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Claims 12-18 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.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 14 November 2025.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because:
The drawings contain deficient line quality and reference characters. All drawings must be made by a process which will give them satisfactory reproduction characteristics. Every line, number, and letter must be durable, clean, black (except for color drawings), sufficiently dense and dark, and uniformly thick and well-defined. Reference characters (numerals are preferred), sheet numbers, and view numbers must be plain and legible. Refer to 37 CFR 1.84(l) and 1.84(p(1)). See Figure(s) 1-17.
The drawing view(s) comprise improper frames, borders, or marginal lines. The sheets must not contain frames around the sight (i.e., the usable surface), but should
have scan target points (i.e., cross-hairs) printed on two cater-corner margin corners. Refer to 37 CFR 1.84(g). See Figures(s) 16-17.
The sheets of drawings should be numbered in consecutive Arabic numerals, starting with 1. The drawing sheet numbering must be clear and larger than the numbers used as reference characters to avoid confusion. The number of each sheet should be shown by two Arabic numerals placed on either side of an oblique line, with the first being the sheet number and the second being the total number of sheets of drawings, with no other marking. See Page(s) 1-17.
The drawings comprise at least one figure comprising two or more independent figures requiring individual designation as separate features and therefore the drawings require a numbering change to the figures. Otherwise, if the multiple figures designated as one should be properly identified as an exploded view using brackets as already objected to supra. For numbering figures, the different views must be numbered in consecutive Arabic numerals, starting with 1, independent of the numbering of the sheets and, if possible, in the order in which they appear on the drawing sheet(s). Refer to 37 CFR 1.84(u). See Figure(s) 16-17.
The drawings make improper use of shading because they contain solid black shading areas. The use of shading in views is encouraged if it aids in understanding the invention and if it does not reduce legibility. Shading is used to indicate the surface or shape of spherical, cylindrical, and conical elements of an object. Such shading is preferred in the case of parts shown in perspective, but not for cross sections. Solid black shading areas are not permitted, except when used to represent bar graphs or color. Refer to 37 CFR 1.84(m) and 1.84(h(3)). See Figure(s) 15.
Figure 17 should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. See MPEP § 608.02(g).
Corrected drawings sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 following title is suggested: Semiconductor Leadframe Package With Exposed Leads Having Wettable Flank Structure Comprising Recess and Protrusion.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Makino (U.S. 9,601,415).
Regarding Claim 1, Makino, Figures 3 and 9-10, discloses a semiconductor device comprising:
a lead frame including a first terminal (first terminal LD);
a semiconductor element provided on a first surface of the lead frame (semiconductor element CHP); and
a package member with which the lead frame and the semiconductor element are covered (package member MR), wherein
the first terminal includes
a back-side portion that is provided on a side of a second surface of the lead frame and is exposed from the package member in a first direction perpendicular to the first surface, the second surface being opposite to the first surface (back side portion including LDb),
a lateral-side portion that is provided between the first surface and the back-side portion in the first direction and is exposed from the package member in a second direction parallel to the first surface (lateral-side portion that includes LDs), and
a recessed portion that is provided between the lateral-side portion and the back-side portion in the first direction (recessed portion that includes LDg and/or LDsg and/or LDd and/or Mbr1).
Regarding Claim 2, Makino, Figures 3 and 9-10, further discloses the semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein an upper edge of the recessed portion is provided upward of the back-side portion in the first direction (recessed portion that includes LDg and/or LDsg and/or LDd and/or Mbr1, back-side portion that includes LDb).
Regarding Claim 3, Makino, Figures 3 and 9-10, further discloses the semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the first terminal further includes a protruding portion provided in the recessed portion (protruding portion Mbr1 or LDsg).
Regarding Claim 4, Makino, Figures 3 and 9-10, further discloses the semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the first terminal has a wettable flank (WF) structure (first terminal LD).
Regarding Claim 5, Makino, Figures 3 and 9-10, further discloses the semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein an upper edge of the recessed portion in the first direction is connected to one edge of the lateral-side portion, and a lower edge of the recessed portion in the first direction is connected to one edge of the back-side portion (lateral-side portion that includes LDs, recessed portion that includes LDg and/or LDsg and/or LDd and/or Mbr1, back-side portion that includes LDb).
Regarding Claim 6, Makino, Figures 3 and 9-10, further discloses the semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the recessed portion includes a third surface that is curved (recessed portion that includes LDg and/or LDsg and/or LDd and/or Mbr1).
Regarding Claim 7, Makino, Figures 3 and 9-10, further discloses the semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the back-side portion includes a fourth surface that is parallel to the first surface, and the lateral-side portion includes a fifth surface that is curved (recessed portion that includes LDg and/or LDsg and/or LDd and/or Mbr1, back-side portion that includes LDb).
Regarding Claim 8, Makino, Figures 3 and 9-10, further discloses the semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising solder with which the lateral-side portion, the back-side portion, and the recessed portion are covered (solder JM).
Regarding Claim 9, Makino, Figures 3 and 9-10, further discloses the semiconductor device according to claim 8, wherein the solder protrudes from the lateral-side portion in the second direction (solder JM).
Regarding Claim 10, Makino, Figures 3 and 9-10, further discloses the semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising a plating layer provided on the first terminal (plating layer SD or BM).
Regarding Claim 11, Makino, Figures 3 and 9-10, further discloses the semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the lead frame includes a first portion that overlaps with the semiconductor element on the first surface and is exposed on the second surface, and a second portion that is provided between the first terminal and the first portion (lead frame DP LD, chip CHP).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to Abbigale Boyle whose telephone number is 571-270-7919. The Examiner can normally be reached from 11 A.M to 7 P.M., Monday through Friday.
If attempts to reach the Examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner’s supervisor, Zandra Smith, can be reached at 571-272-2429. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Abbigale Boyle
Examiner, Art Unit 2899
/ABBIGALE A BOYLE/Examiner, Art Unit 2899
/DALE E PAGE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2899
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