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 1/19/23, 9/23/24, and 12/1/25 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.
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 1-17 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
There is no antecedent basis for “the positioning mechanism” as recited in Claim 1, line 3. Therefore, the recitation of “a frame element secured relative to the positioning mechanism” as recited in Claim 1 is unclear and not clearly understood as to the relationship between “a frame element” and “a positioning mechanism.”
Note that an independent Claim 18 recites “a positioning mechanism configured for movement relative to the one or more objects within the handling environment” as contrary to Claim 1.
Claims 2-17 are rejected as being dependent on, and failing to cure the deficiencies of, rejected independent claim 1.
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 1-4 and 7-20, as best understood, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by YAMANE et al. (US 2022/0288793) (see IDS).
RE claims 1 and 18, YAMANE et al. (US 2022/0288793) discloses a robotic system (see Figs. 1-30) for handling one or more objects (A of Fig. 1) within a handling environment, the robotic system comprising: a positioning mechanism (110, 120, 120a of Fig. 2) configured for movement relative to the one or more objects within the handling environment; and an end effector operably coupled to the positioning mechanism and configured for engagement with the one or more objects, the end effector (130 of Fig. 3) comprising: a frame element (131, 132 of Fig. 5) secured relative to the positioning mechanism; and a plurality of engagement pads (134a, 134b) (see Figs. 1-8) operably coupled to the frame element (131), each of the plurality of engagement pads being moveable in one (see from Fig. 5 to Fig. 7) or more directions (see from Fig. 5 to Fig. 7 and another directions as shown in Figs. 18-20) relative to the frame element by a corresponding actuation assembly; wherein each of the corresponding actuation assemblies is independently operable via a screw thread rod (122A) (see Fig. 21) to move one of the plurality of engagement pads connected thereto throughout a respective range of motion such that each of the plurality of engagement pads is configured to engage a respective portion of the one or more objects.
Exhibit A
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RE claims 2 and 3, YAMANE et al. robotic system (US 2022/0288793) teaches that each of the plurality of engagement pads is configured for movement in a first direction defined along a first axis (see from Fig. 5 to Fig. 7) and a second direction defined along a second axis wherein a first movement of a first engagement pad in the first direction defines a height adjustment (see arrows D3 and D4 as shown in Fig. 30) and a second movement of the first engagement pad in the second direction defines a depth adjustment.
RE claims 4, 12, and 13, YAMANE et al. robotic system (US 2022/0288793) also shows the plurality of engagement pads comprises a vacuum pad defined by one or more suction elements (134a, 134a) positioned within the engagement pad, being distributed along a width of the end effector in a lateral arrangement such that each of the plurality of engagement pads is positioned at a respective position defined along the width (See Figs. 3 dn 309) wherein at least a portion of each of the plurality of engagement pads is made of a rubber, which is compliant material (see paragprah [0131]).
RE claims 7 and 8, Figs. 14 and 17 of YAMANE et al. robotic system (US 2022/0288793) disclose a controller (300) to provide the end effector is operable to engage the one or more objects within a plurality of distinct handling zones, the plurality of handling zones being defined by the plurality of engagement pads such that each of the plurality of engagement pads is configured to engage a respective portion of the one or more objects defined within a corresponding handling zone, wherein each of the plurality of handling zones is defined at least in part by the respective range of motion of one of the plurality of engagement pads as shown in Figs. 15 and 16.
RE claims 9-11, Figs. 3 and 4 of YAMANE et al. robotic system (US 2022/0288793) teach one or more support element (132a, 132) (se Fig. 3) configured to contact at least a portion of the one or more objects to support the one or more objects in an engaged position relative to the plurality of engagement pads wherein the one or more support elements comprises a plurality of support elements (137, 138), each of the plurality of support elements being positioned relative to a respective one of the plurality of engagement pads.
RE claims 14 and 15, Fig. 21 of YAMANE et al. robotic system (US 2022/0288793) provides a first actuator element (133A) (see paragraphs [0149-0152]) configured to move one or more of the plurality of engagement pads in a first direction relative to the frame assembly and a second actuator element (133A) (see paragraphs [0149-0152]) configured to move one or more of the plurality of engagement pads in a first direction relative to the frame assembly.
RE claims 16 and 20, YAMANE et al. robotic system (US 2022/0288793) also discloses a controller (300) (See Fig. 13) such that each actuation assembly is independently operable based on one or more control signals received from the controller (see paragraphs [0086-0087]).
RE claim 17, Fig. 3 of YAMANE et al. robotic system (US 2022/0288793) shows one or more lighting element (402) (see paragraph [0086-0087]) configured to selectively illuminate at least a portion of the handling environment.
RE claim 19, Fig. 3 of YAMANE et al. robotic system (US 2022/0288793) shows one or more image sensing component (400), the one or more image sensing component (401, 401) comprising one or more of image sensors operable to generate object data associated with the one or more objects provided within the handling environment, wherein the object data is indicative of one or more of an object position, an object size, and an object shape defined by at least a portion of the one or more objects (see paragraph [0086-0087]).
Claims 1-15 and 18, as best understood, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by McCollum et al. (10,029,374) (see IDS).
RE claims 1 and 18, McCollum et al. (10,029,374) discloses a robotic system (see Figs. 1-27) for handling one or more objects (see Fig. 10) within a handling environment, the robotic system comprising: a positioning mechanism (142) configured for movement relative to the one or more objects within the handling environment; and an end effector (see Fig. 3) coupled to the positioning mechanism and configured for engagement with the one or more objects, the end effector (see Fig. 3) comprising: a frame element (188, 189, 164) secured relative to the positioning mechanism; and a plurality of engagement pads (170, 180, 180) (see Figs. 1-8) operably coupled to the frame element (131), each of the plurality of engagement pads being moveable in one or more directions relative to the frame element by a corresponding actuation assembly; wherein each of the corresponding actuation assemblies is independently operable (See Figs. 3 and 4) to move one of the plurality of engagement pads connected thereto throughout a respective range of motion such that each of the plurality of engagement pads is configured to engage a respective portion of the one or more objects.
RE claims 2 and 3, Figs. 11 and 12 of McCollum et al. (10,029,374) teaches that each of the plurality of engagement pads (180, 180) is configured for movement in a first direction defined along a first axis and a second direction defined along a second axis wherein a first movement of a first engagement pad in the first direction defines a height adjustment and a second movement of the first engagement pad in the second direction defines a depth adjustment.
RE claims 4, 12, and 13, McCollum et al. (10,029,374) also shows the plurality of engagement pads comprises a vacuum pad defined by one or more suction elements (180, 180) positioned within the engagement pad, being distributed along a width of the end effector in a lateral arrangement such that each of the plurality of engagement pads is positioned at a respective position defined along the width (See Figs. 3 dn 309) wherein at least a portion of each of the plurality of engagement pads is made of a compliant material.
RE claims 5 and 6, Figs. 3 and 7 of McCollum et al. (10,029,374) teach the plurality of engagement pads comprises a first engagement pad connected to a first actuation assembly, a second engagement pad connected to a second actuation assembly, and a third engagement pad connected to a third actuation assembly, the first engagement pad being independently moveable throughout a first range of motion by the first actuation assembly, the second engagement pad being independently moveable throughout a second range of motion by the second actuation assembly, and the third engagement pad being independently moveable throughout a third range of motion by the third actuation assembly.
RE claims 7 and 8, McCollum et al. (10,029,374) disclose an input and output controller (125) to provide the end effector is operable to engage the one or more objects within a plurality of distinct handling zones, the plurality of handling zones being defined by the plurality of engagement pads such that each of the plurality of engagement pads is configured to engage a respective portion of the one or more objects defined within a corresponding handling zone, wherein each of the plurality of handling zones is defined at least in part by the respective range of motion of one of the plurality of engagement pads.
RE claims 9-11, Figs. 3 and 4 of McCollum et al. (10,029,374) teach one or more support element (188a-c) (see Fig. 17) (168, 170) configured to contact at least a portion of the one or more objects to support the one or more objects in an engaged position relative to the plurality of engagement pads wherein the one or more support elements comprises a plurality of support elements (188), each of the plurality of support elements being positioned relative to a respective one of the plurality of engagement pads.
RE claims 14 and 15, Figs. 2-4 of McCollum et al. (10,029,374) provides a first actuator element (178) configured to move one or more of the plurality of engagement pads in a first direction relative to the frame assembly and a second actuator element (178) configured to move one or more of the plurality of engagement pads in a first direction relative to the frame assembly.
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 16, 17, 19, and 20, as best understood, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McCollum et al. (10,029,374) in view of YAMANE et al. robotic system (US 2022/0288793.
McCollum et al. (10,029,374) ), as presented above, does not specifically show a controller, a camera, and a light. However, YAMANE et al. robotic system (US 2022/0288793) also discloses a controller (300) (See Fig. 13) such that each actuation assembly is independently operable based on one or more control signals received from the controller (see paragraphs [0086-0087]). Fig. 3 of YAMANE et al. robotic system (US 2022/0288793) shows one or more lighting element (402) (see paragraph [0086-0087]) configured to selectively illuminate at least a portion of the handling environment, Fig. 3 of YAMANE et al. robotic system (US 2022/0288793) shows one or more image sensing component (400), the one or more image sensing component (401, 401) comprising one or more of image sensors operable to generate object data associated with the one or more objects provided within the handling environment, wherein the object data is indicative of one or more of an object position, an object size, and an object shape defined by at least a portion of the one or more objects (see paragraph [0086-0087]).
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 controller on the McCollum et al. (10,029,374) as taught by YAMANE et al. robotic system (US 2022/0288793) to control the processing to go smooth, to provide a camera and a light on the McCollum et al. (10,029,374) as taught by YAMANE et al. robotic system (US 2022/0288793) to closely monitor the situation of the operation without any delay.
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.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Robert Hodge, can be reached on (571) 272-2097. 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 3654
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