www.uspto.gov
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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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`15/691,825
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`08/31/2017
`
`SATOSHI ADACHI
`
`PIPMM-57947
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`2135
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`759°
`52°“
`PEARNE & GORDON LLP
`
`06’26’2020
`
`1801 EAST 9TH STREET
`SUITE 1200
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`CLEVELAND, OH 44114-3108
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`CARLEY~ JEFFREY T-
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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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`06/26/2020
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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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`

`

`017/09 A0170” Summary
`
`Application No.
`15/691,825
`Examiner
`Jeffrey Carley
`
`Applicant(s)
`ADACHI et al.
`Art Unit
`3729
`
`AIA (FITF) Status
`Yes
`
`- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet wit/7 the correspondence address -
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE 3 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 23 March 2020 and 28 April 2020.
`El A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2a). This action is FINAL.
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`2b) D 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 Expade 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) Bis/are pending in the application.
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`5a) Of the above Claim(s) fl is/are withdrawn from consideration.
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`
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`E] Claim(ss)
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`is/are allowed.
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`Claim(ss) 1_—7 is/are rejected.
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`[:1 Claim(ss_) is/are objected to.
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`) ) ) )
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`S)
`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`C] 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
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`httpfiwww.”smogovmatentszinit_events[pph[index.'sp or send an inquiry to PPeredhack@g§ptg.ggv.
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`Application Papers
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`10):] The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
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`is/are: a)[:| accepted or b)D objected to by the Examiner.
`11):] The drawing(s) filed on
`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
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`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)i:i All
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`b)C] Some**
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`c)C] None of the:
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`1.l:l Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
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`2.[:] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
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`SD 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 Date 04/28/2020.
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3) E] 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 20200619
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/691,825
`Art Unit: 3729
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`Page 2
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Notice of Pre-AIA 0r AIA Status
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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013,
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`is being examined under the
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`first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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`In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C.
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`102 and 103 (or as subject to pre—AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the
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`statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art
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`relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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`The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the
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`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
`otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
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`Claims 1-7 are rejected under35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nakanishi
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`(US 2006/0154551 A1). Note: this cited Nakanishi reference is distinct and not related to the
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`previously cited Nakanishi (US 7950140 B2). For clarity and to avoid confusion,
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`the currently
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`cited and relied upon Nakanishi (‘551) will be hereinafter referred to as Nakanishi?
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`Regarding claim] ,Nakanishi2 discloses a component placing apparatus (1) for
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`placement of a component (6, 7) on a board (5) (fig. 3; pars. 0053—0054),
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`the board having a
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`center region (fig. 9: area above table, 9) and end region (fig. 6 area above 24c and 25c and
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`above 4a) in which a component placing region (at 6) is provided, the apparatus comprising: a
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`board holding table (9) which holds the board on a lower surface (fig. 9: surface facing table, 9)
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/691,825
`Art Unit: 3729
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`Page 3
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`of the center region of the board (fig. 9; pars. 0055—0057 and 0065—0067); a backup table (one or
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`more of 4) which holds the board on a lower surface (fig. 6: surface facing table, 4) of the end
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`region of the board, the backup table comprising a plurality of suction ports (22) formed on an
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`upper surface of the backup table; a suction mechanism (23) connected to the suction ports and
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`configured for sucking the board at the end region through the suction ports (fig. 6; par. 0057); a
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`table moving mechanism (3, 8) which is capable of moving both the board holding table and the
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`backup table, while both tables are holding the lower surfaces of the board, to position the
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`component placing region of the board ata predetermined working position (figs. 9— l2; pars.
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`0058—0060 and 0065-0069); and a placing head (10) which picks up the component and presses
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`the component from above to the component placing region of the board to place the component
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`on the board (figs. 1—2 and 4; pars. 0050—0052 and 0054).
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`Regarding claim2,Nakanishi2 discloses the component placing apparatus of claim 1,
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`wherein the table moving mechanism moves both the board holding table and the backup table
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`such that both the board holding table and the backup [[unit]] m hold the board horizontally
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`(figs. 1—2; pars. 0046—0049:
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`tables 4 and 9 both move in the x and y directions, and table 9 also
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`moves in the z direction. Both tables hold the board flat, and horizontal
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`is determined to be
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`along the x—y plane).
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`Regarding claim3,Nakanishi2 discloses the component placing apparatus of claim 1,
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`wherein the plurality of suction ports are constituted by pores (22: adsorbing holes, plural) of a
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`porous material provided so as to be exposed on the upper surface (top, as viewed) of the backup
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`table (figs. 5—6; par. 0057).
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`Regarding claim4,Nakanishi2 discloses the component placing apparatus of claim 1,
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`wherein the plurality of suction ports are constituted by a plurality of holes (22) and a hole
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/691,825
`Art Unit: 3729
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`Page 4
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`diameter of each of the plurality of suction ports has a size that does not generate voids in the
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`board to be sucked (figs. 5—6; par. 0057).
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`Regarding claim5,Nakanishi2 discloses the component placing apparatus of claim 1,
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`wherein the backup table comprises a cutout portion (open area between each of 4) penetrating
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`through the backup table, and the component placing apparatus further comprising a mark
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`imaging camera (16), of which an imaging field of view faces upward (fig. 2: y—direction, as
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`viewed), takes an image of a board—side mark of the board positioned at the working position
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`through the cutout portion (fig. 2; par. 0052).
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`Regarding claim 6, Nakanishi2 discloses the component placing apparatus of claim 1
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`wherein the backup table comprises a cutout portion (open area between each of 4) penetrating
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`through the backup table, and the component placing apparatus further comprising a mark
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`imaging camera (16), of which an imaging field of view faces upward (fig. 2: y—direction, as
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`viewed), takes an image of a board—side mark of the board positioned at the working position
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`through the cutout portion, and the plurality of suction ports are provided in a region (where the
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`ports, 22, are located, they are at a higher density (i.e. non—zero density) than where they are not
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`located (i.e. zero density)) for sucking a periphery of the cutout portion at a higher density than a
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`region for sucking a portion other than the periphery of the cutout portion (the suction ports only
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`provide suction where they exist, as recited in this claim: figs. 5 and 6; par. 0057).
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`Regarding claim 7, Nakanishi2 discloses the component placing apparatus of claim 1,
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`further comprising: a support member (8X, SY, 8Z0) which is provided between the board
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`holding table and the backup table, and holds the board on a lower surface (42a) of an
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`intermediate port (42), wherein the support member sucks and holds the board on an upper
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`surface (fig. 9: surface facing table, 9), and wherein the support member holds the board
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/691,825
`Art Unit: 3729
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`Page 5
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`horizontally together with the board holding table and the backup table (figs. 5, 6 and 9; pars.
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`0048 and 0065—0069).
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`Response to Arguments
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`Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are moot
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`because the arguments do not apply to any of the references as they are currently being used in
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`the instant rejection.
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`Conclusion
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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).
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`Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR l.l36(a).
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`A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE
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`MONTHS from the mailing date of this action.
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`In the event a first reply is filed Within TWO
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`MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after
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`the end of the THREE—MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period
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`will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37
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`CFR l.l36(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action.
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`In no event,
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`however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this
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`final action.
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
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`examiner should be directed to Jeffrey Carley Whose telephone number is (571)270—5609. The
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`examiner can normally be reached on Monday — Friday, 9:00 am — 5:00 pm.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/691,825
`Art Unit: 3729
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`Page 6
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`Examiner interviews are available via telephone,
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`encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at
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`htth/www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
`
`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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`may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished
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`1000.
`
`/JEFFREY T CARLEY/
`
`Examiner, Art Unit 3729
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`/PETER DUNGBA VO/
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`Supervisory Patent Examiner of Art Unit 3729
`
`