DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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 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.
This Office Action is in response to Amendments/Remarks filed on April 13, 2026.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-5, and 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)(2) as being anticipated by JP-2010103222-A to Soyano (“Soyano”). As to claim 1, Soyano discloses a semiconductor apparatus, comprising: a semiconductor device (30, 31); an insulating substrate (20) including a circuit board (20c, 20d) that is electrically connected to the semiconductor device (30, 31); and a terminal member (52) having a main terminal (at insert-molded of 40) connectable to an external conductor and a connection terminal (at 52a, 52b) bonded to the circuit board (20c, 20d), wherein the connection terminal (at 52a, 52b) has at least one distal end portion (52a, 52b end) bonded to the circuit board (20c, 20d), a main body portion (52a, 52b, 60b, 62a end) that rises from the at least one distal end portion (52a, 52b end) and extends toward the main terminal (at insert-molded of 40), and a coupling portion (61b) that has a conductive property, the coupling portion (61b) being provided separately from the main body portion (52a, 52b, 60b, 62a end) and being coupled to the main body portion (52a, 52b, 60b, 62a end), the main body portion (52a, 52b, 60b, 62a end) having a main body coupling portion (52b) to which the coupling portion (61b) is coupled, and a cross-sectional area (XY plane in Fig. 1 (a) of 61b larger than 52b) of the coupling portion (61b) perpendicular to a direction in which a current flows in the coupling portion (61b) is larger than a cross-sectional area (XZ plane in Fig. 1 (b) of 52b) of the main body coupling portion (52b) perpendicular to a direction in which a current flows in the main body coupling portion (52b) (See Fig. 1, Page 3-Page 5) (Notes: the circuit board is met by the metal foils forming circuity connecting elements. Further, the limitation “portion” is defined as a part of any whole, either separated from or integrated with it, the limitation “bond” is defined as to connect or bind, and the limitation “couple” is defined as to bring (two electric circuits or circuit components) close enough to permit an exchange of electromagnetic energy by Dictionary.com, where no direct/physical bonding/coupling is required).
As to claim 2, Soyano further discloses wherein the at least one distal end portion (52a, 52b end) includes a plurality of distal end portions (52a, 52b end), and the main body portion (52a, 52b, 60b, 62a end) further includes a plurality of branch sections (vertical sections) respectively branching toward respective ones of the plurality of distal end portions (52a, 52b end) (See Fig. 1).
As to claim 4, Soyano further discloses wherein the coupling portion (61b) and the main body portion (52a, 52b, 60b, 62a end) each have a plate shape, a thickness (XY plane) of the coupling portion (61b) perpendicular to the direction in which the current flows in the coupling portion (61b) is larger than a thickness (at 52b) of the main body portion (52a, 52b, 60b, 62a end) perpendicular to a direction in which a current flows in the main body portion (52a, 52b, 60b, 62a end) (See Fig. 1).
As to claim 5, Soyano further discloses wherein the coupling portion (61b) is bonded to the circuit board (20c, 20d) (See Fig. 1). As to claim 7, Soyano discloses a semiconductor apparatus, comprising: a semiconductor device (30, 31); an insulating substrate (20) including a circuit board (20c, 20d) that is electrically connected to the semiconductor device (30, 31); and a terminal member (52) having a main terminal (at insert-molded of 40) connectable to an external conductor and a connection terminal (at 52a, 52b) bonded to the circuit board (20c, 20d), wherein the connection terminal (at 52a, 52b) has at least one distal end portion (52a, 52b end) bonded to the circuit board (20c, 20d), a main body portion (52a, 52b, 60b, 62a end) that rises from the at least one distal end portion (52a, 52b end) and extends toward the main terminal (at insert-molded of 40), and a coupling portion (61b) that has a conductive property, the coupling portion (61b) being bonded to the circuit board (20c, 20d) and being coupled to the main body portion (52a, 52b, 60b, 62a end), the main body portion (52a, 52b, 60b, 62a end) having a main body coupling portion (52b) to which the coupling portion (61b) is coupled; and a cross-sectional area (XY plane in Fig. 1 (a) of 61b larger than 52b) of the coupling portion (61b) perpendicular to a direction in which a current flows in the coupling portion (61b) is larger than a cross-sectional area (XZ plane in Fig. 1 (b) of 52b) of the main body coupling portion (52b) perpendicular to a direction in which a current flows in the main body coupling portion (52b) (See Fig. 1, Page 3-Page 5) (Notes: the circuit board is met by the metal foils forming circuity connecting elements. Further, the limitation “portion” is defined as a part of any whole, either separated from or integrated with it, the limitation “bond” is defined as to connect or bind, and the limitation “couple” is defined as to bring (two electric circuits or circuit components) close enough to permit an exchange of electromagnetic energy by Dictionary.com, where no direct/physical bonding/coupling is required). As to claim 8, Soyano discloses a semiconductor apparatus, comprising: a semiconductor device (30, 31); an insulating substrate (20) including a circuit board (20c, 20d) that is electrically connected to the semiconductor device (30, 31); and a terminal member (52) having a main terminal (at insert-molded of 40) connectable to an external conductor and a connection terminal (at 52a, 52b) bonded to the circuit board (20c, 20d), wherein the connection terminal (at 52a, 52b) has at least one distal end portion (52a, 52b end) bonded to the circuit board (20c, 20d), a main body portion (52a, 52b, 60b, 62a end) that rises from the at least one distal end portion (52a, 52b end) and extends toward the main terminal (at insert-molded of 40), and a coupling portion (61b) that has a conductive property and is coupled to the main body portion (52a, 52b, 60b, 62a end) by a weld section (Page 5), the main body portion (52a, 52b, 60b, 62a end) having a main body coupling portion (52b) to which the coupling portion (61b) is coupled; and a cross-sectional area (XY plane in Fig. 1 (a) of 61b larger than 52b) of the coupling portion (61b) perpendicular to a direction in which a current flows in the coupling portion (61b) is larger than a cross-sectional area (XZ plane in Fig. 1 (b) of 52b) of the main body coupling portion (52b) perpendicular to a direction in which a current flows in the main body coupling portion (52b) (See Fig. 1, Page 3-Page 5) (Notes: the circuit board is met by the metal foils forming circuity connecting elements. Further, the limitation “portion” is defined as a part of any whole, either separated from or integrated with it, the limitation “bond” is defined as to connect or bind, and the limitation “couple” is defined as to bring (two electric circuits or circuit components) close enough to permit an exchange of electromagnetic energy by Dictionary.com, where no direct/physical bonding/coupling is required).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to claim 1 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
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 DAVID CHEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7438. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 12-6.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, JOSHUA BENITEZ can be reached at (571) 270-1435. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAVID CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2815
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