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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01/04/2024 and 07/30/2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Notification regarding 35 USC § 112f
The following is a quotation of AIA 35 U.S.C. 112f:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
Claim limitation “a feed structure disposed on the laser diode element” in claim 1 has been interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f), because it uses/they use a generic placeholder “a feed structure” coupled with functional language “disposed on the laser diode element” without reciting sufficient structure to achieve the function. Furthermore, the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier.
Since the claim limitation(s) invokes 35 U.S.C. 112(f), claim 1 has been interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification that achieves the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
A review of the specification shows that, although it is not clear, the following appears to be the corresponding structure described in the specification for the 35 U.S.C. 112(f) limitation: “…feed structure 17 that is electrically and thermally conductive is disposed on the laser diode element 16 …” has been described in the present Specification, Par.0027, such that “feed structure” can be considered as a “metal plate”.
If applicant wishes to provide further explanation or dispute the examiner’s interpretation of the corresponding structure, applicant must identify the corresponding structure with reference to the specification by page and line number, and to the drawing, if any, by reference characters in response to this Office action.
If applicant does not intend to have the claim limitation(s) treated under 35 U.S.C. 112(f), applicant may amend the claim(s) so that it/they will clearly not invoke 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or present a sufficient showing that the claim recites/recite sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function to preclude application of 35 U.S.C. 112(f).
For more information, see MPEP § 2173 et seq. and Supplementary Examination Guidelines for Determining Compliance With 35 U.S.C. 112 and for Treatment of Related Issues in Patent Applications, 76 FR 7162, 7167 (Feb. 9, 2011).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(B) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b), as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which applicant regards as the invention.
In claim 1, the limitation: “a feed structure” is indefinite, because it is unclear what it is. The present Specification, Par.0027 describes: “…feed structure 17 that is electrically and thermally conductive is disposed on the laser diode element 16…”, such that it is assumed “a feed structure” is a “metal plate”. Correction is required.
In claim 3, the limitation: “a plurality of the semiconductor laser modules”, is indefinite because lack of antecedent basis. Correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oomori et al. (US 20200136344 A1) in view of Yoshida et al. (US 20140211819 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Oomori discloses
A semiconductor laser module (semiconductor laser device 1, fig.1) comprising:
a heat sink (heat sink 20, fig.1);
a first electrode (lower electrode block 60, fig.1) disposed in a first region (right side of lower electrode block 60, fig.1) of the heat sink (heat sink 20);
an insulating layer (insulating layer 70, fig.1) disposed on the first electrode (lower electrode block 60);
a submount (submount 30, fig.1) disposed in a second region (left side of lower electrode block 60, fig.1) of the heat sink (heat sink 20), the second region (left side of lower electrode block 60) being different from the first region (right side of lower electrode block 60), the submount (submount 30) being electrically and thermally conductive [Par.0029 cited: “…material for submount 30 may be another substance that has electrical conductivity, high thermal conductivity, and a thermal expansion coefficient…”];
a laser diode element (semiconductor laser element 40, fig.1) disposed on the submount (submount 30), the laser diode element (semiconductor laser element 40) emitting a laser beam [Par.0041 cited: “…heat generated from semiconductor laser element 40 is primarily discharged to an outside through four routes…”];
a feed structure (bumps 50, metal sheets 51, fig.1) disposed on the laser diode element (semiconductor laser element 40), the feed structure (bumps 50, metal sheets 51) being electrically and thermally conductive [Par.0031 cited: “…bump 50 is, for example, a gold bump formed by melting a wire made of gold (Au)… metal sheet 51 such as gold leaf may be inserted between bumps 50…”]; and
a second electrode (upper electrode block 61, fig.1) provided on the insulating layer (insulating layer 70) and the feed structure (bumps 50, metal sheets 51) such that the second electrode (upper electrode block 61) is in contact with the insulating layer (insulating layer 70) and the feed structure (bumps 50, metal sheets 51).
However, Oomori does not disclose wherein a positional relationship between the heat sink, the first electrode, the insulating layer, and the second electrode is fixed by an adhesive, and the first electrode is bonded to the second electrode with an insulating adhesive.
Yoshida discloses a semiconductor laser device (semiconductor laser device 10, fig.2) comprising an adhesive (solder layer 12, fig.2) [Par.0036 cited: “…solder layer 12 as a conductive first adhesive…”] and an insulating adhesive (insulating adhesive tape 17, fig.2) [Par.0036 cited: “…Semiconductor laser device 10 of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1 through FIG. 3, has semiconductor laser element 11, solder layer 12 as a conductive first adhesive, and sub-mount 13 as a conductive first heatsink member. Semiconductor laser device 10 of the present invention further contains solder layer 14 as a conductive second adhesive, heatsink 15 as a conductive second heatsink member, conductive bonding plate 16, and insulating adhesive tape 17…”].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify a semiconductor laser device of Oomori, by including an adhesive and an insulating adhesive, as taught by Yoshida, in order to connect parts of the semiconductor laser device in compact.
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Regarding claim 2, Oomori discloses
when a Z-axis direction is defined as a direction in which the laser beam is emitted (laser beam is emitted semiconductor laser element 40, fig.1), a Y-axis direction is defined as a direction in which the first electrode (lower electrode block 60, fig.1) and the second electrode (upper electrode block 61, fig.1) are stacked.
However, Oomori does not disclose an X-axis direction is defined as a direction perpendicular to both the Z-axis and the Y-axis, the first electrode includes an L-shaped member having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being parallel to a YZ plane, the second portion being parallel to a ZX plane.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify a first electrode and a second electrode of Oomori, with an X-axis direction is defined as a direction perpendicular to both the Z-axis and the Y-axis, the first electrode includes an L-shaped member having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being parallel to a YZ plane, the second portion being parallel to a ZX plane, in order suitable for the user application, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the form or shape of a component. A change in form or shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Dailey, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1976).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-4 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 3, the prior art of record does not anticipate or render fairly obvious in combination to teach the limitations … a laser oscillator including a plurality of the semiconductor laser modules, the laser oscillator coupling the laser beams emitted from the plurality of semiconductor laser modules and emitting the coupled laser beams, the laser oscillator comprising: a coupling member that is electrically conductive, the coupling member connecting the second electrode of a first semiconductor laser module and the first electrode of a second semiconductor laser module, the first semiconductor laser module and the second semiconductor laser module being among the plurality of semiconductor laser modules, the second semiconductor laser module being disposed adjacent to the first semiconductor laser module; a first fastening member to fix the coupling member and the second electrode of the first semiconductor laser module; and a second fastening member to fix the first electrode of the second semiconductor laser module and the coupling member, wherein the coupling member includes an L-shaped member having a third portion and a fourth portion, the third portion being parallel to a YZ plane, the fourth portion being parallel to a ZX plane, and the coupling member is disposed such that the fourth portion is disposed on the second electrode of the first semiconductor laser module, and that the third portion is in contact with the first portion of the first electrode of the second semiconductor laser module.
The dependent claim 4 is also objected by being depended on claim 3.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Ikeda et al. (US 20180226772 A1) is considered as the relevant prior art in field of a laser light source device, as shown in figs.1A-C, with semiconductor laser elements, a heat sink, a submount, a first and second electrodes, an insulating layer, an adhesive… but does not explicitly disclose the first electrode is bonded to the second electrode with an insulating adhesive…
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHUONG T NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-1834. The examiner can normally be reached 9.00am-5.00pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven Crabb can be reached on 571-270-5095. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PHUONG T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761
08/10/2026
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