DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or 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 .
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: a parallel-type driving module (identified as element 2000 within the disclosure), appearing in claim 1; a first actuation mechanism (identified as 200), in claim 1; a second actuation mechanism (identified as 300), in claim 1; a pressing portion (identified as 320), in claim 6; and a support portion (identified as 330), in claim 7.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6-9, and 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Choi et al. US 2022/0379496 (“Choi”).
Regarding claim 1, Choi disclosed a parallel-type gripper comprising:
a pair of jaws opposite to each other (Figure 1); and
a parallel-type driving module in which the pair of jaws are movably connected in a horizontal direction such that they approach or move away from each other, and moving the pair of jaws in the horizontal direction so that the pair of jaws grip an object (Figures 1 and 2),
wherein each of the pair of jaws comprises
a contact portion (200) extending in a vertical direction and contacting the object,
a first actuation mechanism (including 110, 120) connected to the contact portion and configured to move the contact portion in the vertical direction (see Figures 1 and 2), and
a second actuation mechanism (130) connected to the first actuation mechanism and the contact portion and configured to maintain a posture in which the contact portion extends in the vertical direction.
Regarding claim 2 , Choi disclosed the first actuation mechanism comprises an upper joint portion (including 114) and a lower joint portion (including 112, 120) that are connected while forming a first angle therebetween and passively rotate to move the contact portion in the vertical direction when in contact with the ground, and a first elastic member (150) connected between the upper joint portion and the lower joint portion to provide a restoring force (Figure 6).
Regarding claim 3, Choi disclosed the contact portion is connected to the lower end portion of the lower joint portion (Figures 1-3).
Regarding claim 4, Choi disclosed the first angle changes as a refraction interval, which is a distance between the upper end portion of the upper joint portion and the lower end portion of the contact portion, changes (see at least Figures 1-3).
Regarding claim 6, Choi disclosed the first actuation mechanism further comprises a pressing portion (see the lower part of link 120 in Figures 2 and 3) connected to the lower joint portion and rotating the contact portion by pressing the contact portion (Figures 1-3).
Regarding claim 7, Choi disclosed the second actuation mechanism comprises a link unit connected to the first actuation mechanism (see Figure 5), and
a support portion that is connected to the link unit and supports the contact portion to maintain the posture of the contact portion in the vertical direction (see at least the union of 135 and 200 in Figure 5).
Regarding claim 8, Choi disclosed the link unit comprises an upper link (132) corresponding to the upper joint portion and a lower link (134) corresponding to the lower joint portion, and wherein a second angle between the upper link and the lower link changes in response to the change in the first angle (Figures 3 and 5).
Regarding claim 9, Choi disclosed when the pressing portion does not press the contact portion, the contact portion maintains a vertical orientation, and when the pressing portion presses the contact portion, the contact portion rotates to have an inclined posture (see at least Figures 1, 6, and 13-17).
Regarding claim 11, Choi disclosed the pair of jaws further comprise a detachable portion that detachably connect the pair of jaws to the parallel-type driving module, and the detachable portion includes a first detachable portion (320) installed on the pair of jaw and a second detachable portion (330) installed on the parallel-type driving module.
Regarding claim 12, Choi disclosed wherein the pair of jaws comprise a first jaw and a second jaw that are opposite to each other (Figure 2), and the first jaw and the second jaw are disposed symmetrically about a central axis of the parallel-type driving module (Figure 3).
Regarding claim 13, Choi disclosed wherein a refraction interval of the first jaw and a refraction interval of the second jaw may be adjusted differently (see Figure 5).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5 and 10 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HOWARD J SANDERS whose telephone number is (571)270-3096. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael McCullough can be reached at (571) 272-7805. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HOWARD J SANDERS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3653