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
Amended claim 12 is directed to an invention that is independent or distinct from the invention originally claimed/elected for the following reasons: claim 12 is drawn to a device with ends of a refrigerant pipe opposite each other. However, in response to the Restriction/Election Requirement (dated May 2, 2025) which was filed June 26 2025 Applicant elected (treated without traverse) Species 1, which was drawn to a device with ends of a refrigerant pipe protruding from the same side of the device. Non-elected species 2 is drawn to a device where the ends of the refrigerant pipe protrude from different sides, which claim 12 is now readable upon. Thus, claim 12 is withdrawn from further consideration. Additionally, claims 13-14 are withdrawn because the claim from which they depend, claim 12, is withdrawn.
Since applicant has received an action on the merits for the originally presented invention, this invention has been constructively elected by original presentation for prosecution on the merits. Accordingly, claims 12-14 are withdrawn from consideration as being directed to a non-elected invention. See 37 CFR 1.142(b) and MPEP § 821.03.
To preserve a right to petition, the reply to this action must distinctly and specifically point out supposed errors in the restriction requirement. Otherwise, the election shall be treated as a final election without traverse. Traversal must be timely. Failure to timely traverse the requirement will result in the loss of right to petition under 37 CFR 1.144. If claims are subsequently added, applicant must indicate which of the subsequently added claims are readable upon the elected invention.
Should applicant traverse on the ground that the inventions are not patentably distinct, applicant should submit evidence or identify such evidence now of record showing the inventions to be obvious variants or clearly admit on the record that this is the case. In either instance, if the examiner finds one of the inventions unpatentable over the prior art, the evidence or admission may be used in a rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) of the other invention.
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.
Claims 1, 3, 5-8, 10-11, and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhou et al. (“Zhou” US 2014/0319673).
Regarding claim 1, Zhou discloses:
A semiconductor device (Figures 2 and 3) comprising:
a semiconductor element (21);
a conductive member (25/26) joined to the semiconductor element (21, see Figure 3);
a resin (insulating encapsulant 31, para. [0041]) that seals a part of the semiconductor element (21) and the conductive member (25/26, see Figure 3); and
a cooling unit (passage within conductive member 25/26) that cools the conductive member (25/26) inside the resin (31, see Figure 3), and
wherein the cooling unit (passage) is a refrigerant passage (piping within which a refrigerant is circulated through the device, para. [0060]) that is inside the conductive member (25/26) for allowing an insulating refrigerant (non-conductive refrigerant, para. [0007]) to pass therethrough (para. [0060]), and
the conductive member (25/26) is hollow (see Figure 3) to define the refrigerant passage therein, wherein an inner wall of the conductive member (25/26, inner walls of 26 specifically) that defines the refrigerant passage (see Figure 3) is configured to directly contact the insulating refrigerant (the refrigerant flows within the conductive member’s hollow pipes 25/26, thus would make direct contact with the inner walls of the conductive member).
Regarding claim 3, Zhou discloses:
The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein the conductive member (25/26) has a protruding portion protruding from one side surface of the resin (31, see left side of resin in Figure 3, 25/26 has a portion that is protruding from the left side of the resin),
the refrigerant passage (passage within conductive member 25/26) includes not less than two openings (see Figures 2 and 3, there are two openings 29 shown for conductive member 25/26), and
not less than the two openings are disposed in the protruding portion (see Figure 3, protruding portion 25/26 is where the openings 29 are disposed or are located).
Regarding claim 5, Zhou discloses:
The semiconductor device according to claim 2, further comprising a plurality of the conductive members (23/26, 24/26, 25/26),
the plurality of conductive members (23/26, 24/26, 25/26) including a first conductive member (24/26) joined to a first surface of the semiconductor element (21, lower surface of 21 in Figure 3 is the first surface of the semiconductor element 21) and a second conductive member (25/26) joined to a second surface opposite to the first surface of the semiconductor element (21, upper surface of 21 is the opposite, second surface of the semiconductor element 21), wherein
the refrigerant passage (passage within each conductive member) is provided inside at least one of the first conductive member (24/26) and the second conductive member (25/26, see Figure 3, the refrigerant passage is provided in both the first and second conductive members 24/26, 25/26).
Regarding claim 6, Zhou discloses:
The semiconductor device according to claim 2, further comprising a plurality of the semiconductor elements (21, upper and lower switching devices, see Figure 3) and a plurality of the conductive members (23/26, 24/26, 25/26),
the plurality of semiconductor elements (21) including a first semiconductor element (21, lower element) and a second semiconductor element (21, upper element) and the plurality of conductive members (23/26, 24/26, 25/26) including a first conductive member (24/26) joined to a first surface of the first semiconductor element (21, lower surface of lower element 21), a second conductive member (25/26) joined to a second surface opposite to the first surface of the first semiconductor element (21, lower element, 25/26 is joined to an opposite upper surface of lower element 21) and joined to the first surface of the second semiconductor element (21, upper element, first surface is the lower surface of the second semiconductor element 21, upper element) and a third conductive member (23/26) joined to a second surface opposite to the first surface of the second semiconductor element (21, upper element, 23/26 is joined to an upper opposite surface of semiconductor element 21, upper element), wherein
the refrigerant passage (passage within the conductive members) is provided inside at least one of the first conductive member (24/26), the second conductive member (25/26) and the third conductive member (23/26, refrigerant passage 26 is provided inside all conductive members 23/26, 24/26, 25/26).
Regarding claim 7, Zhou discloses:
The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the cooling unit is a refrigerant pipe (passage within with the refrigerant circulates) that is joined to the conductive member (25/26) and allows an insulating refrigerant (non-conductive refrigerant, para. [0007]) to pass therethrough (para. [0060]).
Regarding claim 8, Zhou discloses:
The semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein the refrigerant pipe (passage in the conductive members) has both ends (29) protruding from one side surface of the resin (see Figure 3, openings 29 protrude from the left side of the resin in cross-sectional view shown in Figure 3).
Regarding claim 10, Zhou discloses:
The semiconductor device according to claim 7, further comprising a plurality of the conductive members (23/26, 24/26, 25/26),
the plurality of conductive members (23/26, 24/26, 25/26) including a first conductive member (24/26) joined to a first surface of the semiconductor element (21, lower surface) and a second conductive member (25/26) joined to a second surface opposite to the first surface of the semiconductor element (21, upper surface), wherein
the refrigerant pipe (passage within the conductive members within which the refrigerant is circulated and contained within) is provided on at least one of the first conductive member (24/26) and the second conductive member (25/26, refrigerant passage is provided on an inner surface of both of the conductive members, here “on” is interpreted to mean that the refrigerant pipe is contacting any surface of the conducive member).
Regarding claim 11, Zhou discloses:
The semiconductor device according to claim 7, further comprising a plurality of the semiconductor elements (21, upper and lower) and a plurality of the conductive members (23/26, 24/26, 25/26),
the plurality of semiconductor elements including a first semiconductor element (21, lower) and a second semiconductor element (21, upper) and the plurality of conductive members (23/26, 24/26, 25/26) including a first conductive member (24/26) joined to a first surface of the first semiconductor element (21, lower surface of the lower 21 element), a second conductive member (25/26) joined to a second surface opposite to the first surface of the first semiconductor element (21, upper surface opposite of lower surface of lower element 21) and joined to the first surface of the second semiconductor element (lower surface of upper element 21), and a third conductive member (23/26) joined to a second surface opposite to the first surface of the second semiconductor element (21, upper surface opposite to lower surface of upper element 21), wherein
the refrigerant pipe (passage within the conductive members within which the refrigerant is circulated) is provided inside each of the first conductive member (24/26) and the third conductive member (23/26, see Figure 3).
Regarding claim 15, Zhou discloses:
The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor element (21) is an insulated gate bipolar transistor or a power MOSFET (para. [0043] discloses devices 21 are IGBTs).
Regarding claim 16, Zhou discloses:
A power conversion device (10, para. [0034], Figure 1) comprising the semiconductor device according to claim 1 (20, para. [0034]).
Response to Arguments
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.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 12 and 13 have been considered but are moot because the claims have been withdrawn from further consideration.
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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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dale Page can be reached at 5712707877. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Genevieve G Bullard-Connor/Examiner, Art Unit 2899 /DALE E PAGE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2899