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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Group I, Claims 1-13 in the reply filed on 04/02/2026 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Claims 14-18, & 19-20 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Group II & Group III, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 04/02/2026.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 & 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yi (KR 20200081303 A).
Regarding claim 1, the robot hand of Yi teaches a manipulator, comprising at least two mechanical fingers (100, Fig 1), each of the at least two mechanical fingers including a first finger segment (120), a second finger segment (130), and a third finger segment (110), a bottom portion of the third finger segment of the respective mechanical finger being movably connected to a top portion of the second finger segment of the respective mechanical finger (Fig 3), and a bottom portion of the second finger segment of the respective mechanical finger being movably connected to a top portion of the first finger segment of the respective mechanical finger (Fig 3);
and a finger driving assembly (Annotated Fig 17 below) for each of the at least two mechanical fingers, the finger driving assembly for each of the at least two mechanical fingers including a plurality of motors (210+240) that are configured to drive a different one of the finger segments of the respective mechanical finger (Fig 17-18).
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Regarding claim 12, Yi teaches the limitations of claim 1 as described above, Yi further teaches at least two mechanical fingers include a first mechanical finger (100 Left side, Fig 3) and a second mechanical finger (100 Right side, Fig 3);
and a finger surface of the first mechanical finger faces a finger surface of the second mechanical finger (Fig 3).
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 2-7, 9-11, & 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yi in view of Cao (WO 2018157643 A1).
Regarding claim 2, Yi teaches the limitations of claim 1 as described above, Yi further teaches the plurality of motors for each of the at least two mechanical fingers includes a second drive motor (210), and a third drive motor (240), the second drive motor being configured to drive the second finger segment of the respective mechanical finger (Fig 12-13), and the third drive motor being configured to drive the third finger segment of the respective mechanical finger (Fig 15-16). Yi does not teach a first drive motor driving a first finger segment. However, the three segmented finger robot hand of Cao teaches a first drive motor (22), the first drive motor being configured to drive the first finger segment (18) of the respective mechanical finger (Fig 3). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, as of the effective filing date, to improve the robot hand of Yi with an additional control motor for the first finger segment to provide individual control of each finger segment to improve dexterity (Abstract).
Regarding claim 3, Yi teaches the limitations of claim 1 as described above, Yi further teaches the plurality of motors of each of the finger driving assemblies includes a second drive motor (210), and a third drive motor (240); the second drive motor of the respective mechanical finger is movably connected to the second finger segment of the respective mechanical finger (Fig 12-13) through a second transmission assembly (220+230), and the third drive motor of the respective mechanical finger is movably connected to the third finger segment (Fig 15-16) through a third transmission assembly (250+260). Yi does not teach a first drive motor movably connected to the first finger segment through a first transmission assembly. However, the three segmented finger robot hand of Cao teaches a first drive motor (22, Fig 3), the first drive motor of a respective mechanical finger of the at least two mechanical fingers is movably connected to the first finger segment (18) of the respective mechanical finger through a first transmission assembly (21+22, Fig 3). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, as of the effective filing date, to improve the robot hand of Yi with an additional control motor and transmission as taught in Cao for the first finger segment to provide individual control of each finger segment to improve dexterity (Abstract).
Regarding claim 4, the combination teaches the limitations of claim 3 as described above, Yi does not teach a first transmission assembly comprising a worm, worm gear, and rotating shaft. However, Cao teaches the first transmission assembly of each of the at least two mechanical fingers comprises: a first worm (20), a first worm gear (19), and a first rotating shaft (25, Fig 3; Pg 4 body 6); a bottom portion of the first worm is coupled to the first drive motor of the respective mechanical finger, and the first worm is engaged with the first worm gear (Fig 3; Pg 4 body 6); and the first worm gear is configured to rotate on the first rotating shaft, and the first worm gear is coupled to a bottom portion of the first finger segment of the respective mechanical finger (Fig 3; Pg 4 body 6). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, as of the effective filing date, to improve the robot hand of Yi with a first transmission assembly to translation rotational motion from a first motor through a reduction gearbox and rotate the finger around a rotating shaft (Pg 4 body 6).
Regarding claim 5, the combination teaches the limitations of claim 3 as described above, Yi further teaches the second transmission assembly of each of the at least two mechanical fingers comprises: a second worm (220), a second worm gear (230), a second rotating shaft (Annotated Fig 2 below), and a connecting rod assembly (140+145); a bottom portion of the second worm (220) is coupled to the second drive motor (210) of the respective mechanical finger (Fig 15), and the second worm is engaged with the second worm gear (Fig 2); the second worm gear is configured to rotate on the second rotating shaft (Annotated Fig 2 below); and a bottom portion of the connecting rod assembly is coupled to the second worm gear (Fig 2), and a top portion of the connecting rod assembly is movably connected to a drive rod (160) extending from the bottom portion of the second finger segment of the respective mechanical finger to a rear face of the manipulator (Fig 16).
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Regarding claim 6, the combination teaches the limitations of claim 3 as described above, Yi further teaches the third transmission assembly of each of the at least two mechanical fingers comprises: a third worm (250), a third worm gear (260), and a connecting rod mechanism (150+152+151+154); a bottom portion of the third worm is coupled to the third drive motor of the respective mechanical finger, and the third worm is engaged with the third worm gear (Fig 15);
and a bottom portion of the connecting rod mechanism is coupled to the third worm gear, a middle portion of the connecting rod mechanism is movably connected to the bottom portion of the second finger segment of the respective mechanical finger (Fig 15), and a top portion of the connecting rod mechanism is movably connected to a drive rod (153) extending from the bottom portion of the third finger segment of the respective mechanical finger to a rear face of the manipulator (Fig 15). The combination teaches a second rotating shaft with the second and third worm gear rotatably attached but does not teach a third rotating shaft. However, mere duplication of parts has no patentable significance unless a new and unexpected result is produced (In re Harza, 124 USPQ 378). A third rotating shaft is a duplicate of the second shaft for the third worm gear to individually rotate upon and does not impact the function of allow rotation for the third worm gear. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, as of the effective filing date, to improve the combination robot hand with a separate rotating shaft for the third worm gear to rotate upon to allow for separate simpler parts to be used for the robot hand, decreasing manufacturing time.
Regarding claim 7, the combination teaches the limitations of claim 3 as described above, Yi further teaches the second transmission assembly of the respective mechanical finger includes a second worm (220), a second worm gear (230), and a connecting rod assembly (140+145), and a bottom portion of the second worm is coupled to the second drive motor of the respective mechanical finger (Fig 15), the second worm is engaged with the second worm gear (Fig 2), a bottom portion of the connecting rod assembly is coupled to the second worm gear (Fig 2), and a top portion of the connecting rod assembly is movably connected to a drive rod (160) extending from the bottom portion of the second finger segment of the respective mechanical finger to a rear face of the manipulator (Fig 16). Cao further teaches the first transmission assembly of the respective mechanical finger includes a first worm (20) and a first worm gear (19, Fig 3), a bottom portion of the first worm is coupled to the first drive motor of the respective mechanical finger, the first worm is engaged with the first worm gear, and the first worm gear is coupled to a bottom portion of the first finger segment of the respective mechanical finger (Fig 3; Pg 4 body 6).
The combination does not teach a fourth rotating shaft for the first and second worm gear to rotate on. However, Yi teaches a fourth rotating shaft (Annotated Fig 2 above) configured with the second and third worm gear to rotate upon. Cao teaches a first rotating shaft (25, Fig 3) and that the first worm gear is configured to rotate on the first rotating shaft (Pg 4 body 6). Mere rearrangement of parts without modification of the operation of the device is held unpatentable (In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, as of the effective filing date, to improve the robot hand of the combination by swapping the placement of the third worm gear on the fourth rotating shaft of Yi with the first worm gear of Cao to move the first transmission assembly and first worm gear closer to the base of the first finger segment to reduce transmission losses and reduce powertrain size.
Regarding claim 9, the combination teaches the limitations of claim 3 as described above, Yi further teaches a fixed plate (Annotated Fig 2 above) that is fixedly provided between the at least two mechanical fingers and the finger driving assemblies, the fixed plate being configured to support the first transmission assemblies, the second transmission assemblies, and the third transmission assemblies (Annotated Fig 2 above).
Regarding claim 10, the combination teaches the limitations of claim 9 as described above, Yi further teaches the fixed plate is provided with through holes (Annotated Fig 2 above); the transmission assembly of the respective mechanical finger is coupled to the drive motor of the respective mechanical finger through the associated through hole (Annotated Fig 2 above). The combination would include the limitations of claim 10 for all 3 transmission motor assemblies.
Regarding claim 11, the combination teaches the limitations of claim 9 as described above, Yi further teaches a housing (101) and a base (Annotated Fig 2 above), wherein the base is fixedly provided on a bottom portion of the housing (Annotated Fig 2 above), and the housing and the base are configured to house and fix the finger driving assemblies including the first transmission assemblies, the second transmission assemblies, and the third transmission assemblies (Fig 2, Fig 15);
and the fixed plate fixedly provided between the housing and the base (Annotated Fig 2 above).
Regarding claim 13, Yi teaches the limitations of claim 1 as described above, Yi does not teach a robot comprising the hand of claim 1. However, Cao teaches a robot with a robot hand (Pg 1-2, Background Technique). It would be obvious to use the robot hand of Yi with a robot as described in Cao to adjust the position of the robot hand to assist in grasping.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yi & Cao in view of Lemelson (US Patent 3,202,449).
Regarding claim 8, the combination teaches the limitations of claim 7 as described above, Yi further teaches a fourth rotating shaft includes a rotating shaft (Annotated Fig 2 above); the third worm gear of the respective mechanical finger is configured to rotate on a first portion of the rotating shaft,
the second worm gear of the respective mechanical finger being configured to rotate on a second portion of the rotating shaft (Annotated Fig 2). The combination teaches that the first worm gear of the respective mechanical finger is configured to rotate on a first portion of the rotating shaft as the first and third worm gear placement is swapped. The combination does not teach a bearing that supports and fixes the rotating shaft. However, the article manipulator of Lemelson teaches a bearing (49), and the bearing supports and fixes a rotating shaft (45). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, as of the effective filing date, to improve the combination robot hand by adding a bearing to support the rotating shaft to secure the shaft in place (Col. 1 ln 58-62).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
CN 109202945 A teaches a robotic finger with three finger segments controlled by a motor with worm screw drive and connecting links.
CN 109381285 A teaches a robotic finger with a motor with a worm screw drive and connecting links.
CN 110842959 A teaches a robot hand with a worm screw drive and three finger segments.
CN110900649 A teaches a robot hand with a worm screw drive and connecting links to control fingertip motion.
WO 2018074101 A1 teaches a robot hand with a worm screw drive and three finger segments.
CN 106945069 A teaches a robot hand with motors mounted at the base of the hand to control fingers with three finger segments.
JP 2008264895 A teaches a robot finger with a worm drive and two finger segments.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RALPH D WILKINSON whose telephone number is (571)272-6183. The examiner can normally be reached 8 - 4, M-Fr.
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/RALPH D WILKINSON/Examiner, Art Unit 3654
/Victoria P Augustine/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3654
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