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 pages 1-2, filed February 4, 2027, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-20 under 35 U.S.C. 103 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 Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn.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 Templin (US 8,734,596).
Templin is directed towards a siphon adapted for cleaning vessels where figure 1 teaches a siphon hose 130 has been inserted through opening 16 of the vessel wall 18.[col 8 lines 28-42]
Claim Objections
Claims 21-22 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.
Engel in view of Hegedus and Templin fails to teach or suggest at least one of the at least one syphon conduits is one of the at least one nozzles and reversing at least one of the at least one nozzles to function as at least one of the at least one syphon conduits.
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-10 and 12-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Engel (WO 2021/199479 cited in IDS), and in further view of Hegedus (US 2004/0139985) and Templin (US 8,734,596).
Engel figures 1-5 teach a system for wet treatment of at least one component, the system comprising:
a chamber (102 processing chamber) comprising a plurality of tanks (104-1..104-n supply reservoir) configured to store a corresponding plurality of fluids. [0010]
Engel teaches the injection system 106 may include pumps, chambers, boilers, nozzles, or other suitable components to draw the processing fluids from the supply reservoirs 104 and to inject the processing fluids into the processing chamber 102 thereby reading on at least one nozzle selectively fluidly coupled to the plurality of tanks, wherein the at least one nozzle is at least partially disposed within the chamber, and wherein the at least one nozzle is configured to spray a fluid towards the at least one component.[0013]
Engel teaches controller 208 may additionally control the processing chamber 202 and various system valves or flow control mechanisms to control the flow of the processing fluids between the supply reservoirs 204, the injection system 206, the processing chamber 202, the recovery reservoirs 216 and the waste system 218 thereby reading on at least one delivery valve disposed upstream of the at least one nozzle for selectively fluidly coupling the at least one nozzle to the plurality of tanks.[0033]
Although Engel teaches at block 406, the used first processing fluid may be drained from the processing chamber 202. For example, the used first processing fluid may be recovered in the first recovery reservoir 216-1 thereby reading on at least one port is configured to collect the fluid sprayed by the at least one nozzle. Engel is silent to at least one port disposed in the base of the chamber, wherein the at least one recovery valve disposed downstream of the at least one port for selectively fluidly coupling the at least one port to the plurality of tanks.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to provide at least one recovery valve disposed downstream of the at least one port for selectively fluidly coupling the at least one port to the plurality of tanks as Engel teaches various system valves or flow control mechanisms to control the flow of the processing fluids between the supply reservoirs 204, the injection system 206, the processing chamber 202, the recovery reservoirs 216 and the waste system 218, and the recovery reservoirs 216 may be fluidly coupled to their corresponding supply reservoirs 204 to return the used processing fluid to the supply reservoir 204.[0027, 0033]
Engel teaches the controller 208 controls the components of the system 200 to execute the processing sequence selected at block 304. Specifically, the controller 208 may control the injection system 206 to execute the selected processing sequence. The controller 208 may additionally control the processing chamber 202 and various system valves or flow control mechanisms to control the flow of the processing fluids between the supply reservoirs 204, the injection system 206, the processing chamber 202, the recovery reservoirs 216 and the waste system 218 thereby reading on a controller communicably coupled to each of the at least one nozzle, the at least one delivery valve, and the at least one recovery valve.[0033]
Engel is silent to a base and a plurality of sidewalls extending from the base, wherein the chamber is configured to receive and at least partially enclose the at least one component; and at least one component support configured to support the at least one component within the chamber.
Hegedus is directed towards a wet cleaning process wherein figures 3-4 teach a chamber 404 having a base and a plurality of sidewalls extending from the base (shown in figure 4 below), and enclosed within the chamber 404 is the rotatable wafer holder 330.[0033]
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to provide at least one syphon conduit configured to remove the corresponding fluid sprayed by the at least one nozzle from the at least one component, and wherein the at least one syphon conduit is further configured to transport the corresponding fluid removed from the at least one component to the at least one port as Engel teaches a pump to create a vacuum to precisely control the pressure in the system to draw the processing fluids into the injection system.[0053]
Engel teaches the system 200 may include the same number of recovery reservoirs 216 as supply reservoirs 204, for example, in a one-to-one correspondence. That is, each supply reservoir 204 may have a corresponding recovery reservoir 216 into which the used processing fluid is drained thereby reading on the corresponding fluid removing the corresponding fluid sprayed by the at least one nozzle from the at least one component and transporting the corresponding fluid removed from the at least one component to the at least on port or one of the plurality of tanks.[0026]
However, Engel in view of Hegedus is silent to at least one syphon conduit disposed inside the chamber to facilitate removal of the fluid sprayed by the nozzle.
Templin is directed towards a siphon adapted for cleaning vessels where figure 1 teaches a siphon hose 130 has been inserted through opening 16 of the vessel wall 18.[col 8 lines 28-42]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to provide at least one syphon conduit disposed inside the chamber as a way to carrying the fluids supplied from the supply reservoirs to the recovery reservoirs.
Regarding claim 2, Engel figure 4 teaches the controller 208 controls the components of the system 200 to execute the processing sequence selected at block 304. Specifically, the controller 208 may control the injection system 206 to execute the selected processing sequence. The controller 208 may additionally control the processing chamber 202 and various system valves or flow control mechanisms to control the flow of the processing fluids between the supply reservoirs 204, the injection system 206, the processing chamber 202, the recovery reservoirs 216 and the waste system 218 thereby reading on the controller is configured to: select which of the plurality of tanks to selectively couple with the at least one nozzle based on a predetermined sequence; control the at least one delivery valve, such that the selected tank is fluidly coupled with the at least one nozzle; control the at least one nozzle, such that the at least one nozzle sprays the corresponding fluid stored in the selected tank towards the at least one component; and control the at least one recovery valve, such that the at least one recovery valve allows a flow of the corresponding fluid collected at the at least one port to the selected tank.[0033-38]
Regarding claim 3, Engel figure 2 suggests a plurality of delivery conduits corresponding to the plurality of tanks, wherein each of the plurality of delivery conduits fluidly couples the corresponding tank to the at least one delivery valve; and a plurality of recovery conduits corresponding to the plurality of tanks, wherein each of the plurality of recovery conduits fluidly couples the at least one recovery valve to the corresponding tank.
Regarding claim 4, Engel teaches the processing chamber 202 and various system valves or flow control mechanisms to control the flow of the processing fluids between the supply reservoirs 204, the injection system 206, the processing chamber 202, the recovery reservoirs 216 and the waste system 218 thereby suggesting the at least one delivery valve comprises a single delivery valve configured to selectively fluidly couple the plurality of delivery conduits to the at least one nozzle; and the at least one recovery valve comprises a single recovery valve configured to selectively fluidly couple the plurality of recovery conduits to the at least one port to be an obvious modification.[0033]
Regarding claim 5, Engel figures 2 and 4 teach controller 208 may additionally control the processing chamber 202 and various system valves or flow control mechanisms to control the flow of the processing fluids between the supply reservoirs 204, the injection system 206, the processing chamber 202, the recovery reservoirs 216 and the waste system 218 thereby suggesting the at least one delivery valve comprises a plurality of delivery valves corresponding to the plurality of delivery conduits, and wherein each delivery valve from the plurality of delivery valves is configured to selectively fluidly couple the corresponding delivery conduit to the at least one nozzle; and the at least one recovery valve comprises a plurality of recovery valves corresponding to the plurality of recovery conduits, and wherein each recovery valve from the plurality of recovery valves is configured to selectively fluidly couple the corresponding recovery conduit to the at least one port.[0033]
Regarding claim 6, Hegedus teaches rotation controller 334 may be attached to the motor to control the motor 332 to produce variable rotation of the wafer holder 330 thereby suggesting the controller is communicably coupled to the at least one component support, and wherein the controller is further configured to control the at least one component support to move the at least one component within the chamber while the at least one nozzle sprays the corresponding fluid stored in the selected tank towards the at least one component.[0031]
Regarding claim 7, Hegedus figure 4 suggests the base is inclined towards the at least one port (462 drain).[0043]
Regarding claim 8, Engel teaches at block 404, the injection system 206 injects the first processing fluid into the processing chamber 202 to be applied to the part 210. For example, the first processing fluid may be transferred to the boiler 214 and heated in the boiler 214 to create a build-up of pressure prior to injection into the processing chamber 202. The pressurized first processing fluid may then be released into the processing chamber 202 thereby reading on the controller is further configured to control one or more parameters of the at least one nozzle, and wherein the one or more parameters comprise at least one of a fluid flow rate of the at least one nozzle, a fluid pressure of the at least one nozzle, an opening period of the at least one nozzle, and a droplet size of the at least one nozzle.[0036]
Regarding claim 9, Engel teaches the injection system 106 may include pumps, chambers, boilers, nozzles, or other suitable components to draw the processing fluids from the supply reservoirs 104 and to inject the processing fluids into the processing chamber 102. The injection system 206 is to draw fluids from the appropriate supply reservoirs 204 and inject the processing fluids into the processing chamber 202 to be applied to the part 210 thereby reading on the at least one nozzle comprises a plurality of nozzles, and wherein the plurality of nozzles follows a profile of the at least one component.[0013,0019]
Regarding claim 10, Engel teaches boiler 214 is coupled to the dosing chamber 212 to receive the processing fluids and heat the processing fluids prior to injection into the processing chamber 202. In some examples, the processing fluids may be heated to build pressure for injection into the processing chamber 202. That is, the boiler 214 may heat the processing fluid, causing a build-up in pressure, and the pressurized processing fluid may be released into the processing chamber thereby reading on a heating device disposed upstream of the at least one nozzle, wherein the heating device is configured to heat and store the corresponding fluid before the at least one nozzle sprays the corresponding fluid stored in the selected tank towards the at least one component.[0021]
Regarding claim 12, Engel figures 1-5 teach a method for wet treatment of at least one component, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a chamber (102 processing chamber);
providing a plurality of tanks (104-1...104-n supply reservoir) configured to store a corresponding plurality of fluids. [0010]
Engel teaches the injection system 106 may include pumps, chambers, boilers, nozzles, or other suitable components to draw the processing fluids from the supply reservoirs 104 and to inject the processing fluids into the processing chamber 102 thereby reading on providing at least one nozzle selectively fluidly coupled to the plurality of tanks, wherein the at least one nozzle is at least partially disposed within the chamber, and wherein the at least one nozzle is configured to spray a fluid towards the at least one component.
Engel teaches controller 208 may additionally control the processing chamber 202 and various system valves or flow control mechanisms to control the flow of the processing fluids between the supply reservoirs 204, the injection system 206, the processing chamber 202, the recovery reservoirs 216 and the waste system 218 thereby reading on providing at least one delivery valve disposed upstream of the at least one nozzle for selectively fluidly coupling the at least one nozzle to the plurality of tanks.[0033]
Engel teaches at block 406, the used first processing fluid may be drained from the processing chamber 202. For example, the used first processing fluid may be recovered in the first recovery reservoir 216-1 thereby reading on at least one port is configured to collect the fluid sprayed by the at least one nozzle.
Engel is silent to at least one recovery valve disposed downstream of the at least one port for selectively fluidly coupling the at least one port to the plurality of tanks.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to provide at least one recovery valve disposed downstream of the at least one port for selectively fluidly coupling the at least one port to the plurality of tanks as Engel teaches various system valves or flow control mechanisms to control the flow of the processing fluids between the supply reservoirs 204, the injection system 206, the processing chamber 202, the recovery reservoirs 216 and the waste system 218, and the recovery reservoirs 216 may be fluidly coupled to their corresponding supply reservoirs 204 to return the used processing fluid to the supply reservoir 204.[0027, 0033]
Engel is silent to a base and a plurality of sidewalls extending from the base, wherein the chamber is configured to receive and at least partially enclose the at least one component; and at least one component support configured to support the at least one component within the chamber.
Hegedus is directed towards a wet cleaning process wherein figures 3-4 teach a chamber 404 having a base and a plurality of sidewalls extending from the base (shown in figure 4 above), and enclosed within the chamber 404 is the rotatable wafer holder 330.[0033]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to provide a chamber and support as taught in Hegedus in the system of Engel to ensure the removing of particles from the surface of the object to be cleaned.[0002]
Engel teaches the system 200 may include the same number of recovery reservoirs 216 as supply reservoirs 204, for example, in a one-to-one correspondence. That is, each supply reservoir 204 may have a corresponding recovery reservoir 216 into which the used processing fluid is drained thereby reading on the corresponding fluid removing the corresponding fluid sprayed by the at least one nozzle from the at least one component and transporting the corresponding fluid removed from the at least one component to the at least on port or one of the plurality of tanks.[0026]
However, Engel in view of Hegedus is silent to at least one syphon conduit disposed inside the chamber to facilitate removal of the fluid sprayed by the nozzle.
Templin is directed towards a siphon adapted for cleaning vessels where figure 1 teaches a siphon hose 130 has been inserted through opening 16 of the vessel wall 18.[col 8 lines 28-42]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to provide at least one syphon conduit disposed inside the chamber as a way to carrying the fluids supplied from the supply reservoirs to the recovery reservoirs.
Regarding claim 13, Engel figure 4 teaches the controller 208 controls the components of the system 200 to execute the processing sequence selected at block 304. Specifically, the controller 208 may control the injection system 206 to execute the selected processing sequence. The controller 208 may additionally control the processing chamber 202 and various system valves or flow control mechanisms to control the flow of the processing fluids between the supply reservoirs 204, the injection system 206, the processing chamber 202, the recovery reservoirs 216 and the waste system 218 thereby reading on selecting which of the plurality of tanks to selectively couple with the at least one nozzle based on a predetermined sequence; controlling the at least one delivery valve, such that the selected tank is fluidly coupled with the at least one nozzle; controlling the at least one nozzle, such that the at least one nozzle sprays the corresponding fluid stored in the selected tank towards the at least one component; and controlling the at least one recovery valve, such that the at least one recovery valve allows a flow of the corresponding fluid collected at the at least one port to the selected tank.[0033-38]
Regarding claim 14, Engel figure 2 suggests providing a plurality of delivery conduits corresponding to the plurality of tanks; and providing a plurality of recovery conduits corresponding to the plurality of tanks. Engel teaches the processing chamber 202 and various system valves or flow control mechanisms to control the flow of the processing fluids between the supply reservoirs 204, the injection system 206, the processing chamber 202, the recovery reservoirs 216 and the waste system 218 thereby suggesting wherein each of the plurality of delivery conduits fluidly couples the corresponding tank to the at least one delivery valve and wherein each of the plurality of recovery conduits fluidly couples the at least one recovery valve to the corresponding tank to be an obvious modification.[0033]
Regarding claim 15, Engel figure 4 teaches the processing chamber 202 and various system valves or flow control mechanisms to control the flow of the processing fluids between the supply reservoirs 204, the injection system 206, the processing chamber 202, the recovery reservoirs 216 and the waste system 218 thereby suggesting wherein: the at least one delivery valve comprises a single delivery valve, and wherein controlling the at least one delivery valve further comprises controlling the single delivery valve to selectively fluidly couple each of the plurality of delivery conduits to the at least one nozzle; and the at least one recovery valve comprises a single recovery valve, and wherein controlling the at least one recovery valve further comprises controlling the single recovery valve to selectively fluidly couple each of the plurality of recovery conduits to the at least one port to be an obvious modification.
Regarding claim 16, Engel figures 2 and 4 teach controller 208 may additionally control the processing chamber 202 and various system valves or flow control mechanisms to control the flow of the processing fluids between the supply reservoirs 204, the injection system 206, the processing chamber 202, the recovery reservoirs 216 and the waste system 218 thereby suggesting the at least one delivery valve comprises a plurality of delivery valves corresponding to the plurality of delivery conduits, and wherein controlling the at least one delivery valve further comprises controlling each delivery valve from the plurality of delivery valves to selectively fluidly couple the corresponding delivery conduit to the at least one nozzle; and the at least one recovery valve comprises a plurality of recovery valves corresponding to the plurality of recovery conduits, and wherein controlling the at least one recovery valve further comprises controlling each recovery valve from the plurality of recovery valves to selectively fluidly couple the corresponding recovery conduit to the at least one port to be an obvious modification.[0033]
Regarding claim 17, Hegedus teaches rotation controller 334 may be attached to the motor to control the motor 332 to produce variable rotation of the wafer holder 330 thereby suggesting controlling the at least one component support to move the at least one component within the chamber while the at least one nozzle sprays the corresponding fluid stored in the selected tank towards the at least one component.[0031]
Regarding claim 18, Engel teaches at block 404, the injection system 206 injects the first processing fluid into the processing chamber 202 to be applied to the part 210. For example, the first processing fluid may be transferred to the boiler 214 and heated in the boiler 214 to create a build-up of pressure prior to injection into the processing chamber 202. The pressurized first processing fluid may then be released into the processing chamber 202 thereby reading on controlling one or more parameters of the at least one nozzle, wherein the one or more parameters comprise at least one of a fluid flow rate of the at least one nozzle, a fluid pressure of the at least one nozzle, an opening period of the at least one nozzle, and a droplet size of the at least one nozzle.[0036]
Regarding claim 19, Engel teaches boiler 214 is coupled to the dosing chamber 212 to receive the processing fluids and heat the processing fluids prior to injection into the processing chamber 202. In some examples, the processing fluids may be heated to build pressure for injection into the processing chamber 202. That is, the boiler 214 may heat the processing fluid, causing a build-up in pressure, and the pressurized processing fluid may be released into the processing chamber thereby reading on heating and storing the corresponding fluid before the at least one nozzle sprays the corresponding fluid stored in the selected tank towards the at least one component.[0021]
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 CRISTI J TATE-SIMS whose telephone number is (571)272-1722. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-6pm.
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CRISTI J. TATE-SIMS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1711
/CRISTI J TATE-SIMS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1711
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