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 .
Response to Arguments made in Amendment
Applicant’s arguments, see Page 6 of “Applicant Arguments/Remarks Made in an Amendment”, filed 10/30/2025, with respect to the 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejections of claims 9, 11, and 16 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The amendment to the the claims overcome any definitiveness issues raised in the previous Action and as such the 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejections of claims 9, 11, and 16 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, see Page 6-7 of “Applicant Arguments/Remarks Made in an Amendment”, filed 10/30/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-19, and 24-25 under 35 U.S.C. 102 and/or 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The amendments to independent claims 1 and 15 overcome the cited references of Refai-Ahmed and Faoro by adding limitations that require the unrestricted floating vertical movement of the lid where neither of the references have or suggest this capability. Therefore, the rejections have been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection for at least independent claims 1 and 26 are made in view of Ono et al.
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, 4-6, and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by patent application publication by Ono et al. (US 20100044100 A1; Ono).
Regarding claim 1, Ono discloses a chip package, comprising:
a substrate (11);
an integrated circuit (IC) die mounted on the substrate (Para. 5);
a stiffener frame (15) mounted on the substrate and circumscribing the IC die (Fig. 2, Showing the stiffener 15 mounted to substrate 11. Fig. 7, showing the stiffener going full around the outside the IC device), the stiffener frame having a plurality of interconnected walls defining an opening in the stiffener frame (Fig. 7, any of the areas in the center of the stiffener frame walls can be considered an opening); and
a lid (81) having a bottom side facing a top surface of the IC die (Fig. 17, Where the bottom of the lid faces the device), the lid having at least a first guide (84) and a second guide (84) extending from the bottom side of the lid (any one side of ribs 84 can be considered a first side any other can be considered a second side), the first guide disposed inward or outward of the stiffener frame, the first guide having a side facing one of an outer wall surface or an inner wall surface of the stiffener frame (Fig. 17, where the first guide [any side rib 84] is disposed outside the stiffener 15, and the guide 84 is facing an outer wall of stiffener 15), the first and second guides limiting lateral movement of the lid relative to the stiffener frame, the first and second guides allowing floating vertical movement of the lid relative to the stiffener frame and the IC die (Fig. 17, and Para 143, where the ribs are shaped in a manner as to taper in a gradually opening manner so as to allow vertical movement).
Regarding claim 4, Ono discloses the chip package of claim 1, wherein the first guide and the second guide are disposed outward of the stiffener frame (Fig. 17, where any of the guides are all disposed outside the stiffener frame).
Regarding claim 5, Ono discloses the chip package of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first guide and the second guide is configured to contact two adjacent wall surfaces of the stiffener frame (Para. 135, “Accordingly, the rib 84 is allowed to come into contact with the upper part 21A of the outer frame 21 thus closing the opening 16 with the lid part 81.”)
Regarding claim 6, Ono discloses the chip package of claim 1, further comprising a third guide extending from the bottom side of the lid, wherein the first guide, second guide, and the third guide are configured to contact different wall surfaces of the stiffener frame (Each of the guides [a different side rib 84] contacts a different side of the stiffener frame, up to 4).
Regarding claim 26, Ono discloses a chip package, comprising:
a substrate (11);
an integrated circuit (IC) die mounted on the substrate (Para. 5);
a stiffener frame (15) mounted on the substrate and circumscribing the IC die (Fig. 2, Showing the stiffener 15 mounted to substrate 11. Fig. 7, showing the stiffener going full around the outside the IC device), the stiffener frame having a plurality of interconnected walls defining an opening in the stiffener frame (Fig. 7, any of the areas in the center of the stiffener frame walls can be considered an opening); and
a lid (81) having a bottom side facing a top surface of the IC die (Fig. 17, Where the bottom of the lid faces the device), the lid having at least a first guide (84) and a second guide (84) extending from the bottom side of the lid (any one side of ribs 84 can be considered a first side any other can be considered a second side), the first guide disposed inward or outward of the stiffener frame, the first guide having a side facing one of an outer wall surface or an inner wall surface of the stiffener frame (Fig. 17, where the first guide [any side rib 84] is disposed outside the stiffener 15, and the guide 84 is facing an outer wall of stiffener 15), the first and second guides limiting lateral movement of the lid relative to the stiffener frame, the first and second guides allowing floating vertical movement of the lid relative to the stiffener frame and the IC die (Fig. 17, and Para 143, where the ribs are shaped in a manner as to taper in a gradually opening manner so as to allow vertical movement).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15-19 allowed.
Claims 2-3, 7-14, 24-25 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 15, Ono discloses a chip package, comprising:
a substrate (11);
an integrated circuit (IC) die mounted on the substrate (Para. 5);
a stiffener frame mounted on the substrate and having a plurality of interconnected walls circumscribing the IC die; and
a stiffener frame (15) mounted on the substrate and circumscribing the IC die (Fig. 2, Showing the stiffener 15 mounted to substrate 11. Fig. 7, showing the stiffener going full around the outside the IC device); and
a lid having a bottom side facing a top surface of the IC die (Fig. 17, Where the bottom of the lid faces the device), the lid having at least a first guide (84) and a second guide (84) extending from the bottom side of the lid (any one side of ribs 84 can be considered a first side any other can be considered a second side), the first guide disposed inward or outward of the stiffener frame (Fig. 17, where the first guide [any side rib 84] is disposed outside the stiffener 15, and the guide 84 is facing an outer wall of stiffener 15), the first guide and the second guide positioned to limit lateral movement of the lid relative to the stiffener frame in two directions while allowing floating vertical movement of the lid relative to the stiffener frame and the IC die (Fig. 17, and Para 143, where the ribs are shaped in a manner as to taper in a gradually opening manner so as to allow vertical movement);
However, Ono fails to disclose that there is thermal interface material (TIM) disposed in contact with the bottom side of the lid and the IC die. Instead, Ono chooses to fill the package with resin material. Furthermore, it doesn’t make sense to make any combination that would replace the resin with a TIM or other thermally conductive material as there is no suggestion that the lid is designed to make heat transfer through the lid a priority function in the Ono reference, unlike what is disclosed in the instant application.
Furthermore, for dependent claims that require alteration of the lid such as adding a heatsink or spring-loaded fasteners, doesn’t make sense to combine with the Ono reference as the lid in the Ono reference is just that, a unique lid, but not one made to also act as a heat transfer interface.
In general, is appears as though the concept of most prior art teach away from the instant application as it is not to have both a floating lid and a stiffener frame. Most prior art appears to use a single piece to be both the stiffener frame and the lid. Furthermore, when the lid and the stiffener frame are separate pieces, the lid is typically intentionally made to prevent vertical movement as the general purpose of the lid is prevent unwanted detachment from the frame. Its for at least the reasons stated above that it is believed that at least independent claims 15, and several dependent claims that depend from claim 1 contain allowable subject matter.
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 DANIEL J HIBBERT whose telephone number is (703)756-1562. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8am-5pm EST.
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/DANIEL J HIBBERT/Examiner, Art Unit 2899
/ZANDRA V SMITH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2899
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