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 § 102
(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.
Claims 1, 7-10, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Furukawa et al. (“Furukawa” US 2009/0174063).
Regarding claim 1, Furukawa discloses a semiconductor device (Figures 1-5) comprising:
a heat radiation plate (16);
at least one insulating substrate (14);
a semiconductor element (bottom left element 12 in Figure 1); and
a metal electrode (right side portion of layer 15, spaced apart from the left layer 15 in the cross-sectional view of Figure 2 and plan view of Figure 1),
wherein the at least one insulating substrate (14) is bonded to one main surface (upper surface of heat radiation plate 16) of the heat radiation plate (16, see Figure 2),
the semiconductor element (12) is bonded to the one main surface of the heat radiation plate (16) via any of the at least one insulating substrate (14, see Figure 2),
the metal electrode (15) is bonded to the one main surface of the heat radiation plate (16) via any of the at least one insulating substrate (14, see Figure 2), and
the heat radiation plate (16) has, in a region between a region where the semiconductor element (bottom left element 12 in Figure 1) is bonded to the heat radiation plate (16, this region is the vertical projection of the surface area of the semiconductor element 12) and a region where the metal electrode (right side portion in Figures 1 and 2) is bonded to the heat radiation plate (this region is the vertical projection of the surface area of the metal electrode, right side portion of 15 in Figures 1 and 2), a narrowed portion (18, see Figures 3a and 3b) having a narrower width in a thickness direction in a cross section (cross section shown in Figure 3b) than widths of all other locations in the cross section of the heat radiation plate (16, see Figure 3b, all depression portions 18 have the same depth, thus have narrower widths in the thickness direction than portions of the heat radiation plate 16 without the depression portions).
Regarding claim 7, Furukawa discloses wherein at least one depression portion (18) is provided on the one main surface of the heat radiation plate (16, upper surface), and
the width of the narrowed portion (width of the heat radiation plate within the depression portion areas) in the thickness direction is narrowed by the at least one depression portion (18, see Figure 3b).
Regarding claim 8, Furukawa discloses wherein the heat radiation plate (16) is provided with a plurality of depression portions (plurality of depression portions 18 shown in Figures 3a and 3b) as the at least one depression portion.
Regarding claim 9, Furukawa discloses wherein any of the at least one depression portion (18) extends in a direction (vertical direction in Figure 2, in/out of page direction in Figure 3a) that intersects with a direction connecting a region where the semiconductor element is bonded (region is the vertical projection of the lower left element 12) and a region where the metal electrode is bonded (region is the vertical projection of the right side portion of 15 in Figures 1 and 2, here the extension direction of the depression portion is in/out of the page in Figure 3a, and the direction connecting the bonding regions of the semiconductor element and the metal electrode is the horizontal direction in Figure 3a since the regions are adjacent to one another, thus the two directions intersect).
Regarding claim 10, Furukawa discloses wherein any of the at least one depression portion (18) has a rectangular, V-shaped, or semicircular cross section (para. [0051] discloses that a horizontal cross-section of the depression portions 18 may be triangular in shape in Figure 3 rather than circular).
Regarding claim 17, Furukawa discloses wherein the heat radiation plate (16) includes copper, aluminum, or both (para. [0023], includes aluminum).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Furukawa as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of Takizawa (US 2023/0051389).
Regarding claim 15, Furukawa discloses wherein the semiconductor element (12, lower left element 12 in Figure 1) is bonded to the one main surface of the heat radiation plate (16, upper surface) via a first insulating substrate (14), which is any one of the at least one insulating substrate (14),
the metal electrode (15, right portion in Figures 1 and 2) is bonded to the one main surface of the heat radiation plate (16, upper surface) via the first insulating substrate (14),
the first insulating substrate (14) is bonded to the heat radiation plate (16) [by solder] at a position facing at least any one of the at least one depression portion (18, see Figure 2).
Furukawa does not disclose that the first insulating substrate is bonded to the heat radiation plate by solder, and solder is contained inside the depression portion facing to the first insulating substrate.
However, Takizawa discloses a first insulating substrate (21) is bonded to the heat radiation plate (31) by solder (25a), and solder (25a) is contained inside the depression portion (depression portion formed within protrusions 34a/35a) facing to the first insulating substrate (21, see at least Figure 7).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the teachings of Takizawa into the teachings of Furukawa to include a solder bonding material between the insulating substrate and the heat dissipation plate, and that solder is contained in the depression portions, for the purpose of improving heat dissipation (see Takizawa para. [0003]) and bond strength, and the protrusions within which the solder is contained allow for the substrates to be kept horizontal (see Takizawa para. [0046]).
Claims 18-21 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Furukawa as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Soeno (US 2011/0049535).
Regarding claim 18, Furukawa does not disclose wherein the semiconductor element includes a wide band gap semiconductor.
However, Soeno discloses a semiconductor element that includes a wide band gap semiconductor (see para. [0002]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the teachings of Soeno into the teachings of Furukawa to include a wide bandgap semiconductor material, such as silicon carbide, for the purpose of implementing a material with high temperature rating limits (Soeno, para. [0002]).
Regarding claim 19, Soeno discloses wherein the wide band gap semiconductor is silicon carbide, a gallium nitride-based material, or diamond (see para. [0002] which discloses the use of silicon carbide).
Regarding claim 20, Furukawa discusses in para. [0028] the semiconductor device is configured to be applied to a driving device of a vehicle motor, and controls electricity supplied to the vehicle electric motor. Thus, Furukawa implicitly discloses some sort of power control or conversion device, however does not disclose this explicitly.
Soeno discloses a main conversion circuit (see conversion circuit of Figure 1, and para. [0030]) that has the semiconductor device (the semiconductor apparatus of the first embodiment is incorporated, see para. [0030], Figures 1 and 2) according to claim 1, and which converts input electric power and outputs converted electric power (see para. [0030]-[0037]); and
a control circuit (control portions of the circuit of Figure 1 discussed in para. [0031]) that outputs, to the main conversion circuit, a control signal controlling the main conversion circuit (see para. [0031]-[0037]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the teachings of Soeno into the teachings of Furukawa to implement power conversion capabilities of the semiconductor device of Furukawa. All the claimed elements would continue to operate in the same manner, specifically the semiconductor device of Furukawa would still control electrical function of a vehicle, and the power conversion device would still convert power for a vehicle. Therefore, the results would be predictable to one having ordinary skill in the art. As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to implement the operational characteristics of Soeno into the device of Furukawa as being no more than the predictable use of prior art elements according to their established functions. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Regarding claim 21, Soeno discloses a mobile body (hybrid vehicle, see para. [0030]-[0037]), comprising:
the power conversion device according to claim 20 (see the teachings of Soeno above); and
an electric motor (30) driven by the electric power output by the power conversion device (inverter 5 of the power conversion device of Figures 1 and 2, see para. [0034]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the teachings of Soeno into the teachings of Furukawa to include the electric motor as claimed in order to assist the drive power of the hybrid vehicle (see para. [0030]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s amendments filed May 19 2026 with respect to the objections to claims 1 and 15 have been fully considered and overcome the objections. The objections to claims 1 and 15 have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Genevieve G Bullard-Connor whose telephone number is (571)270-0609. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm.
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/Genevieve G Bullard-Connor/Examiner, Art Unit 2899 /DALE E PAGE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2899
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