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 § 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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-12 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "a first side" in lines 7 and 10. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is unclear whether the first side recited in line 7 is referring to the same first side recited in line 10 and therefore the scope of the claim is indefinite. Claims 2-12 depend from claim 1 and therefore inherit its deficiency. These claims have not been examined on the merits. Appropriate action is required.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "the step of joining" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 13 from which this claim depends has a “step of joining a die pad portion . . . “and a “step of joining a semiconductor element . . ..” It is therefore unclear which “step of joining” the limitation of claim 15 is intending to limit. Therefore, the claim is indefinite and has not been examined on the merit. Appropriate action is required.
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) 13 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 20200258806 (Ichinohe).
Concerning claim 13, Ichinohe discloses a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device (Fig. 4), the method comprising: a step of forming a lead frame having a first terminal portion (9a and 9b) ([0028]); a step of joining a die pad portion (3) to the first terminal portion ([0028] and Fig. 4); a step of joining a semiconductor element (4) to the die pad portion (Fig. 4); a step of forming a sealing resin (7) covering the semiconductor element (Fig. 4); and a step of cutting the lead frame ([0028]).
Considering claim 14, Ichinohe discloses wherein the die pad portion includes an engaging portion (3g), the first terminal portion includes an engaging hole for engagement with the engaging portion, and the step of joining includes swaging the die pad portion to the first terminal portion (Fig. 4 and [0028]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 20120025359 discloses a lead frame configuration with an engaging hole (Figs. 5A-5D) and US 20180061745 discloses a lad frame configuration (Fig. 2).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VALERIE N NEWTON whose telephone number is (571)270-5015. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, CHAD DICKE can be reached at (571) 270-7996. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/VALERIE N NEWTON/Examiner, Art Unit 2897 08/22/26
/CHAD M DICKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2897
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