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 .
This communication is in response to the claim’s amendment dated 3/12/2026.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments regarding previous 112(b) rejection of claim 5 have been fully considered and they are persuasive.
The previous 112(a) rejection has been overcome.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-3, 5 and 16-18 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of YOON et al. U.S. Pub. 2021/0029855.
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.
Claims 1-3, 5 and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Alcoe et al. U.S. Patent 5,786,635 in view of YOON et al. U.S. Pub. 2021/0029855 and in further view of Ji et al. U.S. Patent 9,939,596.
Regarding claim 1, Alcoe et al. teaches a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly comprising:
a first circuit board (12; figure 3);
an electronic component (18; figure 3) provided on the first circuit board;
a thermal module (22 + 23; figure 3) configured to absorb heat from the electronic component (18); and
a pressurizing structure (58 + 68; figure 3) configured to apply a pre-load (by 58 + 68; see paragraph bridging columns 8-9) to the thermal module (22 + 23) in a direction (downward direction) toward the electronic component (18), wherein the pressurizing structure (58 + 68) is supported by the first circuit board (12; figure 1A) or an external structure by at least one securing member (62; figure 3).
However, Alcoe et al. does not specifically teach wherein the pressurizing structure extends continuously across the first circuit board and between the thermal module and the electronic component.
YOON et al. teaches a similar structure (see figure 6), comprising a pressurizing structure (393; figure 3) extends continuously across a circuit board (340; figure 3).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to substitute the entire pressurizing structure (58 + 68; figure 3) of Alcoe et al. with the pressuring structure (393; figure 6) of YOON et al. such that the pressurizing structure would extend continuously across the first circuit board and between the thermal module and the electronic component, for the ease of part assembly.
However, Alcoe et al. does not teach a second circuit board connected to the first circuit board;
wherein the pressurizing structure is separated from the second circuit board.
Ji et al. teaches a PCB assembly (1000; figure 1), which suggests a second circuit board (502; figure 1) connected to the first circuit board, at an end of a first circuit board (102; figure 1).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to further provide a second circuit board connected to an end of the first circuit board of Alcoe et al./YOON et al., as suggested by Ji et al., for data transmission to an external device; such that the pressurizing structure would be separated from the second circuit board.
Regarding claim 2, Alcoe et al. in view of YOON et al. and Ji et al. teaches the PCB assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one securing member (62; figure 3 of Alcoe et al.) penetrates the first circuit board (12).
Regarding claim 3, Alcoe et al. in view of YOON et al. and Ji et al. teaches the PCB assembly of claim 1, wherein the pressurizing structure (58 + 68; figure 3 of Alcoe et al.) comprises a plate-shaped elastic body (see paragraph bridging columns 8-9 of Alcoe et al.), wherein a first surface (upper surface of 68; figure 3 of Alcoe et al.) of the pressurizing structure is connected to the thermal module (22 + 23 of Alcoe et al.), and wherein a second surface (lower surface of 68 of Alcoe et al.) of the pressurizing structure that is opposite (see figure 3 of Alcoe et al.) to the first surface is connected (indirectly connected) to the electronic component (18 of Alcoe et al.).
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Regarding claim 5, Alcoe et al. in view of YOON et al. and Ji et al. also teaches the PCB assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
a first securing member (see above annotated figure 3) supported by the external structure (the Examiner interprets “the external structure” to be whichever surface the assembly 10’ is positioned on. Note: “the external structure” limitation in claim 1 is an alternate);
a second securing member (62; figure 3 of Alcoe et al.) provided on the first circuit board (12 Alcoe et al.) and configured to secure the first circuit board (12 Alcoe et al.) to the first securing member;
a third securing member (see above annotated figure 3 of Alcoe et al.) supported by the external structure and penetrating (see figure 3) the first circuit board; and
a fourth securing member (60; figure 3 of Alcoe et al.) provided on the pressurizing structure (58 + 68; figure 3 of Alcoe et al.) and securing the pressurizing structure to the third securing member (see above annotated figure 3 of Alcoe et al.).
Regarding claim 16, Alcoe et al. teaches a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly comprising:
a first circuit board (12; figure 3);
an electronic component (18; figure 3) provided on the first circuit board (12);
a thermal module (22 + 23; figure 3) configured to absorb heat from the electronic component (18); and
a pressurizing structure (58 + 68; figure 3) provided between the thermal module (22 + 23) and the electronic component (18) and configured to apply a pre-load (by 58 + 68; see paragraph bridging columns 8-9) to the thermal module in a direction (downward direction) toward the electronic component;
wherein the pressurizing structure (58 + 68) is supported by the first circuit board (12; figure 1A) or an external structure by at least one securing member (62; figure 3)
However, Alcoe et al. does not specifically teach wherein the pressurizing structure extends continuously across the first circuit board and between the thermal module and the electronic component.
YOON et al. teaches a similar structure (see figure 6), comprising a pressurizing structure (393; figure 3) extends continuously across a circuit board (340; figure 3).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to substitute the entire pressurizing structure (58 + 68; figure 3) of Alcoe et al. with the pressuring structure (393; figure 6) of YOON et al. such that the pressurizing structure would extend continuously across the first circuit board and between the thermal module and the electronic component, for the ease of part assembly.
However, Alcoe et al. does not teach a second circuit board connected to the first circuit board;
wherein the pressurizing structure (58 + 68) is separated from the second circuit board.
Ji et al. teaches a PCB assembly (1000; figure 1), which suggests a second circuit board (502; figure 1) connected to the first circuit board, at an end of a first circuit board (102; figure 1).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to further provide a second circuit board connected to an end of the first circuit board of Alcoe et al., as suggested by Ji et al., for data transmission to an external device; such that the pressurizing structure (58 + 68) would be separated from the second circuit board and would be supported by an external structure (the Examiner interprets “the external structure” to be whichever surface the assembly 10’ is positioned on) by penetrating (see figure 3 of Alcoe et al.) the first circuit board.
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Regarding claim 17, Alcoe et al. in view of YOON et al. and Ji et al. teaches the PCB assembly of claim 16, further comprising:
a first securing member (see above annotated figure 3 of Alcoe et al.) supported by the external structure;
a second securing member (62; figure 3 of Alcoe et al.) provided on the first circuit board and securing the first circuit board to the first securing member; and
a third securing member(see above annotated figure 3) penetrating the pressurizing structure (58 + 68; figure 3 of Alcoe et al.) and the second securing member, the third securing member securing the pressurizing structure to the first securing member.
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Regarding claim 18, Alcoe et al. in view of YOON et al. and Ji et al. teaches the PCB assembly of claim 16, further comprising:
a first securing member (see above annotated figure 3) supported by the external structure (the Examiner interprets “the external structure” to be whichever surface the assembly 10’ is positioned on);
a second securing member (62; figure 3 of Alcoe et al.) provided on the first circuit board and securing the first circuit board (12 of Alcoe et al.) to the first securing member (see above annotated figure 3);
a third securing member (see above annotated figure 3) provided on the first circuit board (12) and supported by the first circuit board; and
a fourth securing member (60; figure 3 of Alcoe et al.) provided on the pressurizing structure (58 + 68; figure 3 of Alcoe et al.) and securing the pressurizing structure to the third securing member (see above annotated figure 3).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HUNG Q DANG whose telephone number is (571)272-3069. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10-6PM..
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, Imani N Hayman can be reached at 571-270-5528. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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HUNG Q. DANG
Examiner
Art Unit 2835
/IMANI N HAYMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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