DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to an application that was filed on 01/31/2025. Claims 1-18 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 .
Drawings Objections
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(b) because they are incomplete:
There is no “item 51 designation”, indicated in ¶[0065 & 0087], shown in any Figures.
There is no “item 52 designation” indicated in ¶[0065 & 0088], shown in any Figures.
No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification Objections
The disclosure is objected to because of the following structural informalities:
First DC terminal that is indicated as “item 51” in ¶[0065 & 0087] of the PgPub is NOT shown in any Figures.
Second DC terminal that is indicated as “item 52” in ¶[0065 & 0088] of the PgPub is NOT shown in any Figures.
Appropriate correction is required as well as no new matter should be entered.
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.
Claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 14, 16, 17, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bucher et al. (DE102015216083A1 and Bucher hereinafter, cited in the 01/31/2025 filed IDS and the 08/29/2024 Extended European Search Report).
Regarding claim 1, Bucher discloses a module for an electric circuit (item 1 of Fig. 3 and claims 1-2_5-6 & ¶[0075_0079_0085 & 0099] from Espacenet Translation shows and indicates module 1 {module arrangement 1} for an electric circuit), comprising: a substrate comprising electric circuitry (items 4, 5, VDC-, VDC+ of Fig. 3 and claims 1-2 & ¶[0085-0086 & 0088] from Espacenet Translation shows and indicates substrate 4_5 {substrate comprised of substrate 4 and DC conductor tracks 5 forming first potential VDC+ and second potential VDC–} comprising electric circuitry 5-NEG-first_5-POS_5-NEG-second {circuitry comprised of the following structures formed on DC conductor tracks 5: second potential negative VDC– that is arranged on the first DC negative conductor track 5; first potential positive VDC+ that is arranged on the DC positive conductor track 5; and second potential negative VDC– that is arranged on the second DC negative conductor track 5}); a Direct Current (DC) power package arranged for providing DC power to the electric circuitry by being electrically connected to the substrate (items 6, 7, VDC-, VDC+ of Fig. 3 and claims 1-2_5-6 & ¶[0078-0079_0085-0086_0090_0092-0093 & 0097-0098] from Espacenet Translation shows and indicates Direct Current (DC) power package 6-VDC-NEG-first_7_6-VDC-POS_7_6-VDC-NEG-second {DC power packaged comprised of the following structures: second potential negative VDC– that is arranged on the first layered/stacked DC rail 6; dielectric layer 7; first potential positive VDC+ that is arranged on the layered/stacked DC rail 6; dielectric layer 7; and second potential negative VDC– that is arranged on the second layered/stacked DC rail 6} arranged for providing DC power to electric circuitry 5-NEG-first_5-POS_5-NEG-second by being electrically connected to substrate 4_5), the DC power package comprises a first DC terminal and a second DC terminal, the second DC terminal being electrically isolated from the first DC terminal, wherein the first DC terminal comprises two planar electrical conductors and wherein the second DC terminal comprises one planar electrical conductor (Fig. 3 and claims 1-2_5-6 & ¶[0078-0079_0085-0086_0090_0092-0093 & 0097-0098] from Espacenet Translation shows and indicates DC power package 6-VDC-NEG-first_7_6-VDC-POS_7_6-VDC-NEG-second is comprised first DC terminal 6-VDC-NEG-first_6-VDC-NEG-second {DC terminal comprised of second potential negative VDC– that is arranged on the first layered/stacked DC rail 6 and second potential negative VDC– that is arranged on the second layered/stacked DC rail 6} and second DC terminal 6-VDC-POS {DC terminal comprised of first potential positive VDC+ that is arranged on the layered/stacked DC rail 6}; where second DC terminal 6-VDC-POS is electrically isolated from first DC terminal 6-VDC-NEG-first_6-VDC-NEG-second; and where first DC terminal 6-VDC-NEG-first_6-VDC-NEG-second is comprised of two planar electrical conductors 6-VDC-NEG-first & 6-VDC-NEG-second; and where second DC terminal 6-VDC-POS is comprised of one planar electrical conductor of second DC terminal 6-VDC-POS); wherein the two planar electrical conductors of the first DC terminal and the one planar electrical conductor of the second DC terminal are planarly stacked with gaps between them, so that the one planar electrical conductor of the second DC terminal is sandwiched between the two planar electrical conductors of the first DC terminal (item 7 of Fig. 3 and claims 5-6 & ¶[0078-0079_0085-0086_0090_0092-0093 & 0097-0098] from Espacenet Translation shows and indicates where the two planar electrical conductors 6-VDC-NEG-first & 6-VDC-NEG-second of first DC terminal 6-VDC-NEG-first_6-VDC-NEG-second and the one planar electrical conductor of second DC terminal 6-VDC-POS are planarly stacked with gaps 7 {dielectric layers 7} between them, so that the one planar electrical conductor of second DC terminal 6-VDC-POS is sandwiched between the two planar electrical conductors 6-VDC-NEG-first & 6-VDC-NEG-second of first DC terminal 6-VDC-NEG-first_6-VDC-NEG-second).
Regarding Claim 2, Bucher discloses a module for an electric circuit, wherein at least one of the two planar electrical conductors of the first DC terminal of the power package is provided with at least one recess adjacent to the substrate for allowing the one planar electrical conductor of the second DC terminal to connect to the electric circuitry via the at least one recess (Fig. 3 and claims 1-2_5-6 & ¶[0078-0079_0085-0086_0090_0092-0093 & 0097-0098] from Espacenet Translation shows and indicates where at one of the two planar electrical conductors 6-VDC-NEG-first OR 6-VDC-NEG-second of first DC terminal 6-VDC-NEG-first_6-VDC-NEG-second of DC power package 6-VDC-NEG-first_7_6-VDC-POS_7_6-VDC-NEG-second is provided with recess {planar recess formed by second potential negative VDC– that is arranged on the first layered/stacked DC rail 6, or planar recess formed by second potential negative VDC– that is arranged on the second layered/stacked DC rail 6} adjacent to substrate 5-section of substrate 4_5 for allowing the one planar electrical conductor of second DC terminal 6-VDC-POS to connect to electric circuitry 5-NEG-first_5-POS_5-NEG-second via recess recess-planar-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-NEG-first OR recess-planar-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-NEG-second).
Regarding Claim 3, Bucher discloses a module for an electric circuit, wherein the at least one recess of the at least one of the two planar electrical conductors of the first DC terminal of the power package comprises a plurality of recesses, and wherein the plurality of recesses is distributed along a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction (Fig. 3 and claims 1-2_5-6 & ¶[0078-0079_0085-0086_0090_0092-0093 & 0097-0098] from Espacenet Translation shows and indicates where at least one recess recess-planar-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-NEG-first OR recess-planar-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-NEG-second of the at least one of the two planar electrical conductors 6-VDC-NEG-first OR 6-VDC-NEG-second of first DC terminal 6-VDC-NEG-first_6-VDC-NEG-second of DC power package 6-VDC-NEG-first_7_6-VDC-POS_7_6-VDC-NEG-second is comprised of the plurality of recesses recess-planar-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-NEG-first & recess-planar-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-NEG-second; and where the plurality of recesses recess-planar-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-NEG-first & recess-planar-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-NEG-second is distributed along a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction).
Regarding Claim 4, Bucher discloses a module for an electric circuit, wherein the one planar electrical conductor of the second DC terminal of the power package is provided with at least one recess adjacent to the substrate, and wherein the two planar electrical conductors of the first DC terminal connect to one another and to the electric circuitry via the at least one recess provided in the one planar electrical conductor of the second DC terminal (Fig. 3 and claims 1-2_5-6 & ¶[0078-0079_0085-0086_0090_0092-0093 & 0097-0098] from Espacenet Translation shows and indicates where the one planar electrical conductor of second DC terminal 6-VDC-POS of DC power package 6-VDC-NEG-first_7_6-VDC-POS_7_6-VDC-NEG-second is provided with recess recess-planar-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-NEG-first OR recess-planar-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-NEG-second adjacent to substrate 5-section of substrate 4_5; and where the two planar electrical conductors 6-VDC-NEG-first OR 6-VDC-NEG-second of first DC terminal 6-VDC-NEG-first_6-VDC-NEG-second is connected to one another and to electric circuitry 5-NEG-first_5-POS_5-NEG-second via recess recess-left-planar-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-POS OR recess-right-planar-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-POS {left side planar recess formed by first potential positive VDC+ that is arranged on the layered/stacked DC rail 6, or right side planar recess formed by first potential positive VDC+ that is arranged on the layered/stacked DC rail 6} provided in the one planar electrical conductor of second DC terminal 6-VDC-POS).
Regarding Claim 5, Bucher discloses a module for an electric circuit, wherein the at least one recess of the one planar electrical conductor of the second DC terminal of the power package comprises a plurality of recesses, and wherein the plurality of recesses are distributed along a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction (Fig. 3 and claims 1-2_5-6 & ¶[0078-0079_0085-0086_0090_0092-0093 & 0097-0098] from Espacenet Translation shows and indicates where one recess recess-left-planar-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-POS OR recess-right-planar-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-POS of the one planar electrical conductor of second DC terminal 6-VDC-POS of DC power package 6-VDC-NEG-first_7_6-VDC-POS_7_6-VDC-NEG-second is comprised the plurality of recesses recess-left-planar-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-POS & recess-right-planar-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-POS; and where the plurality of recesses recess-left-planar-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-POS & recess-right-planar-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-POS are distributed along the direction perpendicular to the stacking direction).
Regarding Claim 6, Bucher discloses a module for an electric circuit, wherein the plurality of the recesses of the one planar electrical conductor of the second DC terminal is interleaved with the plurality of recesses of the at least one of the two planar electrical conductors of the first DC terminal (Fig. 3 and claims 1-2_5-6 & ¶[0078-0079_0085-0086_0090_0092-0093 & 0097-0098] from Espacenet Translation shows and indicates where the plurality of recesses recess-left-planar-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-POS & recess-right-planar-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-POS of the one planar electrical conductor of second DC terminal 6-VDC-POS is interleaved with the plurality of recesses recess-planar-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-NEG-first & recess-planar-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-NEG- of the at least one of the two planar electrical conductors 6-VDC-NEG-first OR 6-VDC-NEG-second of first DC terminal 6-VDC-NEG-first_6-VDC-NEG-second).
Regarding Claim 7, Bucher discloses a module for an electric circuit, wherein at least one of the two planar electrical conductors of the first DC terminal is provided with at least one protrusion along the substrate, and wherein the at least one of the two planar electrical conductors of the first DC terminal connects to the electric circuitry via the at least one protrusion (Fig. 3 and claims 1-2_5-6 & ¶[0078-0079_0085-0086_0090_0092-0093 & 0097-0098] from Espacenet Translation shows and indicates where the two planar electrical conductors 6-VDC-NEG-first OR 6-VDC-NEG-second of first DC terminal 6-VDC-NEG-first_6-VDC-NEG-second is provided with protrusion protrusion-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-NEG-first OR protrusion-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-NEG-second {protrusion formed by second potential negative VDC– that is arranged on the first layered/stacked DC rail 6, or protrusion formed by second potential negative VDC– that is arranged on the second layered/stacked DC rail 6} along substrate 4_5; and where the two planar electrical conductors 6-VDC-NEG-first OR 6-VDC-NEG-second of first DC terminal 6-VDC-NEG-first_6-VDC-NEG-second connects to electric circuitry 5-NEG-first_5-POS_5-NEG-second via protrusion protrusion-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-NEG-first OR protrusion-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-NEG-second).
Regarding Claim 8, Bucher discloses a module for an electric circuit, wherein the one planar electrical conductor of the second DC terminal is provided with at least one protrusion along the substrate, and wherein the one planar electrical conductor of the second DC terminal connects to the electric circuitry via the at least one protrusion (Fig. 3 and claims 1-2_5-6 & ¶[0078-0079_0085-0086_0090_0092-0093 & 0097-0098] from Espacenet Translation shows and indicates where one planar electrical conductor of second DC terminal 6-VDC-POS is provided with protrusion protrusion-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-POS {protrusion formed by first potential positive VDC+} along substrate 4_5; and where one planar electrical conductor of second DC terminal 6-VDC-POS connects to electric circuitry 5-NEG-first_5-POS_5-NEG-second via protrusion protrusion-electrical-conductors-6-VDC-POS).
Regarding Claim 11, Bucher discloses a module for an electric circuit, further comprising a material that electrically isolates the planarly stacked DC terminals of the DC power package positioned in the gaps between of the planarly stacked electrical conductors, and wherein the material is chosen from the group consisting of: air, epoxy, resin, Mylar, Kapton, Nomex, plastics, ABS, PA, PC, and PMMA (Fig. 3 and ¶[0043] from Espacenet Translation is understood to indicate module 1 is further comprised of a material that electrically isolates first DC terminal 6-VDC-NEG-first_6-VDC-NEG-second from second DC terminal 6-VDC-POS of DC power package 6-VDC-NEG-first_7_6-VDC-POS_7_6-VDC-NEG-second positioned in gaps 7 between first DC terminal 6-VDC-NEG-first_6-VDC-NEG-second and second DC terminal 6-VDC-POS; and where the material is chosen from air).
Regarding Claim 14, Bucher discloses a power module comprising a module in accordance with claim 1 (item 27 of Fig. 3 & item 3 of Fig. 6 and abstract & claims 1-2_5-6 & ¶[0075_0079_0085 & 0099] power module 1 that is comprised of power module 1_27 {module arrangement 1 for low-inductance operation of a power semiconductor module 27 on a DC circuit 3}).
Regarding Claim 15, see the rejection of claim 14.
Regarding Claim 16, Bucher discloses a method of fabricating a module, wherein the method comprises the steps of: providing the substrate; and mounting the DC power package to the substrate so that the DC power package is electrically connected to the substrate (Fig. 3 and claims 1-2_5-6 & ¶[0078-0079_0085-0086_0090_0092-0093 & 0097-0098] from Espacenet Translation shows and indicates the method of fabricating module 1, where the method is comprising the steps of providing substrate 4_5; and mounting DC power package 6-VDC-NEG-first_7_6-VDC-POS_7_6-VDC-NEG-second to substrate 4_5 so that DC power package 6-VDC-NEG-first_7_6-VDC-POS_7_6-VDC-NEG-second is electrically connected to substrate 4_5).
Regarding Claim 17, see the rejection of claim 16.
Regarding Claim 18, see the rejection of claim 16.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-10 and 12-13 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 9, the primary reason for allowance is due to a module, wherein the DC power package is provided with two side electrical conductors electrically connected to both planar electrical conductors of the first DC terminal, the side electrical conductors covering opposite sides of the one planar conductor of the second DC terminal, and wherein the sides of the one planar conductor are perpendicular to the stacking direction.
Regarding claim 10, the primary reason for allowance is due to dependency on claim 9.
Regarding claim 12, the primary reason for allowance is due to a module, wherein the first DC terminal comprises three planar electrical conductors, and the second DC terminal comprises two planar electrical conductors, wherein the three planar electrical conductors of the first DC terminal and the two planar electrical conductors of the second DC terminal are planarly stacked, so that a planar stack of alternating planar electrical conductors of the first and the second DC terminals, respectively, is provided.
Regarding claim 13, the primary reason for allowance is due to a module, wherein any of the planar conductors of the first and the second DC terminal have a distance therebetween, respectively, that is at most 1.5 mm.
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
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