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`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 2231371450
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`15/610,660
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`06/01/2017
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`HIROKI KOBAYASHI
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`PIPMM-57627
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`9203
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`759°
`52°“
`PEARNE & GORDON LLP
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`09’1””
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`1801 EAST 9TH STREET
`SUITE 1200
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`CLEVELAND, OH 44114-3108
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`PARVEZ AZM A
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`3729
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`PAPER NUMBER
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`NOTIFICATION DATE
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`DELIVERY MODE
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`09/ 1 1/2019
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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
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`following e—mail address(es):
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`patdoeket@pearne.eom
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`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
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`

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`0/7709 A0170” Summary
`
`Application No.
`15/610,660
`Examiner
`AZM PARVEZ
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`Applicant(s)
`KOBAYASHI etal.
`Art Unit
`AIA (FITF) Status
`3729
`Yes
`
`- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet wit/7 the correspondence address -
`Period for Reply
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`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 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed after SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing
`date of this communication.
`|f 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).
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`Status
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`1). Responsive to communication(s) filed on 3/11/2019.
`[:1 A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2a)D This action is FINAL.
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`2b)
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`This action is non-final.
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`3)[:] An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
`; 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
`closed in accordance with the practice under Expat/7e Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
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`Disposition of Claims*
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`5)
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`Claim(s) fl is/are pending in the application.
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`5a) Of the above claim(s)
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`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
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`E] Claim(s)
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`is/are allowed.
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`Claim(s) 1—4 and 6—7 is/are rejected.
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`Claim(s) 5 is/are objected to.
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`) ) ) )
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`6 7
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`8
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`
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`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`[:1 Claim(s)
`9
`* 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
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`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init events/pph/index.'sp or send an inquiry to PPeredback@uspto.gov.
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`Application Papers
`10):] The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
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`11):] The drawing(s) filed on
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`is/are: a)C] accepted or b)Ej objected to by the Examiner.
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`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).
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`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:
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`a). All
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`b)C] Some**
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`c)C] None of the:
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`1.. Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
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`2C] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
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`3.[:] 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)).
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`** 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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`1)
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`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
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`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`Paper No(s)/Mail DateW.
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
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`3) C] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`4) CI Other-
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`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
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`Office Action Summary
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`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20190901
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/610,660
`Art Unit: 3729
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`Page 2
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
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`1.
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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined
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`under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 1 12
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`2.
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`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
`(b) CONCLUSION—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly
`pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor
`regards as the invention.
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`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph:
`The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly
`claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
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`3.
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`Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second
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`paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the
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`subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards
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`as the invention.
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`4.
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`Claim 6 recites the limitation "the feeder base" in line 1. There is insufficient
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`antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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`5.
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`The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that
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`form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
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`A person shall be entitled to a patent unless —
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`(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use,
`on sale or othenNise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed
`invention.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/610,660
`Art Unit: 3729
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`Page 3
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`6.
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`Claims 1, 2, 4, 6 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being
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`anticipated by Nagao, US 2012/0305585.
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`7.
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`Regarding claims 1 and 7, Nagao discloses; a component placement machine
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`which picks up a component supplied by a tape feeder and installs the component on a
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`board, comprising:
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`a block part (Fig. 8; 24) that includes a fitting hole (Fig. 8, 16; hole made by 24
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`for 31d) to which a protrusion (Fig. 8; 31d) extending to a rear side from the tape feeder
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`(Fig. 2; 5) is fitted; and
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`a connection member (Fig. 8, 16; 24a) that is provided in the block part, and
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`connects (Fig. 8, 16; 24a connects 31d by elastically with 24c at the side of 31d) the
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`protrusion to the block part by elastically pressing a side surface of the protrusion fitted
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`to the fitting hole.
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`8.
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`Regarding claim 2, Nagao discloses; the connection member presses (Fig. 8, 16;
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`24a presses 31d at the side of 31d) the protrusion to an inner wall surface of the fitting
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`hole.
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`9.
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`Regarding claim 4, Nagao discloses; the block part (Fig. 8; 24) includes an
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`accommodating space (Fig. 8; 24b) which communicates with the fitting hole through a
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`passage (Fig. 8; passage of 24c), and
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`wherein the connection member (Fig. 8, 16; 24a) is disposed in the
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`accommodating space, and a pressing part (Fig. 8, 16; part of 24a presses 31d) which
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`is a part pressing the protrusion (Fig. 8; 31d) is exposed inside the fitting hole from the
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`passage.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/610,660
`Art Unit: 3729
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`Page 4
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`10.
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`Regarding claim 6, Nagao discloses; the block part (Fig. 8; 24) is provided with
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`the feeder base (Fig. 8; 5a) or an attachment which is detachably installed on the feeder
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`base.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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`11.
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`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all
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`obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
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`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.
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`12.
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`Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagao, US
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`2012/0305585 as applied to claims 1, 2, 4, 6 and 7 above, and further in view of Saito,
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`US 5636725.
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`13.
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`Regarding claim 3, Nagao substantially discloses the invention with spring but is
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`silent about the connection member is configured with a plate spring. However Saito
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`shows that projection engaging with a plate spring (Fig. 23; 127) being attached to the
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`front end of the chip part guide.
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`It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the
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`effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Nagao by providing the
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`connection member is configured with a plate spring, as taught by Saito, for free
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`engagement and disengagement and said stopper holder and said stopper coming to
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`the horizontal position when said projection is in engagement with said plate spring
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`(Col.16; Ln. 39-43).
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/610,660
`Art Unit: 3729
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`Page 5
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`Allowable Subject Matter
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`14.
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`Claim 5 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would
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`be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base
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`claim and any intervening claims.
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`Conclusion
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`15.
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
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`examiner should be directed to AZM PARVEZ whose telephone number is (571 )270-
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`1391. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 9-6 EST.
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`Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video
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`conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an
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`interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request
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`(AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
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`supervisor, Peter Vo can be reached on 571-272—4690. 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
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`Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for
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`published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR.
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`Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only.
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`For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should
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`you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic
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`Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/610,660
`Art Unit: 3729
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`Page 6
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`USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information
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`system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571 -272-1 000.
`
`/AZM A PARVEZ/
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`Examiner, Art Unit 3729
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`/A. DEXTER TUGBANG/
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`Primary Examiner
`Art Unit 3729
`
`