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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 9/29/2025 has been entered.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
Claim 1 has been amended.
Claims 1-7 are pending and examined as follows:
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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) 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tokusho et al (US11004715B2) in view of Futakuchiya et al (US 2006/0081601) in view of Lin et al (US9725806) in view of Mashuhiro et al (TW200416848A).
With regard to claim 1, Tokusho et al discloses a ceramic heater with a shaft (ceramic heater 100A with base supporting member 30A, Fig. 3), comprising: a ceramic plate in which resistance heating elements are embedded (ceramic base 10 having electrodes 20, Fig. 3); a hollow ceramic shaft bonded to a surface on an opposite side of a wafer placement surface of the ceramic plate (base supporting member 30A bonded to the bottom of base 10 opposite the surface that supports a substrate, Fig. 3); and connection members that each electrically connect a terminal of the resistance heating elements to a corresponding one of the conductive films (connection member 70 that electrically connects the electrodes 20 to conductive films 60, Fig. 3) and wherein the connection members compromise a recessed section in a bottom surface of the ceramic plate (connection member 70 is recessed in ceramic base 10 at a bottom surface, Fig. 3).
Tokusho et al does not disclose multiple vertical grooves provided in an axial direction; conductive films provided in the multiple vertical grooves, respectively.
Futakuchiya et al teaches multiple vertical grooves provided in an axial direction; conductive films provided in the multiple vertical grooves, respectively (through holes 41 and 42 that extend along the axis X of the shaft body 30 are formed in the shaft member 20, Fig. 1).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Tokuusho et al and Futakuchiya et al before him or her, to modify the shaft of Tokuusho et al to include the grooves of Futakuchiya et al because the combination allows for mechanical seals for important electrical parts in a heated ceramic shaft. Adding grooves to the ceramic shaft of Tokosho et al does no more to Futaakuchiya et al’s shaft if it were added to any other device. The function remains the same. Predictably, the grooves would add greater protection for internal components of a ceramic shaft.
Tokusho et al and Futaakuchiya et al does not teach the hollow ceramic shaft including an inner circumferential wall and an outer circumferential wall wherein the multiple vertical grooves provide in an internal circumferential surface of the inner circumferential wall of the hollow ceramic shaft.
Lin et al teaches the hollow ceramic shaft including an inner circumferential wall and an outer circumferential wall wherein the multiple vertical grooves provide in an internal circumferential surface of the inner circumferential wall of the hollow ceramic shaft (trunk 126 having an outer flange 133 and inner guide 335 wherein the inner guide 335 has grooves 510, Fig. 5).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Tokuusho et al, Futakuchiya et al and Lin et al before him or her, to modify the shaft of Tokuusho et al and Futakuchiya et al to include the grooves of Lin et al because the combination allows for sealing of heating components in a heating device.
Tokuusho et al, Futakuchiya et al and Lin et al does not teach a use of a solidified wax material.
Mashuhiro et al teaches a semiconductor manufacturing device joined by a solidified wax material (when the ceramic heater is fixed and the ceramic material is joined with glass or wax material 11,Fig. 3A,3B , page 5, lines 60-63).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Tokuusho et al, Futakuchiya et al, Lin et al and Mashuhiro et al before him or her, to modify the brazing and recess of Tokuusho et al, Futakuchiya et al and Lin et al to include the wax material of Mashuhiro et al because the combination allows connecting components of a heating element which prevents undesirable thermal expansion.
With regards to claim 2, Tokusho et al discloses wherein multiple zones of the ceramic plate are provided with the resistance heating elements, respectively (electrodes 20 are on the left and right side of base 10, Fig. 3), each of the resistance heating elements is independently provided with two of the terminals, and each of the resistance heating elements is independently provided with two of the conductive films (the multi-zone heater needs twice as many feeder rods 40 as the electrodes 20 that are electrically independent of each other, col 4, lines 66-67 and col 5, lines 1-2).
With regards to claim 3, Tokusho et al discloses wherein the conductive films (conductive films 60 are formed, be covered by an insulating material, col 7, lines 7-10) and the connection members are covered with an insulating film (connection members 70 are embedded in base 10 that is formed of heat insulating material such as ceramic, col 3, line 65).
With regards to claim 4, Tokusho et al discloses wherein the insulating film is a thermal spray film (the conductive films 60 may be each formed of a conductive material such as titanium (Ti) or nickel (Ni) by a plating method, a thermal spraying method, col 6, lines 22-26).
With regards to claim 5, Tokusho et al discloses herein the insulating film is an aerosol deposition film (the conductive films 60 may be each formed of a conductive material such as titanium (Ti) or nickel (Ni) by a plating method, a thermal spraying method, col 6, lines 22-26).
With regards to claim 6, Lin et al teaches wherein the multiple vertical grooves are provided at regular intervals in the internal circumferential surface of the inner circumferential wall of the hollow ceramic shaft (grooves 510 are provided at regular interval in the surface of trunk 126, Fig. 5).
With regards to claim 7, Lin et al teaches the multiple vertical grooves are U-shaped recessed grooves (grooves 510 are U shaped, Fig. 5).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 3/24/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicants argument: Applicant argues the prior art does not disclose or teach the amended limitations of claim 1.
Examiners response: Claim 1 has been amended to include “wherein the connection members comprise a recessed section m a bottom surface of the ceramic plate Hied with a solidified wan material.”. Mashuhiro et al teaches a semiconductor manufacturing device joined by a solidified wax material (when the ceramic heater is fixed and the ceramic material is joined with glass or wax material 11,Fig. 3A,3B , page 5, lines 60-63).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Goto et al (US 7,044,399) discloses a heating apparatus having a ceramic heater and shaft having grooves that hold rod shaped electric supplying members.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THOMAS JOHN WARD whose telephone number is (571)270-1786. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 7am - 4pm.
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/THOMAS J WARD/Examiner, Art Unit 3761
/EDWARD F LANDRUM/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3761
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