DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE
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 Amendment
Applicants’ submission, filed on 07/08/2026, in response to claims 1-11 and 13-19 rejection from the non-final office action (05/06/2026), by amending claims 1, 4, 7, 14, 16, and 18 and cancelling claims 2-3 and 15 is entered and will be addressed below.
Election/Restrictions
Claims 12 and 20 remain withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Invention II and Species A1, A3 and B1-B3, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Claim Interpretations
The following two terms are no longer considered under 112(f):
The “a tension assist device” in claims 1 and 14, this is further structurally modified by “the tension assist device comprises … a coupling portion
… a stepped portion”.
The “a tension part” of claim 14, this is further structurally modified by “comprising a driver“.
In the “the body comprises: a first base and a second base facing each other;
an electrode pattern disposed between the first base and the second base; and
an insulating film disposed between the first base and the second base and surrounding the electrode pattern” of claim 7, Applicants Specification states that “Each of the first base BS1 and the second base BS2 may work as an insulating dielectric” ([00118]), “the insulating film ISL may include aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, polyimide, etc.” ([00119]), since the material of the insulating film ISL is also dielectric, the first base, the second base and the insulating film can be a same dielectric material.
As such, an ESC made of dielectric with embedded chucking electrode reads into claim 7.
The “a tension assist device” in claim 1 and 14 and “a tension part” 14 is considered either applying tension or reducing tension, it is considered broad but not indefinite.
The “an/one end of the stepped portion is disposed higher than the upper surface of the coupling portion” of claims 1 and 14, the “higher” is considered along the direction of gravity.
The examiner notices that Applicants’ Specification describes “the tension unit 170 may apply a tensile force in the same direction as the extending direction of the auxiliary end 142d” ([0154]), therefore, the tension force is applied in the horizontal direction.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1, 4-6, 14, and 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han (US 20160105971, hereafter ‘971), in view of Kang (US 20130318774, hereafter ‘774).
‘971 teaches some limitations of:
Claim 14: Referring to FIG. 5, a deposition apparatus 200 ([0072], includes the claimed “A deposition apparatus comprising”):
a chamber 210 ([0080], includes the claimed “a chamber”);
an electrostatic chuck 240 attached to the tensile plate 250 ([0074], 2nd sentence, includes the claimed “an electrostatic chuck disposed in the chamber”);
a pressing part 271 and a second driving unit 272 are formed on the connection part 265 ([0072], last sentence, includes the claimed “and a tension part comprising a driver configured to provide a driving force that tensions the electrostatic chuck, wherein
the electrostatic chuck comprises: a body”).
Note Figs. 5-7 show the pressing part 271 is tilted relative to the horizontal plane.
‘971 does not teach the other limitations of:
Claim 14: and a tension assist device disposed at a border of the body, and
the tension assist device comprises:
a recess configured to receive an edge of the body,
a coupling portion overlapping the recess that fixes the tension assist device to the body, and
a stepped portion extending upward from the coupling portion in a direction away from the body at an obtuse angle with respect to an upper surface of the coupling portion such that an end of the stepped portion is disposed higher than the upper surface of the coupling portion.
‘774 is analogous art in the field of TENSIONING APPARATUS FOR MASK (title), a deposition mask used in the manufacture of an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display ([0006]). ‘774 teaches that Referring to FIG. 3, the mask tensioning apparatus 10 includes a clamp 12 and a tensioner 14 ([0051], note the stepped portion at the both ends of the tensioner 14), the mask manufacturing system 1' according to the second embodiment is formed for the mask tensioning apparatus 10' to tension the mask sheet 20 in an inclined direction for of the mask sheet, not the direction substantially vertical to the elongation direction of the mask sheet 20. For this purpose, in the mask tensioning apparatus 10' of the mask manufacturing system 1' according to the second embodiment, a clamp 12 is arranged in the inclination direction at a predetermined angle ([Symbol font/0x61]) with respect to the elongation direction of the mask sheet 20 ([0067]-[0068]), for the purpose of saving installation space of a clamp ([0007]). Fig. 5 shows the upper surface of the clamp 12, the claimed “coupling portion”, is its top surface as shown in Fig. 5. The surface is inclined relative to the axis of the tension apparatus 10, therefore, forming an obtuse angle between the upper surface of the clamp 12 and the stepped portion at the ends of the tensioner 14. And the ends of the tensioner, the steeped portion, is disposed higher than the upper surface of the coupling portion). Note also Fig. 5 shows the force of pulling is horizontal.
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have replaced the pressing part 271 of ‘971 with the tension apparatus 10 of ‘774, for the purpose of saving installation space of a clamp, as taught by ‘774 ([0007]).
Claim 1 is rejected for substantially the same reason as claim 14 rejection above.
The combination of ‘971 and ‘774 further teaches the limitations of:
Claims 4 and 16: the unlabeled part at the right hand side of the tensioner 14 in Fig. 3 of ‘774 reads into the claimed “wherein the tension assist device further comprises an auxiliary end disposed on a side of the stepped portion and disposed on an opposite side of the coupling portion with the stepped portion disposed between the auxiliary end and the coupling portion”.
Claim 5: From the top view of Fig. 3 of ‘774 shows the claimed “wherein an extension direction of the auxiliary end is parallel to an extension direction of the coupling portion”.
Claim 6: Fig. 5 of ‘774, in view of Fig. 3, shows the claimed “wherein an extension direction of a side surface of an end of the auxiliary end is parallel to an extension direction of a side surface of an end of the body”.
Claim 17: as tensioner 14 of ‘774 is applying force to the axial direction of the tensioning apparatus 10, it reads into the claimed “wherein the tension part applies a tensile force in an extending direction of the auxiliary end”.
Claim 18: a pressing part 271 and a second driving unit 272 are formed on the connection part 265 (‘971, [0072], last sentence, the imported tensioning apparatus 10 of ‘774 attached the pressing part 271 and the electrostatic chuck 240, includes the claimed “wherein the tension part comprises: a presser connected to the auxiliary end to provide a tensile force to the electrostatic chuck; wherein the driver is connected to the presser and providing the driving force to the presser”).
Claim 19: The deposition apparatus 200 further includes a connection part 265 for connecting an elevation unit 260 and a tensile unit 270, wherein the elevation unit 260 includes a second support part 261 for supporting the connection part 265 and a third driving unit 262 formed on the second support part 261 to provide a driving force for elevating the connection part 265, and a pressing part 271 and a second driving unit 272 are formed on the connection part 265 (‘971, [0072], this is attached to the electrostatic chuck in combination with the tensioning apparatus 10 of ‘774, includes the claimed “further comprising: a first lifting part disposed below the tension part and elevating the tension part”);
the mask holder 130 may be connected to a separate elevation device (not shown) ([0053]), The substrate S introduced into the chamber 110 is formed on the mask M ([0054], includes the claimed “a second lifting part disposed on a side of the first lifting part and seating a substrate; a mask holder disposed on a side of the second lifting part and seating a mask”, note label “230” in Fig. 5 is also a mask holder);
FIG. 9 shows that the magnet part 280 is lowered in a direction towards the tensile plate 250 such that the magnet part 280 contacts the tensile plate 250. The magnet part 280 may apply a magnetic force to the mask M to further adhere the mask M to the substrate S ([0079], includes the claimed “a magnet part disposed above the electrostatic chuck and pressing the substrate against the mask”);
he deposition material may be deposited onto the substrate S according to the pattern formed in the mask M by spraying the deposition material from a deposition source 290 and passing the sprayed deposition material through the mask M ([0080], includes the claimed “and a deposition source disposed below the electrostatic chuck and spraying a deposition material”).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ‘971 and ‘774, as being applied to claim 1 rejection above, further in view of Shindo et al. (US 20050142873, hereafter ‘873).
‘971 is silent on the details of the electrostatic chuck 240. The combination of ‘971 and ‘774 does not teach the limitations of:
Claim 7:wherein the body comprises: a first base and a second base facing each other;
an electrode pattern disposed between the first base and the second base; and
an insulating film disposed between the first base and the second base and surrounding the electrode pattern, and
the first base and the second base directly contact the coupling portion.
‘873 is analogous art in the field of an electrostatic chuck (abstract). ‘873 teaches that The electrostatic chuck 4 includes an insulating film 4b made of an insulating material and an electrostatic chuck electrode 4a embedded in the insulating film 4b, and the electrostatic chuck electrode 4a is connected to a DC power supply 5. The electrostatic chuck electrode 4a and the insulating film 4b are, respectively, made of copper and polyimide, for example (Fig. 1, [0031], last two sentences).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have adopted ESC made of insulating polyimide film with embedded chuck electrode of ‘873 as the ESC 240 of ‘971, for its suitability with predictable results. The selection of something based on its known suitability for its intended use has been held to support a prima facie case of obviousness. MPEP 2144.07.
Claims 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ‘971 and ‘774, as being applied to claim 1 rejection above, further in view of Hara et al. (US 5854819, hereafter ‘819).
‘971 does not include a plan view and is silent on how the tensile units are attached to the tensile plate 250. The combination of ‘971 and ‘774 does not teach the limitations of:
Claim 8: wherein the body comprises a plurality of sides surrounding the border, and
the tension assist device is disposed at a point closest to a center of gravity of the body on each of the plurality of sides.
Claim 9: wherein the body comprises:
a first side and a second side extended in a first direction and facing each other; and
a third side and a fourth side extended in a second direction different from the first direction and facing each other, and
the tension assist device is disposed at a center of each of the first side, the second side, the third side, and the fourth side.
‘819 is analogous art in the field of Mask Supporting Device And Correction Method Therefor (abstract), There is disclosed a mask supporting device comprising a chuck mechanism for supporting a mask substrate provided with a rectangular window in which a mask pattern is formed (abstract). ‘819 teaches that there are provided first to fourth pattern correction devices 21-24 constituting pattern correction means for correcting the deformation or the aberration in position of the pattern P1, by pushing or pulling the external edges of the mask frame H1 in the direction of the X, or Y axis as indicated by arrows L1-L4 in FIG. 3A, thereby bending the rectangular external periphery of the membrane M1. The pattern correction devices 21-24 are provided, as shown in FIG. 4, with suction pads 21a-24a constituting suction means for sucking lateral edges constituting coupling portions of the mask frame H1 (col. 4, line 60 to col. 7, line 4, Fig. 4 shows the correction devices 21-24 are at the center of each of the four sides), for the purpose of precisely correcting the shape of the mask pattern (col. 1, lines 45-48).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have adopted four tensile units each at the center of four sides of ESC 240 (after replacing the tensile unit 250 with tensioning unit 312 of ‘445), for the purpose of precisely correcting the shape of the mask pattern, as taught by ‘819 (col. 1, lines 45-48).
Claims 10-11 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ‘971 and ‘774, as being applied to claim 1 rejection above, further in view of Nagai et al. (US 20150162233, hereafter ‘233).
The combination of ‘971 and ‘774 does not teach the limitations of:
Claim 10: wherein the body includes at least one groove recessed in a thickness direction of the body.
Claim 11: wherein the at least one groove comprises a plurality of grooves extended in a first direction and disposed in a second direction different from the first direction.
Claim 13: wherein the groove is disposed adjacent to a center of gravity of the body.
‘233 is analogous art in the field of method of neutralizing electrostatic chuck (title). ‘233 teaches that The electrostatic chuck ESC includes an insulating layer 21a, an insulating layer 21b and an electrode 20 interposed therebetween. The electrode 20 is connected with the DC power supply 22 via a switch SW. The electrostatic chuck ESC has an upper surface 21s (Fig. 2, [0049]), The surface 21s has a base portion 21t and a plurality of convex portions 21p. The plurality of convex portions 21p has a cylindrical shape and projects upward from the base portion 21t. The plurality of convex portions 21p is distributed over the surface 21s of the electrostatic chuck ESC ([0050], i.e. including the adjacent to the center of gravity), for the purpose of avoiding misalignment or crack of the target object ([0004]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have adopted ESC with convex portions adjacent to the center of gravity of the ESC body, as taught by ‘233, as the ESC of ‘971, for the purpose of avoiding misalignment or crack of the target object ([0004]). Note a plurality of convex portions 21p is considered to be “extended in a first direction and disposed in a second direction different from the first direction”.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 07/08/2026 have been fully considered but they are not convincing in light of the new grounds of rejection above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. KR 20150088192 is cited for clamping head 20 pulling mask obliquely upward (Fig. 7).
US 20070024831 is cited for tension of mask at an angle (Fig. 4). US 20150349668 is cited for protruding part 66p of ESC (Fig. 3, i.e. with grooves).
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 KEATH T CHEN whose telephone number is (571)270-1870. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30am-5:00 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Parviz Hassanzadeh can be reached at 571-272-1435. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KEATH T CHEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1716
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