DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 2/7/2025 and 4/18/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by the US Patent US 5,952,843 by Vinh (Vinh hereafter).
Regarding claim 1, Vinh teaches in Figure 5B, a probe head configured to make temporary electrical contact to a device under test, the probe head comprising:
an array of vertical probes (1), each probe having a tip (lower end) configured for making temporary electrical contact to the device under test (see col. 3, lines 59-62), and each probe having a base (upper ends 25) opposite its tip;
a space transformer (33) configured to make electrical contact to the bases of the vertical probes (see col. 11, lines 5-14. The examiner notes unit 33 permits the spacing between the portions 25 to be expanded or “transformed”);
a lower guide plate (also shown in Figure 3, unit 28) having lower guide plate holes (26) corresponding to each of the vertical probes, wherein each vertical probe passes through a corresponding lower guide plate hole in the lower guide plate;
an upper guide plate (24) having upper guide plate holes (22) corresponding to each of the vertical probes, wherein each vertical probe passes through a corresponding upper guide
plate hole in the upper guide plate;
wherein the upper guide plate is disposed between the space transformer and the lower guide plate (as shown in Figure 5B);
wherein at least one of the upper guide plate and lower guide plate includes a flexure mechanism (through holes accommodating bolts 35) that provides vertical or lateral flexibility (the through holes allows the vertical position of the guide plate to be adjusted by virtue of fastening and unfastening the bolts 35).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-8 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.
Regarding claim 2, the prior art of record doesn’t teach alone or in combination, a probe head comprising one or more flexural elements connecting the outer frame to the one or more rigid probe array sections such that the rigid probe array sections can flex in a vertical direction, but can't flex in lateral directions, whereby an elastic force is provided to the probes that tends to keep the bases of the probes in electrical contact with the space transformer, in combination with all other elements recited.
As to claims 3-4, the claims are objected as they further limit objected claim 2 above.
Regarding claim 5, the prior art of record doesn’t teach alone or in combination, a probe head comprising one or more lateral flexural elements connecting the outer frame to the one or more rigid probe array sections; wherein the one or more lateral flexural elements enable the one or more rigid probe array sections to flex in a predetermined lateral direction, in combination with all other elements recited.
Regarding claim 6, the prior art of record doesn’t teach alone or in combination, a probe head comprising one or more lateral flexural elements connecting the outer frame to the one or more rigid probe array sections; wherein the one or more lateral flexural elements enable the one or more rigid probe array sections to flex in a predetermined lateral direction, in combination with all other elements recited.
Regarding claim 7, the prior art of record doesn’t teach alone or in combination, a probe head comprising an outer frame; one or more rigid probe array sections; and one or more flexural elements connecting the outer frame to the one or more rigid probe array sections such that the rigid probe array sections can flex in a vertical direction, but can't flex in lateral directions, in combination with all other elements recited.
As to claim 8, the claims are objected as they further limit objected claim 7 above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
- The US Patent US 5,623,213 by Liu et al., directed to probe cards including a support plate that uses apertures on the plate to provide a spring force on the probes as needed. See figure below:
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566
658
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- The US Patent US 6,064,215 by Kister, directed to probe cards including a guide plate that include openings/cut-offs allowing expansion and flexibility under thermal stress. See figure below:
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702
559
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- The US Patent US 5,521,523 by Kimura et al., directed to probe cards, and specifically, a support plate including apertures designed to relieve stress on the probes while in use. See figure below:
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547
599
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- The US Patent Application Publication PGPub 2003/0132767 by Tervo et al., directed to probe cards including a guide support plate that uses cut offs on the plate to provide thermal expansion flexibility. See figure below:
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469
498
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Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Richard Isla whose telephone number is (571)272-5056. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9a - 5:30p.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Phan can be reached at 571 272-7924. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RICHARD ISLA/ Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2858 July 23, 2026
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