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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 and 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yoshida et al (US 2018/0187307).
Yoshida discloses the substrate processing apparatus claimed including a vacuum container (18; para 0026 discloses for vacuum created via a vacuum pump 44) accommodating a substrate holder (26; para 0030) that holds a plurality of plurality of substrates and including an opening at a lower end of the vacuum container, a lid (46) configured to open and close the opening, a thermal insulating unit (70) configured to insulate a first space below the substrate holder (shown by the exhaust space 24B that extends below the substrate holder/boat 26; also, see Figures 1 and8) wherein the heat-insulating unit includes a partition member (82, a cylindrical shape having an interior space) that forms a second space (i.e., a space through which a purging gas flow therethrough; also, see para 0088) wherein the partition member is provided to be rotatable with respect to the lid (i.e., the partition member 82 is fixed to an upper surface of a disc-shaped receiving portion 78 that is connected to a rotatable shaft 72; also, see para 0080 and 0085).
With respect to claim 2, Yoshida discloses a fixed shaft (76A) that extends vertically through the lid, and a rotary shaft (72) provided outside the fixed shaft in a radial direction to be rotatable with respect to the fixed shaft and configured to rotate the heat insulating unit (as the heating unit 70 is fixed with the disc-shaped receiving portion 78 connected with the rotary shaft. Also, see para 0080 and 0085.
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: claim 3 includes an allowable subject matter of the fixed shaft having an inner shaft and an outer shaft having an exhaust passage to exhaust the temperature-regulating fluid from the second space is provided between the inner shaft and the outer shaft.
Claims 3-10 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Saido (US 2020/0187305) discloses a shaft having a fluid supply passage.
Shibagaki (US 2009/0190908) discloses for a shaft with a plurality of supply channels.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SANG Y PAIK whose telephone number is (571)272-4783. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00-5:30; M-F.
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, Steven W. Crabb can be reached at 571-270-5095. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/SANG Y PAIK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761
Prosecution Insights