Appeal No. 2001-0249
Application No. 08/786,494
the examiner’s position that Livshits discloses the claimed
subject matter but for the provision of reduced interfacial shear
stresses. However, the examiner finds that this would be
“inherently” provided by the circuit board of Livshits.
The instant claimed invention recites that the compliant
adhesive layer comprises a “low modulus material” and that it is
the combination of the selected low modulus material and the
height of the interconnect regions (defined as being between a
first major surface of a top layer of a laminate substrate and a
second major surface of a bottom layer of the substrate and
having a predetermined height) which provides for the claimed
“reduced interfacial shear stresses.”
There is nothing “inherent” about selecting the right
combinations of two variables (low modulus material and height of
interconnect regions) so as to result in reduced interfacial
shear stresses in a multi-layer printed circuit board and we find
nothing within the disclosure of Livshits that would have
indicated the selection of such variables for such a purpose.
Accordingly, the examiner’s reasoning falls far short of
providing a prima facie showing of anticipation of the instant
claimed subject matter and we will not sustain the rejection of
claims 17, 18, 21, 22, 25, 26 and 31-34 under 35 U.S.C. 102(b).
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