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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of the species of Fig. 1 in the reply filed on 7/14/26 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that the respective species in the present application (Embodiments 1-4) share common technical features and thus are not patentably distinct from one another. This is not found persuasive because the application was filed under 35 USC 111(a) and not 35 USC 371, under which the concept of common technical feature and unity of invention apply. Hence, the argument is moot, since it is arguing under the incorrect statute. The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL. Claims 3, 5, 6 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 7/14/26.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4, 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mitsuyoshi (US 20100068014) in view of Sano (US 20060137726).
Regarding claim 1. Mitsuyoshi teaches in the drawings a substrate treating apparatus (ubstrate processing apparatus 10 [75 76]) for successively performing batch treatment for processing a plurality of substrates collectively ([77]) and single-wafer treatment for processing the substrates one by one (a batch is a plurality of single wafers that are treated individually, such as in separate slots on a boat/cassette; additionally, this is an intended use, MPEP 2114), the substrate treating apparatus comprising: a batch process tank (eg chemical bath/tanks 21-24 [77]) configured to perform treatment on the plurality of substrates collectively ([77]); a batch substrate transport mechanism (lifters 27 28 [78 79]) configured to transport the substrates in a vertical posture ([78]) collectively to the batch process tank ([78 79]); but does not teach a single-wafer processing chamber configured to perform treatment on the substrates one by one, a horizontal substrate transport mechanism configured to transport the substrates in a horizontal posture one by one to the single-wafer processing chamber; However, Sano teaches in fig. 1 a single-wafer processing chamber (43 single wafer treating station [155]) configured to perform treatment on the substrates one by one ([155 157] drying, cleaning),
a horizontal substrate transport mechanism (transport mech 45 [155 156]) configured to transport the substrates in a horizontal posture one by one to the single-wafer processing chamber ([155 156] fig. 1, top view, 45 transfer a single wafer in horizontal state). It would be obvious to those skilled in the art at the time of the invention to modify Mitsuyoshi to have improved throughput of the treating apparatus [194] and provide the transfer mechanism to enable said single-wafer chamber processing [192]. Mitsuyoshi further teaches a posture turning mechanism (at least posture changing mech 5 [86] and 105) configured to turn a posture of the substrates ([86-92]), on which the batch treatment is performed (as prev discussed, [90] both processed/unprocessed batch wafers transferred to/from via 5), from vertical to horizontal ([92]), the posture turning mechanism including: a substrate holder (holding portion 105 [93]) configured to hold the substrates in the vertical posture (fig. 10) that are transported by the batch substrate transport mechanism (fig. 2ab, 105 holds the wafers that transported to/from 3 to/from 27/28, as prev disc, to/from 5, fig. 10, 11) and arranged at a predetermined pitch ([94-97]); and a posture turning unit (posture changing mech 5) configured to receive the substrates from the substrate holder ([94]) and turn a posture of the substrates from vertical to horizontal (as prev discussed), the posture turning unit including: two horizontal holders (pair of first holding mech 51/pair of horizontal holding members 56 [108])
configured to house two sides of each of the substrates (fig. 3, 10, 11, both edges of each substrate housed/held) opposite to each other (fig. 3a, the edges are held opposite/across each other) in a radial direction (the held positions are opposite in the outer radial direction across from the radial wafer center fig. 3a) and place the substrates thereon at the predetermined pitch ([108]) when the substrates are in the horizontal posture ([108] since they are held by the horizontal holder 58/51 in the horizontal posture, as prev disc, fig. 3ab, 10, 11); two vertical holders (pair of second holding mech 52/pair of vertical rod members 60 [110]) configured to house two sides of each of the substrates (fig. 3ab, the 52 hold/house two opposing edges of each wafer), and provided below the horizontal holders (fig. 10de, 52 below 51) and configured to hold the substrates in the vertical posture when the substrates are in the vertical posture (fig. 3ab, 10, 11, the 52/60 holding the wafers in the vertical position); but does not teach an opening and closing portion configured to move the two vertical holders between a holding position where a gap between the two vertical holders is narrowed for holding the substrates with the two vertical holders and a passing position where the gap between the two vertical holders is widened for passing the substrates through the two vertical holders; however, Mitsuyoshi teaches in fig. 7-9 in another
transfer/holder mechanism 73/75, an opening and closing portion (cylinders 142 152 [135]) configured to move the two vertical holders (moves the vert guides 140/150) between a holding position where a gap between the two vertical holders is narrowed for holding the substrates with the two vertical holders and a passing position where the gap between the two vertical holders is widened for passing the substrates through the two vertical holders ([135-137 141-146]). It would be obvious to those skilled in the art at the time of invention to modify Mitsuyoshi to allow more control in transferring substrates, such as via defined open/close transfer states [135-137], Mitsuyoshi teaches a supporting portion (rotation block 50, fig. 3-10) configured to support the two horizontal holders and the two vertical holders (fig. 3-10, the 51/52 held/supported by 50); a longitudinal rotator (motor 55 [107]) configured to rotate the supporting portion around a horizontal axis (fig. 1-3, the 55 rotates 50, 55’s rotational axis is horizontal/lateral, fig. 1-2) so as to direct the two vertical holders to the horizontal substrate transport mechanism in order to turn the posture of the substrates from vertical to horizontal (fig. 10, 11, 2b, 3a showing 55 can rotate 5 and its 51/52 from vert to horizontal which allows it to deliver/align with other horizontal transfer devices such as said horizontal fork based substrate mech, eg Sano 45 and similar to 4 of Mitsuyoshi fig. 1-2); But does not teach a moving unit configure to move the supporting portion and the longitudinal rotator between a substrate stand-by region where the substrate holder is arranged and a substrate posture turning region
for turning the posture of the substrates from vertical to horizontal; however Sano teaches a moving unit (swiveling of entire posture adjusters 143 61 [200 243]) configure to move the supporting portion and the longitudinal rotator (since the entire 143/61 can be swiveled, equivalent to swiveling entire 5, eg including 50 49 55) between a substrate stand-by region where the substrate holder is arranged (eg fig. 9 61 can swivel to a 63 wafer delivery holder/equiv to 105) and a substrate posture turning region for turning the posture of the substrates from vertical to horizontal (this can be done in any position, since the posture change of vert to/from horizontal is dependent on the rotation rod 55, independent to entire 5). It would be obvious to those skilled in the art at invention time to modify Mitsuyoshi to provide movement flexibility to enhance delivery/reception of wafers [200]. Mitsuyoshi teaches the moving unit moving the supporting portion and the longitudinal rotator to the substrate stand-by region when the substrates in the vertical posture are held by the substrate holder (as discussed, fig. 10, 11, the swiveling of entire 5, including the support/rotator portions, to face 105 is when the wafers are vertical), the two vertical holders
being moved to the holding position by the opening and closing portion (as prev discussed, the cylinders can release or hold the wafers in the vertical position, further, this does not structurally limit the apparatus, MPEP 2114), whereby the two vertical holders hold the substrates in the vertical posture held by the substrate holder (eg fig. 10d-k 52 holding the vertical wafers which are later held/delivered by 105), whereas the two horizontal holders house the substrates held by the two vertical holders (fig. 10, 3a, the 51 also holding/housing the wafers held by 52), the moving unit moving the supporting portion and the longitudinal rotator to the substrate posture turning region (as prev discussed) while the substrates are held by the two vertical holders (as prev discussed, 51 52 always hold the wafers before delivery regardless of swivel position, as prev discussed), the longitudinal rotator rotating the supporting portion around the horizontal axis (as prev discussed, eg figs. 3, 10, 11), thereby turning the posture of the substrates from vertical to horizontal (fig. 10, 11), the opening and closing portion moving the two vertical holders into the passing position (as prev disc, when the cylinders release) when the posture of the substrates is turned to horizontal (this is an intended use, further, fig. 2a, shows the horizontal wafer state
which would be for the pass state to release the wafers to 4), and the horizontal substrate transport mechanism taking the substrates in the horizontal posture one by one (fig. 2a, eg equivalent to 4 taking single wafers in the horiz state) while the substrates pass between the two vertical holders moved into the passing position (as prev discussed), and transporting the taken substrates to the single-wafer processing chamber (as prev discussed).
Regarding claim 2. Mitsuyoshi in view of Sano teaches the substrate treating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the posture turning unit further includes a lateral rotator (as part of said moving unit, eg a mechanical actuator, rotation shaft or gear element) configured to rotate the supporting portion around a rotary axis that is orthogonal to an alignment direction of the substrates and extends in a direction orthogonal to the horizontal axis (eg the swivel is a partial rotation, which is around a vertical axis/normal to horizontal aligned wafers and axis), and the moving unit moves the supporting portion, the lateral rotator, and the longitudinal rotator (the swivel unit as a whole moves the entire 5, eg 46 50 55 and also at least some parts of the moving unit, such as a rotary shaft, gear or actuator that move with the swiveling).
Regarding claim 4. Mitsuyoshi in view of Sano teaches the substrate treating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the two vertical holders include plural-paired holding grooves (fig. 3b the 52 has grooves for a wafer, which are paired w/ both holders since the wafer is slotted neatly/smooth in the cross-view) for holding the substrates one by one (fig. 3b) and plural-paired passing grooves for passing the substrates one by one (all the grooves can both hold and pass, depending on the cylinder pulling/pushing the holders), the plural-paired holding grooves and the plural-paired passing grooves are arranged alternately in pairs (since all the grooves perform both, they are both the same and can alternate in name), and the two vertical holders are moved to the holding position by the opening and closing portion (as prev discussed), whereby a first divided substrate group, made by taking every other substrate out of the substrates held by the substrate holder in the vertical posture, is held with the plural-paired holding grooves, and the two horizontal holders house the first divided substrate group (this is an intended use operation, which does not limit apparatus structure nor has patentable weight, MPEP 2114; further, various transfer/holding configurations can be adjusted according to a user’s desired operation; the horizontal holders always hold the wafers in the horizontal position as prev discussed).
Regarding claim 8. Mitsuyoshi in view of Sano teaches the substrate treating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the horizontal axis is positioned higher than the substrates in the vertical posture held by the two vertical holders (horizontal axis is not an apparatus structure and can be referenced to any arbitrary horizontal axis, hence one higher than vertically held substrates by 52), and the supporting portion supports the two horizontal holders and the two vertical holders (as prev disc, 50 supporting 51, 52) via the two horizontal holders from a side opposite to the two vertical holders (50 supports 52 via 51 via 88 when 52 is below 51, eg fig. 10d, since 88 holds both 52/51 onto 50 and 52 is latched, at least partially, by to 51 by 88).
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mitsuyoshi (US 20100068014) in view of Sano (US 20060137726) and Kanagawa (US 20210111038).
Regarding claim 7. Mitsuyoshi view of Sano teaches the substrate treating apparatus according to claim 1, but does not teach wherein the moving unit is positioned higher than the substrates in the vertical posture held by the two vertical holders. However, Kanagawa teaches in fig. 7 the moving unit is positioned higher than the substrates in the vertical posture held by the two vertical holders (if Mitsuyoshi 5 is applied from the ceiling like Fig. 7, the base swivel unit will be attached to the ceiling [109] and higher than vertically held wafers in the 52 at the 541 position Fig. 7). It would be obvious to those skilled in the art at invention time to modify Mitsuyoshi to prevent unwanted dripping [109 110].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YUECHUAN YU whose telephone number is (571)272-7190. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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/YUECHUAN YU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1718
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