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
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(s) 1, 2, 6, 7, 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoichi et al. (JP H06268246 A; hereinafter “Yoichi”) in view of Minamio et al. (US 20120326289 A1; hereinafter “Minamio”).
In re claim 1, Yoichi discloses in fig. 4 (see page 3 of the attached English translation for the description of the elements shown in fig. 4), an insulation module, comprising:
a light emitting element 15 and a light receiving element 12 forming a photocoupler;
an insulation member 14 having translucency and provided between the light receiving element 15 and the light emitting element 12;
a sealing plastic 24 that seals at least the light emitting element 15 and the light receiving element 12; and
a plurality of terminals 26a-26d provided side by side on a plastic side surface of the sealing plastic 24,
wherein the insulation member 14 is stacked on a light receiving surface of the light receiving element 12, the light emitting element 15 is stacked on the insulation member 14.
Yoichi does not expressly disclose a first uneven portion is provided in a portion between a first terminal and a second terminal among the plurality of terminals on the plastic side surface.
In the same field of endeavor, Minamio discloses in fig. 11 (¶4-6), a semiconductor device comprising:
a power element 101;
an exterior body 106 that holds the power element 101 and is composed of a resin material and covers the power element 101; and
a lead frame 103 that has a plurality of external terminals 105 protruding from a side surface of the exterior body 106,
a recessed structure 106a is provided between adjacent external terminals 105 to reduce the size of the semiconductor device.
It 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 to employ the teachings of Minamio into the package of Yoichi and provide a first uneven portion in a portion between a first terminal and a second terminal among the plurality of terminals on the plastic side surface to reduce the size of the semiconductor device (¶4-6 of Minamio).
In re claim 2, Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, discloses the insulation module according to claim 1 outlined above.
Yoichi further discloses in fig. 4 (see page 3 of the attached English translation for the description of the elements shown in fig. 4), the insulation module further comprising
a lead frame including a die pad 26a that supports the light receiving element 12, wherein the lead frame includes a suspension lead 25a extending from the die pad, the suspension lead is exposed from the plastic side surface 24, and on the plastic side surface 24.
Minamio further discloses in fig. 11, the first uneven portion 106a is provided at a portion between a suspension lead 105 as the first terminal and a terminal 105 adjacent to the suspension lead as the second terminal.
In re claim 6, Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, discloses the insulation module according to claim 1 outlined above.
Yoichi further discloses in fig. 4, wherein the light emitting element 15 includes a light emitting surface (e.g., the bottom surface) facing the light receiving surface 12, the light emitting element 15 includes a back surface facing (e.g., the top surface) a side opposite to the light emitting surface, and a plurality of pads 23 are provided on the back surface.
In re claim 7, Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, discloses the insulation module according to claim 6 outlined above.
Yoichi further discloses in fig. 9, wherein the light emitting element 15 includes a light emitting layer 15 and a reflection layer 35, and the reflection layer 35 is provided closer to the back surface than the light emitting layer 15 (page 8, lines 1-7).
It 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 to employ the teachings of fig. 9 of Yoichi into the package of fig. 4 of Yoichi to efficiently reflect light to the light-receiving surface side of the light-receiving element.
In re claim 19, Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, discloses the insulation module according to claim 1 outlined above.
Yoichi further discloses in fig. 4, the module further comprising
a die pad 26a on which the light receiving element 12 is mounted,
wherein the light emitting element 15 includes a light emitting surface (e.g., a bottom surface) facing the light receiving surface (the top surface of 12),
the sealing plastic 24 includes
a plastic main surface (e.g., an upper surface of 24) facing a same side as the light receiving surface (the top surface of 12) and
a plastic back surface (e.g., a lower surface of 24) facing a same side as the light emitting surface (the bottom surface of 15), and
the die pad 26a is disposed closer to the plastic back surface (i.e., the lower surface of 24) than a portion (e.g., a side surface portion of 24) where the terminals 25a, 25d are exposed on the plastic side surface in a stacking direction of the light emitting element 15 and the light receiving element 12.
Claim(s) 3-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, as applied to claim 3 above, and further in view of Miyoshi et al. (US 4058821 A; hereinafter “Miyoshi”).
In re claim 3, Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, discloses the insulation module according to claim 1 outlined above, but does not expressly disclose a bonding material for light emission that bonds a side surface of the light emitting element and the insulation member.
In the same field of endeavor, Miyoshi discloses in figs. 1-5, an insulation module comprising: a bonding material 3 for light emission that bonds a side surface of the light emitting element 4 and an insulation member 6 (C. 4, last paragraph).
It 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 to employ the teachings of Miyoshi into the package of Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, and provide a bonding material for light emission that bonds a side surface of the light emitting element and the insulation member. One would have been motivated to do so as Miyoshi teaches the transparent insulator layer 3 for connecting the glass lump 6 to the light emitter 4 may be made of glass, silicon rubber, epoxy resin or the like. If the thermal expansion coefficient of the glass lump is made nearly equal to that of the light detector and the transparent insulator is made of an organic resin having a larger pliability than glass, thermal stresses to be created during the heat cycle, owing to the difference in thermal expansion coefficient between the light emitter and the light detector, will be absorbed by the organic resin to relieve the thermal stresses (C. 4, last paragraph).
In re claim 4, Yoichi, as modified by Minamio and Miyoshi, discloses the insulation module according to claim 3 outlined above.
Yoichi further discloses in fig. 4, the insulation module according to claim 3, wherein the light emitting element 15 includes a light emitting surface (i.e., the bottom surface) facing the light receiving surface 12, and the light emitting surface is in contact with the insulation member 14.
In re claim 5, Yoichi, as modified by Minamio and Miyoshi, discloses the insulation module according to claim 3, wherein the bonding material for light emission is formed of a plastic material that absorbs light (C. 4, last paragraph of Miyoshi).
Claim(s) 8, 10, 12-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Ho et al. (US 7736070 B2; hereinafter “Ho”).
In re claim 8, Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, discloses the insulation module according to claim 1 outlined above, but does not expressly disclose a transparent plastic that bonds the light receiving element and the insulation member to each other is provided between the light receiving surface of the light receiving element and the insulation member.
In the same field of endeavor, Ho discloses in fig. 1, a transparent plastic 120 that bonds a light receiving element 110 and an insulation member 130 to each other is provided between the light receiving surface of the light receiving element 110 and the insulation member 130 (C. 2, L. 50-60).
It 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 to employ the teachings of Ho into the package of Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, and provide a transparent plastic that bonds the light receiving element and the insulation member to each other is provided between the light receiving surface of the light receiving element and the insulation member. One would have been motivated to do so as Ho teaches the placement of the isolation tape is critical to the success of an opto-coupler product. For example, misalignment of the isolation tape can result in poor isolation. Third, the optical transmittance of the isolation tape reduces the coupling efficiency of the opto-coupler. Ho teaches a double mold opto-coupler overcomes the disadvantages set forth previously (C. 1, L. 19-43).
In re claim 10, Yoichi, as modified by Minamio and Ho, the insulation module according to claim 8.
Ho discloses in fig. 1, wherein a thickness of the transparent plastic 120 is greater than or equal to a thickness of the insulation member 130.
In re claim 12, Yoichi, as modified by Minamio and Ho, discloses the insulation module according to claim 8.
Ho further discloses wherein the transparent plastic 120 can be, but is not limited to, a single material, a compound, a clear material, a plastic material, a clear plastic material, a thermo set plastic material, and a clear thermoset plastic material and the insulation member 130 can be, but is not limited to, an epoxy, a clear epoxy, an adhesive, a clear adhesive, other material suitable for attaching a die or integrated circuit to a sub-assembly (C. 2; L. 51-60). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to select clear plastic material for both the insulation member and the transparent plastic and have equal light transmittance to provide a light path from the light source 140 to the light receiving die 110 (C. 2, L. 51-60 of Ho).
In re claim 13, Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, discloses the insulation module according to claim 1 outlined above.
Yoichi further discloses in fig. 4, wherein the light receiving element 12 includes:
a photoelectric conversion element (a light receiving element 12 such as a photodiode; see lines 3-4 of [0014]).
Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, does not expressly disclose a control circuit that receives a signal from the photoelectric conversion element,
the photoelectric conversion element and the control circuit are provided side by side in a direction orthogonal to a thickness direction of the light receiving element, and
the light emitting element is disposed on the light receiving element and is shifted toward the photoelectric conversion element.
In the same field of endeavor, Hidaka discloses in figs. 2, 4, an optically coupled insulating device including a light receiving element 10, including:
a photoelectric conversion element 20, a control circuit 30 that receives a signal from the photoelectric conversion element 20 (¶25),
the photoelectric conversion element 20 and the control circuit 30 are provided side by side in a direction orthogonal to a thickness direction of the light receiving element 10, and
a light emitting element 84 is disposed on the light receiving element 10 and is shifted toward the photoelectric conversion element 20 (¶38).
It 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 to employ the teachings of Hidaka into the package of Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, in order to improve the light transmission efficiency.
Claim(s) 8-9, 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kurosawa et al. (US 20170244003 A1; hereinafter “Kurosawa”).
In re claim 8, Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, discloses the insulation module according to claim 1 outlined above, but does not expressly disclose a transparent plastic that bonds the light receiving element and the insulation member to each other is provided between the light receiving surface of the light receiving element and the insulation member.
In the same field of endeavor, Kurosawa discloses in figs. 1-5, a transparent plastic 15b that bonds a light receiving element 11 and an insulation member 14 to each other is provided between the light receiving surface of the light receiving element 11 and the insulation member 14 (¶18).
It 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 to employ the teachings of Kurosawa into the package of Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, and provide a transparent plastic that bonds the light receiving element and the insulation member to each other is provided between the light receiving surface of the light receiving element and the insulation member. One would have been motivated to do so to increase adhesion between the lower surface of the insulation member and the light receiving surface.
In re claim 9, Yoichi, as modified by Minamio and Kurosawa, discloses the insulation module according to claim 8.
Kurosawa discloses wherein a thickness of the insulation member 14 is about 450 μm (¶28).
Kurosawa does not expressly disclose wherein a thickness of the transparent plastic is less than a thickness of the insulation member. However, it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a thickness for the transparent resin joining the insulation member and the light receiving element on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416. In Gardner v. TEC Systems, Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 USPQ 232 (1984), the Federal Circuit held that, where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device. A person of ordinary skills in the art is motivated to select a thickness of the transparent plastic is less than a thickness of the insulation member in order to optimize total thickness of the semiconductor module.
In re claim 11, Yoichi, as modified by Minamio and Kurosawa, discloses the insulation module according to claim 8.
Kurosawa further discloses in figs. 1-5, wherein a light transmittance of the insulation member 14 (e.g., sapphire; ¶28) is lower than a light transmittance of the transparent plastic (e.g., resin; ¶18).
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Komoto et al. (US 20130221248 A1; hereinafter “Komoto”).
In re claim 14, Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, discloses the insulation module according to claim 1 outlined above, but does not expressly disclose wherein the insulation member includes a portion protruding from the light receiving element when viewed in a stacking direction of the light emitting element and the light receiving element.
In the same field of endeavor, Komoto discloses in figs. 1A-1B, an insulation module wherein the insulation member 23 includes a portion protruding from the light receiving element 17 when viewed in a stacking direction of the light emitting element 14 and the light receiving element 17 (¶28-29).
It 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 to employ the teachings of Komoto into the package of Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, in order to provide an optical coupling device with a high insulating voltage rating (¶17 of Komoto).
Claim(s) 15-16, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kurosawa et al. (US 20170244003 A1; hereinafter “Kurosawa”)
In re claim 15, Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, discloses the insulation module according to claim 1 outlined above, but does not expressly disclose wherein the insulation member includes:
a first surface facing the light emitting element; and
a second surface facing the light receiving element,
the first surface is formed to have a flat shape, and
a rough surface that scatters light from the light emitting element is formed on the second surface.
In the same field of endeavor, Kurosawa discloses in figs. 1, 8A, a semiconductor module having light-transmissive insulating body, wherein an insulation member 14 includes:
a first surface 14a facing a light emitting element 13 (¶33, 18); and
a second surface 14b facing a light receiving element 11 (¶33, 18),
the first surface 14a is formed to have a flat shape (fig. 8A; ¶80), and
a rough surface that scatters light from the light emitting element is formed on the second surface 14b (fig. 8A; ¶80).
It 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 to employ the teachings of Kurosawa into the package of Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, in order to increase adhesion between the lower surface of the insulation member and the bonding resin underneath (¶81 of Kurosawa).
In re claim 16, Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, discloses the insulation module according to claim 1 outlined above, but does not expressly disclose wherein the insulation member includes:
a first surface facing the light emitting element; and
a second surface facing the light receiving element,
the first surface is formed to have a flat shape, and
a second uneven portion is provided on the second surface.
In the same field of endeavor, Kurosawa discloses in figs. 1, 8A, a semiconductor module having light-transmissive insulating body, wherein an insulation member 14 includes:
a first surface 14a facing a light emitting element 13 (¶33, 18); and
a second surface 14b facing a light receiving element 11 (¶33, 18),
the first surface 14a is formed to have a flat shape (fig. 8A; ¶80), and
a second uneven portion is provided on the second surface 14b (fig. 8A; ¶80).
It 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 to employ the teachings of Kurosawa into the package of Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, in order to increase adhesion between the lower surface of the insulation member and the bonding resin underneath (¶81 of Kurosawa).
In re claim 20, Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, discloses the insulation module according to claim 1 outlined above, but does not expressly disclose:
wherein the light emitting element includes a first light emitting element and a second light emitting element,
the light receiving element includes a first light receiving element and a second light receiving element,
the first light emitting element is stacked on the first light receiving element, and
the second light emitting element is stacked on the second light receiving element, and
the insulation module further includes:
a first die pad on which the first light receiving element is mounted; and
a second die pad on which the second light receiving element is mounted.
In the same field of endeavor, Kurosawa discloses in fig. 1, a semiconductor module having light-transmissive insulating body, wherein the light emitting element includes a first light emitting element 13 and a second light emitting element 23 (¶17, 22),
the light receiving element includes a first light receiving element 11 and a second light receiving element 21 (¶17, 21),
the first light emitting element 13 is stacked on the first light receiving element 11, and
the second light emitting element 23 is stacked on the second light receiving element 21, and
the insulation module further includes:
a first die pad 17a on which the first light receiving element 11 is mounted (¶19); and
a second die pad 27a on which the second light receiving element 21 is mounted (¶24).
It 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 to employ the teachings of Kurosawa into the package of Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, in order to increase light extraction efficiency of the package.
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Muramatsu et al. (US 20220344520 A1; hereinafter “Muramatsu”).
In re claim 17, Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, discloses the insulation module according to claim 1 outlined above.
Yoichi further discloses in fig. 4, a die pad 26a on which the light receiving element 12 is mounted.
Yoichi, as modified by Minamio does not expressly disclose:
a bonding material for light reception that bonds the die pad and the light receiving element to each other,
wherein the light receiving element includes a back surface facing a side opposite to the light receiving surface,
the bonding material for light reception includes a first bonding region interposed between the back surface and the die pad and a second bonding region protruding from the light receiving element when viewed from the light receiving surface, and
a portion of the second bonding region that is in contact with a side surface of the light receiving element is formed to be closer to the light receiving surface than a center of the light receiving element in a thickness direction.
In the same field of endeavor, Muramatsu discloses in figs. 1-5, an insulation module comprising:
a die pad 41 on which a light receiving element 2 is mounted (¶30); and
a bonding material 7 for light reception that bonds the die pad 41 and the light receiving element 2 to each other (¶35),
wherein the light receiving element 2 includes a back surface (e.g., bottom surface of the light receiving element 2 opposite surface 2a) facing a side opposite to the light receiving surface 2a,
the bonding material 7 for light reception includes a first bonding region interposed between the back surface (i.e., the bottom surface of the light receiving element 2 opposite surface 2a) and the die pad 41 and a second bonding region protruding from the light receiving element when viewed from the light receiving surface (fig. 5 shows an end portion of the bonding material 7 on the side surface of the light receiving element 2), and
a portion of the second bonding region that is in contact with a side surface of the light receiving element is formed to be closer to the light receiving surface than a center of the light receiving element in a thickness direction (see fig. 5 wherein the edge portion of 7 is closer to the side surface of 2 than a center of 2).
It 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 to employ the teachings of Muramatsu into the package of Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, to provide a photodetector in which electrical connection between a wiring provided in a package and a light receiving element accommodated inside the package can be reliably performed and occurrence of dew condensation inside the package can be reliably prevented (¶21 of Muramatsu).
Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Singer et al. (US 20190051788 A1; hereinafter “Singer”).
In re claim 18, Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, discloses the insulation module according to claim 1 outlined above, but does not expressly disclose:
wherein the light emitting element includes a sapphire substrate.
In the same field of endeavor, Singer discloses in figs. 1, 16A, a light source and detection module, wherein the light emitting element 91 includes a sapphire substrate (¶99).
It 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 to employ the teachings of Singer into the package of Yoichi, as modified by Minamio, as Singer teaches sapphire effectively functions as a radiation-transmissive substrate and the light-emitting diode chip can thus preferably emit radiation towards all sides (¶99 of Singer).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NILUFA RAHIM whose telephone number is (571)272-8926. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5:30pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Yara J. Green can be reached at (571) 270-3035. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NILUFA RAHIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893
2. Citations and explanations :
Document 1: JP 6-268246 A (SHARP CORP.) 22 September 1994(1994-09-22)
Paragraphs, [0015]. [0024]-[0025], [0027]-[0028], and fig. 4 (Family: none)
Document 2: WO 2012/111254 A1 (PANASONIC CORP.) 23 August 2012(2012-08-23)
Paragraphs-and fig. 11
& US 2012/0326289 A1
Paragraphs-and fig. 11
& CN 102934225 A
Document 3: JP 2003-124437 A (MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP.) 25 April 2003(2003-04-25)
Paragraphs
& US 2003/0075783 A1
Paragraphs , --- [0033], [0050], [0057]-[0066], and fig. 6-7
& KR 10-2003-0032816 A
Document 4: JP 2015-56590 A (TOSHIBA CORP.) 23 March 2015(2015-03-23)
Paragraphs, fig. 2, 4
& US 20150076526 A1; paragraphs
Document 5: JP 2015-35439 A (LUMA ELECTRONICS CO. LTD.) 19 February 2015(2015-02-19)
FIG. 1
& US 2015/0041687 A1
FIG. 1
& CN 104347750 A
Document 6: JP 2016-225664 A (SUB-CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES, LTD.) 28 December 2016(2016-12-28)
Paragraph and Fig. 7 (Family: none)
Document 7: JP 10-163518 A (SHARP CORP.) 19 June 1998(1998-06-19)
Paragraphs, , fig. 5-6 (Family: none)
Document 8: JP 2013-65717 A (TOSHIBA CORP.) 11 April 2013(2013-04-11)
FIG. 6-9 (Family: none)
Document 9: JP 2019-12713 A (LUMA ELECTRONICS CO. LTD.) 24 January 2019(2019-01-24)
FIG. 1-3
& US 2019/0006550 A1
FIG. 1-3
& CN 109216337 A
Document 10: JP 11-163391 A (NEW NIPPON RADIO CO. LTD.) 18 June 1999(1999-06-18)
Entire text, all drawings (Family: none)
Document 11: JP 2013-175561 A (TOSHIBA CORP.) 05 September 2013(2013-09-05)
entire text, all drawings
& US 2013/0221248 A1
entire text, all drawings
Document 12: US 2010/0193803 A1 (LIU Yong) 05 August 2010(2010-08-05)
Entire text, all drawings (Family: none)
The invention as in claim 1 does not involve an inventive step in light of documents 1 and 2 cited in the
ISR.
See document 1 (in particular, see paragraphs, --- -. and fig. 4). PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an
optical coupling device ("insulating module") which is an optical coupling device ("insulating module") for
improving light transmission efficiency, enhancing dielectric strength, suppressing insulation failure,
suppressing peeling, and improving stability, comprising
a light-emitting element 15 ("light-emitting element") and a light-receiving element 12 ("light-receiving element") constituting a photocoupler, a translucent resin insulating layer 14 ("insulating member having translucency") provided between the light-receiving element 12 and the light-emitting element 15, a light-shielding resin 24 ("sealing resin") for sealing at least the light-emitting element 15 and the light-receiving element 12, and a lead frame 25a
("first terminal") and a lead frame 25d ("second terminal") provided side by side on the resin side surface of the light-shielding resin 24 The light-transmitting resin insulating layer 14 is laminated on the light-receiving surface ("light-receiving surface") of the light-receiving element 12, and the light-emitting element 15 is laminated on the light-transmitting resin insulating layer 14.
When the invention as in claim 1 and the invention disclosed in document 1 are compared, the two differ
as follows.
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the
A part between the first terminal and the second terminal is provided with a first uneven part in the invention as in claim 1. whereas it is unclear whether the first uneven part is provided in the invention described in document 1.
This difference is examined.
Document 2 (in particular, see paragraphs-and fig. 11). The semiconductor device comprises: a " power
element 101; an exterior body 106 that holds the power element 101 and is composed of a resin material
and covers the power element 101; and a lead frame 103 that has a plurality of external terminals 105
protruding from a side surface of the exterior body 106. In order to reduce the size of the semiconductor
device, a recessed structure 106a is provided between adjacent external terminals 105. The invention is described.
To achieve miniaturization in the technical field of semiconductor devices.
Thus, a person skilled in the art could easily have conceived of obtaining the configuration of the invention as in claim 1 by applying the configuration of the invention disclosed in document 2 to the invention disclosed in document 1 and providing a recessed structure 106a between the adjacent lead frame 25a and the lead frame 25d.
The invention as in claims 2-12 does not involve an inventive step in light of documents 1-3 cited in the
ISR.
(1) Claim 2
See document 3 (in particular, paragraphs and fig. 6-7). The semiconductor device includes: a
power chip 41; a mold resin 45 for molding the power chip 41; and a plurality of lead terminals 2d
protruding from a side surface of the mold resin 45 and electrically connected to the power chip 41. The power chip 41 is arranged in a lead frame 2a having a suspension lead part 2e protruding from the mold resin 45 in order to increase an insulation breakdown voltage. The invention is described.
The invention disclosed in document 1 and the invention disclosed in document 3 address the same problem of increasing dielectric strength.
Thus, in the invention disclosed in document 1, a person skilled in the art could easily have conceived of applying the configuration of the invention disclosed in document 3 in order to increase the dielectric breakdown voltage. providing a lead frame 25a and a lead frame 25d with a suspension lead part protruding from the light-blocking resin 24, and appropriately selecting the position of the concave structure 106a between the lead frame 25a and the lead frame 25d, thereby arriving at the configuration of the invention as in claim 2.
(2) Claims 3, 5, and 8-12
In the invention described in document 1, when the light-emitting element 15 and the light-receiving
element 12 are respectively fixed to the translucent resin insulating layer 14, how to fix the light-emitting
element 15 and the light-receiving element 12 to the translucent resin insulating layer 14 is a design
matter to be selected, as appropriate, in consideration of adhesion strength or the like.
In view of the fact that the light-emitting surface and the light-receiving surface face each other and the
insulating layer 14 is a translucent resin, a person skilled in the art could easily have conceived of fixing
the light-receiving element 12 with a translucent material.
(3) Claim 4
Document 1 (in particular, see Fig. 4). The light emitting element 15 has a light emitting surface facing the
light receiving surface, and the light emitting surface is in contact with the translucent resin insulating
layer 14.
(4) Claims 6-7
See document 1 (in particular, see paragraph and fig. 4). The light-emitting element 15 has an electrode part formed on a rear surface facing the light-emitting surface, and a plurality of bonding wires 23 are connected to the electrode part. It is clear that the electrode part functions as a reflection layer.
The invention as in claim 13 does not involve an inventive step in light of documents 1-4 cited in the ISR.
What kind to use for the light receiving element 2 is a design matter to be selected as appropriate.
On the other hand, reference is made to document 4 (in particular, see paragraphs, and, and figures 2 and
4). The light-receiving element 10 includes: an insulating layer 60 including a metal wiring layer 50; a
light-receiving unit 20 disposed on the insulating layer 60; and a signal processing unit 30 disposed on a
"
portion different from a portion where the light-receiving unit 20 is disposed on the insulating layer 60.
Thus, a person skilled in the art could easily have conceived of obtaining the configuration of the invention
as in claim 13 by appropriately selecting what kind of light to be used for the light-receiving element 2, and
arranging the light-emitting surface of the light-emitting element 15 and the light-receiving surface of the
light-receiving part so as to face each other, for example, in order to use the light-receiving element 10 of
the invention disclosed in document 4 and improve the light transmission efficiency.
The invention as in claim 14 does not involve an inventive step in light of documents 1-5 cited in the ISR.
In the technical field of optical coupling devices in which an insulating member is disposed between a
light-receiving element and a light-emitting element, arranging the insulating member wider than the
light-receiving surface of the light-receiving element is a well-known feature (for example, see fig. 1 of
document 5).????
Thus, a person skilled in the art could easily have conceived of adopting the well-known feature in the
invention disclosed in document 1, and arranging the translucent resin insulating layer 14 wider than the
light-receiving surface of the light-receiving element 12. thereby arriving at the configuration of the
invention as in claim 14.
The invention as in claims 15-19 does not involve an inventive step in light of documents 1-6 cited in the
ISR.
(1) Claims 15-16
In the technical field of devices provided with light-emitting elements, in order to improve light extraction efficiency, it is a well-known feature to make the surface on the side opposite to the light-emitting surface of a light-transmitting member disposed on the light-emitting surface of a light-emitting element be an uneven surface (for example, see paragraph and fig. 7 of document 6).????
(2) Claim 17
See document 1 (in particular, see paragraph and fig. 4). The light receiving element 12 and the lead frame
25a are bonded to each other by using silver paste.
How to apply the silver paste is a design matter to be selected as appropriate in consideration of adhesion
strength or the like.
(3) Claim 18
It is clear that the light-emitting element 15 includes a substrate, and the material to be used for the
substrate is a design matter to be selected as appropriate.
(4) Claim 19
The position where the light receiving element 12 is arranged on the lead frame 25a is a design matter to
be selected as appropriate.
The invention as in claim 20 does not involve an inventive step in light of documents 1-9 cited in the ISR.
In the technical field of optical coupling elements provided with a sealing material, it is a well-known
feature to provide a plurality of sets of light-emitting elements and light-receiving elements as a set (see,
for example, paragraphs and fig. 5-6 of document 7, fig. 6-9 of document 8, and fig. 1-3 of document
9).????
Thus, a person skilled in the art could easily have conceived of obtaining the configuration of the invention
as in claim 20 by adopting the well-known feature in the invention disclosed in document 1 and providing
a plurality of sets in which the light-emitting element 15 and the light-receiving element 12 are set as one
set.