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 .
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 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent No. 12,479,085 (Hosek) in view of U.S. Patent No. 10,607,879 (Cavins et al.).
Regarding Claim 1, Hosek teaches: Claim 1 – a robotic arm capable of picking and placing wafers (140), comprising: a first picking and placing unit (130A) configured for transporting the wafer (140) from a first position to a second position, the first picking and placing unit (130A) comprising: a first frame (138); and a first link (132), configured for providing X-axial and Y-axial displacements (arm (132) provides X-axial movement, with the arm (132) being moveable in the Y-axial direction using lift mechanism (122)); a second picking and placing unit (130B), disposed adjacent to the first picking and placing unit (130A), configured for transporting the wafer (140) from the first position to the second position, the second picking and placing unit comprising: a second frame (138), a second link (134), configured for providing X-axial and Y-axial displacements (arm (134) provides X-axial movement, with the arm (134) being moveable in the Y-axial direction using lift mechanism (122)); and a base (102), configured for constructing thereon the first picking and placing unit (130A) and the second picking and placing unit (130B); wherein the first picking and placing unit (130A) and the second picking and placing unit (130B) are vertically arranged in parallel to each other and identically structured, and thus the first picking and placing unit (130A) and the second picking and placing unit (130B) are able to transport wafers (140) simultaneously (at least Column 3, Lines 33-41 describing simultaneous picking and placing of wafers (140)), (Figures 1A-19B).
Hosek does not teach: the robotic arm holding multi-size wafers, the first picking and placing unit configured for transporting a first-size wafer or a second-size wafer from the first position to the second position, the first frame, configured for providing a first spacing and a second spacing (adjustable spacing) to sustain thereon the first-size wafer and the second-size wafer, respectively, the first frame including first adherence holes for vacuuming the first-size wafer or the second-size wafer, a first drive portion, configured for adjusting the first frame to have the first spacing or the second spacing; and the second picking and placing unit configured for transporting the first-size wafer or the second-size wafer from the first position to the second position, the second frame, configured for providing the first spacing and the second spacing (adjustable spacing) to sustain thereon the first-size wafer and the second-size wafer, respectively, the second frame including second adherence holes for vacuuming the first-size wafer or the second-size wafer, a second drive portion, configured for adjusting the second frame to have the first spacing or the second spacing; and thus the first picking and placing unit and the second picking and placing unit are able to transport the first-size wafer and the second-size wafer simultaneously (Claim 1). However, Cavins et al. teaches: Claim 1 - a robotic arm (multiple embodiments being shown throughout the Figures) holding multi-size wafers (S), multiple picking and placing units (one embodiment showing multiple picking and placing units (218A and 218B) as seen in Figure 2C) configured for transporting a first-size wafer (S) or a second-size wafer (S) from a first position to a second position, each picking and placing unit (such as (218A and 218B) as seen in Figure 2C) including a frame (AA), configured for providing a first spacing and a second spacing (adjustable spacing) to sustain thereon the first-size wafer (S) and the second-size wafer (S), respectively (the examiner noting that multiple embodiments shown throughout the figures show equivalent frames (AA) including variable spacing; such as the equivalent frame seen in Figure 9 which includes multiple arms (350T1 and 350T2) providing multiple spacing for different sized wafers (S)), the first frame (AA and the equivalent frame of Figure 9) including first adherence holes (800A-800D) for vacuuming the first-size wafer (S) or the second-size wafer (S), a drive portion (900), configured for adjusting the first frame (AA and the equivalent frame of Figure 9) to have the first spacing or the second spacing, and thus the picking and placing units (such as (218A and 218B) as seen in Figure 2C) are able to transport the first-size wafer (S) and the second-size wafer (S) simultaneously, (Figures 1A-18 and Annotated Figure 2C Below). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the robotic arm of Hosek to have the robotic arm holding multi-size wafers, the first picking and placing unit configured for transporting a first-size wafer or a second-size wafer from the first position to the second position, the first frame, configured for providing a first spacing and a second spacing (adjustable spacing) to sustain thereon the first-size wafer and the second-size wafer, respectively, the first frame including first adherence holes for vacuuming the first-size wafer or the second-size wafer, a first drive portion, configured for adjusting the first frame to have the first spacing or the second spacing; and the second picking and placing unit configured for transporting the first-size wafer or the second-size wafer from the first position to the second position, the second frame, configured for providing the first spacing and the second spacing (adjustable spacing) to sustain thereon the first-size wafer and the second-size wafer, respectively, the second frame including second adherence holes for vacuuming the first-size wafer or the second-size wafer, a second drive portion, configured for adjusting the second frame to have the first spacing or the second spacing; and thus the first picking and placing unit and the second picking and placing unit are able to transport the first-size wafer and the second-size wafer simultaneously (Claim 1) as taught by Cavins et al. as it represents the simple substation of one known element (the frames and drive portions (Figure 9) of Cavins et al.) for another (the frames (138) of Hosek) to obtain the predictable result of having a frame which is better at efficiently holding and supporting different sized wafers.
PNG
media_image1.png
270
493
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Josh Rodden whose telephone number is (303) 297-4258. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F, 8-5 MST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joshua Michener can be reached on (571) 272-1467. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JOSHUA E RODDEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3642