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 Objections
Claim 3 is objected to because following change needs to be made: “the at least one baseplate cooling channel” in line 5. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-4, 9, 11-14, 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Singh (GB 2,526,171 – see attached reference).Re claim 1: Singh discloses A thermal management system (everything in fig. 2), comprising: a baseplate assembly (132, 11, 134 in fig. 2) including a baseplate (134 in fig. 2) defining an upper baseplate surface (upper surface of 102 in fig. 2) and a semiconductor die (20 in fig. 1; 1st para. of page 5) defining an upper semiconductor surface (upper surface of 20 in fig. 1), the semiconductor die being arranged on the baseplate such that the upper semiconductor surface is spaced apart from the upper baseplate surface (fig. 2); and a flow system (all of the tubing in fig. 10 along with, 118, 116, 122, 120 in fig. 3) including a first flow path (flow path that extends from 116 to 118 in fig. 3) extending over and in thermal contact with the semiconductor die (fig. 2) and a second flow path (flow path that extends from 120 to 122 in fig. 2) in thermal contact with the baseplate (fig. 2), the flow system including a fluid flowing through the first flow path and the second flow path (fluid that flows through the tubes of fig. 10), wherein the flow system is configured to direct the fluid over the semiconductor die via the first flow path and to the baseplate via the second flow path so as to transfer heat away from the semiconductor die and from the baseplate so as to cool the baseplate assembly (fig. 10).Re claim 2: Singh discloses wherein the first flow path is defined by at least one surface inlet channel (116 in fig. 10) that directs the fluid onto the semiconductor die (fig. 2) and at least one surface outlet channel (118 in fig. 10) that receives the fluid from the semiconductor die and directs the fluid away from the semiconductor die (fig. 2).Re claim 3: Singh discloses wherein the second flow path is defined by at least one baseplate inlet channel (120 in fig. 2) that directs the fluid into thermal contact with the baseplate (fig. 2), at least one baseplate cooling channel that directs the fluid over or through the baseplate (channel within 102 in fig. 2), and at least one baseplate outlet channel (122 in fig. 2) that receives the fluid from the at least one baseplates cooling channel and directs the fluid away from the baseplate (fig. 2).Re claim 4: Singh discloses wherein the flow system further includes a common surface outlet channel (944 in fig. 10) fluidically connected to the at least one surface outlet channel (118 in fig. 10) and to the at least one baseplate inlet channel (120 in fig. 10) such that the fluid is configured to flow from the at least one surface outlet channel to the at least one baseplate inlet channel (fig. 10) so as to define a single continuous flow path from the first flow path to the second flow path (fig. 10).
Re claim 9: Singh discloses wherein the semiconductor die is a field effect transistor die (last para. of page 13) and is directly exposed to the fluid (fig. 2). Re claim 11: Singh discloses wherein the fluid includes a first fluid (fluid in 100 in fig. 3) and a second fluid (fluid in 102 in fig. 3), wherein the flow system further includes a surface inlet supply channel (116 in fig. 3) configured to supply the first fluid to the first flow path (fig. 3) and a baseplate inlet supply channel (120 in fig. 3) configured to supply the second fluid to the second flow path (fig. 3), and wherein the first flow path is not in fluidic communication with the second flow path (fig. 3).Re claim 12: Singh discloses wherein the first fluid is different than the second fluid (these two fluids have different shapes since they’re in different containers in fig. 3).Re claim 13: Singh discloses A thermal management system (everything in fig. 2), comprising: a baseplate assembly (132, 11, 134 in fig. 2) including a baseplate (134 in fig. 2) and a semiconductor die (20 in fig. 1; 1st para. of page 5); and a flow system (all of the tubing in fig. 10 along with, 118, 116, 122, 120 in fig. 3) in thermal contact with the baseplate and the semiconductor die (fig. 2) and including a fluid configured to flow through the flow system (fluid that flows through the tubes of fig. 10), wherein the flow system is configured to direct the fluid over the semiconductor die and to the baseplate so as to transfer heat away from the semiconductor die and from the baseplate so as to cool the baseplate assembly (fig. 10).Re claim 14: Singh discloses wherein the baseplate is a low thermal impedance baseplate (106 is made of metal in fig. 2).Re claim 16: Singh discloses wherein the flow system includes a single continuous flow path that extends over and is in thermal contact with the semiconductor die and that is in thermal contact with the low thermal impedance baseplate (fig. 10 has a single continuous flow path that extends over and is in thermal contact with 20 in fig. 1 and 134 in fig. 2).Re claim 17: Singh discloses wherein the flow system has at least two flow paths (top and bottom flow paths in fig. 3), the at least two flow paths including a first flow path (top flow path in fig. 3) that extends over and is in thermal contact with the semiconductor die (fig. 2) and a second flow path (bottom flow path in fig. 3) that is in thermal contact with the low thermal impedance baseplate (fig. 2).Re claim 18: Singh discloses wherein the fluid includes a first fluid flowing through the first flow path (top fluid in fig. 3) and a second fluid flowing through the second flow path (bottom fluid in fig. 3), and wherein the first fluid is different than the second fluid (these two fluids have different shapes since they’re in different containers in fig. 3).Re claim 19: Singh discloses wherein
A method, comprising: providing a baseplate assembly (132, 11, 134 in fig. 2) including a baseplate (134 in fig. 2) defining an upper baseplate surface (upper surface of 102 in fig. 2) and a semiconductor die (20 in fig. 1; 1st para. of page 5) defining an upper semiconductor surface (upper surface of 20 in fig. 1);
arranging the semiconductor die on the baseplate such that the upper semiconductor surface is spaced apart from the upper baseplate surface (fig. 2);
providing a flow system (all of the tubing in fig. 10 along with, 118, 116, 122, 120 in fig. 3) including a first flow path (flow path that extends from 116 to 118 in fig. 3) extending over and in thermal contact with the semiconductor die (fig. 2) and a second flow path (flow path that extends from 120 to 122 in fig. 2) in thermal contact with the baseplate (fig. 2), the flow system including a fluid flowing through the first flow path and the second flow path (fluid that flows through the tubes of fig. 10); and
directing the fluid over the semiconductor die via the first flow path and to the baseplate via the second flow path so as to transfer heat away from the semiconductor die and from the baseplate so as to cool the baseplate assembly (fig. 10).Re claim 20: Singh discloses wherein the first flow path is defined by at least one surface inlet channel (116 in fig. 3) that directs the fluid onto the semiconductor die and at least one surface outlet channel (118 in fig. 3) that receives the fluid from the semiconductor die and directs the fluid away from the semiconductor die (fig. 3), wherein the second flow path is defined by at least one baseplate inlet channel that directs the fluid into thermal contact with the baseplate (fig. 2), at least one baseplate cooling channel that directs the fluid over or through the baseplate (fig. 2), and at least one baseplate outlet channel that receives the fluid from the at least one baseplates cooling channel and directs the fluid away from the baseplate (122 receives fluid from the channel within 102 and directs fluid away in fig. 2), and wherein the flow system further includes a common surface outlet channel (944 in fig. 10) fluidically connected to the at least one surface outlet channel (118 in fig. 10) and to the at least one baseplate inlet channel (120 in fig. 10) such that the fluid is configured to flow from the at least one surface outlet channel to the at least one baseplate inlet channel so as to define a single continuous flow path from the first flow path to the second flow path (fig. 10).
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.
Claims 8, 10, 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Singh (GB 2,526,171).
Re claim 8: Singh discloses wherein the baseplate is a low thermal impedance baseplate (106 is made of metal in fig. 2) and the fluid is a dielectric refrigerant. Singh does not explicitly disclose the fluid is a dielectric refrigerant. However, it would obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the thermal management system of Singh wherein the fluid is a dielectric refrigerant, in order to safely and efficiently cool the semiconductors dies, 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 intended use as a matter of obvious engineering choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.Re claim 10: Singh does not explicitly disclose wherein the fluid is a hydrofluorocarbon refrigerant. However, it would obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the thermal management system of Singh wherein the fluid is a hydrofluorocarbon refrigerant, in order to safely and efficiently cool the semiconductors dies, 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 intended use as a matter of obvious engineering choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.Re claim 15: Singh does not explicitly disclose wherein the fluid is a dielectric refrigerant. However, it would obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the thermal management system of Singh wherein the fluid is a dielectric refrigerant, in order to safely and efficiently cool the semiconductors dies, 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 intended use as a matter of obvious engineering choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
Claims 5, 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Singh (GB 2,526,171) in view of Parida (US 2019/0348345).Re claim 5: Singh does not explicitly disclose wherein the flow system is configured to control a flow of the fluid over the semiconductor die such that, in a first operational mode, the fluid flows continuously and unimpeded over the upper semiconductor surface. Parida discloses wherein the flow system is configured to control a flow of the fluid over the semiconductor die such that, in a first operational mode, the fluid flows continuously and unimpeded over the upper semiconductor surface (mode that utilizes convection in para. 0026). Thus 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 thermal management system of Singh wherein the flow system is configured to control a flow of the fluid over the semiconductor die such that, in a first operational mode, the fluid flows continuously and unimpeded over the upper semiconductor surface as taught by Parida, in order to increase continuously remove heat from the semiconductor die.Re claim 6: Singh discloses wherein the flow system is configured to control a flow of the fluid over the semiconductor die such that, in a second operational mode, the fluid is directed onto the upper semiconductor surface and then remains on the upper semiconductor surface for a predetermined period of time such that the fluid boils. Parida discloses wherein the flow system is configured to control a flow of the fluid over the semiconductor die such that, in a second operational mode, the fluid is directed onto the upper semiconductor surface and then remains on the upper semiconductor surface for a predetermined period of time such that the fluid boils (mode that utilizes boiling in para. 0026). Thus 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 thermal management system of Singh wherein the flow system is configured to control a flow of the fluid over the semiconductor die such that, in a second operational mode, the fluid is directed onto the upper semiconductor surface and then remains on the upper semiconductor surface for a predetermined period of time such that the fluid boils as taught by Parida, in order to remove a large amount of heat from the semiconductor die.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Singh (GB 2,526,171) in view of Joshi (US 2017/0094837).Re claim 7:
Singh does not explicitly disclose wherein the flow system further includes at least one heat transfer enhancement arranged on the upper semiconductor surface, wherein the at least one heat transfer enhancement includes at least one of microchannels, a porous foam material, or a pin fin array, and wherein the at least one surface inlet channel directs the fluid through the at least one heat transfer enhancement. Joshi discloses wherein the flow system (inlet and outlet and internal channel in fig. 2) further includes at least one heat transfer enhancement (143 in fig. 2) arranged on the upper semiconductor surface (top of 150 in fig. 5B), wherein the at least one heat transfer enhancement includes at least one of microchannels, a porous foam material, or a pin fin array (143 in fig. 2, 5A), and wherein the at least one surface inlet channel (115 in fig. 2) directs the fluid through the at least one heat transfer enhancement (para. 0061). Thus 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 thermal management system of Singh wherein the flow system further includes at least one heat transfer enhancement arranged on the upper semiconductor surface, wherein the at least one heat transfer enhancement includes at least one of microchannels, a porous foam material, or a pin fin array, and wherein the at least one surface inlet channel directs the fluid through the at least one heat transfer enhancement as taught by Joshi, in order to be able to remove more heat from the semiconductor die.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 2005/0276014 – is considered pertinent because this reference describes a thermal management arrangement with a low heat flux channel flow coupled to high heat flux channels.
US 2006/0026970 – is considered pertinent because this reference describes a spray cooling system for transverse thin-film evaporative spray cooling.
US 5,565,705 – is considered pertinent because this reference describes an electronic module for removing heat from a semiconductor die.
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/ZHENGFU J FENG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2835 February 21, 2026