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`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
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`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMIVHSSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria1 Virginia 22313-1450
`www.uspto.gov
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`
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`14/ 1 19,704
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`11/22/2013
`
`Michinori Tomomatsu
`
`51848
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`6798
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`04’19’2016 —PEARNE&GORDON LLP m
`7590
`52054
`1801 EAST 9TH STREET
`EVANISKO’ LESLIE J
`S UITE 1 200
`CLEVELAND, OH 441 14-3 108
`
`PAPER NUMBER
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`ART UNIT
`2854
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`NOTIFICATION DATE
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`DELIVERY MODE
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`04/19/2016
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`ELECTRONIC
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`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
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`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
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`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e—mail address(es):
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`patdocket @ pearne.c0m
`jcholley @pearne.c0m
`
`PTOL—90A (Rev. 04/07)
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`

`

`
`
`Applicant(s)
`Application No.
` 14/119,704 TOMOMATSU ET AL.
`
`
`AIA (First Inventor to File)
`Art Unit
`Examiner
`Office Action Summary
`
`
`LESLIE J. EVANISKO [SENS 2854
`-- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE g MONTHS FROM THE MAILING DATE OF
`THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR1. 136( a).
`after SIX () MONTHS from 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) MONTHS from 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, even if timely filed, may reduce any
`earned patent term adjustment. See 37 CFR 1 .704(b).
`
`In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed
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`Status
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`1)IZI Responsive to communication(s) filed on 12/22/2015.
`El A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2b)|:l This action is non-final.
`2a)|Z| This action is FINAL.
`3)I:I An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
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`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
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`4)|:| Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
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`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
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`Disposition of Claims*
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`5)IZI Claim(s) 4,5,7and8 is/are pending in the application.
`5a) Of the above claim(s)
`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
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`is/are allowed.
`6)I:I Claim(s)
`7)|Z| Claim(s) 4,5,7and 8 is/are rejected.
`8)|:I Claim(s)_ is/are objected to.
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`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement.
`9)I:I Claim((s)
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
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`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`hit
`:/'I’\WIIW.usnto. ovI’ atentS/init events/
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`
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`h/index.‘s or send an inquiry to PPI-iieedback{®usgtc.00v.
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`Application Papers
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`10)I:l The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)|Xl The drawing(s) filed on 02/11/2015is/are: a)IXI accepted or b)|:l 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).
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`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
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`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
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`12)IXI Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
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`a)IZl All
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`b)|:l Some” c)I:l None of the:
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`1.I:I Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.|:l Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`SIXI Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
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`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.
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`Attachment(s)
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`
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`3) D Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`1) D Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date.
`.
`.
`4) I:I Other'
`2) I] InformatIon DIsclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date
`US. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL—326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
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`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20160414
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 14/119,704
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`Page 2
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`Art Unit: 2854
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`1.
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`The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
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`Claim Objections
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`2.
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`Claims 4-5 and 7-8 are objected to because of the following informalities:
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`With respect to claim 4, the language ”for a snap off every after one set of the first and second
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`squeegeeing operations and after” (emphasis added) is confusing and awkward, particularly
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`with respect to the phrase ”every after”. To correct this issue, it is suggested that the language
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`be amended to recite --for a snap off after every one set of the first and second squeegeeing
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`operations and after-- (emphasis added). Note that a similar problem occurs with the same
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`language in claim 5 that also needs correction.
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`In an effort to advance prosecution of the application, the Examiner has assumed that
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`the claim is intended to be interpreted as having a meaning corresponding to the language
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`suggested by the Examiner. However, appropriate correction and/or clarification is required.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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`3.
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`In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35
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`U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction
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`of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection ifthe
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 14/119,704
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`Page 3
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`Art Unit: 2854
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`prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under
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`either status.
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`(b) the invention was patented or described in a printed publication in this or a foreign country or in
`public use or on sale in this country, more than one year prior to the date of application for patent in
`the United States.
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`7.
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`Claims 4-5 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b) as being anticipated by Sumioka
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`(JP 2006-289784 A).
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`With respect to claim 4, Sumioka teaches a screen printing machine (Fig. 1-2, 4-5)
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`comprising:
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`a mask 5, 51 to contact with an upper surface of a substrate W, W','
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`a squeegee head 6 arranged to perform one time a first squeegeeing operation to slide
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`one of two squeegees 61, 61 in one direction on the mask 5, 51 in contact with the upper
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`surface of the substrate W, W’ and perform one time a second squeegeeing operation to slide
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`the other one of the two squeegees 61, 61 in a direction opposite to the direction in the first
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`squeegeeing operation, the first squeegeeing operation and the second squeegeeing operation
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`being performed in succession so as to transfer a paste S on the mask 5, 51 to the substrate
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`(see paragraph [0079] of the partial English translation);
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`a snap-off mechanism 21, 22, 23, 24 arranged to separate the substrate W, W' from the
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`mask 5, 51 for a snap off after every one set of the first and second squeegeeing operations and
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`after the paste S is transferred to the substrate W, W' by the squeegee head 6 (see paragraphs
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`[0061] and [0079]);
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`Application/Control Number: 14/119,704
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`Page 4
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`Art Unit: 2854
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`a conveyor 20 being arranged to unload the substrate on which the paste S is
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`transferred and including a pair of belt conveyors (see Fig. 4);
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`a cleaning device 8 arranged to perform mask cleaning to remove the paste that is
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`adhered to a lower surface of the mask every time the snap off by the snap-off mechanism is
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`performed; and
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`a control device (Fig. 10) arranged to control operations of the mask, the squeegee
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`head, the snap-off mechanism, the conveyor, and the cleaning device, (see paragraphs [0057]-
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`[0058] of the English language translation) wherein
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`the control device controls the cleaning device and the conveyor to perform the mask
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`cleaning in parallel with the unloading of the substrate by the conveyor, and
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`the control device controls the cleaning device to finish the mask cleaning during
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`implementation ofthe unloading of the substrate. See, in particular, paragraphs [0066].
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`Particular attention is invited to Figures 1-14 and the partial English language translation of
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`Sumioka attached to this Office Action.
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`With respect to claim 5, Sumioka teaches a screen printing method for repeatedly
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`performing a printing operation using the screen printing machine as recited in claim 4, the
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`printing operation comprising:
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`loading the substrate W, W’,'
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`contacting an upper surface of the substrate W, W’ that was loaded into contact with a
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`mask 5, 51;
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`Application/Control Number: 14/119,704
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`Page 5
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`Art Unit: 2854
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`performing one time a first squeegeeing operation to slide one of two squeegees 61, 61
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`in one direction on the mask in contact with the substrate W, W’ and performing one time a
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`second squeegeeing operation to slide the other one ofthe two squeegees 61, 61 in a direction
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`opposite to the direction in the first squeegeeing operation, the first squeegeeing operation
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`and the second squeegeeing operation being performed in succession so as to transfer a paste
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`S on the mask 5, 51 to the substrate W, W' (see paragraph [0079] ofthe partial English
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`translation);
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`separating the substrate W, W' from the mask 5, 51 to perform a snap off after every
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`one set of the first and second squeegeeing operations and after transferring the paste to the
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`substrate (see paragraphs [0061] and [0079]);
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`unloading the substrate W, W’ after performing the snap off of the substrate; and
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`performing mask cleaning to remove the paste S that is adhered to a lower surface of
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`the mask 5, 51 from which the substrate W, W’ is snapped off, wherein
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`the mask cleaning is performed in parallel with the unloading of the substrate, and
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`the mask cleaning is finished during implementation ofthe unloading ofthe substrate. See, in
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`particular, the method of Figures 11-14 and the description in paragraphs [0015] and [0060]-
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`[0066].
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`With respect to claims 7-8, note Sumioka teaches a pair of clamp members 3, 31a, 31b
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`each provided along the conveyor belts 20, wherein the clamp members are openable and
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`closable in a direction within a horizontal plane perpendicular to a conveying direction ofthe
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`substrate. Particular attention is invited to Figures 3-4 and paragraph [0032] of Sumioka.
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`Application/Control Number: 14/119,704
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`Page 6
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`Art Unit: 2854
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`Response to Arguments
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`4.
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`Applicant's arguments filed December 22, 2015 have been fully considered but they are
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`not persuasive of any error in the above rejections.
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`With respect to claims 4 and 5, applicant argues that Sumioka does not disclose a snap-
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`off mechanism arranged to separate the substrate from the mask for a snap off after one set of
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`the first and second squeegeeing operations and after the paste is transferred to the substrate
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`by the squeegee head. The Examiner disagrees with this argument.
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`In particular, note that
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`Sumioka teaches the snap off occurs after the printing action is completed (see paragraphs
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`[0060—[0061] and Figures 12(a)—12(d)) and that the printing action includes first and second
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`squeegeeing actions (via squeegees 61) for each substrate W in paragraph [0079].
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`Additionally, with respect to claims 7-8, applicant argues that Sumioka does not disclose
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`a pair of clamps provided along the conveyor belts and openable and closable in a direction
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`within a horizontal plane perpendicular to a conveying direction ofthe substrate. The Examiner
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`again disagrees with this argument.
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`In particular, the Examiner points out that Sumioka
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`teaches a pair of clamp members 3, 31a, 31b each provided along the conveyor belts 20,
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`wherein the clamp members are openable and closable in a direction within a horizontal plane
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`perpendicular to a conveying direction ofthe substrate. Particular attention is invited to
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`Figures 3-4 and paragraph [0032] of Sumioka.
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`In view of the above reasoning, the Examiner is not persuaded of any error in the above
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`rejections.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 14/119,704
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`Page 7
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`AnlJnH:2854
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`Conclusion
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`5.
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`Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this
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`Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is
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`reminded ofthe extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
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`A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS
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`from the mailing date of this action.
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`In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of
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`the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of
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`the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire
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`on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a)
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`will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action.
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`In no event, however, will the
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`statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date ofthis final action.
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`6.
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
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`examiner should be directed to LESLIE J. EVANISKO whose telephone number is (571) 272-
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`2161. The examiner can normally be reached on T-F 9:00 am-7:30 pm.
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
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`supervisor, Judy Nguyen can be reached on (571) 272-2258. The fax phone number for the
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`organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent
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`Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 14/119,704
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`Page 8
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`Art Unit: 2854
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`may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished
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`applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR
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`system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private
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`PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you
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`would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the
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`automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
`
`/ LESLIE J EVANISKO/
`
`Primary Examiner
`Art Unit 2854
`
`lje
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`April 14, 2016
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`