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 § 112
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.
Claims 8-12 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.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the coating layer" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 9 recites the limitation "the coating layer" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 10 recites the limitation "the coating layer" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 11 recites the limitation "the coating layer" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the coating layer" in line 2 and “the adhesion assisting layer” in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mori et al. (US Publication 2015/0084481).
In re claim 7, Mori discloses a multilayer ceramic electronic component comprising:
a ceramic body (110 – Figure 2, ¶48, ¶43) including dielectric layers (140 – Figure 2, ¶46) and first internal electrodes and second internal electrodes (130 – Figure 2, ¶46) disposed to face each other and alternately stacked with the respective dielectric layers interposed therebetween (Figure 2);
a first external electrode (left 121 – Figure 2, ¶57) connected to the first internal electrodes (130 extending to left surface of 110 – Figure 2);
a second external electrode (right 121 – Figure 2) connected to the second internal electrodes (130 extending to right surface of 110); and
a cover layer (any arbitrary portion of 122 – Figure 2, ¶57) disposed on the ceramic body (110 – Figure 2), the first external electrode (left 121 – Figure 2), and the second external electrode (right 121 – Figure 2), wherein the cover layer (122 – Figure 2) includes a first layer and a second layer (Figure 2; ¶98, Note that the cover layer can be any portion of element 122. Further, this cover layer can be arbitrarily divided into two layers.), an average thickness of the cover layer is 400 nm or more and 600 nm or less (Figure 2, ¶98; Note that the thickness of the insulation layer is from 15 to 30 micrometers. The Examiner is taking the cover layer to be a portion of the insulation layer that meets this thickness limitation. ) and a ratio of an average thickness of the second layer to the average thickness of the cover layer is 0.05 or more to 0.95 or less (Figure 2, ¶98; The first and second layers can be arbitrary portions of the cover layer that meet this thickness ratio limitation.).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-6 are allowed. The prior art does not teach nor suggest (in combination with other claim limitations) the protective layer includes an adhesion assisting layer and a coating layer, an average thickness of the protective layer is from 400 nm to 600 nm, and a ratio of an average thickness of the coating layer to the average thickness of the protective layer is 0.05 to 0.95.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Ahn et al. (US Publication 2015/0124370) Figure 6
Jinno et al. (US Patent 6,171,644) Figure 3
Motoki et al. (US Publication 2010/0290172) Figure 1
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ARUN RAMASWAMY whose telephone number is (571)270-1962. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 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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/ARUN RAMASWAMY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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