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 (see Figs. 1-3, 5B, 6B, 8, 13A, 14, 15A and 16) are objected to under 37 CFR 1.84(l), because the character of the lines are insufficient for satisfactory reproduction characteristics, and 37 CFR 1.84(m), because the use of solid gray shading reduces legibility and does not adequately contrast with the rest of the drawings.
“(l) Character of lines, numbers, and letters. All drawings must be made by a process which will give them satisfactory reproduction characteristics. Every line, number, and letter must be durable, clean, black (except for color drawings), sufficiently dense and dark, and uniformly thick and well-defined. The weight of all lines and letters must be heavy enough to permit adequate reproduction. This requirement applies to all lines however fine, to shading, and to lines representing cut surfaces in sectional views. Lines and strokes of different thicknesses may be used in the same drawing where different thicknesses have a different meaning.
(m) Shading. The use of shading in views is encouraged if it aids in understanding the invention and if it does not reduce legibility. Shading is used to indicate the surface or shape of spherical, cylindrical, and conical elements of an object. Flat parts may also be lightly shaded. Such shading is preferred in the case of parts shown in perspective, but not for cross sections. See paragraph (h)(3) of this section. Spaced lines for shading are preferred. These lines must be thin, as few in number as practicable, and they must contrast with the rest of the drawings. As a substitute for shading, heavy lines on the shade side of objects can be used except where they superimpose on each other or obscure reference characters. Light should come from the upper left corner at an angle of 45°. Surface delineations should preferably be shown by proper shading. Solid black shading areas are not permitted, except when used to represent bar graphs or color.”
Claim Objections
Claims 7, 9-11, 13 and 20 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 7, Lines 5-6: “an elastic connection structure” should be amended to recite “the elastic connection structure”.
Claim 9, Line 3: “an elastic connection structure” should be amended to recite “the elastic connection structure”.
Claim 10, Line 2: “a chip mounting region” should be amended to recite “the chip mounting region”.
Claim 11, Line 4: “an elastic force” should be amended to recite “the elastic force”.
Claim 13, Line 6: “at least one chip disposed in at least one chip mounting region” should be amended to recite “at least one chip disposed in the at least one chip mounting region”.
Claim 20 should have a period at the end of the claim.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim 8 is 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.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the other end" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3, 7-9 and 12-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Peng (US 20240090117 A1).
As to Claim 1, Peng discloses:
A heat dissipation structure (heat dissipation apparatus, Figs. 4-5), comprising:
a heat sink (heat sink housing 11);
a circuit board (sub printed circuit board 13) comprising at least one chip mounting region (region where chip 14 is mounted) and at least one first position (any position outside of region where chip 14 is mounted) located outside the chip mounting region (region of 14);
at least one fixed connection structure (fastener 194) located in the at least one first position (outside of 14) and fastens the circuit board 13 to the heat sink 11 (194 indirectly fastens 13 to heat sink 11 in assembled state); and
at least one elastic connection structure (elastic support components 16) configured to provide an elastic force toward the heat sink 11 for the chip mounting region (region of 14; Par. 0063 “the elastic support component 16 is configured to press the sub printed circuit board 13, to enable the chip 14 to be closely attached to the primary heat dissipation plate 1112 of the upper housing 111”; Par. 0064 “When the spring is in a compressed state, the spring provides an upward pressure for the sub printed circuit board 13, to enable the chip 14 to be closely attached to the primary heat dissipation plate 1112”).
As to Claim 2, Peng discloses:
wherein
the at least one elastic connection structure 16 comprises a fastener and an elastic member (Par. 0064 “The elastic support component 16 may include a spring screw”; spring screw comprises spring and screw);
the circuit board 13 comprises a through hole (see Figs. 4-5, spring screw 16 passes through board 13);
the fastener passes through the through hole and fastens to the heat sink 11 (Par. 0064 “a head of the spring screw is located on a side, opposite to the primary printed circuit board 12, of the sub printed circuit board 13. A tail of the spring screw is connected to the primary printed circuit board 12, and a spring of the spring screw is located between the sub printed circuit board 13 and the primary printed circuit board 12”; spring screw 16 passes through board 13 and indirectly fastens to 11 via board 12); and
the elastic member (spring of spring screw) is sleeved on the fastener and is elastically connected to the fastener and a surface of the circuit board 13 away from the heat sink 11 (spring of spring screw is sleeved on screw and located between boards 12 and 13, on surface of 13 opposite where 14 contacts primary heat dissipation plate 1112 of 11).
As to Claim 3, Peng discloses:
wherein the at least one fixed connection structure 194 is configured to position the circuit board 13 in a horizontal direction (in assembled state, 13 is disposed horizontally, wherein 194 is connected to 13 via board 12 and spring screws 16).
As to Claim 7, Peng discloses:
wherein
the circuit board 13 of the heat dissipation structure is connected to a stress-sensitive component (conductive component 15);
a distance between the stress-sensitive component 15 and a first fixed connection structure 194 is less than a distance between the stress-sensitive component 15 and the elastic connection structure 16 (distance between 15 and 194 on left side of Fig. 4 is less than distance between 15 and 16 on right side of Fig. 4); and
the first fixed connection structure belongs to the at least one fixed connection structure 194.
As to Claim 8 (as best understood), Peng discloses:
wherein
the heat dissipation structure further comprises a board-to-board (BTB) connector (conductive component 15) and a mainboard 12;
one end of the BTB connector 15 is connected to the circuit board 13; and
an other end of the BTB connector 15 is connected to the mainboard 12 (Par. 0062 “The flexible conductive component 15 may implement signal interconnection between the sub printed circuit board 13 and the primary printed circuit board 12, that is, implement signal interconnection between the chip 14, a peripheral component of the chip 14, and the primary printed circuit board 12”).
As to Claim 9, Peng discloses:
wherein
a distance between the BTB connector 15 and a second fixed connection structure 194 is less than a distance between the BTB connector 15 and the elastic connection structure 16 (distance between 15 and 194 on left side of Fig. 4 is less than distance between 15 and 16 on right side of Fig. 4); and
the second fixed connection structure 194 comprises the at least one fixed connection structure 194.
As to Claim 12, Peng discloses:
wherein the heat dissipation structure (heat dissipation apparatus, Figs. 4-5) is used in at least one of:
an autonomous driving controller (Par. 0076 “The artificial intelligence AI chip in an in-vehicle autonomous driving module is still used as an example… Apparently, according to the heat dissipation apparatus provided in this embodiment of this application, a temperature of the chip 14 can be effectively reduced, and an over-temperature risk of the chip 14 can be reduced”);
a cockpit domain controller; or
a vehicle domain controller.
As to Claim 13, Peng discloses:
A vehicle-mounted device (Par. 0080 “The in-vehicle module includes a connector 200 and the heat dissipation apparatus 100 provided in the foregoing embodiments”; see Figs. 4-5), comprising a heat dissipation structure (heat sink housing 11; Par. 0080 “The heat dissipation apparatus 100 includes the heat sink housing 11”), wherein the heat dissipation structure comprises:
a heat sink (heat sink housing 11);
a circuit board (sub printed circuit board 13) comprising at least one chip mounting region (region where chip 14 is mounted) and at least one first position located (any position outside of region where chip 14 is mounted) outside the chip mounting region (region of 14);
at least one chip (chip 14) disposed in the at least one chip mounting region on the circuit board 13 (14 disposed in chip mounting region on 13);
at least one fixed connection structure (fastener 194) located in the at least one first position (outside of 14) and fastens the circuit board 13 to the heat sink 11 (194 indirectly fastens 13 to heat sink 11 in assembled state); and
at least one elastic connection structure (elastic support components 16) configured to provide an elastic force toward the heat sink 11 for the chip mounting region (region of 14; Par. 0063 “the elastic support component 16 is configured to press the sub printed circuit board 13, to enable the chip 14 to be closely attached to the primary heat dissipation plate 1112 of the upper housing 111”; Par. 0064 “When the spring is in a compressed state, the spring provides an upward pressure for the sub printed circuit board 13, to enable the chip 14 to be closely attached to the primary heat dissipation plate 1112”).
As to Claim 14, Peng discloses:
wherein the at least one elastic connection structure 16 in the heat sink 11 is configured to maintain a heat conduction connection between the at least one chip 14 and the heat sink 11 in the heat dissipation structure 100 (Par. 0063 “the elastic support component 16 is configured to press the sub printed circuit board 13, to enable the chip 14 to be closely attached to the primary heat dissipation plate 1112 of the upper housing 111”; Par. 0064 “When the spring is in a compressed state, the spring provides an upward pressure for the sub printed circuit board 13, to enable the chip 14 to be closely attached to the primary heat dissipation plate 1112”; additionally, conductive layer 17 reduces thermal resistance between chip 14 and 111, Par. 0073 “a thermally conductive layer 17 is filled between the chip 14 and the primary heat dissipation plate 1112 of the upper housing 111, and the thermally conductive layer 17 is configured to reduce contact thermal resistance between the chip 14 and the upper housing 111”).
As to Claim 15, Peng discloses:
wherein the vehicle-mounted device further comprises:
a mainboard (primary printed circuit board 12);
a plurality of chips (multiple chips 14, see Fig. 5; Par. 0061 “A quantity of the sub printed circuit boards 13 may be determined based on a quantity of the chips 14. There may be one or more sub printed circuit boards. At least one chip 14 may be disposed on one sub printed circuit board 13. By disposing a plurality of sub printed circuit boards 13, heat between each of the plurality of chips 14 with high power consumption and the primary heat dissipation plate 1112 of the heat sink housing 11 may be dissipated through conduction”), and
at least two heat dissipation structures (each board 13 comprising chip 14 connected to heat sink housing 11 constitutes a heat dissipation structure), wherein
the plurality of chips 14 are mounted in chip mounting regions on the circuit board 13 in the at least two heat dissipation structures (chips 14 are mounted in regions on boards 13, see Fig. 5); and
the mainboard 12 is electrically connected to the circuit board 13 in the plurality of heat dissipation structures (Par. 0062 “The flexible conductive component 15 may implement signal interconnection between the sub printed circuit board 13 and the primary printed circuit board 12, that is, implement signal interconnection between the chip 14, a peripheral component of the chip 14, and the primary printed circuit board 12”).
As to Claim 16, Peng discloses:
wherein the vehicle-mounted device (module comprising 100, 200 in Fig. 1) is an integrated plate-shaped structure (module is an integral structure and plate shaped at least in part).
Additionally, a change in shape, absent persuasive evidence that the change in shape is significant, is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966).
As to Claim 17, Peng discloses:
wherein the vehicle-mounted device 100,200 is used in at least one of:
an autonomous driving controller (Par. 0076 “The artificial intelligence AI chip in an in-vehicle autonomous driving module is still used as an example… Apparently, according to the heat dissipation apparatus provided in this embodiment of this application, a temperature of the chip 14 can be effectively reduced, and an over-temperature risk of the chip 14 can be reduced”);
a cockpit domain controller; or
a vehicle domain controller.
As to Claim 18, Peng discloses:
A terminal device (vehicle comprising an in-vehicle module; Par. 0081 “The in-vehicle module may be, for example, an intelligent driving computing module, a power module, or the like. The in-vehicle module may be mounted at a position of an electric vehicle, such as in an engine compartment, in a front passenger glove box, under a seat, or the like”), comprising a heat dissipation structure 100 (Par. 0080 “The in-vehicle module includes a connector 200 and the heat dissipation apparatus 100 provided in the foregoing embodiments”; see Figs. 4-5), wherein the heat dissipation structure 100 comprises:
a heat sink (heat sink housing 11);
a circuit board (sub printed circuit board 13) comprising at least one chip mounting region (region where chip 14 is mounted) and at least one first position (any position outside of region where chip 14 is mounted) located outside the chip mounting region (region of 14);
at least one fixed connection structure (fastener 194) located in the at least one first position (outside of 14) and fastens the circuit board 13 to the heat sink 11 (194 indirectly fastens 13 to heat sink 11 in assembled state); and
at least one elastic connection structure (elastic support components 16) configured to provide an elastic force toward the heat sink 11 for the chip mounting region (region of 14; Par. 0063 “the elastic support component 16 is configured to press the sub printed circuit board 13, to enable the chip 14 to be closely attached to the primary heat dissipation plate 1112 of the upper housing 111”; Par. 0064 “When the spring is in a compressed state, the spring provides an upward pressure for the sub printed circuit board 13, to enable the chip 14 to be closely attached to the primary heat dissipation plate 1112”).
As to Claim 19, Peng discloses:
wherein the terminal device is at least one of:
a vehicle (in-vehicle device disposed in vehicle, see Par. 0081);
a robot; or
an uncrewed aerial vehicle.
As to Claim 20, Peng discloses:
wherein the at least one elastic connection structure 16 comprises a fastener and an elastic member (Par. 0064 “The elastic support component 16 may include a spring screw”; spring screw comprises spring and screw);
the circuit board 13 comprises a through hole (see Figs. 4-5, spring screw 16 passes through board 13);
the fastener passes through the through hole and fastens to the heat sink 11 (Par. 0064 “a head of the spring screw is located on a side, opposite to the primary printed circuit board 12, of the sub printed circuit board 13. A tail of the spring screw is connected to the primary printed circuit board 12, and a spring of the spring screw is located between the sub printed circuit board 13 and the primary printed circuit board 12”; spring screw 16 passes through board 13 and indirectly fastens to 11 via board 12); and
the elastic member (spring of spring screw) is sleeved on the fastener and is elastically connected to the fastener and a surface of the circuit board 13 away from the heat sink 11 (spring of spring screw is sleeved on screw and located between boards 12 and 13, on surface of 13 opposite where 14 contacts primary heat dissipation plate 1112 of 11).
Claims 1, 4-6 and 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lev (US 20110164381 A1).
As to Claim 1, Lev discloses:
A heat dissipation structure (assembly 102; Fig. 1), comprising:
a heat sink (top late 108; Par. 0010 “The top plate 108 receives heat generated by the BGA 110”);
a circuit board 112 comprising at least one chip mounting region (region where BGA 110 is mounted) and at least one first position located outside the chip mounting region (position surrounding board 112);
at least one fixed connection structure (screws 116) located in the at least one first position (screws 116 in region surrounding board 112) and fastens the circuit board 112 to the heat sink 108 (Par. 0011 “Rigid connectors such as screws 116, which are not spring-mounted, provide this stability to the system 100 by coupling the top plate 108 and the PCB 112 to the RSP 114”); and
at least one elastic connection structure 118 configured to provide an elastic force toward the heat sink 108 for the chip mounting region (region where 110 is mounted; Par. 0011 “The sub-assembly 104 couples to the RSP 114 using the spring 118”; 118 provides upward force).
As to Claim 4, Lev discloses:
wherein the at least one elastic connection structure is an elastic body (spring 118 is an elastic body); and
the elastic body 118 is elastically connected between the circuit board 112 and a support body 114 (spring elastically connected between 112 and rigid support plate 114).
As to Claim 5, Lev discloses:
wherein the support body 114 is located on a side of the circuit board 112 and away from the heat sink 108 (114 is located on bottom side of 112, 108 is located on top side of 112).
As to Claim 6, Lev discloses:
wherein the support body 114 is a housing of the heat dissipation structure (114 provides housing for at least a portion of assembly 102).
As to Claim 10, Lev discloses:
wherein
the chip mounting region (region where 110 is mounted) is located in a central region of the circuit board 112 (110 disposed on central region of 112) and the first position is located at an edge of the circuit board 112 (position is surrounding board 112, e.g., surrounding edge of board);
the first position is located between at least two chip mounting regions on the circuit board; or
the chip mounting region is located on one side of the circuit board and the first position is located on another side of the circuit board.
As to Claim 11, Lev discloses:
wherein the heat dissipation structure 102 further comprises a support (back plate 113) that is fastened to the circuit board 112 (Par. 0009 “The sub-assembly 104 also includes a back plate 113 to which the PCB 112 couples”);
the elastic force of the at least one elastic connection structure 118 acts on the support 113; and
the elastic force of the at least one elastic connection structure 118 is provided for the circuit board 112 using the support 113 (spring 118 provides upward elastic force through 113 and to 112; Par. 0017 “The spring 118 is disposed between the RSP 114 and the back plate 113 (as shown in FIG. 1)”).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kobayashi (US 20140239488 A1) discloses an electronic component unit and fixing structure comprising spring screws.
Karnezos (US 5065280 A) discloses a heat dissipating structure for multiple components and an elastomer.
Nelson (US 6381136 B1) discloses a spring clip used for thermal dissipation.
Colbert (US 7399185 B2) discloses a spring member used for load engagement of an array package.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW S MUIR whose telephone number is (571)270-1329. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8 am - 5 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jayprakash Gandhi can be reached at 571-272-3740. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/MATTHEW SINCLAIR MUIR/ Examiner, Art Unit 2841
Prosecution Insights