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 OA is in response to the claims filled on 1/10/2024 that has been entered, wherein claims 1-19 are pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 1/10/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement 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.
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 8-9 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 8 and 9 presently recites the limitation of “the nut is to be inserted” in line 2. Is the nut inserted or not? For the purpose of examination ““the nut is to be inserted” will be interpreted as “the nut is inserted”
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.
Claims 1-2, 4, 6, 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wayman et al. (2009/0034204 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Wayman teaches a heatsink(Fig. 1) comprising:
a base(106, ¶0014) having a heat dissipation surface(upper surface of 106) that is thermally coupled to a heating element(not shown, heat generating devices, ¶0014) and dissipates heat from the heating element(not shown, heat generating devices, ¶0014), and
a screw hole(screw hole in 106, ¶0021) provided on the heat dissipation surface(upper surface of 106); and
a screw(110, ¶0021) screwed into the screw hole(screw hole in 106, ¶0021).
Regarding claim 2, Wayman teaches the heatsink according to claim 1, wherein a screw head of the screw(110, ¶0021) projects from the heat dissipation surface(upper surface of 106) and does not contact the heat dissipation surface(upper surface of 106).
Regarding claim 4, Wayman teaches a heatsink comprising:
a base(106, ¶0014) having a heat dissipation surface(upper surface of 106) that is thermally coupled to a heating element(not shown, heat generating devices, ¶0014) and dissipates heat from the heating element(not shown, heat generating devices, ¶0014), and a groove(screw hole in 106, ¶0021) provided on the heat dissipation surface(upper surface of 106); and
a screw(110, ¶0021) whose screw head is inserted into the groove(screw hole in 106, ¶0021) and whose screw tip portion projects from the heat dissipation surface(upper surface of 106).
Regarding claim 6, Wayman teaches a heatsink(Fig. 1) comprising:
a base(106, ¶0014) having a heat dissipation surface(upper surface of 106) that is thermally coupled to a heating element(not shown, heat generating devices, ¶0014) and dissipates heat from the heating element(not shown, heat generating devices, ¶0014), and a nut insertion portion(hole in 104) provided on the heat dissipation surface(upper surface of 106);
a nut(108, ¶0014) inserted into the nut insertion portion(hole in 104); and
a screw(110, ¶0021) screwed into the nut(108, ¶0014) so that a screw head projects from the heat dissipation surface(upper surface of 106).
Regarding claim 8, Wayman teaches the heatsink according to claim 6, wherein the nut insertion portion(hole in 104) is a nut insertion hole(hole in 104) into which the nut(108, ¶0014) is inserted.
Regarding claim 9, Wayman teaches the heatsink according to claim 6, wherein the nut insertion portion(hole in 104) is a nut insertion groove(hole in 104) into which the nut(108, ¶0014) is inserted.
Claims 1-5, 10 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kosuaku et al. (JP-H06188344 A).
Regarding claim 1, Kosuaku teaches a heatsink(Fig. 3) comprising:
a base(8, 9, 10, ¶0032) having a heat dissipation surface that is thermally coupled to a heating element(3, ¶0029) and dissipates heat from the heating element(3, ¶0029), and
a screw hole(8a, ¶0031) provided on the heat dissipation surface; and
a screw(3, ¶0031) screwed into the screw hole(8a, ¶0031).
Regarding claim 2, Kosuaku teaches the heatsink according to claim 1, wherein a screw head(9a, ¶0033) of the screw(3, ¶0031) projects from the heat dissipation surface and does not contact the heat dissipation surface(Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 3, Kosuaku teaches the heatsink according to claim 1, wherein the screw(3, ¶0031) does not contact other members except the base(8, 9, 10, ¶0032).
Regarding claim 4, Kosuaku teaches a heatsink(Fig. 3) comprising:
a base(8, 9, 10, ¶0032) having a heat dissipation surface that is thermally coupled to a heating element(3, ¶0029) and dissipates heat from the heating element(3, ¶0029), and a groove(8a, ¶0031) provided on the heat dissipation surface; and
a screw(3, ¶0031) whose screw head is inserted into the groove and whose screw tip portion(9a, ¶0033) projects from the heat dissipation surface.
Regarding claim 5, Kosuaku teaches the heatsink according to claim 4, wherein other members are not screwed with the screw(3, ¶0031).
Regarding claim 10, Kosuaku teaches a semiconductor device comprising the heatsink according to claim 1, and a semiconductor module(3, ¶0029), wherein the heating element(3, ¶0029) is the semiconductor module(3, ¶0029).
Regarding claim 12, Kosuaku teaches a semiconductor device comprising the heatsink according to claim 4, and a semiconductor module(3, ¶0029), wherein the heating element(3, ¶0029) is the semiconductor module(3, ¶0029).
Claims 4 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kuroki et al. (US 2023/0189480 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Kuroki teaches a heatsink(Fig. 1) comprising:
a base(32, ¶0031) having a heat dissipation surface that is thermally coupled to a heating element(14, ¶0027) and dissipates heat from the heating element(14, ¶0027), and a groove(39, ¶0036) provided on the heat dissipation surface; and
a screw(24, ¶0036) whose screw head is inserted into the groove and whose screw tip portion projects from the heat dissipation surface(Fig. 10).
Regarding claim 12, Kuroki teaches a semiconductor device comprising the heatsink according to claim 4, and a semiconductor module(14, ICBT, ¶0029), wherein the heating element(14, ¶0027) is the semiconductor module(14, ICBT, ¶0029).
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 14, 16 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kosuaku et al. (JP-H06188344 A) in view of Wayman et al. (2009/0034204 A1).
Regarding claim 14, Kosuaku teaches a semiconductor device(Fig. 3) comprising a heatsink(8, 9, 10, 9 ¶0032), and a semiconductor module(3, ¶0029),
wherein the heating element(3, ¶0029) is the semiconductor module(3, ¶0029).
Kosuaku is not relied on to teach the heatsink according to claim 6.
Wayman teaches a heatsink(Fig. 1) comprising the heatsink according to claim 6(please see claim 6 above. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Kosuaku, to include the heatsink according to claim 6, as taught by Wayman, in order to use a for flexible, and economical heat sink that is easily adapted to different layouts of heat generating devices(¶0027).
Regarding claim 16, Kosuaku teaches a semiconductor device(Fig. 3) comprising a heatsink(8, 9, 10, 9 ¶0032), and a semiconductor module(3, ¶0029),
wherein the heating element(3, ¶0029) is the semiconductor module(3, ¶0029).
Kosuaku is not relied on to teach the heatsink according to claim 8.
Wayman teaches a heatsink(Fig. 1) comprising the heatsink according to claim 6(please see claim 6 above. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Kosuaku, to include the heatsink according to claim 8, as taught by Wayman, in order to use a for flexible, and economical heat sink that is easily adapted to different layouts of heat generating devices(¶0027).
Regarding claim 18, Kosuaku teaches a semiconductor device(Fig. 3) comprising a heatsink(8, 9, 10, 9 ¶0032), and a semiconductor module(3, ¶0029),
wherein the heating element(3, ¶0029) is the semiconductor module(3, ¶0029).
Kosuaku is not relied on to teach the heatsink according to claim 9.
Wayman teaches a heatsink(Fig. 1) comprising the heatsink according to claim 6(please see claim 6 above. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Kosuaku, to include the heatsink according to claim 9, as taught by Wayman, in order to use a for flexible, and economical heat sink that is easily adapted to different layouts of heat generating devices(¶0027).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding dependent claim 7, the prior art of record neither anticipates nor renders obvious the claimed subject matter of the instant application as a whole either taken alone or in combination, in particular, prior art of record does not teach “the screw does not contact other members except the nut”.
Regarding dependent claim 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19, the prior art of record neither anticipates nor renders obvious the claimed subject matter of the instant application as a whole either taken alone or in combination, in particular, prior art of record does not teach “the number of the screws per unit area is larger near the high temperature region than near the normal region on the heat dissipation surface of the heatsink”.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hensley et al. (US 6430050 B1) Discloses an heat sink.
Nakamori et al. (JP-H06188344 A) Discloses an heat sink.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAURA DYKES whose telephone number is (571)270-3161. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30 am-5 pm.
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/LAURA M DYKES/Examiner, Art Unit 2892