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 .
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) 1-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tschirbs(USPGPUB DOCUMENT: 2008/0101032, hereinafter Tschirbs) in view of Koshio (USPATENT: 6392143, hereinafter Koshio) and Komatsu (USPGPUB DOCUMENT: 2016/0379912, hereinafter Komatsu).
Re claim 1 Tschirbs discloses in Fig 11 a semiconductor module, comprising: a semiconductor element(4); a wiring board(3)[0057] (since 3 may be a circuit carrier/metallization, this may be interpreted as a wiring board) on which the semiconductor element(4) is mounted; and a heat dissipation base(9/2) including a first surface(top/bottom) having a first region(region of 9/2 where 3 is bonded) in which the wiring board(3) is bonded[0058] and a second surface(top/bottom) opposite to the first surface(top/bottom), the heat dissipation base(9/2) has a plurality of fastening holes(6) respectively provided at respective ones of a plurality of corner portions of the heat dissipation base(9/2), the plurality of peripheral areas being respectively located in a second region(region of 9/2 where 3 is excluded) excluding the first region(region of 9/2 where 3 is bonded), at a peripheral edge of the first surface(top/bottom) around respective ones of the plurality of fastening holes(6).
Tschirbs does not disclose wherein the heat dissipation base(9/2) is warped to be convexed in a direction from the first surface(top/bottom) toward the second surface(top/bottom), and a plurality of recesses provided in the first surface(top/bottom) in respective ones of a plurality of peripheral areas, and a case which covers the semiconductor element, the wiring board, and the heat dissipation base, such that the plurality of recesses are provided at a peripheral edge of the first surface around respective ones of the plurality of fastening holes, and outside the case in a planar view.
Koshio discloses in Fig 5B/5C wherein the heat dissipation base(22j/22a/21/11) is warped to be convexed in a direction from the first surface(top/bottom) toward the second surface(top/bottom), and a plurality of recesses(since there is a hole or cavity between 22a/22j this may be interpreted as a recess of Koshio) provided in the first surface(top/bottom) in respective ones of a plurality of peripheral areas,
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to apply the teachings of Koshio to the teachings of Tschirbs in order to have high packaging reliability [Col1, lines 60-70, Koshio].
Tschirbs and Koshio does not disclose a case which covers the semiconductor element, the wiring board, and the heat dissipation base, such that the plurality of recesses are provided at a peripheral edge of the first surface around respective ones of the plurality of fastening holes, and outside the case in a planar view.
Komatsu disclose a case(10/6) which covers the semiconductor element(5), the wiring board(3), and the heat dissipation base(2), such that the plurality of recesses(since there is a hole or cavity between 22a/22j this may be interpreted as a recess of Koshio) are provided at a peripheral edge of the first surface around respective ones of the plurality of fastening holes(6), and outside the case in a planar view.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to apply the teachings of Komatsu to the teachings of Tschirbs in order to have improve heat dissipation [0008, Komatsu].
Re claim 2 Tschirbs and Koshio and Komatsu disclose the semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of recesses(since there is a hole or cavity between 22a/22j this may be interpreted as a recess of Koshio) is a groove(see Fig 5B/5C of Koshio) provided in the first surface(top/bottom).
Re claim 3 Tschirbs and Koshio and Komatsu disclose the semiconductor module according to claim 2, wherein the second surface(top/bottom) of the heat dissipation base(9/2) has a third region positioned directly opposite to the first region(region of 9/2 where 3 is bonded) of the first surface(top/bottom) and a fourth region positioned directly opposite to the second region(region of 9/2 where 3 is excluded) of the first surface(top/bottom), the third region and the fourth region excluding the plurality of fastening holes(6) forming a curved surface(top/bottom) that is free of any groove(see Fig 5B/5C of Koshio).
Re claim 4 Tschirbs and Koshio and Komatsu disclose the semiconductor module according to claim 2, wherein the groove(see Fig 5B/5C of Koshio) is provided so as to pass through an area between one of the plurality of fastening holes(6) and the first region(region of 9/2 where 3 is bonded).
Re claim 5 Tschirbs and Koshio and Komatsu disclose the semiconductor module according to claim 4, wherein the heat dissipation base(9/2) has a rectangular shape in a plan view of the semiconductor module with four corners each formed by two sides orthogonal to each other, the plurality of fastening holes(6) are respectively provided at respective ones of four corners of the heat dissipation base(9/2), each groove(see Fig 5B/5C of Koshio) provided at one of the four corners formed by corresponding two sides in the first surface(top/bottom) extends from the corresponding two sides.
Re claim 6 Tschirbs and Koshio and Komatsu disclose the semiconductor module according to claim 5, wherein each groove(see Fig 5B/5C of Koshio) provided at the one of the four corners formed by the corresponding two sides continuously extends from one side of the corresponding two sides to the other side of the corresponding two sides to form an arc shape.
Re claim 7 Tschirbs and Koshio and Komatsu disclose the semiconductor module according to claim 5, wherein each groove(see Fig 5B/5C of Koshio) provided at the one of the four corners formed by the corresponding two sides includes a first straight portion(see Fig 5B/5C of Koshio) that extends from one side of the corresponding two sides in a direction orthogonal to the one side and a second straight portion that extends from the other side of the corresponding two sides in a direction orthogonal to the other side.
Re claim 8 Tschirbs and Koshio and Komatsu disclose the semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein each the plurality of recesses(since there is a hole or cavity between 22a/22j this may be interpreted as a recess of Koshio) is a cut-away passing through the heat dissipation base(9/2) from the first surface(top/bottom) to the second surface(top/bottom) in a thickness direction.
Re claim 9 Tschirbs and Koshio and Komatsu disclose the semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the heat dissipation base(9/2) has a rectangular shape in a plan view of the semiconductor module with four corners each formed by two sides orthogonal to each other, each of the plurality of recesses(since there is a hole or cavity between 22a/22j this may be interpreted as a recess of Koshio) at one of four corners formed by corresponding two sides includes a first portion(see Fig 5B/5C of Koshio) and a second portion that are apart from each other, the first portion extends from one side of the corresponding two sides in a first direction different from the one side, and the second portion(see Fig 5B/5C of Koshio) extends from the other side of the corresponding two sides in a second direction different from the other side.
Re claim 10 Tschirbs and Koshio and Komatsu disclose the semiconductor module according to claim 9, wherein the first portion(see Fig 5B/5C of Koshio) extends from the one side to have a length longer than a length from the one side to an edge of a corresponding one of the plurality of fastening holes(6) in the first direction, and the second portion extends from the other side to have a length longer than a length from the other side to an edge of the corresponding one of the plurality of fastening holes(6) in the second direction.
Re claim 11 Tschirbs and Koshio and Komatsu disclose the semiconductor module according to claim 10, wherein the first portion(see Fig 5B/5C of Koshio) extends to have a length longer than a length from the one side to a center of the corresponding one of the plurality of fastening holes(6), and the second portion extends to have a length longer than a length from the other side to the center of the corresponding one of the plurality of fastening holes(6).
Re claim 12 Tschirbs and Koshio and Komatsu disclose the semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the second surface(top/bottom) including an area directly opposite to an area where the recess is provided in the first surface(top/bottom) forms a carved surface(top/bottom).
Re claim 13 Tschirbs discloses in Fig 11 a heat dissipation base(9/2), comprising a first surface(top/bottom) having a first region(region of 9/2 where 3 is bonded) to which a wiring board(3) [0057] (since 3 may be a circuit carrier/metallization, this may be interpreted as a wiring board) having a semiconductor element(4) mounted thereon to be bonded[0058]; a second surface(top/bottom) opposite to the first surface(top/bottom); and a plurality of fastening holes(6) respectively provided at respective ones of a plurality of corners of the heat dissipation base(9/2), each of the plurality of peripheral areas being located in a second region(region of 9/2 where 3 is excluded) excluding the first region(region of 9/2 where 3 is bonded), at a peripheral edge of the first surface(top/bottom) around respective ones of the plurality of fastening holes(6),
Tschirbs does not disclose a plurality of recesses provided in the first surface(top/bottom) in respective ones of a plurality of peripheral areas, wherein the second surface(top/bottom) is capable of being warped to be convexed in a direction from the first surface(top/bottom) toward the second surface(top/bottom); such that the plurality of recesses are provided at a peripheral edge of the first surface,
Koshio discloses in Fig 5B/5C a plurality of recesses(since there is a hole or cavity between 22a/22j this may be interpreted as a recess) provided in the first surface(top/bottom) in respective ones of a plurality of peripheral areas, wherein the second surface(top/bottom of 22j/22a/21/11) is capable of being warped to be convexed in a direction from the first surface(top/bottom) toward the second surface(top/bottom).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to apply the teachings of Koshio to the teachings of Tschirbs in order to have high packaging reliability [Col1, lines 60-70, Koshio].
Tschirbs and Koshio does not disclose such that the plurality of recesses are provided at a peripheral edge of the first surface,
Komatsu disclose a peripheral edge of the first surface(surface of 2 of Komatsu),
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to apply the teachings of Komatsu to the teachings of Tschirbs in order to have improve heat dissipation [0008, Komatsu]. In doing so, such that the plurality of recesses(since there is a hole or cavity between 22a/22j this may be interpreted as a recess of Koshio) are provided at a peripheral edge of the first surface(surface of 2 of Komatsu),
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-13 have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to any of the references being used in the current rejection.
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.
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/PATRICIA D VALENZUELA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2812
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