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 Objections
Claim 11 is objected to because of the following informalities: “increase” should be --increasing--. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the fluid chamber" in lines 6 and 7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Is this fluid chamber one of the “at least one fluid chamber”. If so, the claim should be consistent in the language. For the purpose of examination, they are the same.
Claim 2 is indefinite because it is unclear if “a plurality of fluid chambers” include the “at least one fluid chamber” or if these are completely different fluid chambers from what is claimed in claim 1. For the purpose of examination, they are the same fluid chamber(s).
Claim 5 recites the limitation "the fluid chamber" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Is this fluid chamber one of the “at least one fluid chamber”. If so, the claim should be consistent in the language. For the purpose of examination, they are the same.
The term “narrow pathway” in claims 7-9 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “narrow” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. How thick does the pathway have to be for it to be considered a narrow pathway? Is there a specific thickness that the pathway needs to be smaller than for it to be considered narrow? The Examiner requests that the Applicant please clarify this limitation.
Claim 10 recites the limitation "the fluid chamber" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Is this fluid chamber one of the “at least one fluid chamber”. If so, the claim should be consistent in the language. For the purpose of examination, they are the same.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the fluid chamber" in lines 2 and 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Is this fluid chamber one of the “at least one fluid chamber”. If so, the claim should be consistent in the language. For the purpose of examination, they are the same.
The term “high thermal conductivity” in claim 13 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “high” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. What value does the conductivity have to be for it to be considered “high”? The Examiner requests that the Applicant please clarify this limitation.
Claim 16 recites the limitation "the fluid chamber" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Is this fluid chamber one of the “at least one fluid chamber”. If so, the claim should be consistent in the language. For the purpose of examination, they are the same.
Claim 18 recites the limitation "the fluid chamber" in lines 6 and 7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Is this fluid chamber one of the “at least one fluid chamber”. If so, the claim should be consistent in the language. For the purpose of examination, they are the same.
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, 13-14, 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Law et al. (2016/0116217).
Regarding claim 1, Law discloses a cooling system for a bond head heater including a heater plate 14 that is operative to heat a die that is being held adjacent to the bond head heater, the cooling system comprising: at least one fluid chamber 30 including an enclosure for containing a fluid, the at least one fluid chamber being thermally coupled to the heater plate 14 (figures 1-2); a fluid inlet (bottom of 36) and a fluid outlet 40 (figure 4) coupled to the fluid chamber such that fluid is introduced into the fluid chamber through the fluid inlet and exhausted from the fluid chamber through the fluid outlet; and a heat transmission path lying substantially next to the heater plate through which the fluid is configured to flow when the fluid is travelling between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet (flowing from the bottom of 30 to the top of 30) (figures 1-4, paragraphs 0016-0023).
Regarding claim 2, Law discloses that a plurality of fluid chambers 30 is thermally coupled to the heater plate 14 (figures 1-4).
Regarding claim 13, Law discloses a material (the heater 16) having a high thermal conductivity applied between the heater plate 14 and the fluid chamber 30, such material being a solid (figure 1, paragraph 0018).
Regarding claim 14, Law discloses that the fluid comprises spray particles generated from a mixture of compressed gas and liquid (paragraph 0005).
Regarding claim 18, Law discloses a bond heat heater assembly (figure 1) comprising: a heater plate 14 that is operative to heat a die that is being held adjacent to the bond head heater; at least one fluid chamber 30 including an enclosure for containing a fluid, the at least one fluid chamber 30 being thermally coupled to the heater plate (figures 1-3); a fluid inlet (bottom of 36, figure 4) and a fluid outlet 40 coupled to the fluid chamber such that fluid is introduced into the fluid chamber through the fluid inlet and exhausted from the fluid chamber through the fluid outlet; and a heat transmission path lying substantially next to the heater plate through which the fluid is configured to flow when the fluid is travelling between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet (flows from bottom of 36 to outlet 40) (figures 1-4, paragraphs 0016-0023).
Claim(s) 1, 5-11, 13-15, 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Law (2018/0068973).
Regarding claim 1, Law discloses a cooling system for a bond head heater including a heater plate 202 that is operative to heat a die that is being held adjacent to the bond head heater, the cooling system comprising: at least one fluid chamber 302, 304, 306 including an enclosure for containing a fluid, the at least one fluid chamber 302, 304, 306 being thermally coupled to the heater plate 202; a fluid inlet (cool spray in) and a fluid outlet (hot spray out) coupled to the fluid chamber such that fluid is introduced into the fluid chamber through the fluid inlet and exhausted from the fluid chamber through the fluid outlet (figure 3a); and a heat transmission path 304 lying substantially next to the heater plate through which the fluid is configured to flow when the fluid is travelling between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet (figure 3a).
Regarding claim 5, Law discloses a partition (wall that separates 302 from 306, figure 3a) positioned in the at least one fluid chamber that separates the fluid chamber into a first segment where the fluid inlet is located, and a second segment where the fluid outlet is located (figure 3a).
Regarding claim 6, Law discloses that the heat transmission path 304 is located along a space through which fluid travels from the first segment to the second segment (figure 3a).
Regarding claim 7, Law discloses that the space (where 304 is located) is in the form of an elongated narrow pathway between the first and second segments (figure 3a).
Regarding claim 8, Law discloses that the partition is in the form of a substantially T-shaped partition (when looking at cross-section), with a substantially horizontal portion of the T-shaped partition forming the elongated narrow pathway with a wall of the fluid chamber next to the heater plate.
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Regarding claim 9, Law discloses a flow speed of the fluid is higher in an area of the elongated narrow pathway than at the fluid inlet and at the fluid outlet (paragraph 0044).
Regarding claim 10, Law discloses that the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet are located adjacent to a distal end of the fluid chamber, the distal end being opposite to a proximal end of the fluid chamber that is adjacent to the heat transmission path 304 (figure 3a).
Regarding claim 11, Law discloses fins formed on a surface next to the heat transmission pathway for increase a rate of heat transfer (paragraphs 0045-0046).
Regarding claim 13, Law discloses a material 312 having a high thermal conductivity applied between the heater plate and the fluid chamber, such material being in the form of a liquid, paste or soft solid (paragraph 0045).
Regarding claim 14, Law discloses that the fluid comprises spray particles generated from a mixture of compressed gas and liquid (abstract).
Regarding claim 15, Law discloses a compressed gas supply connected to an atomization module 104 via a first release valve, and a liquid supply connected to the atomization module via a second release valve, the atomization module being operative to generate spray particles (paragraph 0012, 0047, figure 1).
Regarding claim 17, Law discloses a heater controller 106 operative to control a power supply for heating up the heater plate, receive temperature feedback from the heater plate, and provide signals for activating the first and second release valves connected to the atomization module, whereby to provide closed-loop control (paragraph 0022, 0033-0039, 0051-0056).
Regarding claim 18, Law discloses a bond heat heater assembly 102 comprising: a heater plate 202 that is operative to heat a die that is being held adjacent to the bond head heater; at least one fluid chamber 302, 304, 306 including an enclosure for containing a fluid, the at least one fluid chamber being thermally coupled to the heater plate 202; a fluid inlet (cool spray in) and a fluid outlet (hot spray out) coupled to the fluid chamber such that fluid is introduced into the fluid chamber through the fluid inlet and exhausted from the fluid chamber through the fluid outlet; and a heat transmission path 304 lying substantially next to the heater plate 202 through which the fluid is configured to flow when the fluid is travelling between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet (figure 3a).
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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Law et al. (2016/0116217) as applied to claim 2 above.
Regarding claim 3, Law discloses six fluid chambers thermally coupled to the heater plate 14 that are coextensive with a part of the heater plate 14 (figures 1-3) in the figures, but does not specifically states a total of four fluid chambers is coextensive with a quadrant of the heater plate. However, it is known to have multiple chambers coextensive with the heater plate. Determining the desired amount of heaters based on the cooling required during the bonding process would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time of the invention. It would have been obvious to ensure that the bonding head is cooled appropriately without causing damage to the tool or workpiece being bonded.
Claim(s) 15-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Law et al. (2016/0116217) as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Law et al. (2018/0068973).
Regarding claim 15, Law discloses a compressed gas supply and a liquid supply (figures 5-6), but does not disclose a compressed gas supply connected to an atomization module via a first release valve, and a liquid supply connected to the atomization module via a second release valve, the atomization module being operative to generate spray particles. However, Law ‘973 discloses a cooling system for a bond head heater that uses an atomization module 104 via a first release valve, and a liquid supply connected to the atomization module via a second release valve, the atomization module being operative to generate spray particles (paragraphs 0012, 0036-0037, 0047, figures 1, 5). To one skilled in the art at the time of the invention it would have been obvious to use an atomization module as taught by Law ‘973 because Law ‘973 states that atomized spray increases the rate of cooling, and in turn, increases productivity (paragraph 0008).
Regarding claim 16, Law discloses a radiator and liquid tank 56 where heated spray particles exhausted from the fluid chamber are converted into a liquid for recycling, before the liquid is provided again to the liquid supply (paragraph 0024-0026).
Regarding claim 17, Law ‘973 discloses a heater controller operative to control a power supply for heating up the heater plate, receive temperature feedback from the heater plate, and provide signals for activating the first and second release valves connected to the atomization module, whereby to provide closed-loop control (paragraphs 0022, 0033-0039).
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Law et al. (2016/0116217) as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Terada et al. (JP3172942B2).
Regarding claim 4, Law does not specifically disclose that each fluid chamber is separated from another fluid chamber by a chamber wall that is operative to thermally insulate respective fluid chambers from each other. However, using an insulating material would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time of the invention to prevent the cooling fluid inside the nozzles 30 from being heated by the bond head prior to it be being sprayed onto the bond head. If it were to be heated by the heat from the bond head prior to being sprayed it would defeat the purpose. Furthermore, if the Applicant does not believe this to be true, Terada discloses using an insulating material 7 between the cooling channels 8. This would show that it is known to use insulating material for the cooling part of a bond head. As stated above, using an insulating material would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time of the invention to prevent the cooling fluid inside the nozzles 30 from being heated by the bond head prior to it be being sprayed onto the bond head.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 12 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Prior art was not found that taught or suggested one or more springs positioned between the fluid chamber and a supporting surface of the bond head heater in order to bias the fluid chamber in a direction of the heater plate for enhancing thermal conductivity therebetween.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIN B SAAD whose telephone number is (571)270-3634. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 7:30a-6p.
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/ERIN B SAAD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1735