DETAILED ACTION
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) 1-4, 10-11, 13 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ozturk et al. (US20170317261).
Re Claim 1, Ozturk show and disclose
A multi-layer stretchable circuit comprising:
one or more interconnect layers (flexible interconnects 104 and 106, [0020], connected by via 102, fig. 1, 9 and 11), each interconnect layer comprising one or more conductive interconnects encased in a layer of an insulating polymer (102 and 104, fig. 1, 9 and 11),
an elastomeric material (PDMS, [0029] and [0038]) encasing each of the one or more interconnect layers (encapsulate in PDMS, fig. 1, 9 and 11); and
one or more conductive pillars (pillars 102, fig. 1, 9 and 11) defined between the conductive interconnects of a first interconnect layer and the conductive interconnects of a second interconnect layer (fig. 1, 9 and 11), the pillars forming vias (forming connecting vias, fig. 1, 9 and 11) between the first and second interconnect layers through the intervening elastomeric material (fig. 1, 9 and 11).
Re Claim 2, Ozturk show and disclose
The circuit of claim 1 wherein the elastomeric material is PDMS (PDMS, [0029] and [0038]).
Re Claim 3, Ozturk show and disclose
The circuit of claim 1 wherein the insulating polymer is polyimide (polyimide, [0020] and [0038]).
Re Claim 4, Ozturk show and disclose
The circuit of claim 1 wherein the conductive interconnects and the pillars are composed of a material selected from a group comprising: silver, gold, platinum, copper, nickel and conductive polymers (copper pillars, [0043]).
Re Claim 10, Ozturk show and disclose
The circuit of claim 1 wherein one or more portions of the conductive interconnects of any interconnect layer form one or more pads (pads of 104, fig. 1, 9 and 11).
Re Claim 11, Ozturk show and disclose
The circuit of claim 10 wherein the one or more pillars are disposed on one or more of the pads (fig. 1, 9 and 11).
Re Claim 13, Ozturk show and disclose
The circuit of claim 1 wherein the conductive interconnects of any interconnect layer are disposed in a meandering pattern (fig. 1, 9 and 11).
Re Claim 16, Ozturk show and disclose
The circuit of claim 1 wherein some or all of the pillars are in the shape of a cylinder (fig. 1, 9 and 11).
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.
Claims 5-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ozturk et al., in view of Fillion et al. (US10504826).
Re Claims 5-6, Ozturk show and disclose
The circuit of claim 1 further comprising: one or more pillars connected to a conductive interconnect of any interconnect layer (vias 102 connected to interconnect layers 104 and 106, fig. 1, 9 and 11),
Ozturk does not disclose
the connecting vias extending external to the circuit to act as an external connection for the circuit, and one or more circuit components connected to one or more of the conductive interconnects.
Fillion teaches a device wherein
the connecting vias extending external to the circuit to act as an external connection for the circuit, and one or more circuit components connected to one or more of the conductive interconnects. (the connecting vias extending external and connected to circuit component, chip 131, fig. 5-6).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to use the connecting vias extending to external as taught by Fillion in the electronic device of Ozturk, in order to be able to connect more circuit components for the electronic device.
Claims 7-9 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ozturk et al. in view of Fillion et al., further in view of Dias et al. (US20170181275).
Re Claims 7-9 and 12, Ozturk show and disclose
The circuit of claim 6,
Ozturk and Fillion do not disclose
a layer of the elastomeric material covering the one or more circuit components; the elastomeric material is infused with a polymer having a stiffness greater than the elastomeric material in areas wherein the elastomeric material covers the one or more circuit components; a layer of the insulating polymer covering the one or more circuit components; and a layer of the elastomeric material covering the layer of the insulating polymer; the one or more circuit components are disposed on one or more of the pads and connected thereto by melted solder.
Dias teaches a device wherein
a layer of the elastomeric material (gradient encapsulating elastomer 450A and stretchable material 460, fig. 4A) covering the one or more circuit components (electrical device 499, fig. 4A); the elastomeric material is infused with a polymer having a stiffness greater than the elastomeric material in areas wherein the elastomeric material covers the one or more circuit components (the gradient encapsulating material is formed with a mix of particles which will respond to stimuli and the stimuli is applied to the gradient encapsulating material causing the particles within the gradient encapsulating material to move, migrate, shift, aggregate, segregate, or settle. For instance, the modulus of the gradient encapsulating material may be established with a greater degree of rigidity at or near the electrical device 499 and a lesser degree of rigidity away from the electrical device 499 with the change in modulus shifting in a linear or non-linear fashion with distance from the electrical device depending on the mix of particles and the stimuli applied, [0071]); a layer of the insulating polymer (gradient encapsulating elastomer 450A, fig. 4A) covering the one or more circuit components; and a layer of the elastomeric material (stretchable material 460, fig. 4A) covering the layer of the insulating polymer; the one or more circuit components are disposed on one or more of the pads and connected thereto by melted solder (circuit component 499 disposed one the pads and connected by solder balls, fig. 4A).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to use elastomer encapsulation material to encapsulate the electrical components as taught by Dias in the electronic device of Ozturk, in order to improve security of the mounted electrical component for the electronic device.
Claims 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ozturk et al. in view of Volant et al. (US20110095435).
Re Claims 14-15, Ozturk show and disclose
The circuit of claim 1.
Ozturk does not disclose
wherein some or all of the one or more pillars are hollow; wherein some or all of the hollow pillars are backfilled with polyimide.
Volant teaches a device wherein
some or all of the one or more pillars are hollow (fig. 13), some or all of the hollow pillars are backfilled with polyimide (filled polyimide 80, fig. 13).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to use hollow vias filled with polyimide as taught by Volant in the electronic device of Ozturk, in order to increase the strength of the vias of the circuit board for the electronic device; and since using a filled hollow via is well known and very common in the art.
Claims 17-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ozturk et al.
Re Claims 17-19, Ozturk show and disclose
The circuit of claim 1
Ozturk disclosed claimed invention, except for some or all of the pillars are in the shape of a frustum; some or all of the one or more pillars are in the shape of a fluted cylinder; wherein some or all of the one or more pillars are generally cone-shaped; since Ozturk discloses the connecting vias (with cylinder shaped vias, as in claim 16 above); therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to use frustum, fluted cylinder, or cone shaped via in the electronic device of Ozturk, in order to have variety design choice of the shape of the vias for the electronic device; since different shaped vias would perform the same connecting function between layers, and since the particular claimed configuration is just one of numerous configurations a person of ordinary skill in the art would find obvious, and it has been held that the configuration of the shape in claimed invention was a matter of choice. In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US-20220304150-A1 US-20220227952-A1 US-20200255791-A1 US-20170165476-A1 US-20130180764-A1 US-20140144994-A1 US-20200194469-A1 US-20130256841-A1 US-20160256070-A1 US-20130316487-A1 US-20220189790-A1 US-20110034912-A1 US-20130315782-A1 US-20150202626-A1.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to XIAOLIANG CHEN whose telephone number is (571)272-9079. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00-5:00.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Timothy Dole can be reached on 571-272-2229. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/XIAOLIANG CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2848
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