CTNF 18/920,068 CTNF 85848 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Election/Restrictions 08-06 AIA Claim s 17-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention , there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 3/30/26 . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 07-30-02 AIA 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. 07-34-01 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. Re Claim 7, it is unclear how the support supports the surface of the wafer in a non-contact state. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim (s) 1-2, 4, and 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by SHIZAWA et al. (US 2007/0084004) . Re Claim 1, SHIZAWA et al. teaches a wafer cleaning device, comprising: a brush module 3 with brushes 4; and at least one support 6 adjacent to the brush module and supporting at least a surface (side edge) of at least one wafer 1. Re Claim 2, 6a/6b reads on a roller that is con via grooves 6c Re Claim 4, a gap is taught between “m”. Re Claim 8, there are multiple supports “6b” and multiple wafers 1. Re Claim 9, the brush module faces at least a portion of each of the plurality of wafers. Re Claim 10, rotation reads on parallel to at least the top and bottom surfaces of the wafers . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-23-aia AIA The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows: 1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. 2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue. 3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art. 4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness. 07-20-02-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 11-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SHIZAWA et al. (US 2007/0084004) in view of WITHERS et al. (US2024/0112926) . SHIZAWA et al. is relied upon as applied to the claims above. Claims 11-16 are further directed towards the brushes having a plurality of nodules, which SHIZAWA et al. does not appear to teach explicitly. However, it is well known in the art for substrate cleaning to use a brush with nodules to increase surface area for cleaning. For example, WITHERS et al. teaches substrate cleaning using a brush with a plurality of nodules 112. Re Claim 11, the nodules are on top of the brush. Re Claims 14-15, they are both uniformly and non-uniformly disposed on the brushes. Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify the substrate cleaning device having a brush as taught by SHIZAWA et al. and to provide nodules as taught by WITHERS et al. to clean substrates using a brush in a known way without unexpected results. Re Claims 12-13, and 16, it is considered obvious to change shapes (MPEP 2144.04 (IV-B)) through routine experimentation to improve efficiency of parts . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 3 and 5 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. The prior art does not appear to teach or make obvious to modify Shizawa et al. to have independently rotatable plurality of brushes sharing a central axis, or cleaning nozzles within a gap between the plurality of brushes. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON Y KO whose telephone number is (571)270-7451. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9:00-6:00. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Barr can be reached at 571-270-1414. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. JASON Y. KO Primary Examiner Art Unit 1711 /JASON Y KO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1711 Application/Control Number: 18/920,068 Page 2 Art Unit: 1711 Application/Control Number: 18/920,068 Page 3 Art Unit: 1711 Application/Control Number: 18/920,068 Page 4 Art Unit: 1711 Application/Control Number: 18/920,068 Page 5 Art Unit: 1711 Application/Control Number: 18/920,068 Page 6 Art Unit: 1711
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