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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 9,011,602 to Hao in view of US 10,381,258 to Umise.
Regarding claim 1 Hao discloses a lift pin system, comprising: a plunger disposed in a plunger housing (see figure 5), the plunger including: a lower shaft (528) extending through a guide at a bottom of the plunger housing (510/530 figure 5); and an upper shaft (524) extending through an adapter plate at a top of the plunger housing; an actuating plate (514) coupled to the lower shaft below the plunger housing;
Hao does not disclose a hoop plate coupled to the upper shaft above the plunger housing; and a plurality of lift pins disposed on the hoop plate as Hao moves the lift pin directly.
Umise teaches a system including a hoop plate (52) coupled to the upper shaft above the plunger housing; and a plurality of lift pins (50) disposed on the hoop plate such that a single actuator can move multiple lift pins (col. 4 lines 38-45).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of Applicants’ claims to have modified Hao to include a hoop plate coupled to the upper shaft above the plunger housing; and a plurality of lift pins disposed on the hoop plate, as taught by Umise, such that a single actuator can move multiple lift pins.
Regarding claim 8 Hao and Umise teach a lift pin system, comprising: a plunger disposed in a plunger housing (see figure 5 and discussion of claim 1 above), and including: a shoulder (526) having a first outer diameter; a lower shaft (528) having a second outer diameter less than the first outer diameter (see figure 5), and extending from the shoulder through a guide at a bottom of the plunger housing (see figure 5); and an upper shaft (524) having a third outer diameter less than the first outer diameter (see figure 5), and extending from the shoulder through an adapter plate (536) at a top of the plunger housing; a hoop plate coupled to the upper shaft above the plunger housing; and a plurality of lift pins disposed on the hoop plate (see discussion of claim 1 above).
Regarding claim 14 the combination of Hao and Umise further teach a substrate processing chamber (Umise figure 1), comprising: a chamber body including a base (see Umise figure 1); a substrate support (16) disposed within the chamber body; a support shaft (22) coupled to the substrate support, the support shaft extending through the base (see Umise figure 1), and configured to move the substrate support between a lowered position and a raised position (see Umise 24); an actuating arm (Umise 80) coupled to the support shaft. The lift pin system is consistent with claim 1 (see discussion above).
Hao does not disclose the plunger is biased towards the raised position by a spring in the plunger housing (claim 8 as well as claims 2-3, 9, 15 and 16) and when the substrate support is in the lowered position, the spring biases the actuating plate upwards against the actuating arm.
Umise teaches the plunger is biased towards the raised position by a spring in the plunger housing (58) and when the substrate support is in the lowered position, the spring biases the actuating plate upwards against the actuating arm (see figure 7) in order to bias the actuator/spline shaft upwards (col. 5 lines 57-60).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of Applicants’ claims to have modified Hao to include the plunger is biased towards the raised position by a spring in the plunger housing and when the substrate support is in the lowered position, the spring biases the actuating plate upwards against the actuating arm as taught by Umise, in order to bias the actuator/spline shaft upwards.
Regarding claims 4-5 and 10-11 Hao discloses a bellows coupled to the adapter plate, the bellows is coupled to the plunger in the plunger housing (see 516 in figure 5).
Regarding claims 6 and 12 Umise teaches the bellows is coupled to the hoop plate (see 60 showing bellows attached between top of housing and bottom of hoop plate).
Regarding claims 7 and 13 Umise teaches a clearance between the upper shaft and the adapter plate is greater than a clearance between the lower shaft and the guide (see figure 1, additional space at top to accommodate bellows 60 whereas bottom is close to shaft).
Regarding claim 17 Umise teaches when the substrate support is in the raised position, the actuating arm is out of contact with the actuating plate (compare figures 6 and 7, 80 would be raised in figure 6).
Claim(s) 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hao and Umise in view of US 12,020,977 to Sulyman.
Hao and Umise teach all the limitations of the claims except when the support shaft is in the raised position, interaction between a bushing and a stop shoulder of the plunger housing limits upward movement of the plunger, the bushing is coupled to the lower shaft of the plunger and an axial position of the bushing on the lower shaft of the plunger is adjustable.
Sulyman teaches a lift pin system including when the support shaft is in the raised position, interaction between a bushing (262) and a stop shoulder (263) of the plunger housing limits upward movement of the plunger (see figure 5b), the bushing is coupled to the lower shaft of the plunger (see figure 5a) in order to limit the upward movement of the shaft (col. 7 lines 44-47).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of Applicants’ claims to have modified Hao and Umise to include when the support shaft is in the raised position, interaction between a bushing and a stop shoulder of the plunger housing limits upward movement of the plunger, the bushing is coupled to the lower shaft of the plunger, as taught by Sulyman, in order to limit the upward movement of the shaft. Sulyman does not specifically teach an axial position of the bushing on the lower shaft of the plunger is adjustable but making something adjustable does not patentably distinguish over the prior art. See MPEP 2144.04 V D.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Additional cited reference show other lift pin configuration and plungers/actuators therefore.
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).
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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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