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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see amendments and remarks addressing the amendments, filed 9/17/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1, 2 and 6 under 35 USC 103a have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of newly applied Kurihara.
Kurihara makes obvious wherein the plurality of the conveying paths are parallel to each other, so that the plurality of the carriers are movable along the respective conveying paths in a mutually parallel manner. Kurihara discloses using belt conveyors (labelled with the number “C” followed by a number, such as C11, C12, etc), resulting in wherein the plurality of the conveying paths are parallel to each other, so that the plurality of the carriers are movable along the respective conveying paths in a mutually parallel manner. Paragraph 0144 discloses that the parallel conveyors can be used for bypass conveyors. See paragraph 0144, disclosing “In other words, each ball printer 31, 32 may have a plurality of bypass conveyors arranged in parallel. In this case, the bypass conveyors may be used as standby positions for the substrates B.”.
See also paragraph 0032-33, disclosing:
[0032] The import conveyor C11 is a device which conveys the substrate B supplied from the loader L to the flux application unit F. The import conveyor C11 has, for example, a drive wheel (not shown) driven by a motor (not shown) and a ring-shaped belt conveyor set on the drive wheel. A pair of belt conveyors extending in a right-left direction is schematically illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0033] The export conveyor C12 is a device which conveys the substrate B processed by the flux application unit F to a downstream side. The export conveyor C12 has the same structure as that of the above-mentioned import conveyor C11 (the same applies to the other conveyors C311, C312, C321 and C322).
See also Figure 1, below:
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to have utilized wherein the plurality of the conveying paths are parallel to each other, so that the plurality of the carriers are movable along the respective conveying paths in a mutually parallel manner as suggested by Kurihara in order to achieve bypass conveyors and parallel processing.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are:
“transferring welding device” in claim 1. The specification discloses that the corresponding structure to perform the recited function is: “The transferring welding device includes a transferring head 33 and a laser module 35. The transferring head 33 takes miniature light emitting diodes by a taking force, and takes a plurality of miniature light emitting diodes at a time for raising the transferring efficiency. The laser module 35 is adapted to perform the welding process to the miniature light emitting diodes attached to the display substrate 70 by the transferring head 33, so as to finish the manufacture of the display substrate.”
“defect inspecting device” in claim 1 and 4. The specification discloses that the corresponding structure to perform the recited function is: “The defect inspecting device 43 is, for example, AOI (automated optical inspection).” The specification also discloses “The digital camera (charge coupled device, CCD) of the defect inspecting device 43 is adapted to inspect the relation between the miniature light emitting diodes of the display substrate 71 and the defect of the display substrate 71, so as to find out the problem of the defect, such as broken miniature light emitting diodes, circuit defect or others.”
“mending device” in claim 1. The specification discloses that the corresponding structure to perform the recited function is: “The mending device includes a mending head 53, a replacement zone 55, a removing module 57, and a laser module 59. The mending head 53 is adapted to take the miniature light emitting diode. The replacement zone 55 stores other mending heads for the replacement of the mending head 53. Every mending head 53 can take the miniature light emitting diodes of different amounts and arranged patterns. The miniature light emitting diode located at the defect position of the display substrate is removed by the removing module 57 in a removing manner of, for example, laser desoldering the miniature light emitting diode and removing the miniature light emitting diode, or directly breaking the miniature light emitting diode by laser. The laser module 59 is adapted to perform a welding process to the miniature light emitting diode attached to the defect position.”
“visual identification device” in claim 3 and 4. The specification discloses that the corresponding structure to perform the recited function is: “the visual identification device 45 is, for example, API (appearance defect inspection).” The specification also discloses “In this embodiment, the relatively larger scope of inspection is performed by the visual identification device 45 to efficiently determine the defect existing in the display substrate 71. Then, the detailed inspection is performed by the defect inspecting device 43 to determine the problem of the defect. However, in other embodiments, the visual identification device 45 can be omitted, and the defects are inspected by the defect inspecting device 43 one by one.”
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
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 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2021187856 A1 (English equivalent available as US 20220384675 A1, citations to the US publication), CN 112091447 A and Kurihara (US 20150097025 A1).
As to claim 1, WO 2021187856 A1 discloses a display device manufacturing apparatus comprising:
a working platform (including stage 21 and 22) comprising a conveying path, and a carrier (stage 21 and 22) disposed on the conveying path, the carrier being adapted to carry and test a display substrate (see paragraphs 0049-52, disclosing:
[0049] The first stage 21 may include a supporter of roughly a ring shape or a quadrangle frame shape. That is, the first stage 21 may be formed with a periphery configured to grasp an edge part of the transfer substrate and an opening toward an inside of the periphery. The opening may be provided to have a size of an extent so as to not interfere with the LEDs arrayed on the transfer substrate from falling to the target substrate which is positioned at the lower side of the transfer substrate when the laser beam is radiated to the transfer substrate.
[0050] The first stage 21 may be moved in the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis by a driver. The first stage 21 may be configured to move along a guide rail which is vertically cross-disposed in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and move in the Z-axis direction together with the guide rail. The first stage 21 may be disposed at an arbitrary position so as to not interfere with the laser oscillator 10 when operating a loading and unloading of the transfer substrate.
[0051] The second stage 22 may be formed in a plate shape which does not include an opening unlike the first stage 21.
[0052] The second stage 22 may be disposed at a certain distance from the lower part of the first stage 21 when transferring. The second stage 22 may be moved in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction by a different driver than the driver associated with the first stage 21. The second stage 22 may be configured to move along the guide rail which is vertically cross-disposed in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and move in the Z-axis direction together with the guide rail. The second stage 22 may be disposed at an arbitrary position so as to not interfere with the laser oscillator 10 when operating the loading and unloading of the target substrate.
);
a transferring station disposed on the working platform and comprising a transferring welding device, the transferring welding device being adapted to take a plurality of miniature light emitting diodes (see paragraph 0004, disclosing “micro LEDs of a size of less than or equal to 100 μm”) and weld the taken plurality of miniature light emitting diodes on the display substrate located on the carrier (see paragraph 0063, disclosing:
[0063] Referring to FIG. 3, the target substrate 40 may be transferred with multiple LEDs from a relay substrate through the laser transfer process. In this case, the target substrate 40 may be transferred with multiple pixels including sub pixels 51 (which may include red, green and blue LEDs) at a first pixel pitch DP1 in a row direction (i.e., X-axis direction) and at a second pixel pitch DP2 in the column direction (i.e., Y-axis direction). However, there may be an instance where a portion of the LEDs are not transferred to the target substrate 40 and are missing during the laser transfer process. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the positions indicated by reference numerals of 61, 62 and 63 shown on the target substrate 40 may represent the positions where LEDs should be present but are missing.
);
a defect inspecting station disposed on the working platform and comprising a defect inspecting device, the defect inspecting device (an inspection device which may include an automatic optical inspection (AOI)) being adapted to inspect lighting states of the display substrate located on the carriers for inspecting condition of a defect position of the display substrate (see paragraphs 0064-65
[0064] The laser transfer device 1 may include an inspection device for identifying any positions with missing LEDs. The inspection device may include a visual inspection device and an automatic optical inspection (AOI).
[0065] The inspection device may identify a position at which the LEDs are missing on the target substrate 40. Specifically, the inspection device may be configured to (i) carry out inspections of various types including a visual inspection with respect to the multiple LEDs 51 disposed on the target substrate 40 while the target substrate 40 is loaded to the first stage 21, and (ii) identify characteristic information of the multiple LEDs on the target substrate 40. Here, the characteristic information may be at least one from among (i) a measurement value of an output wavelength or brightness, and (ii) an output wavelength, brightness, and performance rating which have been input with respect to the respective LEDs transferred to the target substrate 40.
); and
a mending station disposed on the working platform and comprising a mending device (such as laser transfer device 1, which includes laser oscillator 10), the mending device being adapted to mend the defect position of the display substrate located on the carrier (stage 21 and 22) to weld at least one new miniature light emitting diode at the defect position (See especially paragraph 0011 and 0073-74, disclosing:
[0011] LEDs may be transferred to the LED missing positions on the target substrate by radiating a laser beam from the laser onto the transfer substrate based on the LED missing positions of the target substrate reaching a laser beam irradiation position while the target substrate and the transfer substrate are in movement.
…
[0073] The first transfer substrate 50 may be provided with LEDs which are all of the same color. For example, red LEDs 51 may be arrayed as in FIG. 5. A second transfer substrate which will be described below may be provided with LEDs of a color different from the red LEDs 51, for example, green LEDs or blue LEDs. As described above, in the disclosure, a repair process may be carried out using a transfer substrate provided with only red LEDs, a transfer substrate provided with only green LEDs, and/or a transfer substrate provided with only blue LEDs.
[0074] When the target substrate 40 and the first transfer substrate 50 are loaded onto the first and second stages 21 and 22 respectively, the target substrate 40 and the first transfer substrate 50 may be arranged after moving the target substrate 40 and the first transfer substrate 50 to a predetermined position (e.g., an initial position to start repair) by operating the first and second stages 21 and 22 (S14)
).
See especially Figure 2, from both WO 2021187856 A1 and its English equivalent available as US 20220384675 A1.
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WO 2021187856 A1 does not disclose a working platform comprising a plurality of pairs of conveying paths, and a plurality of carriers disposed on the plurality of pairs of conveying paths, the plurality of carriers being adapted to carry and test a plurality of display substrates; a transferring gantry and the transferring gantry striding over the plurality of pairs of conveying paths, the transferring welding device being connected to the transferring gantry and movable along the transferring gantry, the transferring welding device being adapted to take a plurality of miniature light emitting diodes and weld the taken plurality of miniature light emitting diodes on the plurality of display substrates located on the plurality of carriers; an inspecting gantry and the inspecting gantry striding over the plurality of pairs of conveying paths, the defect inspecting device being connected to the inspecting gantry and movable along the inspecting gantry, the defect inspecting device being adapted to inspect lighting states of the plurality of display substrates located on the plurality of carriers for inspecting condition of a defect position of the plurality of display substrates; a mending gantry and the mending gantry striding over the plurality of pairs of conveying paths, the mending device being connected to the mending gantry and movable along the mending gantry, the mending device being adapted to mend the defect position of the plurality of display substrates located on the plurality of carriers to weld at least one new miniature light emitting diode at the defect position. Additionally, WO 2021187856 A1 does not disclose wherein the working platform comprises a front side, a rear side, a left side and a right side; every said pair of conveying paths extend from the rear side to the front side; the plurality of pairs of conveying paths are arranged apart between the left side and the right side; the transferring gantry, the inspecting gantry and the mending gantry are arranged apart between the front side and the rear side, wherein the plurality of the conveying paths are parallel to each other, so that the plurality of the carriers are movable along the respective conveying paths in a mutually parallel manner.
However, CN 112091447 A discloses and makes obvious a working platform comprising a plurality of pairs of conveying paths (automatic feeding conveying mechanism 3), and a plurality of carriers (tray locating mechanism 4) disposed on the plurality of pairs of conveying paths, the plurality of carriers being adapted to carry and test a plurality of display substrates; a transferring gantry (gantry material taking mechanical arm 5) and the transferring gantry striding over the plurality of pairs of conveying paths, the transferring welding device being connected to the transferring gantry and movable along the transferring gantry, the transferring welding device being adapted to take a plurality of miniature light emitting diodes and weld the taken plurality of miniature light emitting diodes on the plurality of display substrates located on the plurality of carriers; an inspecting gantry and the inspecting gantry striding over the plurality of pairs of conveying paths, the defect inspecting device being connected to the inspecting gantry and movable along the inspecting gantry, the defect inspecting device being adapted to inspect lighting states of the plurality of display substrates located on the plurality of carriers for inspecting condition of a defect position of the plurality of display substrates; a mending gantry and the mending gantry striding over the plurality of pairs of conveying paths (Figure 2 makes clear that 4 paths are present, each corresponding to the four operating tables 31), the mending device being connected to the mending gantry and movable along the mending gantry, the mending device being adapted to mend the defect position of the plurality of display substrates located on the plurality of carriers to weld at least one new miniature light emitting diode at the defect position
CN 112091447 A discloses in the abstract that:
The invention relates to the technical field of laser processing, especially a multifunctional full automatic panel repairing device, comprising a machine body; the machine body is provided with a feeding window, an operation panel and an electric control box; the machine body is provided with an automatic feeding conveying mechanism, a tray locating mechanism, a gantry material taking mechanical hand, fine locating material taking module; a vision pre-aligning platform, a laser assembly, a glass stage, a stage translation stage, an automatic lighting mechanism and a marble anti-vibration platform. the panel repairing is more intelligent, improving the repairing efficiency and ensuring the repairing quality, mainly researching the repairing device of OLED defect based on femtosecond laser technology, using laser to cut the OLED panel, melting, CVD and so on, repairing the bright spot, the circuit for normal working repair; most of the defects in the actual production can be repaired by the technology, which greatly improves the yield of the product.
The translation further teaches with respect to the gantry that:
a gantry material taking mechanical hand for grabbing the panel located on the tray locating mechanism, and a visual pre-aligning platform corresponding to the gantry material taking mechanical hand and aligning the panel;
…
The invention claims a multifunctional full automatic panel repairing device, comprising a machine body, the machine body is provided with a panel 20 feeding the feeding window 1; and a control panel 2 for controlling the operation of the machine body, and an electric control box 8 for providing power supply support and circuit support, and a radiating device for removing the heat in the machine body; the machine body is provided with an automatic feeding conveying mechanism 3 for feeding the panel 20; and a tray locating mechanism 4 corresponding to the automatic feeding conveying mechanism 3 and locating the panel 20, and a gantry material taking mechanical arm 5 for grabbing the panel 20 located on the tray locating mechanism 4; and a visual pre-aligning platform 7 corresponding to the gantry material taking mechanical hand 5 and aligning the panel 20, and a fine locating material taking module 6 for taking the panel 20 on the visual pre-aligning platform 7; and the fine positioning taking module 6 correspondingly set and the panel 20 for bearing the glass carrier 10, and for the glass carrier 10 on the panel 20 for automatically lighting the automatic lighting mechanism 12, and used for the panel 20 after lighting up and down surface for repairing the laser assembly 9; and a loading platform translation stage 11 for discharging the panel 20, and a marble anti-vibration platform 13 for preventing the vibration in the working process of the machine body. The basic structure of the invention is formed.
…
In this embodiment, the gantry material taking mechanical hand 5 and the tray locating mechanism 4 correspondingly set, gantry material taking mechanical hand 5 comprises a guide rail 51, a movable shaft 52; vacuum chuck 53 and the driving device 54, movable shaft 52 is glidingly set on the guide rail 51, the movable shaft 52 is provided with a tray locating mechanism 4 on the panel 20 for absorbing the vacuum chuck 53, vacuum chuck 53 driven by the driving device 54 to move up and down. Adopting this structure, the movable shaft 52 slides on the guide rail 51, it can adjust the position of the movable shaft 52, convenient for aligning the panel 20 on the tray locating mechanism 4, and then the driving device 54 drives the vacuum chuck 53 to absorb the panel 20.
In this embodiment, the visual pre-alignment platform 7 and the gantry material taking mechanical hand 5 are correspondingly set, visual pre-alignment platform 7 is provided with a visual alignment CCD71. Adopting the structure, the panel 20 on the tray positioning mechanism 4 is transmitted to the visual pre-aligning platform 7 through the gantry material taking mechanical hand 5, and the alignment is performed by the visual aligning CCD71.
…
It should be noted that, using the laser assembly 9 precise laser optical system to process line redundant part cut, repairing line short circuit, improving the process yield, using laser assembly 9 laser chemical weather deposition principle, the W, Cr, Mo material oriented deposition, repairing circuit open circuit, improving the process yield; repairing the circuit open circuit and short circuit of the back panel of the OLED panel; the point defect (bright spot, dark spot) and line defect of the cell and the module; picture display is abnormal and so on, these badness can use laser assembly 9 laser repair to make it dark spot, line defect disappears, picture display is normal, through design, processing; after assembling and debugging, the panel repairing device furthest simplifies the process flow of the upper and lower two surfaces needs to perform laser repair of the panel, it can simultaneously carry out the upper and lower two faces of repairing, without repairing one surface and then turning over to repair the other surface, which greatly improves the working efficiency of the whole panel repairing.
See Figure 2, and compare with Figure 4
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to have utilized a working platform comprising a plurality of pairs of conveying paths, and a plurality of carriers disposed on the plurality of pairs of conveying paths, the plurality of carriers being adapted to carry and test a plurality of display substrates; a transferring gantry and the transferring gantry striding over the plurality of pairs of conveying paths, the transferring welding device being connected to the transferring gantry and movable along the transferring gantry, the transferring welding device being adapted to take a plurality of miniature light emitting diodes and weld the taken plurality of miniature light emitting diodes on the plurality of display substrates located on the plurality of carriers; an inspecting gantry and the inspecting gantry striding over the plurality of pairs of conveying paths, the defect inspecting device being connected to the inspecting gantry and movable along the inspecting gantry, the defect inspecting device being adapted to inspect lighting states of the plurality of display substrates located on the plurality of carriers for inspecting condition of a defect position of the plurality of display substrates; a mending gantry and the mending gantry striding over the plurality of pairs of conveying paths, the mending device being connected to the mending gantry and movable along the mending gantry, the mending device being adapted to mend the defect position of the plurality of display substrates located on the plurality of carriers to weld at least one new miniature light emitting diode at the defect position as suggested by the arrangement of CN 112091447 A in order to furthest simplifies the process flow of the upper and lower two surfaces needs to perform laser repair of the panel, it can simultaneously carry out the upper and lower two faces of repairing, without repairing one surface and then turning over to repair the other surface, which greatly improves the working efficiency of the whole panel repairing.
Additionally, CN 112091447 A discloses wherein the working platform comprises a front side, a rear side, a left side and a right side. See Figures 1 and 2, below:
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Additionally, rearrangement of parts is often obvious. MPEP 2144.04. In this case, an arrangement wherein every said pair of conveying paths extend from the rear side to the front side; the plurality of pairs of conveying paths are arranged apart between the left side and the right side; the transferring gantry, the inspecting gantry and the mending gantry are arranged apart between the front side and the rear side would have been an obvious rearrangement of parts which would have easily optimized by one of ordinary skill in path and structural arrangements.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to have utilized wherein the working platform comprises a front side, a rear side, a left side and a right side as disclosed by CN 112091447 A and an arrangement wherein every said pair of conveying paths extend from the rear side to the front side; the plurality of pairs of conveying paths are arranged apart between the left side and the right side; the transferring gantry, the inspecting gantry and the mending gantry are arranged apart between the front side and the rear side as an obvious rearrangement of parts which would have easily optimized by one of ordinary skill in path and structural arrangements.
Finally, Kurihara makes obvious wherein the plurality of the conveying paths are parallel to each other, so that the plurality of the carriers are movable along the respective conveying paths in a mutually parallel manner. Kurihara discloses using belt conveyors (labelled with the number “C” followed by a number, such as C11, C12, etc), resulting in wherein the plurality of the conveying paths are parallel to each other, so that the plurality of the carriers are movable along the respective conveying paths in a mutually parallel manner. Paragraph 0144 discloses that the parallel conveyors can be used for bypass conveyors. See paragraph 0144, disclosing “In other words, each ball printer 31, 32 may have a plurality of bypass conveyors arranged in parallel. In this case, the bypass conveyors may be used as standby positions for the substrates B.”.
See also paragraph 0032-33, disclosing:
[0032] The import conveyor C11 is a device which conveys the substrate B supplied from the loader L to the flux application unit F. The import conveyor C11 has, for example, a drive wheel (not shown) driven by a motor (not shown) and a ring-shaped belt conveyor set on the drive wheel. A pair of belt conveyors extending in a right-left direction is schematically illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0033] The export conveyor C12 is a device which conveys the substrate B processed by the flux application unit F to a downstream side. The export conveyor C12 has the same structure as that of the above-mentioned import conveyor C11 (the same applies to the other conveyors C311, C312, C321 and C322).
See also Figure 1, below:
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to have utilized wherein the plurality of the conveying paths are parallel to each other, so that the plurality of the carriers are movable along the respective conveying paths in a mutually parallel manner as suggested by Kurihara in order to achieve bypass conveyors and parallel processing.
As to claim 5, WO 2021187856 A1 does not disclose wherein the working platform comprises a plurality of lighting devices for being disposed on the plurality of carriers for testing the plurality of display substrates.
However, CN 112091447 A discloses wherein the working platform comprises a plurality of lighting devices (“automatic lighting mechanism 12”) for being disposed on the plurality of carriers for testing the plurality of display substrates. See the translation, disclosing “and for the glass carrier 10 on the panel 20 for automatically lighting the automatic lighting mechanism 12, and used for the panel 20 after lighting up and down surface for repairing the laser assembly 9” and “the control panel 2 controls the automatic lighting mechanism 12 lighting panel 20” Additionally, duplication of parts is often obvious. MPEP 2144.04. In this case, duplicating the lighting devices in the automatic lighting mechanism would improve the lighting for lighting up and down surface for repairing.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to have utilized wherein the working platform comprises a plurality of lighting devices for being disposed on the plurality of carriers for testing the plurality of display substrates as per the automatic lighting mechanism 12 of CN 112091447 A and to duplicate the lighting device or source of CN 112091447 A in order to improve the lighting for lighting up and down surface for repairing.
Claim(s) 3-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2021187856 A1 (English equivalent available as US 20220384675 A1, citations to the US publication), CN 112091447 A and Kurihara (US 20150097025 A1) as applied to claims 1 and 5 above, and further in view of CN 115274479 A.
As to claim 3, WO 2021187856 A1 does not disclose wherein the defect inspecting station further comprises a visual identification device; the visual identification device is disposed on the inspecting gantry for defining the defect position of the plurality of display substrates which light.
However, CN 115274479 A discloses wherein the defect inspecting station further comprises a visual identification device; the visual identification device is disposed on the inspecting gantry for defining the defect position of the plurality of display substrates which light. CN 115274479 A discloses in the translation that:
In yet another optional example, the substrate 10 on the light emitting diode 11 to detect the mode may include appearance defect inspection, for example, comprising automatic optical detection (AOI, Automated Optical Inspection), to shoot by the camera, collecting the image of the light emitting diode 11, and then processing by image, comparing the normal image of the light emitting diode 11, so as to detect the light emitting diode 11 with appearance defect.
Thus, CN 115274479 A discloses both Automated Optical Inspection and appearance defect inspection and thus discloses using both a defect inspecting device and a visual identification device together. In any event, separation of parts and duplication of parts is often obvious. MPEP 2144.04
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have to have utilized wherein the defect inspecting station further comprises a visual identification device; the visual identification device is disposed on the inspecting gantry for defining the defect position of the plurality of display substrates which light as suggested by CN 115274479 A and by separation and duplication of parts so as to detect the light emitting diode with appearance defect.
As to claim 4, WO 2021187856 A1 does not disclose wherein a scope of inspection of the visual identification device is larger than a scope of inspection of the defect inspecting device.
However, CN 115274479 A makes obvious wherein a scope of inspection of the visual identification device is larger than a scope of inspection of the defect inspecting device. CN 115274479 A discloses in the translation that:
In yet another optional example, the substrate 10 on the light emitting diode 11 to detect the mode may include appearance defect inspection, for example, comprising automatic optical detection (AOI, Automated Optical Inspection), to shoot by the camera, collecting the image of the light emitting diode 11, and then processing by image, comparing the normal image of the light emitting diode 11, so as to detect the light emitting diode 11 with appearance defect.
In any event, separation of parts and duplication of parts is often obvious. MPEP 2144.04 As CN 115274479 A discloses both appearance defect inspection and Automated Optical Inspection, modifying the scope of inspection of the visual identification device to be larger than a scope of inspection of the defect inspecting device would enable detecting of the defects in closer comparison.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have to have utilized wherein a scope of inspection of the visual identification device is larger than a scope of inspection of the defect inspecting device as suggested by CN 115274479 A and by separation and duplication of parts so as to detect the light emitting diode with appearance defect.
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.
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/GEORGE R KOCH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1745
GRK