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 Objections
Claim(s) 2 is/are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 2 line 2-3 states, “..the holding portion is located with aligned with the base”
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-5 and 7-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being unpatentable by Goto (US 9947566 B2).
Regarding claim 1, Goto discloses the Substrate holding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising a base (25); and holders (10A to 10E) attached to the base to hold a substrate, wherein the holders are aligned in a predetermined alignment direction (Para. 0056), and is attached to the base so as to be detachable in parallel with a reference plane as a virtual plane crossing the alignment direction.
Regarding claim 2, as best understood, Goto discloses the Substrate Holding Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the holders (6) has an attachment to be attached to the base and a holding portion that holds the substrate, the base has sides facing directions perpendicular to the alignment direction (see Fig. 2), the holding portion is located with aligned with the base in a first direction of the directions perpendicular to the alignment direction (see Fig. 2), and the attachment is attached to a first side, which faces a direction other than the first direction, of the sides (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 3, Goto discloses the Substrate Holding Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sides include a second side facing a direction other than the first direction (see Fig. 9-10), and the holders are alternately attached to the first side and the second side in an order of the holders being aligned in the alignment direction (see Fig. 9 and 10).
Regarding claim 4, Goto discloses the Substrate Holding Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first side and the second side face opposite directions (see Fig. 9-10).
Regarding claim 5, Goto discloses the Substrate Holding Apparatus as claimed in claim 4,
wherein the first side and the second side face directions perpendicular to the first direction (see Fig. 9).
Regarding claim 7, Goto discloses the Substrate Holding Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the holders has an inclination adjuster that adjusts inclination with respect to the base (65).
Regarding claim 8, Goto discloses the Substrate Holding Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the inclination adjuster (65) includes inclination adjusters disposed at positions at each of the holders (see Para. 0077).
Regarding claim 9, Goto discloses the Substrate Holding Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the inclination adjuster (65) is located at a position operable from a direction parallel with the reference plane with each of the holders attached to the base (see Para. 0077).
Regarding claim 10, Goto discloses the Substrate Holding Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base has a linear guide (11) having a slide block (62) and a rail (63) guiding the slide block in the alignment direction, and each of the holders is attached to the slide block such that a position thereof in the alignment direction is adjustable (see Para. 0075).
Regarding claim 11, Goto discloses the Substrate Holding Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein an attachment block (12A to 12E) used to attach each of the holders is attached to the slide block, and each of the holders is attached to the slide block by attaching to the attachment block.
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) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Goto (US 9947566 B2), in view of So (JP 2006045632 A).
Regarding claim 6, Goto discloses the Substrate Holding Apparatus as claimed in claim 1.
Goto fails to disclose wherein the holders are fixed to the base with a bolt, and a screw hole extends in parallel with the reference plane, the screw hole being located at the base such that the bolt is screwed therein.
However, So teaches the holders are fixed to the base with a bolt, and a screw hole extends in parallel with the reference plane, the screw hole being located at the base such that the bolt is screwed therein (see Para. 0012 under ‘Best Mode’).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to introduce wherein the holders are fixed to the base with a bolt, and a screw hole extends in parallel with the reference plane, the screw hole being located at the base such that the bolt is screwed therein on the Substrate Holding Apparatus of Goto as taught by So in order to securely fix the substrate holder to the base.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to REHMAN A QURESHI whose telephone number is (571)272-6262. The examiner can normally be reached 7am-5pm.
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/REHMAN A QURESHI/Examiner, Art Unit 3651
/GENE O CRAWFORD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3651