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 .
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 8 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1, 4, 5, 12 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Luo-Larsen (US 2017/0332479 A1) in view of Doyle (US 2018/0159191 A1) and Wu (US 2024/0178160 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Luo-Larsen (US 2017/0332479 A1) discloses a flexible printed circuit board (Fig 5-8) (for overcurrent protection and including a soldering unit joined to one side of a printed circuit board by a solder), the flexible printed circuit board comprising: a foil layer (806; [0031-0034] very thin copper layers, copper clad laminates) having a circuit pattern (712,714,716,718; [0043-0047]) formed thereon; a first adhesive layer (856) formed on the foil layer (806); a second adhesive layer (864) formed under the foil layer; a first polyimide layer (842) formed on the first adhesive layer (856); a second polyimide layer (846) formed under the second adhesive layer (864); and a deformation (as part of a flexible PCB this layer would deform when flexed; note that the amount of deformation is not quantified in the claim) layer (804) formed between the first adhesive layer (856) and the first polyimide layer (842) or on the first polyimide layer.
Luo-Larsen does not disclose wherein the deformation layer includes a shape memory material configured to be deformed in a predetermined direction at a predetermined temperature or higher, and wherein the predetermined temperature is a temperature equal to or higher than a melting point of the solder.
Doyle (US 2018/0159191 A1) teaches of a flexible printed circuit board (Fig 1-4) comprising a deformation layer (“SMA” [0019-0026]) formed between a first adhesive layer (DIELECTRIC1) and a layer (DIELECTRIC2C) or on the first polyimide layer, wherein the deformation layer (SMA) includes a shape memory material ([0021]) configured to be deformed in a predetermined direction (see Fig 2A to 2B or 3A to 3B; [0003,0014,0016,0020,0027-0029]) at a predetermined temperature ([0003,0014,0016,0020,0027-0029]) or higher.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the board as disclosed by Luo-Larsen, comprising a deformation layer formed between the first adhesive layer and the layer, wherein the deformation layer includes a shape memory material configured to be deformed in a predetermined direction at a predetermined temperature or higher as taught by Doyle, in order to change heights or distances between a signal path and ground plane or power plane, in order to control impedance, and in order to better control capacitance (Doyle [0002-0005,0027-0035]), such that Luo-Larsen in view of Doyle teaches the deformation layer includes a shape memory material configured to be deformed in a predetermined direction at a predetermined temperature or higher.
Wu (US 2024/0178160 A1) teaches of a printed circuit board (Fig 1,10) comprising a deformation layer (37) includes a shape memory material ([0052]) configured to be deformed in a predetermined direction at a predetermined temperature or higher ([0052-0060]), and wherein the predetermined temperature is a temperature equal to or higher than a melting point of solder ([0052-0060] “preset temperature is greater than 260° C. but not greater than 500° C”).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the board as taught by Luo-Larsen in view of Doyle, wherein the predetermined temperature is a temperature equal to or higher than a melting point of the solder as taught by Wu, in order to control bending and deformation of the shape memory material, to prevent deformation when reflow soldering is performed while still preventing problems during overcurrent, control stresses on the system, and increase impedance (Wu, [0052-0069]).
Claim 1 states in the preamble of the claim, “for overcurrent protection and including a soldering unit joined to one side of a printed circuit board by a solder”, however the preamble does not have patentable weight and therefore the device lacks the limitation of for overcurrent protection and including a soldering unit joined to one side of a printed circuit board by a solder.
Claim 1 states “for overcurrent protection and including a soldering unit joined to one side of a printed circuit board by a solder” however it has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitations. Ex parte Masham, 2 USPQ2d 1647 (1987)
Regarding Claim 4, Luo-Larsen in view of Doyle and Wu teaches the limitations of the preceding claim and Doyle further teaches the flexible printed circuit board (Fig 1-4) according to claim 1,wherein the predetermined direction (see Fig 2A to 2B or 3A to 3B; [0003,0014,0016,0020,0027-0029]) is a direction in which an end (e.g. left end of “SMA” in Fig 2 bends upward) of the deformation layer (SMA) is bent upwards (Fig 2A shows end lower than in Fig 2B, so the end moved upwards; note that a datum of reference has not been established in the claim language for establishing “upwards”) from the printed circuit board.
Regarding Claim 5, Luo-Larsen in view of Doyle and Wu teaches the limitations of the preceding claim and Doyle further teaches the flexible printed circuit board (Fig 1-4) according to claim 1,wherein the predetermined direction (see Fig 2A to 2B or 3A to 3B; [0003,0014,0016,0020,0027-0029]) is a direction in which the deformation layer is bent upwards (Fig 2A shows end lower than in Fig 2B, so the end moved upwards; note that a datum of reference has not been established in the claim language for establishing “upwards”) from the printed circuit board in a semi-lunar shape (shape of SMA is crescent-like and can be construed as “semi-lunar”; note that the claim has not structurally defined “semi-lunar”).
Regarding Claim 12, Luo-Larsen in view of Doyle and Wu teaches the limitations of the preceding claim and Doyle further teaches the flexible printed circuit board (Fig 1-4) according to claim 1, wherein an original shape of the shape memory material is not restored after being deformed (e.g. see Fig 2B).
Regarding Claim 13, Luo-Larsen in view of Doyle and Wu teaches the limitations of the preceding claim and Luo-Larsen further discloses the flexible printed circuit board (Fig 5-8) according to claim 1, wherein the foil layer (806; [0031-0034] very thin copper layers, copper clad laminates) includes copper ([0031-0034]).
Claim(s) 1 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Luo-Larsen (US 2017/0332479 A1) in view of Krumme (US 4,621,882) and Wu (US 2024/0178160 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Luo-Larsen (US 2017/0332479 A1) discloses a flexible printed circuit board (Fig 5-8) (for overcurrent protection and including a soldering unit joined to one side of a printed circuit board by a solder), the flexible printed circuit board comprising: a foil layer (806; [0031-0034] very thin copper layers, copper clad laminates) having a circuit pattern (712,714,716,718; [0043-0047]) formed thereon; a first adhesive layer (856) formed on the foil layer (806); a second adhesive layer (864) formed under the foil layer; a first polyimide layer (842) formed on the first adhesive layer (856); a second polyimide layer (846) formed under the second adhesive layer (864); and a deformation (as part of a flexible PCB this layer would deform when flexed; note that the amount of deformation is not quantified in the claim) layer (804) formed between the first adhesive layer (856) and the first polyimide layer (842) or on the first polyimide layer.
Luo-Larsen does not disclose wherein the deformation layer includes a shape memory material configured to be deformed in a predetermined direction at a predetermined temperature or higher, and wherein the predetermined temperature is a temperature equal to or higher than a melting point of the solder.
Krumme (US 4,621,882) teaches of a flexible printed circuit board (Fig 1-5) comprising a deformation layer (112,114) wherein the deformation layer (112,114) includes a shape memory material (Column 4, lines 25-68) configured to be deformed in a predetermined direction (see Fig 3-5) at a predetermined temperature (Column 4, lines 25-68) or higher, wherein the deformation layer (112,114) is located at an overlap region (see Fig 5 showing an overlap between 100,150) between a flexible printed circuit board (102; Column 3, line 20-Column 4, line 25; plastic sheet with conductors) and a printed circuit board (150; Column 3, line 20-Column 4, line 25; plastic sheet with conductors).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the board as disclosed by Luo-Larsen, comprising a deformation layer, wherein the deformation layer includes a shape memory material configured to be deformed in a predetermined direction at a predetermined temperature or higher as taught by Krumme, in order to provide an effective coupling and to provide high strength (Krumme, Column 1, line 30-Column 2, line 68), such that Luo-Larsen in view of Krumme teaches the deformation layer includes a shape memory material configured to be deformed in a predetermined direction at a predetermined temperature or higher.
Wu (US 2024/0178160 A1) teaches of a printed circuit board (Fig 1,10) comprising a deformation layer (37) includes a shape memory material ([0052]) configured to be deformed in a predetermined direction at a predetermined temperature or higher ([0052-0060]), and wherein the predetermined temperature is a temperature equal to or higher than a melting point of solder ([0052-0060] “preset temperature is greater than 260° C. but not greater than 500° C”).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the board as taught by Luo-Larsen in view of Doyle, wherein the predetermined temperature is a temperature equal to or higher than a melting point of the solder as taught by Wu, in order to control bending and deformation of the shape memory material, to prevent deformation when reflow soldering is performed while still preventing problems during overcurrent, control stresses on the system, and increase impedance (Wu, [0052-0069]).
Claim 1 states in the preamble of the claim, “for overcurrent protection and including a soldering unit joined to one side of a printed circuit board by a solder”, however the preamble does not have patentable weight and therefore the device lacks the limitation of for overcurrent protection and including a soldering unit joined to one side of a printed circuit board by a solder.
Claim 1 states “for overcurrent protection and including a soldering unit joined to one side of a printed circuit board by a solder” however it has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitations. Ex parte Masham, 2 USPQ2d 1647 (1987)
Regarding Claim 14, Luo-Larsen in view of Krumme and Wu teaches the limitations of the preceding claim and Krumme further teaches the flexible printed circuit board (Fig 1-5) according to claim 1, wherein the deformation layer (112,114) is located at an overlap region (region or portion as seen in Fig 5 overlapping; note that the claim has not structurally defined the perimeters of this claimed “region”) between the flexible printed circuit board (102) and the printed circuit board (150).
Claim(s) 6 – 7 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Luo-Larsen (US 2017/0332479 A1) in view of Doyle (US 2018/0159191 A1) and Wu (US 2024/0178160 A1) as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Yosui (US 2020/0280117 A1).
Regarding Claim 6, Luo-Larsen in view of Doyle and Wu teaches the limitations of the preceding claim.
Luo-Larsen does not disclose the flexible printed circuit board according to claim 1, wherein each of the foil layer and the printed circuit board comprises a plurality of lands for electrical connection.
Yosui (US 2020/0280117 A1) teaches of a flexible printed circuit board (Fig 1-4) including a soldering unit (at J1,J2) joined to one side of a printed circuit board (101) by a solder (S; [0060-0062]), wherein each of a foil layer ([0048] “foil” in 201 to form P4-P6) and the printed circuit board (101) comprises a plurality of lands (P1-P6) for electrical connection ([0004-0006,0012,0021,0044,0045,0060-0064]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the board as taught by Luo-Larsen in view of Doyle and Wu, wherein each of the foil layer and the printed circuit board comprises a plurality of lands for electrical connection as taught by Yosui, in order to join transmission lines from one substrate to another, prevent discontinuity, prevent signal reflection (Yosui, [0003-0006]) and furthermore an assembly as taught by Luo-Larsen in view of Doyle and Yosui would allow for further connections of components that can be mounted to multiple circuit boards.
Regarding Claim 7,Luo-Larsen in view of Doyle, Wu and Yosui teaches the limitations of the preceding claim and Yosui further teaches the flexible printed circuit board (Fig 1-4) according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of lands (P4-P6) of the foil layer ([0048] “foil” in 201 to form P4-P6) and the plurality of lands (P1-P3) of the printed circuit board (101) are electrically connected to each other by the solder (S), respectively.
Regarding Claim 10, Luo-Larsen in view of Doyle and Wu teaches the limitations of the preceding claim and Doyle further teaches the flexible printed circuit board (Fig 1-4) according to claim 1, wherein the deformation layer (SMA) is limitedly located at only a specific area (lower portion; note the structural boundaries of this claimed “area” are not being claimed) of the flexible printed circuit board.
Luo-Larsen does not disclose comprising the soldering unit.
Yosui (US 2020/0280117 A1) teaches of a flexible printed circuit board (Fig 1-4) including a soldering unit (at J1,J2) joined to one side of a printed circuit board (101) by a solder (S; [0060-0062]), wherein each of a foil layer ([0048] “foil” in 201 to form P4-P6) and the printed circuit board (101) comprises a plurality of lands (P1-P6) for electrical connection ([0004-0006,0012,0021,0044,0045,0060-0064]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the board as taught by Luo-Larsen in view of Doyle and Wu, comprising the soldering unit as taught by Yosui, in order to join transmission lines from one substrate to another, prevent discontinuity, prevent signal reflection (Yosui, [0003-0006]) and furthermore an assembly as taught by Luo-Larsen in view of Doyle and Yosui would allow for further connections of components that can be mounted to multiple circuit boards.
Claim(s) 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Luo-Larsen (US 2017/0332479 A1) in view of Doyle (US 2018/0159191 A1) and Wu (US 2024/0178160 A1) as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Limb (US 2015/0364848 A1).
Regarding Claim 11, Luo-Larsen in view of Doyle and Wu teaches the limitations of the preceding claim.
Luo-Larsen does not disclose the flexible printed circuit board according to claim 6, wherein the deformation layer is limitedly located at only some of the plurality of lands.
Limb (US 2015/0364848 A1) teaches of a flexible printed circuit (30 or [0021]) wherein a deformation layer (34) is limitedly located at only some of a plurality of lands ([0014,0017,0021] “pad” “pads”).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the board as taught by Luo-Larsen in view of Doyle and Wu, wherein the deformation layer is limitedly located at only some of the plurality of lands as taught by Limb, in order to better contain a flowable connection material, to maintain contact, provide a high aspect ratio electrical contact, prevent conductor overflow, provide conforming and improve a bonding (Limb, [0015-0021]).
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROSHN K VARGHESE whose telephone number is (571)270-7975. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th: 900 am-300 pm.
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/ROSHN K VARGHESE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2896