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 .
Summary
The Applicants arguments and claim amendments received on 04/15/2026 are entered into the file. Currently, claims 1-9 are cancelled; claim 10 is amended; claim 12 is withdrawn; claims 13-22 are new; resulting in claims 10 and 12-22 pending for examination.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 10 and 12-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claims 10, 18, 19 and 20, the claims are indefinite as they interchangeably refer to the same layer with different names. In claim 10, the layer is referred to as “an interlayer insulating layer” in line 3, “the cured product of the photosensitive resin film” in lines 8 and 17. In claims 18 and 19, the layer is referred to as “the photosensitive resin film” and in claim 20, the layer is referred to as the “interlayer insulating layer”. It is not clear if the phrase “the photosensitive resin” is referring to the uncured intermediate product, and the phrases “interlayer insulating layer” and “the cured product of the photosensitive resin film” are referring to the cured final product form. It is not clear if the same features and components are present in the uncured intermediate photosensitive resin compared to the cured “interlayer insulating layer” and “the cured product of the photosensitive resin film”. It is not clear if the same features and components are present in the uncured intermediate photosensitive resin compared to the cured “interlayer insulating layer” and “the cured product of the photosensitive resin film”.
Regarding claim 10, “the interlayer insulation film” in line 4 lacks sufficient antecedent basis. Lines 3 of the claim recites “an interlayer insulating layer”.
Regarding claim 10, the phrase in line 8 reciting “wherein the cured product of the photosensitive resin film” is indefinite. Lines 3-5 recite “an interlayer insulating layer laminated on one surface or both surfaces of the circuit board, wherein the interlayer insulation film is a cured product of the a photosensitive resin film”. From lines 3-5 of the claim, the interlayer insulating film is the cured product of the photosensitive resin film, however, it is unclear as to why in line 8, the interlayer insulating film is not recited, but “the cured product of the photosensitive resin film” is. This particular layer is referred to as “an interlayer insulating layer” in line 3, “the cured product of the photosensitive resin film” in lines 8 and 17. It is not clear if there is a difference implied in the structure among the various phrases.
Regarding claim 13, the limitation in lines 2-4 reciting “wherein the resin composition (1) contains the fluorine-containing resin in an amount less than 10 mass%, based on the total amount of the resin components in the resin composition (1)” is indefinite in light of the newly added limitations in independent claim 10. Lines 11-13 of claim 10 recite “wherein the first surface is formed by a resin composition (1) containing the compound A, the thermosetting resin (B), the photopolymerization initiator (C), and the inorganic filler (D)”. The aforementioned lines of claim 10 do not recite that the resin composition (1) contains the fluorine-containing resin (E), however, lines 14-16 pertaining to resin composition (2) do positively recite the presence of the fluorine-containing resin. Claim 10 explicitly differentiates between resin composition (1) as not having the fluorine-containing resin (E) and resin composition (2) as having the fluorine-containing resin (E). It is not clear then, how in claim 13, resin composition (1) contains less than 10 mass % of the fluorine-containing resin.
Regarding claim 18, the limitation reciting “wherein a content of the fluorine-containing resin (E) in the photosensitive resin film is 5 mass% to 80 mass%, based on a total amount of resin components in the photosensitive resin film” is indefinite. Independent claim 10 clearly lays out two different resin compositions for the interlayer insulating layer/cured product of a photosensitive resin film, wherein the first resin composition (1) does not contain the fluorine-containing component and makes up the first surface of the interlayer insulating layer/cured product of a photosensitive resin film and the second resin composition (2) does contain the fluorine-containing component making up the second surface of the interlayer insulating layer/cured product of a photosensitive resin film. Claim 18 refers to the interlayer insulating layer/cured product of a photosensitive resin film as a whole, however, it is not clear which portion of the interlayer insulating layer/cured product of a photosensitive resin film is being referenced or further by this claim.
Regarding claim 19, the limitation “wherein the photosensitive resin film further comprises an elastomer (F)” is indefinite as it is unclear whether one or both of the resin composition (1) and resin composition (2) are required to additionally contain the elastomer (F).
Regarding claim 22, the limitation “wherein the interlayer insulating layer has a photovia” is indefinite for the reasons expressed above. It is not clear what the structural difference is between the “interlayer insulating layer” and “the cured product of a photosensitive resin film”.
Claims 14-17 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph based on their dependency from the rejected claims above.
Response to Arguments
Response-Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The previous rejections of claims 10 and 1 under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the enablement requirement is overcome by Applicants cancellation of claim 1 and amendments to claim 10 in the response filed 04/15/2026.
The previous rejection of claim 10 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention is overcome by the Applicants amendments filed 04/15/2026, however, the amendments raise new issues under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph as described in the above office action.
Response-Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 6-11, filed 04/15/2026, with respect to claim 10 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The previous rejection of claim 10 has been withdrawn.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10, 13, 18, 19, 20, 22 and by dependency claims 14-17 and 21 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art does not teach or render obvious the claimed invention of the instant application.
Morita et al. (JP 2002-311580A, Machine Translation via EPO previously cited) is the closest prior art to the claimed invention. Morita et al. teaches a photosensitive resin composition and a photosensitive film using the same composition, wherein the photosensitive resin film is used as an interlayer resin insulating layer in a multilayered printed wiring board ([0009,0034]). The photosensitive resin composition and photosensitive film is comprised of a compound having an ethylenically unsaturated group (A) that aids in adhesion and plating solution resistance, a photopolymerization initiator (C), a thermosetting resin (B), a filler that includes inorganic fillers (D) and powdered polytetrafluoroethylene particles (E) ([0013-0017, 0018-0020, 0021-0022, 0023]).
The compound having an ethylenically unsaturated group (A) preferably includes an acryloyl group or a methacryloyl group ([0015]), compounds also disclosed by [0073] of the pg-pub of the instant application. The thermosetting resin (B) can be any known thermosetting resin including epoxy resin, phenol resin, alkyd resin, melamine resin, isocyanate resin, bismaleimide compound ([0021]), all of which are disclosed by the instant invention in [0145-0156] of the pg-pub of the instant application. The photopolymerization initiator (C) can be any number of photoinitiators, including benzoin ethers, benzophenones, benzyl ketals, acridinyls, and various others ([0018-0020]), wherein similar photopolymerization initiators are disclosed by [0169-0172]) of the pg-pub of the instant application. The inorganic filler (D) can be inorganic fine particles such as silica, fused silica, talc, alumina, hydrated alumina, barium sulfate, aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, and calcium carbonate ([0023]), which overlaps with the materials disclosed by [0187] of the pg-pub of the instant application. Morita et al. further teaches that the filler can include organic fine particles such as powdered polytetrafluoroethylene particles, wherein the amount of filler, including both inorganic and organic fillers, is preferably 2-20% by weight of the total solid content of the resin ([0023]).
Morita et al. does not teach the combination of features required by claim 10, specifically, the newly added amendment that the interlayer insulating layer comprises a first surface of a first resin containing compound (A) having an ethylenically unstaturated group, a thermosetting resin (B), a photopolymerization initiator (C), and an inorganic filler (D); and a second surface of a second resin containing a first resin containing compound (A) having an ethylenically unstaturated group, a thermosetting resin (B), a photopolymerization initiator (C), an inorganic filler (D) and a fluorine-containing resin (E). Furthermore, Morita et al. does not teach that in a cross section of the cured product of the interlayer insulating layer, a fluorine atom concentration in a portion at a depth of 1mm from the first surface is lower than a fluorine atom concentration in a portion at a depth of 1mm from the second surface as presently claimed.
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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LAURA POWERS
Examiner
Art Unit 1785
/LAURA C POWERS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1785
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