DETAILED ACTION
The communication dated 06/16/2026 has been entered and fully considered.
Claims 1-20 are currently pending. Claims 12-20 are withdrawn.
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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 12 and 13-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.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 06/1.
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I: claims 1-11 in the reply filed on 06/ is acknowledged.
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.
Claims 1-5, 7 and 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Neiderman et al. U.S. Publication 2023/0104821 (henceforth referred to as Neiderman).
As to claim 1, Neiderman teaches a cleaning apparatus for cleaning electronic substrates including printed circuit boards and semiconductor product assemblies, the cleaning apparatus comprising:
at least one cleaning module configured to treat electronic substrates (FIG. 1 paragraph [0015] electronic substrate cleaning apparatus); and
a conveyor system configured to transport the electronic substrates through the at least one cleaning module (paragraph [0022] a conveyor system is configured to transport products through a cleaning machine), the conveyor system including
a bottom belt assembly including a bottom wire mesh belt (FIG. 2 paragraphs [0026]-[0027], [0029] bottom belt assembly 30, which includes bottom wire belt 50 and may include a bottom mesh material belt) having first links configured to achieve a first elevation and second links configured to achieve a second elevation, the second elevation being higher than the first elevation (FIG. 2 shows a lower elevation in which the electronic substrates and/or carriers 60 are placed and a bend that defines the lanes. The bends that define the lanes read on the claimed second elevation), and
a top belt assembly spaced from the bottom belt assembly (FIG. 2 paragraphs [0026] and [0028] top belt assembly 32, which includes top wire belt 56), the top belt assembly including a top wire mesh belt having third links (FIG. 2 paragraph [0029] top mesh material belt 62),
wherein the bottom belt assembly and the top belt assembly are configured to receive an electronic substrate therebetween to transport the electronic substrate along the conveyor system and through the at least one cleaning module (FIG. 2 paragraph [0029] the top belt assembly 32 is configured to mate with the bottom belt assembly 30 so as to provide a space therein to accommodate electronic substrates and/or carriers 60).
As to claim 2, Neiderman further teaches the first links of the bottom wire mesh belt are positioned to support a bottom surface of an electronic substrate (FIG. 2 the lower part of the bottom belt assembly 30 supports a bottom surface of an electronic substrate).
As to claim 3, Neiderman further teaches the second links of the bottom wire mesh belt are positioned to engage a lateral edge of the electronic substrate (FIG. 2 the bends in the lower part of the bottom belt assembly 30 engage a lateral edge of the electronic substrate, as it would prevent the electronic substrate from crossing over into the adjacent lanes).
As to claim 4, Neiderman further teaches the third links of the top wire mesh belt are positioned to engage a top surface of the electronic substrate (FIG. 2 paragraph [0029] the top mesh material belt 62 engages the electronic substrate or item).
As to claim 5, Neiderman further teaches the first links and the second links of the bottom wire mesh belt and the third links of the top wire mesh belt are configured to create a pocket configured to receive an electronic substrate (FIG. 2 paragraph [0029] the top belt assembly 32 is configured to mate with the bottom belt assembly 30 so as to provide a space therein to accommodate electronic substrates and/or carriers 60).
As to claim 7, Neiderman further teaches the first links and the second links of the bottom wire mesh belt and the third links of the top wire mesh belt are configured to create a first pocket configured to receive a first electronic substrate (FIG. 2 paragraph [0029] the top belt assembly 32 is configured to mate with the bottom belt assembly 30 so as to provide a space therein to accommodate electronic substrates and/or carriers 60) and a second pocket configured to receive a second electronic substrate (paragraph [0027] the bottom wire belt 50 can be configured with any number of lanes. Each lane would receive an electronic substrate and/or carriers 60, which reads on a second pocket configured to receive a second electronic substrate).
As to claim 10, Neiderman further teaches the conveyor system further includes a first outer frame member (FIG. 2 paragraph [0026] first outer frame member 22) and a second outer frame member spaced from the first outer frame member (FIG. 2 paragraph [0026] second outer frame member 24).
As to claim 11, Neiderman further teaches the bottom belt assembly is disposed between the first outer frame member and the second outer frame member (FIG. 2 paragraph [0026] the belt assemblies 30, 32 are disposed between the first outer frame member 22 and the second outer frame member 24).
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.
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.
Claims 6, 8, and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Neiderman et al. U.S. Publication 2023/0104821 (henceforth referred to as Neiderman).
As to claim 6, Neiderman does not teach a width of the pocket is based on a width of the electronic substrate.
Examiner regards the operation of the claimed conveyor system as intended use of the apparatus’ structure. The pocket of the top and bottom conveyor belts would be capable of accommodating the width of the electronic substrate. Apparatus claims cover what a device is, not what a device does. An apparatus claim may be unobvious even if it operates in the same way as the prior art, as long as there are structural differences. Hewlett-Packard Co. v. Bausch & Lomb Inc. 15 USPQ 2d 1525 (Fed. Cir. 1990).
As to claim 8, Neiderman does not teach a width of each of the first pocket and the second pocket are based on a width of the electronic substrate.
Examiner regards the operation of the claimed conveyor system as intended use of the apparatus’ structure. The pockets formed by the top and bottom conveyor belts would be capable of accommodating the varying widths of the electronic substrates. Apparatus claims cover what a device is, not what a device does. An apparatus claim may be unobvious even if it operates in the same way as the prior art, as long as there are structural differences. Hewlett-Packard Co. v. Bausch & Lomb Inc. 15 USPQ 2d 1525 (Fed. Cir. 1990).
As to claim 9, Neiderman does not teach the first elevation of the first links is 0.375 inch and the second elevation of the second links is 0.625 inch.
Since the art recognizes that the first elevation and second elevation is a result effective variable, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to determine an optimal value for the elevations in Neiderman, through routine experimentation, and that the claimed elevations would have been found obvious through such routine experimentation, unless the applicant can demonstrate unexpected results.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAUREN G ORTA whose telephone number is (703)756-5455. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Barr can be reached at 571-272-1414. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/L.G.O./Examiner, Art Unit 1711
/MICHAEL E BARR/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1711
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