DETAILED ACTION
Notice of AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I drawn to claims 1 and 5-12 in the reply filed on 10 January 2026 is acknowledged.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the following limitations
a tensile element, the tensile element substantively inelastic along a traction axis, the tensile element comprising a first end and a second end; and an expandable means coupled with the tensile element by means of a coupling element wherein the tensile element is pinched by pressing of a length of the tensile element into a U-shaped gap, the expandable means adapted to expand and thereby deliver a force to the tensile element, the force initially being normal to the traction axis, whereby the force is transferred from the expandable means to the tensile element and causes the tensile element to exert force along the traction axis.
must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claims 1 and 5-12. No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
The paragraphs [0007]-[0035] of “SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION” only repeat the limitations without giving any detailed numerical label. The paragraphs [0121]-[0202] of “DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS” disclose limitations and components that appear different or having no connection with the limitations of claims 1 and 5-12.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 5-7 and 11 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Lines 1 of claims 5-7 recites “the device” which should be changed to “the apparatus”.
Claim 11 recites “servo motor of claim 7with a”, it should be changed to “servo motor of claim 7 with a”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
Claims 1 and 5-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) as failing to comply with the enablement requirement. The claims contain subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to enable one skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and/or use the invention.
The following limitations of claims 1 and 5-12 are not shown in any drawing:
a tensile element, the tensile element comprising a first end and a second end;
a traction axis;
an expandable means coupled with the tensile element by means of a coupling element; and
a U-shaped gap.
Claims 1 and 5-12 are not sufficiently supported by detailed descriptions or explanations of the Specification because the paragraphs [0007]-[0035] of “SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION” only repeat the limitations without giving any detailed numerical label. The paragraphs [0121]-[0202] of “DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS” disclose limitations and components that appear different or having no connection with the limitations disclosed by claims 1 and 5-12.
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.
Claims 5, 10 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claim 5 and claim 12 appear not completed:
5. (original) A bidirectional servo motor utilizing the device of claim 1, wherein
12. (original) A climbing robot which utilizes the robotic claw of claim
Claim 10 discloses “FIG. 8” in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Greenhill et al. (U. S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 20050028237) discloses an air muscle powered actuator system having supporting tensile. Movement produced by an air muscle may be rectilinear or it may be angular movement about an appropriate axis. In the ensuing description, the movement produced by air muscle actuation is angular displacement, about an axis, at a joint.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EMILY P. PHAM whose telephone number is (571) 270-3046. The examiner can normally be reached MON-FRI 8:00AM-5:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, DEDEI HAMMOND can be reached at (571) 270-7938. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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7 February 2026
/EMILY P PHAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837