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 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) 1-3, 7, 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US12557582) in view of Shin (KR1901028) and in further view of Choi (12506108).
Referring to claim 1. Kim discloses a “Laser Pressure Head Module and Laser Bonding Apparatus”. See Figs. 1-27 and respective portions of the specification. Kim further discloses a cylinder head (310) comprising: a first light transmitting member (311) and a second light transmitting member (313), and a gas supply unit configured to supply gas a sealed space between the transmitting members to generate a pressing force. Thus, Kim discloses a first and second transmissive portion including at least one air layer. Kim further discloses the second light transmitting member includes through-holes connecting a gas supply/exhaust conduit to the sealed space and wherein the second light transmitting member expands under gas pressure to generate a pressing force, an elongation member (319, bellows) connecting the two light transmitting members and wherein the bellows surround the sealed space. Moreover, Kim discloses a shared frame accommodating both light transmitting members. Kim does not explicitly disclose the two transmissive members each accommodated in a separate, discrete bracket, or the elastic elongation member surrounding the side surfaces of two separate brackets. Shin discloses a “Bonding Head and Die Bonding Apparatus”. See Figs. 1-10 and respective portions of the specification. Shin further discloses a bonding head with a vacuum nozzle (210) and pressure members (220) arranged around it as structurally separate, independently mounted components, positioned via a gap adjusting units (See Sect. 0043-0044, 0052-0053). Choi discloses a “Compression Type Laser Reflow Apparatus With Vacuum Chamber”. See Figs. 1-12 and respective portions of the specification. Choi discloses an elastic O-ring seal positioned at the periphery of a holder unit bracket, sealing that bracket against an adjacent chamber (See Sect. 0017), thus teaching the peripheral elastic sealing of a bracket structure. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kim’s shared frame into two discrete brackets, as taught by Shin’s discrete component housing structure, and to reposition Kim’s elongation/bellows member to surround the two resulting bracket peripheries, as taught by Choi as a way to protect and shield against thermal deformation causing issues with alignment, especially when pressured is increased, as providing the elongation member/bellows around the brackets side surfaces, would provide a better seal and preserve the sealed air layers integrity, while Shin’s teaching of independently adjustable components would allow for improving alignment and positioning of pressure-applying components.
Referring to claim 2. Kim, Shin and Choi disclose the combination as set forth and described in detail, as applied to claim 1. Kim further discloses wherein the elastic member stretches in the direction in case that air is introduced through the second air path. More specifically, Kim discloses that the second light member is expanded in a lower direction (direction towards the support member 400) by the internal pressure of the sealed space when gas is introduced through the gas supply conduit, thereby generating a pressure force in that direction (thus the second light transmitting member is expanded by the internal pressure of the sealed space), as such gas introduced through the second air path taught by Shin, into the air layer would cause the surrounding elastic member to stretch in the corresponding direction. It should be noted that this is the same mechanism disclosed by Kim, but merely relocated to the modified elastic member positioned as detailed in Claim 1.
Referring to claim 3. Kim, Shin and Choi disclose the combination as set forth and described in detail, as applied to claim 1. Kim discloses wherein the elastic member contracts in the direction in case that air is expelled from the cylinder head through the second air path. More specifically, Kim further discloses a gas exhaust conduit and exhaust valve (336) configured to exhaust gas from the sealed space to lower internal pressure after the bonding targets are processed. It should be noted that the reduction of internal pressure via gas exhaust would cause the elastic member surrounding the brackets to retract/contract from its expanded stated.
Referring to claim 7. Kim, Shin and Choi disclose the combination as set forth and described in detail, as applied to claim 1. Kim discloses wherein a volume of the air layer varies. More specifically, Kim discloses that the sealed space’s boundary expands and contracts in direct response to gas introduction and exhaust. It’s noted that a boundary surface that physical moves outward and inward changes the enclosed volume of the sealed space.
Referring to claim 9. Kim, Shin and Choi disclose the combination as set forth and described in detail, as applied to claim 1. It should be noted the Kim discloses that the gas supply unit includes a gas pump configured to pressurize and supply gas into the sealed space via the gas supply conduit, and further discloses a gas exhaust conduit and exhaust valve for discharging gas from the sealed space (gas pump 332, gas exhaust conduit 335, exhaust valve 336). The gas pump reads on an air pump configured to inject or discharge air connected via an air path.
Claim(s) 6, 10-13, 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US12557582) in view of Shin (KR1901028), in view of Choi (12506108) and in further view of Chung et al (US20100125348).
Referring to claim 6. Kim, Shin and Choi disclose the combination as set forth and described in detail, as applied to claim 1. Kim doesn’t disclose wherein the first bracket comprises an alignment mark that overlaps the first transmissive portion and the second transmissive portion. Chung et al (herein “Chung”) discloses a “Vision System For Positioning A Bonding Tool”. See Figs. 1-4 and respective portions of the specification. Chung further discloses a fiducial marks located directly on the surface of a bonding tool, used for position determination (See Sect. 0008). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Chung wherein fiducial/alignment marks were incorporated on the combination’s discrete brackets, as a way of improving alignment and flatness/parallelism.
Referring to claims 10, 15. Kim, Shin and Choi disclose the combination as set forth and described in detail, as applied to claim 1. Kim further discloses a heat source configured to apply heat to the cylinder head. More specifically, Kim discloses a laser generator (500), comprising a laser light source (510) and an optical system (530) configured to irradiate a laser beam on which the bonding targets are seated (See Sect. 0164) and further discloses that the laser generator is configured to heat an area of a bonding target (See Sect. 0032). Kim doesn’t disclose an image device configured to obtain an image in a direction. Chung discloses an optical system (camera) that obtains images of marks on a bonding tool for position determination (See Sect. 0017-0020). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Chung an include an imaging device to visually verify and correct tool alignment prior to and during the bonding operation, as a way of improving alignment.
Referring to claim 11. Kim, Shin and Choi disclose the combination as set forth and described in detail, as applied to claim 1. Kim discloses a carrier substrate; and a plurality of light emitting elements coupled to the carrier substrate, wherein the carrier substrate is in contact with the first transmissive portion. More specifically, Kim discloses a module and an apparatus for laser bonding of the display devices (See Sect. 0154) and that the bonding targets processed by the apparatus may be substrates, films, display panels, touch panels or light emitting elements, and that a second bonding target may be a semiconductor device (See Sect. 0156) and further that light emitting elements may be transferred onto a substrate (See Sect. 0112). Thus, Kim discloses a carrier substrate and that the light transmitting member directly presses the bonding target during the pressing operation.
Referring to claims 12-13. Kim, Shin and Choi disclose the combination as set forth and described in detail, as applied to claim 1. Kim doesn’t wherein a position of the cylinder head is adjusted based on the image obtained by the imaging device of a pattern of the thin film transistor substrate or that the bracket includes alignment marks. It should be noted that Chung discloses an imaging device (camera) and fiducial/alignment marks on tool. Chung further discloses adjusting components based on an image obtained by the imaging device (See Sect. 0017-0036). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Chung to incorporate an imaging device and alignment marks and use the imaging device images to adjust the position of the cylinder head, as it would provide an improvement in the alignment of components as further discussed above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-5, 8, 14, 16-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
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/TERRELL H MATTHEWS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3653
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