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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 18 March 2026 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 1-6, 8, 20-23, and 25-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Saboco (US Publication 20110260305) in view of Nakano (US Publication 20240282682).
Regarding claim 1, Saboco teaches a power semiconductor module comprising:
a lead frame paddle (Fig. 2B, 200, para 58);
a metal plate, disposed on the lead frame paddle, in a state of being insulated from the lead frame paddle (Fig. 9A/B, 901a of 901 disposed on 207 insulated from 207 by 901, para 56);
a power semiconductor die having a first electrode formed on one side thereof and a second electrode formed on another side thereof (Fig. 9A/B, semiconductor die 500, first electrode 503, second electrode 502, para 56), the first electrode being disposed toward the metal plate (Fig. 9A/B, 503 disposed toward 901a, para 56);
a first lead electrically connected to the first electrode through the metal plate (Fig. 9A/B, 206f electrically connected to 503 through 901a); and
a second lead extended from the lead frame paddle and electrically connected to the second electrode (Fig. 9A/B, 206d extended from 207 and electrically connected to 502),
a mold surrounding the power semiconductor die (701, para 49): and
an insulating member inter-disposed between the lead frame paddle and the metal plate (Fig. 9A/B, 901 disposed between 207 and 901a),
wherein the metal plate is disposed between the lead frame paddle and the power semiconductor die (Fig. 9A/B, 901a disposed between 207 and 500).
the metal plate defines a separate current path for the first electrode while being electrically insulated from the lead frame paddle (Fig. 9A, current path from 503 to 901a of 901 to 206f insulated from 207, para 57), and
wherein at least a bottom surface of the lead frame paddle is exposed to an outside of the mold to function as a heat dissipation path (Fig. 9b and 12B, top of 207 contacts 901 within package body and bottom of 207 exposed outside of the package body to provide heat dissipation path).
Saboco does not specifically teach wherein the second lead is integrally formed with and directly extended from the lead frame paddle so as to define a current path through the lead frame paddle.
Nakano teaches wherein the second lead is integrally formed with and directly extended from the lead frame paddle so as to define a current path through the lead frame paddle (Fig. 26, 209 extended from 206).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present application for Saboco to include the second lead is integrally formed with and directly extended form the lead frame paddle as taught by Nakano in order to improve the manufacturing process, reliability, and operability of the device.
Regarding claim 2, Saboco as modified teaches the limitations of claim 1 upon which claim 2 depends.
Saboco teaches wherein the first electrode is bonded to the metal plate (Fig. 9A/B, 503 bonded to 901a via solder, para 56).
Regarding claim 3, Saboco as modified teaches the limitations of claim 1 upon which claim 3 depends.
Saboco teaches wherein the first lead is electrically connected to the metal plate through a wire (Fig. 9A/B, 206f electrically connected to 901a via 208c and bond wires 601).
Regarding claim 4, Saboco as modified teaches the limitations of claim 2 upon which claim 4 depends.
Saboco teaches wherein: the power semiconductor die comprises a gate electrode formed on a same side as a side of the second electrode (Fig. 9A/B, gate electrode 501 on dame side of 500 as 502), and the power semiconductor module further comprises a gate lead electrically connected to the gate electrode through a wire (Fig. 9A/B, gate lead 206c electrically connected to 501 via 601).
Regarding claim 5, Saboco as modified teaches the limitations of claim 1 upon which claim 5 depends.
Saboco teaches wherein a part of the lead frame paddle is exposed to an outside of the mold (Fig. 11B, 207 exposed outside of mold 701).
Regarding claim 6, Saboco as modified teaches the limitations of claim 5 upon which claim 6 depends.
Saboco teaches wherein a part of a surface opposite the one surface of the lead frame paddle is disposed to be thermally in contact with the metal plate in the mold and the remaining part is disposed to be exposed to the outside of the mold (Fig. 11B, 207 thermally in contact with 901a via 901 within 701 and exposed part of 207 outside of 701).
Regarding claim 8, Saboco as modified teaches the limitations of claim 5 upon which claim 8 depends.
Saboco teaches wherein the mold is formed of an epoxy molding compound (EMC) (701, para 53, epoxy and molding).
Regarding claim 20, Saboco as modified teaches the limitations of claim 1 upon which claim 20 depends.
Saboco teaches wherein a size of the metal plate is greater than that of the drain first electrode (Fig. 9A/B, surface area of 901a larger than 503).
Regarding claim 21, Saboco as modified teaches the limitations of claim 1 upon which claim 21 depends.
Saboco teaches wherein a size of the metal plate is less than that of the lead frame paddle (Fig. 9A/B, surface area of 901a smaller than 207).
Regarding claim 22, Saboco as modified teaches the limitations of claim 1 upon which claim 22 depends.
Saboco teaches wherein the second lead is directly extended from the lead frame paddle (Fig. 9A/B, 206d directly extended from 207, para 42-47).
Regarding claim 23, Saboco as modified teaches the limitations of claim 1 upon which claim 23 depends.
Saboco teaches wherein a material of the second lead is same with that of the lead frame paddle (para 43, metal alloy nickel plated copper).
Regarding claim 25, Saboco as modified teaches the limitations of claim 1 upon which claim 25 depends.
Saboco teaches wherein a material of the insulating member is different from that of the mold (901, para 56, "alumina, aluminum nitride, beryllium oxide",701, para 53, epoxy and molding).
Regarding claim 26, Saboco as modified teaches the limitations of claim 1 upon which claim 26 depends.
Saboco teaches wherein a bottom surface and a side surface of the lead frame paddle are exposed to the outside of the mold (Fig. 11B, bottom and side surface of 207 exposed outside 701).
Regarding claim 27, Saboco as modified teaches the limitations of claim 5 upon which claim 27 depends.
Saboco teaches wherein a first portion of a surface of the lead frame paddle thermally contacts the metal plate inside the mold, and a second portion of the surface opposite to the one surface is exposed to the outside of the mold to provide an external heat dissipation path (Fig. 9b and 12B, top of 207 contacts 901 within package body and bottom of 207 exposed outside of the package body to provide heat dissipation path).
Regarding claim 28, Saboco as modified teaches the limitations of claim 1 upon which claim 28 depends.
Saboco teaches wherein the metal plate has a planar area larger than that of the first electrode (Fig. 9A, planar area of 901A is larger than planar area of 503) and smaller than that of the lead frame paddle (Fig. 9A, planar area of 901A is smaller than planar area of 207), and the metal plate overlaps the first electrode over an entire area of the first electrode in a plan view (Fig. 9A, 901a overlaps 503 entirely).
Regarding claim 29, Saboco as modified teaches the limitations of claim 1 upon which claim 29 depends.
Saboco teaches wherein the insulating member continuously extends across an entire interface between the lead frame paddle and the metal plate so that the metal plate is completely electrically isolated from the lead frame paddle (Fig. 9A/B, 901 continuously extends across interface point between 207 and 901a).
Regarding claim 30, Saboco as modified teaches the limitations of claim 1 upon which claim 30 depends.
Saboco teaches wherein both a bottom surface and at least one side surface of the lead frame paddle are exposed to the outside of the mold, and the exposed bottom surface is configured to be directly mountable to an external heat sink without an additional insulating pad (Fig. 9A and 12B, para 58 and 66, where the bottom surface and a side surface of the lead frame 207 are exposed outside the mold/package body).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 18 March 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding claim 1 applicant argues that Saboco does not teach or render obvious "wherein at least a bottom surface of the lead frame paddle is exposed to an outside of the mold to function as a heat dissipation path". Saboco does teach this amended limitation as is addressed in the rejection above.
In response to applicant's argument a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim. In Saboco - Fig. 9b and 12B, top of 207 contacts 901 within package body and bottom of 207 exposed outside of the package body to provide heat dissipation path.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1 amended limitations of “wherein the second lead is integrally formed with and directly extended from the lead frame paddle so as to define a current path through the lead frame paddle, and the metal plate defines a separate current path for the first electrode while being electrically insulated from the lead frame paddle" have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection (the use of new reference to Nakano - US Publication 20240282682 for this limitation) does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Xue et al (US Publication 20150262925) – Semiconductor device employing aluminum alloy lead-frame with anodized aluminum.
Otremba (US Publication 20130341777) – Electro-Thermal Cooling Devices and Methods of Fabrication Thereof.
Hoegerl et al (US Patent 10373890) – Cooling techniques for semiconductor package.
Nguyen (US Patent 5892279) – Packaging for electronic power devices and applications using the packaging.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NICHOLAS HUTSON whose telephone number is (571)270-1750. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.
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/NICHOLAS LELAND HUTSON/ Examiner, Art Unit 2818
/JEFF W NATALINI/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2818
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