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
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group II (claims 11-17, and new claims 21-30) in the reply filed on 1/5/2026 is acknowledged. Applicant made an error in the Remarks filed 1/5/2026 stating Group II encompasses claims 18-20. As discussed in the Restriction Requirement mailed 11/6/2025, Group III includes claims 18-20. Therefore, claims 18-20 are not elected and not examined below.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the
“third curved surface opposite to the first curved surface, wherein the third curved surface defines a second recess recessed from the first upper surface” of claim 27;
“fourth curved surface connected to the first curved surface and defining a bowl shape structure to accommodate an electronic component, wherein the first lead includes a neck portion between the third curved surface and the fourth curved surface to connect a horizontal portion and a vertical portion of the first lead” of claim 28.
must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Paragraph [0056] of the specification, as published, reads:
As shown in FIG. 1D, an area of the upper surface 14a1 of the tie bar 14 may be less than an area of the upper surface 12a1 of the lead 12. In particular, a width W21 of the upper surface 14a1 of the tie bar 14 may be less than a width W11 of the upper surface 12a1 of the lead 12 in a cross-sectional view…Thus, the area (or width) of the upper surface 14a1 of the tie bar 14 is designed to be larger than that of the upper surface 12a1 of the lead 12...
Claim 11 recites:
…wherein an area of the first upper surface of the connecting element is less than an area of the first upper surface of the first lead.
The first sentence in paragraph [0056] appears to support the features in claim 11, but the other sentence that describes “larger than” does not support the features recited in claim 11.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim 27, 28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, because the specification, while being enabling for
a first lead having a first curved surface 12s1 and a second curved surface 12s2, does not reasonably provide enablement for “a third curved surface opposite to the first curved surface, wherein the third curved surface defines a second recess recessed from the first upper surface” (claim 27);
a first lead having a first curved surface 12s1 and a second curved surface 12s2, does not reasonably provide enablement for “a fourth curved surface connected to the first curved surface and defining a bowl shape structure to accommodate an electronic component” (claim 28).
The specification does not enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and/or use the invention commensurate in scope with these claims. Examiner suggests deleting non-enabling portion of these claims.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 11-17, 22, 25-30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2024/0105537 (Shibuya) in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2024/0055331 (Nguyen).
Shibuya discloses (Fig. 1A)
11. (Original) An electronic device, comprising:
an encapsulant 108; and
a conductive structure encapsulated by the encapsulant and comprising:
a carrier 109;
a connecting element 112 supporting the carrier 109 and having a first upper surface 113 exposed from the encapsulant 108; and
a first lead 107 spaced apart from the connecting element 112 and having a first upper surface (unlabeled) exposed from the encapsulant 108.
Shibuya fails to disclose
wherein an area of the first upper surface of the connecting element is less than an area of the first upper surface of the first lead.
Nguyen teaches (Fig. 5)
An electronic device:
wherein an area of the first upper surface of the connecting element 214 is less than an area of the first upper surface of the first lead 218.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide an area of the first upper surface of the connecting element less than an area of the first upper surface of the first lead in Shibuya. The motivation would be so that short circuits between the connecting element and the first lead are reduced as taught by Nguyen (column 6, lines 1-21).
Shibuya discloses
12. (Original) The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the connecting element 112 directly contacts the carrier 109, and the first lead 107 is spaced apart from the carrier 109.
Nguyen teaches
13. (Original) The electronic device of claim 11, wherein a width of the first upper surface of the connecting element 214 is less than a width of the first upper surface of the first lead 218 in a cross-sectional view.
Nguyen teaches
14. (Original) The electronic device of claim 11, further comprising a second lead 218 adjacent to the first lead 218, wherein the first upper surface of the connecting element 214 is between the first lead 218 and the second lead 218.
Nguyen teaches (Figs. 7-11)
15. (Original) The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the connecting element 214 has a bottom surface opposite to the first upper surface of the connecting element 214 and exposed by the encapsulant 204, and an area of the bottom surface is greater than the area of the first upper surface of the connecting element 214.
Nguyen teaches (Figs. 7-11)
16. (Original) The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the connecting element 214 has a first edge and a second edge, and the first edge and the second edge overlap the bottom surface of the connecting element 214 in a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface.
Nguyen teaches (Fig. 5)
17. (Original) The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the connecting element 214 has a second upper surface covered by the encapsulant 204, a first side extending from the first edge to the second upper surface, and a second side extending from the second edge to the second upper surface, and wherein the first side is non-parallel with the second side.
Nguyen teaches (Fig. 1C, [0029]-[0030])
22. (New) The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the connecting element 214 further has a second upper surface covered by the encapsulant 108 and a first latch structure extending from the first upper surface toward the second upper surface.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a first latch structure in Shibuya. The motivation would be to mitigate molded material delamination as taught by Nguyen ([0030]).
Nguyen teaches
25. (New) The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the first side and the second side define a recess of the connecting element 214 having a depth in a direction perpendicular to a top surface of the carrier 110, wherein the depth is greater than a height of the carrier 110.
Shibuya discloses
26. (New) The electronic device of claim 25, wherein the first lead 107 includes a plurality of recesses (top and bottom) recessed from the first upper surface having different depths shorter than the depth of the recess of the connecting element 112.
The combination of references teaches, to the extent taught and understood, (first and second curved surfaces defining first and second recesses)
27. (New) The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the first lead further has a third curved surface opposite to the first curved surface, wherein the third curved surface defines a second recess recessed from the first upper surface, and wherein the second recess is spaced apart from the first recess by a portion of the first lead and a depth of the second recess is larger than a depth of the first recess.
The combination of references teaches, to the extent taught and understood, (first and second curved surfaces defining first and second recesses)
28. New) The electronic device of claim 27, wherein the first lead further has a fourth curved surface connected to the first curved surface and defining a bowl shape structure to accommodate an electronic component, wherein the first lead includes a neck portion between the third curved surface and the fourth curved surface to connect a horizontal portion and a vertical portion of the first lead.
Shibuya discloses (Fig. 1A)
29. (New) The electronic device of claim 11, wherein, in a top view, the connecting element 114 is located at a corner of the conductive structure 107 and the first lead 107 is located at a side of the conductive structure.
Shibuya discloses (Fig. 1A)
30. (New) The electronic device of claim 29, wherein, in the top view, the connecting element 114 is directly connected to the carrier 109 along a diagonal direction of the conductive structure and the first lead 107 is spaced apart from the carrier 109 along a direction perpendicular to the side of the conductive structure.
Claim(s) 21, 23, 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shibuya in view of Nguyen as applied to claims 14, 22 above, and further in view of U.S. Patent No. 6,847,099 (Bancod).
The combination of references fails to teach
21. (New) The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the first and second leads have a substantially triangular shape.
Bancod teaches (Figs. 2, 4)
An electronic device, comprising:
wherein the first and second leads 26, 28 have a substantially triangular shape.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide triangular leads in the modified device of Shibuya. The motivation would be to increase reliability such that the length of the lands defined by the bottom surfaces of the leads is maximized as a result of the formation of the corner leads as taught by Bancod (column 7, lines 9-28).
The combination of references fails to teach
23. (New) The electronic device of claim 22, wherein the connecting element has a second latch structure having a forked shape matching a corner of the carrier.
Bancod teaches (Figs. 2, 4)
An electronic device, comprising:
wherein the connecting element 24 has a second latch structure having a forked shape matching a corner of the carrier 22.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a forked connecting element in the modified device of Shibuya. The motivation would be to provide adequate clearance parameters as taught by Bancod (column 4, line 66 to column 5, line 19).
Bancod teaches
24. (New) The electronic device of claim 23, wherein the connecting element 24 is a tie bar configured to support the carrier 22 and an electronic component 40 attached to the carrier 22 before the encapsulant is formed (product-by-process language, see MPEP 2113), and wherein the first latch structure (Nguyen) and the second latch structure (Bancod) are in contact with the encapsulant to lock the connecting element and the encapsulant.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. U.S. Patent Nos. 7,045,396 (Crowley), 6,555,899 (Chung), 5,859,471 (Kuraishi), U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2022/0115303 (Chang), 2022/0020680 (Huang), 2021/0159155 (Hsu), 2016/0293452 (Ikura), 2009/0166822 (Camacho), 2002/0079561 (Yasunaga) teach an electronic device including exposed and bent leads and tie bars.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TERESA M ARROYO whose telephone number is (703)756-1576. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday (8:30 A.M. E.T. - 5:00 P.M. E.T.).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sue Purvis can be reached at 571.272.1236. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TERESA M. ARROYO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893