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 .
Response to Amendment
The Examiner acknowledges the remarks and amendments filed on 5/28/26. Claims 1, 3-16, 22, 23, and 24 have been amended. Claims 2 and 21 have been canceled. Claims 1, 3-20, and 22-24 are pending.
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, 3-20, 22-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tanaka TW_201352101_A (see machine English translation) in view of Koji JP_03285977_A (see machine English translation).
1. Regarding Claims 1, 8, 13, 16, Tanaka discloses an anisotropic conductive film (corresponds to claimed connection film of independent Claims 1, 16, as well as dependent claim 13) and a method thereof (Title) (corresponds to claimed method and product) relating to molds (paragraphs 0014 and 0015), is formed on a release film (corresponds to claimed mold release film) by applying an adhesive (corresponds to claimed adhesive) onto said release film (paragraph 0073). Tanaka discloses how said anisotropic conductive film (corresponds to claimed connection film) can be made into a predetermined shape (paragraph 0081). Also, Tanaka discloses that said adhesive can be formed into the shape of a film, or the shape of a paste, or other “forms” (paragraph 0082); all of which indicate it being predetermined. Tanaka further discloses cutting its release/peeling film (corresponds to claimed mold release film) into a specific length (paragraph 0099). Although a plurality of anisotropic conductive film (corresponds to claimed connection film) are not explicitly disclosed, the Examiner respectfully submits that this would simply be a matter of design choice based on end-user specifications as is well known in the art. Finally, Tanaka discloses winding said anisotropic conductive film (corresponds to claimed connection film) around a winding core (paragraph 0081).
2. However, Tanaka does not disclose printing its adhesive onto its release film.
3. Koji discloses an adhesive that can be screen printed (corresponds to claimed printing of instant Claims 1, 8, 16) on a mold release film (Abstract) wherein said adhesive has a predetermined shape and said screen printing method leads to a decrease in large number of manufacturing steps, decrease in large amount of waste, and eliminates the inability to be used on substrates after component mounting (Page 3, Lines 6-12).
4. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the adhesive, of Tanaka, by screen printing it onto its release film by using the screen-printing method, of Koji. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated in doing so in order to decrease large number of manufacturing steps, decrease in large amount of waste, and eliminate the inability to be used on substrates after component mounting.
5. Regarding Claims 3, 4, 9, 10, 17, 18, and 22- 24, Tanaka in view of Koji suggests how said connection film can be formed along the arrangement direction (width direction) and then cut corresponding to the longitudinal (Tanaka: Claim 1) and then wound to a core (Tanaka: paragraph 0081). Furthermore, Koji discloses an anisotropic electrically conductive adhesive layer is printed on a sheet-shaped release paper as rectangular shapes measuring 4 x 40 mm. When using the same, cutting the release paper at a prescribed width would be obvious to a person skilled in the art.
6. Regarding Claims 5 and 6, Tanaka in view of Koji suggests an adhesive that contains conductive particles (Tanaka: paragraph 0070).
7. Regarding Claim 7, Tanaka in view of Koji suggests placing said conductive particles between the terminal portion 5a and the conductive pattern 20 (paragraph 0070), which clearly suggests predetermined positions.
8. Regarding Claims 11, 12, 19, and 20, although the applied art does not suggest the claimed dimensions, it would be expected for one of ordinary skill in the art to know how to vary the widths based on end-user product specifications. Applicants have not indicated how this results in unexpected or surprising properties.
9. Regarding Claims 14 and 15, Tanaka in view of Koji suggests electronic components having terminals with the afore-described connection film cured connected there-between as well as the method thereof (Tanaka: paragraph 0070).
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kodama USPA_20150129706_A1.
10. Regarding Claim 16, Kodama discloses a releasing film (corresponds to claimed mold release film) (element 21 in Fig. 2; paragraph 0037) with adhesive layer (corresponds to claimed connection film) that is laminated (corresponds to printed) on said releasing film (paragraph 0037). Being able to laminate said adhesive layer on said releasing film can only be done if the adhesive layer is cut to form onto said releasing film; thereby necessitating that is has a predetermined shape. Finally, Kodama discloses that said releasing film (corresponds to claimed mold release film) is wound around a core (Title).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 16 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
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/TAHSEEN KHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1781 August 7, 2026
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