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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 7-9, 14-15, and 19 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 06/29/2026.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites “a hot plate for heating a substrate.” This should be –the substrate--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 20 objected to under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate of claim 18. When two claims in an application are duplicates or else are so close in content that they both cover the same thing, despite a slight difference in wording, it is proper after allowing one claim to object to the other as being a substantial duplicate of the allowed claim. See MPEP § 608.01(m).
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.
Claims 4-6 and 17 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.
Claim 4 states that the diameter of the hot plate is 25mm to 35mm and the diameter of the air inlet passage is 9mm to 17mm. The specification indicates that the reference number 150 in Fig. 2 is the outdoor air inlet passage (par. 54) of which there are multiple outdoor air inlet passage. This configuration would be impossible with a hot plate diameter of 25mm to 35mm. Paragraph 13 of the specification also states the hot plate diameter is between 25mm to 35mm. It is the Office’s belief that this may be a typo. For examination, the diameter is interpreted to be –25cm to 35cm--.
Claim 17 recites “wherein a cooling gas supplied from the plurality of nozzles has a discharge flow rate of 80 lpm or more so that a negative pressure is formed outside the nozzle, and has a discharge flow rate of 180 lpm or less so that a particle is not generated under the hot plate, and a discharge flow rate of the cooling gas is between 80 lpm to 180 lpm.” The “a discharge flow rate” is recited three times. For examination, it will be assumed that the range of the discharge flow rate is between 80 lpm and 180 lpm. If applicants are trying to recite different discharge flow rates, applicants should indicate them as first, second, and third.
Claims 5-6 rejected due to dependency.
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) 1-4, 10-11, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oshima (JP 2008166658 A) in view of Sakai (US 20090098297 A1) and Kim (US 20220075270 A1).
Claim 1. Oshima discloses an apparatus for processing a substrate (post exposure bake device 84 processes the wafer W, Fig. 4, par. 45) comprising:
a hot plate (heating plate 130, Fig. 4) for heating a substrate; and
a cooling unit for cooling the hot plate (although not shown, cooling plates may be used in the baking apparatus, par. 60);
wherein the cooling unit includes, a support plate (bottom plate 140, Fig. 4) having a space formed between the support plate and the hot plate (there is space between 140 and 130, Fig. 4), and
a plurality of nozzles installed on the support plate and for supplying
Oshima does not explicitly disclose that the predetermined temperature of the supplied gas is less than the temperature of the heating plate.
Sakai discloses a heating plate for substrates wherein nozzles 121 supply cooling gas to the heating plate (par. 11, Fig. 15).
Oshima discloses having a cooling unit for reducing the temperature of the heating plate (par. 60).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Oshima to incorporate the teachings of Sakai and have Oshima’s gas be also used to cool the heating plate. Doing so would have the benefit improving throughput by also using gas to cool the heating plate (par. 62, Sakai).
Oshima in view of Sakai does not disclose wherein an outdoor air inlet passage provided in a through structure is provide in the support plate,
wherein a portion of the outdoor air inlet passage forms a first region, through which a cable passes, and the remaining portion forms a second region, through which the cable does not pass and outdoor air introduces.
Kim discloses a baking apparatus for substrates wherein an outdoor air inlet passage (H2, Fig. 8) provided in a through structure in the support plate (bottom side of the heater cup 1300, Fig. 8),
wherein a portion of the outdoor air inlet passage forms a first region, through which the cable passes (support member 1020 passes through a region of the hole H2, where the power and signal cables can be connected to the heater through the support member 1020, par. 93), and the remaining portion forms a second region, through which the cable does not pass and outdoor air introduces (H2 is large enough such that there is a second region, not occupied by the support member, which allows air to be introduced, Fig. 8).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Oshima in view of Sakai to incorporate the teachings of Kim and have the support member pass through holes with cables running through them. Doing so would have the benefit of improving the air flow above the structure for even temperature distribution (par. 8, Kim) and power the heating elements.
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Claim 11. Oshima discloses a cooling module for a substrate baking apparatus (cooling apparatus which may have a cooling plate, par. 60, and the nozzles 170 providing gas to the heating plate, par. 38) comprising:
a cooling unit for cooling a hot plate for heating a substrate (although not shown, cooling plates may be used in the baking apparatus, par. 60),
wherein the cooling unit comprises,
a support plate (bottom plate 140, Fig. 4) having a space formed between the support plate and the hot plate (there is space between 140 and 130, Fig. 4), and
a plurality of nozzles installed on the support plate and for supplying
Oshima does not explicitly disclose that the predetermined temperature of the supplied gas is less than the temperature of the heating plate.
Sakai discloses a heating plate for substrates wherein nozzles 121 supply cooling gas to the heating plate (par. 11, Fig. 15).
Oshima discloses having a cooling unit for reducing the temperature of the heating plate (par. 60).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Oshima to incorporate the teachings of Sakai and have Oshima’s gas be also used to cool the heating plate. Doing so would have the benefit improving throughput by also using gas to cool the heating plate (par. 62, Sakai).
Oshima in view of Sakai does not disclose wherein an outdoor air inlet passage provided in a through structure in the support plate and located outside the plurality of nozzles is provided,
wherein a portion of the outdoor air inlet passage forms a first region, through which a cable passes, and the remaining portion forms a second region, through which the cable does not pass and outdoor air introduces.
Kim discloses a baking apparatus for substrates wherein an outdoor air inlet passage (H2, Fig. 8) provided in a through structure in the support plate (bottom side of the heater cup 1300, Fig. 8), and located outside the plurality of nozzles is provided (H2 is located outside of the nozzle 1600, Fig. 8),
wherein a portion of the outdoor air inlet passage forms a first region, through which the cable passes (support member 1020 passes through a region of the hole H2, where the power and signal cables can be connected to the heater through the support member 1020, par. 93), and the remaining portion forms a second region, through which the cable does not pass and outdoor air introduces (H2 is large enough such that there is a second region, not occupied by the support member, which allows air to be introduced, Fig. 8).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Oshima in view of Sakai to incorporate the teachings of Kim and have the support member pass through holes with cables running through them. Doing so would have the benefit of improving the air flow above the structure for even temperature distribution (par. 8, Kim) and power the heating elements.
Claim 16. Oshima discloses a cooling module for a substrate baking apparatus (cooling apparatus which may have a cooling plate, par. 60, and the nozzles 170 providing gas to the heating plate, par. 38) comprising:
a cooling unit for cooling a hot plate for heating a substrate (although not shown, cooling plates may be used in the baking apparatus, par. 60),
wherein the cooling unit comprises,
a support plate (bottom plate 140, Fig. 4) having a space formed between the support plate and the hot plate (there is space between 140 and 130, Fig. 4) and a discharge hole formed in a center (exhaust port 140a, Fig. 4), and
a plurality of nozzles installed in the support plate and for supplying a cooling gas to a bottom surface of the hot plate, and disposed adjacent to a periphery with respect to a center of the support plate (nozzles 170 are installed on the bottom plate, adjacent to the edges of the wafer with respect to the exhaust port, and supplies gas to the heating plate, Fig. 4, par. 38; the gas supplied to the heating plate is set at a predetermined temperature for temperature control of the heating plate, par. 38),
wherein the cooling gas is discharged in an oblique direction toward a center of the hot plate with respect to a periphery of the hot plate (gas is discharged at an angle towards the center of the heating plate, Fig. 4),
Oshima does not explicitly disclose that the predetermined temperature of the supplied gas is less than the temperature of the heating plate.
Sakai discloses a heating plate for substrates wherein nozzles 121 supply cooling gas to the heating plate (par. 11, Fig. 15).
Oshima discloses having a cooling unit for reducing the temperature of the heating plate (par. 60).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Oshima to incorporate the teachings of Sakai and have Oshima’s gas be also used to cool the heating plate. Doing so would have the benefit improving throughput by also using gas to cool the heating plate (par. 62, Sakai).
Oshima in view of Sakai does not disclose wherein an outdoor air inlet passage provided in a through structure in the support plate, and located outside the plurality of nozzles is provided,
wherein a portion of the outdoor air inlet passage forms a first region, through which the cable passes, and the remaining portion forms a second region, through which the cable does not pass and outdoor air introduces.
Kim discloses a baking apparatus for substrates wherein an outdoor air inlet passage (H2, Fig. 8) provided in a through structure in the support plate (bottom side of the heater cup 1300, Fig. 8), and located outside the plurality of nozzles is provided (H2 is located outside of the nozzle 1600, Fig. 8),
wherein a portion of the outdoor air inlet passage forms a first region, through which the cable passes (support member 1020 passes through a region of the hole H2, where the power and signal cables can be connected to the heater through the support member 1020, par. 93), and the remaining portion forms a second region, through which the cable does not pass and outdoor air introduces (H2 is large enough such that there is a second region, not occupied by the support member, which allows air to be introduced, Fig. 8).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Oshima in view of Sakai to incorporate the teachings of Kim and have the support member pass through holes with cables running through them. Doing so would have the benefit of improving the air flow above the structure for even temperature distribution (par. 8, Kim) and power the heating elements.
Claim 2. Oshima in view of Sakai and Kim discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outdoor air inlet passage is located outside the plurality of nozzles (H2 is located outside of the nozzle 1600, Fig. 8, Kim).
Claim 3. Oshima in view of Sakai and Kim discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the outdoor air inlet passage is formed to be greater than a diameter of the cable so that the first region and the second region are formed together as a single hole (H2 is larger than the support member, Fig. 8, Kim), and outdoor air introduces between the cable and the outdoor air inlet passage (H2 is large enough such that there is a second region, not occupied by the support member, which allows air to be introduced, Fig. 8, Kim).
Claim 4. Oshima in view of Sakai and Kim does not disclose the apparatus of claim 3, wherein the outdoor air inlet passage is provided in any one shape among polygonal, circular and elliptical shapes.
Kim discloses that the support member passes through a through hole but Kim does not explicitly disclose that the hole is circular.
Oshima discloses an exhaust port 140a that is circular (Fig. 7).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Oshima in view of Sakai and Kim and make the through-hole circular. Oshima demonstrates that circular holes are well-known in the art.
Claim 10. Oshima in view of Sakai and Kim discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein, in the support plate, a discharge hole is formed in a center so that outdoor air introduced from the outdoor air inlet passage is discharged through the discharge hole (gas exits out of the exhaust port 140a, par. 50).
Claim(s) 5, 12-13, and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oshima in view of Sakai and Kim as applied to claim 4, 11, and 16 above, respectively, and further in view of Goto (US 20060011611 A1) and Iwata (US 20100170884 A1).
Claim 5. Oshima in view of Sakai and Kim does not disclose the apparatus of claim 4, wherein the outdoor air inlet passage has a cross-sectional area of 4 to 8 times a cross-sectional area of the cable.
Goto discloses a substrate heating apparatus wherein the power feeders 50 (Fig. 1A) used to power the ceramic heater can have a diameter of 1 mm (par. 42).
Iwata discloses a substrate heater wherein nozzles 24 spray cooling gas towards the heater 7 (par. 86, Fig. 5A), wherein the nozzle’s diameter is between 1-3 mm (par. 273)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Oshima in view of Sakai and Kim with Goto and Iwata and have a cable diameter of 1 mm and nozzle diameter of 2 mm. One of ordinary skill in the art would be able to determine the dimensions of these components based on design specifications.
Claim 12. Oshima in view of Sakai and Kim does not disclose the cooling module of claim 11 wherein the outdoor air inlet passage is provided in any one shape among polygonal, circular and elliptical shapes, and has a cross-sectional area of 4 to 8 times a cross-sectional area of the cable.
Kim discloses that the support member passes through a through hole but Kim does not explicitly disclose that the hole is circular.
Oshima discloses an exhaust port 140a that is circular (Fig. 7).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Oshima in view of Sakai and Kim and make the through-hole circular. Oshima demonstrates that circular holes are well-known in the art.
Oshima in view of Sakai and Kim does not disclose that the inlet passage has a cross-sectional area of 4 to 8 times a cross-sectional area of the cable.
Goto discloses a substrate heating apparatus wherein the power feeders 50 (Fig. 1A) used to power the ceramic heater can have a diameter of 1 mm (par. 42).
Iwata discloses a substrate heater wherein nozzles 24 spray cooling gas towards the heater 7 (par. 86, Fig. 5A), wherein the nozzle’s diameter is between 1-3 mm (par. 273)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Oshima in view of Sakai and Kim with Goto and Iwata and have a cable diameter of 1 mm and nozzle diameter of 2 mm. One of ordinary skill in the art would be able to determine the dimensions of these components based on design specifications.
Claim 13. Oshima in view of Sakai, Kim, Goto, and Iwata discloses the cooling module of claim 12, wherein a diameter of the outdoor air inlet passage is formed to be greater than a diameter of the cable (H2 is large enough such that there is a second region, not occupied by the support member, which allows air to be introduced, Fig. 8, Kim) so that the first region and the second region are formed together as a single hole, and outdoor air introduces between the cable and the outdoor air inlet passage (H2 is large enough such that there is a second region, not occupied by the support member, which allows air to be introduced, Fig. 8, Kim).
Claim 17. Oshima in view of Sakai and Kim does not disclose the cooling module of claim 16, wherein the outdoor air inlet passage is provided in any one shape among polygonal, circular and elliptical shapes and has a cross-sectional area of 4 to 8 times a cross-sectional area of the cable,
wherein a cooling gas supplied from the plurality of nozzles has a discharge flow rate of 80 lpm or more so that a negative pressure is formed outside the nozzle, and
has a discharge flow rate of 180 lpm or less so that a particle is not generated under the hot plate, and
a discharge flow rate of the cooling gas is between 80 lpm to 180 lpm.
Kim discloses that the support member passes through a through hole but Kim does not explicitly disclose that the hole is circular.
Oshima discloses an exhaust port 140a that is circular (Fig. 7).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Oshima in view of Sakai and Kim and make the through-hole circular. Oshima demonstrates that circular holes are well-known in the art.
Oshima in view of Sakai and Kim does not disclose wherein a cooling gas supplied from the plurality of nozzles has a discharge flow rate of 80 lpm or more so that a negative pressure is formed outside the nozzle, and
has a discharge flow rate of 180 lpm or less so that a particle is not generated under the hot plate, and
a discharge flow rate of the cooling gas is between 80 lpm to 180 lpm.
Iwata discloses a wafer heating apparatus wherein the cooling gas flow rate is 120 lpm (par. 303).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Oshima in view of Sakai and Kim with Iwata and have a flow rate of 120lpm. One of ordinary skill in the art would be able to set the cooling gas flow rate based on design specifications and routine experimentation.
Oshima in view of Sakai, Kim, and Iwata does not disclose that the inlet passage has a cross-sectional area of 4 to 8 times a cross-sectional area of the cable.
Goto discloses a substrate heating apparatus wherein the power feeders 50 (Fig. 1A) used to power the ceramic heater can have a diameter of 1 mm (par. 42).
Iwata discloses a substrate heater wherein nozzles 24 spray cooling gas towards the heater 7 (par. 86, Fig. 5A), wherein the nozzle’s diameter is between 1-3 mm (par. 273)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Oshima in view of Sakai, Kim, and Iwata with Goto and Iwata and have a cable diameter of 1 mm and nozzle diameter of 2 mm. One of ordinary skill in the art would be able to determine the dimensions of these components based on design specifications.
Claim(s) 6, 18, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oshima in view of Sakai and Kim as applied to claims 4 and 16 above, and further in view of Shimazu (US 20110272899 A1).
Claim 6. Oshima in view of Sakai and Kim does not disclose the apparatus of claim 4, wherein a diameter of the hot plate is 25mm to 35mm (), wherein a diameter of the outdoor air inlet passage is 9mm to 17mm.
Shimazu discloses a wafer heater (Fig. 8) with a diameter of 310 mm (par. 43), a cooling plate 20 and terminal hole 26 for connecting rod-like terminal to the resistive heating element (par. 35, Fig. 8). The terminal hole has diameter of 8mm (par. 69).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Oshima in view of Sakai and Kim with Shimazu and have a terminal hole diameter of 8 mm and heater diameter of 31 cm. One of ordinary skill in the art would be able to determine the dimensions of these components based on design specifications. While 8mm is not within the range of 9mm to 17mm, it has been shown that a prima facie case of obviousness exists where the claimed ranges or amounts do not overlap with the prior art but are merely close. Titanium Metals Corp. of America v. Banner, 778 F.2d 775, 783, 227 USPQ 773, 779 (Fed. Cir. 1985). MPEP 2144.05.I
Claim 18. Oshima in view of Sakai and Kim does not disclose the cooling module of claim 16, wherein a diameter of the outdoor air inlet passage is 9mm to 17mm.
Shimazu discloses a wafer heater (Fig. 8) with a cooling plate 20 and terminal hole 26 for connecting rod-like terminal to the resistive heating element (par. 35). The terminal hole has diameter of 8mm.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Oshima in view of Sakai and Kim with Shimazu and have a terminal hole diameter of 8 mm. One of ordinary skill in the art would be able to determine the dimensions of these components based on design specifications. While 8mm is not within the range of 9mm, it has been shown that a prima facie case of obviousness exists where the claimed ranges or amounts do not overlap with the prior art but are merely close. Titanium Metals Corp. of America v. Banner, 778 F.2d 775, 783, 227 USPQ 773, 779 (Fed. Cir. 1985). MPEP 2144.05.I
Claim 20. Oshima in view of Sakai and Kim does not disclose the cooling module of claim 16, wherein a diameter of the outdoor air inlet passage is 9mm to 17mm.
Shimazu discloses a wafer heater (Fig. 8) with a cooling plate 20 and terminal hole 26 for connecting rod-like terminal to the resistive heating element (par. 35). The terminal hole has diameter of 8mm.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Oshima in view of Sakai and Kim with Shimazu and have a terminal hole diameter of 8 mm. One of ordinary skill in the art would be able to determine the dimensions of these components based on design specifications. While 8mm is not within the range of 9mm, it has been shown that a prima facie case of obviousness exists where the claimed ranges or amounts do not overlap with the prior art but are merely close. Titanium Metals Corp. of America v. Banner, 778 F.2d 775, 783, 227 USPQ 773, 779 (Fed. Cir. 1985). MPEP 2144.05.I
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SIMPSON A CHEN whose telephone number is (571)272-6422. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8-5.
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/SIMPSON A CHEN/Examiner, Art Unit 3761
/ELIZABETH M KERR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761
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