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 § 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1, 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Koyama et al (20150328668) in view of Shorr et al (20240384893), further in view of Sjoholm et al (CN 111380326 B).
Regarding claim(s) 1, Koyama discloses a processing liquid supply device that supplies a processing liquid to a substrate processing apparatus 21, comprising: a storage 11 that stores the processing liquid and has an outlet (at 12) through which the stored processing liquid is sent and an inlet (from 31,33) through which the processing is fed; a supply pipe 12-25 that connects the outlet of the storage to the substrate processing apparatus 21; a circulation pipe 28,30,31 that connects the substrate processing apparatus to the inlet of the storage; a pump 14 that sends out the processing liquid stored in the storage from the outlet to the supply pipe; a liquid drain 29 that is provided in the circulation pipe 28,29,31 (at 28) and configured to be capable of discharging the processing liquid flowing through the circulation pipe 28,30,31; a replenisher 40 configured to be capable of replenishing the storage 11 with the processing liquid; and a controller 100 that, in a case in which a temperature setting value is changed (Para 60,67), brings a temperature of the processing liquid close to a changed setting value.
Koyama discloses draining (by valve 29a) but fails to disclose temperature adjustment by means of draining and replenishing. Shorr (Para 63) teaches adjusting temperature of the processing liquid flowing by means of controlling the liquid drain 124 and the replenisher 12 based on a temperature of the processing liquid.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Koyama with adjusting temperature of the processing liquid flowing by means of controlling the liquid drain and the replenisher based on a temperature of the processing liquid as taught by Shorr in order to enable quick change of temperature.
Koyama as modified teaches temperature control by draining/replenishing based on processing liquid temperature but fails to disclose control based on temperature of the processing liquid in an entire circulation path. Sjoholm teaches monitoring temperature at each point in a fluid path loop 200 (translation page 2, Para 3).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Koyama as modified with monitoring temperature at each point in a fluid path as taught by Sjoholm in order to enhance system feedback/monitoring. With temperature sensor at each point, Koyama as modified would control the system parameters based on temperature along entire flow passages.
Regarding claim(s) 10, in making and/or using the device of Koyama, for supplying a processing liquid having a setting temperature (Para 60,67) to a substrate processing apparatus 21 using a processing liquid supply device, including, one would perform the steps of sending out the processing liquid stored in a storage using a pump 14 to a supply pipe 12-25 that connects an outlet of the storage 11 to the substrate processing apparatus 22; feeding the processing liquid into the storage 11 using a circulation pipe 28-31 that connects the substrate processing apparatus to an inlet of the storage 11; and in a case in which a temperature setting value is changed, bringing the temperature of the processing liquid close to a changed setting (Para 60,67).
Koyama discloses draining (by valve 29a) but fails to disclose temperature adjustment by means of draining and replenishing. Shorr (Para 63) teaches adjusting temperature of the processing liquid flowing by means of controlling the liquid drain 124 and the replenisher 12 based on a temperature of the processing liquid.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Koyama with adjusting temperature of the processing liquid flowing by means of controlling the liquid drain and the replenisher based on a temperature of the processing liquid as taught by Shorr in order to enable quick change of temperature.
Koyama as modified teaches temperature control by draining/replenishing based on processing liquid temperature but fails to disclose control based on temperature of the processing liquid in an entire circulation path. Sjoholm teaches monitoring temperature at each point in a fluid path loop 200 (translation page 2, Para 3).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Koyama as modified with monitoring temperature at each point in a fluid path as taught by Sjoholm in order to enhance system feedback/monitoring. With temperature sensor at each point, Koyama as modified would control the system parameters based on temperature along entire flow passages.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 2-9 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 Atif Chaudry at phone number 571-270-3768. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (9:30AM-6:00PM EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisors can be reached by phone. Kenneth Rinehart can be reached at 571-272-4881, or Craig Schneider can be reached at 571-272-3607. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ATIF H CHAUDRY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
