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 .
Status of the claims
Claims 1, 2, 4-8, 10, 14, 15, 18, 21, 22 is/are amended, claims 19, 43, 47, 49, 82, 85, 86 is/are cancelled and claims 99-105 is/are added. Currently claims 1, 2, 4-8, 10, 14, 15, 18, 21, 22, 99-105 are pending in this application.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4, 5, 10, 14, 15, 18, 21, 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kazuhiro et al (JP 2013242003 A) in view of Carson et al (20210356041) further in view of Suhr et al (20110012341).
Regarding claim(s) 1, 2, 4, 5, Kazuhiro discloses a system for processing articles (fluid control to workpieces, semiconductor manufacturing, translation Page 1, last 2 Paras), the system comprising: a fluid supply (8) configured to supply a process fluid; a working area (W1-W5) configured to process articles; and a fluid delivery module 1, the fluid delivery module comprising: an inlet 12 fluidly coupled to the fluid supply; an outlet fluidly coupled to working area; a flow passage (pathways inside manifold 7,8,9,10,2A-2E of Fig 3) extending from the inlet to the outlet;; a first component 11,12 for controlling flow, the first component comprising a first port (connection to 2A), a second port 8 comprising a connection (at port 8), and a first flow path (with valve 12) extending from the first port to the second port, the first flow path forming a first portion of the flow passage; a substrate assembly 2A-2E, the substrate assembly comprising: a first substrate block 2A comprising a first port (connection to 8); a second substrate block 2B comprising a first port (bottom connection to 2A in Fig 3), a second flow path (portion of 26 in 21A) extending from the first port (connection to 8) of the first substrate block 2A to the first port (bottom connection to 2A in Fig 3) of the second substrate block 2B, the second flow path forming a second portion of the flow passage; wherein the first port of the first component is coupled to the first port of the first substrate block of the substrate assembly so that the first flow path (with valve 12) is fluidly coupled to the second flow path (portion of 26 in 21A).
Kazuhiro fails to disclose semiconductor production working area as a process chamber. Kazuhiro fails to disclose substrate assembly mounted to a substrate panel. Kazuhiro fails to disclose fluid elements interfaces having corresponding seal cavities with seal. Carson teaches a system for processing articles (Para 2, chip fabrication), the system comprising: a fluid supply (100) configured to supply a process fluid; a process chamber 1300 configured to process articles; and a fluid delivery module 1400, the fluid delivery module comprising: a substrate assembly 100 mounted to the substrate panel 1402. Kazuhiro, Fig 4B, discloses fluidic elements with mutual interfaces 114,214 having corresponding seal cavities with seal 300.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Kazuhiro with working area as a process chamber as taught by Carson in order to provide secure working facility.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Kazuhiro with substrate assembly mounted to a substrate panel as taught by Carson in order to improve structural organization of the fluid delivery module.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Kazuhiro with sealing cavities at inlet/outlet connections of inlet valve component and at inlet side of first substrate and at first ports of substrates with seals in each sealing cavity as taught by Carson in order to improve leakage protection.
Kazuhiro fails to disclose substrate blocks having male and female connectors at mutual interfaces. Suhr, Fig 5 discloses a substrate assembly comprising: a substrate blocks each having two flowthrough passages, having male connectors 20, first female connectors 22 at mutual interfaces with other substrate blocks, wherein each male connector 20 of one substrate block forms a fluid-tight connection with the female connector 22 of the adjacent substrate block. Each interface of substrate block has one male and one female connector mating with female and male connector of the adjacent substrate block.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Kazuhiro with substrate blocks each having male connectors and first female connectors at mutual interfaces with other substrate blocks as described above as taught by Carson in order to improve alignment.
As to claim 10, Kazuhiro as modified discloses a third substrate block 2C, the third substrate block, the third substrate block 2C coupled to the second substrate block 2B. In view of Suhr, third substrate block 2C would also have male connectors and first female connectors, one each at both side interfaces to 2B and 2D.
As to claim 14, Kazuhiro as modified discloses a longitudinal axis extending through the first substrate block 2A and the second substrate block 2B, the first and second substrate blocks each having a length measured along the longitudinal axis, wherein the length of the first substrate block 2A and the second substrate block 2B are equal.
As to claim 15, Kazuhiro as modified discloses a third substrate block (combination of 2C and 2D considered as a “substrate block”), the third substrate block 2C.2D having a length measured along the longitudinal axis, the length of the third substrate block being different (double) than the lengths of the first and second substrate blocks 2A and 2B.
As to claim 18, Kazuhiro as modified discloses first substrate block 2A further comprises a tube portion (internal passage 26), the tube portion fluidly coupled to the first port (connection to 8).
As to claims 21 and 22, Kazuhiro as modified discloses (as taught by Suhr) teaches each male connector has a cylindrical protuberance (larger diameter portion of 20) and an annular ring (smaller dimeter portion of 20) extending from a distal end of the cylindrical protuberance and each first female connector 22 comprises a cylindrical cavity (smaller diameter portion of hole of 22 and an annular groove (smaller diameter portion of 22) formed into a floor of the cylindrical cavity.
Claim(s) 99 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kazuhiro et al (JP 2013242003 A) in view of Carson et al (20210356041) further in view of Suhr et al (20110012341) further in view of Fukano et al (5462087).
Kazuhiro as modified discloses substrate assembly further comprises a fasteners (in holes 21g), and a longitudinal axis, the first and second fasteners extending through the first and second substrate blocks in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis but fails to explicitly disclose fastener compressing blocks together. Fukano teaches assembling together fluid blocks by fasteners 88,84,90,86 which compress together the blocks.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Kazuhiro as modified with fastener compressing blocks together as taught by Fukano in order to improve fluid sealing.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-8, 103-105 are allowed. Claim(s) 100-102 is/are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 07/06/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant’s arguments regarding Kazuhiro that “Kazuhiro is not written in English and the Applicant was unable to find an equivalent patent application written in English. As such, the disclosure of Kazuhiro is unclear without a certified translation thereof” are not persuasive since Examiner provided a machine translation with Office Action of 04/03/2026. MPEP 2120 states: Examiners may rely on a machine translation of a foreign language document unless the machine translation is not of sufficient quality to be adequate evidence of the contents of the document. See In re Orbital Technologies Corporation, 603 Fed. App’x 924, 932 (Fed. Cir. 2015)
Fukano is cited to show teaching of fastener compressing blocks together.
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 Atif Chaudry at phone number 571-270-3768. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (9:30AM-6:00PM EST).
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/ATIF H CHAUDRY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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