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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 2 – 4 and 11 – 19 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected Invention Group and/or Species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on June 30, 2026.
Applicant's election with traverse of Invention Group IV and Species D in the reply filed on June 30, 2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that Roh (U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2021/0013085) does not anticipate the limitations of claim 1. Therefore, Applicant argues, unity of invention exists between each of Invention Groups I - V. This is not found persuasive because, as explained above, the limitations of claim 1 are properly anticipated by Rey (U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2016/0031080).
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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 and 5 – 10 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 “each linear actuator” in the last paragraph of the claim. It is unclear as to whether Applicant intends the limitation to refer to each of the “linear actuators” previously set forth in the claim, or whether Applicant intends the limitation to refer to ‘linear actuators’ other than those previously set forth. For the purposes of this Office Action, Examiner will interpret the limitation as “each of the linear actuators.”
Claim 5 recites the limitation “each first end of each linear actuator.” It is unclear as to whether Applicant intends the limitation to refer to each of the ‘first ends’ of each of the ‘linear actuators’ previously set forth in claim 1, or whether Applicant intends the limitation to refer to ‘first ends’ of ‘linear actuators’ other than those previously set forth. For the purposes of this Office Action, Examiner will interpret the limitation as “each of the first ends of each of the linear actuators.”
Claims 6 – 10 each recite the limitation “each first biaxial flexure bearing.” It is unclear as to whether Applicant intends the limitations to refer to each of the ‘first biaxial flexure bearings’ previously set forth in claim 5, or whether Applicant intends the limitation to refer to ‘first biaxial flexure bearings’ other than those previously set forth. For the purposes of this Office Action, Examiner will interpret the limitation as “each of the first biaxial flexure bearings.”
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 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Rey (U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2016/0031080).
As to claim 1, Zhang teaches an apparatus (abstract) comprising: a pedestal configured to support a semiconductor wafer during wafer processing operations (figures 5 and 6, element 21a being the ‘pedestal’; paragraphs 117 and 121); a hexapod mechanism (figures 4 – 6, elements 3, 10, and 2 being the ‘hexapod mechanism’; paragraph 101) that includes: a movable mount that supports the pedestal (figures 4 – 6, element 2 being the ‘movable mount’; paragraphs 100 – 101); a stationary mount (figures 4 – 6, element 3 being the ‘stationary mount’; paragraphs 100 – 101); and six independently controllable linear actuators (figures 4 – 6, elements 10a – 10f being the ‘linear actuators’; paragraphs 101 – 102), each of the linear actuators having a first end pivotably connected with the stationary mount and a second end pivotably connected with the movable mount (figures 4 – 6, elements 41a – 41f being the ‘first end’ and elements 43a – 43f being the ‘second end’; paragraph 101), wherein the linear actuators support the movable mount relative to the stationary mount (figures 4 – 6, elements 10a – 10f, 2, and 3; paragraphs 101 – 102).
As to claim 5, Zhang teaches that each of the first ends of each of the linear actuators are pivotably connected with the stationary mount by a corresponding fist biaxial flexure bearing (figures 4 – 6, elements 42a – 42f being the ‘first biaxial flexure bearings’; paragraph 101). Examiner notes that this can be found because Zhang teaches that the bearings 42a – 42f allow for movement across two perpendicular axes.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6 - 10 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Zhang does not teach, either expressly or implicitly, that each of the first biaxial flexure bearings include: a first portion; a second portion; a third portion, two first bending webs spanning between the first portion and the second portion; and two second bending webs spacing between the second portion and the third portion, wherein for each of the first biaxial flexure bearings: the second portion thereof is interposed between the first portion thereof and the third portion thereof, the first portion thereof, the second portion thereof, and the third portion thereof lie along a common axis thereof, a first gap exists between the first portion thereof and the second portion thereof, and a second gap exists between the second portion thereof and the third portion thereof, as recited by claim 6.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER BESLER whose telephone number is (571)270-5331. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 10:30 am - 7:30 pm (EST).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas Hong can be reached at (571) 272-0993. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISTOPHER J. BESLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3726
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