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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 5/16/24 and 3/17/23 were filed and the submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 “at least the first gripping element (12a) is releasable connected to the arm (11) by a mechanical coupling, preferably a quick release fastener or a clamping element” (see Claim 4) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 14 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
The amended Claim 14 claims “A method of handling objects (6) in a process using a system according to claim 10,” and further recites in line 8, “performing a process on the object (6) or a process that involves the object (6).”
The recitation of “performing a process on the object (6) or a process that involves the object (6)” is vague and indefinite as to how “a process lacks a specific instruction to perform on the object (6) or a specific process that involves the object (6).” A specific instruction or process is required to perform on the object (6) or a specific process to involve the object (6). The recitation of the process “involve” also lacks a specific instruction or process.
Similarly, a new claim 15 claims in line 7, “A method of handling objects in a process using a clamping unit according to claim 12.” The recitation of “performing a process on the object (6) or a process that involves the object (6)” is vague and indefinite as to how “a process lacks a specific instruction to perform on the object (6) or a specific process that involves the object (6).” A specific instruction or process is required to perform on the object (6) or a specific process to involve the object (6). The recitation of the process “involve” also lacks a specific instruction or process.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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)(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.
Claims 1, 2, 6-8, and 10-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by the European Publication EP 2,390,068 (See IDS).
RE claim 1, the European Publication EP 2,390,068 discloses a gripping tool (see Figs. 1-6) for handling objects (14) (see para [0013] of machine translation) in a process, comprising: a housing (1) defining a longitudinal axis (A) of the gripping tool, a drive mechanism having gear and a cylinder (see para [0004] or a piston (4) (see para [0008, 0014]), arranged with the housing, an interface (8) (see Exhibit A) arranged at one end of the housing (1), the interface being capable of being coupled to a matching interface of a machine or a robot (see para [0001]), to be arranged on a surface, a plurality of arms (3, 3, and 3) (see Figs. 3-5) being arranged at an opposite end of the housing (1_, each arm comprising at least a first gripping element or finger (see Exhibit A) capable being to be brought into contact with the object (14), each arm (8) is configured to be rotated around a rotation axis (see Figs. 4 and 5) when activated, each arm (3) having a body (see Figs. 3, 4, and 5) extending in a radial plane from a first end to a second end (see Figs. 3, 4, and 5), the radial plane being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A) (see Figs. 3, 4, and 5), wherein the drive mechanism (4) is configured to rotate the at least first gripping element ((see Figs. 3, 4, and 5), in and out of contact with the object (14) in the radial plane, the body has a first side (see Figs. 4 & 5) facing the longitudinal axis and further an opposite second side facing away from the longitudinal axis, wherein the first side of the body (see Exhibit B) has a first tangent at a first position and a second tangent at a second position, wherein the first tangent intersecting the second tangent at an intersecting point (see Exhibit B), the intersecting point is located within an imaginary circle with a radius extending from the longitudinal axis (A) to the rotation axis of that arm (3) when the arms (3) are in a retracted position (see Fig. 4).
Exhibit A
[AltContent: textbox (Gripping Arm)][AltContent: textbox (Gripping Fingers or elements (10, 10))][AltContent: textbox (Housing)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Interface at an end of the housing (1))][AltContent: arrow]
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Exhibit B
[AltContent: textbox (Gripping Fingers or Elements)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Curved Profile (RE Claim 2))][AltContent: textbox (First Side of the arm body)][AltContent: textbox (Intermediate Position )][AltContent: textbox (Curved Profile
(RE Claim 2) )][AltContent: textbox (Second Side of the arm body)][AltContent: textbox (First Side of the arm body)][AltContent: textbox (∞ (alpha) Intersection
Point)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: ][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow]
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RE claim 2, the European Publication’s gripping tool (EP 2,390,068) teaches the first side (see Exhibit B) has a curved profile extending between the first and second ends (15, 16) or a bending profile defined by at least a first line segment and a second line segment.
RE claims 6-8, Figs. 2-5 of the European Publication’s gripping tool (EP 2,390,068) disclose that the arms (3) in the retracted position (see Fig. 4) are positioned relative to each other so that at least one gripping element (10) on each arm is contacting each other, or the first side of one arm ((see Exhibit B) is at least partly contacting the first side of an adjacent arm, wherein the at least first gripping element (10) is configured to be operated within a full gripping range (see Figs. 3 and 6) of the gripping tool while maintaining each arm in the same radial position relative to each rotation axis, wherein
the at least first gripping element (10) is shaped as a finger (see Fig. 2) or an elongated gripping element (10) extending outwards (see Fig. 2) from a top side of the arm (8).
RE claims 10-12, the European Publication’s gripping tool (EP 2,390,068) also shows a machine a robot unit (see paragraph [0001] and [0004]) with at least one robotic arm (para [0013]), capable of being coupled to at least one tool, the at least one tool being a gripping tool and having an energy source (see para [0004] and [0005]) for supplying power to the gripping tool and a controller or a local controller (see para [0004] and [0005]) configured to at least control the operation of the gripping tool.
It is pointed out that the European Publication’s gripping tool (EP 2,390,068) is being designed to an automation, robotics, and handle technology (see para [0001] and a system is know form DE 10 2006 031 477 (see para [0005]) where electrical energy has been provided to supply a pressurized air to a pneumatic piston (4) and lead screws (7) to provide an energy source (see para [0014 and [0015] and a system with a controller to drive lead screws (7, 7) (see para [0014]) and to provide pivoting movement (see para [0001], [0004], [0005]).
RE claim 13, Figs. 1 and 2 of the European Publication’s gripping tool (EP 2,390,068) show the clamping unit and a gripped member (14), which could be considered as an adaptor element having a bottom surface shaped to be arranged on the surface, the adaptor element further has a top surface capable of being coupled to or integrated into the interface of the gripping tool. It is also pointed out that the provided interface of the body (as shown in Exhibit A) and bearing (2, 2) (see Fig. 1), which could be considered as an adaptor element having a bottom surface shaped to be arranged on the surface, the adaptor element further has a bottom surface (when inverted position) capable of being coupled to or integrated into the interface of the robot unit (See para [0001]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 4 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the European Publication (EP 2,390,068) (See IDS) in view of DAN et al. (US 2014/0232124).
RE claim 4, the European Publication (EP 2,390,068), as presented above, shows at least the first gripping element (10) (see Figs. 1-4) being connected to the arm (3), but does not specifically teach that the at least the first gripping element is releasably connected to the arm by a mechanical coupling (not shown in the provided drawings), preferably a quick release fastener or a clamping element. However, Figs. 1-5A of DAN et al. (US 2014/0232124) shows gripping arms (41, 41) and first gripping element (10) being reliably connected by fasteners, mechanical couplings. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the mechanical engineering art before the effective filing date of the invention to provide fasteners, mechanical couplings between the gripping fingers 10) and the arm (3) of the European Publication (EP 2,390,068) as taught by DAN et al. (US 2014/0232124) to conveniently assemble or disassembly the gripping elements or fingers to a user.
RE claim 9, the European Publication (EP 2,390,068), as presented above, does not specifically teach that the at least first gripping element (12a) can be selectively arranged in a plurality of individual positions (20, 21, 21') on the arm (11) and/or in an elongated positioning element (33) on the arm (11). However, Figs. 1-5A of DAN et al. (US 2014/0232124) show gripping arms (41, 41) and first gripping element (10) wherein each arm is being provided with a series of apertures or holes (see Figs. 1 and 2A) to provide a gripping fingers (22a.c). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the mechanical engineering art before the effective filing date of the invention to provide apertures or holes on the arms (3, 3) of the European Publication (EP 2,390,068) as taught by DAN et al. (US 2014/0232124) to conveniently provide various locations to the gripping fingers and to be able to grasp various objects. Moreover, Figs. 1-5A of DAN et al. (US 2014/0232124) teach clamping plate (CP) where a slot is provided to control the movement of the arms and fingers. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the mechanical engineering art before the effective filing date of the invention to provide a slot or groove on the arms (3, 3) of the European Publication (EP 2,390,068) as taught by DAN et al. (US 2014/0232124) to conveniently provide various locations to the gripping fingers and to be able to grasp various objects.
Claims 14 and 15, as best understood, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the European Publication (EP 2,390,068) (See IDS).
Note that claim 14 recites a method of handling objects in a process using a system according to claim 10 whereas a method of handling objects in a process using a clamping unit according to claim 12, but the methods of handling objects are similar.
The European Publication (EP 2,390,068), as presented above and as best understood, shows the steps of:
moving either the gripping tool into position relative to a selected object (14) or the object (6) into position relative to the gripping tool (see para [0006] and [0013]);
activating the pneumatic piston to the gripping tool to rotate the gripping fingers (3, 3, 3)) in a radial plane into contact with the selected object (14) (see para [0017 and [0018]); and
performing a gripping and clamping on the object (14) (see para [0013] and [0018]), but does not specifically show by activating the gripping tool to rotate the gripping fingers out of contact with the selected object in the radial plane. However, note that a pneumatic piston (4) is pressurized to provide gripping force to the gripping elements (10) or fingers (see para [0015]), but it is pointed
to those been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the mechanical engineering art before the effective filing date of the invention to withdrawn the compressed air on the pneumatic piston (4) to release the gripping force and to release the grasped object to a user.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3 and 5 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.
RE claim 3, note that the European Publication (EP 2,390,068) does not teach or suggest “at least a second gripping element is arranged on the arm, wherein the second gripping element is arranged at an intermediate position between the first and second ends of the arm” whereas the depending claim 5 depend on claim 3.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAUL T CHIN whose telephone number is (571)272-6922. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:00-4:30 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a 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.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Gene Crawford can be reached on (571) 272-6911. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PAUL T CHIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3652