: 18/968,787 Page 5 Art Unit: 2847 Application/Control Number: 18/968,787 Page 6 Art Unit: 2847 Application/Control Number: 18/968,787 Page 7 Art Unit: 2847 Application/Control Number: 18/968,787 Page 8 Art Unit: 2847 Application/Control Number: 18/968,787 Page 9 Art Unit: 2847 Application/Control Number: 18/968,787 Page 10 Art Unit: 2847 Application/Control Number: 18/968,787 Page 11 Art Unit: 2847 Application/Control Number: 18/968,787 Page 12 Art Unit: 2847
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