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 .
Status of Claims
The status of claims is as follows:
Claims 1-10 are pending in the application.
An action on the merits of claims 1-10 follows.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). However, should applicant desire to obtain the benefit of foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)- (d) prior to declaration of an interference, a certified English translation of the foreign application must be submitted in reply to this action. 37 CFR 41.154(b) and 41.202(e). Failure to provide a certified translation may result in no benefit being accorded for the non- English application.
IDS
All references provided in the IDS have been 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 Cooling Device Comprising Diffusion Surface in Inflow Passage.
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, 5 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fukuhara et al. (JP 2016096272A), hereinafter Fukuhara. Note: For Fukuhara and all other Foreign References the provided English machine translation is used for citation purposes.
Regarding Claim 1, Fukuhara teaches a semiconductor device ("cooler [containing] semiconductor modules;" Figs. 1-3, 13 (a modification of Figs. 1-3, identical elements from Figs. 1-3 may be referenced), Paragraph [0012, 0015]), comprising:
a semiconductor chip ("heat-generating element […] such as semiconductor modules," (100); Fig. 1, Paragraph [0015]); and
a cooling device ("cooler," (3); Fig. 1, Paragraph [0011]) having the semiconductor chip (100) mounted thereon, wherein:
the cooling device (3) includes:
a top plate ("heat sink," (2); Fig. 1, Paragraph [0011]) having an upper surface on which the semiconductor chip (100) is disposed and a lower surface opposite to the upper surface (Fig. 1), and
a cooling case ("housing," (1); Fig. 1, Paragraph [0011]) having a rectangular shape in a plan view of the semiconductor device (100), and having a first outer lateral surface (outer "side wall," (outer 1d); Fig. 13A, Paragraph [0013]), a second outer lateral surface (outer "side wall," ( outer 1a); Fig. 13A, Paragraph [0013]), a third outer lateral surface (outer "side wall," (outer 1b); Fig. 13A, Paragraph [0013]), and a fourth outer lateral surface (outer "side wall," (outer 1c); Fig. 13A, Paragraph [0013]) sequentially disposed to form four sides thereof,
the cooling case (1) having a concave flow passage ("cooling water passages," (10, 20, 30); Fig. 2, Paragraph [0014]) therein, the flow passage (10, 20, 30) including a main passage ("cooling passage," (20); Fig. 2, Paragraph [0014]), and an inflow passage (entrance of "introduction passage," (10); Fig. 2, Paragraph [0014]) that is recessed from a bottom surface of the main passage (20) toward a bottom side of the cooling case (1) that is opposite to a top side of the cooling case (1) where the top plate (2) is disposed, the cooling case (1) further having an inlet ("inlet," (5); Fig. 1, Paragraph [0013]), an opening of which is provided at the second outer lateral surface (outer 1a) at a position closer to the third outer lateral surface (outer 1b) than is the first outer lateral surface (outer 1a), the inlet (5) being directly connected to the inflow passage (10) and introducing a cooling medium ("cooling water (refrigerant);" Paragraph [0013]) that flows through the inlet (5) in a longitudinal direction of the cooling case (1) toward the flow passage (10, 20, 30), the inflow passage (10) having a diffusion surface ("bottom wall," (1e); Fig. 13B, Paragraph [0027]) that faces the opening of the inlet (5). (Note: Fig. 13B shows a diffusion wall of 1e, marking the end of the inflow passage although the rest of (10) makes is also recessed below (20).)
Regarding Claim 2, Fukuhara teaches the semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the diffusion surface (1E) is inclined at an angle in a range of 85° to 95° ("cross-sectional area of the introduction path 10 may be changed […] stepwise;" Fig. 13B, Paragraph [0064]]) to a plane parallel to the upper surface of the top plate (2).
Regarding Claim 3, Fukuhara teaches the semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein:
the flow passage (10, 20, 30) has a rectangular shape in the plan view and has a first inner lateral surface (inner "side wall," (inner 1d); Fig. 13A, Paragraph [0013]), a second inner lateral surface (inner "side wall," (inner 1a); Fig. 13A, Paragraph [0013]), a third inner lateral surface (inner "side wall," (inner 1b); Fig. 13A, Paragraph [0013]), and a fourth inner lateral surface (inner "side wall," (inner 1c); Fig. 13A, Paragraph [0013]), respectively facing the first outer lateral surface (outer 1d), the second outer lateral surface (outer 1a), the third outer lateral surface (outer 1b), and the fourth outer lateral surface (outer 1c), and the inflow passage (10) is provided in a vicinity (Fig. 13A) of a corner formed by the second inner lateral surface (inner 1a) and the third inner lateral surface (inner 1b).
Regarding Claim 5, Fukuhara teaches the semiconductor device according to claim 3 , wherein:
the flow passage (10, 20, 30) further includes a first groove ("increasing the thickness of the bottom wall stepwise," (groove-1); Annotated Fig. 13B) that is formed in the bottom surface of the main passage (20) and extends along the third inner lateral surface (inner 1b) from the diffusion surface (1e) toward the fourth inner lateral surface (inner 1c), and
the first groove (groove-1) has a bottom surface located between a bottom of the inflow passage (10) and the bottom surface ("protrusion," (4); Paragraph [0064]) of the flow passage (10, 20, 30) in a direction orthogonal to the upper surface of the top plate (2).
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Annotated Fig. 13
Regarding Claim 6, Fukuhara teaches the semiconductor device according to claim 5, wherein:
in the plan view, in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the cooling case (1), a width of the first groove (groove-1) is equal to a width of the inflow passage (10; Fig. 13A, 13B).
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 Fukuhara in view of Asakura (US 20090095450 A), hereinafter Asakura.
Regarding Claim 4, Fukuhara teaches the semiconductor device according to claim 3.
Fukuhara does not explicitly teach wherein: in the plan view, a distance from the inlet to the diffusion surface is 5% or more and 30% or less of a length of the flow passage in the longitudinal direction.
The specification of the instant application fails to teach criticality of the claimed range of distance of a distance between 5% or more and 30% or less in Paragraph [0096]. While the instant application discusses a benefit of a shorter or longer distance, criticality of the range of 5% to 30% is not discussed, even less so by indicating a more preferable, smaller range.
Fukuhara does teach a distance from the inlet to the diffusion surface but is silent as to the specific value of this distance relative to the length of a flow passage.
Asakura teaches a cooling case (“casing,” (721); Figs. 4-6, Paragraph [0046]) comprising:
an inlet (“inlet,” (722); Fig. 4, Paragraph [0046]), and
a diffusion surface (“wall,” (726); Figs. 4-5, Paragraph [0048]).
Asakura additionally teaches wherein in the plan view, a distance from the inlet to the diffusion surface is a result effective variable wherein a modification of the distance results in a change in distribution of the cooling medium and results in variation of casing size.
Specifically, Asakura teaches that a reduced distance can promote distribution of the cooling medium while reducing the size of the cooling case (Paragraph [0058]) while an increased distance better distributes the cooling medium through the fins (Paragraph [0054]) and results in an increase in the size of the cooling case (Paragraph [Paragraph [0058]]). Asakura teaches that this distance would be optimized in order to beneficially increase distribution while reducing cooling case size.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to apply the teachings of Asakura to modify the device of Fukuhara such that in the plan view, a distance from the inlet to the diffusion surface is 5% or more and 30% or less of a length of the flow passage in the longitudinal direction as a result effective variable for the optimization of balance between cooling case size and cooling medium distribution.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fukuhara in view of Miki et al. (JP 2017050375 A), hereinafter Miki.
Regarding Claim 7, Fukuhara teaches the semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein:
the cooling case (1) further has an outlet (“discharge port,” (6); Fig. 1, Paragraph [0013]), the outlet communicating with the flow passage (10, 20, 30), so that the cooling medium (refrigerant) is discharged through the outlet (6) in the longitudinal direction toward an outside of the cooling case (1).
Fukuhara does not explicitly teach an outlet, an opening of which is provided at the fourth outer lateral surface at a position closer to the first outer lateral surface than is the third outer lateral surface.
Miki teaches at least a semiconductor device (“electric device with refrigerant flow path;” Fig. 6, Paragraph [0009]), wherein:
The cooling case further has an outlet (“outflow pipe,” (18); Fig. 6, Pa), an opening of which is provided at the fourth outer lateral surface (right wall of “housing,” (1); Fig. 6, Paragraph [0009]) at a position closer to the first outer lateral surface (bottom wall of (1); Fig. 6) than is the third outer lateral surface (top wall of (1); Fig. 6).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to apply the teachings of Miki to the device of Fukuhara such that an opening of an outlet is provided at the fourth outer lateral surface at a position closer to the first outer lateral surface than is the third outer lateral surface. Moving the inlet and outlet on different sides and sections of sides of the cooling case provides more options for integration into a larger device with the added benefit of improving the degree of freedom of assembly of the device (Paragraph [0016]).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fukuhara in view of Miki, and further in view of Sato (US 20210050277 A1), hereinafter Sato.
Regarding Claim 8, Fukuhara as modified by Miki teaches the semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein:
the flow passage (10, 20, 30) further includes:
an outflow passage (“discharge passage,” (30); Figs. 2, 13A, Paragraph [0014]) that is recessed from the bottom surface (“upper surface,” (42); Fig. 2, 13B, Paragraph [0021]) of the main passage (20) toward the bottom side of the cooling case (1), the outlet (6) being directly connected to the outflow passage (30), and
a first groove ("increasing the thickness of the bottom wall stepwise," (groove-1); Annotated Fig. 13B) extending along the third inner lateral surface (inner 1b) from the diffusion surface (1e) toward the fourth inner lateral surface (inner 1d), the first groove (groove-1) having a bottom surface located between the bottom of the inflow passage (entrance of 10) and the bottom of the flow passage (10, 20, 30) in a direction orthogonal to the upper surface of the top plate (2).
Fukuhara does not explicitly teach a second groove extending along the first inner lateral surface from the outflow passage toward the second inner lateral surface.
Sato teaches at least a semiconductor device (“semiconductor apparatus; Figs. 1A (top of semiconductor cooling device), 1B, 2A (isometric views), 2B (top-down view), Paragraph [0017]) comprising a second groove (“convergence wall,” (238); Fig. 2A, Paragraph [0027]) extending along the first inner lateral surface (“second side wall,” (232b) from the outflow passage (“discharge port,” (234); Fig. 2A, Paragraph [0024]) toward the second inner lateral surface (RIGHT wall of “side wall,” (232); Fig. 2A, Paragraph [0023]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to apply the teachings of Sato to the device of Fukuhara modified by Miki to include a second groove in the claimed configuration in order to better diffuse a cooling medium throughout the device. The second groove serves to converge the cooling medium towards the outlet, improving the circulation of cooling medium through the device (Paragraph [0027]).
Claims 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fukuhara in view of Sakai (JP 2013058518 A), hereinafter Sakai.
Regarding Claim 9, Fukuhara teaches the semiconductor device according to claim 1.
Fukuhara does not explicitly teach wherein: the inflow passage further includes a guide wall that faces the opening of the inlet and is located closer to the inlet than the diffusion surface.
Sakai teaches at least a semiconductor device (“cooling device,” (1); Fig. 1, Paragraph [0013] for “a semiconductor element;” Paragraph [0018]) wherein: the inflow passage (“refrigerant supply path,” (6); Paragraph [0015]) further includes a guide wall (“protrusion,” (10); Paragraph [0016]) that faces the opening of the inlet (“hose nipple,” (7); Paragraph [0015]) and is located closer to the inlet (7) than the diffusion surface (“back wall portion,” (6a); Fig.1a, Paragraph [0016]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings of Sakai with the device of Fukuhara to include a guide wall closer to the inlet than the diffusion surface. Inclusion of the guide wall allows for a portion of the cooling medium to flow to the diffusion surface and a portion to be redirected towards the side of the device, balancing the overall cooling medium flow and allow for more even of a mounted device Paragraph [0017]).
Regarding Claim 10, Fukuhara as modified by Sakai further teaches the semiconductor device (Sakai, “cooling device,” (1); Fig. 1, Paragraph [0013] for “a semiconductor element;” Paragraph [0018]) according to claim 9, wherein in the plan view, in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction (Sakai, direction aligned with inlet, as in Fukuhara) of the cooling case (Sakai, “cooling case,” (3); Paragraph [0013]), a width of the guide wall (Sakai, 10) is 45% or more and 55% or less of a width of the diffusion surface (Sakai, 6a). (Sakai, “the height of the protrusion 10 is set to about a half of the height of the 6a of the back wall;” Paragraph [0017])
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Nolan Stuessy whose telephone number is (571) 645-5843. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F; 9:00-5:00 (EST).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Davienne Monbleau can be reached at (571) 272-1945. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NOLAN GABRIEL STUESSY/Examiner, Art Unit 2812
/DAVIENNE N MONBLEAU/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2812
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