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 Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Juma (US 20200309366) in view of Mu (US 20200224872).
Regarding claim 1, Juma teaches an inlet head assembly “for an abatement apparatus for abating an effluent stream from a semiconductor processing tool” (This is intended use), said inlet head assembly comprising:
an inlet head (40, fig 1);
a pilot nozzle (nozzle 51 in the middle of the group of three nozzles 51, shown in fig 3), extending within said inlet head and “configured to supply at least one pilot combustion reagent stream to a downstream abatement chamber of said abatement apparatus” (This is functional limitation, the nozzle 51 as designated is capable of performing this function); and
a plurality of inlet nozzles (the other two nozzles 51 of the group of three nozzles 51), each extending within said inlet head,
wherein each of the plurality of inlet nozzles is provided with a first outer nozzle (21’, fig 3) “configured to deliver fuel as an annular curtain surrounding the effluent stream” (nozzle 21’ is capable of performing this function) and a second outer nozzle (22’, fig 3) around the first outer nozzle and “configured to deliver oxidant as an annular curtain surrounding the fuel” (nozzle 22’ is capable of performing this function).
Juma fails to teach the plurality of inlet nozzles each extending at an angle between 5° and 60° with respect to the axial orientation (horizontal direction in fig 2) of said pilot nozzle.
Mu teaches a plurality of inlet nozzles (23, fig 4a-4B) each extending at an angle between 5° and 60° with respect to an axial orientation ([0100] “the angle between the central longitudinal axis of the fuel outlet 28 and the central longitudinal axis of the air pipe may be in a range from about 30 degrees to about 90 degrees”. Mu states that angle can be 30 degree)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Juma as taught by Mu by arranging the plurality of inlet nozzles in 30 with respect to the axial orientation in order to direct effluent stream at a desired angle to create desired combustion effect.
Regarding claim 2, Juma in view of Mu teaches said plurality of inlet nozzles are at least one of:
positioned to at least partially surround said pilot nozzle (see Juma fig 3);
positioned circumferentially around said pilot nozzle;
equally spaced circumferentially around said pilot nozzle; and
positioned on a pitch circle around said pilot nozzle.
Regarding claim 3, Juma in view of Mu teaches said plurality of inlet nozzles and said pilot nozzle are positioned to space apart from each other (see Juma fig 3).
Regarding claim 4, Juma in view of Mu teaches said pilot nozzle “is configured to initiate combustion of said at least one pilot combustion reagent stream” (This is functional limitation, pilot nozzle is capable of performing this function) and said plurality of inlet nozzles are “configured to supply at least one combustion reagent stream with said effluent stream and are positioned to propagate combustion of said at least one combustion reagent stream supplied by each inlet nozzle from said at least one pilot combustion reagent stream” (This is functional limitation. The plurality of inlet nozzle is capable of supplying combustion reagent stream with effluent stream, and propagate combustion of stream from inlet nozzles).
Regarding claim 5, Juma in view of Mu teaches said pilot nozzle comprises an inner nozzle (Juma 21’ of the central nozzle 51, fig 3) “configured to supply a first combustion reagent stream” (This is functional limitation) and an outer nozzle (Juma 22’ of the central nozzle 51, fig 3) “configured to supply a second combustion reagent stream as an annular curtain at least partially surrounding said first combustion reagent stream” (This is functional limitation).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KO-WEI LIN whose telephone number is (571)270-7675. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6:30-2:30 Eastern Time.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Helena Kosanovic can be reached at (571)272-9059. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/KO-WEI LIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3762
