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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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, 27 and 36-37 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee et al. US 2019/0080955 A1.
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Lee discloses a substrate support comprising: a base (110,120) having a first surface on which an object is placed, and a second surface opposite to the first surface, wherein a first through-hole (111, 121) penetrating through the first surface and the second surface is formed in the base; a support portion (130) disposed at the second surface side of the base, the support portion having a third surface, and a fourth surface opposite to the third surface, wherein a second through-hole (161) penetrating through the third surface and the fourth surface is formed in the support portion such that a position of the second through-hole corresponds to a position of the first through-hole to communicate with the first through-hole; a first pin (210) that is stored in the first through-hole to be movable in an axial direction of the first through-hole; a second pin (230) that is stored in the second through-hole to be movable in the axial direction and is separate from the first pin; a connection (220) disposed between the first pin and the second pin to connect the first pin with the second pin; and a driving unit (260) configured to drive the second pin in the axial direction, wherein the connection has respective spaces in an upper internal portion (221) and a lower internal portion (222, 224) configured to store a lower end of the first pin and an upper end of the second pin (see fig. 7).
As for claim 27, Lee discloses wherein the connection (220) includes respective holes (upper notches leading to 221 not labeled but shown in Fig. 5) on an upper portion of a side surface and a lower portion (224, 225a) of the side surface, wherein the hole (notches) on the upper portion of the side surface of the connection communicates with the upper internal space (221), and wherein the hole (225a) on the lower portion of the side surface of the connection communicates with the lower internal space (222, 224).
As for claim 36, Lee discloses in Fig. 5 wherein the first through-hole is larger on the second surface side than on the first surface side, and/or the second through-hole is larger on the third surface side than on the fourth surface side. The first through-hole is larger on the second surface than the first surface to fit lift guide pin (240). The second through-hole is larger on the third surface than the fourth surface to fit the fastening block (160).
As for claim 37, Lee discloses a substrate processing apparatus (10) having a substrate support (100), the substrate support comprising: a base (110, 120) having a first surface on which the substrate is placed, and a second surface opposite to the first surface, wherein a first through-hole (111, 121) penetrating through the first surface and the second surface is formed in the base; a support portion (130) disposed on the second surface side of the base, the support portion having a third surface and a fourth surface opposite to the third surface, wherein a second through-hole (161) penetrating through the third surface and the fourth surface is formed in the support portion such that a position of the second through-hole corresponds to a position of the first through-hole to communicate with the first through-hole; a first pin (210) stored in the first through-hole to be movable in an axial direction of the first through-hole; a second pin (230) stored in the second through-hole to be movable in the axial direction, and separate from the first pin; a connection (220) disposed between the first pin and the second pin and configured to connect the first pin and the second pin; and a driving unit (260) configured to drive the second pin in the axial direction, wherein the connection has respective spaces in an upper internal portion (221) and a lower internal portion (222, 224) configured to store a lower end of the first pin and an upper end of the second pin (see fig. 5-7).
Claim(s) 1, 21, 23-24 and 37 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ushioda et al. KR 20070094503A.
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Ushioda discloses a substrate support comprising: a base (5) having a first surface on which an object is placed, and a second surface opposite to the first surface, wherein a first through-hole (5b) penetrating through the first surface and the second surface is formed in the base; a support portion (2, 7) disposed at the second surface side of the base, the support portion having a third surface, and a fourth surface opposite to the third surface, wherein a second through-hole (2b) penetrating through the third surface and the fourth surface is formed in the support portion such that a position of the second through-hole corresponds to a position of the first through-hole to communicate with the first through-hole; a first pin (30b) that is stored in the first through-hole to be movable in an axial direction of the first through-hole; a second pin (30a) that is stored in the second through-hole to be movable in the axial direction and is separate from the first pin; a connection (34, 35) disposed between the first pin and the second pin to connect the first pin with the second pin; and a driving unit configured to drive the second pin in the axial direction (see abstract, elevating pins 30), wherein the connection has respective spaces in an upper internal portion (recess for 46) and a lower internal portion (recess for 45) configured to store a lower end of the first pin (30b) and an upper end of the second pin (30a).
As for claim 21, Ushioda discloses wherein the first pin (30b) has a first head portion (46) having a cylindrical shape at the lower end thereof, and wherein the second pin (30a) has a second head portion (45) having a cylindrical shape at the upper end thereof.
As for claim 23, Ushioda discloses wherein the upper internal portion (recess sized to fit 46) has a size bigger than the first head portion (bigger to allow for insertion), and wherein the lower internal portion (recess sized to fit 45) has a size bigger than the second head portion (bigger to allow insertion.
As for claim 24, Ushioda discloses wherein the upper internal portion communicates with a hole (top hole of recess sized to fit 46) disposed on an upper surface of the connection, and wherein the lower internal portion communicates with a hole (bottom hole of recess sized to fit 45) disposed on a lower surface of the connection.
As for claim 37, Ushioda discloses a substrate processing apparatus (1; see Fig. 1) having a substrate support, the substrate support comprising (see claim 1 rejection above): a base having a first surface on which the substrate is placed, and a second surface opposite to the first surface, wherein a first through-hole penetrating through the first surface and the second surface is formed in the base; a support portion disposed on the second surface side of the base, the support portion having a third surface and a fourth surface opposite to the third surface, wherein a second through-hole penetrating through the third surface and the fourth surface is formed in the support portion such that a position of the second through-hole corresponds to a position of the first through-hole to communicate with the first through-hole; a first pin stored in the first through-hole to be movable in an axial direction of the first through-hole; a second pin stored in the second through-hole to be movable in the axial direction, and separate from the first pin; a connection disposed between the first pin and the second pin and configured to connect the first pin and the second pin; and a driving unit configured to drive the second pin in the axial direction, wherein the connection has respective spaces in an upper internal portion and a lower internal portion configured to store a lower end of the first pin and an upper end of the second pin.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 22 and 25-26 is/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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TYRONE V HALL JR whose telephone number is (571)270-5948. The examiner can normally be reached Mon.-Fri. 7:30am-3:30pm.
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/TYRONE V HALL JR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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