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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “coupling to which a motor shaft of the motor is connected” (claim 12, Figures i.e. Figure 2 shows coupling 520 spaced from motor shaft 512) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 12 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 12 recites “The conditioning apparatus of The conditioning apparatus of” but does not recite which claim it is meant to depend from thereby rendering the claim indefinite. For the purpose of examination and compact prosecution, the claim will be interpreted as depending from independent claim 1.
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, 7-14, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20200346317 to Han in view of KR 20200043209 to Choi (see machine translation in file wrapper).
(a) Regarding claim 1:
(i) Han discloses a conditioning apparatus (see title) comprising:
an arm (arm module 110/210, Figs 1/14) configured to be rotated by an actuator (actuator 114/214, Figs 1/14);
a gimbaling part (disk module 140/240, Figs 1/14) disposed at one end of the arm (Figs 1/14) and disposed such that a lower end thereof protrudes outwardly of the arm (Figs 1/14) and an abrasive disc (conditioning disk 142, Fig 1) is installed thereon (Fig 1);
a frame unit (connection module 150/250, Figs 1/14) connected to the gimbaling part (Figs 1/14);
a rotation driving unit (driving module 130/230, Figs 1/14) connected to the gimbaling part (Figs 3/14) and configured to transfer driving force for rotating the abrasive disc (Par 0039);
a load applying unit (lifting module 120/220, Figs 1/14) connected to the frame unit and configured to elevate the frame unit (Pars 0043/0074).
(ii) Han does not disclose:
a universal joint connecting the gimbaling part to the rotation driving unit,
wherein the universal joint separates a center of gravity of the rotation driving unit from a center of gravity of the gimbaling part.
(iii) Choi is also in the field of conditioning apparatuses (see title) and teaches:
a rotation driving unit (rotating part 350, Fig 8),
a gimbaling part (disk holder 360, Fig 8),
a universal joint (gimbal structure 362, Fig 8, Par 0106) connecting the gimbaling part to the rotation driving unit (Par 0104),
wherein the universal joint separates a center of gravity of the rotation driving unit from a center of gravity of the gimbaling part (Fig 8).
(iv) 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 the conditioning apparatus as disclosed by Han with the above aforementioned universal joint as taught by Choi for the purpose of allowing the abrasive disk to maintain a state in contact with a polishing pad (Par 0105).
(b) Regarding claim 7:
(i) Han as modified by Choi teaches the conditioning apparatus of claim 1.
(ii) Han further discloses wherein the frame unit includes:
a first frame (upper extension plate 158/258, Figs 4/16) having a hollow ring shape (Figs 3/16);
a second frame (lower extension plate 156, Fig 4; top half of outer ring 252, Figs 16-18) coupled to one surface of the first frame (via airbag blocks 162/164, Fig 4; via airbags 261/263/265/267, Fig 18); and
a third frame (outer ring 152, Figs 3-5; bottom half of outer ring 252, Figs 16-18) coupled to one surface of the second frame (top surface of lower extension plate 156, Figs 4-5; Fig 18) and having a hollow ring shape (Figs 5/18), and
wherein the second frame includes a first coupling portion disposed on one surface and coupled to the first frame (top surface of lower extension plate 156 at radially outer edge via airbag blocks 162/164, Fig 4; top surface of outer ring 252 via airbags 261/263/265/267, Fig 18) and a second coupling portion disposed on an other surface (upper surface of lower extension plate 156 at radially inner edge, Figs 4-5; lower surface of top half of outer ring 252, Fig 18) and coupled to the third frame (Figs 4-5/18).
(c) Regarding claim 8:
(i) Han as modified by Choi teaches the conditioning apparatus of claim 7.
(ii) Han as modified by Choi does not teach wherein the universal joint includes a lower end disposed inside the second coupling portion of the second frame.
(iii) The Applicant has disclosed no criticality, nor any new or unexpected results, from having the universal joint lower end being disposed inside the second coupling portion of the second frame and the universal joint of the prior art would perform the same having a lower end being disposed inside the second coupling portion of the second frame. Mere rearrangement of parts supports a prima facie determination of obviousness, see MPEP 2144.04(VI)(C).
(iv) 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 the universal joint as taught by the combined teachings of Han as modified by Choi to have a lower end disposed inside the second coupling portion of the second frame as claimed through mere rearrangement of parts, see MPEP 2144.04(VI)(C).
(d) Regarding claim 9:
(i) Han as modified by Choi teaches the conditioning apparatus of claim 7.
(ii) Han further discloses wherein an air bag module (airbag module 160/260, Figs 4-5/16/18) is disposed between the first frame and the second frame to compensate for tilting of the gimbaling part (Pars 0059/0089).
(e) Regarding claim 10:
(i) Han as modified by Choi teaches the conditioning apparatus of claim 9.
(ii) Han further discloses wherein the air bag module is connected to an airline (air lines 192/194, Fig 1; air lines 292/294/296/298, Fig 14) for providing air pressure (Pars 0059/0089).
(f) Regarding claim 11:
(i) Han as modified by Choi teaches the conditioning apparatus of claim 9.
(ii) Han further discloses wherein the air bag module includes a plurality of air bag blocks (first and second airbag blocks 162/164, Fig 5; first through fourth airbag blocks 262/264/266/268, Fig 18) spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction (Figs 5/18).
(g) Regarding claim 12:
(i) Han as modified by Choi teaches the conditioning apparatus of claim 1.
(ii) Han further discloses wherein the rotation driving unit includes:
a motor generating rotational force (Par 0039); and a coupling to which a motor shaft of the motor is connected (unlabeled structures between driving module 230 and disk module 240, Fig 17).
(iii) Han does not disclose a reducer coupled to the coupling to reduce a rotational speed of the motor.
(iv) Choi further teaches a reducer (reduction gear, Par 0072; alternatively first gear 394a, Fig 7) coupled to a coupling (unlabeled shaft from driving source 392, Fig 3; alternatively second gear 394b, Fig 7) to reduce a rotational speed of the motor (Par 0072; alternatively second gear 394b is larger than first gear 394a which reduces rotational speed of second gear 394b, Fig 7).
(v) 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 the coupling as disclosed by Han with the above aforementioned reducer as taught by Choi for the purpose of decelerating the driving force of the driving source (Par 0072).
(vi) In the proposed combination the universal joint is located between the rotational driving unit and the gimbaling part (see rejection of claim 1 above) therefore the reducer of the proposed combination is connected to the universal joint.
(h) Regarding claim 13:
(i) Han as modified by Choi teaches the conditioning apparatus of claim 1.
(ii) Han further discloses wherein the load applying unit includes:
a double-acting cylinder generating driving force (pneumatic cylinder, Par 0040); and a power transmission bar (bracket 122/222, Figs 3/9/16-17/23) having one end for receiving the driving force of the double-acting cylinder (unlabeled horizontal flange of bracket 122/222 upon which the cylinder transmits the driving force, best seen in Figs 4/9),
an other end connected to the frame unit (Figs 3/9/16-17/23), and
a floating joint (unlabeled L-shaped structure between lifting module 120 and bracket 122, Figs 9/23) connected to the double-acting cylinder (Figs 9/23).
(iii) Han does not disclose a load cell coupled to the floating joint.
(iv) Choi further teaches
a floating joint (second coupler 320, Fig 8) connected to a double-acting cylinder (pressing part 310; Par 0095, Fig 8);
a load cell (measuring part 330, Fig 8) coupled to the floating joint (Par 0095, Fig 8); and
a power transmission bar (first coupler 340, bearing member 354, and piston member 316; Figs 8/10) having one end connected to the load cell (Par 0054, Figs 8/10).
(iv) 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 load applying unit as disclosed by Han with the above aforementioned load cell as taught by Choi for the purpose of measuring the pressing force applied to the abrasive disc by the load applying unit (Par 0077).
(i) Regarding claim 14:
(i) Han as modified by Choi teaches the conditioning apparatus of claim 1.
(ii) Han further discloses wherein the load applying unit includes a sliding member (unlabeled vertical arm engaged linear grooves/rails of lifting module 120/220, Figs 9/16/23) coupled to a linear motion guide (linear groove/rails of lifting module 120/220, Figs 9/16/23) and configured to slide according to elevation of the power transmission bar (reasonably disclosed in view of Figs 3/9/16/23).
(iii) Han discloses wherein the linear motion guide is fixed to the lifting module (120/220) and therefore does not disclose wherein the linear motion guide is fixed to an internal surface of the arm.
(iv) The Applicant has disclosed no criticality, nor any new or unexpected results, from having the linear motion guide be fixed to an internal surface of the arm and the prior art would perform the same having the linear motion guide be fixed to an internal surface of the arm. Mere rearrangement of parts supports a prima facie obviousness determination, see MPEP 2144.04(VI)(C).
(v) 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 the linear motion guide as disclosed by Han to be fixed to an internal surface of the arm as claimed through mere rearrangement of parts, see MPEP 2144.04(VI)(C).
(j) Regarding claim 16:
(i) Han as modified by Choi teaches the conditioning apparatus of claim 1.
(ii) Han further discloses a displacement sensor (sensor module 280, Fig 23) connected to the frame unit (Fig 23).
Claim(s) 2-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20200346317 to Han in view of KR 20200043209 to Choi (see machine translation in file wrapper) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of KR 101951186 to Kim (see machine translation in file wrapper).
(a) Regarding claim 2:
(i) Han as modified by Choi teaches the conditioning apparatus of claim 1.
(ii) Han as modified by Choi further teaches wherein the gimbaling part includes a disc holder (Han: upper portion of disk module 140/240, Figs 1/4/17) having one surface (Han: lower surface thereof, Figs 1/4/17) on which the abrasive disc is installed (Han: Figs 1/4/17) and having an other surface (Han: top surface of disk module 140/240, Figs 1/4/17) on which a coupling shaft portion (Han: upwards extending unlabeled shaft portion of disk module 140/240, Figs 1/4/17) connected to the universal joint is provided (see rejection of claim 1 above).
(iii) Han as modified by Choi does not teach wherein the gimbaling part includes a housing disposed around the disc holder; a first bearing disposed inside the housing; and a second bearing disposed inside the first bearing.
(iv) Kim is also in the field of conditioner apparatuses (see title) and teaches:
a gimbaling part (conditioning disk unit 40, first member 81, and second member 82; Fig 5);
wherein the gimbaling part includes a housing (first member 81 and second member 82, Fig 5; alternatively, case 30a, Fig 5) disposed around the disc holder (Fig 5);
a first bearing (connecting bearing 84 mislabeled in the Figures as reference numeral 88, Fig 5) disposed inside the housing (Fig 5); and
a second bearing (alignment/centering bearing 86, Fig 5) disposed inside the first bearing (Fig 5).
(v) 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 the gimbaling part with the above aforementioned housing, first bearing, and second bearing as taught by Kim for the purpose of allowing the gimbaling part to be controllably tilted (Par 0017) allowing for controlled adjusting of the pressing force of the abrasive disk particularly near the center and outer edges of a polishing pad (Par 0015).
(b) Regarding claim 3:
(i) Han as modified by Choi as further modified by Kim teaches the conditioning apparatus of claim 2.
(ii) Kim further teaches wherein the disc holder includes:
a disc holder body (first member 81, Fig 5) including a protrusion (radially inner portion of axial protrusion receiving alignment/centering bearing 86, Fig 5) from which the coupling shaft portion (radially outer portion of protrusion extending from the protrusion in a direction opposite alignment/centering bearing 86, Fig 5) extends and
a protruding wall portion (radially extending portion of first member 81 receiving connecting bearing 84 shown as 88 in Fig 5) disposed to surround the protrusion (Fig 5);
a first installation member (surfaces of recess in first member 81 abutting connecting bearing 84 shown as 88 in Fig 5) forming a space in which the first bearing is installed together with the protruding wall portion (Fig 5); and
a second installation member (portion abutting alignment/centering bearing 86, Fig 5) forming a space in which the second bearing is installed together with the protrusion (Fig 5).
(c) Regarding claim 4:
(i) Han as modified by Choi as further modified by Kim teaches the conditioning apparatus of claim 3.
(ii) Kim further teaches wherein a first fixing member (second member 82, Fig 5) preventing separation of the first bearing is installed on an upper surface of the protruding wall portion (Fig 5).
(d) Regarding claim 5:
(i) Han as modified by Choi as further modified by Kim teaches the conditioning apparatus of claim 2.
(ii) Kim further teaches wherein the first ball bearing is a deep groove ball bearing (Fig 5).
(e) Regarding claim 6:
(i) Han as modified by Choi as further modified by Kim teaches the conditioning apparatus of claim 2.
(ii) Kim further teaches wherein the second ball bearing is a self-aligning ball bearing (Par 0051/0089/0097, Fig 11).
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20200346317 to Han in view of KR 20200043209 to Choi (see machine translation in file wrapper) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of KR 101163874 to Seo (see machine translation in file wrapper).
(a) Regarding claim 15:
(i) Han as modified by Choi teaches the conditioning apparatus of claim 14.
(ii) Han further discloses wherein the sliding member is connected to a third frame provided in the frame unit (via bracket 122/22, Figs 4/9/16-17/23).
(iii) Han does not disclose wherein the load applying unit includes a connection member connecting the sliding member to the third frame provided in the frame unit.
(iv) Seo is also in the field of CMP (see title) and teaches a linear motion guide (linear guide rail 144, Fig 10) engaged with a slidable member (unlabeled blocks which slide along linear guide rail 144, Fig 10) and a third frame (frame supporting cylinder 142 and attached to moving body 143, Fig 10), wherein a connection member (moving body 143, Fig 10) connects the sliding member to the third frame (Fig 10).
(v) 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 load applying unit as taught by Han as modified by Choi with the above aforementioned connection member as taught by Seo for the purpose of connecting the slidable member to the third frame (Par 0061).
wherein the center of gravity of the gimbaling part and the center of the gimbaling part are disposed within the protrusion.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 17 allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the closest prior art is US 20200346317 to Han in view of KR 20200043209 to Choi as described in the rejections above however the prior art does not disclose, teach, nor suggest wherein the center of gravity of the gimbaling part and the center of the gimbaling part are disposed within the protrusion.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 20170291278 to Lee teaches a CMP apparatus comprising linear motion guides (431/432, Fig 5). KR 20200053184 to Yoon teaches a conditioner apparatus whose driving module is connected to a gimbal part via a universal joint and/or self-aligning bearing (Par 0060, Fig 4). US 8662956 to Seo teaches a conditioning apparatus comprising a reducer (gear 252, Fig 6a) to reduce the speed of a motor shaft. US 6306008 to Moore teaches a conditioning apparatus whose gimbaling part is connected via a gimbal joint (163, Fig 2) whose deflection is measured by a deflection sensor (180a, Fig 2).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Justin A Pruitt whose telephone number is (571)272-8383. The examiner can normally be reached T-F 8:30am - 6:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nathaniel Wiehe can be reached at (571) 272-8648. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JUSTIN A PRUITT/Examiner, Art Unit 3745
/NATHANIEL E WIEHE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3745