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 I, claims 1-10, in the reply filed on 12/23/2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 11-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 12-23-2025.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed 7/27/2023 has been fully considered. AN initialed copy of said IDS is enclosed herein.
Drawings
The drawings filed 7/27/2023 are accepted.
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.
Claim(s) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Evans et al (US 2022/0034218) in view of Nakamura (US 20090012232).
Evans teaches a downhole tool (abstract) comprising a drill string (herein understood to read on the claimed ”drilling assembly”), a sensor apparatus secured to the drilling assembly (abstract). The sensor apparatus comprises one or more sensors coupled to a circuit board (abstract).
Evans is relied upon as above but does not teach at least a portion of a surface of the circuit board is covered with a coating made of an epoxy resin composition comprising one or more benzene rings. However, Nakamura teaches an epoxy resin composition comprising one or more benzene rings (see formulas 7-10) may be utilized to encapsulate electronic components such as circuit boards (0139). Said compositions provide provides favorable reflow crack resistance, high-temperature storage properties, and excellent reliability (0025). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to encapsulate the circuit board of Evans with the benzene ring containing epoxy encapsulation composition disclosed in Nakamura in order to provide the board with favorable reflow crack resistance, high-temperature storage properties, and excellent reliability. Said epoxy resin also offer a favorable balance over a wide range of properties, including moldability, electrical properties, moisture resistance, heat resistance, mechanical properties, and the level of adhesion to inserts (0002).
With regards to claim 2, the epoxy resin of the prior art is compositionally identical to applicant’s preferred epoxy resin of claim 10. Thus, said epoxy resin is understood to be “configured to prevent permeation of helium or hydrogen into the circuit board at least between -15°C and 230°C.”
With regards to claim 3, Nakamura teaches the circuit board comprises one or more electronic components mounted on the surface of the circuit board, and an outer surface of the one or more electronic components is covered with the coating made of the epoxy resin composition (0139).
With regards to claim 4, Nakamura teaches the epoxy resin composition comprises at least two benzene rings (see formulas).
With regards to claim 5, Nakamura teaches the epoxy resin composition comprises at least two ether groups (see formulas).
With regards to claim 6, Nakamura teaches each of the two ether groups is directly linked to a benzene ring (see formulas).
With regards to claims 7 and 8, Nakamura does not teach the claimed coating thickness. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to optimize the coating thickness of the coating composition through routine experimentation. Specifically, Nakamura teaches the encapsulation epoxy composition provides favorable reflow crack resistance, high-temperature storage properties, and excellent reliability (0025). Thus, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to optimize the coating thickness in order to ensure said properties are achieved.
With regards to claim 9, Nakamura teaches the epoxy resin composition comprises a curing agent (herein understood to read on the claimed “hardener component”) comprising at least one anhydride (103).
With regards to claim 10, Nakamura teaches the epoxy resin composition may comprise diglycidyl ethers of bisphenol A (0087)-herein understood to be synonymous with the claimed
bis-[4-(2,3-epoxipropoxi)phenyl]propane.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEVIN R KRUER whose telephone number is (571)272-1510. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Callie Shosho can be reached at (571) 272-1123. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KEVIN R KRUER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1787