DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . Medicine
Status of Claims
This action is in reply to the communications filed on 12/27/2022.
The Examiner notes claims 1-20 are currently pending and have been examined.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 19 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends.
Regarding claim 19. The claim states “The nozzle of claim 15, wherein the vacuum trenches are positioned to be axially unaligned with any mold dishes of the disaggregated die when lifting the disaggregated die.” This limitation is the same that is stated in claim 1 which claim 15 depends from. Therefore claim 19 does not further limit the claimed subject matter. For examining purposes the limitation will be interpreted as “The nozzle of claim [[15]]16, wherein the vacuum trenches are positioned to be axially unaligned with any mold dishes of the disaggregated die when lifting the disaggregated die.”
Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
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.
And/or
(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) 10 & 13-14, 16, & 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by HUNG et al. (US 20140027068), hereinafter Hung.
Regarding claim 10. Hung discloses a nozzle for holding and keeping disaggregated die flat during bonding [Fig 3; ¶19; 18], the nozzle comprising:
vacuum trenches configured to allow a flow of air associated with generating a vacuum suction for lifting disaggregated die [Fig 3; ¶19; 18 has trenches (20) in communication with a suction hole (22)],
wherein the vacuum trenches extend radially from the center of the nozzle outward toward the corners of the nozzle in a snowflake pattern [Fig 3; 20 are in a snowflake pattern].
Regarding claim 13. Hung discloses the nozzle of claim 10, wherein the vacuum trenches are positioned to be axially unaligned with any mold dishes of the disaggregated die when lifting the disaggregated die [Fig 3; the trenches are axially unaligned with any mold dishes of the disaggregated die].
Regarding claim 14. Hung discloses the nozzle of claim 10, wherein the vacuum trenches do not reach the corners of the nozzle [Fig 3].
Regarding claim 16. Hung discloses a nozzle for holding and keeping disaggregated die flat during bonding [Fig 3; ¶19; 18], the nozzle comprising:
vacuum trenches configured to allow a flow of air associated with generating a vacuum suction for lifting disaggregated die [Fig 3; ¶19; 18 has trenches (20) in communication with a suction hole (22)], the vacuum trenches having a depth [Fig 3],
wherein the vacuum trenches extend radially from the center of the nozzle outward toward the corners of the nozzle [Fig 3; 20 extend radially from the center of the nozzle].
Regarding claim 19. The nozzle of claim 15, wherein the vacuum trenches are positioned to be axially unaligned with any mold dishes of the disaggregated die when lifting the disaggregated die. [Claim 19 has the same or similar limitations to claim 1 & 13 and rejected for the same reasons]
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(s) 1-9, 11-12, & 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HUNG et al. (US 20140027068) in view of Oka et al. (US 20210288021), hereinafter Oka.
Regarding claim 1. (Each claim status is listed above in the Status of Claims section) Hung discloses a nozzle for holding and keeping disaggregated die flat during bonding [Fig 3; ¶19; 18], the nozzle comprising:
vacuum trenches configured to allow a flow of air associated with generating a vacuum suction for lifting disaggregated die [Fig 3; ¶19; 18 has trenches (20) in communication with a suction hole (22)], the vacuum trenches having a depth [Fig 3]…,
wherein the vacuum trenches are positioned to be axially unaligned with any mold dishes of the disaggregated die when lifting the disaggregated die [Fig 3; the 20 are axially unaligned with any mold dishes of the disaggregated die].
Hung may not explicitly disclose the vacuum trenches having a depth of at least 200 micrometers.
However Oka teaches a similar nozzle with the vacuum trenches having a depth of at least 200 micrometers [Fig 1A-1C; ¶25; nozzle (100) has trenches (106, 120, & 126-129) that have a depth of 0.1-2 mm (100-2000 micrometers)].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the vacuum trenches as disclosed by Hung to have the vacuum trenches having a depth of at least 200 micrometers as taught by Oka as pursuant of MPEP 2144.05-II-A, it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In the instant case, a person having ordinary skill in the art would adjust the depth of the vacuum trenches to such a dimension that would be most useful for a particular application, based on the size and geometry of the vacuum trenches and on basic engineering principles.
Claim 19 is rejected for the same reasons as claim 1 but depends from claim 16.
Regarding claim 2, 11, & 17. Hung as modified teaches the nozzle of claim 1, wherein a depth of the vacuum trenches is at least 250 micrometers [Oka: ¶25; the trench depth can be 250 micrometers].
Claim 11 is rejected for the same reasons as claim 1 & 2 but as the first combination of Hung and Oka after claim 10.
Claim 17 is rejected for the same reasons as claim 2 but depends from claim 15.
Regarding claim 3, 12, & 18. Hung as modified teaches the nozzle of claim 1, wherein a depth of the vacuum trenches is at least 500 micrometers [Oka: ¶25; the trench depth can be 500 micrometers].
Claim 12 is rejected for the same reasons as claim 1 & 3 but as the first combination of Hung and Oka after claim 10.
Claim 18 is rejected for the same reasons as claim 3 but depends from claim 15.
Regarding claim 4 & 20. Hung as modified teaches the nozzle of claim 1, wherein the vacuum trenches extend radially from the center of the nozzle outward toward the corners of the nozzle [Hung: Fig 3].
Claim 20 is rejected for the same reasons as claim 4 but depends from claim 15.
Regarding claim 5 . Hung as modified teaches the nozzle of claim 4, wherein the vacuum trenches do not reach the corners of the nozzle [Hung: Fig 3].
Regarding claim 6. Hung as modified teaches the nozzle of claim 4, wherein the vacuum trenches form a snowflake pattern [Hung: Fig 3; 20 are in a snowflake pattern].
Regarding claim 7. Hung as modified teaches the nozzle of claim 4, wherein the vacuum trenches are not in a rectangular pattern [Hung: Fig 3; 20 are not in a rectangular pattern].
Regarding claim 8-9 & 15. Hung as modified teaches the nozzle of claim 1, but may not explicitly disclose wherein a width of the vacuum trenches is at least 250 micrometers.
However Oka teaches that wherein a width of the vacuum trenches can be any suitable width [¶25; any suitable width can be 250 micrometers].
Claim 9 is rejected for the same reasons as claim 8 but for 500 micrometers.
However it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the width of the vacuum trenches as taught by Hung as modified to be at least 250 micrometers since it has been held that "where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimension would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device" MPEP 2144.04-IV-A. In the instant case, the vacuum trenches of Hung as modified would not operate differently with the claimed width. The trenches would function appropriately have the claimed width. Further, Applicant places no criticality on the claimed width.
Claim 15 is rejected for the same reasons as claim 9 but as the first combination of Hung and Oka after claim 10
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See Notice of References Cited, PTO form 892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AARON R MCCONNELL whose telephone number is (303)297-4608. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 0700-1600 MST [0900-1800 EST] 2nd Friday 0700-1500 MST [0900-1700 EST].
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/AARON R MCCONNELL/Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/ORLANDO E AVILES/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3736