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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Paragraphs [0044-0045;0048] recite “jointing screws 234” and “joining screws 234” it appears the “jointing screws 234” should be rewritten to be “joining screws 234” to maintain consistent terminology with the specification and the claims.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claim 14 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In line 14, the claim recites “am” and should be rewritten to be “an”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-20 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1: In line 4, the claim recites “the top surface”. This limitation renders the claim indefinite because it lacks antecedent basis within the claim.
Claim 2: In line 2, the claim recites “the back surface”. This limitation renders the claim indefinite because it lacks antecedent basis within the claim.
Claim 4: In line 3, the claim recites “the top surface to the back surface of the base region”. This limitation renders the claim indefinite because it lacks antecedent basis within the claim.
Claim 4: In line 3, the claim recites “the back surface of the base region”. This limitation renders the claim indefinite because it lacks antecedent basis within the claim.
Claim 8: In line 4, the claim recites “the top surface”. This limitation renders the claim indefinite because it lacks antecedent basis within the claim.
Claim 9: In line 2, the claim recites “the back surface”. This limitation renders the claim indefinite because it lacks antecedent basis within the claim.
Claim 11: In line 5, the claim recites “the top surface to the back surface of the base region”. This limitation renders the claim indefinite because it lacks antecedent basis within the claim.
Claim 11: In line 5, the claim recites “the back surface of the base region”. This limitation renders the claim indefinite because it lacks antecedent basis within the claim.
Claim 14: In line 4, the claim recites “the top surface”. This limitation renders the claim indefinite because it lacks antecedent basis within the claim.
Claim 15: In line 2, the claim recites “the back surface”. This limitation renders the claim indefinite because it lacks antecedent basis within the claim.
Claim 17: In line 4, the claim recites “the top surface to the back surface of the base region”. This limitation renders the claim indefinite because it lacks antecedent basis within the claim.
Claim 17: In line 4, the claim recites “the back surface of the base region”. This limitation renders the claim indefinite because it lacks antecedent basis within the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-20 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 7. U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The closest prior art identified, Forderhase (US20180350654) teaches a semiconductor manufacturing system (100) comprising (Fig. 1A): a substrate holder (120) (Fig. 1A); wherein the substrate holder is configured with a plurality of pins (143); and a substrate displacing assembly (101) for displacing a substrate (110) on the substrate holder (120) in a first direction perpendicular to the top surface of the substrate holder (120) through the plurality of pins, wherein the substrate displacing assembly (101) comprises (Fig. 1A-1B) a pair of load forks (142), a coupler and a driving shaft (144, Fig. 1B), wherein the pair of load forks comprises a fork region and a base region (Fig. 1B); wherein the coupler is coupled to the base region (Fig. 1B); wherein the driving shaft is mechanically coupled to the coupler (Fig. 1B; [0030]).
Forderhase does not teach the coupler is mechanically coupled to the base region through at least one first joining screw extending in the first direction, wherein the coupler is further mechanically coupled to the driving shaft through a second joining screw extending in the first direction. Since there are no known references that in combination with all other limitations in the independent claims, the claims are determined to be novel and non-obvious.
Forderhase does not teach a clearance distance in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction, between an inner wall of the coupler to a side wall of the driving shaft is greater than 0.1 millimeters as recited in claims 8 and 14. Since there are no known references that in combination with all other limitations in the independent claims, the claims are determined to be novel and non-obvious.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Amanda J Kreiling whose telephone number is (571)272-6091. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5 EST.
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/Amanda Kreiling/Examiner, Art Unit 3726 2/5/26
/JASON L VAUGHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3726