DETAILED ACTION
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/11/2025 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Claims 1-4 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Murakami (US 5,290,185).
Regarding the claims, the prior art discloses the following:
1. A compact robot leg structure, comprising a thigh rod (7) and a shank rod (72b) rotationally connected (via 71) to the thigh rod (7), the thigh rod driving the shank rod to rotate relative to the thigh rod through a shank power unit (including 81), wherein the thigh rod includes a housing (including 6) that accommodates a first gear (86), a second gear (74), a rocker arm (including 32a) and a transmission part (73) and has a first end (end of 7 closest to 32) and a second end (end of 7 closest to 71) opposite from the first end; an output end of the shank power unit is fixedly provided with the first gear (86) at the first end of the thigh rod (7); the second gear (74) is engaged with the first gear (86); the diameter of the reference circle of the second gear (74) is larger than the diameter of the reference circle of the first gear (86); the second gear (74) is an incomplete gear (figs. 4-5) and is fixedly connected (i.e., via shaft of 32/74) to the rocker arm (including 32a); the rocker arm includes a semicircular section (portion of 32 adjacent 32a) and a projection (32a) that projects from one end of the semicircular section (fig. 4), the semicircular section (32) being fixedly connected (via shaft) to the second gear (74); the transmission part (73) having a first end connected to a tip end (fig. 4) of the projection (32a) of the rocker arm (including 32a) and a second end connected (via 72c) to the shank rod (72b); the shank power unit (including 81) drives the second gear (74) to output a torque through the first gear (86); the rocker arm (including 32a) connected to the second gear (74) drives the shank rod (72b) to rotate (figs. 4-5) relative to the thigh rod (7) through the transmission part (73).
2. The compact robot leg structure according to claim 1, wherein the second gear (74) has a sector shape (fig. 4) and is fixed coaxially (via shaft) with the rocker arm (including 32a).
3. The compact robot leg structure according to claim 1, wherein the number of teeth of the incomplete gear is matched with a rotation angle of the shank rod relative to the thigh rod (figs. 4-5).
4. The compact robot leg structure according to claim 1, wherein an area where the rocker arm (including 32a) is connected to the second gear (74) is a sector structure (fig. 4) and an area where the rocker arm (including 32a) is connected to the transmission part (73) is a sheet structure (fig. 1).
10. A four-legged robot (intended use), comprising the compact robot leg structure according to claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claims 6-9 and 11-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Murakami (US 5,290,185), in view of Ootani (US 2014/0060235).
The combination is summarized as follows:
Murakami discloses the general structure of the claim, as mapped above, but does not disclose a limiting part, as claimed. Ootani teaches a mechanical stopper device having an elastically-deformable body that is a simple structure used to limit the relative rotation of robotic arms to a predetermined angle. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the time of effective filing to combine the teachings of Ootani with the disclosed structure of Murakami, for the expected benefit of limiting the relative rotation of the members to a predetermined angle using a simple structure, and therefore safeguarding the device from, e.g., overextension or external forces. Further note that the officially noticed fact “ductile materials for shock absorption were extremely well known in the art, and provided the known advantage of dispersing the impact force of moving mechanical systems” is hereby taken to be admitted prior art, since Applicant’s subsequent response of 12/11/2025 did not traverse the official notice in accordance with MPEP 2144.03(C), e.g. by specifically pointing out why the noticed fact was not considered to be common knowledge or well-known in the art.
The mapping of the limitations of claims 6-9 and 11-20 are considered to be either redundant to the explanations of the prior art above, or to flow naturally from the explanations of the prior art above, and therefore further mapping is omitted.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to T. S. FIX whose telephone number is (571)272-8535. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 10a-3p.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Minnah Seoh can be reached at 5712707778. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/T. SCOTT FIX/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3618