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 .
This office action is a response to the restriction requirement filed on 9/12/2025.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, Species A, claims 1-4, 6, 7 and 12, in the reply filed on 9/12/225 is acknowledged.
Claims 5, 8-11 and 13-17 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 9/12/2025.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: --COMPONENT PLACEMENT SYSTEM--.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-4, 6, 7 and 12 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Re. claim 1: The phrase “a vacuum source for providing vacuum” as recited in line 4 appears to be --a vacuum source for providing a vacuum--.
Re. claim 4: The phrase “from a respective one of the plurality of pipettes” as recited in lines 2 and 3 appears to be --from the respective one of the plurality of pipettes--.
Re. claim 12: The phrase “the vacuum source continuously provides vacuum” as recited in line 2 appears to be --the vacuum source continuously provides the vacuum--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
The phrase “the sensor” as recited in line 2 lacks antecedent basis.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Onishi et al. (PGPub 2019/0029150 A1).
Onishi et al. teach a component placement system comprising: a placement head (4, Figs. 1 and 3) including a plurality of pipettes (40 and 43, Fig. 3), wherein each of the plurality of pipettes is configured to pick and place components; a vacuum source for providing a vacuum (such as a negative pressure) to each of the plurality of pipettes for holding a component (paragraph [0025]); and a positive fluid source for selectively providing a positive fluid pressure for releasing the component from a respective one of the plurality of pipettes (paragraph [0025]).
Re. claim 2: The component placement system includes a plurality of the placement heads (4, Fig. 1), and each of the plurality of placement heads includes at least 3 of the plurality of pipettes (Fig. 3).
Re. claim 3: The plurality of pipettes are arranged in the placement head in a turret configuration (Fig. 3).
Re. claim 12: The vacuum source continuously provides the vacuum to each of the plurality of pipettes through a vacuum gallery, which the vacuum can be fed towards the individual pipettes (not shown, paragraph [0025]).
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.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Onishi et al. as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Bolotin et al. (US PAT. 6,364,387).
Onishi et al. teach all limitations as set forth above, but silent an air pulse to release the component from a respective one of the plurality of pipettes. Bolotin et al. teach a component mounting system including a placement head (as shown in Fig. 2 such that “When the probe 222 is down, the solenoid of the supply valve 121 will be activated to close off and release any air pressure in the air ejector 125 and breaking valve 150 will be momentarily activated to apply an air pulse to the vacuum cup 140 to cause a "puff" of air to cause positive release of the micro device. The solenoid of the pneumatic valve 111 would then be deactivated to allow release of air through the port 212 allowing the probe 222 to return to its "up" position” (col. 6, lines 29-37). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made, to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify a component mounting system of Onishi et al. by an air pulse to release the component as taught by Bolotin et al. in order to release the component from the pipette of the placement head.
Claims 6 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Onishi et al. as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Murakami (PGPub 2022/0142029 A1).
Onishi et al. teach all limitations as set forth above, but silent a pressure sensor and a flow sensor for detecting whether the component is held by the respective one of the plurality of pipettes. the component from a respective one of the plurality of pipettes. Murakami teaches a component mounting system including an internal sir sensor including a pressure sensor (4Y) and a flow sensor (4X) for detecting whether the component is held by the respective one of the plurality of pipettes as shown in Figs. 4 and 8 (see also paragraphs [0046] and [0059] – [0063]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made, to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify a component mounting system of Onishi et al. by a pressure sensor and a flow sensor as taught by Murakami in order to monitor an abnormality or the like of the flow path system when mounting head is operated.
The Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Endo (PGPub 2020/0396875 A1), Lee et al. (US PAT. 11,285,657), and Yazawa et al. (US PAT. 6,948,232) are cited to further show the state of the art with respect to a component mounting system.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAUL D KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-4565. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 6:00 AM-2:00 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Aneeta Yodichkas can be reached at 571-272-9773. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/PAUL D KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3729