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`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and TrademarkOffice
`Address; COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`17/050,479
`
`10/26/2020
`
`YoshinoriSOBATA
`
`PIPMM-63474
`
`2810
`
`“mons
`
`aR
`PEA
`PEARNE & GORDON LLP
`1801 EAST OTH STREET
`SUITE 1200
`CLEVELAND,OH 44114-3108
`
`FERGUSON SAMRETH, MARISSA LIANA
`
`2853
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`07/08/2021
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above-indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e-mail address(es):
`
`patdocket@ pearne.com
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`Office Action Summary
`
`Application No.
`17/050,479
`Examiner
`MARISSA L FERGUSON
`SAMRETH
`
`Applicant(s)
`ISOBATAetal.
`Art Unit
`AIA (FITF) Status
`2853
`Yes
`
`-- The MAILING DATEofthis communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLYIS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available underthe provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply betimely filed after SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing
`date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133}.
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, evenif timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`
`
`1) Responsive to communication(s) filed on 10/26/2020.
`CL} A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
`
`2a)L) This action is FINAL. 2b)lv)This action is non-final.
`3)( An election was madeby the applicant in responseto a restriction requirement set forth during the interview
`on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`4\Q) Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quayle, 1935 C.D. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`1-6 is/are pending in the application.
`)
`Claim(s)
`5a) Of the above claim(s)
`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`1) Claim(s) _is/are allowed.
`Claim(s) 1-3 and 5-6 is/are rejected.
`S)
`Claim(s) 4 is/are objected to.
`C) Claim(s
`are subjectto restriction and/or election requirement
`S)
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you maybeeligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPHfeedback@uspto.gov.
`
`Application Papers
`10)C) The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)f¥) The drawing(s) filed on 10/26/2020 is/are: a)[¥) accepted or b)() objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12) Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d)or (f).
`Certified copies:
`—_c)L) None ofthe:
`b)L)] Some**
`a)) All
`1.4) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.1.) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.2. Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`* See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`1)
`
`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date 12/7/2020.
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3) [9 Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`(7) Other:
`
`4)
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20210630
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/050,479
`Art Unit: 2853
`
`Page 2
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Notice of Pre-AlA or AIA Status
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`1.
`
`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined
`
`under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
`
`Claim Objections
`
`2.
`
`Claim 4 is objected to because of the following informalities:
`
`With respect to claim 4, the term “join” should be- - joint- -.
`
`Appropriate correction/clarification is required.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`3.
`
`In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35
`
`U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103)is incorrect, any
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`correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of
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`rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be
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`the same under either status.
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all
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`obviousnessrejections setforth 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.
`
`Claims 1, 2, 5 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable
`
`over Hata et al. (JP 11-198348) in view of Kawai et al. (US Publication 2013/0145941).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/050,479
`Art Unit: 2853
`
`Page 3
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`With respect to claim 1, Hata et al. teaches a screen printing apparatus (1) for
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`transferring a paste (5) supplied to an upper surface of a mask (4) having a plurality of
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`pattern holes (7) onto a print target (3) disposed under the mask through the plurality of
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`pattern holes (7) while moving the paste (5) with a squeegee unit (6), the screen printing
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`apparatus comprising:
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`a squeegee driver (13A, 13B) configured to vertically moveafirst shaft and a
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`second shaft;
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`a link mechanism (8) including a swinging member (8A, 8B) configured to pivot
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`about a horizontal axis by vertical movementofthe first shaft and the second shaft
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`(Figure 1);
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`the squeegee unit (6) installed to the swinging member (8A, 8B).
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`However, Hata et al. does not explicitly disclose a controller configured to control
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`at least an orientation and a height of the squeegee unit in a rotating direction of the
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`squeegee unit by controlling the squeegeedriver.
`
`Kawaiet al. teaches a squeegee apparatus with a control unit (40, 45) configured
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`to control at least an orientation and a height of the squeegee unit in a rotating direction
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`of the squeegee unit by controlling the squeegee driver (Paragraphs 0035, 0037, 0046,
`
`0049, 0050, 0051).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the present
`
`invention to modify the screen printing apparatus as taught by Hata et al. to provide a
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`control unit as taught by Kawaiet al. for the purposeof effectively controlling the
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`apparatus and ensuring the squeegee provides effective printing pressure.
`
`With respectto claim 2, Hata et al. teaches the squeegee unit (6) includes:
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/050,479
`Art Unit: 2853
`
`Page 4
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`a first blade (6A) configured to move the paste (5) on the upper surface of the
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`mask (4) in one direction while allowing a linear edge of the first blade to abut against
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`the upper surface of the mask (4, Figure 1);
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`a second blade (6B) configured to movethe paste on the upper surface of the
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`mask in a direction opposite to the one direction while allowing a linear edge of the
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`second blade to abut against the upper surface of the mask (4, Figure 1); and
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`a blade holder (8) configured to hold the first blade (6A) and the second blade
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`(6B) in a state where the linear edge ofthe first blade and the linear edge of the second
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`blade face downward and a tilt angle of the first blade with respect to the mask (4)is
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`different fromatilt angle of the second blade respect to the mask (4).
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`With respect to claim 5, Hata et al. teaches wherein the squeegee unit is
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`attachable to and detachable from the swinging member (note: any element can be
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`considered to be attachable/detachable. Also, it has been held that if it were considered
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`desirable for any reason to obtain access to the squeegee unit, it would have been
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`obvious to make the squeegee unit attachable/detachable for the purpose of performing
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`maintenance or replacement. Refer to MPEP 2144.04(V)(C)).
`
`With respectto claim 6, Hata et al. teaches the link mechanism (8A, 8B)is
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`attachable to and detachable from the first shaft and the second shaft (note: any
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`element can be considered to be attachable/detachable. Also, it has been held thatif it
`
`were considered desirable for any reason to obtain accessto the link mechanisn,, it
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`would have been obvious to make the link mechanism attachable/detachable for the
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`purpose of performing maintenance or replacement. Refer to MPEP 2144.04(V)(C)).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/050,479
`Art Unit: 2853
`
`Page 5
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`4.
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`Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hata etal.
`
`(JP 11-198348) in view of Kawai et al. (US Publication 2013/0145941) as applied to the
`
`claims above, and further in view of Maeda et al. (JP2013-43362).
`
`With respect to claim 3, Hata et al., as modified, teaches the claimed invention
`
`with the exception of a pair offirst leakage prevention members configured to prevent
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`the paste from leaking from both ends ofthe first blade due to the movement ofthe first
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`blade; and a pair of second leakage prevention members configured to prevent the
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`paste from leaking from both ends of the second blade due to the movement of the
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`second blade.
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`Maeda et al. teaches a pair of first leakage prevention members (18) configured
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`to prevent the paste from leaking from both ends ofthe first blade due to the movement
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`of the first blade (Paragraphs 0018, 0029, 0030 and Figures 4 and 8-10); and a pair of
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`second leakage prevention members (18) configured to prevent the paste from leaking
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`from both ends of the second blade due to the movement of the second blade
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`(Paragraphs 0018, 0029, 0030 and Figures 4 and 8-10).
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`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the present
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`invention to further modify the squeegee blades taught by Hata et al., as modified, to
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`provide leakage prevention members to the blades as taught by Maeda etal. for the
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`purpose of preventing leakage of paste.
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`Allowable Subject Matter
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`5.
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`The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject
`
`matter:
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/050,479
`Art Unit: 2853
`
`Page 6
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`With respectto claim 4, the prior art does not teach or render obvious a screen
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`printing apparatus in combination with all the structure as recited and in particularly the
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`link mechanism further includesafirst joint connecting the first shaft to the swinging
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`member; an intermediate link having one end portion and an other end, a secondjoint
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`connecting the one end portion of the intermediate link to the second shaft; and a third
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`joint connecting the other end of the intermediate link to the swinging member.
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`Conclusion
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`6.
`
`The prior art made of record and notrelied upon is considered pertinent to
`
`applicant's disclosure.
`
`a.
`
`Kuroda et al. (US Publication 2015/0129640), Abe (US Publication
`
`2013/0291742), Kuroda et al. (US Patent 9,352,409) and Shimizu et al. (US Patent
`
`6,612,213) teach leakage prevention members.
`
`b.
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`Aiba et al. (JP 2006-321150), Maedaet al. (JP 2013-18123) and
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`Chikahisa et al. (US Patent 5,479,854) teach squeegees with pressure adjusting
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`means.
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to MARISSA LIANA FERGUSON SAMRETH whose
`
`telephone number is (571)272-2163. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8
`
`a.m.-5 p.m.
`
`Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video
`
`conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-basedcollaboration tool. To schedule an
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/050,479
`Art Unit: 2853
`
`Page 7
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`interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO AutomatedInterview Request
`
`(AIR) at http:/Awww.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
`
`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's
`
`supervisor, David Gray can be reached on 571-272-2119. The fax phone number for
`
`the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
`
`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the
`
`Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for
`
`published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR.
`
`Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only.
`
`For more information about the PAIR system, see https://ppair-
`
`my.uspto.gov/pair/PrivatePair. Should you have questions on accessto the Private
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`
`If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access
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`
`272-1000.
`
`/Marissa Ferguson-Samreth/
`Examiner, Art Unit 2853
`
`/MATTHEW G MARINI/
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
`
`