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 .
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 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by WO2019/009172 A1, hereafter WO’172, 03/17/23 IDS) (US PG Pub 2020/0136344 A1 is used for citation purposes, 03/17/23 IDS).
Regarding claim 1, WO’172 discloses a laser module (1, FIG. 1, [0024]) including a laser element (40, FIG. 1, [0024]) that emits a laser beam, the laser module comprising:
a first block (60, FIG. 1, [0024]) that is electrically connected to a positive electrode of the laser element (60 is connected to a lower electrode of 40 which is a positive electrode, [0030]);
an insulation sheet (70, FIG. 1, [0024]) that is placed on the first block; and
a second block (61, FIG. 1, [0024]) that is placed above the first block with the insulation sheet interposed between the first block and the second block (70 is interposed between 60/61, FIG. 1), the second block being electrically connected to a negative electrode of the laser element (61 is connected to an upper electrode of 40 which is a negative electrode, [0030]),
wherein the first block includes a facing surface facing the second block serving as a first adherend surface (a top surface of 60 facing 61, FIG. 1), and the second block includes a facing surface facing the first block serving as a second adherend surface (a bottom surface of 61 facing 60, FIG. 1), and
the first block and the second block are bonded with an adhesive applied to the first adherend surface and the second adherend surface (“If insulating layer 70 is a resin sheet, insulating layer 70 is bonded to lower electrode block 60 using, for example, a binding material made of an organic material” and “The upper electrode block is fixed to insulating layer 70 using, for example, a binding material made of an organic material”, [0060]).
Claims 1 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by UEDA et al. (US PG Pub 2017/0301604 A1, 09/18/25 IDS).
Regarding claim 1, UEDA discloses a laser module (1, FIG. 1, [0029]) including a laser element (40, FIG. 1, [0029]) that emits a laser beam, the laser module comprising:
a first block (10, FIG. 1, [0029]) that is electrically connected to a positive electrode of the laser element (10 is connected to a positive electrode 41, [0033]);
an insulation sheet (30, FIG. 1, [0029]) that is placed on the first block; and
a second block (60, FIG. 1, [0029]) that is placed above the first block with the insulation sheet interposed between the first block and the second block (30 is interposed between 10/60, FIG. 1), the second block being electrically connected to a negative electrode of the laser element (60 is connected to a negative electrode 42, [0033]),
wherein the first block includes a facing surface facing the second block serving as a first adherend surface (a top surface of 10 facing 60, FIG. 1), and the second block includes a facing surface facing the first block serving as a second adherend surface (a bottom surface of 60 facing 10, FIG. 1), and
the first block and the second block are bonded with an adhesive applied to the first adherend surface and the second adherend surface (“the upper and lower blocks may be fixed using another adhesive,” [0076], the Examiner interprets the above teaching from UEDA to mean that additional adhesive is used between the bottom surface of 60 and the insulating layer 30 and between the top surface of 10 and the insulating layer to secure the electrode blocks).
Regarding claim 5, UEDA discloses at least one of the first adherend surface and the second adherend surface includes a recess (the top surface of 10 include connection holes 13, FIG. 2, [0040]).
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.
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.
Claims 2, 3 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over UEDA et al.
Regarding claim 2, UEDA has disclosed the laser module outlined in the rejection to claim 1 above and further discloses the insulation sheet includes an opening hole penetrating in a thickness direction (the insulating layer 31 includes opening holes corresponding to connection holes 12/13, FIG. 4) except the adhesive is applied to an application space surrounded by the first adherend surface of the first block, the second adherend surface of the second block, and a periphery of the opening hole of the insulation sheet. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to place the adhesive at an application space surrounded by the first adherend surface of the first block, the second adherend surface of the second block, and a periphery of the opening hole of the insulation sheet in order to maximize adhesion between the upper and lower electrode blocks, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Regarding claim 3, UEDA, as modified, discloses the insulation sheet includes a continuous passage (the opening holes of the insulating layer 31 connecting to the application space surrounding the opening holes, FIG. 4) connected to an inside and an outside of the application space.
Regarding claim 7, UEDA has disclosed the laser module outlined in the rejection to claim 1 above except the adhesive has higher thermal conductivity than the insulation sheet. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the adhesive with a material having higher thermal conductivity than the insulation sheet in order to maximize heat removal, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 and 6 are 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Liu (US PG Pub 2014/0204968 A1) discloses a laser module including a semiconductor laser chip comprising upper and lower electrode blocks and an insulation sheet interposed therebetween (see FIG. 1).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YUANDA ZHANG whose telephone number is (571)270-1439. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10:30 AM - 6:30 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, MINSUN HARVEY can be reached at (571)272-1835. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/YUANDA ZHANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2828