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 § 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) 1-2, 7, 9-10, and 12-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a(1) as being anticipated by Takada et al. (U.S. 2006/0202344).
As to claim 1, Takada discloses a flexible circuit board (101 or para-0061+) as show in figure 11, comprising:
a first circuit substrate (top 117, 118) having at least one first metal layer (top 125);
a second circuit substrate (bottom 117, 118) having at least one second metal layer (bottom 125); and
at least one electrical connection part (116, 112, and 113) electrically connected between the first and second circuit substrates (top and bottom of elements 117 and 118), and comprising:
a flexible part (not label in figure 11 but the metal plating 5 shows in figures 4-5) electrically connected between the first and second circuit substrates (21, 23) and having at least one passage (110), wherein the passage (110) connects the at least one first metal layer (125) and the at least one second metal layer (125); and
at least one liquid metal material (solder alloys 111 when heated into the through hole 110, para-0217) filling the passage (110), wherein the at least one liquid metal material (111) is electrically connected between the at least one first metal layer (125) and the at least one second metal layer (125).
As to claim 2, Takada discloses the flexible part (5) comprises: a plurality of flexible lines (the metal plating 5 formed as walls in the through hole 110), comprising the passage apiece, wherein the flexible lines, the first circuit substrate and the second circuit substrate seal the liquid metal material.
As to claim 7, Takada discloses the flexible lines (walls 5) are placed alongside of each other.
As to claim 9, Takada discloses a method of manufacturing a flexible circuit board (101) as shown in figure 11, comprising:
providing a first circuit substrate (the top 117, 118), wherein the first circuit substrate comprises a first metal layer (the top 125);
disposing a flexible material layer (20, figure 6) on the first metal layer (11 or 125);
disposing a sacrificial layer (22 or 116) on the flexible material layer (20);
forming a plurality of slots (32 or 110) on the sacrificial layer, wherein the plurality of slots (32 or 110) expose portions of the first metal layer (11 or 125);
coating an inner wall (the metal plating 5) of the plurality of slots and a portion of surface of the sacrificial layer (2 or 116) with a flexible material (the insulating layer) after forming the plurality of slots on the sacrificial layer, wherein a bottom portion of the plurality of slots that is not coated with the flexible material exposes a portion of the first metal layer;
filling the plurality of slots (32 or 110) with a liquid metal material (solder alloys 111) for the liquid metal material to electrically connect the first metal layer (125) after coating the inner wall of the plurality of slots and the portion of surface of the sacrificial layer with the flexible material;
disposing a second metal layer (13 or 125) on the flexible material and the liquid metal material (111) for the liquid metal material further electrically connects to the second metal layer in the plurality of slots;
sealing the liquid metal material (111) between the first circuit substrate (117, 118), the flexible material, and the second metal layer;
forming at least one circuit structure (14 or 15 or 135 formed within the elements 117, 118) on the second metal layer; and removing the sacrificial layer after forming the at least one circuit structure (14, 15, or 135).
As to claim 10, Takada further comprising: forming the circuit structure (14 or 15 or 135 formed within the elements 117, 118) comprising a plurality of circuit layers (125, 135) by using a build-up process.
As to claim 12, Takada discloses the at least one circuit structure is at least one first circuit structure (115, 125), the method further comprising: forming at least one second circuit structure (125, 135) on the first metal layer.
As to claim 13, Takada discloses the liquid metal material (111) is sealed between the first circuit substrate (117, 118), the flexible material (20), and the second metal layer (125) by using one of heating and pressurization methods.
As to claim 14, Takada discloses materials of the flexible material (the insulating layer) and the flexible material layer (20) are the same.
As to claim 15, Takada discloses the liquid metal material (the solder alloys 111 when heated) fills the plurality of slots (110) by using a casting method (fusing).
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) 3-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takada in view of Flammer et al. (U.S. 2004/0118595).
Regarding claim 3, Takada discloses all of the limitations of claimed invention except for a distance between any two adjacent flexible lines is greater than or equal to 20 microns.
Flammer teaches a rigid-flex circuit board system as shown in figures 1-11 comprising a distance between any two adjacent flexible lines (the plated element 114 of the hole 112) is greater than or equal to 20 microns (noted the distance or the diameter of the through hole 112, 114 is greater than 20 microns, para-0092+).
It would have been obvious of one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Flammer employed in the flexible circuit board of Takada in order to enhance stability and reliability of the internal electrical connection.
Regarding claim 4, Takada discloses all of the limitations of claimed invention except for each of the flexible lines has a width, and the width decreases as the flexible lines are stretched.
Flammer teaches each of the flexible lines (114) has a width, and the width decreases as the flexible lines are stretched, para-0002+.
It would have been obvious of one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Flammer employed in the flexible circuit board of Takada in order to enhance flex-ability, stability and reliability of the internal electrical connection.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takada in view of Grant (U.S. Patent 3,335,489).
Regarding claim 8, Takada discloses all of the limitations of claimed invention except for the at least one liquid metal material comprises a liquid mercury metal and liquid metal alloys.
Grant teaches a multilayer wiring board (10) as shown in figures 1-2 comprising the at least one liquid metal material (18) comprises a liquid mercury metal and liquid metal alloys (column 2, line 1+).
It would have been obvious of one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Grant employed in the flexible circuit board of Takada in order to form a transitional liquid phase with no change in temperature for a period sufficient to work the mixture into the interconnecting holes.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takada in view of Takahashi et al. (U.S. Patent 8,178,789).
Regarding claim 11, Takada discloses all of the limitations of claimed invention except for a plurality of circuit components on the plurality of circuit layers.
Takahashi teaches a wiring board (19) as shown in figures 1-2 comprising a plurality of circuit components (7, 8) on the plurality of circuit layers (11a-11d).
It would have been obvious of one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Takahashi employed in the method of manufacturing a flexible circuit board of Takada in order to provide excellent receive or transmit data or signals within the circuit board.
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/TUAN T DINH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2848