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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 11 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “the bottom portion of the first housing structure has a thin part and a thick part thicker than the thin part, and the second needle passes through the thin part.” of claim 23 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 11 and 21-23 are objected to because of the following informalities: the phrases “the tapered end portion of the second needle” of claim 1, “the second needle has a sawtooth end surface” of claim 11, “wherein a second top surface of the tapered end portion of the second needle is substantially level with a bottom surface of the conductive bump. “ of claim 21, “the second needle further has a flat end surface opposite to the sawtooth end surface” of claim 22, and “the bottom portion of the first housing structure has a thin part and a thick part thicker than the thin part, and the second needle passes through the thin part.” of claim 23 introduces a new matter not supported in the specification. Appropriate correction is required.
To expedite the process of the prosecution, the examiner assumes the second needle and the first housing structure as described in the specification.
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) 1-7, 9-10 and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ikeya et al. (US 5,807,104) hereafter Ikeya.
Regarding claim 1, as best understood by the Examiner, Ikey at fig. 1-6 disclose a chip testing structure [socket], comprising: a probe head comprising a substrate 32 and a first needle 56 passing through the substrate; a wiring substrate 38/50/52 over the probe head, wherein the wiring substrate comprises an insulating layer 38/52 and a conductive structure 50/50a in the insulating layer; a housing structure 42 over the wiring substrate, wherein the housing structure has a chamber [chamber 42a for 80]; a second needle 48 passing through the housing structure and connected to the conductive structure of the wiring substrate, wherein the second needle has a tapered end portion [tapered portion as shown] that tapers in a direction perpendicular to and away from a first top surface [top surface of 38] of the wiring substrate in a cross-sectional view of the second needle [fig. 4] and the wiring substrate; and a chip-containing structure [IC chip/bare die 80, see “At the center of the upper surface of positioning plate 42, a cavity 42a is provided for positioning and placing an IC chip/bare die to be mounted in this socket.”] in the chamber and electrically connected to the first needle through the second needle and the conductive structure of the wiring substrate, wherein the chip-containing structure covers the tapered end portion of the second needle [bottom surface of 80, as shown].
Regarding claim 2, Ikey at fig. 1-6 disclose the chip testing structure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a cover plate 12 over the housing structure 42 and the chip-containing structure 80.
Regarding claim 3, Ikey at fig. 1-6 disclose the chip testing structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cover plate is connected to the housing structure by a first pivot 14/18.
Regarding claim 4, Ikey at fig. 1-6 disclose the chip testing structure as claimed in claim 3, further comprising: a hook-like structure 24 connected to an edge portion of the cover plate, wherein the cover plate 12 is between the hook-like structure and the first pivot 14/18.
Regarding claim 5, Ikey at fig. 1-6 disclose the chip testing structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the hook-like structure is connected to the edge portion of the cover plate by a second pivot 22.
Regarding claim 6, Ikey at fig. 1-6 disclose the chip testing structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cover plate has a lower surface [bottom surface of 12 for 58] and a protruding portion 60 protruding from the lower surface [as shown].
Regarding claim 7, Ikey at fig. 1-6 disclose the chip testing structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein the protruding portion of the cover plate is in direct contact with the chip-containing structure [see fig. 2].
Regarding claim 9, Ikey at fig. 1-6 disclose the chip testing structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second needle is in direct contact with the conductive structure of the wiring substrate [fig. 4].
Regarding claim 10, Ikey at fig. 1-6 disclose the chip testing structure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a conductive bump BP between the chip-containing structure and the second needle [fig. 5-6].
Regarding claim 21, as best understood by the Examiner, Ikey at fig. 5-6 disclose the chip testing structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein a second top surface of the tapered end portion of the second needle is substantially level with a bottom surface of the conductive bump.
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) 11-13, 15 and 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ikeya et al. (US 5,807,104) hereafter Ikeya.
Regarding claim 11, as explained at rejection of claim 1 above, Ikey at fig. 1-6 disclose a chip testing structure, comprising: a probe head comprising a substrate and a first needle passing through the substrate; a wiring substrate over the probe head, wherein the wiring substrate comprises an insulating layer and a conductive structure in the insulating layer; a housing structure over the wiring substrate, wherein the housing structure has a chamber; a second needle passing through the housing structure and connected to the conductive structure of the wiring substrate; and a cover plate covering the chamber of the housing structure. Ikey is silent about the second needle has a sawtooth end surface. Rather, Ikeya discloses “a plurality of needle shaped contacts 48 that have been erected on the insulating film are movably inserted in the axial direction to also be in a one-to-one relationship with bumps BP. These needle-shaped contacts 48 are made of an electroconductive rigid material such as tungsten.” Use of the second needle has a sawtooth end surface is obvious because the claimed shape would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device. See “In reDailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966) (The court held that the configuration of the claimed disposable plastic nursing container was a matter of choice which a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found obvious absent persuasive evidence that the particular configuration of the claimed container was significant.).
Regarding claim 12, as explained at rejection of claim 3 above, Ikey at fig. 1-6 disclose the chip testing structure as claimed in claim 11, wherein the cover plate is pivotally connected to the housing structure.
Regarding claim 13, as explained at rejection of claim 4 above, Ikey at fig. 1-6 disclose the chip testing structure as claimed in claim 11, further comprising: a hook-like structure pivotally connected to an edge portion of the cover plate.
Regarding claim 15, as explained at rejection of claim 1 above, Ikey at fig. 5-6 disclose the chip testing structure as claimed in claim 11, wherein the housing structure 42 is in direct contact with the wiring substrate 38.
Regarding claim 22, as explained at rejection of claim 1 above, Ikey at fig. 5-6 disclose the chip testing structure as claimed in claim 11, wherein the second needle further has a flat end surface [bottom of 48 as shown is flat] opposite to the sawtooth end surface and facing the wiring substrate.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 16-17, 19-20 and 23 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: No prior art has been found that meet the limitations of claim 16 calling for a chip testing structure, comprising: a first housing structure over the wiring substrate, wherein the first housing structure has a first chamber, and the first chip-containing structure is in the first chamber; and a second needle passing through a bottom portion of the first housing structure and connected to the second conductive structure of the wiring substrate, wherein the bottom portion has a serrated top surface facing the first chamber, as further defined. Dependent claims are also allowed.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
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 PARESH PATEL whose telephone number is (571)272-1968. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00 am to 4:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eman Alkafawi can be reached at 571-272-4448. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PARESH PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
April 29, 2026
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