DETAILED ACTION
The communication dated 07/31/2026 has been entered and fully considered.
Claims 1-10 are currently pending. Claim 10 is withdrawn.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
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I: claims 1-9 in the reply filed on 07/31/2026 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.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Archetto U.S. Publication 2021/0078359 (henceforth referred to as Archetto).
As to claim 1, Archetto teaches a cleaning apparatus including a cleaning unit configured to clean a cleaning object, comprising:
a supporting portion located on a side of a first surface of the cleaning object, the supporting portion being configured to support the cleaning object (FIG. 2 paragraph [0016] securing groove 20a ( of tubular housing 16) receives the roller frame 12c. The securing groove reads on the supporting portion); and
at least one first supply port, from which a rotational fluid is supplied to the cleaning object supported by the supporting portion (FIG. 2 paragraph [0017] fluid channel 16d),
wherein the cleaning apparatus is configured to clean the cleaning object while the cleaning object is rotated by the rotational fluid supplied from the at least one first supply port (FIGS. 2-3 paragraph [0014] a fluid channel directs a supply of pressurized fluid tangentially along a circumference of the roller portion, causing the roller portion to spin at a high rate of speed, thereby spinning the paint off the roller due to the centrifugal force, while also spraying paint off the tangentially struck circumference).
Claims 1-2 and 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fishkin et al. WO0028579 (henceforth referred to as Fishkin).
As to claim 1, Fishkin teaches a cleaning apparatus including a cleaning unit configured to clean a cleaning object, comprising:
a supporting portion located on a side of a first surface of the cleaning object, the supporting portion being configured to support the cleaning object (FIGS. 4A or 5 rotating wheels 37 a-c or 55 a-c and edge nozzle(s) 35 would read on the supporting portion); and
at least one first supply port, from which a rotational fluid is supplied to the cleaning object supported by the supporting portion, wherein the cleaning apparatus is configured to clean the cleaning object while the cleaning object is rotated by the rotational fluid supplied from the at least one first supply port (page 13 lines 20-24 a plurality of edge nozzles may be employed for edge cleaning, and one or more edge nozzles may provide sufficient force to rotate the thin disk during edge cleaning.).
As to claim 2, Fishkin further teaches the supporting portion is configured to support an outer edge of the cleaning object (page 6 lines 29-31 rotating wheels 37 a-c (or wheels 55 a-c) support the wafer W via grooves 41 (groove 57 for wheels 55 a-c)) and includes a side portion configured to cover an exterior of the cleaning object supported by the supporting portion (FIGS. 4A, 5, or 7 page 6 lines 31 each groove has a sidewall. The sidewall will cover an exterior of the cleaning object supported by the supporting portion).
As to claim 5, Fishkin further teaches the cleaning unit is configured to clean at least one of the first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, or a side surface, of the cleaning object (page 13 lines 20-24 a plurality of edge nozzles may be employed for edge cleaning).
As to claim 6, Fishkin further teaches the cleaning unit at least includes the at least one first supply port and is configured to clean the cleaning object with the rotational fluid (page 13 lines 20-24 a plurality of edge nozzles may be employed for edge cleaning, and one or more edge nozzles may provide sufficient force to rotate the thin disk during edge cleaning.).
As to claim 7, Fishkin further teaches the cleaning unit includes, separately from the at least one first supply port, a cleaning device locatable at a position to face at least one of the first surface of the cleaning object supported by the supporting portion or a second surface opposite to the first surface of the cleaning object, and the cleaning unit is configured to clean the cleaning object using the cleaning device (FIG. 5 page 10 lines 13 nodules 59, 61 of the first and second brushes 51a, 51b, respectively, contact the major surfaces W1 and W2 of the wafer W, cleaning slurry residue therefrom.).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-4 and 8-9 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 following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: there is no motivation to combine Fishkin with a reference regarding the at least one first supply port is formed on an inner circumference of the side portion or a lid configured to be arranged to face a second surface opposite to the first surface of the cleaning object.
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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