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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings fail to show “an upper portion; a lower portion; a first lateral sectional area; a second lateral sectional area; lower portion having a second lateral sectional area less than the first lateral sectional area” (as recited in claim 1); each protrusion has a length along the first lateral direction, a width along a second lateral direction being perpendicular to the first lateral direction, and a height along a vertical direction being perpendicular to both the first and second lateral directions; projections of the three protrusions on a plane defined by the first lateral direction and the vertical direction are three rectangles, wherein dimensions of a left one and a right one of the three rectangles along the first lateral direction are equal; and projections of the three protrusions on a plane defined by the second lateral direction and the vertical direction are overlapped and have a curved bottom line (as recited in claim 4); “each protrusion has a length along the first lateral direction, a width along a second lateral direction being perpendicular to the first lateral direction, and a height along a vertical direction being perpendicular to both the first and second lateral directions; projections of the five protrusions on a plane defined by the first lateral direction and the vertical direction are five rectangles, wherein: heights of the five rectangles are equal, and a length of a first rectangle is same as a length of a fifth rectangle, a length of a second rectangle is same as a length of a fourth rectangle; and projections of the five protrusions on a plane defined by the second lateral direction and the vertical direction are overlapped and have a curved bottom line” (as recited in claim 6) in a broadest sense. The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “an upper portion; a lower portion; a first lateral sectional area; a second lateral sectional area; lower portion having a second lateral sectional area less than the first lateral sectional area” (as recited in claim 1); each protrusion has a length along the first lateral direction, a width along a second lateral direction being perpendicular to the first lateral direction, and a height along a vertical direction being perpendicular to both the first and second lateral directions; projections of the three protrusions on a plane defined by the first lateral direction and the vertical direction are three rectangles, wherein dimensions of a left one and a right one of the three rectangles along the first lateral direction are equal; and projections of the three protrusions on a plane defined by the second lateral direction and the vertical direction are overlapped and have a curved bottom line (as recited in claim 4); “each protrusion has a length along the first lateral direction, a width along a second lateral direction being perpendicular to the first lateral direction, and a height along a vertical direction being perpendicular to both the first and second lateral directions; projections of the five protrusions on a plane defined by the first lateral direction and the vertical direction are five rectangles, wherein: heights of the five rectangles are equal, and a length of a first rectangle is same as a length of a fifth rectangle, a length of a second rectangle is same as a length of a fourth rectangle; and projections of the five protrusions on a plane defined by the second lateral direction and the vertical direction are overlapped and have a curved bottom line” (as recited in claim 6) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). 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.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: Due to drawing objection, the instant specification is also objected because the instant specification does not consistently reflect what being claimed i.e. “an upper portion; a lower portion; a first lateral sectional area; a second lateral sectional area; lower portion having a second lateral sectional area less than the first lateral sectional area” (as recited in claim 1); each protrusion has a length along the first lateral direction, a width along a second lateral direction being perpendicular to the first lateral direction, and a height along a vertical direction being perpendicular to both the first and second lateral directions; projections of the three protrusions on a plane defined by the first lateral direction and the vertical direction are three rectangles, wherein dimensions of a left one and a right one of the three rectangles along the first lateral direction are equal; and projections of the three protrusions on a plane defined by the second lateral direction and the vertical direction are overlapped and have a curved bottom line (as recited in claim 4); “each protrusion has a length along the first lateral direction, a width along a second lateral direction being perpendicular to the first lateral direction, and a height along a vertical direction being perpendicular to both the first and second lateral directions; projections of the five protrusions on a plane defined by the first lateral direction and the vertical direction are five rectangles, wherein: heights of the five rectangles are equal, and a length of a first rectangle is same as a length of a fifth rectangle, a length of a second rectangle is same as a length of a fourth rectangle; and projections of the five protrusions on a plane defined by the second lateral direction and the vertical direction are overlapped and have a curved bottom line” (as recited in claim 6) in the instant specification.
Note that the instant specification must consistently reflect claimed limitations.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1, 3, and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mardi – WO2019084318A1.
As to claim 1, Mardi teaches a upper press head for mechanical testing and electrical testing of a semiconductor chip package (fig.1A-1C; page 9: DC test routine is performed on chip package assembly 160 for electrical shorting; page 36: enabling testing of testing chip package assemblies with reduced probability to damage due to excessive force being applied to the chip package assembly by the workpress; thus “a upper press head for mechanical testing and electrical testing of a semiconductor chip package”), comprising:
a force receiving component 182 configured to receive a downward force (a force receiving component 182 configured to receive a downward force from actuator 108);
a force delivering component (130,106), having an upper portion 130 connected with the force receiving component 182 and having a first lateral sectional area (see described fig.1A), and a lower portion 106 having a second lateral sectional area less than the first lateral sectional area (fig.1A: bottom surface of lower portion 106 includes plurality of pusher pins 118; these pusher pins will take up portion of lateral sectional area of the bottom surface of lower portion; note that upper surface of upper portion 130 only have a portion of threaded member 182; hence, a second lateral sectional area less than the first lateral sectional area; thus “a force delivering component, having an upper portion connected with the force receiving component and having a first lateral sectional area, and a lower portion having a second lateral sectional area less than the first lateral sectional area”).
a force applying component 118 connected with the lower portion of the force delivering component (130,106) and configured to apply the downward force to the semiconductor chip package 160, the force applying component 118 comprising:
a plurality of protrusions 118 that are laterally separated from each other and are configured to simultaneously press the semiconductor chip package 160 (page 14 and fig.1A-1C); and
a space between two adjacent protrusions 118 matches portions of solder balls 164 of the semiconductor chip package 160 (fig.1A-1C; described fig.1A shows space between two adjacent protrusions or pusher pins 118 matches portions of solder bumps/balls 164 in vertical direction; thus “a space between two adjacent protrusions matches portions of solder balls of the semiconductor chip package”).
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As to claim 3, Mardi teaches the force applying component comprises three protrusions 118 that are configured to apply the downward force to the semiconductor chip package in three distinct areas; the three protrusions are aligned and separated from each other along a first lateral direction; and a first space between a left one of the three protrusions 118 and a middle one of the three protrusions 118 is equal to a second space between a right one of the three protrusions 118 and the middle one of the three protrusions 118 (fig.1A).
As to claim 5, Mardi teaches the force applying component comprises five protrusions 118 that are configured to apply the downward force to the semiconductor chip package in five distinct areas; the five protrusions are aligned and separated from each other along a first lateral direction, forming four spaces between every two adjacent protrusions 118; a first space having a first dimension, a second space having a second dimension, a third space having a third dimension, and a fourth space having a fourth dimension are sequentially aligned along the first lateral direction, wherein: the second dimension is equal to the third dimension; and the first dimension is equal to the fourth dimension (fig.1A).
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.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mardi – WO2019084318A1 and further in view of Isagoda – US 20200044378.
As to claim 2, Mardi teach each protrusion, but it does not explicitly teach each protrusion comprises a curved surface configured to be in contact with the semiconductor chip package; and the curved surface has a radius of curvature in a range of 0.3 mm and 2.0 mm.
Isagoda teaches a concept of: convex or curving portions 35 of contact pin 15 (fig.9 and [0068-0069]: convex or curving portions 35 of contact pin 15 have a certain radius or curvature).
It would thus have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify tip of each protrusion of Mardi with concept teachings of Isagoda to include each protrusion comprises a curved surface configured to be in contact with the semiconductor chip package; and the curved surface has a radius of curvature in a range of 0.3 mm and 2.0 mm or any desired radius of curvature, for more stably than a conventional contact pin ([0069]), since where the general conditions of a claim (i.e. convex or curving portions 35 of contact pin 15 have a certain radius or curvature) are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges of (i.e. the curved surface has a radius of curvature in a range of 0.3 mm and 2.0 mm) by routine experimentation." In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-20 are allowable.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
As to claim 7, claim 7 includes an array of conductive pins located inside the cover, configured to be in contact with solder balls of the semiconductor chip package; a force applying component penetrating the cover through the set of openings, when in combination with all other elements in the claim 7 distinguish the present invention from the prior arts.
Claims 8-14 are allowable based on their dependency on independent amended claim 7.
As to claim 15, claim 15 includes an array of conductive pins configured to be in contact with solder balls of the semiconductor chip package, wherein a first portion of the array of conductive pins are extendable and retractable from the force applying component, when in combination with all other elements in the claim 7 distinguish the present invention from the prior arts.
Claims 16-20 are allowable based on their dependency on independent amended claim 15.
Conclusion
A proper comparison of the claimed invention of claims 4 and 6 to the prior art i.e. search and understanding of the claimed invention was not possible due to drawing and specification objections as outlined above. Upon applicant' s amendment to overcome the objections raised by the Examiner and upon the Examiner's better understanding of the invention a comparison of the prior art to the claims 4 and 6 will again be made.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TRUONG D PHAN whose telephone number is (571)272-8883. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, John Breene can be reached on 571-272-4107. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TRUONG D PHAN/Examiner, Art Unit 2855
/JOHN E BREENE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2855
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