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 .
Response to Arguments/Amendments
This Office Action is responsive to the amendment filed 5/4/2026. Claims 1-7 are pending. Claims 1, 3, 4, and 7 have been amended.
Claims 1-7 were rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph. Claims 1 and 7 were amended to recite “an inversion chuck” and “the inversion chuck,” but this is still indefinite because it is unclear what is being referred to by the limitation “inversion chuck” since the specification/drawings only appear to show a “reversing chuck.” The rejection of claims 3 and 4 as being indefinite for lack of antecedent basis for “the other end side of the rotary shaft” is withdrawn in response to Applicant’s amendments.
In response to Applicant’s amendments, new/modified ground(s) of rejection are applied below.
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 1-7 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.
Claims 1 and 7 recites the limitations "an inversion chuck” and “the inversion chuck" with corresponding functional language. That functional language already appears to be associated with the claimed “reversing chuck,” and since the specification/drawings do not appear to explicitly show any extra element that is an “inversion chuck,” it is unclear if the “inversion chuck” is intended to be a separate element or is a synonym of “reversing chuck.” Amendment or clarification is required. For examination purposes, the limitations “an inversion chuck” and “the inversion chuck” have been interpreted as “the reversing chuck.”
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-7 would be allowable if rewritten or amended 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art does not disclose, or render obvious, the in-liquid posture turning apparatus as defined by claim 1, or the substrate processing apparatus as defined by claim 7. There is no apparent teaching, suggestion, or motivation to modify the closest prior art, Choi et al. (US 2022/0172966; cited by Applicant), to further include the structure and function of the immersion tank, reversing chuck, opening/closing drive mechanism, rotating drive mechanism, and lifting drive mechanism. In contrast to the claimed invention, Choi discloses an apparatus for treating a substrate including a substrate treating apparatus (Figure 5: 300) having a posture changing member (330) and a lifting/lowering member (340), wherein the posture changing member (330) has a rotating portion (334) that may be mounted on a mounting groove formed at the storage container (C).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID G CORMIER whose telephone number is (571)270-7386. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9:30 - 6:00.
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DAVID G. CORMIER
Examiner
Art Unit 1711
/DAVID G CORMIER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1711
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