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
None filed.
Claim Objections
Claims 8-15 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 8 recites in part, “wherein the at least one channel disposed” and should read -- wherein the at least one channel is disposed --.
Appropriate correction is required.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because Fig. 3 is not an accurate depiction of the cross-section view of Fig. 2. As can be seen in Fig. 2, the channel (208) is completely between adjacent pillars (104) at both opposite edges of the body. However, Fig. 3 shows that the channel (208) is not between the adjacent pillars (104), see the inaccurate overlap. Compare with Fig. 5 (see par. 23; supposedly showing both Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 together), in the bottom illustration, that correctly depicts the channel (208) between the pillars (104).
The drawings are also objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “plurality of cut-outs,” the “first cut-out” and the “second cut-out” of claims 8-15 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). Furthermore, there are no reference characters in the written description for the cut-outs (see par. 6, 36 and 40). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 1-20 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 “each of the plurality of pillars having a longer side adjacent to the perimeter” which makes unclear what relative comparison is being made. The claim does not compare the length of a side with respect to some other required element. The structural scope of “longer” is unclear because a clear comparison is not defined in the claim. Claims 2-7 include and do not cure the deficiencies of claim 1.
Claim 7 is a wherein clause (MPEP 2111.04) that recites “wherein at least one of the plurality of pillars has only one side adjacent to the perimeter of the body.”
The claim does not structurally define the pillars to have more than one side, and does not distinguish or establish a relationship to the already defined “longer side” of claim 1.
Claim 8 contains a “wherein” clause (MPEP 2111.04) that recites “wherein the at least one channel disposed in a first cut-out of a first side of the wall and in a second cut-out of a second side of the wall opposite the first side.” The claim makes unclear the structural relationship of the first cut-out and the second cut-out with respect to required antecedent plurality of cut-outs of the lid. It is unclear if the first cut-out and/or the second cut-out are comprised by the required antecedent plurality of cut-outs or not. Claims 9-15 include the limitations and do not cure the deficiencies of claim 9.
Claim 16 contains a “wherein” clause (MPEP 2111.04) that recites “wherein a channel separates at least one pair of pillars of the plurality of pillars,” which makes unclear as to whether the channel is comprised by the heat spreader or not, and therefore the structural relationship of required elements is unclear. Claims 17-20 include the limitations and do not cure the deficiencies of claim 16.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-16, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mertol (U.S. Patent 6114761).
As insofar as Claim 1 is definite, Mertol teaches in Fig. 2B, 3 and 4 (Col. 5, Line 40 to Col. 6, Line 49) for example, a heat spreader comprising, a body (52) having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; a plurality of pillars (55) extending from the first surface, the plurality of pillars (55) disposed along a perimeter of the body (52), each of the plurality of pillars (55) having a longer side (e.g. the height direction) adjacent to the perimeter; and at least one channel (60) disposed between a pair of the plurality of pillars (55) and separates the pair of the plurality of pillars (55).
As insofar as Claim 2 is definite, Mertol further teaches wherein the body comprises a first portion (peripheral) and a second portion (central; e.g. 56), wherein the first portion comprises a first thickness (t) and the second portion comprises a second thickness (t). The manner in which the claim is written does not require a difference between the thicknesses of the respective portions.
As insofar as Claim 3 is definite, Mertol further teaches wherein each of the plurality of pillars (55) has a uniform thickness.
As insofar as Claim 4 is definite, Mertol further teaches wherein the body (52) comprises a thermally conductive material (Col. 6, Lines 24-32).
As insofar as Claim 5 is definite, Mertol further teaches wherein the at least one channel extends from one edge of the body (52) to another edge of the body (52; e.g. along the length L direction).
As insofar as Claim 6 is definite, Mertol further teaches in Fig. 2B, for example, wherein the plurality of pillars (55) comprises: a first set of pillars (55 front), each having a side coplanar to a first edge (front) of the body (52); a second set of pillars (55 rear), each having a side coplanar to a second edge (rear) of the body (52), the second edge (rear) parallel to the first edge (front) of the body (52); a third set of pillars (55 left), each having a side coplanar to a third edge (left) of the body (52), the third edge (left) perpendicular to the first edge (front) of the body (52) and the second edge (rear) of the body (52); and a fourth set of pillars (55 right), each having a side coplanar to a fourth edge (right) of the body (52), the fourth edge (right) perpendicular to the first edge (front) of the body (52) and the second edge (rear) of the body (52) and parallel to the third edge (left) of the body (52).
As insofar as Claim 7 is definite, Mertol further teaches wherein at least one of the plurality of pillars (55) has only one side adjacent to the perimeter of the body (52).
As insofar as Claim 8 is definite, Mertol teaches in Fig. 2B, 3 and 4 (Col. 6, Line 60 to Col. 7, Line 8) a lid comprising, a body (52) having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; a wall (outer peripheral surface) disposed along a perimeter of the body (52), the wall extending from the first surface, the wall comprising a plurality of cut-outs (openings between the end pillars 55; see dotted lines); and at least one channel (trenches; par. 86) extending from a first edge of the body to a second edge of the body parallel to the first edge, wherein the at least one channel (60) [is] disposed in a first cut-out (front opening between the end pillars 55; see dotted lines) of a first side (front side) of the wall and in a second cut-out (rear opening between the end pillars 55; see dotted lines) of a second side (rear side) of the wall opposite the first side (front side).
As insofar as Claim 9 is definite, Mertol further teaches wherein the body (52) comprises a first portion (peripheral) and a second portion (central; e.g. 56), wherein the first portion comprises a first thickness (t) and the second portion comprises a second thickness (t). The manner in which the claim is written does not require a difference between the thicknesses of the respective portions.
As insofar as Claim 10 is definite, Mertol further teaches wherein the at least one channel (60) is adjacent to the second portion of the body (52).
As insofar as Claim 11 is definite, Mertol further teaches wherein the body (52) comprises a thermally conductive material (Col. 6, Lines 24-32).
As insofar as Claim 12 is definite, Mertol further teaches wherein the wall comprises at least one perimeter portion, the perimeter portion formed by a first cut-out and a second cut-out of the plurality of cut-outs.
As insofar as Claim 13 is definite, Mertol further teaches wherein only one side of the at least one perimeter portion is adjacent to the perimeter of the body (52).
As insofar as Claim 14 is definite, Mertol further teaches wherein the wall comprises: a first portion (front portion); a second portion (rear portion) parallel to the first portion (front portion); a third portion (left portion) perpendicular to the first portion (front portion) and the second portion (rear portion); and a fourth portion (right portion) perpendicular to the first portion (front portion) and the second portion (rear portion) and parallel to the third portion (left portion).
As insofar as Claim 15 is definite, Mertol further teaches wherein each channel (60) has a uniform width.
As insofar as Claim 16 is definite, Mertol teaches in Fig. 2B, 3 and 4 an assembly, comprising: a substrate (16); a die (18) coupled with the substrate (16); and a heat spreader (50/51) thermally coupled with the substrate (16) and the die (18), the heat spreader (50/51) comprising: a body (52) with a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; and a plurality of pillars (55) extending from the second surface toward the substrate (16), each pillar (55) having a first end coupled to the body (52) and a second end (58) thermally coupled to the substrate (16), wherein each pillar (55) is disposed adjacent to an edge of the body (52) of the heat spreader (50/51), wherein one side of the pillar (55) is coplanar to the edge of the body (52), wherein a channel (60) separates at least one pair of pillars (55) of the plurality of pillars (55).
As insofar as Claim 19 is definite, Mertol further teaches wherein the channel (60) extends from a first edge (front) of the body (52) of the heat spreader (50/51) to a second edge of the body (52) of the heat spreader (50/51), the second edge (rear) parallel to the first edge (front).
As insofar as Claim 20 is definite, Mertol further teaches wherein the plurality of pillars comprises: a first set of pillars (front 55), each having a side coplanar to a first edge (front) of the body (52); a second set of pillars (rear 55), each having a side coplanar to a second edge (rear) of the body (52), the second edge parallel to the first edge (front) of the body (52); a third set of pillars (left 55), each having a side coplanar to a third edge (left) of the body (52), the third edge (left) perpendicular to the first edge (front) of the body (52) and the second edge (rear) of the body (52); and a fourth set of pillars (right 55), each having a side coplanar to a fourth edge (right) of the body (52), the fourth edge (right) perpendicular to the first edge (front) of the body (52) and the second edge (rear) of the body (52) and parallel to the third edge (left) of the body (52).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 17 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mertol et al., (U.S. Patent 6,114,761) in view of Kourakata et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2014/0239482).
As insofar as Claim 17 is definite, Mertol teaches wherein the body (52) comprises a first portion (peripheral portion) and a second portion (central portion), the second portion (central portion) coupled to the die (56), but does not explicitly state that the second portion (central portion) has a different thickness than the first portion (peripheral portion).
In the same field of endeavor, Kourakata teaches in Fig. 1 for example, (par. 14-20) an assembly comprising a heat spreader (200) comprising a body that comprises a first portion (portion locally peripheral to a respective portion 212) and a second portion (212) having a different thickness than the first portion (portion locally peripheral to a respective portion 212), the second portion (212) coupled to the die (110).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to provide difference in thickness as taught by Kourakata for the first and second portions of Mertol in order to accommodate more chips of differing sizes thus increasing device functionality. Further, it would have been obvious to utilize the structural pillars taught by Mertol for the heat spreader of Kourakata in order to increase the surface area thus allowing the heat spreader to dissipate heat more efficiently.
As insofar as Claim 18 is definite, Mertol as modified above further teaches wherein the channel (60) is adjacent to the second portion (central portion). Kourakata also teaches a channel, as shown, adjacent to the second portion (212).
Claims 1-5 and 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhao et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2010/0019379).
As insofar as Claim 1 is definite, Zhao teaches in Fig. 29-31 for example (par. 88-91; structures are similar to that of Fig. 19), a heat spreader comprising, a body (1920; see Fig. 19) having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; a plurality of pillars (1912a, 1912b, 1914a, 1914b; see Fig. 29-31) extending from the first surface, the plurality of pillars (1912a, 1912b, 1914a, 1914b) disposed along a perimeter of the body, each of the plurality of pillars (1912a, 1912b, 1914a, 1914b) having a longer side adjacent to the perimeter; and at least one channel (1910) disposed between a pair of the plurality of pillars (1912a, 1912b, 1914a, 1914b) and separates the pair of the plurality of pillars (1912a, 1912b, 1914a, 1914b).
As insofar as Claim 2 is definite, Zhao further teaches wherein the body (1920) comprises a first portion (central portion at the cavity 2902 or 1510) and a second portion (peripheral portion sidewalls connecting adjacent pillars), wherein the first portion comprises a first thickness and the second portion comprises a second thickness. It is also noted that the claim does not require the second thickness to be different from the first thickness. In other words, the first and second thicknesses can be equal and therefore the first and second portions can be the same area of the body and be structurally the same.
As insofar as Claim 3 is definite, Zhao further teaches wherein each of the plurality of pillars (1912a, 1912b, 1914a, 1914b) has a uniform thickness.
As insofar as Claim 4 is definite, Zhao further teaches wherein the body comprises a thermally conductive material (par. 78). The manner in which the claim is written does not specify any particular suitable material(s), nor any degree of thermal conductivity value(s) in order to define suitable material(s). No material is perfectly thermally non-conductive albeit even poor thermal conductors.
As insofar as Claim 5 is definite, Zhao further teaches wherein the at least one channel (1910) extends from one edge of the body to another edge of the body.
As insofar as Claim 16 is definite, Zhao in Fig. 20 and Fig. 29-31 for example (par. 88-91; structures are similar to that of Fig. 19) teaches an assembly, comprising: a substrate (104); a die (102) coupled with the substrate (104); and a heat spreader (2900/3000/3100) thermally coupled with the substrate (104) and the die (102), the heat spreader comprising: a body (1520/1920) with a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; and a plurality of pillars (1912a, 1912b, 1914a, 1914b) extending from the second surface toward the substrate (104), each pillar (1912a, 1912b, 1914a, 1914b) having a first end coupled to the body (1520/1920) and a second end thermally coupled to the substrate (104), wherein each pillar (1912a, 1912b, 1914a, 1914b) is disposed adjacent to an edge of the body (1520/1920) of the heat spreader (2900/3000/3100), wherein one side of the pillar (1912a, 1912b, 1914a, 1914b) is coplanar to the edge of the body (1520/1920), wherein a channel (1910/1510) separates at least one pair of pillars (1912a, 1912b, 1914a, 1914b) of the plurality of pillars (1912a, 1912b, 1914a, 1914b).
As insofar as Claim 17 is definite, Zhao further teaches wherein the body (1520/1920) comprises a first portion (peripheral portion sidewalls connecting adjacent pillars) and a second portion (central portion at the cavity 2902 or 1510), the second portion (central portion at the cavity 2902 or 1510) having a different thickness than the first portion (peripheral portion sidewalls connecting adjacent pillars), the second portion (central portion at the cavity 2902 or 1510) coupled to the die (102).
As insofar as Claim 18 is definite, Zhao further teaches wherein the channel (1910/1510) is adjacent to the second portion (central portion at the cavity 2902 or 1510).
As insofar as Claim 19 is definite, Zhao further teaches wherein the channel (1910/1510) extends from a first edge of the body (1520/1920) of the heat spreader to a second edge of the body (1520/1920) of the heat spreader, the second edge parallel to the first edge.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Tao et al. (U.S. Patent 6,777,819) teaches in Fig. 3-4 for example, (Col. 2, Line 61 to Col. 3, Line 54) of an assembly having a lid heat spreader (34) with walls having cut-outs (A), a die (33) and a substrate (30).
U.S. Patent 6188578 teaches in Fig. 1-3 for example, (Col. 2, Line 66 to Col. 4, Line 16) of an assembly having a lid heat spreader (131) with pillars (132) having openings or channels (133) therebetween, a die (12) and a substrate (11).
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EARL N TAYLOR whose telephone number is (571)272-8894. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 9:00am-5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, William Kraig can be reached on (571) 272-8660. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EARL N TAYLOR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2896
EARL N. TAYLOR
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2896
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