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
This office action is in response to applicant’s communication filed on 08/04/26. Claims 1-10 are pending in this application.
Claim Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. §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.
Claims 1, 2, 4-6, 9 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as being unpatentable over Chacin (US 20080069951 A1) and further in view of Noorbakash (US 20110162800 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Chacin discloses a cooling system for a rapid thermal processing apparatus, comprising:
a cover plate (see fig 5b, disclosing 202);
a distribution plate extending axially between a first surface and a second surface (see fig 5a discloses 205 between top and bottom surfaces), the first surface and the second surfaces extending perpendicular to the axial direction (see fig 5b, 306 has upper and lower surfaces), the distribution plate having a plurality of holes extending axially therethrough (see figs 5b disclosing 520);
a collar 220 coupled axially between the cover plate and the distribution plate ( see fig 5b collar coupled to 202 and 205), the collar, the cover plate, and the distribution plate together defining an interior chamber (see fig 5b, disclosing collar, cover and distribution plates defining chamber); and
a gas supply coupled to the collar to provide cooling gas from a gas source to the interior chamber(see para [0042] disclosing 218),
wherein each of the plurality of holes of the distribution plate is at a different radial distance from a center of the distribution plate (see fig 3c disclosing different radial distances from distribution plate center).
However, Chacin does not explicitly disclose, wherein the plurality of holes comprises a first hole which extends along a first radial distance and a second hole which extends along a second radial distance, wherein the first radial distance is greater than the second radial distance. However, Noorbakash, at least at fig 7, discloses plate, wherein the plurality of holes comprises a first hole which extends along a first radial distance and a second hole which extends along a second radial distance, wherein the first radial distance is greater than the second radial distance (see fig 7 disclosing holes at different radial distances).
Chacin and Noorbakash are in the same or similar fields of endeavor. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at a time prior to the effective filing date of the present application to combine Chacin with Noorbakash. Chacin and Noorbakash may be combined by forming the device of Chacin with the device of Noorbakash in order to facilitate the distribution of gasses, see para [0029]
Regarding claim 2, Chacin and Noorbakash disclose the cooling system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of holes has a same cross-sectional area (fig 5b discloses same cross section holes, 520).
Regarding claim 4, Chacin and Noorbakash disclose the cooling system of claim 1, wherein the gas supply comprises an inlet plate coupled to and extending along an azimuthal direction between first and second ends of the collar spaced apart by a gap distance (see paras [0067] and [0068] disclosing cooling gas through ), the inlet plate comprising a plurality of inlet openings spaced apart along the azimuthal direction (see inlet plate 220).
Regarding claim 5, Chacin and Noorbakash disclose the cooling system of claim 4, wherein the gas supply further comprises a plurality of inlet tubes, each of the plurality of inlet tubes connecting a respective one of the plurality of inlet openings to the gas source (see fig 10b disclosing inlet tubes of different lengths).
Regarding claim 6, Chacin and Noorbakash disclose the cooling system of claim 4, wherein the gas supply further comprises a baffle plate extending along at least part of the gap distance and spaced radially inwardly from the inlet plate, the baffle plate having a plurality of diffusing openings (see 220 having multiple openings).
Regarding claim 9, Chacin and Noorbakash disclose the cooling system of claim 1, wherein the cover plate, the distribution plate, the collar, and the gas supply are comprised of quartz material (see claim 8 disclosing quartz).
Regarding claim 10, Chacin and Noorbakash disclose the cooling system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes spiral outwardly from the first hole to the second hole (see fig 7 disclosing circular patterns, wherein swirl patterns are included within).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as being unpatentable over Chacin, Noorbakash and further in view of Chuc (US 20110011338 A1).
Regarding claim 3, Chacin and Noorbakash disclose the cooling system of claim 2, However, Chacin does not explicitly disclose wherein the plurality of holes are increasingly elongated along the radial direction with decreasing radial distance from the center of the distribution plate such that each of the plurality of holes extends along a same azimuthal distance.
However, Chuc, at least at fig 5c discloses wherein the plurality of holes are increasingly elongated along the radial direction with decreasing radial distance from the center of the distribution plate such that each of the plurality of holes extends along a same azimuthal distance (see small to large holes as radially spaced from center).
Chacin, Noorbakash and Chuc are in the same or similar fields of endeavor. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at a time prior to the effective filing date of the present application to combine Chacin, Noorbakash and Chuc. Chacin, Noorbakash and Chuc may be combined by forming the device of Chacin in accordance with Chuc in order to facilitate a plasma process, see para [0035].
Claims 7 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as being unpatentable over Chacin, Noorbakash and further in view of Chang (US 20140199056 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Chacin discloses the cooling system of claim 6, but does not explicitly disclose wherein the plurality of diffusing openings of the baffle plate and the plurality of inlet openings of the inlet plate are spaced apart along the azimuthal direction, and wherein the plurality of diffusing openings of the baffle plate and the plurality of inlet openings of the inlet plate alternate along the azimuthal direction.
However, Chang, at least at fig 3c discloses wherein the plurality of diffusing openings of the baffle plate and the plurality of inlet openings of the inlet plate are spaced apart along the azimuthal direction(see 331 and 307 are spaced apart), and wherein the plurality of diffusing openings of the baffle plate and the plurality of inlet openings of the inlet plate alternate along the azimuthal direction (see baffle plate in 302).
Chacin, Noorbakash and Chang are in the same or similar fields of endeavor. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at a time prior to the effective filing date of the present application to combine Chacin, Noorbakash and Chang. Chacin, Noorbakash and Chang may be combined by forming the device of Chacin and Noorbakash in accordance with Chang in order to facilitate a process gas flow process, see para [0045].
Regarding claim 8, Chacin, Noorbakash disclose the cooling system of claim 1, but does not explicitly disclose wherein the cover plate comprises a plurality of flexible flanges, each of the plurality of flexible flanges extending along a respective azimuthal section and having an opening for receiving a respective mechanical fastener for coupling the cover plate and the distribution plate together.
However, Chang and Noorbakash disclose wherein the cover plate comprises a plurality of flexible flanges (see fig 3c and fig 6, para [0076] disclosing flexibility), each of the plurality of flexible flanges extending along a respective azimuthal section and having an opening for receiving a respective mechanical fastener for coupling the cover plate and the distribution plate together (see fig 8b disclosing coupling ).
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 EDWARD CHIN whose telephone number is (571)270-1827. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9AM-5PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Britt Hanley can be reached on (571) 270-3042. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EDWARD CHIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893
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