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 .
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(s) 1-2, 5, 8-9, 12-16, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by EP 0845710 A1 (hereby referred to as EP ‘710).
Regarding Claim 1, EP ‘710 discloses a process and a device for making a stencil printing master. The device comprises a frame (5), which is used to support a flat template (4) (i.e. a substrate) (EP ‘710, paragraph 0028 of the English translation, see Fig. 3). The device further includes a light source that emits radiation in the UV range (17) and a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel (16) (EP ‘710, paragraph 0028 of the English translation, see Fig. 3). As can be seen in Fig. 3 of EP ‘710, the LCD panel (16) is positioned between the frame (5) and the UV light source (17). Thus, EP ‘710 discloses the apparatus according to instant claim 1.
Regarding Claim 2, EP ‘710 discloses that the LCD panel is a transmissive LCD panel (EP ‘710, paragraph 0037 and 0040 of the English translation; see also Fig. 3 which shows that the light source must pass radiation through the LCD panel to irradiate the template).
Regarding Claim 5, EP ‘710 discloses that a computer is utilized to supply the LCD panel with pattern data and causes the UV light source to pass radiation through the LCD panel (EP ‘710, paragraph 0030 of the English translation; refer to Fig. 3 which shows the computer (30)).
Regarding Claim 8, EP ‘710 discloses a process using the device described above (EP ‘710, paragraph 0028-0031 of the English translation). The process includes providing a template (i.e. a substrate) (EP ‘710, paragraph 0028 of the English translation), providing pattern data (i.e. an image) to a LCD panel (EP ‘710, paragraph 0030 of the English translation), activating a UV light source to generate radiation (EP ‘710, paragraph 0030 of the English translation), and passing the UV radiation through the LCD panel to the substrate (EP ‘710, paragraph 0030 of the English translation, see also Fig. 3 of EP ‘710). The template is equipped with a light-sensitive layer and is patterned by the emission of light through the LCD panel (EP ‘710, paragraph 0013 of the English translation).
Regarding Claim 9, EP ‘710 discloses that the LCD panel is a transmissive LCD panel (EP ‘710, paragraph 0037 and 0040 of the English translation; see also Fig. 3 which shows that the light source must pass radiation through the LCD panel to irradiate the template).
Regarding Claim 12, EP ‘710 discloses that a computer is utilized to supply the LCD panel with pattern data and causes the UV light source to pass radiation through the LCD panel (EP ‘710, paragraph 0030 of the English translation; refer to Fig. 3 which shows the computer (30)).
Regarding Claim 13, EP ‘710 discloses that the device comprises a frame (5), which is used to support a flat template (4) (i.e. a substrate) (EP ‘710, paragraph 0028 of the English translation, see Fig. 3). The same device is equipped with the LCD panel (EP ‘710, paragraph 0028 of the English translation, see Fig. 3). As shown in Fig. 4 of EP ‘710, the LCD panel is coupled to the frame and template.
Regarding Claim 14, EP ‘710 discloses that the light-sensitive layer is exposed and then developed (EP ‘710, paragraph 0018 of the English translation). The light-sensitive material may be a positive-type or negative-type resist (EP ‘710, paragraph 0034 of the English translation). When a negative resist is utilized, the unexposed portion is removed via development (EP ’710, paragraph 0034 of the English translation).
Regarding Claim 15, EP ‘710 discloses a device for making a stencil printing master. The device comprises a frame (5), which is used to support a flat template (4) (i.e. a substrate) (EP ‘710, paragraph 0028 of the English translation, see Fig. 3). The device further includes a light source that emits radiation in the UV range (17) and a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel (16) (EP ‘710, paragraph 0028 of the English translation, see Fig. 3). As can be seen in Fig. 3 of EP ‘710, the LCD panel (16) is positioned between the frame (5) and the UV light source (17). Thus, EP ‘710 discloses the apparatus according to instant claim 1. A computer is utilized to supply the LCD panel with pattern data and causes the UV light source to pass radiation through the LCD panel (EP ‘710, paragraph 0030 of the English translation; refer to Fig. 3 which shows the computer (30)). The pattern data defines an image to be transferred (EP ‘710, paragraph 0033 of the English translation).
Regarding Claim 16, EP ‘710 discloses that the LCD panel is a transmissive LCD panel (EP ‘710, paragraph 0037 and 0040 of the English translation; see also Fig. 3 which shows that the light source must pass radiation through the LCD panel to irradiate the template).
Regarding Claim 18, EP ‘710 discloses that the template is equipped with a light-sensitive layer and is patterned by the emission of light through the LCD panel (EP ‘710, paragraph 0013 of the English translation).
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.
Claim(s) 3, 10, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over EP 0845710 A1 (hereby referred to as EP ‘710) in view of US 20150336372 A1 (hereby referred to as Van Ness).
Regarding Claims 3, 10, and 17, EP ‘710 discloses a device and process for making a stencil printing master. As discussed above, the device disclosed by EP ‘710 includes the features of instant claims 1 and 15, and the process disclosed by EP ‘710 includes the steps of instant claim 8. However, EP ‘710 is silent in regards to the use of a two-dimensional array of UV light emitting diodes (LEDs).
Van Ness teaches a screen printing device and method. The device is used to expose an emulsion-coated screen to light (Van Ness, paragraph 0020). The device supports a substrate having a photosensitive emulsion using a frame (Van Ness, paragraph 0044), and an array of UV-LEDs provides radiation to transfer a pattern onto the photosensitive emulsion (Van Ness, paragraph 0042). Refer to Fig. 2 of Van Ness. As can be seen in Fig. 2 of Van Ness, the UV-LED array is a two-dimensional array (Van Ness, paragraph 0042).
EP ‘710 and Van Ness are analogous art because both references pertain to pattern transfer using screen-printing techniques. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant application to use an array of ultraviolet LEDs, as taught by Van Ness, as the ultraviolet light source in the device disclosed by EP ‘710 because an array of UV LEDs allows for a short exposure time that provides a more consistent exposure environment than traditional systems (Van Ness, paragraph 0022).
Claim(s) 4, 6-7, 11, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over EP 0845710 A1 (hereby referred to as EP ‘710) in view of KR 20110058501 A (hereby referred to as KR ‘501).
Regarding Claims 4, 11, and 20, EP ‘710 discloses the apparatus of instant claim 1, the method of instant claim 8, and the system of instant claim 15, as discussed above. The exposure device disclosed by EP ‘710 comprises a lens disposed between the radiation source and the LCD panel (EP ‘710, paragraph 0036 of the English translation and Fig. 6). However, EP ‘710 is silent in regards to the use of a spherical lens array.
KR ‘501 teaches an LED lamp for exposure and an exposure apparatus using the same. The exposure apparatus uses an LED lamp arranged as an array of LEDs (KR ‘501, first paragraph on page 13 of the English translation and Fig. 5a). The exposure apparatus includes a flyeye lens (e.g. a combination of microlens arrays) that converts the exposure light source, which is unstable UV light generated by the lamp unit, into a uniform light source (KR ‘501, page 7 of the English translation). As shown in Fig. 9 of KR ‘501, the flyeye lens is disposed between the radiation source and the target substrate.
EP ‘710 and KR ‘501 are analogous art because both references pertain to exposure apparatuses comprising UV light sources. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant application to use a lens array, such as the flyeye lens taught by KR ‘501, in place of the lens disclosed by EP ‘710 because the flyeye lens taught by KR ‘501 produces a more uniform light source (KR ‘501, page 7 of the English translation), which results in a more uniform exposure dose across the exposure area and thus improves patterning accuracy.
Regarding Claims 6-7 and 19, EP ‘710 discloses the apparatus of instant claim 1 and the system of instant claim 15, as discussed above. However, EP ‘710 is silent in regards to a cooling system.
KR ‘501 teaches an LED lamp for exposure and an exposure apparatus using the same. The exposure apparatus uses an LED lamp arranged as an array of LEDs (KR ‘501, first paragraph on page 13 of the English translation and Fig. 5a). The exposure lamp is equipped with a cooling fan and a heat sink, for the purposes of releasing heat from the LEDs more effectively (KR ‘501, page 12 of the English translation and Fig. 6-7).
EP ‘710 and KR ‘501 are analogous art because both references pertain to exposure apparatuses comprising UV light sources. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant application to include a cooling system comprising one or more fans providing air flow to the UV light source, as taught by KR ‘501, in the device disclosed by EP ‘710 because the cooling system maintains the temperature of the UV light source at a constant level (KR ‘501, page 12 of the English translation), and maintaining the temperature of the UV light source maximizes the lifespan of the light source (KR ‘501, page 13 of the English translation). Maximizing the lifespan of the light source reduces costs associated with replacing the exposure light source and prevents process stoppages (KR ‘501, last paragraph on page 5 of the English translation).
Conclusion
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/JAYSON D COSGROVE/Examiner, Art Unit 1737
/JONATHAN JOHNSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1734
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