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 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.
Claim(s) 11, 13 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yamaguchi (US 2015/0069601).
Regarding claim 11, Yamaguchi discloses, in at least figure 1 and related text, a power semiconductor module (100, [67], [70]) comprising:
a substrate (1, [68]) on which a conductive pattern (4, [68]) is formed;
a power terminal (8, [68]) coupled to the substrate and electrically connected to at least some of the patterns (4, [68]);
a semiconductor (7, [68]) installed on the substrate (1, [68]) and electrically connected to at least some of the patterns (4, [68]) and the power terminal (8, [68]);
a molding part (10, [68]) covering the semiconductor (7, [68]) and the substrate (1, [68]); and
a heat dissipation member (6, [68]) provided under the substrate (1, [68]) to cool the substrate (1, [68]),
wherein the molding part (10, [68]) includes:
a body part (portion of 10 on substrate, 1, figure) covering the semiconductor (7, [68]), the substrate (1, [68]), and a portion of the power terminal (8, [68]); and
a cover part (portion of 10 on metallic base plate, 6, figure) provided to extend to an outside of the body part (portion of 10 on substrate, 1, figure) by a predetermined length so that a lower area of the molding part (10, [68]) is larger than an upper area of the heat dissipation member (6, [68]).
Regarding claim 13, Yamaguchi discloses the power semiconductor module of claim 11 as described above.
Yamaguchi further discloses, in at least figure 1 and related text, the cover part (portion of 10 on metallic base plate, 6, figure) is provided at a lower end of the body (portion of 10 on substrate, 1, figure).
Regarding claim 15, Yamaguchi discloses the power semiconductor module of claim 11 as described above.
Yamaguchi further discloses, in at least figure 1 and related text, the cover part (portion of 10 on metallic base plate, 6, figure) extends downward along an edge of the heat dissipation member (6, [68]) to cover an upper portion of the heat dissipation member (6, [68]).
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) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Grassmann (US 2022/0285178) in view of Nishizawa (US 2019/0273041).
Regarding claim 1, Grassmann discloses, in at least figure 1 and related text, a power semiconductor module ([16]), comprising:
a substrate (10, [16], [17]) including:
an insulating layer (11, [16]) including an upper surface and a lower surface;
a first metal layer (111, [16]) including a lower surface coupled to the upper surface of the insulating layer (11, [16]); and
a second metal layer (112, [16]) including an upper surface coupled to the lower surface of the insulating layer (11, [16]);
a semiconductor (20, [19]) coupled to an upper surface of the first metal layer (111, [16]), the semiconductor (20, [19]) electrically connected to at least a portion of the first metal layer (111, [16]);
a power terminal (4, [21]) including one end coupled to an upper surface of the first metal layer (111, [16]) and electrically connected to at least a portion of the first metal layer (111, [16]) so that an imaginary line segment connecting one end and the other end is perpendicular to the upper surface of the first metal layer (111, [16]); and
a molding part coupled to the substrate (10, [16], [17]) to surround the power terminal (4, [21]) excluding the other end of the power terminal (4, [21]), the insulating layer (11, [16]), the first metal layer (111, [16]), and the semiconductor (20, [19]).
Grassmann does not explicitly disclose a molding part coupled to the substrate to surround the second metal layer excluding a lower surface of the second metal layer.
Nishizawa teaches, in at least figure 1 and related text, the device comprising a molding part (4, [44]) coupled to the substrate (3, [44]) to surround the second metal layer (33, [44]) excluding a lower surface of the second metal layer (33, [44]), for the purpose of providing semiconductor module having good heat dissipating properties without excess resin at the heat dissipating surface ([126]).
Grassmann and Nishizawa are analogous art because they both are directed to semiconductor device and one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to modify Grassmann with the specified features of Nishizawa because they are from the same field of endeavor.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the structure disclosed in Grassmann to have the molding part coupled to the substrate to surround the second metal layer excluding a lower surface of the second metal layer, as taught by Nishizawa, for the purpose of providing semiconductor module having good heat dissipating properties without excess resin at the heat dissipating surface ([126], Nishizawa).
Regarding claim 2, Grassmann in view of Nishizawa discloses the power semiconductor module of claim 1 as described above.
Grassmann further discloses, in at least figure 1 and related text, the power terminal (4, [21]) is formed to extend in a longitudinal direction (vertical direction, figure).
Regarding claim 3, Grassmann in view of Nishizawa discloses the power semiconductor module of claim 1 as described above.
Grassmann does not explicitly disclose the power terminal comprises at least one of copper, a copper alloy, aluminum, an aluminum alloy, a light metal material, a heat-treated material, a porous material, or any combination thereof.
Nishizawa teaches, in at least figure 1 and related text, the device comprising the power terminal (6, [52])comprises at least one of copper ([52]), a copper alloy ([52]), aluminum ([52]), an aluminum alloy ([52]), a light metal material, a heat-treated material, a porous material, or any combination thereof, for the purpose of providing terminal having metal having low electrical resistance and good thermal conductivity ([52]).
Grassmann and Nishizawa are analogous art because they both are directed to semiconductor device and one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to modify Grassmann with the specified features of Nishizawa because they are from the same field of endeavor.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the structure disclosed in Grassmann to have the power terminal comprising at least one of copper, a copper alloy, aluminum, an aluminum alloy, a light metal material, a heat-treated material, a porous material, or any combination thereof, as taught by Nishizawa, for the purpose of providing terminal having metal having low electrical resistance and good thermal conductivity ([52], Nishizawa).
Regarding claim 4, Grassmann in view of Nishizawa discloses the power semiconductor module of claim 2 as described above.
Grassmann further discloses, in at least figure 1 and related text, the insulating layer (11, [16]) comprises ceramic ([17]), and the first metal layer (111, [16]) and the second metal layer each (112, [16]) comprises at least one of copper ([17]), aluminum ([17]), or a combination thereof.
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamaguchi (US 2015/0069601) in view of Nakajima (US 2004/0089928).
Regarding claim 12, Yamaguchi discloses the power semiconductor module of claim 11 as described above.
Yamaguchi does not explicitly disclose the power terminal includes: a coupling part coupled to the substrate; a bent part bent at a predetermined angle from the coupling part; an extension extending from the bent part to the outside of the molding part in a direction parallel to the substrate, and wherein the cover part is provided in a direction parallel to the extension.
Nakajima teaches, in at least figure 1 and related text, the device comprising the power terminal (1A, [63]) includes: a coupling part (1AE, [63]) coupled to the substrate (8, [63]); a bent part bent (1AIL, [63]) at a predetermined angle from the coupling part (1AE, [63]); an extension (1AOL, [63]) extending from the bent part (1AIL, [63]) to the outside of the molding part (5, [65]) in a direction parallel to the substrate (8, [63]), and wherein the cover part (portion of 5 on 7, figure) is provided in a direction parallel to the extension (1AOL, [63]), for the purpose of providing a mold resin-sealed power semiconductor device comprising an insulating resin layer which is easy to handle and has low thermal resistance and high reliability at low cost ([43]).
Yamaguchi and Nakajima are analogous art because they both are directed to semiconductor device and one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to modify Yamaguchi with the specified features of Nakajima because they are from the same field of endeavor.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the structure disclosed in Yamaguchi to have the power terminal including: a coupling part coupled to the substrate; a bent part bent at a predetermined angle from the coupling part; an extension extending from the bent part to the outside of the molding part in a direction parallel to the substrate, and wherein the cover part is provided in a direction parallel to the extension, as taught by Nakajima, for the purpose of providing a mold resin-sealed power semiconductor device comprising an insulating resin layer which is easy to handle and has low thermal resistance and high reliability at low cost ([43], Nakajima).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-10 are allowed because the prior art of record, US 2019/0273041, neither anticipates nor render obvious the limitations of the base claims 5 that recite "when the substrate is arranged in the internal space and the upper molding mold presses the second end of the power terminal, the second end of the power terminal is bent in a direction toward the first end" in combination with other elements of the base claims 5.
Claims 14 and 17-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims because the prior art of record neither anticipates nor render obvious the limitations of the base claims 11 and 14 that recite "a step part having a larger area than the contact part and forming a step with respect to the contact part under the contact part, and wherein the cover part is provided on the step part" in combination with other elements of the base claims 11 and 14.
Claim 16 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims because the prior art of record neither anticipates nor render obvious the limitations of the base claims 11, 15, and 16 that recite "a protrusion is formed toward the outside of the cover part" in combination with other elements of the base claims 11, 15, and 16.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TONG-HO KIM whose telephone number is (571)270-0276. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday; 8:30 AM to 5PM.
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, Lynne Gurley can be reached at 571-272-1670. 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.
/TONG-HO KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2811