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 Objections
Claim 10 objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 10 recites “A contact cleaning system” in line 1 and “a conveyor” in line 2. It should be “The contact cleaning” and “the conveyor” as these limitations are already cited in claim 1. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Applicant is reminded a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim (MPEP 07-37-09). The reference in the preamble to " A conveyor for a contact cleaning system” amount to an intended use recitation of the conveyor claimed and the prior art disclosed below includes all the claimed conveyor structure having inbound and outbound conveyors in which distance between said inbound and outbound conveyors can be adjusted by extending and retracting respective inbound and outbound conveyors via adjusting mechanisms as outlined below.
Claim(s) 1-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tung (US 20110056797).
Regarding claim-1. Tung discloses a conveyor for a contact cleaning system, the conveyor (Fig.6-7) comprising: an inbound conveyor (41); and an outbound conveyor (43) spaced apart from the inbound conveyor by a distance; wherein the inbound conveyor and/or the outbound conveyor is movable relative to the other of the inbound conveyor or the outbound conveyor between a retracted position in which the distance is a first distance and an extended position in which the distance is less than the first distance (Fig.6 to 7F).
Regarding claim-2. Tung discloses wherein the inbound conveyor (41) and the outbound conveyor (43) are configured to receive at least one contact cleaning roller (wheels) therebetween when the inbound and outbound conveyors are in the retracted position.
Regarding claim-3. Tung discloses wherein the inbound conveyor (41), outbound conveyor (43) and a surface of the at least one contact cleaning roller (wheel set 437)) are co-planar in the retracted position such that a substrate (241) conveyed from the inbound conveyor to the outbound conveyor via the at least one contact cleaning roller remains level (Fig.6).
Regarding claim-4. Tung discloses wherein the distance is less than a length of a substrate to be supported on the conveyor when the inbound and outbound conveyors are in the extended position (Fig.7A-F).
Regarding claim-5. Tung discloses wherein the distance is a minimum distance in the extended position (Fig.7A-F).
Regarding claim-6. Tung discloses wherein the distance is a maximum distance in the retracted position (Fig.6, and 7A-f).
Regarding claim-7. Tung discloses wherein the inbound conveyor (41) comprises an inbound conveyor tensioning mechanism (tension wheels 415) configured to maintain the inbound conveyor in a taut configuration in each of the retracted position and the extended position ([0042]).
Regarding claim-8. Tung discloses wherein the outbound conveyor (43) comprises an outbound conveyor tensioning mechanism (tension wheel 435) configured to maintain the outbound conveyor in a taut configuration in each of the retracted position and the extended position ([0043]).
Regarding claim-9. Tung discloses wherein the conveyor further comprises at least one of a: mechanical adjustment means, pneumatic adjustment means (412), or electromechanical adjustment means, configured to move the inbound conveyor and/or the outbound conveyor between the retracted position and the extended position (Fig.7A-F, [0044]).
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) 1-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fuji (JP 2008086940) in view of Kilian (US 20080168876).
Regarding claim-1. Fuji discloses a conveyor (60) for a contact cleaning system (10, Fig.2), the conveyor comprising: an inbound conveyor (68); and an outbound conveyor (61) spaced apart from the inbound conveyor by a distance (Fig.2);
But Fuji doesn’t teach wherein the inbound conveyor and/or the outbound conveyor is movable relative to the other of the inbound conveyor or the outbound conveyor between a retracted position in which the distance is a first distance and an extended position in which the distance is less than the first distance.
Kilian discloses a conveying system for supporting articles during transporting and also, teaches wherein the inbound conveyor (right side conveyor 23) and/or the outbound conveyor (left side conveyor 23) is movable relative to the other of the inbound conveyor or the outbound conveyor between a retracted position in which the distance is a first distance and an extended position in which the distance is less than the first distance (Fig.1-4).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to the skilled person in the art before the effective fling date of claimed invention to modify Fuji conveyor system with adjustable conveyor system as taught by Kilian for purpose of supporting and conveying objects/PCB and thereby having great flexibility for the cleaning of the objects/PCB and permit flexible connection into an automation process, in particular for loading and unloading objects/PCB.
Regarding claim-2. Fuji as modified discloses wherein the inbound conveyor and the outbound conveyor (23 as taught by Kilian) are configured to receive at least one contact cleaning roller (31a-b and 41a-b) therebetween when the inbound and outbound conveyors are in the retracted position.
Regarding claim-3. Fuji as modified discloses wherein the inbound conveyor, outbound conveyor (23 as taught by Kilian) and a surface of the at least one contact cleaning roller (31a-b and 41a-b) are co-planar in the retracted position (Fig.2) such that a substrate (PCB) conveyed from the inbound conveyor to the outbound conveyor via the at least one contact cleaning roller remains level.
Regarding claim-4. Fuji as modified discloses wherein the distance is less than a length of a substrate (PCB) to be supported on the conveyor when the inbound and outbound conveyors are in the extended position. It is the common general knowledge of assuring the normal support of the transport substrate/PCB in the extended position.
Regarding claim-5 and 6. Fuji as modified discloses wherein the distance is a minimum distance in the extended position; wherein the distance is a maximum distance in the retracted position. It is the conventional arrangement of extension and retraction pitch variations as taught by Kilian.
Regarding claim-7 and 8. Fuji as modified discloses wherein the inbound conveyor (23 as taught by Kilian) comprises an inbound conveyor tensioning mechanism (Fig.5a-5b as taught by Kilian) configured to maintain the inbound conveyor in a taut configuration in each of the retracted position and the extended position; wherein the outbound conveyor (23 as taught by Kilian) comprises an outbound conveyor tensioning mechanism (Fig.5a-5b as taught by Kilian) configured to maintain the outbound conveyor in a taut configuration in each of the retracted position and the extended position.
Regarding claim-9. Fuji as modified discloses wherein the conveyor further comprises at least one of a: mechanical adjustment means (motor 27), pneumatic adjustment means, or electromechanical adjustment means (motor 27), configured to move the inbound conveyor and/or the outbound conveyor between the retracted position and the extended position ([0032], [0039]).
Regarding claim-10. Fuji as modified discloses a contact cleaning system comprising: a conveyor according to claim 1 (See claim-1), wherein the conveyor is configured to support a substrate (PCB) on a conveyor surface; and at least one of: one or more upper contact cleaning roller (31a-b) positioned above the conveyor surface, wherein the one or more upper contact cleaning roller are movable between a cleaning position in which a surface of the one or more upper contact cleaning roller are arranged to contact an upper surface of a substrate conveyed from the inbound conveyor to the outbound conveyor, and a withdrawn position in which the surface of the one or more upper contact cleaning roller is withdrawn upwards, away from the inbound and outbound conveyors, or one or more lower contact cleaning rollers (41a-b) positioned below the conveyor surface, wherein the one or more lower contact cleaning rollers are movable between a cleaning position in which a surface of the one or more lower contact cleaning rollers is coplanar with the inbound conveyor and the outbound conveyor, and a withdrawn position in which the surface of the one or more lower contact cleaning rollers is withdrawn below a plane of the inbound and outbound conveyors; and wherein the inbound conveyor is arranged to convey the substrate towards the one or more upper contact cleaning roller and/or the one or more lower contact cleaning rollers. It is the common general knowledge conventional arrangement in which adjustment of inbound and outbound conveyors can be done for assuring distance between the inbound conveyor and the outbound conveyor is sized to receive one or more lower contact cleaning rollers and/or one or more upper contact cleaning rollers therebetween based on required specification.
Regarding claim-11. Fuji as modified discloses wherein the inbound conveyor and the outbound conveyor are in the retracted position (23 as taught by Kilian) when the one or more lower contact cleaning rollers (41a-b) are in the cleaning position, and the distance between the inbound conveyor and the outbound conveyor is sized to receive the one or more lower contact cleaning rollers therebetween.
Regarding claim-12. Fuji as modified discloses comprising the one or more upper contact cleaning rollers (31a-b) and the one or more lower contact cleaning rollers (41a-b).
Conclusion
Note: Examiner strongly suggest applicant to review all references cited in PTO-892 as Claim 1-9 can also be rejected by prior arts KR 20220065222 A, US 20110005894 A1, EP 0124177 A1, US 20080168876 A1 as these references also disclose all the claimed conveyor structure having inbound and outbound conveyors in which distance between said inbound and outbound conveyors can be adjusted by extending and retracting respective inbound and outbound conveyors via adjusting mechanisms. Claims 1-12 can be rejected by combining above mentioned prior arts with cleaning/washing apparatus as disclosed in JP 2008272704 A, JP 2008086940 A having cleaning rollers placed above and below of inbound and outbound conveyors.
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/MA/Examiner, Art Unit 3651
/GENE O CRAWFORD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3651