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 .
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 6, 10 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.
Claim 12 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the claim objections set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim Objections
Claim 7, 12 objected to because of the following informalities:
During claim amendment of claim 7 the Applicant forgot to remove “or both washers” for which there is no antecedent basis as claim 7 now depends on claim 4. Appropriate correction is required.
During claim amendment of claim 12 the Applicant forgot to remove “according to any of the previous claims”, see claim 12 depends on claim 1 . Appropriate correction is required.
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.
The factual inquiries 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.
Claim(s) 1-5, 7-9, 11, 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oka et al. (US 20100117219 A1) hereafter referred to as Oka in view of Sugihara et al. (JP 2009059812 A) hereafter referred to as Sugihara
In regard to claim 1 Oka teaches a [see Fig. 3, see "FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a power semiconductor device according to the first embodiment of the present invention"] semiconductor power module comprising:
- one or more semiconductors ["Power semiconductor elements 5"] placed on a substrate ["metal plate 1, the resin insulation layer 2 and the wiring pattern 3 constitute a metallic circuit substrate 8 that is a circuit substrate"] having a conductive layer [i.e. “copper wiring pattern 3”] ;
- a casing ["transfer molding resin 7"] made of molding material encapsulating [see Fig. 1] at least the substrate and the semiconductor ;
- at least one socket ["metal cylinders are used for the cylindrical external terminal communication sections 6"] with a socket base mounted [see Fig. 1] on the substrate and configured for receiving ["As shown in FIG. 3, a power semiconductor device 200 of the present embodiment is the same as the power semiconductor device according to the first embodiment except that rod-like external terminals 13 are inserted to the cylindrical external terminal communication sections 6 and that the external terminals 13 are electrically connected to a wiring circuit of the power semiconductor device"] and holding a pin connector in a basically upright position perpendicular [see Fig. 3] to the substrate by means of a hollow space in the socket shank ["metal cylinders are used for the cylindrical external terminal communication sections 6"] defining the upright direction ,
but does not teach:
- at least one sealing ring arranged around the socket shank and resting on the socket base ;
wherein the sealing ring is fixedly held in an elastically deformed state in the upright direction against the socket base by the molding material and seals the socket shank against entrance of molding material into the hollow space during the molding step of the casing such that the hollow space provides for an opening on the outside surface of the casing .
See Oka teaches problems and solutions, see paragraph 0034, 0051 “The thickness of the cylindrical external terminal communication sections 6 is set so that the cylindrical external terminal communication sections 6 may not be crushed due to the molding pressure of the transfer molding” “mold clamping is performed with: an upper mold 10 to which a resin sheet 12 is adhered and integrated by vacuuming or the like” “The depth of the spot facing on the lower mold 11 is set such that the cylindrical external terminal communication sections 6 of the power semiconductor device on which the wire bonding process has been completed, slightly dent into the resin sheet 12. The depth of the spot facing on the lower mold 11 substantially depends on the thickness of the resin sheet 12 to be used”, see “in second transfer molding resin entrance prevent ion means (not shown), the height, from the heat dissipation surface of the metal plate 1, of the top surfaces of the cylindrical external terminal communication sections 6 is more precisely set, whereby the transfer molding resin 7 is prevented from entering a gap between the upper mold 10 and the top surfaces of the external terminal communication sections 6”, see Oka is so worried that “Still further, in fourth transfer molding resin entrance prevention means (not shown), the hole portions of the cylindrical external terminal communication sections 6 are filled, in advance, with a material that has no adhesion with the transfer molding resin 7, and the filling material is removed after the transfer molding is performed”.
Sugihara teaches a “FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a transfer mold type power module”, “power semiconductor element 5” “power module substrate 4”, “external connection terminals 1 and 2 are each formed in a straight shape (straight) and are installed so as to stand in a direction crossing the power module substrate 4, and are sealed in the external connection terminals 1 and 2”, “a power semiconductor element bonded on one surface of the power module substrate 4. 5 and a pair of external connection terminals 1 and 2 electrically connected to each other through a conductor layer (not shown) formed on one surface of the power module substrate 4 with respect to the power semiconductor element 5”, see Fig. 1 “sealing resin 3 is molded”, “overhanging jaw portion 8-1 that constitutes the sealing resin leakage preventing portion 8 that prevents the sealing resin from leaking to the externally exposed end portions 1-1 and 2-1 when the sealing resin 3 is molded. Is formed” “although the above-mentioned overhanging jaw part 8-1 was formed by expanding the boundary part of the external connection terminals 1 and 2 integrally, it is not limited to this, for example, as shown in FIG. It can be configured by press-fitting a separate insulator ring 8-4 such as a rubber ring into the boundary portion of the external connection terminals 1 and 2”, see Figs. 12-17 “resin board or board 8-3 disposed on the overhanging jaw 8-1” “In this case, when the sealing resin 3 is molded, the insulator ring 8-4 and the insulator ring 8-3 slide appropriately when the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 12 are clamped. 8-4 can absorb the dimensional difference of the mold while adhering to the mold, and the externally exposed terminals 1-1 and 2-1 of the external connection terminals 1 and 2 are more reliable than the fitting part 11 a. Can be blocked”, see Figs. 12-17 is attached to sealing resin 3 “as shown in FIG. 14, when the semifinished product 9 is molded by pouring the sealing resin or the substrate 3 into the cavity 13, the sealing resin 3 is a resin plate. Or it is blocked by the board 8-3 and does not leak into the fitting portion 11a”, see “8-4 can absorb the dimensional difference of the mold” “configured by press-fitting a separate insulator ring 8-4 such as a rubber ring”, thus because it is pressed and is absorbing the dimensional difference, thus it is deformed, see the clamping force “the overhanging jaw portion 8-1 can be selected by appropriately selecting the thickness dimension thereof, as shown in FIG. 5, when the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 12 are both clamped. When pressure is applied to the lower mold 12 side by the clamping force of the mold 11, it can be configured to be deformed downward V-shaped from the center to both ends as shown in FIG”, thus depending on the dimension of the ring it will stop sliding and press against the 8-3 on the top and the substrate 4 at the bottom, for example like in Fig. 16 the wider part 1-2 extends from the 8-3 on the top to the substrate 4 at the bottom, see Fig. 13 “as shown in FIG. 13, a cavity 13 is formed so as to surround the upper mold 11, the lower mold 12 and the semi-finished product 9” “the fitting portion 11a is made large in a concave shape”, the Examiner notes that “the fitting portion 11a” is based on desired projection and can be as little or as much as desired by Sugihara.
Thus it would be obvious to modify Oka to use the sliding and “absorb the dimensional difference” rubber ring and an insulating ring like washer approach to block the resin from entering the “external terminal communication sections 6” during transfer molding without any danger of crushing sections 6 and allowing for any variation in the height of the top of sections 6.
Thus, it 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 to modify Oka to include - at least one sealing ring arranged around the socket shank and resting on the socket base ; wherein the sealing ring is fixedly held in an elastically deformed state in the upright direction against the socket base by the molding material and seals the socket shank against entrance of molding material into the hollow space during the molding step of the casing such that the hollow space provides for an opening on the outside surface of the casing .
Thus it would be obvious to combine the references to arrive at the claimed invention.
The motivation is more reliability and strength by using rubber ring and insulating ring like washer around sections 6 and to avoid danger of crushing sections 6 and increased reliability and ease of manufacture by allowing for any variation in the height of the top of sections 6 and flexibility to obtain as little or as much projection of sections 6 from the molding resin 7 as desired.
In regard to claim 2 Oka and Sugihara as combined teaches wherein the socket shank and/or the hollow space shows a [see it is circular see Oka “Inner diameters of the cylindrical external terminal communication sections 6”] circular, oval, or rectangular cross section.
In regard to claim 3 Oka and Sugihara as combined teaches wherein the sealing ring shows a [see it is circular see Oka the “cylindrical external terminal communication sections 6” are circular, see combination, see Sugihara see “rubber ring” is circular] circular, oval, or rectangular form copying the external form of the socket shank , and wherein the cross section of the sealing ring is [i.e. it is a ring] circular, oval, rectangular or of any other shape.
In regard to claim 4 Oka and Sugihara as combined teaches wherein the sealing ring is pressed against the socket base [see combination Sugihara, see “8-4 can absorb the dimensional difference of the mold” “configured by press-fitting a separate insulator ring 8-4 such as a rubber ring”, thus because it is pressed and is absorbing the dimensional difference, thus it is deformed, see the clamping force “the overhanging jaw portion 8-1 can be selected by appropriately selecting the thickness dimension thereof, as shown in FIG. 5, when the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 12 are both clamped. When pressure is applied to the lower mold 12 side by the clamping force of the mold 11, it can be configured to be deformed downward V-shaped from the center to both ends as shown in FIG”, thus depending on the dimension of the ring it will stop sliding and press against the 8-3 on the top and the substrate 4 at the bottom and is deformed by pressing] into an elastically deformed state in the upright direction by means of a washer [see the rubber ring and “the insulator ring 8-3” i.e. a washer are in the resin] fixedly hold around the socket shank by the molding material of the casing .
In regard to claim 5 Oka and Sugihara as combined teaches wherein the washer shows a [see it is circular, see combination Sugihara, see “the insulator ring 8-3” i.e. a washer] circular, oval, or rectangular circumferential form, and a basically rectangular cross section.
In regard to claim 7 [see claim objection] Oka and Sugihara as combined teaches wherein at least one washer or both washers are made of [see combination Sugihara, see “resin plate or board 8-3”] metal, plastic, reinforced plastic, ceramic or elastic material.
In regard to claim 8 Oka and Sugihara as combined teaches wherein the sealing ring [see combination Sugihara, see “insulator ring 8-4 such as a rubber ring”] is made of an elastomeric or silicone material.
In regard to claim 9 Oka and Sugihara as combined teaches wherein the socket base is fixed to the substrate by means of [see Oka “Next, by using the solder 4, the power semiconductor elements 5 are joined to element mounting portions provided at arbitrary positions on the wiring pattern 3, and the cylindrical external terminal communication sections 6 are joined to joining areas that are provided, for the cylindrical external terminal communication sections 6, at arbitrary positions on the wiring pattern 3”] ultrasonic welding, laser welding, soldering, bonding,sintering or press-fit.
In regard to claim 11 Oka and Sugihara as combined teaches wherein the hollow space is configured hold [see Oka Fig. 3 see “rod-like external terminals 13 are inserted to the cylindrical external terminal communication sections 6 and that the external terminals 13 are electrically connected to a wiring circuit of the power semiconductor device”] and receive the pin connector which is a contact pin of the press-fit pin type of construction so that the contact pin can be inserted and fixed in the hollow space of socket .
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oka et al. (US 20100117219 A1) hereafter referred to as Oka in view of Sugihara et al. (JP 2009059812 A) hereafter referred to as Sugihara and further in view of Iwatani et al. (US 20160289443 A1)
In regard to claim 13 Oka teaches a [see Fig. 3, see paragraph 0040, "FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a power semiconductor device according to the first embodiment of the present invention"] method for manufacturing a semiconductor power module having one or more semiconductors ["Power semiconductor elements 5"] placed on a substrate ["metal plate 1, the resin insulation layer 2 and the wiring pattern 3 constitute a metallic circuit substrate 8 that is a circuit substrate" ] having a conductive layer [i.e. “copper wiring pattern 3”],
wherein the substrate and the semiconductors [see Fig. 1] are covered at least partially by a casing ["transfer molding resin 7"] formed of a molding material ,
wherein at least one opening [see Fig. 1 the opening in 7 allows the "metal cylinders are used for the cylindrical external terminal communication sections 6" to be open to the outside] in the casing is provided for electrically contacting the conductive layer , the method comprising the steps of:
a) providing (SO) a substrate ["metal plate 1, the resin insulation layer 2 and the wiring pattern 3 constitute a metallic circuit substrate 8 that is a circuit substrate"] having a conductive layer and one or more semiconductors [“Next, by using the solder 4, the power semiconductor elements 5 are joined to element mounting portions provided at arbitrary positions on the wiring pattern 3”] placed on it,
b) fixing (S1) on the conductive layer at least one socket [“the cylindrical external terminal communication sections 6 are joined to joining areas that are provided, for the cylindrical external terminal communication sections 6, at arbitrary positions on the wiring pattern 3”] with a socket base such that a socket shank extends perpendicularly [see Fig. 1] to the substrate ,
d) placing (S3) the substrate [see Fig. 2 “Next, the metallic circuit substrate 8, on which the wire-bonded power semiconductor elements 5 and the cylindrical external terminal communication sections 6 are mounted, is set into a mold”] with the socket in a first [“lower mold 11”] mold half ,
e) closing (S4) the first mold half in a upright direction parallel to the socket shank [“mold clamping is performed with: an upper mold 10 to which a resin sheet 12 is adhered”] by means of a second mold half, wherein sealing the socket shank [“depth of the spot facing on the lower mold 11 is set such that the cylindrical external terminal communication sections 6 of the power semiconductor device on which the wire bonding process has been completed, slightly dent into the resin sheet 12” “whereby the transfer molding resin 7 is prevented from entering a gap between the upper mold 10 and the top surfaces of the external terminal communication sections 6”] against entrance of molding material into the hollow space ,
f) filling (S5) a cavity [“a mold cavity formed with the upper mold 10 and the lower mold 11 is filled with the transfer molding resin 7”] of the mold with molding material ,
g) opening (S6) the mold, and [see this is implicitly true see “Described next is an example of a manufacturing method of the power semiconductor device according to the present embodiment” i.e. once the manufacturing is done, the product as appears in Fig. 1 is manufactured i.e. without the upper and lower mold attached]
h) removing [see this is implicitly true see “Described next is an example of a manufacturing method of the power semiconductor device according to the present embodiment” i.e. once the manufacturing is done, the product as appears in Fig. 1 is manufactured i.e. without the upper and lower mold attached] the semiconductor power module from the mold .
but does not teach
c) placing (S2) a sealing ring over the socket shank such that the sealing ring rests on the socket base ,
d) placing (S3) the substrate with the socket and the sealing ring in a first mold half ,
e) closing (S4) the first mold half in a upright direction parallel to the socket shank by means of a second mold half , thereby elastically deforming the sealing ring by pressing it onto the socket base by means of the second mold half such that the second mold half closes an hollow space of the socket , wherein the sealing ring seals the socket shank against entrance of molding material into the hollow space ,
g) opening (S6) the mold after curing of the molding material
See Oka teaches problems and solutions, see paragraph 0034, 0051 “The thickness of the cylindrical external terminal communication sections 6 is set so that the cylindrical external terminal communication sections 6 may not be crushed due to the molding pressure of the transfer molding” “mold clamping is performed with: an upper mold 10 to which a resin sheet 12 is adhered and integrated by vacuuming or the like” “The depth of the spot facing on the lower mold 11 is set such that the cylindrical external terminal communication sections 6 of the power semiconductor device on which the wire bonding process has been completed, slightly dent into the resin sheet 12. The depth of the spot facing on the lower mold 11 substantially depends on the thickness of the resin sheet 12 to be used”, see “in second transfer molding resin entrance prevent ion means (not shown), the height, from the heat dissipation surface of the metal plate 1, of the top surfaces of the cylindrical external terminal communication sections 6 is more precisely set, whereby the transfer molding resin 7 is prevented from entering a gap between the upper mold 10 and the top surfaces of the external terminal communication sections 6”, see Oka is so worried that “Still further, in fourth transfer molding resin entrance prevention means (not shown), the hole portions of the cylindrical external terminal communication sections 6 are filled, in advance, with a material that has no adhesion with the transfer molding resin 7, and the filling material is removed after the transfer molding is performed”.
Sugihara teaches a “FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a transfer mold type power module”, “power semiconductor element 5” “power module substrate 4”, “external connection terminals 1 and 2 are each formed in a straight shape (straight) and are installed so as to stand in a direction crossing the power module substrate 4, and are sealed in the external connection terminals 1 and 2”, “a power semiconductor element bonded on one surface of the power module substrate 4. 5 and a pair of external connection terminals 1 and 2 electrically connected to each other through a conductor layer (not shown) formed on one surface of the power module substrate 4 with respect to the power semiconductor element 5”, see Fig. 1 “sealing resin 3 is molded”, “overhanging jaw portion 8-1 that constitutes the sealing resin leakage preventing portion 8 that prevents the sealing resin from leaking to the externally exposed end portions 1-1 and 2-1 when the sealing resin 3 is molded. Is formed” “although the above-mentioned overhanging jaw part 8-1 was formed by expanding the boundary part of the external connection terminals 1 and 2 integrally, it is not limited to this, for example, as shown in FIG. It can be configured by press-fitting a separate insulator ring 8-4 such as a rubber ring into the boundary portion of the external connection terminals 1 and 2”, see Figs. 12-17 “resin board or board 8-3 disposed on the overhanging jaw 8-1” “In this case, when the sealing resin 3 is molded, the insulator ring 8-4 and the insulator ring 8-3 slide appropriately when the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 12 are clamped. 8-4 can absorb the dimensional difference of the mold while adhering to the mold, and the externally exposed terminals 1-1 and 2-1 of the external connection terminals 1 and 2 are more reliable than the fitting part 11 a. Can be blocked”, see Figs. 12-17 is attached to sealing resin 3 “as shown in FIG. 14, when the semifinished product 9 is molded by pouring the sealing resin or the substrate 3 into the cavity 13, the sealing resin 3 is a resin plate. Or it is blocked by the board 8-3 and does not leak into the fitting portion 11a”, see “8-4 can absorb the dimensional difference of the mold” “configured by press-fitting a separate insulator ring 8-4 such as a rubber ring”, thus because it is pressed and is absorbing the dimensional difference, thus it is deformed, see the clamping force “the overhanging jaw portion 8-1 can be selected by appropriately selecting the thickness dimension thereof, as shown in FIG. 5, when the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 12 are both clamped. When pressure is applied to the lower mold 12 side by the clamping force of the mold 11, it can be configured to be deformed downward V-shaped from the center to both ends as shown in FIG”, thus depending on the dimension of the ring it will stop sliding and press against the 8-3 on the top and the substrate 4 at the bottom, for example like in Fig. 16 the wider part 1-2 extends from the 8-3 on the top to the substrate 4 at the bottom, see Fig. 13 “as shown in FIG. 13, a cavity 13 is formed so as to surround the upper mold 11, the lower mold 12 and the semi-finished product 9” “the fitting portion 11a is made large in a concave shape”, the Examiner notes that “the fitting portion 11a” is based on desired projection and can be as little or as much as desired by Sugihara.
Thus it would be obvious to modify Oka to use the sliding and “absorb the dimensional difference” rubber ring and an insulating ring like washer approach to block the resin from entering the “external terminal communication sections 6” during transfer molding without any danger of crushing sections 6 and allowing for any variation in the height of the top of sections 6.
Thus, it 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 to modify Oka to include c) placing (S2) a sealing ring over the socket shank such that the sealing ring rests on the socket base , d) placing (S3) the substrate with the socket and the sealing ring in a first mold half , e) closing (S4) the first mold half in a upright direction parallel to the socket shank by means of a second mold half , thereby elastically deforming the sealing ring by pressing it onto the socket base by means of the second mold half such that the second mold half closes an hollow space of the socket , wherein the sealing ring seals the socket shank against entrance of molding material into the hollow space .
Thus it would be obvious to combine the references to arrive at the claimed invention.
The motivation is more reliability and strength by using rubber ring and insulating ring like washer around sections 6 and to avoid danger of crushing sections 6 and increased reliability and ease of manufacture by allowing for any variation in the height of the top of sections 6 and flexibility to obtain as little or as much projection of sections 6 from the molding resin 7 as desired.
Oka and Sugihara as combined does not explicitly state g) opening (S6) the mold after curing of the molding material , and h) removing the semiconductor power module from the mold .
However Oka implicitly teaches this see “Described next is an example of a manufacturing method of the power semiconductor device according to the present embodiment” i.e. once the manufacturing is done, the product as appears in Fig. 1 is manufactured i.e. without the upper and lower mold attached, see that Oka is aware that resin is cured, see paragraph 0004 “curing the heat-hardening resin”.
Thus any person of ordinary skill in the art would know that the mold has to be opened to remove the molded article and that curing is an implied step in making a molded article in resin, however the Examiner provides a secondary reference, see Iwatani Fig. 7A, 7B see paragraph 0113 “In the transfer molding process, encapsulation resin 62 is produced in the mold, encapsulation resin 62 is heated and post-cured (“post-cure”) while the mold is closed, and then the mold is opened and semiconductor device 1 is taken out. Heating conditions for the post.sup.-cure include, for example, heating time in a range from 160 to 190° C., and heating time in a range from 2 to 8 hours”.
Thus, it 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 to modify Oka to include g) opening (S6) the mold after curing of the molding material , and h) removing the semiconductor power module from the mold .
Thus it would be obvious to combine the references to arrive at the claimed invention.
The motivation is that curing is a standard step in molding resin to make it hard and opening a mold is a known standard step to remove the item from the mold in order to use it.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SITARAMARAO S YECHURI whose telephone number is (571)272-8764. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-4:30 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Britt D Hanley can be reached at 571-270-3042. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SITARAMARAO S YECHURI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893
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