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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 December 24, 2025 has been entered.
Claims 1, 4-15, and 17-20 are pending, with claims 13-15 and 17-20 currently withdrawn from consideration.
Response to Amendment
The amendments to the claims filed December 24, 2025 have been entered. Applicant’s amendments to the claims have failed to overcome each and every rejection set forth in the previous Office Action filed September 25, 2025.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed December 24, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues on pages 8-10 that Wang, Varanasi, and Koenigsberg fail to disclose or suggest the flow path is defined by an inner sidewall of the heat pipe and a sidewall of the ceramic wick, as recited in amended independent claims 1 and 10. This argument is not persuasive because, as discussed in the rejection of the claims below, FIG. 3 of Koenigsberg shows the flow path including the wick 18 [the ceramic wick formed inside the flow path] is defined by the boundary of the inner sidewall of body 12 [the inner sidewall of the heat pipe] and outer sidewall of the wick 18 [the sidewall of the ceramic wick].
In response to applicant's arguments on pages 8-10 that the references fail to show certain technically advantageous features of the invention, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., the thickness of the main body, vapor transport channels in contact with the inner wall of the body, the central portion of the flow path is not a cavity) are not recited in the rejected claims. Applicant’s claims do not recite any range of thickness dimensions for the main body. Applicant’s claims do not recite a vapor transport channel. Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
Applicant argues on pages 9-10 that a person skilled in the art could not have arrived at the presently claimed heat pipe from the disclosures of the cited references. This argument is not persuasive because, as explained above, Applicant’s arguments rely on features which are not claimed. Additionally, this argument is not persuasive because Applicant’s claims are sufficiently broad so as to encompass the prior art structure of a ceramic heat pipe with an interior ceramic wick, as taught by each of Varanasi and Koenigsberg, and explained in the rejection of claims below.
In response to Applicant’s argument on page 11 that the dependent claims are patentably distinct over the prior art, and are also allowable based at least on their dependency from the independent claims 1, 10, or 13, see the rejections of the claims below.
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.
Claims 1 and 4-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang, U.S. Pat. No. 6,499,777 B1 (hereinafter Wang) in view of Varanasi et al., US 2010/0294467 A1 (hereinafter Varanasi) and further in view of Koenigsberg et al., US 2010/0078151 A1 (hereinafter Koenigsberg).
Regarding claim 1, as amended, Wang teaches: a substrate holder that holds a substrate and is installed in a device for transferring the substrate, comprising: a (Wang, FIG. 5, end-effector 500, col. 10, lines 20-42), and a heat pipe (FIG. 5, heat pipes 505, col. 10, lines 25-42) including a flow path (FIG. 5, “enclosed fluid channels in the form of heat pipes 505,” col. 10, lines 21-22) of a working fluid (“the heat pipes contain a fluid,” col. 10, line 22)
Wang does not explicitly teach: a ceramic main body which is porous, and a heat pipe formed inside the main body, wherein the heat pipe includes a ceramic wick formed inside the flow path in a side view, wherein a porosity of the wick is higher than a porosity of the main body, wherein the ceramic wick is formed in a central portion of an interior of the flow path, and wherein the flow path is defined by an inner sidewall of the heat pipe and a sidewall of the ceramic wick.
However, Varanasi, in disclosing a high-performance heat transfer device, teaches: a ceramic main body (Varanasi, FIG. 1, shell 20 is equivalent to a main body, shell 20 is a ceramic, [see para 0035; 0037]), and a heat pipe including a flow path of a working fluid formed inside the main body (Varanasi, FIG. 1, heat transfer device 100, i.e., a heat pipe, includes passages for vapor transport 24 inside the shell 20, i.e., inside the main body, [see para 0034-0035]; “when the heat transfer device contacts a heat source, liquid inside the porous media evaporates and locally vapor is generated, which is transported from the heat source end and transported to the heat sink end, where it condenses on the porous media which releases the heat to the heat sink,” i.e., a flow path of a working fluid formed inside the main body, [0026]), wherein the heat pipe includes a ceramic wick formed inside the flow path in a side view (Varanasi, FIG. 1 shows a side view of the flow path, including porous ceramic layer 22, [i.e., a ceramic wick], [0032-0035; 0063]; “the porous layer 22 is a porous layer that is disposed on the inner surface of the shell [i.e., inside the flow path],” [0034]); wherein a porosity of the wick is higher than a porosity of the main body (Varanasi, FIGs. 1 and 2, porous ceramic layer 22 [the wick] comprises particles of different sizes with a porosity selected to “permit a rapid mass transfer of the fluid that is disposed in the pores,” … “The larger pores therefore permit the movement of fluid (upon being heated or upon experiencing a temperature gradient) from the second end of the heat transfer device to the first end of the heat transfer device,” [0047 – 0048]; Varanasi describes shell 20 [the main body] as “a boundary to prevent matter from within the shell from diffusing outside the shell,” i.e., having a lower porosity than porous ceramic layer 22 [the wick], [0035]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Wang with the ceramic main body and heat pipe formed inside the main body, wherein the heat pipe includes a ceramic wick formed inside the flow path in a side view, as taught by Varanasi. Wang teaches the benefits of providing a substrate holder with integrated heat transfer mechanisms in order to facilitate “rapid transfer of heat from a hot wafer to the end-effector,” and “from the end-effector to a cold wafer” (see col. 4, lines 1-10) resulting in faster processing times and improved wafer throughput (see col. 10, lines 43-53).
A person having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Wang with the teachings of Varanasi because Varanasi expressly recognizes that the heat transfer device taught therein “has an effective thermal conductivity that is more than 100 times greater than other comparative commercially available heat transfer device,” [0029], and a person having ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that this increased thermal conductivity would result in faster heat transfer from the substrate to the substrate holder and vice-versa, which, as expressly recognized by Wang, allow for increased wafer throughput and faster manufacturing times. This combination of known elements would have yielded predictable results with a high likelihood of success and without undue experimentation.
Wang in view of Varanasi is silent regarding: a ceramic main body which is porous … and wherein the ceramic wick is formed in a central portion of an interior of the flow path, and wherein the flow path is defined by an inner sidewall of the heat pipe and a sidewall of the ceramic wick. Note that the limitation “a central portion of an interior of the flow path” is sufficiently broad so as to encompass any portion located inside the boundaries of the flow path, i.e., within the interior of the flow path.
However, Koenigsberg, in the same field of endeavor, teaches a heat pipe made of ceramic, wherein a porosity of the wick is higher than a porosity of the main body:
The body is formed from a first green ceramic part having either a first density or first particle size distribution [the porosity of the main body], and the wick is formed by inserting a\\\\\\\ second green ceramic part into the hollow interior of the first green ceramic part, where the second green ceramic part has either a second density lower than the first density or second particle size distribution larger than the first particle size distribution [the porosity of the wick]. (Koenigsberg, [0029]).
Koenigsberg also teaches: wherein the ceramic wick is formed in a central portion of an interior of the flow path (Koenigsberg, FIG. 3 shows wick 18 [the ceramic wick] formed in a central portion of body 12 [an interior of the flow path], “the wick 18 [the ceramic wick] fills the interior of the heat pipe,” [0020]), and wherein the flow path is defined by an inner sidewall of the heat pipe and a sidewall of the ceramic wick (Koenigsberg, FIG. 3 shows the flow path including the wick 18 [the ceramic wick formed inside the flow path] is defined by the boundary of the inner sidewall of body 12 [the inner sidewall of the heat pipe] and outer sidewall of the wick 18 [the sidewall of the ceramic wick], [0029]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Wang in view of Varanasi with the teachings of Koenigsberg, arriving at Applicant’s claimed invention with predictable results and without undue experimentation. The motivation for doing so would be, as expressly recognized by Koenigsberg, to simplify manufacturing by forming the main body and wick inside the main body from the same material, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.
Regarding claim 4, Wang in view of Varanasi and further in view of Koenigsberg teaches: the substrate holder of Claim 1, wherein the heat pipe (Varanasi, FIG. 1, heat transfer device 100) includes a sealing member installed at an open end of the flow path (Varanasi, “the shell [i.e., the main body] serves as a boundary to prevent matter from within the shell from diffusing outside the shell and vice-versa,” i.e., the shell is functionally equivalent to a sealing member installed at an open end of the flow path [see para 0035]; Koenigsberg, “the wick can be formed outside the body and inserted into a hollow interior space in the body before it is sealed closed,” i.e., a sealing member installed, [0016]).
Regarding claim 5, Wang in view of Varanasi and further in view of Koenigsberg teaches: the substrate holder of Claim 4, wherein the main body includes: an inner main body (Varanasi, FIG. 2, second layer 52, [see para 0049]) that constitutes an outer wall of the flow path (Varanasi, see FIGs. 1 and 2); and an outer main body (Varanasi, FIG. 2, first layer 50, [see para 0049]) outside the inner main body (Varanasi, see FIG. 2, first layer 50, i.e., outer main body, is shown outside second layer 52, i.e., inner main body), wherein a porosity of the inner main body is lower than a porosity of the outer main body (Varanasi, “the average particle sizes of the second layer 52 of particles [i.e., the inner main body] is smaller than the average particle sizes of the first layer 50 of particles [i.e., the outer main body],” [para 0049]; “pore sizes decrease with decreasing particle size,” [para 0056]; Koenigsberg, [0029]).
Regarding claim 6, Wang in view of Varanasi and further in view of Koenigsberg teaches: the substrate holder of Claim 5, wherein the heat pipe (Wang, FIG. 5, heat pipes 505, col. 10, lines 25-42) extends from a tip end of the main body (Wang, FIG. 5, paddle portion 515 of end-effector 500, col. 10, lines 39-42) to a base end of the main body (Wang, FIG. 5, heat sink 510 of end-effector 500, “the heat pipes 505 extend from the paddle portion 515 to the heat sink 510,” col. 10, lines 39-42).
Regarding claim 7, Wang in view of Varanasi and further in view of Koenigsberg teaches: the substrate holder of Claim 1, wherein the flow path (Wang, FIG. 5, “enclosed fluid channels in the form of heat pipes 505,” col. 10, lines 21-22) includes an outer wall portion (Wang, heat pipes 505 have “a thermally conductive metal shell,” col. 10, lines 37-38), wherein a material of the outer wall portion (Wang, thermally conductive metal shell, i.e., the outer wall portion, is copper, see col. 10, lines 33-39) and a material of the main body (Wang, FIG. 5, end-effector 500, col. 10, lines 20-42; “an aluminum alloy that comprises a high thermal capacity,” col. 6, lines 29-44) are different from each other (copper, aluminum).
Regarding claim 8, Wang in view of Varanasi and further in view of Koenigsberg teaches: the substrate holder of Claim 1, further comprising: a metal film formed on an inner surface of the flow path (Wang, heat pipes 505 have “a thermally conductive metal shell,” col. 10, lines 37-38; the inner surface of the metal shell is equivalent to a metal film on an inner surface of the flow path). Additionally, Varanasi, in an alternative embodiment, teaches a metal film formed on an inner surface of the flow path, “the porous layer can comprise a metal, a polymer, a ceramic, or a combination,” (Varanasi, [para 0061]).
Regarding claim 9, Wang in view of Varanasi and further in view of Koenigsberg teaches: the substrate holder of Claim 1, wherein the heat pipe (Wang, FIG. 5, heat pipes 505, col. 10, lines 25-42) extends from a tip end of the main body (Wang, FIG. 5, paddle portion 515 of end-effector 500, col. 10, lines 39-42) to a base end of the main body (Wang, FIG. 5, heat sink 510 of end-effector 500, “the heat pipes 505 extend from the paddle portion 515 to the heat sink 510,” col. 10, lines 39-42).
Regarding claim 10, as amended, Wang teaches: a substrate transfer device that transfers a substrate to and from processing apparatuses under a decompression atmosphere, comprising: a substrate holder (Wang, FIG. 5, end-effector 500, col. 10, lines 20-42) configured to hold the substrate (Wang, end-effector, i.e., substrate holder, is used to pick up wafers, i.e., substrates, see col. 9, lines 4-28); and a moving mechanism (Wang, robot arm, FIG. 7 shows a robot incorporating end-effectors, i.e., substrate holders, attached to robot arm via bolt holes, see col. 4, lines 17-20) configured to move the substrate holder at least in a horizontal direction (Wang, FIG. 7 shows wafer handling robot capable of horizontal and vertical motion), wherein the substrate holder includes a (Wang, FIG. 5, end-effector 500, col. 10, lines 20-42), and a heat pipe (FIG. 5, heat pipes 505, col. 10, lines 25-42) including a flow path (FIG. 5, “enclosed fluid channels in the form of heat pipes 505,” col. 10, lines 21-22) of a working fluid (“the heat pipes contain a fluid,” col. 10, line 22)
Wang does not explicitly teach: a ceramic main body which is porous, and a heat pipe formed inside the main body, wherein the heat pipe includes a ceramic wick formed inside the flow path in a side view, wherein a porosity of the wick is higher than a porosity of the main body, wherein the ceramic wick is formed in a central portion of an interior of the flow path, and wherein the flow path is defined by an inner sidewall of the heat pipe and a sidewall of the ceramic wick.
However, Varanasi, in disclosing a high-performance heat transfer device, teaches: a ceramic main body (Varanasi, FIG. 1, shell 20 is analogous to a main body, shell 20 is a ceramic, [see para 0035; 0037]), and a heat pipe including a flow path of a working fluid formed inside the main body (Varanasi, FIG. 1, heat transfer device 100, i.e., a heat pipe, includes passages for vapor transport 24 inside the shell 20, i.e., inside the main body, [see para 0034-0035]; “when the heat transfer device contacts a heat source, liquid inside the porous media evaporates and locally vapor is generated, which is transported from the heat source end and transported to the heat sink end, where it condenses on the porous media which releases the heat to the heat sink,” i.e., a flow path of a working fluid formed inside the main body, [0026]), and wherein the heat pipe includes a ceramic wick formed inside the flow path in a side view (Varanasi, FIG. 1 shows a side view of the flow path, including porous ceramic layer 22, [i.e., a ceramic wick], [0032-0035; 0063]; “the porous layer 22 is a porous layer that is disposed on the inner surface of the shell [i.e., inside the flow path],” [0034]); wherein a porosity of the wick is higher than a porosity of the main body (Varanasi, FIGs. 1 and 2, porous ceramic layer 22 [the wick] comprises particles of different sizes with a porosity selected to “permit a rapid mass transfer of the fluid that is disposed in the pores,” … “The larger pores therefore permit the movement of fluid (upon being heated or upon experiencing a temperature gradient) from the second end of the heat transfer device to the first end of the heat transfer device,” [0047 – 0048]; Varanasi describes shell 20 [the main body] as “a boundary to prevent matter from within the shell from diffusing outside the shell,” i.e., having a lower porosity than porous ceramic layer 22 [the wick], [0035]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Wang with the ceramic main body and heat pipe formed inside the main body, wherein the heat pipe includes a ceramic wick formed inside the flow path in a side view, as taught by Varanasi. Wang teaches the benefits of providing a substrate holder with integrated heat transfer mechanisms in order to facilitate “rapid transfer of heat from a hot wafer to the end-effector,” and “from the end-effector to a cold wafer” (see col. 4, lines 1-10) resulting in faster processing times and improved wafer throughput (see col. 10, lines 43-53).
A person having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Wang with the teachings of Varanasi because Varanasi expressly recognizes that the heat transfer device taught therein “has an effective thermal conductivity that is more than 100 times greater than other comparative commercially available heat transfer device,” [0029], and a person having ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that this increased thermal conductivity would result in faster heat transfer from the substrate to the substrate holder and vice-versa, which, as expressly recognized by Wang, allow for increased wafer throughput and faster manufacturing times. This combination of known elements would have yielded predictable results with a high likelihood of success and without undue experimentation.
Wang in view of Varanasi is silent regarding: a ceramic main body which is porous. … and wherein the ceramic wick is formed in a central portion of an interior of the flow path, and wherein the flow path is defined by an inner sidewall of the heat pipe and a sidewall of the ceramic wick. Note that the limitation “a central portion of an interior of the flow path” is sufficiently broad so as to encompass any portion located inside the boundaries of the flow path, i.e., within the interior of the flow path.
However, Koenigsberg, in the same field of endeavor, teaches a heat pipe made of ceramic, wherein a porosity of the wick is higher than a porosity of the main body:
The body is formed from a first green ceramic part having either a first density or first particle size distribution [the porosity of the main body], and the wick is formed by inserting a second green ceramic part into the hollow interior of the first green ceramic part, where the second green ceramic part has either a second density lower than the first density or second particle size distribution larger than the first particle size distribution [the porosity of the wick]. (Koenigsberg, [0029]).
Koenigsberg also teaches: wherein the ceramic wick is formed in a central portion of an interior of the flow path (Koenigsberg, FIG. 3 shows wick 18 [the ceramic wick] formed in a central portion of body 12 [an interior of the flow path], “the wick 18 [the ceramic wick] fills the interior of the heat pipe,” [0020]), and wherein the flow path is defined by an inner sidewall of the heat pipe and a sidewall of the ceramic wick (Koenigsberg, FIG. 3 shows the flow path including the wick 18 [the ceramic wick formed inside the flow path] is defined by the boundary of the inner sidewall of body 12 [the inner sidewall of the heat pipe] and outer sidewall of the wick 18 [the sidewall of the ceramic wick], [0029]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Wang in view of Varanasi with the teachings of Koenigsberg, arriving at Applicant’s claimed invention with predictable results and without undue experimentation. The motivation for doing so would be, as expressly recognized by Koenigsberg, to simplify manufacturing by forming the main body and wick inside the main body from the same material, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.
Regarding claim 11, Wang in view of Varanasi and further in view of Koenigsberg teaches: the substrate transfer device of Claim 10, wherein the moving mechanism (Wang, robot arm, FIG. 7 shows a robot incorporating end-effectors, i.e., substrate holders) includes a temperature adjusting mechanism (Wang, robot arm with controller, “the robot controller (not shown) is thus programmed so that the end effectors 200a and 200b are sufficiently cooled,” col. 9, lines 20-22; this is functionally equivalent to a temperature adjusting mechanism).
Regarding claim 12, Wang in view of Varanasi and further in view of Koenigsberg teaches: the substrate transfer device of Claim 11, wherein the heat pipe (Wang, FIG. 5, heat pipes 505, col. 10, lines 25-42) extends from a tip end of the main body (Wang, FIG. 5, paddle portion 515 of end-effector 500, col. 10, lines 39-42) to a base end of the main body (Wang, FIG. 5, heat sink 510 of end-effector 500, “the heat pipes 505 extend from the paddle portion 515 to the heat sink 510,” col. 10, lines 39-42), and wherein a heat (heat energy) is transferred (heat transfer is a natural occurrence) from the temperature adjusting mechanism (Wang, robot arm with controller, i.e., the moving mechanism with temperature adjusting mechanism) to a base end of the heat pipe through the heat pipe (Wang, FIG. 5, heat sink 510 of end-effector 500, attached via bolt holes, i.e., mechanically and thermally connected, to robot arm, i.e., moving mechanism with temperature adjusting mechanism; Varanasi, “when the heat transfer device contacts a heat source, liquid inside the porous media evaporates and locally vapor is generated, which is transported from the heat source end and transported to the heat sink end, where it condenses on the porous media which releases the heat to the heat sink,” i.e., heat is transferred [0026]). A person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize that heat transfer between mechanically connected objects, such as the robot arm and end-effector of Wang, will naturally occur. When there is a temperature gradient between objects, heat will transfer from the warmer object to the cooler object.
Conclusion
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/D.L.N./Examiner, Art Unit 2899
/Brent A. Fairbanks/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2899