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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Amendment filed on 8/12/26 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments have been fully considered but they are moot because the arguments do not apply to any of the references being used in the current rejection.
Claim 1 is incorrectly identified as “Original” in the amendment filed on 8/12/26. Because claim 1 was amended, the appropriate status identifier for that amendment is “Currently amended.” Correction of the status identifier is required under 37 CFR 1.121(c)(2). See MPEP §714, subsection II.C. Claim 1 has been examined in its amended form.
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 of this title, 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 1-4 are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable Toyama et al. (US 2020/0350478 A1) in view of Toda et al. (JP 2012212794A, published November 1, 2012; English machine translation provided. An English machine translation of Toda, obtained from Google Patents on 10/3/26, is provided with this Office action. Paragraph and figure numbers cited for Toda correspond to the original Japanese publication).
Regarding claim 1, Toyama teaches a light-emitting device A1 having:
a base material 11 with opposed first and second main surfaces 111 and 112, and opposed first and second end portions corresponding to the two side surfaces 114;
a light-emitting element 2 mounted on surface 111 and including first and second electrodes 22 and 23;
first and second electrode terminals comprising respective conductive-layer portions 12, including rear segments 122 having parts 1221 and 1222 on surface 112, electrically connected to electrodes 22 and 23 through the front/side metallization and wires 28 and 29; and
sealing resin 3 covering the light-emitting element.
See Figs. 2–4 and paragraphs [0058]–[0061], [0070]–[0073], and [0093]–[0097].
The terminals extend along y from one end 114 toward the opposite end 114 and are spaced apart along x. Thus, y and x respectively correspond to the claimed first and second directions (Fig. 3; paragraphs [0071]–[0072]).
But Toyama does not disclose the claimed separated coverings partially covering the terminals on second main surface 112. Its insulating layer 13 covers front-side conductors (Fig. 2; paragraphs [0074] and [0077]).
However, Toda teaches separate solder-creep suppressing members 88a and 88b covering upper portions of rear electrodes 85 and 87 on the back surface of substrate 83, opposite the element-mounting surface. The uncovered electrode portions extend from the mounting edge to respective heights h85 and h87, and Fig. 8 shows a transverse gap between the coverings. Paragraph [0029] identifies solder resist as a suitable covering material, and claim 3 confirms coverage adjacent the opposite, upper edge. Paragraphs [0027] and [0030] explain the resulting limitation of solder rise and reduction of mounting instability.
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Toyama by adding two separate solder-resist coverings on second main surface 112, following Toda’s rear-electrode masking arrangement.
Specifically, each covering would cover a portion of its respective terminal toward the second end portion 114, leaving an exposed terminal portion extending from the first end portion 114 to the covering boundary at an intermediate position toward the second end portion. The coverings would occupy respective terminal areas and remain separated from each other along x. They would therefore constitute the claimed first and second covering materials, each partially covering its respective electrode terminal on the second main surface while providing the recited exposed terminal portion and separation.
The reason for this modification would have been to confine solder wetting to the exposed connection portions and suppress unwanted solder spreading over the remaining terminal areas during solder attachment. This applies Toda’s known partial-masking technique to Toyama’s rear mounting terminals. A person of ordinary skill would have reasonably expected the resist to perform its established solder-blocking function on those terminal surfaces. Toyama’s existing back-surface insulating layer 137 further supports the compatibility of patterned insulation with surface 112 (paragraph [0075]).
Regarding claim 2. Toyama in view of Toda discloses The light emitting device of claim 1, Toyama discloses wherein the first electrode terminal includes:
a first portion of the first electrode terminal formed on the side of the first end portion and not covered with the first covering material (Fig 2: refer to the portion of the first electrode terminal between 22 and 13, which is not covered by the 13) and
a second portion of the first electrode terminal formed on the side of the second end portion with respect to the first portion of the first electrode terminal so as to be connected to the first portion of the first electrode terminal, and covered with the first covering material (Fig 2/Fig 3: refer to the portion of the first electrode terminal between the portions, which is covered by the 13), and
wherein the second electrode terminal includes:
a first portion of the second electrode terminal formed on the side of the first end portion and not covered with the second covering material (Fig 2: refer to the portion of the second electrode terminal between 23 and 13, which is not covered by the 13); and
a second portion of the second electrode terminal formed on the side of the second end portion with respect to the first portion of the second electrode terminal so as to be connected to the first portion of the second electrode terminal (Fig 2 – Fig 4), and covered with the second covering material (Fig 2/Fig 3: refer to the portion of the second electrode terminal between the portions, which is covered by the 13).
Regarding claim 3. Toyama in view of Toda discloses The light emitting device of claim 2, Toyama discloses wherein the first covering material is formed to cover the second main surface of the base material beyond the second portion of the first electrode terminal over a position separated by a distance on a side where the second portion of the second electrode terminal is located (Fig 3: refer to 131 related to the first electrode terminal).
Regarding claim 4. Toyama in view of Toda discloses The light emitting device of claim 2, Toyama discloses wherein the second covering material is formed to cover the second main surface of the base material beyond the second portion of the second electrode terminal over a position separated by a distance on a side where the second portion of the first electrode terminal is located (Fig 3: refer to 131 related to the second electrode terminal).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-10 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 5. the cited prior art of record does not teach or fairly suggest, along with the other claimed features, “the second portion of the first electrode terminal has a first width in the second direction, and the first portion of the first electrode terminal includes: a first wide portion located on the side of the first end portion and having a second width wider than the first width; and a first width decreasing portion whose width is narrowed from the first wide portion toward the second portion of the first electrode terminal”.
Regarding claim 7. the cited prior art of record does not teach or fairly suggest, along with the other claimed features, “the second portion of the second electrode terminal has a third width in the second direction, and the first portion of the second electrode terminal includes: a second wide portion located on the side of the first end portion and having a fourth width wider than the third width; and a second width decreasing portion whose width is narrowed from the second wide portion toward the second portion of the second electrode terminal”.
Regarding claim 9. the cited prior art of record does not teach or fairly suggest, along with the other claimed features, “the first portion of the first electrode terminal has a first thickness, the second portion of the first electrode terminal has a second thickness, and the first thickness is thicker than the second thickness”.
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Changhyun Yi whose telephone number is (571)270-7799. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 10A-3P.
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/Changhyun Yi/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2812
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