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 (IDS) submitted on 15 August 2024 was filed prior to the mailing date of this office correspondence. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
A new Title is required pertaining to the method claims of this application. The following title is suggested: “METHOD FOR PLACEMENT HEAD WITH TWO ROTOR ARRANGEMENTS WITH INDIVIDUALLY ACTUATABLE HANDLING DEVICES”
Claim Objections
Claim 1-7 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 1, lines 10-12: “a component holding device for temporarily picking up a component can be mounted,” should read:
-- a component holding device for temporarily picking up and holding a component, --
In claim 1, lines 23-24: “transporting the two picked-up electronic components into a placement area in which a component carrier that is to be assembled is located” should read:
-- transporting the two picked-up electronic components to a placement area where a component carrier is located, onto which the electronic components are mounted --
In claims 2-6, line 1: “Method” should read: -- The method --
In claim 3, line 15: “electronic component (195)” should read:
-- electronic component --
In claim 6, line 4: “sleeve (447)” should read: -- sleeve --
In claim 7, line 2: “Placement machine” should read: -- placement machine --
In claim 7, line 12: “for temporarily picking up a component can be mounted” should read:
-- for temporarily picking up and holding a component --
In claim 7, lines 19-20: “transporting the picked-up electronic component into a placement area in which a component carrier that is to be assembled is located” should read:
-- transporting the picked-up electronic component to a placement area where a component carrier is located, onto which the electronic components are mounted --
In claim 7, line 21: “electronic component (195)” should read:
-- electronic component --
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 7 is 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.
In claim 7, the limitation “picking up an electronic component from a collection position with a first component holding device and with a second component holding device; transporting the picked-up electronic component into a placement area in which a component carrier that is to be assembled is located” (emphasis added) renders claim indefinite because it is unclear how “an electronic component” is picked up with a first component holding device and a second component holding device; and transporting the electronic component int a placement area. As best understood, it appears that the limitation actually intends that “simultaneously picking up a first electronic component and a second electronic component from respective collection positions with a first component holding device and a second component holding device; transporting the picked-up electronic components to a placement area where a component carrier is located, onto which the electronics components are mounted”, or the like.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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) 1-2 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hideki (JP 4545822).
Regarding claim 1, Hideki teaches, method for automatically placing electronic components on a component carrier (circuit board 15, Fig. 1) by means of a placement machine (component mounting apparatus 100, Fig. 1) for automatically placing electronic components on a component carrier (rotary component mounting apparatus for mounting components such as electronic components onto a board, para. [0001]), the placement machine comprising a frame base structure (see Fig. 1); a positioning system (XY robot 39, Fig. 1) with a stationary component and a movable component, wherein the stationary component is attached to the frame base structure (XY robot 39 has an X-axis beam 43 supported by shafts 41 on both sides of the base 11, and a component transfer head 37 is supported by the X-axis beam 43 so as to be movable in the X direction, para. [0052]); and a placement head (component transfer head 37, Figs. 1 to 3) for automatically placing electronic components on a component carrier,
[AltContent: textbox (fist rotor assembly)][AltContent: ][AltContent: textbox (second rotor assembly)][AltContent: ][AltContent: textbox (second handling devices)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (linear drive)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (fist handling devices)][AltContent: textbox (sleeve)][AltContent: ][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (linear drive)][AltContent: textbox (sleeve)][AltContent: ]
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Modified Fig. 2, Hideki.
the placement head comprising a chassis (see, the XY robot 39, Fig. 1, para. [0052]); a first rotor assembly (see annotated Fig. 2) that is mounted so that it is rotatable relative to the chassis about a first axis of rotation and that has a first quantity of first handling devices (component transfer head 37 includes a first head unit 61 and a second head unit 63; head units 61 and 63 are symmetrically arranged units having substantially the same function, Fig. 2, para. [0056]); and a second rotor assembly (see annotated Fig. 2) that is mounted so that it is rotatable relative to the chassis about a second axis of rotation and that has a second quantity of second handling devices (in each of the first head unit 61 and the second head unit 63, it becomes possible to always arrange a different set of suction nozzles 65 at the component supply position 33, para. [0059]); wherein each handling device has a sleeve (chuck mechanism 69 has a suction direction in the Z-axis direction and holds a suction nozzle 65 that sucks and holds electronic components at the lower end, para. [0057]), on which a component holding device for temporarily picking up a component can be mounted, and a drive device (see Figs. 2 and 3) with (i) a linear drive (lowering motor 81, Fig. 2, each sub-head 67 is divided into an upper driving part 91 having a nozzle lifting motor 81 and a lower driven pressing part 93, para. [0063]) for moving the sleeve along its longitudinal axis and (ii) a rotary drive (push-down part 93, Fig. 7, eight in this embodiment, nozzle shafts 97 are provided on the lower driven push-down part 93, and the nozzle shafts 97 penetrate the frame 87 and the block portion 89 and are rotatably supported, para. [0063]) for rotating the sleeve about its longitudinal axis, wherein the chassis of the placement head is attached to the movable component of the positioning system, and/or by means of the placement head, wherein the method comprises,
picking up a first electronic component (electronic component 129, Fig. 4) from a first collection position with a first component holding device (head unit 61, Fig. 2) that is attached to a first sleeve of the first rotor assembly of the placement head (a plurality of subheads 67 are arranged in the first head unit 61,…a chuck mechanism 69 is provided at the lower end of the sub-head 67, and the chuck mechanism 69 has a suction direction in the Z-axis direction and removably holds at the lower end a suction nozzle 65 for suctioning and holding an electronic component para. [0057]);
picking up a second electronic component (electronic component 129, Fig. 4) from a second collection position with a second component holding device (head unit 63, Fig. 2) that is attached to a second sleeve of the second rotor assembly of the placement head (head units 61 and 63 are symmetrically arranged units having substantially the same function, see para. [0056-0057]);
transporting the two picked-up electronic components into a placement area in which a component carrier (circuit board 15) that is to be assembled is located (board fixing section 17, when the mounting operation is started, the component transfer head 37 moves above the component supply position 33 of the electronic component 129 to be sucked so that the XY robot 39 can suck the predetermined electronic component 129 onto the suction nozzle 65, para. [0110]);
placing the transported first electronic component at a first installation position on the component carrier; and placing the transported second electronic component at a second installation position on the component carrier (the component transfer head 37 is moved by the XY robot 39 to a predetermined mounting position on the circuit board 15 supported by the board fixing part 17, para. [0114], the component mounting stage 13 a includes a component transfer head 37 that holds an electronic component at a predetermined component supply position 33 of the component supply unit 35 and mounts the electronic component on the circuit board 15, para. [0052]).
From the teachings of Hideki para. [0050-0052], component mounter 100 includes a base 11, mounting stages 13a and 13b on the base 11…component mounting stages 13a and 13b each have substantially the same function and are arranged symmetrically on the base 11…component mounting stage 13a also includes a component transfer head 37 that holds an electronic component at a predetermined component supply position 33 of the component supply section 35 and mounts the electronic component onto the circuit board 15; in para. [0056], component transfer head 37 includes a first head unit 61 and a second head unit 63; head units 61 and 63 are symmetrically arranged units having substantially the same function; and in para. [0119], electronic components 129 of different sizes can be simultaneously attracted to the suction nozzle 65, one of ordinary skill in the art would have known that a first component is picking up with a first component holding devices and a second electronic component is picking with a second component holding device. Therefore, in view of the teachings of Hideki, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the method for mounting of an electronic component of Hideki and picking up a first component with a first component holding device and picking up a second component with a second component holding device so that it enables simultaneously picking up and mounting multiple components of different sizes thereby improving the mounting speed and reliability.
Regarding claim 2, Hideki teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 1. Hideki further teaches, method according to claim 1, wherein the first electronic component and the second electronic component are picked up simultaneously (one of the first head units 61 is configured to be able to attach a small suction nozzle 65 and the other second head unit 63 is configured to be attached to a large suction nozzle 65, each of the head units 61 , 63, electronic components 129 of different sizes can be simultaneously attracted to the suction nozzle 65, para. [0119]); and/or wherein the transported first electronic component and the transported second electronic component are placed simultaneously.
Regarding claim 7, Hideki teaches, method automatically placing electronic components on a component carrier by means of Placement machine for automatically placing electronic components on a component carrier (circuit board 15, Fig. 1, rotary component mounting apparatus for mounting components such as electronic components onto a board, para. [0001]), the placement machine comprising a frame base structure (see Fig. 1); a positioning system (XY robot 39) with a stationary component and a movable component, wherein the stationary component is attached to the frame base structure (XY robot 39 has an X-axis beam 43 supported by shafts 41 on both sides of the base 11, and a component transfer head 37 is supported by the X-axis beam 43 so as to be movable in the X direction, para. [0052]); and a placement head (component transfer head 37, Figs. 1 to 3) for automatically placing electronic components on a component carrier, the placement head comprising a chassis (see the XY robot 39, Fig. 1, para. [0052]); a first rotor (see annotated Fig. 2) assembly that is mounted so that it is rotatable relative to the chassis about a first axis of rotation and that has a first quantity of first handling devices (component transfer head 37 includes a first head unit 61 and a second head unit 63; head units 61 and 63 are symmetrically arranged units having substantially the same function, Fig. 2, para. [0056); and a second rotor assembly (see annotated Fig. 2) that is mounted so that it is rotatable relative to the chassis about a second axis of rotation and that has a second quantity of second handling devices (in each of the first head unit 61 and the second head unit 63, it becomes possible to always arrange a different set of suction nozzles 65 at the component supply position 33, para. [0059]); wherein each handling device has a sleeve (chuck mechanism 69 has a suction direction in the Z-axis direction and holds a suction nozzle 65 that sucks and holds electronic components at the lower end, para. [0057]), on which a component holding device for temporarily picking up a component can be mounted, and a drive device (see Figs. 2 and 3) with (i) a linear drive (lowering motor 81, Fig. 2, each sub-head 67 is divided into an upper driving part 91 having a nozzle lifting motor 81 and a lower driven pressing part 93, para. [0063]) for moving the sleeve along its longitudinal axis and (ii) a rotary drive (push-down part 93, Fig. 7, eight in this embodiment, nozzle shafts 97 are provided on the lower driven push-down part 93, and the nozzle shafts 97 penetrate the frame 87 and the block portion 89 and are rotatably supported, para. [0063]) for rotating the sleeve about its longitudinal axis, wherein the chassis of the placement head is attached to the movable component of the positioning system, and/or by means of the placement head, wherein the method comprises,
picking up an electronic component from a collection position with a first component holding device and with a second component holding device (a plurality of subheads 67 are arranged in the first head unit 61,…a chuck mechanism 69 is provided at the lower end of the sub-head 67, and the chuck mechanism 69 has a suction direction in the Z-axis direction and removably holds at the lower end a suction nozzle 65 for suctioning and holding an electronic component para. [0057]);
transporting the picked-up electronic component into a placement area in which a component carrier that is to be assembled is located; and placing the transported electronic component (195) at an installation position on the component carrier (the component transfer head 37 is moved by the XY robot 39 to a predetermined mounting position on the circuit board 15 supported by the board fixing part 17, para. [0114], the component mounting stage 13 a includes a component transfer head 37 that holds an electronic component at a predetermined component supply position 33 of the component supply unit 35 and mounts the electronic component on the circuit board 15, para. [0052]).
From the teachings of Hideki para. [0050-0052], component mounter 100 includes a base 11, mounting stages 13a and 13b on the base 11…component mounting stages 13a and 13b each have substantially the same function and are arranged symmetrically on the base 11…component mounting stage 13a also includes a component transfer head 37 that holds an electronic component at a predetermined component supply position 33 of the component supply section 35 and mounts the electronic component onto the circuit board 15; in para. [0056], component transfer head 37 includes a first head unit 61 and a second head unit 63; head units 61 and 63 are symmetrically arranged units having substantially the same function; and in para. [0119], electronic components 129 of different sizes can be simultaneously attracted to the suction nozzle 65, one of ordinary skill in the art would have known that a first component is picking up with a first component holding devices and a second electronic component is picking with a second component holding device. Therefore, in view of the teachings of Hideki, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the method for mounting of an electronic component of Hideki and picking up a first component with a first component holding device and picking up a second component with a second component holding device so that it enables simultaneously picking up and mounting multiple components of different sizes thereby improving the mounting speed and reliability.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-4 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. Claims 5-6 are allowable by virtue of its dependency.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for indicating allowable subject matter:
Claim 3 would be allowable for disclosing a method for automatically placing electronic components on a component carrier by means of a placement machine for automatically placing electronic components on a component carrier, the method further comprising; transporting, together with the two picked-up electronic components, the two picked-up additional electronic components into the placement area; placing the transported additional first electronic component at an additional first installation position on the component carrier; and placing the transported additional second electronic component at an additional second installation position on the component carrier; wherein the additional first electronic component and/or the additional second electronic component is picked up at the same time as the first electronic component and the second electronic component are picked up; and/or wherein the placement of the transported additional first electronic component and/or the placement of the transported additional second electronic component occurs simultaneously with the placement of the transported first electronic component and the transported second electronic component.
Claim 4 would be allowable for disclosing a method for automatically placing electronic components on a component carrier by means of a placement machine for automatically placing electronic components on a component carrier, the method further comprising, the sleeve and/or a component holding device attached to the sleeve is/are formed by at least one handling device eccentric to an axis of rotation of the rotary drive of the at least one handling device.
Though, prior art of record Hideki teaches picking up a first electronic component with a first component holding device that is attached to a first sleeve of the first rotor assembly; picking up a second electronic component with a second component holding device that is attached to a second sleeve of the second rotor assembly of the placement head; transporting the two picked-up electronic components into a placement area; placing the transported electronic components; and placing the transported electronic components at installation positions on the component carrier; the sleeve and/or a component holding device attached to the sleeve is/are formed by at least one handling device; and actuating the rotary drive of the at least one handling device in such a way that the spacing is changed between (i) a tip of the component holding device and (ii) a tip of another component holding device, which is assigned to another handling device of the first rotor assembly or the second rotor assembly, Hideki fails to teach, transporting, together with the two picked-up electronic components, the two picked-up additional electronic components into the placement area; placing the transported additional first electronic component at an additional first installation position on the component carrier; and placing the transported additional second electronic component at an additional second installation position on the component carrier; wherein the additional first electronic component and/or the additional second electronic component is picked up at the same time as the first electronic component and the second electronic component are picked up; and/or wherein the placement of the transported additional first electronic component and/or the placement of the transported additional second electronic component occurs simultaneously with the placement of the transported first electronic component and the transported second electronic component; or the sleeve and/or a component holding device attached to the sleeve is/are formed by at least one handling device eccentric to an axis of rotation of the rotary drive of the at least one handling device.
Therefore, claims 3-4 would be allowable. Claims 5-6 would be allowable by virtue of its dependency.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Prior art Wittmuess (DE 102018122593) teaches, a method for automatically placing electronic components on a component carrier, including a frame base structure; a positioning system with a stationary component and a movable component; a first rotor assembly rotatable about a first axis of rotation; and a second rotor assembly rotatable about a second axis of rotation, and a drive device with a linear drive and a rotary drive; picking up an electronic component with a first component holding device and with a second component holding device; transporting the picked-up electronic components to a placement area; and placing the transported electronic components at an installation position on the component carrier.
Prior art Hwang (US 20060112545) teaches a method for placing electronic components on a component carrier, including a frame base structure; a positioning system; a first rotor assembly rotatable about a first axis of rotation; and a second rotor assembly rotatable about a second axis of rotation; picking up an electronic component with a first component holding device and with a second component holding device; transporting the picked-up electronic components to a placement area; and placing the transported electronic components at an installation position on the component carrier.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSE K. ABRAHAM whose telephone number is (571)270-1087. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30-4:30 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, THOMAS J. 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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/JOSE K ABRAHAM/Examiner, Art Unit 3729
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