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) 1-2, 5, 8, 12-15 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 7,422,655 to Asakura.
Regarding claim 1 Asakura discloses a lift pin system, comprising: a plunger disposed in a plunger housing (58/60); and a lift pin (72) disposed above the plunger housing, the lift pin axially movable by movement of the plunger (goes up and down), and including: an upper shaft (72a); one or more longitudinal ribs (areas between 72x see figure 9c) disposed along the upper shaft; and a lower shaft (72b).
Regarding claim 2 Asakura discloses the one or more longitudinal ribs include three longitudinal ribs disposed circumferentially around the upper shaft (see figure 9c). It is noted that given the broadest reasonable interpretation this claim requires 3 ribs be present but does not preclude additional ribs.
Regarding claims 5 and 17 Asakura discloses the lift pin is disposed in a lift pin housing (68); the upper shaft extends through a top of the lift pin housing; and the lower shaft extends through a bottom of the lift pin housing (see figures 9a and 9b).
Regarding claim 8 Asakura discloses a lift pin (82), comprising: an upper shaft (82a); one or more longitudinal ribs disposed along the upper shaft (areas between 82x see figure 10c); a lower shaft (82b); and a shoulder between the lower shaft and the upper shaft (see figure 10c and transition to 82d).
Regarding claim 12 Asakura discloses the one or more longitudinal ribs are integrally formed with the upper shaft (see figure 9c).
Regarding claims 13 and 15 Asakura discloses the lower shaft has a first lateral cross-sectional shape; and the upper shaft with the one or more longitudinal ribs have a second lateral cross-sectional shape different from the first lateral cross-sectional shape (compare figure 9c with circular cross section of lower shaft area).
Regarding claim 14 Asakura discloses a substrate processing chamber (see figure 1), comprising: a chamber body including a base (see 22); a substrate support (38) disposed within the chamber body; and a lift pin system (see figure 1), comprising: a plunger housing coupled to the base (58); a plunger (60) disposed in the plunger housing; and a lift pin (72) disposed above the plunger housing, the lift pin axially movable by movement of the plunger (vertical movement), and including: an upper shaft (72a); one or more longitudinal ribs disposed along the upper shaft (areas between 72x see figure 9c); and a lower shaft (72b).
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) 3-4, 7, 9-11, 16 and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Asakura in view of US 2005/0194100 to Or.
Regarding claims 3-4, 10-11 and 16 Asakura discloses all the limitations of the claims except a coating on the one or more longitudinal ribs and the coating has a coefficient of friction lower than a coefficient of friction of a material of the upper shaft.
Or teaches a lift pin system including a coating on the one or more longitudinal ribs (or in this case the portion of the pin that contacts the housing during movement) and the coating has a coefficient of friction lower than a coefficient of friction of a material of the upper shaft (para 0017) in order to reduce friction and minimize wear (para 0017).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of Applicant’s claims to have modified Asakura to include a coating on the one or more longitudinal ribs and the coating has a coefficient of friction lower than a coefficient of friction of a material of the upper shaft, as taught by Or, in order to reduce friction and minimize wear.
Regarding claims 7, 9, and 19-20 Asakura discloses all the limitations of the claims except the upper shaft includes a flared portion above the one or more longitudinal ribs and the lift pin is disposed through a hole in the substrate support; and the flared portion is configured to mate with a corresponding tapered portion of the hole.
Or teaches a lift pin system including the upper shaft includes a flared portion (206) above the one or more longitudinal ribs and the lift pin is disposed through a hole in the substrate support; and the flared portion is configured to mate with a corresponding tapered portion of the hole (para 0018 and figure 3) to prevent the pin from falling through the guide hole (para 0018).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of Applicant’s claims to have modified Asakura to include the upper shaft includes a flared portion above the one or more longitudinal ribs and the lift pin is disposed through a hole in the substrate support; and the flared portion is configured to mate with a corresponding tapered portion of the hole, as taught by Or, to prevent the pin from falling through the guide hole.
Claim(s) 6 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Asakura in view of US 2023/0039173 to Wada.
Regarding claims Asakura discloses all the limitations of the claims except a seal member disposed in the lift pin housing, the seal member configured to form a seal against the lift pin.
Wada teaches a lift pin system including a seal member (267) disposed in the lift pin housing, the seal member configured to form a seal against the lift pin (see figure 9) in order to close the gap between the lift pin housing and the pin (para 0124).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of Applicant’s claims to have modified Asakura to include a seal member disposed in the lift pin housing, the seal member configured to form a seal against the lift pin, as taught by Wada, in order to close the gap between the lift pin housing and the pin
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Additional cited references show other lift pins systems with seals, friction coating and/or ribs.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARK C HAGEMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-5547. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:15-4:45 (PST).
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, Saul Rodriguez can be reached at 571-272-7097. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MARK C HAGEMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3652
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