DETAILED ACTION
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 1-6 and 9-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Otremba et al US 2018/0061745 A1 in view of Hirumuta et al. US 6,111,312.
Regarding claims 1-17, Otremba discloses:
A semiconductor device (Fig. 2) comprising:
a semiconductor element (120);
a first lead including a die pad portion (110) and a first terminal portion (150/250), the die pad portion including a first lead obverse surface (110a) that faces a first side in a thickness direction and on which the semiconductor element is mounted and a first lead reverse surface (110b) that faces a second side in the thickness direction; and
a sealing resin (140) including a first resin surface (140a) facing the first side in the thickness direction, a second resin surface (140b) facing the second side in the thickness direction, and a third resin surface (140 on the side surface perpendicular to 140a and 140b) facing a first side in a first direction perpendicular to the thickness direction, the sealing resin covering the semiconductor element and a portion of the die pad portion,
wherein the first lead reverse surface is exposed from the second resin surface (110b exposed from 140b).
Otremba does not disclose:
the first terminal portion includes a first portion extending outward from the third resin surface to the first side in the first direction, a second portion located on the first side in the thickness direction relative to the first portion and used for mounting, and a third portion interposed between the first portion and the second portion, and the second portion overlaps with the sealing resin as viewed in the thickness direction.
Hirumuta discloses a publication from a similar field of endeavor in which:
the first terminal portion (14) includes a first portion (15) extending outward from the third resin surface (side surface of 23) to the first side in the first direction, a second portion (16) located on the first side in the thickness direction relative to the first portion and used for mounting, and a third portion (vertical region of 14 connecting 15 and 16) interposed between the first portion and the second portion, and the second portion overlaps with the sealing resin as viewed in the thickness direction (Fig. 4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to employ the lead of Hirumuta as an alternative to that of Otremba to further reduce the overall size of the semiconductor device.
(claim 2) Hirumuta; Fig. 4; 16.
(claim 3) Hirumuta: Fig. 4; vertical region of 14 connecting 15 and 16.
(claim 4) Otremba: Fig. 2; 110b.
(claim 5) Hirumuta; Fig. 4; 24 where 16 is accommodated.
(claim 6) Hirumuta; Fig. 4; 16 overlapping bottom recessed side of 13.
(claim 9) Otremba: Fig. 2; a connecting member 210, a second lead (160, 260).
(claim 10) Hirumuta; Fig. 4; resin 13 on left side with vertical region of 14 connecting 15 and 16.
(claim 11) Hirumuta; Fig. 4; 16.
(claim 12) Hirumuta: Fig. 4; vertical region of 14 connecting 15 and 16.
(claim 13) Hirumuta; Fig. 4; 24 where 16 is accommodated.
(claim 14) Hirumuta; Fig. 4; 16 overlapping bottom recessed side of 13.
(claim 15) Hirumuta; Fig. 4.
(claim 16) Hirumuta; Fig. 4; a groove 24.
(claim 17) Hirumuta; Fig. 4; portion of 13 between two groove 24 regions.
Claims 7 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Otremba/Hirumuta, as applied to claim 1 above, in view of Hatasa et al. US 2019/0229040 A1.
Regarding claims 7 and 8, Otremba/Hirumuta do not disclose:
(claim 7) wherein the die pad portion is larger than the first portion of the first terminal portion in the thickness direction; and (claim 8) wherein one side of the first portion is flush with the first lead obverse surface.
Hatasa discloses a publication from a similar field of endeavor in which:
(claim 7) wherein the die pad portion is larger than the first portion of the first terminal portion in the thickness direction; and (claim 8) wherein one side of the first portion is flush with the first lead obverse surface (Fig. 1; 16).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to employ the die pad portion configuration of Hatasa as a replacement for that of Otremba to provide support for the pad region by surrounding the peripheral region with the encapsulant, thereby increasing reliability.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERROL V FERNANDES whose telephone number is (571)270-7433. The examiner can normally be reached on 9-5:30.
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/ERROL V FERNANDES/Primary Examiner, AU 2893
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