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 Status
Claims 1-10 are pending.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because Fig. 1 fails to label the dynamic seal detailed in [0031] of the specification. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: Fig. 2 fails to label the rotating platform device 5, detailed in [0045] of the specification. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 3 and 10 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 3, line 8 should read as “…a second axial limiting mechanism”
Claim 10, line 12 should read as “……are neutralized into neutral ions, and the neutral ions…”
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oka (US 6932885 B1), in view of Shinozaki (US 6022413 A).
Regarding claim 1, Oka teaches a lifting and rotating platform device used in a vacuum etching chamber (Oka, Fig. 2, drive mechanism), comprising a closed housing (Oka, Fig. 2, C7 L5-34, annular body 150 and bottom 104c of chamber 104 are connected by bellows 148), a rotating shaft (Oka, Fig. 2, C7 L5-34, shaft 124 rotates), a rotating driving unit and a lifting driving unit (Oka, Fig. 2, C5 L45-50, drive mechanism 126 drives shaft 124 rotationally and vertically); the closed housing includes an upper housing (Oka, Fig. 2, C7 L5-34, annular body 150), a lower housing (Oka, Fig. 2, C7 L5-34, bottom 104c of chamber 104) and a middle corrugate pipe (Oka, Fig. 2, bellows 148), the upper housing is located above the lower housing (Oka, Fig. 2, C7 L5-34, annular body 150 is located above bottom 104c), an upper end of the middle corrugate pipe is sealedly connected to the upper housing, a lower end of the middle corrugate pipe is sealedly connected to the lower housing (Oka, Fig. 2, C7 L5-34, annular body 150 and bottom 104c of chamber 104 are connected by bellows 148), an upper end of the upper housing is provided with a shaft hole (Oka, Fig. 2, C7 L5-34, through hole 150a is formed in body 150); the rotating shaft is arranged through the shaft hole (Oka, Fig. 2, C7 L5-34, shaft 124 is provided in through hole 150a), a dynamic seal is arranged between the rotating shaft and the shaft hole (Oka, Fig. 2, C7 L62-C8 L4, O-ring 156 provided with lubricant 157 is located between shaft 124 and hole 150a), an object bearing platform configured to place a wafer is arranged at an upper end of the rotating shaft located outside the closed housing (Oka, Fig. 2, C5 L11-23, stage 122 located at end of shaft 124 has cassette 120 with wafers W placed), a first axial limiting mechanism is further arranged between the rotating shaft and the upper housing (Oka, Fig. 2, C7 L34-61, annular body 152 is located between shaft 124 and distended portions 150b of body 150); the rotating driving unit is configured to drive the rotating shaft to rotate along the shaft hole (Oka, Fig. 2, C5 L45-50, drive mechanism 126 drives shaft 124 rotationally); and the lifting driving unit is mounted inside the lower housing (Oka, Fig. 2, C5 L51-63, motor 138 and ball-screw structure are mounted to post 104b of chamber 104, below bottom 140c), the lifting driving unit is configured to drive the rotating shaft to ascend or descend in an axial direction (Oka, Fig. 2, C5 L45-50, drive mechanism 126 drives shaft 124 vertically), the rotating shaft and the upper housing are ascended or descended synchronously through the first axial limiting mechanism (Oka, Fig. 2, C5 L45-50, drive mechanism 126 drives shaft 124 vertically, where bellows 148 and body 150 move up/down with the shaft 124, C7 L49-61), and the rotating driving unit is ascended or descended synchronously along with the upper housing (Oka, Fig. 2, C5 L45-50, drive mechanism 126 drives shaft 124 vertically via base 136, where bellows 148 and body 150 move up/down with the shaft 124, C7 L49-61, and rotational motor 128/pulleys 130, 134 are mounted to base 136, C6 L20-31).
Oka fails to teach wherein the rotating driving unit is mounted inside the upper housing.
However, Shinozaki teaches the rotating driving unit is mounted inside the upper housing (Shinozaki, Figs. 1 and 3, C6 L33-56, motor 9 with rotor 11 and stator 12 are located in casing 10, above bellows 35).
Shinozaki is considered analogous art to the claimed invention because it is in the same field of semiconductor processing. It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have replaced the rotational system of Oka with the motor unit of Shinozaki into the upper housing of Oka as doing so would enable one to have direct measurement of the rotational speed of the motor during operation (Shinozaki, C6 L33-56).
Modified Oka does not explicitly state whether the lower chamber housing, specifically the elements mounted to post 104b of the vacuum chamber, is completely enclosed. However, Oka states that the lubricant applied to the shaft, necessary for operation of O-rings 156 and 125, is a possible source of contaminants to workpieces in the chamber and the amount of lubricant used is sought to be minimized (Oka, C8 L5-18). One would be motivated to ensure the lower chamber housing is sealedly enclosed, as doing so would eliminate the need for O-ring 125 and thus the need for the lubricant that can contribute to contamination of workpieces, while still being able to perform the vacuum evacuation/equalization procedure that helps protect the bellows from damage (Oka, C8 L19-33).
Regarding claim 2, Oka fails to teach wherein the rotating driving unit is a hollow ring motor, a rotor of the hollow ring motor is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft, a stator of the hollow ring motor is fixedly connected to the upper housing, and the hollow ring motor serves as the first axial limiting mechanism between the rotating shaft and the upper housing.
However, Shinozaki teaches wherein the rotating driving unit is a hollow ring motor (Shinozaki, Figs. 1 and 3, C3 L3-14, motor is a stator and hollow rotor), a rotor of the hollow ring motor is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft (Shinozaki, Figs. 1 and 3, C6 L33-56, rotor 11 is connected to vertical ends of table 20), a stator of the hollow ring motor is fixedly connected to the upper housing (Shinozaki, Figs. 1 and 3, C6 L33-56, stator 12 is connected to wall of casing 10), and the hollow ring motor serves as the first axial limiting mechanism between the rotating shaft and the upper housing (Shinozaki, Figs. 1 and 3, C6 L33-56, mounting of motor 9 to casing 10 and table 20 would prevent horizontal movement of table 20).
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have replaced the rotational system of Oka with the motor unit of Shinozaki into the upper housing of Oka as doing so would enable one to have direct measurement of the rotational speed of the motor during operation (Shinozaki, C6 L33-56).
Regarding claim 3, Oka teaches wherein the lifting driving unit includes a rotating driving motor, a screw rod, and a nut slider (Oka, Fig. 2, C5 L45-63, motor M138, shaft 140, base 136); the screw rod is arranged along an ascending or descending direction of the rotating shaft (Oka, Fig. 2, C5 L45-63, shaft 140 is arranged vertically, as is shaft 124); the nut slider is threadedly connected outside the screw rod (Oka, Fig. 2, C5 L45-63, shaft 140 connects to base 136 via through hole 136a); the rotating driving motor is mounted on the lower housing and configured to drive the screw rod to rotate (Oka, Fig. 2, C5 L45-63, motor M138 is mounted on post 104b and rotates shaft 140); when the screw rod rotates, the nut slider is ascended or descended along the screw rod (Oka, Fig. 2, C5 L45-63, rotating shaft 140 and the through hole 136a together achieve the so-called ball screw structure which allows the supporting base 136 to move up/down as the rotating shaft 140 rotates); a second axial limiting mechanisms is arranged between the nut slider and the rotating shaft (Oka, Fig. 2, C5 L64-C6 L14, bearing 144 is provided between distended portion 136b of base 136 and shaft 124, thereby being capable of limiting movement of the shaft 124 is the horizontal direction); and the nut slider and the rotating shaft are ascended or descended synchronously through the second axial limiting mechanism (Oka, Fig. 2, C5 L45-50, drive mechanism 126 drives shaft 124 vertically via base 136, where bearing 144 is located between base 136 and shaft 124, C5 L64-C6 L14).
Regarding claim 4, Oka teaches wherein a lower end of the rotating shaft is provided with a guiding circular hole along a central axis (Oka, Fig. 2, C5 L64-C6 L14, lower end of shaft 124 is provided in opening 136c which lies on a central axis); the second axial direction limiting mechanism includes a rolling bearing (Oka, Fig. 2, C5 L64-C6 L14, bearing 144 is provided between distended portion 136b of base 136 and shaft 124, allowing smooth rotation of shaft 124), an outer ring of the rolling bearing is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the guiding circular hole, and an inner ring of the rolling bearing is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft (Oka, Fig. 2, C5 L64-C6 L14, bearing 144 is provided between distended portion 136b of base 136 and shaft 124).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oka (US 6932885 B1), in view of Shinozaki (US 6022413 A), as applied in claims 1-4, and further in view of Lee (US 20190035647 A1).
The limitations of claims 1-4 are set forth above.
Regarding claim 5, modified Oka fails to teach wherein the lifting driving unit further includes a first guiding sliding rod, the first guiding sliding rod is fixed on the lower housing, the first guiding sliding rod is arranged along the ascending or descending direction of the rotating shaft, and the nut slider is slidably sleeved outside the first guide sliding rod.
However, Lee teaches wherein the lifting driving unit further includes a first guiding sliding rod (Lee, Fig. 5A, [0111], lifting plate guide shafts 22), the first guiding sliding rod is fixed on the lower housing (Lee, Fig. 5A, [0108]-[0111], guide shafts 22 are mounted on fixing plate 21), the first guiding sliding rod is arranged along the ascending or descending direction of the rotating shaft (Lee, Fig. 5A, [0108]-[0111], guide shafts 22 run vertically, the same direction as the screw thread), and the nut slider is slidably sleeved outside the first guide sliding rod (Lee, Fig. 5A, [0108]-[0111], guide shafts 22 are mounted through lifting plate 14).
Lee is considered analogous art to the claimed invention because it is in the same field of semiconductor processing. It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have incorporated the guide rods as taught by Lee into the vertically moving base of Oka as doing so would help perform reproducible lifting movement without departing from a lifting movement track (Lee, [0111]).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oka (US 6932885 B1), in view of Shinozaki (US 6022413 A), as applied in claims 1-4, and further in view of Serebryanov (US 20130193132 A1).
The limitations of claims 1-4 are set forth above.
Regarding claim 6, modified Oka fails to teach wherein the lifting driving unit is a linear driver, a main shaft of the linear driver is moved along the ascending or descending direction of the rotating shaft, the main shaft of the linear driver is connected to the upper housing or the main shaft to drive the upper housing, the rotating shaft and the rotating driving unit to ascend or descend synchronously.
However, Serebryanov teaches wherein the lifting driving unit is a linear driver (Serebryanov, Fig. 5, [0054], linear motor 521), a main shaft of the linear driver is moved along the ascending or descending direction of the rotating shaft (Serebryanov, Fig. 5, [0054], linear motor 521 drives substrate support 216 vertically via mobile part 524), the main shaft of the linear driver is connected to the upper housing or the main shaft to drive the upper housing, the rotating shaft and the rotating driving unit to ascend or descend synchronously (Serebryanov, Fig. 5, [0052]-[0054], linear motor 521 drives substrate support 216 vertically via mobile part 524 and magnet 528 which is coupled to shaft 228 and enables rotation).
Serebryanov is considered analogous art to the claimed invention because it is in the same field of semiconductor processing. It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have incorporated the linear motor actuation as taught by Serebryanov instead of the ball screw/nut arrangement of Oka as they are equivalents known for the same purpose that can be substituted (Serebryanov, [0054], a screw and nut mechanism may be used in place of the linear motor 521 to drive the substrate support assembly 216 vertically). See MPEP 2144.06(II).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oka (US 6932885 B1), in view of Shinozaki (US 6022413 A), as applied in claims 1-4, and further in view of Wang (CN 110566787 A, using attached English machine translation).
The limitations of claims 1-4 are set forth above.
Regarding claim 7, modified Oka fails to teach wherein the closed housing further includes a plurality of second guiding sliding rods, the second guiding sliding rods are fixed on the lower housing, the second guide sliding rods are arranged along the ascending or descending direction of the rotating shaft, and the upper housing is slidably sleeved outside the second guiding sliding rods.
However, Wang teaches wherein the closed housing further includes a plurality of second guiding sliding rods (Wang, Fig. 2, L164-169, rails 11), the second guiding sliding rods are fixed on the lower housing (Wang, Fig. 2, L164-169, rails 11 run to the bottom of base 1), the second guide sliding rods are arranged along the ascending or descending direction of the rotating shaft (Wang, Fig. 2, L164-169, rails 11 extend vertically), and the upper housing is slidably sleeved outside the second guiding sliding rods (Wang, Fig. 2, L164-169, rails 11 are provided outside of screw nut assembly 5/lifting rod 2 and are connected to slider 22, where rails 11 are also provided outside linear bearings 12, which run through rod 2).
Wang is considered analogous art to the claimed invention because it is in the same field of semiconductor processing. It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have incorporated the rails of Wang at the outmost position of the lift assembly to the apparatus of modified Oka as doing so prevents horizontal swing of the lifting rod without affecting the vertical movement of the lifting rod (Wang, L164-169).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oka (US 6932885 B1), in view of Shinozaki (US 6022413 A), as applied in claims 1-4, and further in view of Tashiro (US 20190103301 A1).
The limitations of claims 1-4 are set forth above.
Regarding claim 8, modified Oka fails to teach wherein the dynamic seal is a magnetic fluid sealing structure.
However, Tashiro teaches wherein the dynamic seal is a magnetic fluid sealing structure (Tashiro, Fig. 1, [0020], magnetic fluid seal 22 is provided between tube part 21b and hole in chamber Vc).
Tashiro is considered analogous art to the claimed invention because it is in the same field of semiconductor processing. It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have replaced the lubricated O-ring of Oka with the magnetic fluid seal as taught by Tashiro as doing so would provide the dual purpose of being a vacuum seal and also a bearing (Tashiro, [0013], [0022]), thereby reducing time between maintenance by eliminating the need to periodically re-lubricate the drive shaft in contact with the O-ring of Oka (Oka, C7 L62-C8 L5).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu (CN 109950121 A, using attached English machine translation), further in view of Oka (US 6932885 B1) and Shinozaki (US 6022413 A).
Regarding claim 9, Liu teaches an ion beam etching machine (Liu, Fig. 1, ion beam etching system), comprising a vacuum etching chamber (Liu, Fig. 1, L156, etching chamber 1 is a vacuum chamber), an ion source and a grid chamber (Liu, Fig. 3, L201, ion source 10 and accelerating electric field 13), wherein ions generated by the ion source are accelerated by the grid and enter the vacuum etching chamber to bombard a wafer (Liu, Fig. 3, L205-210, ions are accelerated in electric field 13 and bombard wafer 3), and an etching electrode (Liu, Fig. 1, L133, etching electrode 2).
Liu fails to teach the machine further comprises a lifting and rotating platform device according to claim 1.
However, Oka teaches a lifting and rotating platform device used in a vacuum etching chamber (Oka, Fig. 2, drive mechanism), comprising a closed housing (Oka, Fig. 2, C7 L5-34, annular body 150 and bottom 104c of chamber 104 are connected by bellows 148), a rotating shaft (Oka, Fig. 2, C7 L5-34, shaft 124 rotates), a rotating driving unit and a lifting driving unit (Oka, Fig. 2, C5 L45-50, drive mechanism 126 drives shaft 124 rotationally and vertically); the closed housing includes an upper housing (Oka, Fig. 2, C7 L5-34, annular body 150), a lower housing (Oka, Fig. 2, C7 L5-34, bottom 104c of chamber 104) and a middle corrugate pipe (Oka, Fig. 2, bellows 148), the upper housing is located above the lower housing (Oka, Fig. 2, C7 L5-34, annular body 150 is located above bottom 104c), an upper end of the middle corrugate pipe is sealedly connected to the upper housing, a lower end of the middle corrugate pipe is sealedly connected to the lower housing (Oka, Fig. 2, C7 L5-34, annular body 150 and bottom 104c of chamber 104 are connected by bellows 148), an upper end of the upper housing is provided with a shaft hole (Oka, Fig. 2, C7 L5-34, through hole 150a is formed in body 150); the rotating shaft is arranged through the shaft hole (Oka, Fig. 2, C7 L5-34, shaft 124 is provided in through hole 150a), a dynamic seal is arranged between the rotating shaft and the shaft hole (Oka, Fig. 2, C7 L62-C8 L4, O-ring 156 provided with lubricant 157 is located between shaft 124 and hole 150a), an object bearing platform configured to place a wafer is arranged at an upper end of the rotating shaft located outside the closed housing (Oka, Fig. 2, C5 L11-23, stage 122 located at end of shaft 124 has cassette 120 with wafers W placed), a first axial limiting mechanism is further arranged between the rotating shaft and the upper housing (Oka, Fig. 2, C7 L34-61, annular body 152 is located between shaft 124 and distended portions 150b of body 150); the rotating driving unit is configured to drive the rotating shaft to rotate along the shaft hole (Oka, Fig. 2, C5 L45-50, drive mechanism 126 drives shaft 124 rotationally); and the lifting driving unit is mounted inside the lower housing (Oka, Fig. 2, C5 L51-63, motor 138 and ball-screw structure are mounted to post 104b of chamber 104, below bottom 140c), the lifting driving unit is configured to drive the rotating shaft to ascend or descend in an axial direction (Oka, Fig. 2, C5 L45-50, drive mechanism 126 drives shaft 124 vertically), the rotating shaft and the upper housing are ascended or descended synchronously through the first axial limiting mechanism (Oka, Fig. 2, C5 L45-50, drive mechanism 126 drives shaft 124 vertically, where bellows 148 and body 150 move up/down with the shaft 124, C7 L49-61), and the rotating driving unit is ascended or descended synchronously along with the upper housing (Oka, Fig. 2, C5 L45-50, drive mechanism 126 drives shaft 124 vertically via base 136, where bellows 148 and body 150 move up/down with the shaft 124, C7 L49-61, and rotational motor 128/pulleys 130, 134 are mounted to base 136, C6 L20-31).
Oka is considered analogous art to the claimed invention because it is in the same field of semiconductor processing. It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have incorporated the rotating and lifting device as taught by Oka into the apparatus of Liu as doing so would enable one to change the orientation of the wafer (rotationally and vertically) while still maintaining airtightness (Oka, L12-16).
Modified Liu fails to teach wherein the rotating driving unit is mounted inside the upper housing.
However, Shinozaki teaches the rotating driving unit is mounted inside the upper housing (Shinozaki, Figs. 1 and 3, C6 L33-56, motor 9 with rotor 11 and stator 12 are located in casing 10, above bellows 35).
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have replaced the rotational system of Oka with the motor unit of Shinozaki into the upper housing of Oka as doing so would enable one to have direct measurement of the rotational speed of the motor during operation (Shinozaki, C6 L33-56).
Modified Oka does not explicitly state whether the lower chamber housing, specifically the elements mounted to post 104b of the vacuum chamber, is completely enclosed. However, Oka states that the lubricant applied to the shaft, necessary for operation of O-rings 156 and 125, is a possible source of contaminants to workpieces in the chamber and the amount of lubricant used is sought to be minimized (Oka, C8 L5-18). One would be motivated to ensure the lower chamber housing is sealedly enclosed, as doing so would eliminate the need for O-ring 125 and thus the need for the lubricant that can contribute to contamination of workpieces, while still being able to perform the vacuum evacuation/equalization procedure that helps protect the bellows from damage (Oka, C8 L19-33).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu (CN 109950121 A, using attached English machine translation) in view of Oka (US 6932885 B1) and Shinozaki (US 6022413 A), as applied in claim 9, and further in view of Druz (US 20170352521 A1).
The limitations of claim 9 are set forth above.
Regarding claim 10, Liu teaches wherein the ion source includes a cylinder, a radio frequency coil and a neutralizer (Liu, Fig. 3, L201, radio frequency 12 surrounds cylindrical structure, and neutralizer 11), one end of the cylinder is in communication to the vacuum etching chamber, and another end of the cylinder is in communication to a process gas for intaking (Liu, Fig. 3, L205-210, one end of ion source 10 is connected to chamber 1 and the other end receives a gas), the grid is located between the one end of the cylinder and the vacuum etching chamber (Liu, Fig. 3, L205-210, accelerating electric field 12 is located at end of ion source 10 and chamber 1), the radio frequency coil is located on an outer periphery of the quartz cylinder (Liu, Fig. 3, L201, RF coils 12 surround cylinder structure), the process gas enters through the other end of the cylinder (Liu, Fig. 3, L205-210, one end of ion source 10 receives a gas), and the radio frequency coil is excited in the cylinder to generate positive-charge plasmas, the positive-charge plasma is accelerated through the grid (Liu, Fig. 3, L205-210, gas converts to positive ions 14 and are accelerated by the acceleration electric field 13), electrons are released by the neutralizer, and the positive- charge plasmas after passing through the grid and the electrons are neutralized into neutral irons, and the neutral ions bombard the wafer on the lifting and rotating platform device (Liu, Fig. 3, L205-210, electrons 15 are released by neutralizer 11, changing positive ions 14 into uncharged ions 16, which bombard wafer 3).
Liu fails to explicitly teach wherein the cylinder in the ion source is made of quartz.
However, Druz teaches wherein an ion source has a discharge chamber that is defined by a tubular sidewall made out of quartz (Druz, Fig. 1, [0045]).
Druz is considered analogous art to the claimed invention because it is in the same field of semiconductor processing. It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have utilized the teachings of Druz to made the ion source cylinder out of quartz since RF electromagnetic energy may be able to penetrate a dielectric material such as quartz while experiencing low losses within the material (Druz, [0045]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Oyama (US 20170241018 A1) teaches wherein the lifting mechanism is enclosed below the bellows.
Patel (US 20190181028 A1) teaches enclosure of the bottom of the shaft such that a vacuum can help temperature control the environment.
Helms (US 4869801 A) teaches lifting and rotation mechanisms located in O-ring sealed lower enclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TODD M SEOANE whose telephone number is (703)756-4612. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Gordon Baldwin can be reached at 571-272-5166. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TODD M SEOANE/Examiner, Art Unit 1718
/GORDON BALDWIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1718