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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 1/6/2026 has been entered.
This Office Action acknowledges the applicant’s amendment filed on 1/6/2026. Claims 1-18 are pending in the application. Claims 10-18 are withdrawn from consideration.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office Action.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Claim(s) 1-3 and 6-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by HSU et al. US 2019/0101821 A1, both previously cited.
With regards to claim 1, HSU (Fig. 6(a)(b)) discloses a reticle container, comprising a cover 10 and a baseplate 20, wherein: at least one of the cover or the baseplate 20 includes a base material and a coating layer on said base material (Para. 0022), at least one of the baseplate 20 includes a contact surface (at S2) and: a first relief area (BE2) adjacent to at least a portion of an outer perimeter of the contact surface, and a second relief area (TE2) adjacent to at least a portion of an inner perimeter of the contact surface, and each of the first relief area and the second relief area are configured to avoid contact between the cover and the baseplate when the reticle container is assembled such that the cover and the baseplate make contact at the contact surface, and wherein the contact surface comprises a continuous flat surface between the first relief area and the second relief area. (described in Para. 0033-0043 more specifically para. 0036-0037; the contact surface S2 (top or bottom) is considered a continuous flat surface between the first and second relief areas BE2/TE2, as shown in Fig. 6(a)(b)).
With regards to claim 2, HSU (Fig. 6(a)(b)) discloses the first relief area (BE2) or the second relief area (TE2) is a region recessed with respect to the contact surface.
With regards to claim 3, HSU (Fig. 6(a)(b)) discloses the first relief area (BE2) is a beveled edge. (the angle forming the relief area is less than 90 degrees, which defines a beveled edge; Para. 0036-0038)
With regards to claim 6, HSU (Fig. 6(a)(b)) discloses a transition from the contact surface (S2) to the second relief area (TE2) includes a beveled edge. (the angle forming the relief area is less than 90 degrees, which defines a beveled edge; Para. 0036-0038)
With regards to claim 7, HSU (Fig. 6(a)(b)) discloses the first relief area (BE2) or the second relief area (TE2) has a depth of at least 0.1 millimeters (mm) with respect to the contact surface. (Para. 0036-0038)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claim(s) 4-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HSU et al. US 2019/0101821 A1 in view of Evers US 5,836,454, both previously cited.
With regards to claim 4, HSU (Fig. 6(a)(b)) discloses the claimed invention as stated above (first and second relief) but it does not specifically disclose the first relief area or the second relief surface includes a radiused region.
However, Evers (Fig. 3) teaches that it was known in the art to have a container that includes a relief area 46 that has a radiused region (Col 5:50-56). Evers further recites that it is known in the art that a relief area may have a beveled or radiused edge. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the relief area in HSU by providing a radiused region as taught by Evers for the purposes of allowing easier gliding of the cover over the base.
With regards to claim 5, the combination of HSU in view of Evers discloses a transition from the contact surface (S2; HSU) to the first relief area (BE2; HSU) or a transition from the contact surface (S2; HSU) to the second relief area (TE2; HSU) is radiused (Col 5:50-56).
Claim(s) 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HSU et al. US 2019/0101821 A1 in view CHUANG et al. US 2021/0033989 A1, both previously cited.
With regards to claim 8, HSU (Fig. 6(a)(b)) discloses the first relief area (BE2) but it does not specifically disclose the first relief area surrounds the outer perimeter of the contact surface.
However, CHUANG teaches that it was known in the art to have a reticle container have a relief area 44 surround the perimeter of the contact surface. (Para. 0032 and 0039, Fig. 5 and 6A)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the first relief area in HSU by having the first relief area surround the perimeter of the contact surface as taught by Evers for the purposes of preventing particles from entering the cavity of the container.
With regards to claim 9, HSU (Fig. 6(a)(b)) discloses the second relief area but it does not specifically disclose the second relief area is surrounded by the inner perimeter of the contact surface.
However, CHUANG teaches that it was known in the art to have a reticle container have a relief area 44 surrounded by the inner perimeter of the contact surface. (Para. 0032 and 0039, Fig. 5 and 6F)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the second relief area in HSU by having the second relief area surrounded by the inner perimeter of the contact surface as taught by Evers for the purposes of preventing particles from entering the cavity of the container.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 1/6/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The Applicant argues Hsu does not disclose the amended limitations “a reticle container having a cover and a baseplate, wherein at least one of the cover or the baseplate includes a contact surface. The contact surface comprises a continuous flat surface between the first relief area and the second relief area” because Hsu includes a dimple 50 that interrupts the contact surface S2, therefore, it is not considered a continuous flat surface. The Examiner respectfully disagrees. With regards to the claims presented and the reference Hsu, the contact surface S2 is considered a continuous flat surface between the first and second relief areas BE2/TE2, as shown in Fig. 6(a)(b)). The claim does not specify that the contact surface must extend all the way from the first relief area to the second relief area, just that there has to be continuous portion in between. Therefore, Hsu meets the claimed limitations.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JENINE SPICER whose telephone number is (313)446-4924. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00am-5:00pm, Monday-Thursday.
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/JENINE SPICER/Examiner, Art Unit 3736
/ORLANDO E AVILES/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3736