DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to an application that was filed on 11/26/2024. Claims 1-17 are presented for examination consideration.
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 § 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 of this title, 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1, 2, 10, 15, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iijima (WO2017150611A1 and Iijima hereinafter, cited in the 12/29/2024 and the 08/22/2023 International Search Report), in view of Okashita (JP2019001686A and Okashita hereinafter).
Regarding claim 1, Iijima discloses a multilayer substrate (item 10 of Fig. 7 and ¶[0044_0059_0074 & 0081-0082] from the WIPO Translation shows and indicates multilayer substrate 10) comprising: a first thermoplastic resin layer including a first main surface, a second main surface opposite to the first main surface, and a via hole penetrating from the first main surface to the second main surface (items 123, 142, 151, D, 152, C of Fig. 8 and ¶[0040_0043-0044_0047-0049_0072_0076 & 0081-0082] from the WIPO Translation shows and indicates where multilayer substrate 10 is comprised of first thermoplastic resin layer 123 {thermoplastic resin base material layer 123, indicated in ¶[0040_0047 & 0081]} including first main surface 123-surface-142 {adjacent surfaces between the thermoplastic resin base material layer 123 and first terminal electrode 142, indicated in ¶[0039-0040_0049_0066_0068_0070_0074 & 0082]}, second main surface 123-surface-151 {adjacent surfaces between the thermoplastic resin base material layer 123 and first wiring 151, indicated in ¶[0040_0043-0044_0048_0066_0072 & 0082]} opposite to first main surface 123-surface-142; where and via hole D_152_C {via hole formed from the following structures: from portion D of intermetallic compound of copper and tin, indicated in ¶[0082]; to first wiring 152, indicated in ¶[0040_0043-0044_0049_0072_0076 & 0082]; and finally to portion C of intermetallic compound of silver and tin, indicated in ¶[0082]} penetrating from first main surface 123-surface-142 to second main surface 123-surface-151); a ceramic layer in contact with the first main surface (item 111 of Fig. 7 and ¶[0037_0046_0050_0054_0065 & 0081] from the WIPO Translation shows and indicates ceramic layer 111 {ceramic base material layer 111} in contact with first main surface 123-surface-142); an interlayer connection conductor in the via hole (item 152 of Fig. 7 and ¶[0040_0043-0044_0049_0072_0076 & 0082] from the WIPO Translation shows and indicates interlayer connection conductor 152 {first wiring 152} in via hole D_152_C); a conductor portion on the ceramic layer and connected to the interlayer connection conductor (items 142, C of Fig. 7 and ¶[ 0039-0040_0049_0066_0068_0070_0074 & 0082] from the WIPO Translation shows and indicates conductor portion 142 {first terminal electrode 142} on ceramic layer 111 and connected to interlayer connection conductor 152 through Portion C); an intermetallic compound between the interlayer connection conductor and the conductor portion (item C of Fig. 7 and ¶[0082] from the WIPO Translation shows and indicates intermetallic compound C {portion C of intermetallic compound of silver and tin} between interlayer connection conductor 152 and conductor portion 142); and particles in the intermetallic compound, wherein the particles in contact with both the intermetallic compound and the conductor portion (Fig. 7 and ¶[0039-0040_0049_0066_0068_0070_0074 & 0082] from the WIPO Translation is understood to show and indicate where the particles are in contact with both intermetallic compound C and conductor portion 142).
Iijima discloses the claimed invention except to explicitly disclose wherein ceramic particles in the intermetallic compound, wherein the ceramic particles include first ceramic particles in contact with the intermetallic compound.
Okashita discloses wherein ceramic particles in the intermetallic compound, wherein the ceramic particles include first ceramic particles in contact with the intermetallic compound (¶[0028] from the Espacenet Translation indicates where ceramic particles first ceramic powder & second ceramic powder in intermetallic compound 1st & 2nd ceramic metallic Sn & Ag particles {ceramic particles in the first ceramic powder and the second ceramic powder containing any metallic or metalloid element from Sn and Ag}; where ceramic particles first ceramic powder & second ceramic powder include first ceramic particles first ceramic powder in contact with intermetallic compound 1st & 2nd ceramic metallic Sn & Ag particles; therefore, Iijima will have the multilayer substrate with the following limitations by incorporating the first ceramic powder and the second ceramic powder of Okashita: ceramic particles in the intermetallic compound; and where the ceramic particles includes the first ceramic particles that is in contact with both the intermetallic compound and the conductor portion).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate wherein ceramic particles in the intermetallic compound, wherein the ceramic particles include first ceramic particles in contact with the intermetallic compound into the structure of Iijima. One would have been motivated in the multilayer substrate of Iijima and have the ceramic particles in the intermetallic compound, where the ceramic particles includes the first ceramic particles that is in contact with the intermetallic compound, in order to design the multilayer substrate with the lamination molding capable of producing a three dimensional shaped article having an excellent dimensional accuracy, as indicated by Okashita in the abstract, in the multilayer substrate of Iijima.
Regarding claim 2, modified Iijima discloses a multilayer substrate, wherein the intermetallic compound is interposed partially between the first ceramic particles and the conductor portion (Iijima: Fig. 7 and ¶[0039-0040_0049_0066_0068_0070_0074 & 0082] from the WIPO Translation shows where intermetallic compound C is interposed partially between the particles and conductor portion 142; Okashita: ¶[0028] from the Espacenet Translation indicates where intermetallic compound 1st & 2nd ceramic metallic Sn & Ag particles is interposed and in contact with first ceramic particles).
Regarding claim 10, modified Iijima discloses a multilayer substrate, wherein the conductor portion is an electrode (Iijima: Fig. 7 and ¶[0039-0040_0049_0066_0068_0070_0074 & 0082] from the WIPO Translation shows where conductor portion 142 is an electrode).
Regarding claim 15, modified Iijima discloses a multilayer substrate, wherein the ceramic particles are made of a same material as that of the ceramic layer (Iijima: Fig. 7 and ¶[0046] from the WIPO Translation indicates ceramic layer 111 is made of ferrite containing iron oxide; Okashita: ¶[0029] from the Espacenet Translation indicates where ceramic particles first ceramic powder & second ceramic powder is made of ferrite {MnFe2O4}; therefore, the multilayer substrate of modified Iijima will have the ceramic particles be made of the same material as that of the ceramic layer).
Regarding claim 16, modified Iijima discloses a multilayer substrate, wherein the ceramic particles have an average particle size of 0.5 μm to 3 μm (Okashita: claims 1 & 4 from the Espacenet Translation indicates where ceramic particles first ceramic powder & second ceramic powder have the average particle size of 0.5 μm to 3 μm {average particle size D1 of the first ceramic powder is 3 μm or more and 30 μm or less, indicated in claim 1; average particle size D2 of the second ceramic powder is 0.1 μm or more and less than 3 μm, indicated in claim 4}).
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iijima in view of Okashita, as detailed in the rejection of claim 10 above, and in further view of Ito et al. (US20140196781A1 and Ito hereinafter).
Regarding claim 11, modified Iijima discloses a multilayer substrate, wherein the conductor portion is an electrode (Iijima: Fig. 7 and ¶[0039-0040_0049_0066_0068_0070_0074 & 0082] from the WIPO Translation shows where the electrode of conductor portion 142 has a thickness).
However, Iijima and Okashita do not disclose wherein a thickness of the electrode is 5 μm to 20 μm.
Ito discloses wherein a thickness of the electrode is 5 μm to 20 μm (¶[0022] indicates where the thickness of the electrode is 5 μm to 20 μm {thickness of the electrode is 8.5 μm or less}).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate wherein a thickness of the electrode is 5 μm to 20 μm into the structure of modified Iijima. One would have been motivated in the multilayer substrate of modified Iijima and have the thickness of the electrode be 5 μm to 20 μm, in order to design the electrode in the multilayer substrate with such a thickness that can be thin enough to be used in a small multilayer substrate while contribute to the reduction of the materials use, as indicated by Ito in ¶[0022], in the multilayer substrate of Iijima.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-9, 12-14, and 17 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 3, the primary reason for allowance is due to a multilayer substrate, wherein a percentage of an area occupied by the ceramic particles in a cross section of the intermetallic compound in a direction perpendicular to the first main surface is 0.1% to 20.0%.
Regarding claim 4, the primary reason for allowance is due to a multilayer substrate, wherein a percentage of an area occupied by the ceramic particles in a cross section of the intermetallic compound in a direction perpendicular to the first main surface is 1.0% to 10.0%.
Regarding claim 5, the primary reason for allowance is due to a multilayer substrate, wherein in the cross section of the intermetallic compound in the direction perpendicular to the first main surface, when first lines define interfaces between the intermetallic compound and the conductor portion, and second lines define interfaces between the intermetallic compound and the first ceramic particles, a percentage of a total length of the second lines to a total length of the first lines and the second lines is 0.1% to 50.0%.
Regarding claim 6, the primary reason for allowance is due to a multilayer substrate, wherein in a cross section of the intermetallic compound in a direction perpendicular to the first main surface, when first lines define interfaces between the intermetallic compound and the conductor portion, and second lines define interfaces between the intermetallic compound and the first ceramic particles, a percentage of a total length of the second lines to a total length of the first lines and the second lines is 0.1% to 50.0%.
Regarding claim 7, the primary reason for allowance is due to a multilayer substrate, wherein in a cross section of the intermetallic compound in a direction perpendicular to the first main surface, when first lines define interfaces between the intermetallic compound and the conductor portion, and second lines define interfaces between the intermetallic compound and the first ceramic particles, a percentage of a total length of the second lines to a total length of the first lines and the second lines is 1.0% to 20.0%.
Regarding claim 8, the primary reason for allowance is due to a multilayer substrate, wherein the conductor portion includes the ceramic particles, a first conductor layer facing the first thermoplastic resin layer, and a second conductor layer on the first conductor layer, and a weight percentage of the ceramic particles in the first conductor layer is lower than a weight percentage of the ceramic particles in the second conductor layer.
Regarding claim 9, the primary reason for allowance is due to the dependency on claim 8.
Regarding claim 12, the primary reason for allowance is due to a multilayer substrate, wherein the conductor portion is a via.
Regarding claim 13, the primary reason for allowance is due to a multilayer substrate, wherein the ceramic particles include a glass component in an amount of 50% by weight or more.
Regarding claim 14, the primary reason for allowance is due to a multilayer substrate, wherein the ceramic particles include alumina in an amount of 50% by mass or more.
Regarding claim 17, the primary reason for allowance is due to a multilayer substrate, wherein the conductor portion includes an internal conductor portion in internal of the ceramic layer and an interface conductor portion at an interface of the ceramic layer and the first thermoplastic resin layer, the interface conductor portion and internal conductor portion include the ceramic particles, the intermetallic compound is formed between the interlayer connection conductor and the interface conductor portion; the ceramic particles include first ceramic particles in contact with both the intermetallic compound and the interface conductor portion, and a weight percentage of the ceramic particles in the internal conductor portion is lower than a weight percentage of the ceramic particles in the interface conductor portion.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GUILLERMO J EGOAVIL whose telephone number is (571)270-1325. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00.
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/GUILLERMO J EGOAVIL/Examiner, Art Unit 2847
/TIMOTHY J THOMPSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2847 /TIMOTHY J THOMPSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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