DETAILED ACTION
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 filed 7/30/25, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-4, 6, 7, 10-12, 15, 16, 18 under USC 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Applicant’s arguments in regards bearing seals in Holzschuh not necessarily being fluid tight were convincing. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Holzschuh, Sugiura and Dimmler. The examiner has withdrawn the 112 rejection, though the term yoke is still broad and would encompass the examiner’s interpretation For purposes of compact prosecution, the examiner assumes that what applicant intends by “yoke” is that the 2nd support has an annulus/channel through which the spindle/drive goes through.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 1-4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 15, 16, 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Holzschuh (DE 19524314A) in view of Sugiura (US 2021/0016469) and Dimmler (AT 510725).
As to claim 1, Holzschuh teaches a drive unit for driving at least one component of a molding machine, comprising: a first support (5) [0016], a spindle (10) with one end mounted rotatably in or on the first support and protruding from the first support on one side [0022], a drive for rotating the spindle a second support a nut (14) arranged non-rotatably in or on the second support (14/15) and movable together with the second support along the spindle by rotating the spindle [0022-0024], an seal (unmarked seals under 5) which is arranged on the one side of the first support from which the spindle protrudes, so that an space is defined between the seal and the one side of the first support and the spindle, the second support and the nut are arranged along the spindle inside the space in each movement position of the second support and the nut [Fig 1].
Holzschuh does not explicitly state at least one rod which is arranged on the second support and is connectable to the at least one component to be driven of the molding machine or formable as part of the at least one component,
Sugiura teaches a molding apparatus [Abstract] wherein at least one rod which is arranged on the second support (SM) [0038] and is connectable to the at least one component to be driven (22) of the molding machine or formable as part of the at least one component [0038, Fig 1] as this configuration provided safety and prevented hazards during transmission of machine parts [0007] with lesser timing delay [0063]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have altered the invention of Holzschuh, as suggested by Sugiura, and had a rod which is arranged on the second support (SM) and is connectable to the at least one component to be driven, as suggested by Suhihara, in order to provide safety and prevent hazards during transmission of machine parts without a time delay.
Dimmler teaches an injection molding machine where the area of the drive and spindle is covered by a cover and seal that form a hermetically sealed space on a side of the first support [0019, 0022-0024, Fig 1-8]; this system was known to prevent contamination in a simple and compact manner that did not require an expensive complete cover of the entire machine[0012]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have altered the invention of Holzschuh and had the space be delimited by oil tight seals, as suggested by Dimmler, in order to prevent contamination without requiring large full system covering.
As to claims 2 and 15, Holzschuh teaches the first support is formed in the form of a plate (5) and is preferably penetrated by the at least one rod (3) [Fig 1].
As to claim 3, Holzschuh teaches the second support is formed in the form of a yoke [Fig 1].
As to claim 4, Holzschuh teaches an oil pan (the unmarked ribbed cross section structure outside the motor and 22) is arranged in the oil-tight space, in which the spindle is at least partly located [Fig 1].
As to claim 6, Holzschuh teaches a spindle is sealed to the first support by an oil-tight radial shaft sealing ring or by an oil-tight cover [Fig 1].
As to claim 7 and 16, Holzschuh teaches the drive (8) is located in the oil-tight space and is preferably at least partly arranged in an oil pan (the unmarked ribbed cross section structure outside the motor 13 and 22) of the oil-tight space [Fig 1].
As to claims 10 and 18, Holzschuh teaches A molding machine, injection-molding machine or transfer-molding machine, with the drive unit according to claim 1 [Abstract, Fig 1].
As to claim 11, Holzschuh teaches he molding machine according to claim 10, wherein the first support (5) is formed an end plate or a platen of the molding machine [Fig 1].
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Holzschuh (DE 19524314A) in view of Sugiura (US 2021/0016469) and Dimmler (AT 510725), as applied to claims 1-4, 6, 7, 10, 11 above, and in further view of Senga (US 2021/0053265).
As to claim 5, the at least one rod has a round cross section, penetrates the first support [Fig 1] but does not explicitly state that it is sealed by an oil-tight rod seal.
Senga teaches an injection molding machine with an oil-tight rod seal (42) around the rod to prevent leakage of lubricant [Abstract, 0041-0043, 0045]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have altered the invention of Holzschuh and had the rod be equipped with an oil-tight rod seal, as suggested by Senga, in order to prevent leakage of lubricant.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Holzschuh (DE 19524314A) in view of Sugiura (US 2021/0016469) and Dimmler (AT 510725), as applied to claims 1-4, 6, 7, 10, 11 above, and in further view of Gunther (AT 521266).
As to claim 9, Holzschuh does not explicitly state a linear guide within the oil tight space.
Gunther teaches a closing unit for a molding machine [Abstract] wherein guides (linear guides) lock the bars into place [Fig 10, 11, Page 2 and 3]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have altered the invention of Holzschuh and used linear guides in the oil space, as suggested by Gunther, in order to lock the bars into place.
The examiner has assumed the term linear guide refers to locking members sometimes referred to as guides that hold rods/tiebars in place and the term linear guide was a result of translation. As this item is entirely absent from the drawings, it is difficult to determine what applicant intends.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Holzschuh (DE 19524314A) in view of Sugiura (US 2021/0016469) and Dimmler (AT 510725), as applied to claims 1-4, 6, 7, 10, 11 above, and in further view of Senga II (US 2020/0108536).
As to claim 12, Holzschuh teaches a toggle clamp mechanism (6,7) but does not state the at least one rod is connected to a crosshead of a toggle clamp mechanism of the molding machine.
Senga teaches a molding machine [Abstract] wherein the rods (6) are connected to a toggle mechanism crosshead (13, 16) that provides support to the tie bars without causing deviations [0015-0016, 0006, 0009-0011, Fig 1]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have altered the invention of Holzschuh and had the rod be connected to the toggle mechanism crosshead, as suggested by Senga II, in order to support the tie bars without causing deviations.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ARMAND MELENDEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-0342. The examiner can normally be reached 9 AM- 6 PM Monday-Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Curtis Mayes can be reached on 571-272-1234. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ARMAND MELENDEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1759
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