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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 05/09/2024 have been considered by the Examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 6 recites a phrase “the first supplier: further comprises” in lines 9-10. Examiner suggests amending the phrase to recite “the first supplier further comprises:” to restore clarity.
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.
Claim(s) 1-13 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 1, limitation(s) "a first temperature adjustment device that supplies a fluid to an internal space" and “the first temperature adjustment device comprises a first supplier that supplies a first fluid” render the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether “a fluid” and “a first fluid” are meant to be same or different entity. Examiner assumes the same entity and suggests using corresponding Identical naming for clarity.
Dependent Claim(s) 2-13 not specifically addressed share the same 112(b) rejection as the rejected base Claim 1. Appropriate correction is required.
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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-4 and 6-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by TUSTANIWSKYJ et al. (US 20230003786; hereinafter TUSTANIWSKYJ).
Regarding claim 1, TUSTANIWSKYJ discloses in figure(s) 1-9 a temperature adjustment system for adjusting a temperature of a device under test (DUT) electrically connected to a socket, the temperature adjustment system comprising:
a first temperature adjustment device (104; fig. 2) that supplies a fluid (fluid from fluid source 102) to an internal space (132) in either the socket (136/130) or a contact member (138,122,167) that contacts the DUT (101; fig. 2) when the DUT is pressed against the socket; and
a second temperature adjustment device (temperature control system 100, 128) that adjusts a temperature (temperature adjustment in fig. 9) of an atmosphere in a chamber (housing 140/164; figs. 3-8) in which the socket and the contact member are disposed, wherein the first temperature adjustment device comprises a first supplier (102) that supplies a first fluid, the first supplier comprises:
one or more connectors (106) connected to one or more supply sources that supply the first fluid is connected; and
a heat exchanger (120) disposed between the one or more first connectors (106) and the internal space (132), and the heat exchanger has a heat exchange part exposed in the chamber and exchanges heat (heating 126, cooling 124 as needed) between the first fluid and the atmosphere in the chamber.
Regarding claim 2, TUSTANIWSKYJ discloses in figure(s) 1-9 the temperature adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein the first supplier further comprises a temperature adjuster (flow temperature controller 114/112) that adjusts a temperature of the first fluid from the one or more supply sources (102) via the one or more connectors (106), and the heat exchanger (120) is disposed between the one or more connectors (106) and the temperature adjuster (114).
Regarding claim 3, TUSTANIWSKYJ discloses in figure(s) 1-9 the temperature adjustment system according to claim 2, wherein the first supplier further comprises: a sensor (temperature sensor 128) that measures a temperature of the first fluid on a downstream side of the temperature adjuster (112); and a controller (116) that controls the temperature adjuster based on the measured temperature.
Regarding claim 4, TUSTANIWSKYJ discloses in figure(s) 1-9 the temperature adjustment system according to claim 2, wherein the temperature adjuster comprises a heater (126) that heats the first fluid.
Regarding claim 6, TUSTANIWSKYJ discloses in figure(s) 1-9 the temperature adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more connectors include:
an air supply connector (para. 23 - compressed air source) connected to an air supply source of the supply sources; and
a nitrogen supply connector connected to a nitrogen supply source (para. 29 – a liquid nitrogen supply; para. 23 - evaporated nitrogen source) of the supply sources that stores liquid nitrogen, the first supplier: further comprises
a junction (para. 29 - evaporation of nitrogen through the mixing of liquid nitrogen and air) where a first flow path connected to the air supply connector joins a second flow path connected to the nitrogen supply connector, and supplies, as the first fluid, the air from the air supply source, the nitrogen from the nitrogen supply source, or a mixed fluid of the air and the nitrogen.
Regarding claim 7, TUSTANIWSKYJ discloses in figure(s) 1-9 the temperature adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more connectors include an air supply connector connected to an air supply source of the one or more supply sources, and the first supplier supplies the air from the air supply source as the first fluid (para. 131 - fluidly coupled … a fluid, such as air, compressed dry air, compressed air, etc., may flow … include piping, channels, or any other suitable components for enabling the flow of a fluid from one component or object to another).
Regarding claim 8, TUSTANIWSKYJ discloses in figure(s) 1-9 the temperature adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more connectors include a nitrogen supply connector connected to a nitrogen supply source of the one or more supply sources that stores liquid nitrogen (para. 29 - liquid nitrogen supply), and the first supplier supplies the nitrogen from the nitrogen supply source as the first fluid.
Regarding claim 9, TUSTANIWSKYJ discloses in figure(s) 1-9 the temperature adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein the first temperature adjustment device further comprises: a second supplier that supplies a second fluid having a temperature different from a temperature of the first fluid; and a mixer that mixes the first fluid from the first supplier and the second fluid from the second supplier and supplies the mixed fluid to the internal space (para. 29 - cooling device 124 is a liquid nitrogen supply which facilitates cooling of the fluid e.g., by causing evaporation of nitrogen through the mixing of liquid nitrogen and air, etc).
Regarding claim 10, TUSTANIWSKYJ discloses in figure(s) 1-9 the temperature adjustment system according to claim 9, wherein the second fluid is room temperature air (para. 22 - ambient air).
Regarding claim 11, TUSTANIWSKYJ discloses in figure(s) 1-9 the temperature adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein the second temperature adjustment device comprises one or both of: a heating device (126) that heats the atmosphere in the chamber; and a cooling device (124) that cools the atmosphere in the chamber.
Regarding claim 12, TUSTANIWSKYJ discloses in figure(s) 1-9 An electronic component testing apparatus comprising: the temperature adjustment system according to claim 1; the socket (136/130) electrically connected to the DUT (101); the contact member (138,122,167) that contacts the DUT when the DUT is pressed against the socket; and the chamber (housing 140/164; figs. 3-8) in which the socket and the contact member are disposed.
Regarding claim 13, TUSTANIWSKYJ discloses in figure(s) 1-9 the electronic component testing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the socket comprises: a contactor (167) electrically connected to a terminal of the DUT (101); and a housing (140) holding the contactor, the internal space (132) is in the housing, and the contactor is exposed inside the internal space.
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 of this title, 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 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over TUSTANIWSKYJ in view of Hamilton et al. (US 20030112025).
Regarding claim 5, TUSTANIWSKYJ teaches in figure(s) 1-9 the temperature adjustment system according to claim 1,
TUSTANIWSKYJ does not teach explicitly wherein the heat exchanger comprises: fins exposed in the chamber; and a main body connected to the fins and having a flow path through which the first fluid flows.
However, Hamilton teaches in figure(s) 1-8 wherein the heat exchanger comprises: fins exposed in the chamber; and a main body connected to the fins and having a flow path through which the first fluid flows (para. 22 - heat exchanger cover 70, as shown in FIG. 7, has a number of fins 76 thereon to provide cooling when air flows over the fins.).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of TUSTANIWSKYJ by having wherein the heat exchanger comprises: fins exposed in the chamber; and a main body connected to the fins and having a flow path through which the first fluid flows as taught by Hamilton in order to provide use of known technique to improve similar devices (methods, or products) in the same way as evidenced by "Heat exchangers through with air flows are arranged to form the sides of compartments or sections of the oven so that the air flowing horizontally and drawn through ducts in the oven is cooled by the heat exchangers before the air flows into the next oven compartment or section." (para. 3).
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
See the List of References cited in the US PT0-892.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AKM ZAKARIA whose telephone number is (571)270-0664. The examiner can normally be reached on 8-5 PM (PST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Judy Nguyen can be reached on (571) 272-2258. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AKM ZAKARIA/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858