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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been received / retrieved and recorded.
Claim Objections
Claims 3-6 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 3, “a adhesive” may be - - an adhesive - -, line 3.
Claims 4-6 depend upon claim 3 and inherit the same deficiency.
Further, regarding claim 4, “PI” used in the claim for the first time should be fully spelled.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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(s) 1-3 and 5-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by Yan-Iu (CN1065610170A).
Regarding claim 1, Yan-Iu, figure 9, discloses a flexible printed circuit comprising: a substrate layer (21), a line layer (40) fixed to the substrate layer and two protective layers (51, 52) wrapped on both sides of the substrate layer to cover the line layer, wherein, the line layer is embedded in the substrate layer (see figure) and the surface of the line layer is flush with the surface of the substrate layer (see figure).
Regarding claim 2, Yan-Iu further discloses wherein the substrate layer is a light-sensitive overlay film (photosensitive resin 21).
Regarding claim 3, Yan-Iu further discloses wherein the protective layer includes an insulating layer located on one side of the substrate layer, and an adhesive layer fixed between the insulating layer and the substrate layer and connecting the insulating layer and the substrate layer as one (adhesive layer 511, 521).
Regarding claim 5, Yan-Iu further discloses wherein the surface of the insulating layer on a side away from the substrate layer is a flat plane (see figure).
Regarding claim 6, Yan-Iu further discloses wherein the adhesive layer is fully laminated to the substrate layer and the line layer (see figure).
Regarding claim 7, Yan-Iu further discloses wherein the substrate layer has a cavity through the substrate layer, the line layer being completely filled within the cavity (see figure).
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.
Claim(s) 4 and 8 are is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yan-Iu, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kapusta (US 2019/0043802), and Happoya (US 2016/0143150).
Regarding claim 3, Yan-Iu does not disclose wherein the material of the insulating layer is PI material.
Kapusta, discloses a board with flexible polyimide material (paragraph 0050).
Happoya, discloses a board with base film made of flexible polyimide material (paragraph 0025).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing date of the application to provide the flexible circuit of Yan-Iu with the insulating material formed of flexible polyimide material.
Additionally, 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, 227 F.2d 197, USPQ 416 (CCPA 1960).
Regarding claim 8, Yan-Iu, though, discloses circuit line formed by electroplating, does not explicitly the material is copper.
Kapusta, discloses a circuit board formed of electroplated copper (paragraph 0065).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing date of the application to provide the flexible circuit of Yan-Iu with the line layer being copper, as taught by Kapusta, in order to have enhance conductivity.
Additionally, 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, 227 F.2d 197, USPQ 416 (CCPA 1960).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Echigo (US 6,274,821), figure 1, discloses a circuit board with a substrate (L2R), a line layer (6), and protective layers (L1i and L2i), including the line layer embedded in the substrate layer and the surface of the line layer is flush with the surface of the substrate layer.
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/ISHWARBHAI B PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
IBP / April 24, 2025