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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 6, 8, 10-12, 16, and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim (US 20190195577 A1).
As to claims 1 and 10, Kim discloses: A system (Fig. 1A-6), comprising:
a heat source (heating source, semiconductor chip; par. 0059-0060);
a heatsink (cooling unit, metal case; par. 0059-0060); and
a thermal interface applique, comprising:
a containment structure 110 (Poron; par. 0046) having an adhesive property (120, par. 0053-0059; 121, par. 0065) and a first thermal coefficient (low thermal conductivity material Poron; par. 0046, 0049; Poron materials have a thermal conductivity of < 0.3 W/mK); and
conductive gel 200 (par. 0070-0071), contained within at least one opening in the containment structure, having a second thermal coefficient (from 1 to 30 W/mK; par. 0071) at least ten times greater (when selected from 3 to 30 W/mK; par. 0071) than the first thermal coefficient;
wherein the conductive gel is configured to thermally couple a heat source to a heatsink (par. 0059-0060);
wherein the adhesive property 120 of the containment structure 110 is configured to adhere at least one of the heat source and the heatsink (cooling unit, metal case; par. 0059-0060) to the containment structure (par. 0059-0060).
As to claims 2 and 12, Kim discloses: wherein the conductive gel is completely surrounded by the containment structure to inhibit lateral migration of the conductive gel from the containment structure (see par. 0053, Fig. 1-6).
As to claims 6 and 16, Kim discloses: wherein the containment structure is comprised of a thermoplastic polyurethane (Poron; par. 0046).
As to claims 8 and 18, Kim discloses: wherein the containment structure comprises an adhesive film (120, par. 0056; 121; par. 0065) that provides the adhesive property 120.
As to claim 11, Kim discloses: wherein the heat source is an electronic component (semiconductor chip; par. 0060).
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(s) 3-5 and 13-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 20190195577 A1) as applied to claims 2 and 12 above, and further in view of Im (US 20030085475 A1).
As to claims 3 and 13, Kim does not explicitly disclose (in the current embodiment):
wherein the opening conforms to a form factor of the heat source.
However, Im discloses:
wherein the opening (within dam 106A; see Fig. 3) conforms to a form factor of the heat source 102 (par. 0034, 0037);
in order to retain the thermal interface material/conductive gel 104 within the perimeter of the heat source/chip 102 (par. 0034, 0037).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the related art(s) before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Kim as suggested by Im, e.g., providing:
wherein the opening conforms to a form factor of the heat source;
in order to retain the conductive gel within the perimeter of the heat source.
Additionally, all claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined/modified the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination/modification would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S.___, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
As to claims 4 and 14, Kim in view of Im discloses: wherein a surface area of the conductive gel is at least fifty (50) percent that of a surface area of the heat source (see Fig. 3; Im).
As to claims 5 and 15, Kim in view of Im discloses: wherein the opening is one of a plurality of openings separated by portions of the containment structure, wherein each of the plurality of openings contains some of the conductive gel (see par. 0071; Kim).
Claim(s) 7 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 20190195577 A1) as applied to claims 1 and 10 above, and further in view of Im (US 20030085475 A1) and Ohara (US 20190109059 A1).
As to claims 7 and 17, Kim does not explicitly disclose (in the current embodiment): wherein the containment structure is comprised of at least one of: a thermoset epoxy-based film and a C-stage resin film.
However, Im discloses:
wherein the containment structure 106A is comprised of at least one of: a thermoset epoxy-based film (par. 0037) and a C-stage resin film;
in order to not liquify below 125 °C (par. 0037, 0032).
Further, Ohara discloses:
a thermosetting epoxy resin having a heat conductivity of 0.5 W/mK (par. 0023);
in order to provide high adhesion and resist delamination at high temperatures (par. 0023).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the related art(s) before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Kim as suggested by Im and Ohara, e.g., providing a thermosetting epoxy resin based film instead of the Poron based film of Kim:
wherein the containment structure is comprised of at least one of: a thermoset epoxy-based film and a C-stage resin film;
in order to in order to not liquify below 125 °C and in order to provide high adhesion and resist delamination at high temperatures.
In the modification, the second thermal coefficient of Kim (from 1 to 30 W/mK; par. 0071) is still at least ten times greater (when selected from 5 to 30 W/mK; par. 0071) than the first thermal coefficient of Ohara (0.5 W/mK; par. 0023), as required by the independent claims.
It has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
Additionally, all claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined/modified the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination/modification would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S.___, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Claim(s) 9 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 20190195577 A1) as applied to claims 1 and 10 above.
As to claims 9 and 19, Kim does not explicitly disclose (in the current embodiment):
further comprising a release layer on at least one major surface of the containment structure, the release layer configured to be removed to expose the adhesive property.
However, Kim further discloses:
further comprising a release layer (releasing film; par. 0139) on at least one major surface of the containment structure;
in order to economically use the thermally conductive element having a uniform shape and size and having a high viscosity level without using a dispenser, a printer, or the like in a workplace (par. 00139).
In the embodiments of Fig. 1A-2C, the releasing film can be applied to only two planar surfaces: the top surface (containment structure 110 and conductive gel 200) or to the lower surface (adhesive film 121 or self-adhesive 120), to provide the above advantages.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the related art(s) before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Kim as suggested by Kim, e.g., applying the releasing film to the adhesive film surface and providing:
further comprising a release layer on at least one major surface of the containment structure, the release layer configured to be removed to expose the adhesive property;
in order to economically use the thermally conductive element having a uniform shape and size and having a high viscosity level without using a dispenser, a printer, or the like in a workplace, and since there are only two arrangement options to try, all claimed elements were known in the prior art, and one skilled in the art could have combined/modified the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination/modification would have yielded predictable results.
It has been held that rearranging parts of an invention (e.g., rearranging the position of the releasing film with respect to the top or bottom surface of the thermal interface applique) involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Additionally, all claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined/modified the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination/modification would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S.___, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Hillman (US 20090145802 A1), Liang (US 20190045666 A1), and Dhane (US 20200203254 A1) disclose conventional TIM structures.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JACOB R CRUM whose telephone number is (571)270-7665. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jayprakash Gandhi can be reached at (571) 270-1985. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JACOB R CRUM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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