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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 9/15/2026 has been entered.
Election/Restrictions
Claims 11-15 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to nonelected Groups 2-3, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 6/9/2025.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 19 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on the combination of references applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Please see the newly discovered prior art teachings of Byeon et al. (US 2022/0072884 A1), which discloses a highly relative treatment apparatus configuration.
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 24 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.
Regarding claim 24:
This claim recites the limitations "the first plate" and “the third guide rail”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Examiner notes that this claim is dependent on claim 1; however, the above limitations would have support in claim 23.
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) 1-6, 10, 21, and 23-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Byeon et al. (US 2022/0072884 A1) in view of Kawase et al. (US 2003/0001992 A1).
Regarding claim 1:
Byeon et al. disclose a substrate treatment apparatus comprising:
a processing unit (process executing unit 100) supporting and moving a substrate (G: paragraph 52 & Fig. 8);
an inkjet head unit (inkjet head 520) performing pixel printing on the substrate (paragraphs 61-62 & Fig. 8);
a gantry unit (gantry 510) moving the inkjet head unit over the substrate (paragraph 84), and configured to be movable along guide rails (gantry rail 512) comprising a first guide rail (upper guide rail: Fig. 8) and a second guide rail (lower guide rail: Fig. 8); and
a maintenance unit (300) configured for maintenance of the inkjet head unit (paragraph 53),
wherein a base of the processing unit (process stage 110), a base of the maintenance unit (maintenance stage 310), and the guide rails along which the gantry unit are movable are disposed side-by-side in parallel to one another without overlapping with one another (Fig. 8), the base of the processing unit and the base of the maintenance unit being physically separated from one another (Fig. 8),
wherein each of the base of the processing unit and the base of the maintenance unit comprises a first surface that faces the gantry unit and a second face opposite to the first surface (Figs. 1-2, 8), the first surface of the base of the processing unit comprises one or more air holes (120) that spray air in an upward direction toward the gantry unit (paragraph 52), the substrate is disposed on the first surface of the base of the processing unit (Figs. 1, 8), and the first surface of the base of the processing unit comprises a printing zone of the substrate treatment apparatus (paragraph 62 & Fig. 8) and the first surface of the maintenance unit comprises a maintenance zone of the substrate treatment apparatus (paragraph 53-54 & Fig. 8),
wherein the guide rails are arranged along a length direction of the base of the processing unit and the base of the maintenance unit (Fig. 8) and the processing unit and the maintenance unit are disposed between the first guide rail and the second guide rail (Fig. 8),
wherein a first terminal end of a length-wise body of the gantry unit is attached to the first guide rail (Fig. 8), a second terminal end of the length-wise body of the gantry unit is attached to the second guide rail (Fig. 8), and the length-wise body of the gantry extends across all of the first guide rail, the second guide rail, the maintenance unit, and the processing unit (Fig. 8).
Byeon et al. do not expressly disclose the particulars of the inkjet head unit.
However, Kawase et al. disclose a substrate treatment apparatus comprising an inkjet head unit (head unit 26) that is arranged to treat an entire substrate surface in a single scanning (paragraph 121) by including head packs (head sections 20) that include a plurality of nozzles (27) ejecting a substrate treatment liquid (material M) onto a substrate (paragraph 128), and a head base (carriage 25) in which the head packs are installed (Fig. 7), wherein the head packs are disposed in a single row in the head base (Fig. 7).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the inkjet head unit configuration taught by Kawase et al., so as to enable treatment of the entire substrate in a single scanning.
Regarding claim 2:
Byeon et al.’ modified apparatus comprises all the limitations of claim 1, and Kawase et al. also disclose that the head packs include first and second head packs, which are adjacent to each other (Fig. 7), and wherein the first and second head packs are of different types (paragraph 131).
Regarding claim 3:
Byeon et al.’s modified apparatus comprises all the limitations of claim 1, and Kawase et al. also disclose that the head packs include first and second head packs, which are adjacent to each other (Fig. 7), and wherein a nozzle of the first head pack that is adjacent to the second head pack does not overlap with a nozzle of the second head pack that is adjacent to the first head pack (Figs. 7, 11).
Regarding claim 4:
Byeon et al.’s modified apparatus comprises all the limitations of claim 1, and Kawase et al. also disclose that the head packs include first and second head packs, which are adjacent to each other (Fig. 7), and wherein the first and second head packs are spaced apart from each other (by a distance D: paragraph 129 & Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 5:
Byeon et al.’s modified apparatus comprises all the limitations of claim 4, and Kawase et al. also disclose that a distance (D) between the first and second head packs is the same as a size of the head packs (“equal to the length L2 of the nozzle row 28 in each head section 20”: paragraph 129).
Regarding claim 6:
Byeon et al.’s modified apparatus comprises all the limitations of claim 1, and Kawase et al. also disclose that the size of the head packs combined is the same as a size of the substrate (paragraph 121).
Regarding claim 10:
Byeon et al.’s modified apparatus comprises all the limitations of claim 1, and Byeon et al. also disclose that the gantry unit is a single gantry unit supporting the inkjet head unit on one side of the inkjet head unit (Figs. 2, 8).
Regarding claim 21:
Byeon et al.’s modified apparatus comprises all the limitations of claim 1, and Kawase et al. also disclose that each of the head packs includes a plurality of nozzles aligned in a line in a (one of the X or Y directions: Fig. 12) and a plurality of nozzles aligned in a line in a second direction (the other of the X or Y directions: Fig. 12), and
the plurality of nozzles aligned in a line in the first direction are arranged to be fully or partially overlapped with one another according to a resolution of an image to be formed on the substrate (paragraph 170 & Fig. 12).
Regarding claim 23:
Byeon et al.’s modified apparatus comprises all the limitations of claim 1, and Byeon et al. also disclose that the first surface of the maintenance unit further comprises a third guide rail (first transfer rail 322) separate from the first guide rail and the second guide rail (Fig. 1), and a first plate (324) that moves along the third guide rail (paragraphs 55, 85).
Regarding claim 24:
Byeon et al.’s modified apparatus comprises all the limitations of claim 1, and Byeon et al. also disclose that a calibration board (CB) is disposed on a surface of the first plate that faces the gantry (Figs. 1, 8), and a first plate (324) moves along a third guide rail (322) to position the calibration board side-by-side with the substrate (Figs. 1, 8), the substrate and the calibration board being spaced apart from another by the base of the maintenance unit and the base of the processing unit while being processed while being positioned side-by-side with one another (Figs. 1, 8).
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Byeon et al. as modified by Kawase et al., as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Miyajima (US 2020/0122474 A1).
Regarding claim 8:
Byeon et al.’s modified apparatus comprises all the limitations of claim 1, but does not expressly comprise a head frame including a storage tank and pressure control module.
However, Miyajima discloses a substrate treatment apparatus that provides a simple pressure management configuration (paragraph 87) by providing an inkjet head unit (60) that includes a head frame (housing 12) that is installed on a head base (Fig. 1), wherein the head frame includes a storage tank (“ink tank” / cartridge 11) that stores substrate treatment liquid (paragraphs 19, 73), and a pressure control module (at least valve mechanism 40) that controls a meniscus associated with the substrate treatment liquid (paragraphs 22, 35, 37 & Fig. 1).
Therefore, at the time of filing, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the head unit configuration taught by Miyajima, so as to simply manage the treatment liquids in Byeon et al.’s modified head unit.
Claim(s) 16-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Byeon et al. as modified by Kawase et al., as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Tezuka (US 2006/0181567 A1) and Han (US 2021/0296375 A1).
Regarding claims 16-18:
Byeon et al.’s modified apparatus comprises all the limitations of claim 1, and Byeon et al. also disclose that an inspection unit is disposed on the first surface of the base of the maintenance unit, the inspection unit comprising a nozzle care module that cleans the nozzles (such a unit is inherent to a maintenance unit that “may maintain (for example, clean) the corresponding nozzle”: paragraph 55).
Byeon et al.’s modified apparatus does not expressly comprise an inspection unit that also comprises a measurement module that measures droplets ejected from the nozzles of the inkjet head unit and a vision module that inspects the droplets, on a different level from the base of the processing unit.
However, Tezuka discloses a substrate treatment apparatus that includes a maintenance unit (70) having a base formed on a different level from a processing unit base (Fig. 7), the maintenance unit comprising a measurement module (electronic balance 47) that measures droplets ejected from nozzles of an inkjet head unit so as to enable size adjustment of the liquid droplets being discharged (paragraph 74); and Han discloses an inspection unit that includes a vision module (sensor unit 150) that inspects droplets (Fig. 2) so as to enable calculation of droplet characteristics for greater control (paragraph 105).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to provide Byeon et al.’s modified apparatus with an inspection unit that includes a measurement module, such as taught by Tezuka, and a vision module, such as taught by Han.
Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Byeon et al. (US 2022/0072884 A1) in view of Kawase et al. (US 2003/0001992 A1) and Miyajima (US 2020/0122474 A1).
Regarding claim 19:
Byeon et al. disclose a substrate treatment apparatus comprising:
a processing unit (process executing unit 100) supporting and moving a substrate (G: paragraph 52 & Fig. 8);
an inkjet head unit (inkjet head 520) performing pixel printing on the substrate (paragraphs 61-62 & Fig. 8);
a gantry unit (gantry 510) moving the inkjet head unit over the substrate (paragraph 84), and configured to be movable along guide rails (gantry rail 512) comprising a first guide rail (upper guide rail: Fig. 8) and a second guide rail (lower guide rail: Fig. 8); and
a maintenance unit (300) configured for maintenance of the inkjet head unit (paragraph 53),
wherein a base of the processing unit (process stage 110), a base of the maintenance unit (maintenance stage 310), and the guide rails along which the gantry unit are movable are disposed side-by-side in parallel to one another without overlapping with one another (Fig. 8), the base of the processing unit and the base of the maintenance unit being physically separated from one another (Fig. 8),
wherein each of the base of the processing unit and the base of the maintenance unit comprises a first surface that faces the gantry unit and a second face opposite to the first surface (Figs. 1-2, 8), the first surface of the base of the processing unit comprises one or more air holes (120) that spray air in an upward direction toward the gantry unit (paragraph 52), the substrate is disposed on the first surface of the base of the processing unit (Figs. 1, 8), and the first surface of the base of the processing unit comprises a printing zone of the substrate treatment apparatus (paragraph 62 & Fig. 8) and the first surface of the maintenance unit comprises a maintenance zone of the substrate treatment apparatus (paragraph 53-54 & Fig. 8),
wherein the guide rails are arranged along a length direction of the base of the processing unit and the base of the maintenance unit (Fig. 8) and the processing unit and the maintenance unit are disposed between the first guide rail and the second guide rail (Fig. 8),
wherein a first terminal end of a length-wise body of the gantry unit is attached to the first guide rail (Fig. 8), a second terminal end of the length-wise body of the gantry unit is attached to the second guide rail (Fig. 8), and the length-wise body of the gantry extends across all of the first guide rail, the second guide rail, the maintenance unit, and the processing unit (Fig. 8).
Byeon et al. do not expressly disclose the particulars of the inkjet head unit.
However, Kawase et al. disclose a substrate treatment apparatus comprising an inkjet head unit (head unit 26) that is arranged to treat an entire substrate surface in a single scanning (paragraph 121) by including head packs (head sections 20), which include a plurality of nozzles (27) ejecting a substrate treatment liquid (material M) onto a substrate (paragraph 128), a head base (carriage 25) in which the head packs are installed (Fig. 7),
wherein the head packs are disposed in a single row in the head base (Fig. 7),
wherein the head packs include first and second head packs, which are adjacent to each other (Fig. 7) and are of different types (paragraph 131),
wherein a nozzle of the first head pack that is adjacent to the second head pack does not overlap with a nozzle of the second head pack that is adjacent to the first head pack (Figs. 7, 11),
wherein a size of the head packs combined is the same as a size of the substrate (paragraph 121).
Further, Miyajima discloses a substrate treatment apparatus that provides a simple pressure management configuration (paragraph 87) by providing an inkjet head unit (60) that includes a head frame (housing 12) that is installed on a head base (Fig. 1), wherein the head frame includes a storage tank (“ink tank” / cartridge 11) that stores substrate treatment liquid (paragraphs 19, 73), and a pressure control module (at least valve mechanism 40) that controls a meniscus associated with the substrate treatment liquid (paragraphs 22, 35, 37 & Fig. 1).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Byeon et al.’s apparatus to utilize the inkjet head unit configuration taught by Kawase et al., and to incorporate the treatment liquid management in the manner taught by Miyajima.
Communication with the USPTO
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Shelby L Fidler whose telephone number is (571)272-8455. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30am - 5pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Douglas Rodriguez can be reached at (571) 431-0716. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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SHELBY L. FIDLER
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2853
/SHELBY L FIDLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
