Appeal No. 2006-1377 Page 5
Application No. 10/621,031
Kawada discloses a chamber 15 having a plurality of projections disposed
therewithin for accommodating a plurality of wafer assemblies 1, each wafer
assembly including a circular metallic wafer frame 2 having a wafer product 4
adhered thereto by an adhesive sheet 3. Kawada’s wafer assembly lacks an
alignment artifact as called for in claims 15 and 19. Takeuchi discloses a wafer
assembly comprising a ring frame 11 having a wafer 1 adhered thereto by an
ultraviolet sensitive tape 10. Takeuchi’s ring frame 11 is provided with a locating
portion 11a by means of which it is oriented in the rotational direction. A chuck 12
grasps and fixes the frame ring 11 in a fixed position. A table 2 is raised relative
to the chuck 12 or the frame ring 11 is depressed relative to the table 2, stretching
the tape 10 to permit a blade 3 to scribe lines in the wafer 1.
Even assuming a frame assembly as taught by Takeuchi, comprising a ring
frame provided with a locating portion, were stored in the accommodating chamber
15 of Kawada, or Kawada’s wafer frame were modified to provide a location
portion as taught by Takeuchi, neither Kawada nor Takeuchi provides any teaching
or suggestion to engage the locating portion with one of the projections 16 of
Kawada to thereby orient the wafer assembly or frame therein, as called for in
claim 15, or to place the wafer assemblies in the chamber 15 of Kawada so that the
locating portion of the wafer element mates with any of the projections, as called
for in claim 19. The achievement of such engagement or mating requires both
appropriate relative sizing and a particular alignment or orientation of the wafer
assemblies or elements as they are placed within the chamber and this is neither
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007