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 .
Allowable Subject Matter
The indicated allowability of claim 3 is withdrawn in view of the newly discovered reference(s) to KR20140122898A. Rejections based on the newly cited reference(s) follow.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the speed reducing part" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Klingshirn et al (US 5,324,488) in view of Kim et al (KR 2014-0122898), an English computer translation (CT) is provided.
Klingshirn et al discloses an ingot 3 growing apparatus 4, comprising: a growth furnace (housing 7 containing crucible 1 with main heating elements 6) in which a main crucible 1 accommodating molten silicon for growing an ingot is disposed; a preliminary melting part (housing 10 with additional crucible 11 and heating elements 12) which receives and melts a solid silicon material 20 and a dopant 17, and has a preliminary crucible 11 that supplies the molten silicon 14 to the main crucible 11; a transfer part (feed lines 15/18 merge to single pipe to crucible 11) which transfers the solid silicon material 20 and the dopant 17 to the preliminary crucible 11; a silicon supply part (feed device 23) which supplies the solid silicon material to the transfer part; and a dopant supply part (feed device 22) which is disposed on an upper side of the transfer part and supplies the dopant to the transfer part according to a concentration of the dopant melted in the main crucible. (Figure and col 4, ln 60 to col 7, ln 35).
Klingshirn et al does not teach the dopant supply part includes a dopant transfer part for controlling a supply of the dopant, wherein the dopant transfer part comprises: a belt that rotates in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction; a plurality of dopant supporting parts disposed on one side of the belt; and a plurality of dopant accommodating parts rotatably connected to each of the plurality of dopant supporting parts and accommodating the dopant.
In an apparatus for recharging crystalline material, Kim et al teaches the crystal supply device includes a raw material transfer part 100 for controlling a supply of the raw material 30, wherein the raw material transfer part comprises: a belt 142 that rotates in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction; a plurality of raw material supporting parts 130 disposed on one side of the belt; and a plurality of raw material accommodating parts 150/152 rotatably connected to each of the plurality of dopant supporting parts and accommodating the dopant ([0005]-[0034] and Fig 2-4 teaches a pedestal for supporting raw material attached to rotating belt 142 and the pedestal rotates by the coupling through hole 152 in a vertical portion 152 attached to the belt).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify Klingshirn et al by using the raw material recharging device for supplying a dopant comprising dopant supply part includes a dopant transfer part for controlling a supply of the dopant, wherein the dopant transfer part comprises: a belt that rotates in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction; a plurality of dopant supporting parts disposed on one side of the belt; and a plurality of dopant accommodating parts rotatably connected to each of the plurality of dopant supporting parts and accommodating the dopant, to be able to supply nugget shaped crystalline material quickly and easily (CT [0001]-[0005]).
Referring to claim 2, the combination of Klingshirn et al and Kim et al teaches the dopant supply part comprises: a body part (feed device 22) which is disposed on an upper side of the transfer part (feed line 15 which merges with feed line 18 to a single pipe to crucible 11); and a dopant transfer part which is disposed inside the body part and accommodates the dopant to control supply of the dopant (feed line 15 is inside the housing 25 containing the dopant container 16 connected to the feed device 22, wherein the feed device discharges a precisely metered amount of material) (Klingshirn Figure; col 5, ln 1-68, col 6, ln 60-68; Kim Fig 2-4 shows a body part 110 disposed on a upper side of the transfer part and transfer part 130/142).
Referring to claim 3, the combination of Klingshirn et al and Kim et al teaches the dopant transfer part further comprises: a first rotation part which is disposed inside the body part and rotated in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction; and a second rotation part which is disposed to be spaced apart from the first rotation part inside the body part and rotated in the same direction as the first rotation part; wherein the belt is in contact with the first rotation part and the second rotation part and is rotated by the first rotation part and the second rotation part (Kim Fig 2-4).
Referring to claim 4, the combination of Klingshirn et al and Kim et al teaches the dopant transfer part further comprises a locking part 154 which is disposed on a lower side of the body part and contacts the dopant accommodating part to rotate the dopant accommodating part (Kim CT [0025]-[0030] and Fig 2-4 teaches the pedestal 130 is coupled to the first power transmitting member 120 via a coupling hole 150 having a horizontal portion 154 and a vertical portion 152; and the pedestal 130 is disposed such that the side portion is hinged to the vertical portion 152 and the lower surface is in contact with the upper surface of the horizontal portion 154. 2, when the pedestal 130 is positioned on the left side of the first rotating body 123 and the second rotating body 124, the pedestal 130 is moved downward by the horizontal portion 154 (locking part) so that a horizontal state is maintained.
Referring to claim 5, the combination of Klingshirn et al and Kim et al teaches the dopant supporting part comprises: a first support part 130 which is coupled to an outer side of the belt 120; a first rotational shaft (pin) which is disposed on one side of the first support part; and a second support part (hole in vertical portion 152) which is rotatably connected to the first rotation shaft (Kim CT [0020]-[0030] and Fig 2-4 teaches the pedestal coupled with a pin (rotating shaft) through hole 150).
Referring to claim 6, the combination of Klingshirn et al and Kim et al teaches dopant accommodating part comprises: a first accommodating part 130 which is made of a flat plate shape; a second accommodating part (extension portion 132) which extends from the first accommodating part and is formed to be inclined at a predetermined angle (perpendicular) with the first accommodating part; and a second rotational shaft (pin) which is rotatably connected to the second support part and disposed between the first accommodating part and the second accommodating part, wherein the dopant accommodating part is rotated in a clockwise direction or counterclockwise direction about the second rotational shaft (Kim CT [0020]-[0030], Fig 2-4).
Referring to claim 7, the combination of Klingshirn et al and Kim et al teaches the dopant supporting part rotates along the belt and abuts the locking part, the distance between the center of the first rotational shaft and the center of the second rotational shaft is greater than the distance between the center of the first rotational shaft and the center of the locking part (Kim Fig 2-4 shows the position of the rotating shafts of the belt and the portion of the plate 130 when contacting the lock to maintain the horizontal portion at different distances).
Claim(s) 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Klingshirn et al (US 5,324,488) in view of Kim et al (KR 2014-0122898), an English computer translation (CT) is provided, as applied to claims 1-7 above, and further in view of Yuan (CN 207998652 U), an English computer translation (CT2) is provided.
Referring to claim 8, the combination of Klingshirn et al and Kim et al teaches all of the limitations of claim 8, as discussed above, except the speed reducing part comprises: a discharge pipe which is connected to a lower side of the body part; and a plurality of protrusions which protrude from an inner side surface of the discharge pipe and contact the dopant falling in the direction of gravity.
In a crystal growth apparatus, Yuan et al teaches a speed reducing part comprises: a discharge pipe (cylinder body 1) which is connected to a lower side of the body part (103); and a plurality of protrusions (baffles) which protrude from an inner side surface of the discharge pipe and contact the dopant falling in the direction of gravity; and the baffles can reduce the solid material descending potential energy, the liquid surface of the liquid silicon material will not appear the great fluctuation, liquid silicon is not easy to splash and ensure the stability of the liquid level stable (Fig 1 and 3; CT2 [0030]-[0035]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the combination of Klingshirn et al and Kim et al by providing a discharge pipe which is connected to a lower side of the body part; and a plurality of protrusions which protrude from an inner side surface of the discharge pipe and contact the dopant falling in the direction of gravity, as taught by Yuan, to reduce the potential energy of the solid raw material and reduce splashing.
Referring to claim 9, the combination of Klingshirn et al, Kim et al and Yuan teaches plurality of protrusions comprise: a plurality of first protrusions which are formed to narrow along the direction of gravity; and a plurality of second protrusions which are disposed to be spaced apart from the plurality of first protrusions and are disposed to be spaced apart from each other along the direction of gravity (Yuan Fig 1 and 3 shows alternative left and right baffles).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-9 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW J SONG whose telephone number is (571)272-1468. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10AM-6PM.
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MATTHEW J. SONG
Examiner
Art Unit 1714
/MATTHEW J SONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1714