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.
(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.
Claims 1-3, 5 and 8-11 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Tanaka (US 2025/0233378 A1).
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With respect to claims 1 and 16, Tanaka discloses a gas laser device (100) and a corresponding electronic device manufacturing method for discharging a laser gas passing through a discharge space between a first discharge electrode (500) and a second discharge electrode (400) and comprising all features of the instant claims such as: a plate (137) supporting the first discharge electrode; a guide member (551) arranged on the plate and configured to guide the laser gas to the discharge space; a dielectric pipe (11) arranged between the guide member (551) and the first discharge electrode (500) as being spaced apart from each of the plate and the first discharge electrode; a first path configured as including the guide member, and causing a part of the gas to flow therein as a branched flow; a second path configured as including the dielectric pipe (11) and the plate (137), and causing the branched flow flowing out from the first path to flow therethrough and a third path configured as including the dielectric pipe and the first discharge electrode (500) and guiding the branched flow flowing out the second path to upstream of the laser gas with respect to the discharge space (see figure 3 and paragraph [0086]).
As to claim 2, wherein the guide member (551) is arranged as being spaced apart from the dielectric pipe (11) and the first path is configured as including the guide member and the dielectric pipe (see figure 3).
As to claim 3, wherein the dielectric pipe (11) partially protrudes from an imaginary surface obtained by extending a surface of the guide member (551) toward the discharge space (see figure 3).
With respect to claim 5, as shown in figure 3, wherein a through hole is formed in the guide member (11) and the first path in configured by through hole.
As to claim 8, the first discharge electrode is an anode electrode and the second discharge electrode is a cathode electrode (see paragraph [0068]).
As to claims 9-10, a ladder-shaped preionization outer electrode (10; 553) arranged between the first discharge electrode (500) and the dielectric pipe (11).
As to claim 11, wherein the plate (11) is ground plate (see paragraph [0087]) and the guide member (551) has conductivity (see paragraph [0088]).
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art of record, including Tanaka (US 2025/0233378), fails to teach or suggest the particular structural relationships recited in claims 4, 7 and 12-15.
Claim 4 has been found allowable since the prior art of record, either alone or in combination, neither discloses nor makes obvious the claimed dimensional configuration of the dielectric pipe.
Claims 6-7 has been found allowable since the prior of record, does not disclose or suggest, the claimed dimension range of an inlet port of the first path and an outlet port of the third path and satisfies the condition as recited in the claims.
Claims 12-15 have been found allowable since while Tanaka discloses guide structures and cover members adjacent the discharge electrode, the reference does not disclose the guide member is conductive nor does it disclose the particular arranged recited in the claims.
Prior Art Made of Record
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Ikeda et al (U.S.Pat. 9,722,385); Arita et al (U.S.Pat. 10,971,338) and Yamanouchi (US 2024/0405501) disclose gas laser devices and have been cited for technical background.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HUNG HENRY NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-2124. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:00AM-4:30PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Toan Minh Ton can be reached at 571-272-2303. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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HUNG HENRY NGUYEN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2882
Hvn
6/13/26
/HUNG V NGUYEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882
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