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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of species a, FIG. 4, claims 1-4, in the reply filed on 28 July 2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 5 and 6 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 28 July 2026.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
Information disclosure statement filed 18 April 2024 has been fully considered.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: SEMICONDUCTOR MODULE COMPRISING A COOLER.
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.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dung et al. (Japanese Kokai Publication 2003-249599, hereinafter Dung ‘599) of record.
With respect to claim 1, Dung ‘599 teaches (FIGs. 2-5) a semiconductor module as claimed, comprising:
a circuit body (207 and 208) having a semiconductor element (207), and a plurality of external terminals (209) to be connected to the semiconductor element ([0007, 0018-0019]);
a substrate (1) having a power wiring layer (3) to be connected to the external terminals (209) ([0007, 0018-0019]);
an insulating filling member (210) for covering a connection part between the external terminals (209) and the power wiring layer (3) ([0007, 0018-0019]);
a cooler (6) having one surface side on which the circuit body (207 and 208) and the substrate (1) are mounted ([0007, 0018-0019]); and
a heat dissipation member (10) disposed between the cooler (6) and the substrate (1) ([0007, 0018-0019]), wherein
the heat dissipation member (10) forms a frame part on the cooler (6) so as to enclose an outer periphery of a region where the circuit body (207 and 208) is mounted ([0007, 0018-0019]), and
the filling member (210) is filled into an inner peripheral side of the frame part ([0007, 0018-0019]).
With respect to claim 2, Dung ‘599 teaches wherein the substrate (1) has a through hole (2) through which the filling member (210) is filled into the inner peripheral side of the frame part ([0007, 0018-0019]).
With respect to claim 3, Dung ‘599 teaches wherein the circuit body (207 and 208) is disposed at an inner side of the through hole (2) formed in the substrate (1) ([0007, 0018-0019]).
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 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dung ‘599 as applied to claim 3 above, and further in view of Bayerer (US Patent Application Publication 2014/0035118, hereinafter Bayerer ‘118).
With respect to claim 4, Dung ‘599 teaches the device as described in claim 3 above with the exception of the additional limitation wherein a part of the substrate is disposed so as to cover the circuit body.
However, Bayerer ‘118 teaches (FIG. 1) a substrate (7 or 10) having a connection element (4) to be connected to external terminals (21), wherein a part of the substrate is disposed so as to cover a circuit body (1) to provide electrical contact through a closed or partially-closed semiconductor package ([0043, 0047-0048]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed a part of the substrate of Dung ‘599 disposed so as to cover the circuit body as taught by Bayerer ‘118 to provide electrical contact through a closed or partially-closed semiconductor package.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Christopher M. Roland whose telephone number is (571)270-1271. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 10:00AM-7:00PM Eastern.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Yara Green can be reached at (571)270-3035. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/C.M.R./Examiner, Art Unit 2893
/YARA B GREEN/Supervisor Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2893
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