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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statements filed on May 1st 2024 and January 2nd, 2026 have been considered by the examiner.
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 2 and 4 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 2 recites the limitation "the array of linear stators" in L1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The claim will be interpreted as if it read “the plurality of stators.”
Claim 2 recites the limitation " " in L2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The claim will be interpreted as if it read “the plurality of sensors.”
Claim 4recites the limitation "each first sensor" in L1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The claim will be interpreted as if it read “each sensor.”
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1,3, and 5-20 are allowable. Claims 2 and 4 would be allowable once the 35 U.S.C112 rejections are overcome.
Independent claims 1 and 10 are allowable for disclosing “an array of first recesses formed in the first surface.”
Independent claim 15 is allowable for disclosing “a linear array of top sensors coupled to the first side of the member.”
The closest prior art of US 20210249291 discloses magnetic levitation assembly for a processing station (conveying device 100), comprising: a membrane (hermetic seal 16) comprising: a body comprising a non-ferromagnetic material (stator 100), wherein the body has a first surface (action surface 102) and a second surface (not labeled); a plurality of stators (Fig. 9G) comprising one or more stator poles (Fig. 9C).
There is no teaching or suggestion in the prior art that would render it obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have recesses in the body as recited. There is also no teaching or suggestion of having sensors on the top surface of a stator as recited.
Claims 3, 5-9, 11-14 and 16-20 are allowable by virtue of their dependencies.
Conclusion
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/J.L.B./Examiner, Art Unit 3653
/MICHAEL MCCULLOUGH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3653