DETAILED ACTION
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 6/7/2023 is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: Semiconductor Module With Heat Sink
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 18, 20-22, and 24-36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 18, 22 and 32 all use the term “and/or”. Considering a claim may only describe one invention, it becomes unclear what exactly that invention would be (i.e. whether the invention includes both limitations preceding and following “and/or”, respectively, or whether the invention only includes one those limitations.
Furthermore, pertaining to claim 18, the limitation “wherein the metallic heat sink is connected to the substrate metallization of the second substrate in a materially bonded manner” does not appear to further limit claim 17, which recites “said main body [of the metallic heat sink] having a circumferential contact surface around the fin to establish a material-bonded connection with a substrate metallization of the second substrate”.
Claim 20 recites “the recess of the second substrate includes an edge metallization via which a material-bonded connection with the metallic heat sink is established”. This language is confusing, as the edge metallization does not facilitate material-bonded connection. Rather, it is one of two objects that is bonded.
Claim 24 recites the same limitation at the end of the claim.
Claims 28 and 29 recite the limitation “a semiconductor module”. However, this limitation is already recited in claims 17 and 24 on which they respectively depend. Without be preceded by “the” or “said”, it is not clear whether this is the same semiconductor module described in the independent claims.
Claim 31 uses the terms “semiconductor module” and “semiconductor element” (see lines 2, 4, 7, 9 and 17). Although they are different terms, they appear to be describing the same feature. Considering the device claims (e.g. claim 17) describe the semiconductor element, the first and second substrates, and the metallic heat sink as being parts of a semiconductor module (see preamble – “A semiconductor module, comprising …”), it appears that instances of the term “semiconductor module” in claim 31 should instead be “semiconductor element”. If that is not the case, then the limitation “the semiconductor element” as recited in claims 31, 32, 33 would lack antecedent basis.
Claim 36 also uses the terms “semiconductor module” and “semiconductor element”.
Claim 34 recites the limitation “establishing a material-bonded connection to the metallic heat sink via an edge metallization of the recess of the second substrate”. First, it is not clear what is meant by the term “edge metallization of the recess”, as the recess as disclosed does not have an edge metallization. Further, it is not clear what is meant by “establishing a material-bonded connection … via an edge metallization”. As disclosed, the edge metallization does not facilitate material-bonded connection. Rather, it is one of two objects that is bonded.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 17, 19, and 23 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The claimed device has features including a finned heat sink residing in a recess of a substrate. Prior art such as Wu et al. (US 10,811,332), Molla et al. (US 10,141,182), Lamorey et al. (US 9,209,141) and Lamorey et al. (US 9,059,127) all disclose inventions having this feature. However, whether alone or in combination, the prior art does not teach each and every limitation of claim 17, including first and second substrates, where the semiconductor element has a first side in contact with the first substrate in a planar manner and a second side facing away from the first side and in contact with the heat sink in a planar manner, wherein the fin of the heat sink is arranged in the recess of the second substrate and the main body of the heat sink has a circumferential contact surface around the fin to establish a material-bonded connection with a substrate metallization of the second substrate, wherein the circumferential contact surface is arranged on a side of the main body facing away from the semiconductor element. Thus, such subject matter is allowable.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL M LUKE whose telephone number is (571)270-1569. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, EST.
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, William Kraig can be reached at (571) 272-8660. 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.
/DANIEL LUKE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2896