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
Double Patenting
A rejection based on double patenting of the “same invention” type finds its support in the language of 35 U.S.C. 101 which states that “whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process... may obtain a patent therefor...” (Emphasis added). Thus, the term “same invention,” in this context, means an invention drawn to identical subject matter. See Miller v. Eagle Mfg. Co., 151 U.S. 186 (1894); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); and In re Ockert, 245 F.2d 467, 114 USPQ 330 (CCPA 1957).
A statutory type (35 U.S.C. 101) double patenting rejection can be overcome by canceling or amending the claims that are directed to the same invention so they are no longer coextensive in scope. The filing of a terminal disclaimer cannot overcome a double patenting rejection based upon 35 U.S.C. 101.
Claims 11-17 are provisionally rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as claiming the same invention as that of:
Claim 11-17
of
copending Application No. 18866349
This is a provisional statutory double patenting rejection.
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the claims at issue are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); and In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on a nonstatutory double patenting ground provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with this application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The USPTO internet Web site contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit http://www.uspto.gov/forms/. The filing date of the application will determine what form should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to http://www.uspto.gov/patents/process/file/efs/guidance/eTD-info-I.jsp.
Claims 1-10 and 18-20 provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over:
Claims 1-10 and 18-20
of
copending Application No. 18866349.
Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because:
The gas cushion substrate support of Claims 1-10 of the instant application is obvious over Ko et al. (US 20150314325 A1).
The substrate transfer chamber of Claims 18-20 of the instant application would be obvious because it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide multiple substrate transfer chambers in place of one substrate transfer chamber in order to provide increased throughput in the system, since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. In re Harza, 274 F.2d 669, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960) (referred to in MPEP 2144.04(VI)(B))
This is a provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection because the patentably indistinct claims have not in fact been patented.
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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being Anticipated by Weingartner (US 20090007811 A1).
Regarding Claim 18, Weingartner discloses:
A processing system (abstract), comprising:
a processing section (1) (Fig. 2), comprising:
a dual-substrate (2) inkjet printing chamber (3);
a dual-substrate processing chamber (33) [0044]; and
a transfer chamber (5 & 10 & 11 & 12 & 34 & 42) coupling the dual-substrate inkjet printing chamber and the dual-substrate processing chamber [0035 & 0044 & 0045 & 0046 & 0047 & 0048 & 0049 & 0050 & 0053 & 0054 & 0056]; and
a dual-substrate interface chamber (Fig. 1) coupled to the processing section to provide two substrates in side-by-side arrangement for processing in the processing section (Fig. 1) [0048 & 0049 & 0050 & 0051 & 0052 & 0053 & 0054 & 0055 & 0056].
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 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 of this title, 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, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 19, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Weingartner (US 20090007811 A1) in view of Ko et al. (US 20150314325 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Weingartner teaches:
An inkjet printer [abstract], comprising:
a substrate support (5 & 6 & 18);
a print support (16) extending across the substrate support and supporting a printhead assembly (14) for dispensing material onto a substrate (2) supported on the substrate support [0037];
a first substrate holder (10 & 11 & 12 & 42) on a first side of the substrate support adjacent to a first substrate location on the substrate support to move a first substrate along the substrate support (Fig. 2) [0035 & 0053 & 0056]; and
a second substrate holder (10 & 11 & 12 & 42) on a second side of the substrate support opposite from the first substrate holder and adjacent to a second substrate location on the substrate support to move a second substrate along the substrate support (Fig. 2) [0035 & 0053 & 0054 & 0056].
Weingartner does not teach:
a gas cushion substrate support.
Ko teaches:
A printing system (2000) [0029 & 0030 & 0045], comprising:
a gas cushion substrate support [abstract & 0020 & 0028 & 0034 & 0037 & 0041 & 0042 & 0043 & 0044 & 0052 & 0053 & 0054 & 0058];
a print support (2130) extending across the substrate support (Fig. 1) and supporting a printhead assembly (2501) for dispensing material onto a substrate [0026 & 0027 & 0029 & 0033] supported on the substrate support [0026 & 0027 & 0029 & 0033];
a substrate holder on the substrate support to move a substrate along the substrate support [0042].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inkjet printer having a substrate support, the substrate support comprising a processing zone having suction openings to control a pressure of a gas support system in the processing zone, the suction openings being arranged in two groups that define a central gap in the processing zone, a print support extending across the substrate support at the processing zone and supporting a printhead assembly for dispensing material onto a substrate supported on the substrate support in the processing zone a first substrate holder on a first side of the substrate support adjacent to a first substrate location on the substrate support to move a first substrate along the substrate support, and a second substrate holder on a second side of the substrate support opposite from the first substrate holder and adjacent to a second substrate location on the substrate support to move a second substrate along the substrate support taught by Weingartner with the printing system, having a a gas cushion substrate support, a print support extending across the substrate support at the processing zone and supporting a printhead assembly for dispensing material onto a substrate supported on the substrate support in the processing zone, and a substrate holder on the substrate support to move a substrate along the substrate support taught by Ko in order to provide a support system for transferring substrates which reduces vibration in the transfer process to prevent damage to the substrate during the transfer process.
Regarding Claim 2, Weingartner teaches:
the printhead assembly is a first printhead assembly (14), and further comprising a second printhead assembly (14) supported on the print support (Fig. 2) [0037 & 0039 & 0040 & 0044].
Regarding Claim 3, Weingartner teaches:
a controller configured to control the first and second substrate holders and the first and second printhead assemblies to position two substrates on the substrate support concurrently for processing and to move the first and second printhead assemblies along the print support and dispense print material on the two substrates [0008 & 0017 & 0019 & 0020 & 0039 & 0047 & 0049 & 0050].
Regarding Claim 5, Weingartner teaches:
the print support comprises a utility tray (15).
Regarding Claim 6, Weingartner teaches:
the printhead assembly is a first printhead assembly (14), and further comprising a second printhead assembly (14) supported on the print support (Fig. 2) [0037 & 0039 & 0040 & 0044], a utility bundle is coupled to each of the first printhead assembly and the second printhead assembly, and each utility bundle is supported by the utility tray [0037 & 0039 & 0040 & 0044].
Regarding Claim 7, Weingartner teaches:
the substrate support has two unconnected substrate support surfaces (Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 8, Weingartner teaches:
the substrate support surfaces define a gap, and further comprising a third substrate holder and a fourth substrate holder disposed in the gap (Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 9, Weingartner teaches:
each substrate holder comprises a substrate contact detector (35) [0045 & 0049 & 0050 & 0054 & 0055].
Regarding Claim 10, Weingartner teaches:
an imaging device (35) movably coupled to the print support to capture images without interrupting movement of the printhead assembly [0049].
Regarding Claim 11, Weingartner teaches:
An inkjet printer [abstract], comprising:
a substrate support (5 & 6 & 18);
the substrate support comprising a processing zone (18) having suction openings (22) to control a pressure of the gas support system in the processing zone [0039], the suction openings being arranged in two groups that define a central gap in the processing zone (Fig. 2) [0039];
a print support (16) extending across the substrate support at the processing zone (Fig. 1 & Fig. 2) and supporting a printhead assembly (14) for dispensing material onto a substrate (2) supported on the substrate support in the processing zone [0037];
a first substrate holder (10 & 11 & 12 & 42) on a first side of the substrate support adjacent to a first substrate location on the substrate support to move a first substrate along the substrate support (Fig. 2) [0035 & 0053 & 0056]; and
a second substrate holder (10 & 11 & 12 & 42) on a second side of the substrate support opposite from the first substrate holder and adjacent to a second substrate location on the substrate support to move a second substrate along the substrate support (Fig. 2) [0035 & 0053 & 0054 & 0056].
Weingartner does not teach:
a gas floatation system to provide a gas cushion.
Ko teaches:
A printing system (2000) [0029 & 0030 & 0045], comprising:
a substrate support having a gas floatation system to provide a gas cushion [abstract & 0020 & 0028 & 0034 & 0037 & 0041 & 0042 & 0043 & 0044 & 0052 & 0053 & 0054 & 0058], the substrate support comprising a processing zone having suction openings to control a pressure of the gas cushion in the processing zone [0068 & 0087 & 0088 & 0123 & 0144];
a print support (2130) extending across the substrate support at the processing zone (Fig. 1) and supporting a printhead assembly (2501) for dispensing material onto a substrate [0026 & 0027 & 0029 & 0033] supported on the substrate support in the processing zone [0026 & 0027 & 0029 & 0033];
a substrate holder on the substrate support to move a substrate along the substrate support [0042].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inkjet printer having a substrate support, the substrate support comprising a processing zone having suction openings to control a pressure of a gas support system in the processing zone, the suction openings being arranged in two groups that define a central gap in the processing zone, a print support extending across the substrate support at the processing zone and supporting a printhead assembly for dispensing material onto a substrate supported on the substrate support in the processing zone a first substrate holder on a first side of the substrate support adjacent to a first substrate location on the substrate support to move a first substrate along the substrate support, and a second substrate holder on a second side of the substrate support opposite from the first substrate holder and adjacent to a second substrate location on the substrate support to move a second substrate along the substrate support taught by Weingartner with the printing system, having a substrate support having a gas floatation system to provide a gas cushion, the substrate support comprising a processing zone having suction openings to control a pressure of the gas cushion in the processing zone, a print support extending across the substrate support at the processing zone and supporting a printhead assembly for dispensing material onto a substrate supported on the substrate support in the processing zone, and a substrate holder on the substrate support to move a substrate along the substrate support taught by Ko in order to provide a support system for transferring substrates which reduces vibration in the transfer process to prevent damage to the substrate during the transfer process.
Regarding Claim 12, Weingartner teaches:
the printhead assembly is a first printhead assembly (14), and further comprising a second printhead assembly (14) supported on the print support (Fig. 2) [0037 & 0039 & 0040 & 0044].
Regarding Claim 13, Weingartner teaches:
a controller configured to control the first and second substrate holders and the first and second printhead assemblies to position two substrates on the substrate support concurrently for processing and to move the first and second printhead assemblies along the print support and dispense print material on the two substrates [0008 & 0017 & 0019 & 0020 & 0039 & 0047 & 0049 & 0050].
Regarding Claim 15, Weingartner teaches:
a partition (42) disposed in the gap (Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 16, Weingartner teaches:
the substrate support has two unconnected substrate support surfaces (5 & 6), and further comprising a third substrate holder (17) and a fourth substrate holder (18) disposed between the two substrate support surfaces (Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 17, Weingartner does not teach:
the gas floatation system provides the gas cushion to both support surfaces.
Cai teaches:
the gas floatation system provides the gas cushion to both support surfaces [abstract & 0020 & 0028 & 0034 & 0037 & 0041 & 0042 & 0043 & 0044 & 0052 & 0053 & 0054 & 0058].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inkjet printer having a substrate support, the substrate support comprising a processing zone having suction openings to control a pressure of a gas support system in the processing zone, the suction openings being arranged in two groups that define a central gap in the processing zone, a print support extending across the substrate support at the processing zone and supporting a printhead assembly for dispensing material onto a substrate supported on the substrate support in the processing zone a first substrate holder on a first side of the substrate support adjacent to a first substrate location on the substrate support to move a first substrate along the substrate support, and a second substrate holder on a second side of the substrate support opposite from the first substrate holder and adjacent to a second substrate location on the substrate support to move a second substrate along the substrate support, where the substrate support has two unconnected substrate support surfaces, and further comprising a third substrate holder and a fourth substrate holder disposed between the two substrate support surfaces taught by Weingartner with the printing system, having a substrate support having a gas floatation system to provide a gas cushion, the substrate support comprising a processing zone having suction openings to control a pressure of the gas cushion in the processing zone, a print support extending across the substrate support at the processing zone and supporting a printhead assembly for dispensing material onto a substrate supported on the substrate support in the processing zone, and a substrate holder on the substrate support to move a substrate along the substrate support, where the gas floatation system provides the gas cushion to both support surfaces taught by Ko in order to provide a support system for transferring substrates which reduces vibration in the transfer process to prevent damage to the substrate during the transfer process.
Regarding Claim 19, Weingartner teaches:
the dual-substrate input section (5) for input of single substrates to the processing system [0034 & 0035].
Weingartner does not teach:
the dual-substrate interface chamber is part of an input section that has a load-lock chamber for input of single substrates to the processing system.
Ko teaches:
A processing system (2700) [0041 & 0046 & 0047], comprising:
a processing section (1400B & 2600A & 2600B) (Fig. 1) [0029 & 0030 & 0045 & 0046 & 0047], comprising:
a substrate inkjet printing chamber (2000) [0029 & 0030];
a substrate processing chamber (3000) [0034 & 0035 & 0036]; and
a substrate transfer chamber (1400) coupling the substrate inkjet printing chamber and the substrate processing chamber [0035 & 0044 & 0045 & 0046 & 0047 & 0048 & 0049 & 0050 & 0053 & 0054 & 0056];
a substrate interface chamber (1100) coupled to the processing section to provide substrates for processing in the processing section (Fig. 2) [0047 & 0048 & 0049 & 0050]; and
the dual-substrate interface chamber is part of an input section that has a load-lock chamber for input of single substrates to the processing system [0047].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the processing system, having a processing section, with a dual-substrate inkjet printing chamber, a dual-substrate processing chamber, and a dual-substrate transfer chamber coupling the dual-substrate inkjet printing chamber and the dual-substrate processing chamber, and a dual-substrate interface chamber coupled to the processing section to provide two substrates in side-by-side arrangement for processing in the processing section where the dual-substrate input section for input of single substrates to the processing system taught by Weingartner with the processing system having a processing section, with a substrate inkjet printing chamber, a substrate processing chamber, a substrate transfer chamber coupling the substrate inkjet printing chamber and the substrate processing chamber, a substrate interface chamber coupled to the processing section to provide substrates for processing in the processing section, where the dual-substrate interface chamber is part of an input section that has a load-lock chamber for input of single substrates to the processing system taught by Ko in order to provide a substrate processing means with a sanitized environment to prevent fouling of the processing due to contamination.
Regarding Claim 20, Weingartner teaches:
the section is an input section [0034 & 0035], and further comprising an output section (6) for output of single substrates from the processing system [0034 & 0035].
Weingartner does not teach:
the load-lock chamber is an input chamber, an output load-lock chamber for output of single substrates from the processing system, wherein the output section further comprises a singulation chamber coupled between the processing section and the output load-lock chamber, the singulation chamber having a movable substrate support to interface with a substrate unloader configured to manipulate a single substrate.
Ko teaches:
the load-lock chamber is an input chamber (1000A) [0047], and further comprising an output section with an output load-lock chamber (1100B) for output of single substrates from the processing system [0047 & 0048 & 0049 & 0050], wherein the output section further comprises a singulation chamber (1400B) coupled between the processing section and the output load-lock chamber (Fig. 2), the singulation chamber having a movable substrate support (1420) to interface with a substrate unloader configured to manipulate a single substrate [0041 & 0044 & 0046].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the processing system, having a processing section, with a dual-substrate inkjet printing chamber, a dual-substrate processing chamber, and a dual-substrate transfer chamber coupling the dual-substrate inkjet printing chamber and the dual-substrate processing chamber, and a dual-substrate interface chamber coupled to the processing section to provide two substrates in side-by-side arrangement for processing in the processing section where the dual-substrate input section for input of single substrates to the processing system, where the section is an input section, and further comprising an output section for output of single substrates from the processing system taught by Weingartner with the processing system having a processing section, with a substrate inkjet printing chamber, a substrate processing chamber, a substrate transfer chamber coupling the substrate inkjet printing chamber and the substrate processing chamber, a substrate interface chamber coupled to the processing section to provide substrates for processing in the processing section, where the dual-substrate interface chamber is part of an input section that has a load-lock chamber for input of single substrates to the processing system, where the load-lock chamber is an input chamber, and further comprising an output section with an output load-lock chamber for output of single substrates from the processing system, wherein the output section further comprises a singulation chamber coupled between the processing section and the output load-lock chamber, the singulation chamber having a movable substrate support to interface with a substrate unloader configured to manipulate a single substrate taught by Ko in order to provide a substrate processing means with a sanitized environment to prevent fouling of the processing due to contamination.
Claim(s) 4 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Weingartner (US 20090007811 A1) in view of Ko et al. (US 20150314325 A1) as applied to Claims 1 and 11 above, further in view of Cai et al. (CN 109109471 A).
Regarding Claim 4, Weingartner and Ko do not teach:
a first printhead management station at the first side of the substrate support and a second printhead management station at the second side of the substrate support.
Cai teaches:
An inkjet printer [0002], comprising:
a substrate support (10);
the substrate support comprising a processing zone (Fig. 1) having suction openings [0010 & 0025] to control a pressure of the gas support system in the processing zone [0010 & 0025];
a print support (5 & 6) extending across the substrate support at the processing zone (Fig. 1 & Fig. 2 )and supporting a printhead assembly (3) for dispensing material onto a substrate (2) supported on the substrate support [0025];
a first substrate holder (4 & 41) on a first side of the substrate support adjacent to a first substrate location on the substrate support to move a first substrate along the substrate support (Fig. 1 & Fig. 2) [0025]; and
a second substrate holder (4 & 41) on a second side of the substrate support opposite from the first substrate holder and adjacent to a second substrate location on the substrate support to move a second substrate along the substrate support (Fig. 1 & Fig. 2) [0025], and
a first printhead management station (9 & 91) at the first side of the substrate support and a second printhead management station (9 & 91) at the second side of the substrate support [0004 & 0009 & 0025].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inkjet printer having a substrate support, the substrate support comprising a processing zone having suction openings to control a pressure of a gas support system in the processing zone, the suction openings being arranged in two groups that define a central gap in the processing zone, a print support extending across the substrate support at the processing zone and supporting a printhead assembly for dispensing material onto a substrate supported on the substrate support in the processing zone a first substrate holder on a first side of the substrate support adjacent to a first substrate location on the substrate support to move a first substrate along the substrate support, and a second substrate holder on a second side of the substrate support opposite from the first substrate holder and adjacent to a second substrate location on the substrate support to move a second substrate along the substrate support taught by Weingartner in view of Ko with the printing system, having a substrate support having a gas floatation system to provide a gas cushion, the substrate support comprising a processing zone having suction openings to control a pressure of the gas cushion in the processing zone, a print support extending across the substrate support at the processing zone and supporting a printhead assembly for dispensing material onto a substrate supported on the substrate support in the processing zone, and a substrate holder on the substrate support to move a substrate along the substrate support, where a first printhead management station (9 & 91) at the first side of the substrate support and a second printhead management station (9 & 91) at the second side of the substrate support taught by Cai in order to provide a support system for processing substrates with a means for monitoring and servicing the processing heads in order to prevent failure in the processing system due to processing head faults.
Regarding Claim 14, Weingartner and Ko do not teach:
a first printhead management station at the first side of the substrate support and a second printhead management station at the second side of the substrate support.
Cai teaches:
An inkjet printer [0002], comprising:
a substrate support (10);
the substrate support comprising a processing zone (Fig. 1) having suction openings [0010 & 0025] to control a pressure of the gas support system in the processing zone [0010 & 0025];
a print support (5 & 6) extending across the substrate support at the processing zone (Fig. 1 & Fig. 2 )and supporting a printhead assembly (3) for dispensing material onto a substrate (2) supported on the substrate support [0025];
a first substrate holder (4 & 41) on a first side of the substrate support adjacent to a first substrate location on the substrate support to move a first substrate along the substrate support (Fig. 1 & Fig. 2) [0025]; and
a second substrate holder (4 & 41) on a second side of the substrate support opposite from the first substrate holder and adjacent to a second substrate location on the substrate support to move a second substrate along the substrate support (Fig. 1 & Fig. 2) [0025], and
a first printhead management station (9 & 91) at the first side of the substrate support and a second printhead management station (9 & 91) at the second side of the substrate support [0004 & 0009 & 0025].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inkjet printer having a substrate support, the substrate support comprising a processing zone having suction openings to control a pressure of a gas support system in the processing zone, the suction openings being arranged in two groups that define a central gap in the processing zone, a print support extending across the substrate support at the processing zone and supporting a printhead assembly for dispensing material onto a substrate supported on the substrate support in the processing zone a first substrate holder on a first side of the substrate support adjacent to a first substrate location on the substrate support to move a first substrate along the substrate support, and a second substrate holder on a second side of the substrate support opposite from the first substrate holder and adjacent to a second substrate location on the substrate support to move a second substrate along the substrate support taught by Weingartner in view of Ko with the printing system, having a substrate support having a gas floatation system to provide a gas cushion, the substrate support comprising a processing zone having suction openings to control a pressure of the gas cushion in the processing zone, a print support extending across the substrate support at the processing zone and supporting a printhead assembly for dispensing material onto a substrate supported on the substrate support in the processing zone, and a substrate holder on the substrate support to move a substrate along the substrate support, where a first printhead management station (9 & 91) at the first side of the substrate support and a second printhead management station (9 & 91) at the second side of the substrate support taught by Cai in order to provide a support system for processing substrates with a means for monitoring and servicing the processing heads in order to prevent failure in the processing system due to processing head faults.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Patent publications US 20090102869 A1, US 20170217167 A1, US 11090947 B2, and US 12434492 B2 have been cited by the examiner as pertinent to the applicant’s disclosure because they teach: automated feeding assemblies for printer systems.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRENDAN P TIGHE whose telephone number is 571-272-4872. The Examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday, 7:00-5:30 EST
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, SAUL RODRIGUEZ can be reached on 571-272-7097. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRENDAN P TIGHE/Examiner, Art Unit 3652
/SAUL RODRIGUEZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3652
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