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 filed in parent Application No. JP2023-031115, filed on 03/01/2023.
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.
The following title is suggested: HEAT DISSIPATION STRUCTURE WITH LIQUID METAL AND THERMAL PUTTY FOR PORTABLE INFORMATION DEVICE.
Claim Objections
Claims 2 and 5 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 2 recites “wherein a gap is formed between the thermal putty and the die” to avoid confusion and avoid antecedent issues, the limitations should be changed to read “wherein a first gap is formed between the thermal putty and the die”.
Claim 5 recites “a state of sealing therebetween and surrounding the thermal putty with a gap in between” to avoid confusion and avoid antecedent issues, the limitations should be changed to read “a state of sealing therebetween and surrounding the thermal putty with a second gap in between”.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3, 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lin et al. (US 2024/0243114 - hereinafter, "Lin").
With respect to Claim 1, Lin teaches (in Figure 1 and 4)
A heat dissipation structure (100) of a semiconductor chip that includes a substrate (110) and a die (A1) provided on a top surface of the substrate (110), the heat dissipation structure (100) comprising:
a heat dissipator (160) provided along a surface of the die (A1);
a liquid metal (130, in paragraph [0004]) interposed between the die (A1) and the heat dissipator (160); and
a thermal putty (G1, in paragraph [0020] “In addition, in the embodiment, the insulation glues G1 and G2 may be uncured heat conduction gels (H-Putty), and the thickness thereof must be controlled below 1.2 mm so as to ensure the compressibility thereof to be in contact with the surrounding structure and be pressed”) interposed between the substrate (110) and the heat dissipator (160) in a state of sealing therebetween and surrounding the die (A1).
With respect to Claim 2, Lin further teaches (in Figure 1 and 4)
wherein a gap (P1) is formed between the thermal putty (G1) and the die (A1).
With respect to Claim 3, Lin further teaches (in Figure 1 and 4)
wherein the thermal putty (G1) has low fluidity that allows maintaining a shape as a sealing material, and inertness to metals (in paragraph [0020], “In addition, in the embodiment, the insulation glues G1 and G2 may be uncured heat conduction gels (H-Putty), and the thickness thereof must be controlled below 1.2 mm so as to ensure the compressibility thereof to be in contact with the surrounding structure and be pressed”).
With respect to Claim 5, Lin further teaches (in Figure 1 and 4)
comprising a sponge (140, in paragraph [0027]) interposed between the substrate (110) and the heat dissipator (160) in a state of sealing therebetween and surrounding the thermal putty (G1) with a gap (P2) in between.
With respect to Claim 6, Lin further teaches (in Figure 1 and 4)
wherein the heat dissipator (160) includes a heat exchanger plate (160, see Figure 1 and 4) thermally connected to the die (A1) via the liquid metal (130), and wherein the thermal putty (G1) is provided between the substrate (110) and the heat exchanger plate (160).
With respect to Claim 7, Lin further teaches (in Figure 1 and 4)
A portable information device (Electronic product) comprising the heat dissipation structure (100) according to claim 1.
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.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin in view of KATAISHI (US 2024/0018405 - hereinafter, "Kataishi").
With respect to Claim 4, Lin teaches the limitations of Claim 3 as per above and Lin further teaches (in paragraph [0020]) the thermal putty (G1).
Lin fails to specifically teach or suggest wherein the thermal putty has a thermal conductivity of 3.0 W/m·K or more and a viscosity of 2500 Pa·s or more.
Kataishi, however, teaches (in paragraph [0022] and in paragraph [0024]) wherein a thermally conductive component (14) has a thermal conductivity of 3.0 W/m·K or more (in paragraph [0022], “The thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive grease composition is preferably 2.0 W/m.Math.K or more and 8.0 W/m.Math.K or less, more preferably 2.5 to 8.0 W/m.Math.K, and further preferably 3.0 to 8.0 W/m-K”) and a viscosity of 2500 Pa·s or more (in paragraph [0024], “The absolute viscosity of the thermally conductive grease composition is preferably 1000 to 20000 Pas, more preferably 1000 to 18000 Pas, and further preferably 1000 to 15000 Pas at 23° C”).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time before effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings of Kataishi with Lin, such that a thermally conductive component has a thermal conductivity of 3.0 W/m·K or more and a viscosity of 2500 Pa·s or more as taught by Kataishi since doing so would allow the thermal putty of Lin to have variable characteristic to meet the desired needs for Lin’s heat dissipation structure as well as other additional beneficial properties such as high drop resistance, a low specific gravity and less likely to cause an electrical contact failure due to the generation of low molecular siloxane. (in paragraph [0006]-[0007])
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 11,758,691 to Lin, which teaches a heat dissipation structure adapted to dissipate heat from a heat-generating structure includes a heat dissipation unit and a liquid metal layer. The heat dissipation unit includes a heat dissipation body and an anti-corrosion metal layer formed on the heat dissipation body. The liquid metal layer is disposed between the heat-generating structure and the anti-corrosion metal layer, and is opposite to the heat dissipation body. An electronic device that adopts the heat dissipation structure is also disclosed.
US 2022/0399245 to Huang et al., which teaches an electronic package, in which a heat dissipating body is formed on an electronic device and is combined with a heat sink so that the electronic device, the heat dissipating body and the heat sink form a receiving space, and a heat dissipating material is formed in the receiving space and in contact with the heat sink and the electronic device, where a fluid regulating space is formed between the heat dissipating material and the heat dissipating body and is used as a volume regulating space for the heat dissipating material during thermal expansion and contraction.
US 2019/0393118 to RAWLINGS et al., which teaches a package includes a substrate, a die on the substrate, an integrated heat spreader on the substrate that encloses the die, the integrated heat spreader including a hole that extends through the integrated heat spreader, an air permeable adhesive contacting the integrated heat spreader and forming a cavity underneath the integrated heat spreader, and a liquid metal thermal interface material filling the cavity. A sealant plugs the hole that extends through the integrated heat spreader.
US 2008/0166492 to Lu et al., which teaches a metal-graphite foam composite, and particularly, the utilization thereof in connection with a cooling apparatus. Also provided is a cooling apparatus, such as a liquid cooler or alternatively, a heat sink for electronic heat-generating components, which employ the metal-graphite foam composite.
US 7,348,665 to Sauciuc et al., which teaches a liquid metal thermal interface for an integrated circuit die. The liquid metal thermal interface may be disposed between the die and another heat transfer element, such as a heat spreader or heat sink. The liquid metal thermal interface includes a liquid metal in fluid communication with a surface of the die, and liquid metal moving over the die surface transfers heat from the die to the heat transfer element. A surface of the heat transfer element may also be in fluid communication with the liquid metal.
US 2006/0118925 to Macris et al., which teaches a metal thermal interface structure for dissipating heat from electronic components comprised a heat spreader lid, metal alloy that is liquid over the operating temperature range of the electronic component, and design features to promote long-term reliability and high thermal performance.
US 2003/0085475 to Im et al., which teaches a semiconductor package including a dam and a method for fabricating the same are provided. The semiconductor package comprises a package substrate, a semiconductor chip attached to the substrate, a TIM formed on the semiconductor chip, a dam that substantially surrounds the TIM, and a lid placed over the TIM to contact a surface thereof. Thus, a TIM can be prevented from flowing down from the original position at high temperatures. Therefore, the performance of the semiconductor package does not deteriorate even at high temperatures.
US 5,459,352 to Layton et al., which teaches an integrated circuit package includes an integrated circuit chip, a substrate which holds the chip, and a heat conduction mechanism which provides a path for conducting heat from the chip to a fluid medium.
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/S.N./Examiner, Art Unit 2835
/Jayprakash N Gandhi/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2835