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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 08/18/2026 as been entered.
Specification
The amendment to specification filed on 08/18/2026 is accepted.
Status of Claims
Claims 10-17 and 24 are cancelled. Claims 1-9 and 18-23 are pending. Claims 1, 18, 19 and 22 are amended. Claims 1 and 18 are independent claims. Previously withdrawn claims 18-20 are rejoined. Claims 1-9 and 18-23 are currently examined on the merits.
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 18-20 are 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
The recited in claim 1 “…producing a single crystal semiconductor ingot from a semiconductor melt… cause a semiconductor melt… pulling a single crystal semiconductor ingot …” constitutes an indefinite subject matter. It is not clear whether “a semiconductor melt” and “a single crystal semiconductor ingot” refers to the previously recited “a semiconductor melt” and “a single crystal semiconductor ingot” or not. Therefore, the metes and bounds of claim 18 are not readily ascertainable. Clarification and/or correction are/is required. Claims 19-20 are rejected because they depend on claim 18.
Allowable Claims
Claims 1-9 and 21-23 are allowed.
The following is an examiner' s statement of reasons for allowance: the closest prior art of record to Yu Chongjiang (CN 115961336 A, machine translation, “Yu”) teaches an ingot puller, but does not teach, disclose, anticipate or reasonably suggest that the opening pins engage the dumper when extended into the ingot receiving chamber to release the dumper sidewall from the dumper bottom as the dumper is moved towards the lowered position, wherein the opening pins are selectively positionable between a first position, in which the opening pins extend a first distance into the ingot receiving chamber, and a second position, in which the opening pins are either retracted to a position that is outside of the ingot receiving chamber or retracted to a second distance in the ingot receiving chamber that is less than the first distance, as recited in claim 1. Claims 2-9 and 21-23 are allowed because they depend on claim 1.
Claims 18-20 would be also allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action. Also, to be allowable, the rejoined claims must meet all criteria for patentability including the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 101, 102, 103 and 112. No new matter should be introduced into claims. The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the closest prior art of record to Yu Chongjiang (CN 115961336 A, machine translation, “Yu”) teaches an ingot puller, but does not teach, disclose, anticipate or reasonably suggest that “controlling… the opening pins to extend to a first position in which the opening pins extend a first distance into the ingot receiving chamber… controlling… the opening pins to retract from the first position within the ingot receiving chamber to a second position in which the opening pins are either retracted to a position that is outside of the ingot receiving chamber or retracted to a second distance in the ingot receiving chamber that is less than the first distance” as recited in claim 18.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Hua Qi whose telephone number is (571)272-3193. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-6pm.
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/HUA QI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1714
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