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.
Claims 1-5 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Noh [KR 10-2010-0012281].
Regarding claim 1: Noh shows a continuous cassette supply apparatus comprising:
a first transport module (20) provided to grip one end of a first cassette having a plurality of substrates mounted therein and move in a first direction from a first set location;
a second transport module (410) provided to grip the other end of the first cassette (C1) that is moved by the first transport module and move toward a second set location in the first direction; and
a frame module (200) on which the first transport module and the second transport module are mounted and that movably supports each transport module,
wherein the first transport module (20) grips one end of a second cassette (C2, see fig 9c) having a plurality of new substrates (see translated Abstract) mounted therein and moves to the first location before all the substrates are extracted from the first cassette transferred to the second transport module (see translated abstract).
Regarding claim 2: Noh shows wherein the first transport module includes:
a first horizontal movement part (see fig 2) configured to provide movement from a third location at which the first cassette (C1) supplied on the frame module is gripped to the first location;
a first vertical movement part (see fig 9c) configured to provide movement from the first location to the second location in the first direction; and
a first gripping part (element 20 has a grip see fig 9c) provided on the first vertical movement part to grip the one end of the first cassette.
Regarding claim 3: Noh shows wherein the second transport module includes
a second gripping part (222) configured to receive the first cassette (C1) transferred from the first transport module (20) and grip the other end of the first cassette (C1); and
a second vertical movement part (see fig 2) configured to move the second gripping part to the second location.
Regarding claim 4: Noh shows wherein the first vertical movement part and the second vertical movement part (411, see fig 7) move in units of pitch corresponding to a spacing between one substrate and another adjacent substrate in the first direction (see fig 7 and 9a).
Regarding claim 5: Noh shows, wherein the first gripping part (grip part of 20, see fig 2) and the second gripping part (222) are disposed to overlap each other with respect to the first direction (see fig 2).
Regarding claim 7: Noh shows wherein the frame module includes
an input part (420) configured to supply a plurality of cassettes to the third location; and
a collection part (430) configured to move the cassette separated from the second grip part at the second location to a fourth location and discharge the cassette to the outside (see fig 9a).
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.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Noh [KR 10-2010-0012281].
Regarding claim 6: Noh shows wherein the first transport module moves to the third location to grip the second cassette; Noh does not explicitly disclose that wherein the first transport module moves to the third location to grip the second cassette when 40 to 60% of the substrates remain inside the first cassette. However, a person with ordinary stills in the art can configure the cassette supply apparatus and set it up to 40 to 60 % or any suitable range as matter of design choice and design preference.
Claim 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Noh [KR 10-2010-0012281] in view of Maeda [JP 2021163920].
Regarding claim 8: Noh does not disclose wherein the frame module includes a sensor module configured to detect an extraction location of the substrate before the substrate is extracted by the separation module. However Maeda teaches wherein the frame module includes a sensor module configured to detect an extraction location of the substrate before the substrate is extracted by the separation module (see translation “…A pair of first sensors 122 are provided at the front end and the rear end of the frame 82. That is, the pair of first sensors 122 are provided at two positions separated from each other in the length direction (vehicle length direction) of the frame 82. Further, a pair of second sensors 124 are provided at both side ends of the frame 82. That is, the pair of second sensors 124 are arranged at two positions separated from each other in the width direction (vehicle width direction) of the frame 82…”)
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filling date to have provided the cassette supply apparatus with sensors to track the position and transportation of the cassette to be able to transfer other cassettes.
Regarding claim 9: Noh does not disclose wherein the sensor module includes:
a rotation part configured to provide rotation to prevent interference with the cassette while the cassette moves from the third location to the first location (see translation: “… sensor (push button type switch or the like) for detecting that the container 102 is arranged may be provided on the lower surface side of the frame 82 or the upper surface side of the mounting area A. In this case, when the container 102 is detected by the sensor, the control unit 130 stops the rotation of the motor. It should be noted that the detection by the sensor and the detection by the current value of the motor can be used together…”);
a mounting part provided to be rotatable from the rotation part and having a measurement part disposed at a tip thereof (see translation: “… sensor (push button type switch or the like) for detecting that the container 102 is arranged may be provided on the lower surface side of the frame 82 or the upper surface side of the mounting area A…”); and
a reciprocating transport part configured to linearly move the rotation part so that the measurement part enters and exits the second location (“…wo linear first marks 286a intersect at a predetermined portion of the traveling region 278. While traveling along one first mark 286a, the transport vehicle 10 detects the other first mark 286a that intersects the one first mark 286a with the second sensor 124. When the other first mark 286a is detected by the second sensor 124, the transport vehicle 10 turns as necessary…”).
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filling date to have provided the cassette supply apparatus with sensors to track the position and transportation of the cassette to be able to transfer other cassettes.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZAKARIA ELAHMADI whose telephone number is (571)270-5324. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 10-6 EST.
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/ZAKARIA ELAHMADI/
Examiner, Art Unit 3618
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