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 .
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.
Election/Restrictions
Claims 1, 3-12 and 17-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected Group, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 21 April 2026.
Applicant's election with traverse of Group II and Group BB, claims 2 and 13-16, in the reply filed on 21 April 2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that the prior art of record fails to disclose or fairly suggest the claim limitation the attachment being detachable by being moved in a direction intersecting a sliding direction with respect to the guide of the attachment storage unit. This is not found persuasive because under PCT Rule 132, unity exists only when the claims share a technical feature that: 1.) is common to all groups; and, 2.) defines a contribution over the prior art. Because Kim (KR 10-1340831) discloses the common intersecting-direction removal feature, that feature does not make a contribution over the prior art. Therefore, Groups I and II lack unity of invention.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim 2 and 13-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (KR 10-1340831) as provided by (KR 10-1340831) machine translation as an English language equivalent.
Claim 2:
Kim discloses a collet replacement mechanism for replacing a collet of a pickup tool that is configured to pick up chip components by suction using the collet ([0001]), the collet replacement mechanism comprising:
an attachment (24) configured to hold the collet (26) on a bottom surface thereof (fig. 3, [0027]);
an attachment holder (30) disposed at a lower part of the pickup tool (10) and configured to hold an upper part of the attachment by magnetic force (fig. 1, [0026]); and,
an attachment storage unit (100) having a guide (104, 106, 110) that is configured to slidably store the attachment (24) along the guide (104, 106, 110) (figs. 1-4, [0030] and [0031]);
the attachment (24) being detachable by being moved in a direction (upward) intersecting a sliding direction (downward) with respect to the guide (104, 106, 110) of the attachment storage unit (100) (figs. 1-4, [0029], [0030], [0031] and [0034]).
Claim 13:
Kim discloses the collet replacement mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the attachment storage unit (100) is configured to suppress positional displacement of the attachment (24) (figs. 1-4, [0030]).
Under the broadest reason interpretation, the phrase “configured to” requires only that the recited structure be capable of performing the stated function; it does not require any particular mechanism, degree of performance, or proof that the function is continuously or actively performed. In Kim, panel (102) includes storage recess (106), guide opening (104), retaining members (110), and storage magnets (108) that position and retain the collet (20) in a predetermined location. These structural features are capable of limiting unintended movement of the collet relative to the storage unit and therefore render the attachment storage unit “configured to suppress positional displacement of the attachment.” Therefore, Kim anticipates the limitations of claim 13.
Claim 14:
Kim discloses the collet replacement mechanism according to claim 13, wherein the guide (104, 106, 110) is provided with an elastic body (spring) that is configured to contact with a side surface of the attachment to suppress the positional displacement of the attachment (figs 5-7, [0035]).
Claim 15:
Kim discloses the collet replacement mechanism according to claim 13, wherein the attachment storage unit is provided with a magnet (108) to suppress the positional displacement of the attachment (figs. 1-4, [0030]).
Claim 16:
Kim discloses the collet replacement mechanism according to claim 13, wherein the guide (104, 106, 110) is provided with a groove (106) on an upper surface of the guide (104, 106, 110) to suppress the positional displacement of the attachment (figs, 1-4, [0030], [0031], [0035]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Takano (US 2014/0069564) discloses a die bonder with a collet replacing unit having a supplying unit and discarding unit with opening portions fitted with fixing claws. The collet is held by a magnet in a collet holder, descended vertically into the opening, rotated to disengage from the claws and then lifted out.
Hwang (US 2015/0303081) discloses a die bonding device with a collet buffer member having cross-shaped receiving grooves. The collet is attached/detached from the bonding member primarily by vertical motion. One embodiment adds fixing hooks that rotate inward/outward, but the dominant collet retrieval motion remains vertical.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Lee Holly whose telephone number is (571)270-7097. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00 to 5:00 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas Hong can be reached at (571) 272-0993. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Lee A Holly/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3726
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