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`V i$ T {a
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`A
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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: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 2231371450
`www.uspto.gov
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`15/886,887
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`02/02/2018
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`OSAMU OKUDA
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`PIPMM-58982
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`1013
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`759°
`52°“
`PEARNE & GORDON LLP
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`02/11/2019
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`1801 EAST 9TH STREET
`SUITE 1200
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`CLEVELAND, OH 44114-3108
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`MCCLAIN GERALD
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`3652
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`PAPER NUMBER
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`NOTIFICATION DATE
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`DELIVERY MODE
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`02/1 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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`Off/09 A0170” Summary
`
`Application No.
`15/886,887
`Examiner
`GERALD MCCLAIN
`
`Applicant(s)
`OKU DA et al.
`Art Unit
`3652
`
`AIA 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 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).
`
`Status
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`1). Responsive to communication(s) filed on 19 November 2018.
`[:1 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) C] 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*
`5)
`Claim(s)
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`1—16 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) fl is/are rejected.
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`[:1 Claim(s) _ 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
`[j Claim(s)
`9
`* If any claims have been determined aflowabte. 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.jsp or send an inquiry to PPeredback@uspto.gov.
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`Application Papers
`10)[:] The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`
`11). The drawing(s) filed on 2 February 2018 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:
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`a)I:I All
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`b)D Some”
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`C)D None of the:
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`1.[:] 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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`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) C] Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
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`2) E] Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date_
`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 20190205
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/886,887
`Art Unit: 3652
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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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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first
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`inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
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`The amendment filed 19 November 2018 has been entered.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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`The text of those sections ofTitle 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a
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`prior Office action.
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`Claim(s) 1-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C.102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Aoki et al. (US
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`7,721,424) (”Aoki”).
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`Claim 1: a placing head that has a nozzle (15) of which a suction path is put under a negative
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`pressure (FIG. 6, 73; column 4, lines 52-59) to hold a component, and places the component held by the
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`nozzle on a workpiece (P);
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`a flow path switcher (FIG. 6, switcher for 70/63) that selectively connects the suction path to a
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`negative pressure flow path leading to a negative pressure source and a positive pressure flow path
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`leading to a positive pressure source (70); and
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`a component detector that detects the component which is at a tip of the nozzle (FIG. 7/8/9,
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`81/83/91),
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`a controller (90; column 7, lines 57-67) that controls the flow path switcher to switch the suction
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`path of the nozzle toa state connected to the positive pressure flow path from a state connected to the
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`negative pressure flow path to put the suction path under a positive pressure (”blows”; also ”vacuum or
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/886,887
`Art Unit: 3652
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`Page 3
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`air blow state” in column 2, lines 27-29) during component placement, such that the component is
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`detached from the nozzle, and controls the flow path switcher to connect the suction path to the
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`negative pressure flow path to put the suction path under a negative pressure before detection of the
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`component is performed by the component detector, and in a case where the component, which
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`remains in a state of being attached to the nozzle without being detached from the nozzle in the
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`component placement, is detected by the component detector, the remained component is discarded
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`(FIG. 10, after ”component mounting process”);
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`Claim 2: wherein in a case where the component is not detected by the component detector,
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`the flow path switcher blocks the suction path of the nozzle from the negative pressure flow path (FIG.
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`10, after ”com ponent mounting process”);
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`Claim 3: wherein the flow path switcher connects the suction path to the positive pressure flow
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`path to block the suction path from the negative pressure flow path (FIG. 6);
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`Claims 4 and 12: wherein the component detector is an optical sensor that optically detectsthe
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`component (FIG. 7/8/9, 81/83/91);
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`Claim 5: holding (FIG. 10 for all steps) a component by putting a suction path ofa nozzle (15)
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`under a negative pressure (FIG. 6, 73);
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`placing the component on a workpiece by putting the suction path ofthe nozzle under a positive
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`pressure to detach the component from the nozzle (FIG. 12);
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`detecting the component, which remains in a state of being attached to the nozzle without
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`being detached from the nozzle in the component placement, by a component detector (FIG. 10, after
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`”component mounting process"); and
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`in a case where the component is detected, discarding the component (FIG. 10, after
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`”component mounting process"),
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/886,887
`Art Unit: 3652
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`Page4
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`wherein the suction path is put under a negative pressure before the detection ofthe remained
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`component is performed by the component detector(negative pressure is at least from previous
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`placement of component);
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`Claim 6: in a case where the component is not detected by the component detector, blocking
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`putting ofthe suction path of the nozzle where the component is not detected under a negative
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`pressure (FIG. 10, after ”component mounting process");
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`Claim 7: a placing head (bottom of FIG. 12) that has a plurality of nozzles (15) ofwhich suction
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`paths are put under a negative pressure to hold components and that moves the plurality of nozzles in
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`turn to a plurality of stations (FIG. 1/12) including a component holding and placing station where
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`operation of holding the components or placing the held components on a workpiece is performed by
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`the plurality of nozzlesand a component detecting station where detection ofthe components held by
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`the plurality of nozzlesis performed;
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`a plurality of flow path switchers (FIG. 6, switcherfor 70/63), each of which is disposed for each
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`of the nozzles and selectively connects each of the suction paths ofthe nozzles to a negative pressure
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`flow path leading to a negative pressure source and a positive pressure flow path leading to a positive
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`pressure source;
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`a component detector (FIG. 7/8/9, 81/83/91) that detects the components, which are at tips of
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`the nozzles, at the component detecting station;
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`a controller;
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`wherein in a case where work of placing the components is performed by the nozzles at the
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`component holding and placing station, the controller controls the flow path switchers switch the
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`suction paths ofthe nozzles, which perform the work of placing the components, to a state connected
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`to the positive pressure flow path from a state connected to the negative pressure flow path to put the
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/886,887
`Art Unit: 3652
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`Page 5
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`suction paths under a positive pressure, such that the components are detached from the nozzles of
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`which the suction paths are put under a positive pressure,
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`before the nozzles, of which the suction paths are put under a positive pressure, reach the
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`component detecting station, the controller controls the flow path switchers connect the suction paths
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`to the negative pressure flow path to put the suction paths under a negative pressure (negative pressure
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`is at least from previous placement of component), and
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`in a case where each of the components, which remain in a state of being attached to each of
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`the nozzles without being detached from each of the nozzles in the components placement, is detected
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`by the component detector, each of the remained components is discarded (FIG. 10, af‘ter”component
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`mounting process”);
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`Claim 8: wherein the plurality of stations includes at least one station between the component
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`holding and placing station and the component detecting station, and the flow path switchers connect
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`the suction paths ofthe nozzles, which have finished placement of the components, to the negative
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`pressure flow path at a station next tothe component holding and placing station (FIG. 6/8);
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`Claim 9: wherein in a case where each of the components is not detected by the component
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`detector, each of the flow path switchers blocks each of the suction paths of each of the nozzles where
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`each ofthe components is not detected from the negative pressure flow path (FIG. 6/10);
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`Claim 10: wherein in a case where each of the components is not detected by the component
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`detector, each of the flow path switchers blocks each of the suction paths each of of the nozzles where
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`each ofthe components is not detected from the negative pressure flow path at the component
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`detecting station or a station next to the component detecting station (FIG. 10);
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`Claim 11: wherein the flow path switchers connect the suction paths to the positive pressure
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`flow path to block the suction paths from the negative pressure flow path (FIG. 6);
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/886,887
`Art Unit: 3652
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`Page 6
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`Claim 13: placing head (bottom of FIG. 12) which has a plurality of nozzles (15), ofwhich suction
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`paths are put under a negative pressure to hold components (FIG. 6), and which moves the plurality of
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`nozzles in turn to a plurality of stations including a component holding and placing station where
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`operation of holding the components or placing the held components on a workpiece is performed by
`
`the plurality of nozzlesand a component detecting station where detection ofthe components held by
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`the plurality of nozzlesis performed, and a component detector (FIG. 7/8/9, 81/83/91) which detects
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`the components, which are at tips ofthe plurality of nozzles (tips of 15), at the component detecting
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`station, the method comprising:
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`moving (FIG. 10 for all steps) the plurality of nozzles in turn to the component holding and
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`placing station;
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`holding the components by the plurality of nozzles by putting the suction paths of the plurality
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`of nozzles under a negative pressure (FIG. 6);
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`moving the plurality of nozzles in turn to the component holding and placing station and the
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`component detecting station (FIG. 8);
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`placing the plurality of components at the plurality of placement positions on the workpiece by
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`putting the suction paths of the plurality of nozzles under a positive pressure at the component holding
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`and placing station to detach the components from the plurality of nozzles (FIG. 10/12);
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`before the nozzles, which have finished placement ofthe components at the component
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`holding and placing station, reachthe component detecting station, putting the suction paths of the
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`nozzles, which have finished the placement of the components, under a negative pressure (negative
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`pressure is at least from previous placement of component);
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`examining presence or absence of each of the components remaining for each ofthe plurality of
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`nozzles at the component detecting station (FIG. 7/8/10); and
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/886,887
`Art Unit: 3652
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`Page 7
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`in a case where each of the components is detected, discarding each of the components (FIG.
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`10);
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`Claim 14: wherein the plurality of stations includes at least one station between the component
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`holding and placing station and the component detecting station, and the flow path switchers put the
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`suction paths ofthe nozzles, which have finished placement ofthe components, under a negative
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`pressure at a station next to the component holding and placing station (FIG. 1/6);
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`Claim 15: wherein in a case where each of the components is not detected by the component
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`detector, each of the flow path switchers blocks putting of each ofthe suction paths of each of the
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`nozzles where each of the components is not detected under a negative pressure (FIG. 6/10);
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`Claim 16: wherein each ofthe flow path switchers blocks putting of each of the suction paths of
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`each ofthe nozzles where the components is not detected under a negative pressure at the component
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`detecting station or a station next to the component detecting station (FIG. 10).
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`Response to Arguments
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`Applicant's arguments filed 19 November 2018 have been fully considered but they are not
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`persuasive except for the 112(b) rejections that were overcome by amendment.
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`Re. the controller for vacuum and positive pressure, Aoki discloses positive pressure ("blows";
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`also "vacuum or air blow state" in column 2, lines 27-29) and vacuum in column 4, lines 52-59.
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`Controller 90 controls suction nozzles (etc.) in column 7, lines 57-67.
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`Conclusion
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`Applica nt's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office
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`action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the
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`extension oftime policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/886,887
`Art Unit: 3652
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`Page 8
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`A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHSfrom
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`the mailing date of this action.
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`In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHSof the mailing date
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`of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH
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`shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory
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`action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing
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`date of the advisory action.
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`In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire laterthan
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`SIX MONTHSfrom the date ofthis final action.
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner
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`should be directed to GERALD MCCLAIN whose telephone number is (571)272-7803. The examiner can
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`normally be reached on Monday through Friday from 8:30 am. to 5:00 pm. and at
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`gerald.mcclain@uspto.gov(see MPEP 502.03 (I|)).
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`Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a
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`USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use
`
`the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
`
`Ifattemptsto reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor,
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`Saul Rodriguez can be reached on (571) 272-7097. The fax phone number for the organization where
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`this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
`
`Information rega rdingthe 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 http://pair-
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`direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic
`
`Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). Ifyou would like assistance from a USPTO Customer
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/886,887
`Art Unit: 3652
`
`Page 9
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`Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR
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`CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
`
`/Gera|d McClain/
`
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3652
`
`