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 .
Status of the Claims
Claim 3, 5 – 7, and 9 – 15 have been amended prior to examination.
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(s) 1 – 3, 5, 6, 10, 14, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2023/0264235, “Kabasawa.”
Regarding Claim 1: Kabasawa discloses a vacuum pump (100) (Figures 1 – 12) comprising: a stator (127, 131, 123), the stator comprising one or more stator walls defining a pumping chamber (The chamber is interpreted as the volume of space within the stator in which the rotor 103 is shown arranged in at least Figure 2); and a heat transfer device (129) coupled to the one or more stator walls (As shown in at least Figure 2), the heat transfer device comprising: a thermally conductive body ([0067], “base portion 129 is preferably made of rigid metal with high thermal conductivity, such as iron, aluminum, or copper”); and a conduit through the thermally conductive body and through which, in use, a purge gas is passed whereby to heat the purge gas ([0072], “base portion 129 has a pipe (not shown) through which the purge gas is introduced;” [0076], “maintain the temperature of the base portion 129 at a constant high temperature (preset temperature) by heating with the heater”).
Regarding Claim 2: Kabasawa discloses the vacuum pump of claim 1, Kabasawa further discloses wherein the heat transfer device is attached to an external surface of the one or more stator walls (As shown in at least Figure 2; The heat transfer device 129 is shown attached to a radially external surface of at least stator element 131 such that it is broadly interpreted as being attached to an external surface of the one or more stator walls).
Regarding Claim 3: Kabasawa discloses the vacuum pump of claim 1, Kabasawa further discloses wherein the conduit comprises a pipe (149) that is embedded within the thermally conductive body ([0076], “annular water-cooled tube 149 (not shown) is wound around the outer circumference of the base portion 129”).
Regarding Claim 5: Kabasawa discloses the vacuum pump of claim 1, Kabasawa further discloses wherein the thermally conductive body is a plate of a thermally conductive material (As shown in at least Figure 2; The bottom or lower portion of the thermally conductive body is shown comprising a flat surface in the radial direction such that it is broadly interpreted as forming the surface of a plate).
Regarding Claim 6: Kabasawa discloses the vacuum pump of claim 1, Kabasawa further discloses wherein the thermally conductive body comprises aluminium ([0067], “base portion 129 is preferably made of rigid metal with high thermal conductivity, such as iron, aluminum, or copper”).
Regarding Claim 10: Kabasawa discloses the vacuum pump of claim 1, Kabasawa further discloses wherein the heat transfer device further comprises: a further conduit (149) through the thermally conductive body and through which, in use, a cooling fluid is passed whereby to cool the thermally conductive body ([0076], “annular water-cooled tube 149 (not shown) is wound around the outer circumference of the base portion 129 […] used to perform control to maintain the temperature of the base portion 129 at a constant high temperature (preset temperature) by heating with the heater or cooling with the water-cooled tube 149).
Regarding Claim 14: Kabasawa discloses the vacuum pump of claim 1, Kabasawa further discloses a system comprising: the vacuum pump of claim 1 (As shown in at least Figures 1 – 12); and a purge gas source configured to supply the purge gas into the conduit ([0094], “The purge gas may be supplied to the purge gas flow passage (specifically, a purge port serving as a gas inlet) from the outside of the base portion 129 via a purge gas cylinder (e.g., N2 gas cylinder), a flow rate regulator (valve device), or the like.”).
Regarding Claim 15: Kabasawa discloses the vacuum pump of claim 1, claim 15 is directed towards the method of operating the apparatus as recited by claim 1. Under the principles of inherency, if a prior art device, in its normal and usual operation, would necessarily perform the method claimed, then the method claimed will be considered to be anticipated by the prior art device. When the prior art device is the same as a device described in the specification for carrying out the claimed method, it can be assumed the device will inherently perform the claimed process. (MPEP 2112.02) Kabasawa discloses pumping, using the vacuum pump, a fluid, the fluid being pumped through the pumping chamber of the vacuum pump (At least Figure 1 and [0053], “turbomolecular pump 100 is to be connected via the fourth piping 25 shown in FIG. 1 to a vacuum chamber (not shown) of an exhaust target apparatus such as a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus”); and causing a purge gas to flow through the conduit of the heat transfer device; wherein as the purge gas flows through the conduit, heat is transferred to the purge gas from the stator via the thermally conductive body, thereby to heat the purge gas ([0072], “base portion 129 has a pipe (not shown) through which the purge gas is introduced;” [0076], “maintain the temperature of the base portion 129 at a constant high temperature (preset temperature) by heating with the heater”).
Claim(s) 1, 9, and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2023/0264235, “Kabasawa.”
Regarding Claim 1: Kailasam discloses a vacuum pump (Figures 1 – 5) comprising: a stator ([0049], “vacuum pump 3 comprises a pump housing 5 which supports a rotor shaft (not shown)”), the stator comprising one or more stator walls defining a pumping chamber (The internal volume of the pumping chamber is formed by, and within, the housing 5 as shown in at least Figure 1); and a heat transfer device (7, 15) coupled to the one or more stator walls (As shown in at least Figures 1 and 4), the heat transfer device comprising: a thermally conductive body ([0052], “heat exchanger 7 is composed of a thermally conductive material such as aluminium or a metal alloy”); and a conduit (23) (The conduit within the heat transfer device is indicated as element 23 in at least Figure 2 and as described in at least [0055], “heat transfer fluid passes through the at last one internal conduit 23 (shown schematically in FIG. 2) formed in the heat exchanger 7;” It is noted the specification indicates other elements as 23 which are not those referred to herein) through the thermally conductive body and through which, in use, a purge gas is passed whereby to heat the purge gas (As shown in at least Figures 1, 2, and 4; [0050], “heat transfer fluid is a purge gas suitable for introduction into the vacuum pump 3;” [0051], “heat exchanger 7 comprises a body portion 15, a first inlet 17 for introduction of the heat transfer fluid; and a first outlet 19 for discharging the heat transfer fluid”).
Regarding Claim 9: Kailasam discloses the vacuum pump of claim 1, Kailasam further discloses wherein the conduit is a convoluted conduit (As shown in at least Figure 2; The conduit 23 is shown with a serpentine flow path such that it is broadly interpreted as forming a convoluted conduit).
Regarding Claim 12: Kailasam discloses the vacuum pump of claim 1, Kailasam further discloses wherein the conduit comprises: an inlet (17) at or proximate to a first side of the heat transfer device (As shown in at least Figures 1, 2, and 4); and an outlet (19) at or proximate to a second side of the heat transfer device (As shown in at least Figures 1, 2, and 4), the second side being opposite to the first side (As shown in at least Figures 1, 2, and 4).
Claim(s) 1, and 13, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP2007262907, “Fujii.”
Regarding Claim 1: Fujji discloses a vacuum pump (1) (Figures 1 – 7) comprising: a stator (4, 6, 7), the stator comprising one or more stator walls defining a pumping chamber (The pumping chamber interpreted as the interior volume formed by the stator in which the screw rotor 5 is arranged); and a heat transfer device (20) coupled to the one or more stator walls (As shown in at least Figures 1 and 2), the heat transfer device comprising: a thermally conductive body ([0022], “preheating plate 20 is composed of a base 21 made of a material with higher thermal conductivity than the casing, such as a copper plate”); and a conduit (21b) through the thermally conductive body and through which, in use, a purge gas is passed whereby to heat the purge gas ([0022], “a meandering channel 21b having multiple folds, an inlet 21a for introducing purge gas into the channel 21b, and an outlet 21c for passing the gas through the channel 21b and leading it out to the outside”).
Regarding Claim 13: Fujji discloses the vacuum pump of claim 1, Fujji further discloses wherein: the stator comprises a high-vacuum end and a low vacuum end (The high and low vacuum ends are broadly interpreted as corresponding to the portions of the vacuum pump which are proximate the inlet and outlet, respectively, as these locations will experience relatively higher and lower, respectively, levels of vacuum during operation in a manner well known in the art. It is noted the claim is not directed towards a rotary vane pump or other configuration which recites additional structure relative to the recited ends); the conduit comprises: an inlet (43) at or proximate to one of the high-vacuum end or the low vacuum end (As shown in at least Figure 1; The inlet 43 is located proximate to the high vacuum end); and an outlet (41b) at or proximate to the other one of the high-vacuum end or the low vacuum end (As shown in at least Figure 1; The outlet 41b is shown located proximate to the low vacuum end).
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(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2023/0264235, “Kabasawa.”
Regarding Claim 4: Kabasawa discloses the vacuum pump of claim 1, however, Kabasawa is silent as to the material properties of the pip such that Kabasawa fails to explicitly disclose wherein the pipe is a stainless-steel pipe; however, it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. (MPEP 2144.07) As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have utilized stainless steel in the construction of the pipe. Please note that in the instant application, page 4, applicant has not disclosed any criticality for the claimed limitations.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 8, and 11, 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.
Claim 7 recites the limitation “wherein the heat transfer device further comprises one or more heaters embedded therein,” and claim 11 recites the limitation “wherein the heat transfer device comprises: a further conduit through the thermally conductive body arranged to receive a cooling fluid whereby to cool the thermally conductive body, wherein the further conduit is arranged in the thermally conductive body as a first layer; and a plurality of heaters arranged in the thermally conductive body as a second layer; wherein the conduit is arranged in the thermally conductive body as a third layer; and the third layer is disposed between the first layer and the second layer.” Although at least Kailasam discloses the use of heater in conjunction with the heat transfer device, Kailasam discloses the heater located separately, or remotely, from the heat transfer device and therefore does not explicitly disclose, teach, or suggest the heater embedded within the heat transfer device.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 2022/0120279 – Vacuum pump apparatus with purge gas
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/BENJAMIN DOYLE/Examiner, Art Unit 3746 2026.08.18
/MARK A LAURENZI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3746 8/26/2026
