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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, Claims 1-8 and 16-19 (drawn to paste composition) in the reply filed on 12/17/25 is acknowledged.
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) 1-2, 4-8, 16 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (CN 107322187-A, see attached document) in view of Liu et al. (CN 101786208-A, see attached document).
Regarding claims 1-2, Chen discloses an active solder paste composition for cladding ceramic with copper (abstract), the composition comprising: 85-90 wt% metal powder with the balance 10-15 wt% being a binder/ flux [0008, 0018], wherein the metal powder comprises about 4 wt% first metal powder (titanium hydride powder) and 82 wt% of a second metal copper-silver alloy powder, on the basis of the total weight of the solder paste composition [0027-0028] - the respective amount falls within claimed ranges 1-10 wt% first metal powder and 75-94 wt% of second metal powder.
Chen teaches copper-based alloys including copper-silver alloy, but is silent with respect to phosphorus. However, having phosphorus constituent is known in the art. Liu discloses active brazing filler composition comprising copper-based alloys, including tin, silver, phosphorus as well as Sb and Zr [0007-0012]. Specifically, the copper-based alloy includes 1-3.5 wt% silver, 6-7.5 wt% phosphorus and 75-90 wt% copper ([0007, 0038], claims 1, 4; tables 6-8), which overlaps with recited respective ranges of copper, silver and phosphorus. In the case where the claimed ranges “overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art” a prima facie case of obviousness exists. In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 16 USPQ2d 1934 (Fed. Cir. 1990), MPEP 2144.05. Liu teaches that such copper-phosphorus-silver alloy improves the solder wettability and tensile strength for joining with copper member [0040]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize copper-phosphorus-silver alloy similar to Liu in the solder paste of Chen because doing so would improve the paste wettability and joint tensile strength for cladding with copper member.
As to claim 4, Chan discloses the solder paste composition having content of 1-20 wt% first metal powder and 80-99 wt% second metal powder, on the basis of the total weight of the first and second metal powders [0027-0028].
As to claim 5, Chen discloses that on the basis of the total weight of the active solder paste composition, the total content of the first metal powder and the second metal powder is 85-90 wt% [0018], which meets the recited range of 75-95 wt%.
As to claim 6, Chen discloses that metal powder average grain particle size ranges from about 20-100 µm ([0021], claim 3), which overlaps with recited particle sizes. In the case where the claimed ranges “overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art” a prima facie case of obviousness exists, MPEP 2144.05.
As to claims 7-8, Chen discloses that the binder/flux in the paste composition comprises solvent(s)/dispersant(s), adhesive(s)/binder(s), and an anti-settling agent (thixotropic agent); wherein the dispersant or solvent is one or more selected from dibutyl phthalate, terpineol and butyl carbitol acetate (about 50-70 wt% solvent), the dispersant or solvent is polyethylene glycol (about 10-15 wt%), wherein the binder is one or more selected from ethyl cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, and combinations thereof, and wherein the anti-settling agent (2-5 wt%) is one or more selected from hydrogenated castor oil and polyamide wax [0022-0025, 0029, 0032] – the amounts of flux constituents overlap or are close enough with recited respective ranges. Moreover, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to select claimed constituents within the flux in the combination of Chen & Liu in order to tailor the solder paste to achieve desired thixotropic properties.
As to claim 16, Chen as modified by Liu in claim 2 above discloses that the active solder paste composition includes, on the basis of the total weight of the second metal powder, 85-90 wt% of element copper, 6-8 wt% of element phosphorus and 4-6 wt% of element silver in the copper-phosphorus-silver alloy and thus, renders the claim obvious.
As to claim 19, Chan discloses the solder paste composition having content of 1-20 wt% first metal powder and 80-99 wt% second metal powder, on the basis of the total weight of the first and second metal powders [0027-0028].
Claim(s) 3 and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Liu as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Beeferman et al. (US 5186380, “Beeferman”).
As to claims 3 and 17-18, Chen discloses mixing titanium hydride powder [0027], which typically includes 90 wt% or higher titanium. Nonetheless, using titanium for active metal brazing/soldering has been well recognized in the art. Beeferman teaches that active metal brazing of ceramics has been greatly developed since the 1940s wherein an active component such as titanium or zirconium chemically reacts with the ceramic to form an interfacial compound, thereby improving wettability. As one example, old patent no. 2,570,248 discloses titanium hydride (TiH2) with a powdered copper solder for bonding non-metallic bodies (Background- col. 1, lines 36-60). Commercial titanium hydride (TiH2) powder is known to include ≥99 wt% titanium to promote wetting. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to provide ≥93-96 wt% content of titanium within titanium hydride powder in the solder paste of Chen & Liu with a motivation to promote wettability during bonding with a ceramic member.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/18/25, 1/28/25 complies with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Inquiry
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DEVANG R PATEL whose telephone number is (571) 270-3636. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 8am-5pm, EST.
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/DEVANG R PATEL/
Primary Examiner, AU 1735