DETAILED ACTION
Claim(s) 1-20 as filed 12/05/2024 are pending for consideration.
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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because the drawings are not executed in durable, black, sufficiently dense and dark, uniformly thick and well-defined, lines and strokes without colorings as required by PCT Rule 11.13(a). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 12 is objected to because of the following informalities: “the hinge mechanisms” (lines 1-2) should be “the hinge mechanism”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 19 is objected to because of the following informalities: “an outer surface” (line 3) should be “the outer surface”. 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.
Claims 11 and 13-20 are 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.
Claims 11, 13, and 18 each recite “an unequal length four bar linkage”. This limitation is unclear at least because one of the bars disclosed by applicant is the “frame”, which does not appear to be bar shaped. Therefore, it is unclear what is required by this limitation.
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.
Claim(s) 1-5 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hosoi (US Patent Application 2020/0388477).
Regarding Claim 1, Hosoi discloses a gate valve 130 configured to engage an outer surface of a flange 112 of a wall 111 of a reaction chamber 180 to form a seal about an opening 113 in the wall of the reaction chamber (as shown in Figure 2), the gate valve comprising: a plate 142 including a groove (as shown in Figure 2, member 142 includes a groove for O-ring 141); a seal element 141 disposed within the groove (as described above as shown in Figure 2); and a hinge mechanism (including linkage 150) coupled to the plate 142 and to the reaction chamber (via the lower wall of 110 as shown in Figure 1), the hinge mechanism being configured to translate between a closed position (as shown in Figure 2) in which the plate 142 and the seal element 141 are pressed against the wall 111 of the reaction chamber in a direction that is perpendicular to the outer surface of the wall (upwardly in Figures 2) and an open position (as shown in Figure 5) in which the plate 142 and the seal element 141 are not in direct contact with the reaction chamber (as shown in Figure 5).
Regarding Claim 2, Hosoi is seen as further disclosing, wherein when the hinge mechanism is in the open position (as shown in Figure 4), the plate 142 is translated away from a wafer transfer path of the reaction chamber (the plate is translated away from the opening 113, the opening 113 is at least capable of providing a wafer transfer path; i.e. it is possible to transfer a wafer through the opening 113 – it is noted that a wafer is not positively recited by the claim). Alternatively, when the hinge mechanism is in the open position as shown in Figure 5, the plate 142 is provided below the opening defined by door 110a and therefore is below a wafer transfer path through the open door.
Regarding Claim 3, Hosoi further discloses, wherein when the hinge mechanism is in the open position (as shown in Figure 5), the plate 142 is translated below the opening 113 in the wall 111 of the reaction chamber (as shown in Figure 5).
Regarding Claim 4, Hosoi further discloses, wherein when the hinge mechanism is in the open position (for the purpose of this claim, Figure 4 shows the valve in the open position) the seal element 141 is not in a path of radiation emitted from the opening 113 in the wall 111 of the reaction chamber 180 (this is seen to be achieved at least because the stage 122 blocks a path of radiation emitted from the opening as best shown in Figures 1, 9, and 10).
Regarding Claim 5, Hosoi further discloses, wherein when the hinge mechanism is in the closed position (as shown in Figure 2), the seal element 141 forms the seal with the outer surface of the reaction chamber (at flange 112) configured to retain at least one of a toxic and caustic gas within the reaction chamber (the seal is at least capable of retaining at least one of a toxic and caustic gas within the reaction chamber 180).
Regarding Claim 11, Hosoi is seen as further disclosing the hinge includes an unequal length four bar linkage (including elements 151, 152, 171, and 163 as best understood as described above; i.e. in light of applicant’s specification as filed, it is seen that the term “bar” does not require any particular shape; the elements 151, 152, 171, and 163 have unequal lengths as shown in Figure 2) that allows linear motion during contact of the seal element 141 against the flange 112 of the reaction chamber (as shown between Figures 5 and 2).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-6, 8, 9, 11, 13-15, 17, 18, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hosoi (US Patent Application 2020/0388477) in view of Schoch et al. (US Patent 8,511,642).
Regarding Claims 1-5 and 11, Hosoi is seen as disclosing all of the elements of these claims as described above. Alternatively, in the event that ring-holding member 142 is not seen to necessarily form a plate with a groove as claimed, Schoch teaches a pivoting valve device including a valve plate 7 with a groove for seal ring 9.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the application was effectively filed to modify the device of Hosoi such that the valve head is formed by a plate with a groove for the O-ring as taught by Schoch for the purpose of utilizing an alternative, functionally equivalent structure known in the art which provides a seal on a pivoted valve member.
Regarding Claim 6, Hosoi further discloses the gate valve is disposed within a wafer handling chamber 110 (for handling wafer 121).
Hosoi does not specifically disclose the plate is removable from the hinge mechanism to allow a maintenance operation on the gate valve without disconnecting the hinge mechanism from the reaction chamber or removing the gate valve from the wafer handling chamber.
Schoch teaches a valve including a plate 7 and further teaches the plate 7 is removable from an actuator 16 (via clamping pieces 20 and 21) to allow a maintenance operation on the gate valve without disconnecting the actuator mechanism from the system or removing the gate valve from the chamber (this is achieved by removing screws 27 in the same manner as achieved by applicant’s device).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the application was effectively filed to modify the device of Hosoi such that the valve plate is removably attached to the hinge mechanism using screws as taught by Schoch for the purpose of allowing a user to quickly assemble and disassemble the plate with the hinge mechanism.
Regarding Claim 8, Hosoi does not disclose the plate is configured to be coupled to the hinge mechanism at a coupling that does not require realignment of the gate valve when the plate is coupled to the hinge mechanism.
Schoch teaches a valve including a plate 7 and further teaches the plate 7 is configured to be coupled to an actuator 16 at a coupling (coupling including carrier plate 19 having projection 34 to engage a dovetail recess 33 of the plate 7) that does not require realignment of the gate valve 7 when the plate is coupled to the actuator (this is seen to be achieved by the dovetail arrangement of 33 and 34 in the same manner as achieved by applicant’s device).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the application was effectively filed to modify the device of Hosoi such that the valve plate is removably attached to the hinge mechanism using a dovetail arrangement as taught by Schoch for the purpose of allowing a user to easily align the valve plate with the hinge mechanism.
Regarding Claim 9, Hosoi in view of Schoch further discloses the hinge mechanism includes a tenon (protrusion 34 as taught by Schoch as described above provides a tenon; such a protrusion or tenon provided on the hinge mechanism of Hosoi e.g. on portion 143 of the hinge mechanism to couple with the plate 142 of Hosoi - or the base 143 of Hosoi as modified in view of Geiser as described above) configured to removably engage a complementary groove on the plate (groove 33 on the plate as taught by Schoch) to form a dovetail joint between the hinge mechanism and the plate (as taught by Schoch as described above).
Regarding Claim 13, Hosoi discloses a gate valve 130 configured to engage an outer surface of a flange 112 of a wall 111 of a reaction chamber 180 to form a seal about an opening 113 in the wall 111 of the reaction chamber (as shown in Figure 2), the gate valve comprising: a plate 142 including a groove (as shown in Figure 2, member 142 includes a groove for O-ring 141); a seal element 141 disposed within the groove (as described above as shown in Figure 2); a frame 171; a first hinge rod 152 connected between the frame 171 and a base member 143; a second hinge rod 151 connected between the frame 171 (via the connection with rod 152) and the base member 143, wherein a length of the first hinge rod 152 is less than a length of the second hinge rod 151 (as shown in Figure 2); and a hinge mechanism (including the rods 152 and 151 in the same manner as achieved by applicant’s device) including an unequal four-bar linkage (including elements 151, 152, 171, and 143 as best understood as described above; i.e. in light of applicant’s specification as filed, it is seen that the term “bar” does not require any particular shape; the elements 151, 152, 171, and 143 have unequal lengths as shown in Figure 2) that includes the frame 171, the first hinge rod 152, the second hinge rod 151, and the base member 143, wherein the frame 171 is configured to couple to the reaction chamber (via the bottom wall as shown in Figure 2), the hinge mechanism being configured to translate between a closed position (as shown in Figure 2) in which the plate 142 and the seal element 141 are pressed against the wall 111 of the reaction chamber in a direction that is perpendicular to the outer surface of the wall (upwardly in Figures 2) and an open position (as shown in Figure 5) in which the plate 142 and the seal element 141 are not in direct contact with the reaction chamber (as shown in Figure 5).
Hosoi does not disclose the base member 143 is formed by a bracket removably coupled to the plate.
Schoch teaches a valve including a plate 7 and further teaches the plate 7 is coupled to an actuator 16 by a bracket (carrier plate 19 forming a bracket) removably coupled to the plate 7 (via the dovetail arrangement of 33 and 34 in the same manner as achieved by applicant’s device).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the application was effectively filed to modify the device of Hosoi such that the base member is formed by a bracket removably coupled to the plate using a dovetail arrangement as taught by Schoch for the purpose of allowing a user to easily align the valve plate with the hinge mechanism.
As described above, Hosoi is seen as disclosing member 142 is a plate with a groove as claimed. Alternatively, in the event that ring-holding member 142 is not seen to necessarily form a plate with a groove as claimed, Schoch teaches a pivoting valve device including a valve plate 7 with a groove for seal ring 9.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the application was effectively filed to modify the device of Hosoi such that the valve head is formed by a plate with a groove for the O-ring as taught by Schoch for the purpose of utilizing an alternative, functionally equivalent structure known in the art which provides a seal on a pivoted valve member.
Regarding Claim 14, Hosoi further discloses, wherein when the hinge mechanism is in the open position (for the purpose of this claim, Figure 4 shows the valve in the open position) the seal element 141 is not in a path of radiation emitted from the opening 113 in the wall 111 of the reaction chamber 180 (this is seen to be achieved at least because the stage 122 blocks a path of radiation emitted from the opening as best shown in Figures 1, 9, and 10).
Regarding Claim 15, Hosoi in view of Schoch further discloses the gate valve is configured to be disposed within a wafer handling chamber 110 (for handling wafer 121) and the plate is removable from the hinge mechanism (via removal of the plate from the bracket as taught by Schoch as described above) to allow a maintenance operation on the gate valve without disconnecting the hinge mechanism from the reaction chamber or removing the gate valve from the wafer handling chamber (this is achieved by removing screws as taught by Schoch at 27 in the same manner as achieved by applicant’s device).
Regarding Claim 17, Hosoi in view of Schoch further discloses the plate is configured to be coupled to the bracket by a dovetail connection (in the manner taught by Schoch as described above; dovetail connection achieved via 33 and 34).
Regarding Claim 18, Hosoi discloses a gate valve 130, comprising: a plate 142 including a groove (as shown in Figure 2, member 142 includes a groove for O-ring 141); a seal element 141 disposed within the groove (as described above as shown in Figure 2); a base member 143 coupled to the plate 142; a frame 171; a first hinge rod 152 connected between the frame 171 and the base member 143; a second hinge rod 151 connected between the frame 171 (via the connection with rod 152) and the base member 143, wherein a length of the first hinge rod 152 is less than a length of the second hinge rod 151 (as shown in Figure 2); and a hinge mechanism (including the rods 152 and 151 in the same manner as achieved by applicant’s device) including an unequal four-bar linkage (including elements 151, 152, 171, and 143 as best understood as described above; i.e. in light of applicant’s specification as filed, it is seen that the term “bar” does not require any particular shape; the elements 151, 152, 171, and 143 have unequal lengths as shown in Figure 2) that includes the frame 171, the first hinge rod 152, the second hinge rod 151, and the base member 143, wherein, when the frame 171 is coupled to a flange 112 of a reaction chamber 180 (indirectly coupled via the walls of 110), the hinge mechanism is configured to translate between a closed position (as shown in Figure 2) in which the plate 142 and the seal element 141 are pressed against the flange 112 of the reaction chamber 180 in a direction that is perpendicular to an outer surface of the flange 112 (upwardly in Figures 2) and an open position (as shown in Figure 5) in which the plate 142 and the seal element 141 are not in direct contact with the reaction chamber (as shown in Figure 5).
Hosoi does not disclose the base member 143 is formed by a bracket removably coupled to the plate.
Schoch teaches a valve including a plate 7 and further teaches the plate 7 is coupled to an actuator 16 by a bracket (carrier plate 19 forming a bracket) removably coupled to the plate 7 (via the dovetail arrangement of 33 and 34 in the same manner as achieved by applicant’s device).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the application was effectively filed to modify the device of Hosoi such that the base member is formed by a bracket removably coupled to the plate using a dovetail arrangement as taught by Schoch for the purpose of allowing a user to easily align the valve plate with the hinge mechanism.
As described above, Hosoi is seen as disclosing member 142 is a plate with a groove as claimed. Alternatively, in the event that ring-holding member 142 is not seen to necessarily form a plate with a groove as claimed, Schoch teaches a pivoting valve device including a valve plate 7 with a groove for seal ring 9.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the application was effectively filed to modify the device of Hosoi such that the valve head is formed by a plate with a groove for the O-ring as taught by Schoch for the purpose of utilizing an alternative, functionally equivalent structure known in the art which provides a seal on a pivoted valve member.
Regarding Claim 20, Hosoi in view of Schoch further discloses the plate is configured to be coupled to the bracket by a dovetail connection (in the manner taught by Schoch as described above; dovetail connection achieved via 33 and 34).
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over either Hosoi (US Patent Application 2020/0388477) or Hosoi (US Patent Application 2020/0388477) in view of Schoch et al. (US Patent 8,511,642) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of White (US Patent 10,190,693).
Regarding Claim 7, Hosoi does not disclose the plate is configured to receive at least two distance measuring screws configured to enable measuring of a distance between a surface of the plate and the outer surface of the flange of the reaction chamber when the hinge mechanism is in the closed position to facilitate installation of the gate valve on to the reaction chamber.
White teaches a valve including a plate 112 and further teaches the plate is configured to receive at least two distance measuring screws (screws 216 as shown in Figure 2 are capable of being used to measure a distance) configured to enable measuring of a distance between a surface of the plate and the outer surface of the flange of the reaction chamber when the hinge mechanism is in the closed position to facilitate installation of the gate valve on to the reaction chamber (the claim only requires the plate “configured to receive at least two distance measuring screws” and does not recite any particular manner in which measuring is achieved; therefore, because the screws of White are capable of being used to measure a distance, i.e. as the screws necessarily include a known length, White is seen to teach all of the required features of the claim). Alternatively, the screws can be unthreaded from their respective bores 202 to measure distances from the face of plate 112.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the application was effectively filed to modify the device of Hosoi such that the seal is attached to the valve plate using screws as taught by White for the purpose of providing an arrangement which ensures the seal remains in the desired position.
Claim(s) 10 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over either Hosoi (US Patent Application 2020/0388477) or Hosoi (US Patent Application 2020/0388477) in view of Schoch et al. (US Patent 8,511,642) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Hazaki et al. (US Patent 5,026,995).
Regarding Claim 10, Hosoi further discloses the hinge mechanism includes at least one of a bearing and a shaft (shaft 162).
Hosoi does not disclose the at least one of the bearing and the shaft is sealed to prevent contamination of an environment of the gate valve and to prevent a contamination of the at least one of the bearing and the shaft from gasses exiting the reaction chamber.
Hazaki teaches a valve device in which an actuator 21 is provided outside of a chamber (as shown in Figures 1 and 2), wherein a shaft (rod 22) is sealed (via bellows 34) to prevent contamination of an environment of the gate valve (i.e. 34 functions to prevent outside debris from entering the environment of the gate valve 11) and to prevent a contamination of the at least one of the bearing and the shaft (shaft 22) from gasses exiting the reaction chamber (bellows 34 prevents gases exiting the valve chamber from contacting the shaft 22).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the application was effectively filed to modify the device of Hosoi such that the actuator and shaft are located externally of the reaction chamber as taught by Hazaki for the purpose of saving space within the reaction chamber. Furthermore, in the proposed modification of Hosoi in view of Hazaki, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the application was effectively filed to modify the device of Hosoi in view of Hazaki such that the shaft is sealed as taught by Hazaki for the purpose of eliminating potential contamination of the reaction chamber.
Regarding Claim 12, Hosoi further discloses an actuator 161 coupled to the hinge mechanisms (as shown in Figure 2), the actuator 161 being configured to translate the hinge mechanism between the open position (as shown in Figure 5) and the closed position (as shown in Figure 2).
Hosoi does not disclose the actuator includes a flexible metal seal disposed around a shaft of the actuator to isolate an internal wafer transfer atmosphere (within 110) from an external atmosphere.
Hazaki teaches a valve device in which an actuator 21 is provided outside of a chamber (as shown in Figures 1 and 2), wherein the actuator 21 includes a flexible metal seal (either bellows 34 or metal seal 33) disposed around a shaft 20 of the actuator to isolate an internal atmosphere (within the chamber of the gate valve 11) from an external atmosphere (external atmosphere of the seal).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the application was effectively filed to modify the device of Hosoi such that the actuator and shaft are located externally of the reaction chamber with a flexible metal seal around the shaft as taught by Hazaki for the purpose of saving space within the reaction chamber.
Claim(s) 16 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hosoi (US Patent Application 2020/0388477) in view of Schoch et al. (US Patent 8,511,642) as applied to claims 13 or 18 above, and further in view of White (US Patent 10,190,693).
Regarding Claims 16 and 19, Hosoi does not disclose the plate is configured to receive at least two distance measuring screws configured to enable measuring of a distance between a surface of the plate and the outer surface of the flange of the reaction chamber when the hinge mechanism is in the closed position.
White teaches a valve including a plate 112 and further teaches the plate is configured to receive at least two distance measuring screws (screws 216 as shown in Figure 2 are capable of being used to measure a distance) configured to enable measuring of a distance between a surface of the plate and the outer surface of the flange of the reaction chamber when the hinge mechanism is in the closed position (the claim only requires the plate “configured to receive at least two distance measuring screws” and does not recite any particular manner in which measuring is achieved; therefore, because the screws of White are capable of being used to measure a distance, i.e. as the screws necessarily include a known length, White is seen to teach all of the required features of the claim). Alternatively, the screws can be unthreaded from their respective bores 202 to measure distances from the face of plate 112.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the application was effectively filed to modify the device of Hosoi such that the seal is attached to the valve plate using screws as taught by White for the purpose of providing an arrangement which ensures the seal remains in the desired position.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Wagner et al. (US Patent Application 2016/0363240) teaches a gate valve including a plate 2 removable from an actuator mechanism (via screws 9a). Geiser (US Patent 8,870,158) teaches a hinge mechanism (including 29 and 30) for a plate valve 4.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEVIN MURPHY whose telephone number is (571)270-5243. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8am-4pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Craig Schneider can be reached on (571) 272-3607. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KEVIN F MURPHY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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