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 .
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: “PROTECTIVE HEAT SHIELDS FOR THERMALLY SENSITIVE COMPONENTS”.
Claim Objections
Claim 5 is objected to because of the following informalities: abbreviation “SMT” should be in expansion form as “Surface Mount Technology”, since appeared first time in the claim language. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2 and 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen, US 2013/0107460.
Regarding claim 1, Chen discloses; a protective heat shield (abstract; a protection apparatus which is removable to protect the thermal sensitive component during the thermal process) for a printed circuit board assembly, comprising: a body having an outer surface and an inner surface (Fig. 2, 8; body 260 of apparatus 200 has outer surface and inner surface), the inner surface defining a cavity (Fig. 2, 8 and [0031,0044]; voids 258 of body 260 contains thermal sensitive component 108, 808) for receipt of a thermally-sensitive component having a maximum temperature threshold (Fig. 2, 8 and [0044]; thermal sensitive component 808 features a heat tolerance temperature for example, 230°C), wherein the body conforms to a shape of the thermally-sensitive component such that the body covers (Fig. 2, 8 and [0031]; body 260 of apparatus 200 covers thermal sensitive component 108, 808) the thermally-sensitive component but exposes (Fig. 2-8 and [0031,0044]; body 260 of apparatus 200 exposes other electronic components 288,604 disposed on the printed circuit board 104) non-thermally sensitive components of a plurality of components disposed on a printed circuit board assembly during exposure to a high temperature environment ([0044]; an SMT reflow process) wherein temperatures exceed the maximum temperature threshold ([0044]; the SMT reflow process is performed at a typical temperature of 183°C to 260°C) of the thermally-sensitive component.
Regarding claim 2, Chen discloses; the body is selectively removable (Fig. 3; step 316 and [0034, 0044]; body 260 of apparatus 200 removed from the thermal sensitive component after the thermal process) from the thermally-sensitive component.
Regarding claim 9, Chen discloses; the body defines a semi- disc shaped configuration (Fig. 2, 8 and [0053]; protection apparatuses of different forms and shapes include but are not limited to a ring-shaped body and a sleeve-shaped body.
Regarding claim 10, Chen discloses; the body conforms to a portion of the thermally-sensitive component, wherein a remaining portion of the thermally- sensitive component is exposed to the high temperature environment (Fig. 2, 8 and [0031]; protection apparatus 200 comprises a protection apparatus body 260 having a void 258. The void 258 contains at least a portion of the thermal sensitive component 108. [0032]; the cap body 260 encloses at least a portion of the thermal sensitive component 108).
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(s) 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen, US 2013/0107460 as applied to claims 1-2 and 9-10 above, and further in view of Chao, US 9900988.
Regarding claims 3-4, Chen substantially discloses the invention of a protection apparatus protect the thermal sensitive component during the thermal process but silent about the body is formed from a high temperature grade plastic in claim 3 and the body is 3D printed in claim 4. However, Chao teaches that a protective layering process that encapsulates and protects printed circuit board assemblies with complex and imprecise geometries with polymer layer may be a thermally formed polymer layer, an injection molded plastic layer, or 3d printed polymer layer (abstract and Col. 20; Ln. 41-44). It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Chen by forming the body from a high temperature grade plastic in claim 3 and the body is 3D printed in claim 4, as thought by Chao, so that protective layering process that protects electronics components with complex and imprecise geometries by applying close-forming, encapsulating polymer layers to the electronic components (Col. 3; Ln. 32-35).
Claim(s) 5-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen, US 2013/0107460 as applied to claims 1-2 and 9-10 above, and further in view of English, US 2007/0210082.
Regarding claim 5, Chen substantially discloses the invention of a protection apparatus protect the thermal sensitive component during the thermal process but silent about the outer surface of the body includes a pick-up area, the pick-up area engageable with a SMT machine. However, English teaches about a disposable cover for EMI and thermal management shield has a pick-up area for SMT process (Fig. 13-14 and [0066, 0076]; the cover 104 having a pick-up area 144). It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Chen by providing the outer surface of the body includes a pick-up area, the pick-up area engageable with a SMT machine, as thought by English, to allow for handling by pick-and-place equipment during SMT process ([0076]).
Regarding claims 6-8, Chen substantially discloses the invention of a protection apparatus protect the thermal sensitive component during the thermal process but silent about an engagement finger is disposed on the inner surface of the body, the engagement finger configured to releasably engage a portion of the thermally-sensitive component in Claim 6, the engagement finger is a tab extending from the inner surface of the body in Claim 7 and the engagement finger is a hook extending from the inner surface of the body in Claim 8. However, English teaches about a disposable cover for EMI and thermal management shield includes detents, protrusions or protuberances on the inner surface to engage with the frame/component during SMT process (Fig. 2-7, 17-18 and [0064-0065, 0074, 0076]; the cover 104 includes detents, protrusions or protuberances 128 and 130). It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Chen by providing an engagement finger is disposed on the inner surface of the body, the engagement finger configured to releasably engage a portion of the thermally-sensitive component in Claim 6, the engagement finger is a tab extending from the inner surface of the body in Claim 7 and the engagement finger is a hook extending from the inner surface of the body in Claim 8, as thought by English, so that the cover is configured to be engagingly received in the corresponding first and second openings of the frame/component to be interlocked or snapped during SMT process ([0074]).
Claim(s) 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen, US 2013/0107460, in view of Chao, US 9900988.
Regarding claims 11 and 13, Chen discloses; a protective heat shield for a printed circuit board assembly, comprising: a body defining a cavity (Fig. 2, 8 and [0031,0044]; voids 258 of body 260 contains thermal sensitive component 108, 808) for receipt of a thermally-sensitive component having a maximum temperature threshold (Fig. 2, 8 and [0044]; thermal sensitive component 808 features a heat tolerance temperature for example, 230°C), wherein the body conforms to a portion of a shape of the thermally-sensitive component such that the body covers the portion (Fig. 2, 8 and [0031]; protection apparatus 200 comprises a protection apparatus body 260 having a void 258. The void 258 contains at least a portion of the thermal sensitive component 108. [0032]; the cap body 260 encloses at least a portion of the thermal sensitive component 108) of the thermally-sensitive component but exposes the remaining portion of the thermally-sensitive component and non- thermally sensitive components (Fig. 2-8 and [0031,0044]; body 260 of apparatus 200 exposes other electronic components 288,604 disposed on the printed circuit board 104) of a plurality of components disposed on a printed circuit board assembly during exposure to a high temperature environment ([0044]; an SMT reflow process) wherein temperatures exceed the maximum temperature threshold ([0044]; the SMT reflow process is performed at a typical temperature of 183°C to 260°C) of the thermally-sensitive component. Chen substantially discloses the invention of a protection apparatus protect the thermal sensitive component during the thermal process but silent about 3D printed in Claim 11 and the body is formed from a high temperature grade plastic in Claim 13. However, Chao teaches that a protective layering process that encapsulates and protects printed circuit board assemblies with complex and imprecise geometries with polymer layer may be a thermally formed polymer layer, an injection molded plastic layer, or 3d printed polymer layer (abstract and Col. 20; Ln. 41-44). It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Chen by providing a 3D printed body in Claim 11 and forming the body from a high temperature grade plastic in Claim 13, as thought by Chao, so that protective layering process that protects electronics components with complex and imprecise geometries by applying close-forming, encapsulating polymer layers to the electronic components (Col. 3; Ln. 32-35).
Regarding claim 12, Chen discloses; the body is selectively removable (Fig. 3; step 316 and [0034, 0044]; body 260 of apparatus 200 removed from the thermal sensitive component after the thermal process) from the thermally-sensitive component.
Claim(s) 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen, US 2013/0107460 in view of Chao, US 9900988, as applied to claims 11-13, and further in view of English, US 2007/0210082.
Regarding claim 14, Chen taken with Chao substantially discloses the invention of a protection apparatus protect the thermal sensitive component during the thermal process but silent about the outer surface of the body includes a pick-up area, the pick-up area engageable with a SMT machine. However, English teaches about a disposable cover for EMI and thermal management shield has a pick-up area for SMT process (Fig. 13-14 and [0066, 0076]; the cover 104 having a pick-up area 144). It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Chen taken with Chao by providing the outer surface of the body includes a pick-up area, the pick-up area engageable with a SMT machine, as thought by English, to allow for handling by pick-and-place equipment during SMT process ([0076]).
Regarding claim 15, Chen taken with Chao substantially discloses the invention of a protection apparatus protect the thermal sensitive component during the thermal process but silent about an engagement finger is disposed on an inner surface of the body, the engagement finger configured to releasably engage the thermally-sensitive component. However, English teaches about a disposable cover for EMI and thermal management shield includes detents, protrusions or protuberances on the inner surface to engage with the frame/component during SMT process (Fig. 17-18 and [0064,0065, 0074,0076]; The cover 104 includes detents, protrusions or protuberances 128 and 130 configured to be engagingly received in the corresponding first and second openings 124 and second openings 126 of the frame 102). It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Chen by providing an engagement finger is disposed on an inner surface of the body, the engagement finger configured to releasably engage the thermally-sensitive component, as thought by English, so that the cover is configured to be engagingly received in the corresponding first and second openings of the frame/component to be interlocked or snapped during SMT process ([0074]).
Claim(s) 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen, US 2013/0107460, in view of English, US 2007/0210082.
Regarding claims 16-18, Chen discloses; a protective heat shield for a printed circuit board assembly, comprising: a body defining a cavity (Fig. 2, 8 and [0031,0044]; voids 258 of body 260 contains thermal sensitive component 108, 808) for receipt of a thermally-sensitive component having a maximum temperature threshold (Fig. 2, 8 and [0044]; thermal sensitive component 808 features a heat tolerance temperature for example, 230°C), wherein the body conforms to a shape of the thermally- sensitive component but exposes non-thermally sensitive components (Fig. 2-8 and [0031,0044]; body 260 of apparatus 200 exposes other electronic components 288,604 disposed on the printed circuit board 104) of a plurality of components disposed on a printed circuit board assembly during exposure to a high temperature environment ([0044]; an SMT reflow process) wherein temperatures exceed the maximum temperature threshold ([0044]; the SMT reflow process is performed at a typical temperature of 183°C to 260°C) of the thermally- sensitive component, Chen substantially discloses the invention of a protection apparatus protect the thermal sensitive component during the thermal process but silent about an engagement finger is disposed on an inner surface of the body, the engagement finger extending into the cavity and configured to releasably engage the thermally- sensitive component in Claim 16, the engagement finger is a tab configured for selective receipt within a slot defined on a portion of the thermally- sensitive component in Claim 17 and the engagement finger is a hook configured to selective receipt within a slot defined on a portion of the thermally- sensitive component in Claim 18.However, English teaches about a disposable cover for EMI and thermal management shield includes detents, protrusions or protuberances on the inner surface to engage with the frame/component through openings during SMT process (Fig. 2-7, 17-18 and [0074,0076]; the cover 104 includes detents, protrusions or protuberances 128 and 130 configured to be engagingly received in the corresponding first and second openings 124 and second openings 126 of the frame 102). It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Chen by providing an engagement finger is disposed on an inner surface of the body, the engagement finger extending into the cavity and configured to releasably engage the thermally- sensitive component in Claim 16, the engagement finger is a tab configured for selective receipt within a slot defined on a portion of the thermally- sensitive component in Claim 17 and the engagement finger is a hook configured to selective receipt within a slot defined on a portion of the thermally- sensitive component in Claim 18, as thought by English, so that the cover is configured to be engagingly received in the corresponding first and second openings of the frame/component to be interlocked or snapped during SMT process ([0074]).
Regarding claim 19, Chen discloses; the body conforms to a portion of the thermally-sensitive component, wherein a remaining portion of the thermally- sensitive component is exposed to the high temperature environment (Fig. 2, 8 and [0031]; protection apparatus 200 comprises a protection apparatus body 260 having a void 258. The void 258 contains at least a portion of the thermal sensitive component 108. [0032]; the cap body 260 encloses at least a portion of the thermal sensitive component 108).
Regarding claim 20, Chen substantially discloses the invention of a protection apparatus protect the thermal sensitive component during the thermal process but silent about the body includes a pick-up area, the pick-up area engageable with a SMT machine. However, English teaches about a disposable cover for EMI and thermal management shield has a pick-up area for SMT process (Fig. 13-14 and [0066, 0076]; the cover 104 having a pick-up area 144). It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Chen by providing the outer surface of the body includes a pick-up area, the pick-up area engageable with a SMT machine, as thought by English, to allow for handling by pick-and-place equipment during SMT process ([0076]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AZM PARVEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-1447. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-6 EST.
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/AZM PARVEZ/
Examiner
Art Unit 2892
/LEX H MALSAWMA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2892