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 § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Byars et al. (8,720,767 B2) in view of Melack et al. (US 2016/0151966 A1) and Sato (US 5,249,726).
Regarding claim 1, Byars teaches:
An ultrasonic welding device [wire bonding machine; claims 11-19 and figures 5A-8] comprising:
an anvil [base (216)] configured to support a flexible first member below and overlapping a flexible second member [note that the first and second members are material worked upon and thus not structurally limiting];
a horn [while not shown, ultrasonic bonding; 6:16-18, inherently requires a horn in order to weld] configured to ultrasonically weld the first member and the second member with ultrasonic vibration; and
a guide jig [window clamp (600)] defining an opening [see figures 6A-B] corresponding to a welding portion of the first member and the second member and configured to guide elevation and ultrasonic vibration of the horn, the guide jig being configured to cover an external plane of the welding portion with a plane corresponding portion [Any plane of the window clamp meets this limitation since the members are material worked upon and not structurally limiting. However, for the purposes of meeting dependent claims this plane will be any number of the bottom surfaces that are parallel to top surfaces] during ultrasonic welding of the first member and the second member.
Byars does not specifically teach:
configured to change elevation thereof toward the second member; and
an external support portion surrounding an exterior of the anvil in plan view to support the first member.
Concerning the elevation change:
While a layman in the art would clearly understand that the horn is moved up and down in order to enter into window (600) Melack will be used to teach this.
Melack teaches ultrasonic welding machine (101) positions tip (105) of horn (103) into contact with the components being welded inside cutouts (305) and vibrates the horn up and down or wide to side; 0019, 0027, and figures 4A-5B.
Sato teaches bonding tool (25) moves vertically; 2:55-57 and 3:51-52.
Thus, it would have been obvious, if not necessary, to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Melack and move the horn vertically in order to position the horn as needed and/or to vibrate up and down if needed.
Concerning the external support:
Sato teaches lower clamp (18), which has bonding window (18a), is used to hold the workpiece, wherein bonding stage (26) is placed so as to be surrounded by the lower clamp holding plate; 3:35-48 and figure 4.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the Sato lower clamp holding plate in Byars to further hold the workpieces.
Concerning any claimed results, materials, and/or functions:
Since the prior art apparatus, i.e. the apparatus based on the combined prior art references above, is structurally identical to the claimed apparatus, it is the examiner’s position that the prior art apparatus is capable of achieving any claimed function with any claimed material to achieve any claimed result. This reasoning applies to any claim below where functional language, material worked upon, and/or a result is claimed.
Regarding claims 2, 9, 10, and 11, are solely drawn to material worked upon and thus are not further limiting structurally.
Regarding claims 3 and 4, Melack teaches:
wherein the guide jig is configured to hold an external lateral side of the welding portion with a lateral corresponding portion [any of the small vertical surfaces/sides that connect the bottom surfaces together].
wherein the lateral corresponding portion protrudes downwardly from the plane corresponding portion at three sides thereof [there are four vertical sides that connect the bottom surfaces; note the claims do not limit the sides to three].
Regarding claim 5, Byars teaches:
wherein the guide jig comprises:
a guide portion defining the opening [the middle section having the openings];
the plane corresponding portion [see above]; and
an installer [section having holes for screws (706)] connected to one side of the guide portion, and configured to be installed in a base [bridge (702)].
Regarding claim 6, Byars teaches:
wherein the guide portion defines the opening in a center thereof, and comprises an external portion outside the opening, and wherein a first width of the opening in a width direction is greater than a second width of the external portion in the width direction [the enlarged view in figure 7 depicts the opening width being wider than the top or bottom sides of the frame (the portions of the surface that separate the openings)].
Regarding claim 7, Byars teaches:
wherein a first length of the opening in a length direction is greater than a second length of the external portion in the length direction on one side of the opening [the enlarged view in figure 7 depicts the window length being longer than the left or right sides of the frame (the surface portions that span from the opening to the vertical walls)].
Regarding claim 8, Byars teaches:
wherein the second length is greater than the second width [the enlarged figure in figure 7 depicts the left and right sides of the frame being greater than the top or bottom sides of the frame].
Claims 12 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Byars et al. (8,720,767 B2) in view of Melack et al. (US 2016/0151966 A1) and Sato (US 5,249,726) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Distefano et al. (US 5,390,844).
Regarding claim 12, Byars does not teach:
wherein the first member and the second member comprise an aluminum material, and wherein the horn comprises tungsten (WC) or a tungsten carbide material having strength and stiffness that are greater than those of the first member and the second member.
Distefano teaches ultrasonic bonding tools may comprise tungsten because it is a wear resistant material; 10:50-55.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention for the horn to comprise tungsten since it is wear resistant and it is known to do so.
Regarding claim 13, Byars does not teach:
wherein the first member and the second member comprise an aluminum material, and wherein the guide jig comprises tungsten (WC) or a tungsten carbide material having strength and stiffness that are greater than those of the first member and the second member.
However, Byars is open to using any material for window (600) or as a coating; 5:46-52.
Distefano teaches ultrasonic bonding tools may comprise tungsten because it is a wear resistant material; 10:50-55.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to make the window from a material comprising tungsten due to its wear resistance.
Claims 1-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sato (US 5,249,726) in view of Tanda (JP 2000-150583 A).
Regarding claim 1, Sato teaches:
An device [tape bonding machine; figure 4] comprising:
an anvil [bonding stage (26)] configured to support a flexible first member below and overlapping a flexible second member [note that the first and second members are material worked upon and thus not structurally limiting];
a bonding tool [bonding tool (25)] configured to bond the first member and the second member, and configured to change elevation thereof toward the second member [2:55-57 and 3:51-52]; and
a guide jig [upper clamper arm (1) and the various attached parts that comprise it] defining an opening [window (4a)] corresponding to a welding portion of the first member and the second member, and configured to guide elevation and ultrasonic vibration of the horn, the guide jig being configured to cover an external plane of the welding portion with a plane corresponding portion [Any planar surface of upper clamper (4) meets this limitation since the members are material worked upon and not structurally limiting. However, for the purposes of meeting dependent claims this plane will be any number of the bottom surfaces that are parallel to the top surface] during bonding of the first member and the second member, and
an external support portion [lower clamp (18)] surrounding an exterior of the anvil in plan view to support the first member [see figure 4].
Sato does not teach:
An ultrasonic welding device;
a horn configured to ultrasonically weld with ultrasonic vibration;
Tanda teaches using an ultrasonic horn for tape bonding; title.
Since Sato is silent as to the type of bonding it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the Tanda ultrasonic horn concept into Sato in order to perform a solid state bonding process.
Regarding claims 2, 9, 10, and 11, are solely drawn to material worked upon and thus are not further limiting structurally.
Regarding claim 3, Sato teaches:
wherein the guide jig is configured to hold an external lateral side of the welding portion with a lateral corresponding portion [one of the vertical sides of upper clamper (4)].
Regarding claim 3, Sato teaches:
wherein the lateral corresponding portion protrudes downwardly from the plane corresponding portion at three sides thereof [three of the vertical sides upper clamper (4) that protrude down from a planar surface].
Regarding claim 5, Sato teaches:
wherein the guide jig [upper clamper arm (1)] comprises:
a guide portion [upper clamper (4)] defining the opening [window (4a)];
the plane corresponding portion [any of the bottom planar surfaces of upper clamper (4)]; and
an installer [upper clamper plate (2)] connected to one side of the guide portion, and configured to be installed in a base [upper clamper arm (1)].
Regarding claim 6, Sato teaches:
wherein the guide portion defines the opening in a center thereof [see figure 4], and comprises an external portion [the lip of upper clamper that rests on holding plate (2)] outside the opening, and wherein a first width of the opening in a width direction is greater than a second width of the external portion in the width direction [the window width is greater than the that of the lip; figure 4].
Regarding claim 7, Sato teaches:
wherein a first length of the opening in a length direction is greater than a second length of the external portion in the length direction on one side of the opening [the window length is greater than the that of the lip; figure 4].
Regarding claim 8, Sato does not teach:
wherein the second length is greater than the second width.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to make the length greater than width so that the upper clamper would always be placed in the correct orientation.
Claims 12 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sato (US 5,249,726) in view of Tanda (JP 2000-150583 A) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Distefano et al. (US 5,390,844).
Regarding claim 12, Sato does not teach:
wherein the first member and the second member comprise an aluminum material, and wherein the horn comprises tungsten (WC) or a tungsten carbide material having strength and stiffness that are greater than those of the first member and the second member.
Distefano teaches ultrasonic bonding tools may comprise tungsten because it is a wear resistant material; 10:50-55.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention for the horn to comprise tungsten since it is wear resistant and it is known to do so.
Regarding claim 13, Byars does not teach:
wherein the first member and the second member comprise an aluminum material, and wherein the guide jig comprises tungsten (WC) or a tungsten carbide material having strength and stiffness that are greater than those of the first member and the second member.
Distefano teaches ultrasonic bonding tools may comprise tungsten because it is a wear resistant material; 10:50-55.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to make the window from a material comprising tungsten due to its wear resistance.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference as applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 CARLOS J GAMINO whose telephone number is (571)270-5826. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-6.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Keith Walker can be reached at 5712723458. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CARLOS J GAMINO/Examiner, Art Unit 1735
/KEITH WALKER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1735
