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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see “Applicants Arguments/Remarks”, filed May 12th, 2026, with respect to claim(s) 1 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of claim(s) 1 has been withdrawn.
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.
Claim(s) 10, 12 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being unpatentable by Smith (US 20200206947 A1).
Regarding claim 10, Smith discloses a gripping device (14; see Fig. 1A) comprising a chassis (10; see Fig. 1A) on which a plurality of grippers (30, 32, 34; see Fig. 1A) are mounted, the plurality of grippers comprising a first gripper (30; see Fig. 1A), a second gripper (32; see Fig. 1A) and a third gripper (34; see Fig. 1A).
Regarding claim 12, Smith discloses the gripping device according to claim 10, wherein the
first gripper comprising a first actuated finger (30; see Fig. 1A), the second gripper comprising a second actuated finger (32; see Fig. 1A), the first actuated finger is articulated relative to the first plate about a fifth axis (see annotated Fig. 5 below) and the second actuated finger is articulated relative to the second plate about a sixth axis (see annotated Fig. 5 below), the fifth axis and the sixth axis being substantially orthogonal to the first axis (see annotated Fig. 5 below), and wherein, a rotation of the first finger relative to the first plate about the fifth axis and a rotation of the second finger relative to the second plate about the sixth axis are actuated using a second actuation device (42; see Para. 0038) provided with a unique third actuator (46; see Fig. 8 for the actuator).
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Regarding claim 14, Smith discloses the gripping device according to claim 12, wherein the second actuation device (42; see Para. 0038) is arranged so that the rotational movements of the first finger (30) and of the second finger (32) are performed in opposite rotational ways (fingers can be rotated in both ways; grab or release).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 1-9 is/are allowed over the prior art of Smith (US 20200206947 A1). Regarding claims 1-9, there is no prior art alone or in combination that included a four-bar linkage including an actuator comprised in the second phalanx. The closest prior art of record Smith (US 20200206947 A1) teaches a four-bar linkage and an actuator disposed on the palm, but fails to disclose a four-bar linkage including a linear actuator, and the linear actuator connected to the second phalanx.
Claim(s) 11, 13 and 15-20 is/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
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to REHMAN A QURESHI whose telephone number is (571)272-6262. The examiner can normally be reached 7:00am-5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Gene Crawford can be reached at (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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/REHMAN A QURESHI/Examiner, Art Unit 3654
/GENE O CRAWFORD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3651
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