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 Amendment/Arguments
Applicant's amendment filed on 5/16/2026 has been entered.
Applicant’s amendments to the drawings overcomes the 1/28/2026 objection to the drawings.
Applicant’s amendment to the abstract and specification overcomes the 1/28/2026 objection the specification.
Applicant’s amendment to claim 32 overcomes the 1/28/2026 objection to claim 32.
Claims 1, 6, 8, 15-17, 19-20, 24-26, and 29-32 have been amended.
Claims 2-5 and 33 have been canceled.
Claims 7, 9, 13-14, 18, 21-23, and 27 are as previously presented.
Claims 10-12 and 34-43 were previously cancelled.
Claims 44-45 have been added.
Claims 1, 6-9, 13-32, and 44-45 are still pending in this application, with claims 1 and 19 being independent.
Applicant’s amendment to the claims overcomes some of the 1/28/2026 rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) of claims 1-9 and 13-32, and introduces new 112b rejections, see below.
Applicant’s amendment to the claims overcomes the 1/28/2026 rejections under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1), 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2), and 35 U.S.C. 103 of the corresponding claims.
Applicant’s arguments regarding Sinnet disclosing/suggesting the limitations of amended claim 1 (now including at least limitations from claim 5) are not persuasive [Remarks: “Neither Cohen nor Sinnet discloses or suggests this conditional, motion-converting slot-and-pin mechanism that converts linear actuator 32 movement into controlled rotation, and thus the proposed substitution is not a simple design choice but would require a fundamental redesign of the prior art systems. Applicant therefore submits the rejection of §103 should be withdrawn.”], and a new 35 U.S.C. 103 has been presented below.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description:
654 in fig. 28.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Interpretation
“dispensing station” is used by the claims to indicate conventional structure known in the art, i.e., “structural arrangement for storing and delivering food, such as a hopper and feed mechanism” [see 5/16/2026 Remarks]
“food transfer station” is used by the claims to indicate conventional structure known in the art, i.e., “a mechanical assembly comprising a basin, linear actuator, carriage, fixed pin, and a slot configured to engage and track the fixed pin to induce rotation” [see 5/16/2026 Remarks]
“fry station” is used by the claims to indicate conventional structure known in the art, i.e., “well-understood structural arrangement including a fryer and associated cooking hardware” [see 5/16/2026 Remarks]
“mixing station” is used by the claims to indicate conventional structure known in the art, i.e., “a physical assembly including a mixing bowl and agitator or blade” [see 5/16/2026 Remarks]
“computer system” is used by the claims to indicate conventional structure known in the art, i.e., “a well-known class of structural devices comprising processors, memory, and control electronics”
“elevator” is used by the claims to mean a linear actuator, a carriage, and a mount [paras. 0064-65]
“sprayer” is used by the claims to mean one or more spray jets arranged to aim air or liquid [para. 0080]
“carriage” is used by the claims to indicate conventional structure known in the art, i.e., “a well-understood mechanical structure that is slidably coupled to a linear actuator and moves there along” [see 5/16/2026 Remarks]
“clamp assembly” is used by the claims to indicate conventional structure known in the art, i.e., “definite structural components, including a socket, plug, and locking member” [see 5/16/2026 Remarks]
“seasoning dispenser” is being interpreted as conventional structure known in the art, e.g., a liquid pump (e.g., a peristaltic pump), a rotating auger, and equivalents thereof [see claim interpretation of mixing station above; para. 0072]
“hub assembly” is used by the claims to indicate conventional structure known in the art, i.e., “a mechanical coupling structure, including a hub, flange, and rotating shaft” [see 5/16/2026 Remarks]
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.
Claims 1, 6-9, 13-32, and 44-45 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claim 1:
the limitation “at least one type of seasoning” in line 11 renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear if this is intended to be distinct from the “at least one type of seasoning” recited in lines 6-7. For the purposes of this office action, Examiner will interpret line 11 as reciting “the at least one type of seasoning”
Claim 6:
there is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation “guide” in line 1. In view of para. 0065 (“The mount 38 includes a guide or slot 39…”), for the purposes of this office action, Examiner will interpret claim 6 as reciting “wherein the slot [[and]]or [[the]]a guide [[are]]is arranged…”
Claim 7:
The limitation “the mount” lacks sufficient antecedent basis and will be interpreted as “the basin mount”
Claim 8:
The recitation of “claim 2” renders the claim indefinite because claim 2 has been canceled. The claim will be interpreted as depending on claim 1.
Claim 19:
the limitation “at least one type of seasoning” in line 11 renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear if this is intended to be distinct from the “at least one type of seasoning” recited in lines 6-7. For the purposes of this office action, Examiner will interpret line 11 as reciting “the at least one type of seasoning”
Claims 6-9, 13-18, 20-32, and 44-45 are rejected because of dependence on a rejected claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 19-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Cohen (US 20210107724 A1).
Regarding claim 19,
Cohen teaches:
An automated food frying system [i.e., an automated food preparation system including a frying process; para. 0003: “This disclosure generally relates to the fields of robotics/automation and cooking/culinary arts”; para. 0102: “An automated food preparation system may employ receptacles or vessels into or onto which ingredients can be dispensed for processing and/or delivery to a user. Processing may include heating (e.g., frying, sauteing, simmering, boiling, baking, broiling, grilling), cooling, blending, mixing, chopping, cutting, whisking/whipping, stirring, etc., and combinations thereof.”] comprising:
a dispensing station for dispensing a predetermined amount of raw food [i.e., a pouch manipulator 630 of a first transport (para. 0146) for the controlled dispensing of uncooked ingredients stored in a pouch (paras. 0172; 0193), into a reusable cleanable vessels (e.g., liner 642a; para. 0149); see fig. 19];
a food transfer station comprising a basin [i.e., a liner 642a held by a ring; fig. 19(f); para. 0156: “In FIG. 19(f), the second transport (with X stage 632) has lifted liner 642a out of a base similar to base 640 (e.g., the liner may extend past the base and be lifted by a ring, for example) and is shown transferring (e.g., pouring) ingredient(s) 658 from liner 642a ( or another container) into liner 642b beneath it.”] and a linear actuator operable to raise and lower the basin and for transferring the raw food to a fry basket [i.e., the second transport transferring the ingredients into a liner 642b in a heated base 640 (i.e., a reusable cleanable vessel ; see fig. 19), wherein the liner may be equipped with porous inserts in order to drain cooking liquid (para. 0241)];
a fry station including a fryer for frying the raw food into cooked food [i.e., heated base 640 for frying the ingredient (para. 0022) with a cooking liquid 475 such as oil (para. 0123);];
a mixing station [see figs. 19(k)(l), showing liners 642c/d as bowls being tumbled to mix ingredients therein; para. 0159:] for mixing the cooked food with at least one type of seasoning [i.e., an ingredient such as salt; para. 0155;]; and
wherein the mixing station comprises a bowl assembly [see fig. 16; para. 0129: “While many processing operations common in food preparation such as dispensing, heating, stirring, and mixing can be performed using properly-designed pouches, dispensers, bases, liners, and apparatus for tumbling, some operations may still best be achieved using more conventional tools or adaptations thereof, either within vessels (lined or unlined), or within pouches or other containers and packages which can be opened, deformed, peeled apart, etc. so as to expel the contents after processing.”], and wherein the bowl assembly comprises a bowl [i.e., liner 512] and a blade rotatable within the bowl [i.e., tool 506; para. 0132: “the spoon/paddle/spatula-like tool of FIG. 16(f) may be used for stirring or mixing.”]; and
wherein the blade comprises a flexible edge configured to contact and wipe an interior surface of the bowl during a cleaning operation to remove residual food from the interior surface [Cohen teaches that properties of the tool/blade may be selected according to the requirements of the given application, e.g., size/shape, flexibility, so as to contact and wipe the vessel interior; para. 0130: “FIG. 16(a) shows a cross-sectional elevation view of a representative tool 506 comprising support 508 and rods 510 which might be used for stirring or mixing. Rods 510 may be rigid or flexible, smooth or textured, of various lengths, widths, and cross-sectional shapes, of various materials, etc., for example.”; para. 0138: “In some embodiments, an approach in which the vessel interior surface is mechanically wiped (e.g., a self-emptying bowl) may also be used.”].
Regarding claim 20, Cohen teaches the system of claim 19.
Cohen further teaches:
further comprising at least one seasoning dispenser operable to dispense the at least one type of seasoning into the bowl [i.e., container 656; fig. 19; para. 0155: “FIGS. 19(e)-(l) depict elevation views of the system engaged in different processes. In FIG. 19(e), the system is in the process of dispensing ingredient(s) 654 from container 656 into liner 642. To accomplish this, first transport X stage 626 moves container manipulator 656 over the appropriate container 656 in container storage area 621 (this requires Z-axis motion given that these storage areas are below the pouch storage areas in the example shown), grasps container 656, transports it over liner 642, inverts it if required, and dispenses from it. Dispensing may involve vibrating or rotating it or components thereof ( e.g., to dispense salt and ground pepper, spices, and milled flour through small openings), grinding or otherwise subdividing it (e.g., for peppercorns or nuts), compressing it to squeeze out ingredients ( e.g., oil, milk) through a hole or nozzle, etc.”].
Regarding claim 21, Cohen teaches the system of claim 20.
Cohen further teaches:
wherein the bowl assembly is detachably coupled to a frame that is tiltably hung between opposing supports [i.e., a ring 450 detachably holding a liner, the ring being attached to the carriage for support, the ring being tiltable such that it can be rotated so as to pour ingredients into the base; para. 0119: “In some embodiments the entire base 446 may be tilted to allow for pouring ( or tumbling/falling out of an ingredient), while in other embodiments as is shown in FIG. 13(c), ring 450 may raise liner 448 above the base and tilt it to pour ingredient 457 within into a receptacle, allowing base 446 to remain fixed.”].
Regarding claim 22, Cohen teaches the system of claim 21.
Cohen further teaches:
wherein the mixing station further includes a motor mounted to the frame [i.e., motor 518; fig. 16; para. 0130: “a motor 518 able to rotate tool 506 as shown by arrow 519, etc. are additionally depicted.”].
Regarding claim 23, Cohen teaches the system of claim 22.
Cohen further teaches:
wherein the bowl assembly further comprises a hub assembly [i.e., a detachable coupling] that is removably engageable with the motor mounted on the frame [i.e., the tool 506 is removably engageable with the motor; para. 0132: “All tools may be attached to the motor through a detachable coupling (not shown) known to the art of machine design, allowing tool interchangeability.”].
Regarding claim 24, Cohen teaches the system of claim 23.
Cohen further teaches:
wherein the computer system is programmed and operable to tilt the bowl assembly forward to a dispense position, wherein the dispense position is at a first angle such that at least a portion of the food falls from the bowl into a receiving area [para. 0154: “All motions and operations described as follows are implemented by the controller, based on following a program (e.g., including a recipe in suitable form and appropriate algorithms), and may involve directing the motion of various actuators, receiving and processing the input of various sensors, tracking time via a clock, etc.”].
Regarding claim 25, Cohen teaches the system of claim 24.
Cohen further teaches:
wherein the computer system is programmed and operable to tilt the bowl assembly to a clean position, wherein the clean position is at a second angle such that residue falls from the bowl into a debris collection area [i.e., a waste bin; para. 0138: “Whether or not vessels include liners, it can be challenging to remove all the ingredients within simply by tilting or inverting the vessel, due to the tendency for many ingredients (particularly if moist/wet) to cling to the vessel's inner surface. This leads to ingredient waste, the possibility of incorrect recipes due to ingredients remaining behind in the vessel, increased difficulty in cleaning the vessel (if unlined), etc. Therefore it is useful to employ efficient methods for removing all ingredients from a vessel. In some embodiments the vessel can be struck ( e.g., with a soft mallet or equivalent), vibrated, spun, or otherwise moved with the goal of dislodging ingredients from the surface. In some embodiments, a fluid jet (e.g., air) can be used to push ingredients out of the vessel.”; para. 0188: “Not shown in FIG. 23(a) are the waste bin (e.g., a simple box),”].
Regarding claim 26, Cohen teaches the system of claim 25.
Cohen further teaches:
wherein the computer system is programmed and operable to rotate the blade when the bowl is in the clean position [para. 0138: “In some embodiments, an approach in which the vessel interior surface is mechanically wiped (e.g., a self-emptying bowl) may also be used.”].
Regarding claim 27, Cohen teaches the system of claim 25.
Cohen further teaches:
further comprising a sprayer aimed at the bowl when the bowl is in the clean position, and the computer is programmed and operable to cause the sprayer to rinse the bowl during cleaning [i.e., a fluid jet pushing ingredients out of the vessel; para. 0138: “Whether or not vessels include liners, it can be challenging to remove all the ingredients within simply by tilting or inverting the vessel, due to the tendency for many ingredients (particularly if moist/wet) to cling to the vessel's inner surface. This leads to ingredient waste, the possibility of incorrect recipes due to ingredients remaining behind in the vessel, increased difficulty in cleaning the vessel (if unlined), etc. Therefore it is useful to employ efficient methods for removing all ingredients from a vessel. In some embodiments the vessel can be struck ( e.g., with a soft mallet or equivalent), vibrated, spun, or otherwise moved with the goal of dislodging ingredients from the surface. In some embodiments, a fluid jet (e.g., air) can be used to push ingredients out of the vessel.”].
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1, 6-8, 13-14, 28-30, 32, and 44-45 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cohen (US 20210107724 A1) in view of Sinnet (US 20200139554 A1).
Regarding claim 1,
Cohen discloses:
An automated food frying system [i.e., an automated food preparation system including a frying process; para. 0003: “This disclosure generally relates to the fields of robotics/automation and cooking/culinary arts”; para. 0102: “An automated food preparation system may employ receptacles or vessels into or onto which ingredients can be dispensed for processing and/or delivery to a user. Processing may include heating (e.g., frying, sauteing, simmering, boiling, baking, broiling, grilling), cooling, blending, mixing, chopping, cutting, whisking/whipping, stirring, etc., and combinations thereof.”] comprising:
a plurality of functional stations [i.e., a plurality of methods and apparatus for preparing (e.g., for dispensing, manipulating, heating) ingredients (i.e., raw food and cooked food); abstract: “Methods and apparatus for automatically preparing food for consumption in which preparation comprises dispensing, manipulation, heating, and other operations using a wide variety of ingredients. The methods and apparatus described use ingredients efficiently and maintain their quality, while avoiding contact between ingredients and apparatus to minimize the risk of system contamination.”] selected from the group comprising:
a dispensing station for dispensing a predetermined amount of raw food [i.e., a pouch manipulator 630 of a first transport (para. 0146) for the controlled dispensing of uncooked ingredients stored in a pouch (paras. 0172; 0193), into a reusable cleanable vessels (e.g., liner 642a; para. 0149); see fig. 19];
a food transfer station for transferring the raw food [i.e., a second transport; paras. 0147; 0237]
to a fry basket [i.e., the second transport transferring the ingredients into a liner 642b in a heated base 640 (i.e., a reusable cleanable vessel ; see fig. 19), wherein the liner may be equipped with porous inserts in order to drain cooking liquid (para. 0241)];
a fry station comprising a fryer for frying the raw food into cooked food [i.e., heated base 640 for frying the ingredient (para. 0022) with a cooking liquid 475 such as oil (para. 0123);];
a mixing station [see figs. 19(k)(l), showing liners 642c/d as bowls being tumbled to mix ingredients therein; para. 0159:] comprising a bowl [e.g., liner 512] and blade [i.e., tool 506; para. 0132: “the spoon/paddle/spatula-like tool of FIG. 16(f) may be used for stirring or mixing.”] configured to mix the cooked food with
at least one type of seasoning [i.e., an ingredient such as salt; para. 0155;]; and
a computer system programmed to control the plurality of functional stations, in sequence, to dispense the raw food, transfer the raw food to the fry basket, fry the raw food, transfer the cooked food to the mixing station, and mix the cooked food with at least one type of seasoning [paras. 0312-0314: “The control of the apparatus and the implementation of the methods and steps described herein may be achieved using hardware, software, or any combination thereof, together forming a controller or control system... The control system may serve to load files, perform calculations, output files, control actuators such as motors, voice coils, solenoids, fans, and heaters, and acquire data from sensors, to automate or semi-automate apparatus which can implement the methods and steps described herein. Each method described herein, including any sequential steps that may be taken for the method's implementation and any modification of the behavior of the apparatus or control system as a result of human or sensor input, as well as combinations of such methods, may be implemented and performed by the control system, executing a program, or code, embodied in the control system. ”], and
wherein the food transfer station comprises:
a basin [i.e., a liner 642a held by a ring; fig. 19(f); para. 0156: “In FIG. 19(f), the second transport (with X stage 632) has lifted liner 642a out of a base similar to base 640 (e.g., the liner may extend past the base and be lifted by a ring, for example) and is shown transferring (e.g., pouring) ingredient(s) 658 from liner 642a ( or another container) into liner 642b beneath it.”];
an elongate vertically-extending linear actuator [i.e., the second transport lifting the liner from a base similar to base 640];
a carriage operably coupled with the linear actuator to move up and down along the linear actuator [i.e., the second transport lifting the liner from a lower stack to the right of base 640 to a position above liner 642b, wherein Cohen teaches carriage 634 of the second transport able to move along the Z axis (para. 0147) and a linear actuator assembly to effect a vertical motion; para. 0186: “Frame 738 is attached to carriage 746 through two linear bearings 732 riding on rails 748 or rods, allowing linear actuator 750 at the top of carriage 746 to move the assembly comprising frame 738 and attached components vertically.”];
a basin mount rotatably coupling the basin to the carriage such that the basin is freely rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the linear actuator [i.e., a ring 450 holding a liner above a base, rotated so as to pour ingredients into the base; para. 0119: “In some embodiments the entire base 446 may be tilted to allow for pouring ( or tumbling/falling out of an ingredient), while in other embodiments as is shown in FIG. 13(c), ring 450 may raise liner 448 above the base and tilt it to pour ingredient 457 within into a receptacle, allowing base 446 to remain fixed.”]; and
[i.e., the conventional act of pouring of contents out of liner 642a into liner 642b by tilting/rotating; para. 0101: “When the controller commands the release of at least a portion of the ingredient inside the tub 388, it can be tilted as in FIG. 9(b) using a suitable actuator, which also pulls tub 388 at least partly away from lid 392, allowing ingredient 390 to be poured out from the tub (if flowable as shown), or fall/tumble out (if more solid).”].
However, although Cohen teaches conventional actuators enabling tilting/rotating for pouring, Cohen does not explicitly disclose:
a fixed pin extending from the linear actuator
wherein the basin mount comprises a slot which is arranged relative to the linear actuator to engage the fixed pin as the basin is being raised above a dump position, and such that when the basin mount engages the fixed pin, the fixed pin tracks the slot, thereby causing the basin mount and fixedly coupled basin to progressively rotate.
Sinnet, in the same field of endeavor, teaches a slot arranged on a fryer basket 850 [see fig. 19, showing inverted hook 852, positioned relative to”] which is positioned relative to a fixed pin [horizontal bar 870] such that when the basket is raised, the hook is received by the horizontal bar, causing the basket to progressively pivot [i.e., the linear vertical motion is converted into a controlled rotation of the fryer basket; para. 0278: “FIG. 19 shows a basket design with implement 870 for easy dumping of basket without lifting full weight of basket. The basket 850 is shown having an inverted hook 852 on the front to engage with a horizontal bar 870 on a workspace as a pivot. This enables the basket to be dumped without lifting the entire weight of the basket.”].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to modify the system of Cohen by substituting the use of a conventional motor to rotate the vessel [para. 0229: “The vessel (and when desired, lid) may be driven to rotate by a conventional actuator such as a motor (not shown) through an attached vessel shaft 894 supported by a standard bearing (not shown).”] such that the food transfer station includes a fixed pin extending from the linear actuator; the basin mount rotatably coupling the basin to the carriage such that the basin is freely rotatable about the axis perpendicular to the linear actuator when not engaged with the fixed pin, wherein the basin mount comprises a slot which is arranged relative to the linear actuator to engage the fixed pin as the basin is being raised above a dump position, and such that when the basin mount engages the fixed pin, the fixed pin tracks the slot, thereby causing the basin mount and fixedly coupled basin to progressively rotate, since Sinnet teaches this simple arrangement enables the basket to be dumped without lifting the entire weight of the basket [para. 0278].
Regarding claim 6, Cohen in view of Sinnet discloses the system of claim 1.
Cohen as modified by Sinnet, specifically Sinnet further teaches:
wherein the slot and guide are arranged to cause a greater than 90-degree rotation of the basin from upright in order to dump the cooked food.
In this case, selecting a given angle of rotation of the basin would have flown naturally to one of one of ordinary skill in the art as necessitated by the specific requirements of a given application (e.g., to allow for dumping of contents of the basin). It would have been an obvious matter of design choice to select a rotation greater than 90 degrees, since the applicant has not disclosed that the rotation angle solves any problem or is for a particular reason. It appears that the claimed invention would perform equally well with selected such that it allows for easy dumping without lifting the full weight of basket, as taught by Sinnet.
Regarding claim 7, Cohen in view of Sinnet discloses the system of claim 6.
Cohen further discloses:
further comprising a magnet interface between the mount and the carriage to prevent the basin from separating from the carriage when the basin is rotated to dump the cooked food.
Specifically, Cohen teaches a container manipulator combined with the pouch manipulator comprising a magnet as a mechanical interface [para. 0148: “5) A container manipulator-adjacent to or combined with the pouch manipulator (not shown, but in some embodiments comprising a mechanical interface such a gripper, magnets, or electromagnets). In some embodiments this may interface with containers such as shown in FIG. 9, and may be equipped with grippers or another interface to the containers. It may be rotatable in some embodiments.”]. Cohen further teaches using magnetic couplers when securing a carrier (i.e., a liner/vessel) to a transport (i.e., a drive belt); para. 0209: “In some embodiments carriers are connected to the drive belt directly or through couplers 844, such as magnetic couplers 845 used in some embodiment variations. Magnetic couplers are advantageous in that no slot is required in the plate to allow direct mechanical connections between the belt and carriers, allowing for better thermal control and easier cleaning.”].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to further modify the system of Cohen and Sinnet, by including a magnet interface between the mount and the carriage to prevent the basin from separating from the carriage when the basin is rotated to dump the cooked food, since Cohen teaches a magnet interface allows for a secure, direct mechanical connection while allowing for better thermal control and easier cleaning [para. 0209].
Regarding claim 8, Cohen in view of Sinnet discloses the system of claim 2.
Cohen further discloses:
wherein the dispensing station includes
a cold storage [para. 0240: “In some embodiments the food preparation system can be refrigerated (including the portion of the system where processing is done and/or storage areas).”],
a hopper [para. 0207: “In some embodiments ingredients, particularly those commonly used and with long shelf lives, may be housed within the bowlbot semi-permanently, and be dispensed from canisters, hoppers, shakers, vats, tubes, tanks, boxes, and other holding and dispensing devices known to the art.”], and
a ramp to direct the food into the basin when the basin is positioned at the home elevation [Cohen further teaches the known method of using ramps; para. 0280: “Pouches can include internal Pachinko-like elements, diagonal (or parallel) ramps alternating from side to side, vertical walls subdividing the pouch into a set of tubes, internal sieves, internal rough textures, etc. (at least several of which can be made using impulse or ultrasonic sealing) to slow down the flow of material (solid or fluid) through viscous drag and surface tension effects, and avoid self-emptying.”].
Regarding claim 13, Cohen in view of Sinnet discloses the system of claim 1.
Cohen further discloses:
further comprising
a robotic arm for transferring the cooked food from the fry station to the mixing station [i.e., a robotic device such as a jointed arm can be used to effect the motion of the carriage; para. 0137: “FIG. 17 depicts as cross-sectional elevation views a sequence of steps in some embodiments by which motor 570 with coupler 572 and pickup for a cap 574 is moved by carriage 576 forming part of a conventional motion stage (not shown) or moved by another form of robotic device, such as a jointed arm…”], and
a clamp assembly mounted to the robotic arm via an end effector, wherein the clamp assembly is adapted to detachably hold the fry basket [i.e., carriage 634 equipped with end effectors (e.g., vacuum pickup) to detachably hold liners, wherein the tool would be clamped using a coupler 572 to retain it; para. 0147: “4) A second transport comprising X stage 632 as well as Y and Z stages, and carriage 634 able to move along the X, Y, and Z axes and rotate ( e.g., around the Z axis) and equipped with end effectors ( e.g., vacuum pickup) able to grasp liners and couple to caps and tools, as well as drive tools, e.g., through a motor.”; para. 0137: “Carriage 576 then moves over a tool (here, chopper 580) in tool storage area 584 as in FIG. 17(c) and motor 570 is coupled to tool 580 ( e.g., coupler 572 may involve a hexagonal or octagonal shaft fitting into a similarly-shaped socket, with a magnet or electromagnet to retain it).”].
Regarding claim 14, Cohen in view of Sinnet discloses the system of claim 13.
Cohen further discloses:
wherein the clamp assembly comprises a plug and a socket adapted to receive the plug [i.e., coupler 572 involving a shaft and similarly-shaped socket; para. 0137: “Carriage 576 then moves over a tool (here, chopper 580) in tool storage area 584 as in FIG. 17(c) and motor 570 is coupled to tool 580 ( e.g., coupler 572 may involve a hexagonal or octagonal shaft fitting into a similarly-shaped socket, with a magnet or electromagnet to retain it).”].
Regarding claim 28, Cohen in view of Sinnet discloses the system of claim 1.
Cohen further discloses:
wherein the computer system is programmed and operable store and update status of the food, wherein the status comprises at least one status from the groups comprising: on-line/ready, dispensing, frying, mixing, order ready/pickup, service, off-line [para. 0211: “When a bowl has been filled, the controller may notify ( e.g., through an SMS text message, automated phone call, mobile app, email, Web site, loudspeaker announcement, etc.) the customer directly or indirectly that her order is completed”].
Regarding claim 29, Cohen in view of Sinnet discloses the system of claim 28.
Cohen further discloses:
wherein the computer system is programmed and operable to
receive orders [para. 0253: “In some embodiments vending machines as described herein may be deployed as outdoor, weatherproof kiosks, including drive-up kiosks, allowing orders to be placed ( or just picked up) in a "drive through" manner.”],
make modifications to the order [para. 0300: “Bowlbots and other systems can be viewed as a "restaurant in a box", and can change the recipes and even types of cuisine they supply by simply receiving another set of recipe instructions and if needed, different ingredients. Such changes can be made on a frequent (e.g., daily) basis.”], and
provide reports including the order, status, and time [para. 0211: “When a bowl has been filled, the controller may notify ( e.g., through an SMS text message, automated phone call, mobile app, email, Web site, loudspeaker announcement, etc.) the customer directly or indirectly that her order is completed”; para. 0314: “The control system may serve to load files, perform calculations, output files, control actuators such as motors, voice coils, solenoids, fans, and heaters, and acquire data from sensors, to automate or semi-automate apparatus which can implement the methods and steps described herein. Each method described herein, including any sequential steps that may be taken for the method's implementation and any modification of the behavior of the apparatus or control system as a result of human or sensor input, as well as combinations of such methods, may be implemented and performed by the control system, executing a program, or code, embodied in the control system.”; para. 0255: “The system may provide notifications (e.g., via the Internet) when foods are ready, when it runs out of ingredient, of any problems encountered, of a need for maintenance, etc.”].
Regarding claim 30, Cohen in view of Sinnet discloses the system of claim 1.
Cohen further comprises:
further comprising a weighing station comprising a scale for weighing the raw food from the food dispensing station [para. 0261: “Sensors may be used for a variety of functions in some embodiments such as… weight measurements can be performed not just on a pouch discharging ingredients, but also on one receiving them, or on a vessel or other container discharging or receiving ingredients”], and wherein the food transfer station is operable to lower the basin onto the scale, detach the carriage from the basin such that the basin can sit freely on the scale [i.e., the detachable liner is placed onto the base, where it is secured via vacuum; para. 0104: “Vacuum ports/channels 398 can controllably supply vacuum to the space between base and liner (i.e., remove air from that space) and pull the relatively flexible liner 400 (shown in the 3D sectional view of FIG. l0(b)) against surface 396, holding it there in intimate contact with surface 396, so as to achieve excellent heat transfer between base 394 and liner 400”], and to weigh the raw food [i.e., base 394 as the scale, wherein the second transfer lowers a liner into the base; para. 0104: “Base 394 may also incorporate strain gauges or other sensors ( either as part of the apparatus that mounts the base to the system, or as part of the base) to measure the mass or weight of ingredients added to the vessel (the weight of the pouch contents may also be measured),”].
Regarding claim 32, Cohen in view of Sinnet discloses the system of claim 1.
Cohen further teaches:
further comprising at least one sensor to detect the presence of the basin along the linear actuator, and wherein the computer system and the at least one sensor are operable to monitor the elevation of the basin [i.e., sensors to detect a bowl, such that the controller can keep track of individual bowls and a corresponding customer and corresponding required ingredients; para. 0210: “Sensors (e.g., optical, weight) within each delivery box can be used to verify that a box has been properly loaded with a bowl, and to detect when the bowl has been removed by a customer, thus freeing up the box for another bowl. The bowlbot controller can make decisions based on sensor data to determine for example which delivery box ( e.g., the first empty box available) should be used when offloading the next bowl. To accomplish this and other functions, the controller may keep track of each bowl, including which bowls belong to which customer and which bowls receive which ingredients.”].
Regarding claim 44, Cohen in view of Sinnet discloses the system of claim 1.
Cohen further discloses
further comprising a basin hold affixed to the basin, and a basin connector coupled to the carriage, and wherein the basin hold is adapted to receive the basin connector in order to vertically move the basin in sync with the carriage [Cohen teaches a mechanical interface as the basin holder and basin connector; para. 0148: “5) A container manipulator-adjacent to or combined with the pouch manipulator (not shown, but in some embodiments comprising a mechanical interface such a gripper, magnets, or electromagnets). In some embodiments this may interface with containers such as shown in FIG. 9, and may be equipped with grippers or another interface to the containers. It may be rotatable in some embodiments.”].
Regarding claim 45, Cohen in view of Sinnet discloses the system of claim 44.
Cohen further discloses:
wherein the basin connector and basin hold are detachably coupled together such that as the carriage is moved downward and the basin is supported from underneath by a platform, the carriage, basin mount, and basin connector continue downward detaching from the platform-supported basin and basin hold [i.e., Cohen further teaches that the detachable mechanical connection allows the basin to be detached so as to cleaning; para. 0209: “In some embodiments carriers are connected to the drive belt directly or through couplers 844, such as magnetic couplers 845 used in some embodiment variations. Magnetic couplers are advantageous in that no slot is required in the plate to allow direct mechanical connections between the belt and carriers, allowing for better thermal control and easier cleaning.”].
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cohen (US 20210107724 A1) in view of Sinnet (US 20200139554 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Rolle (US 6165525 A).
Regarding claim 9, Cohen teaches the system of claim 1.
However, Cohen does not explicitly disclose:
wherein the fry basket comprises side walls and a bottom plate, and wherein the bottom plate includes a plurality of vents arranged along the bottom to direct the oil and food through the basket, thereby reducing clumping of the food in the basket during cooking.
Rolle, in the same field of endeavor, teaches wherein the fry basket comprises side walls and a bottom plate, and wherein the bottom plate includes a plurality of vents arranged along the bottom to direct the oil and food through the basket, thereby reducing clumping of the food in the basket during cooking [see figs. 11 and 12, showing a plurality of vents 65 in a bottom of a fry basket; col. 7, lines 39-46: “FIG. 11 provides another view of the basket, and illustrates the general configuration thereof. Reference is made to FIG. 12. Base ribs 63 are provided radially on the basket base 53. These radial ribs are believed to promote a bellows effect during flexure. The basket base 53 also includes openings 65 formed therein to permit the flow of cooking liquid into and out of the basket.”].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to modify the system of Cohen by including the openings of Rolle, such that the fry basket comprises side walls and a bottom plate, and wherein the bottom plate includes a plurality of vents arranged along the bottom to direct the oil and food through the basket, thereby reducing clumping of the food in the basket during cooking, since Rolle teaches this permits the flow of cooking liquid into and out of the basket [col. 7, lines 39-46].
Claims 15-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cohen (US 20210107724 A1) in view of Sinnet (US 20200139554 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Zhang (CN 211759422 U).
Regarding claim 15, Cohen in view of Sinnet discloses the system of claim 14.
However, although Cohen teaches that a locking assembly may involve a magnet or electromagnet to retain shaft in the socket [para. 0137: “coupler 572 may involve a hexagonal or octagonal shaft fitting into a similarly-shaped socket, with a magnet or electromagnet to retain it”], Cohen does not explicitly disclose:
wherein the plug comprises a lateral cut out, and the socket comprises a lateral window that aligns with the cutout when the socket is inserted into the socket.
Zhang, in the same field of endeavor, teaches an equivalent locking assembly comprising a lateral cut out in a plug [see fig. 4n showing a wedge shaped cutout in connecting ring 15] corresponding to, and aligning with, a lateral window [see fig. 4, showing 22 and 14 in a lateral window formed in a socket].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to modify the system of Cohen, by substituting the magnet with a lateral cut out and lateral window, such that the plug comprises a lateral cut out, and the socket comprises a lateral window that aligns with the lateral cut out when the plug is inserted into the socket, since Zhang teaches this predictably secures a plug to a socket, but also allows for convenient changing [p. 1: “The utility model not only can purify the harmful gas generated when welding, which is good for environment protection, but also convenient to change after the filter layer saturated adsorption, saving time and labour efficiency is high.”].
Regarding claim 16, Cohen in view of Sinnet and Zhang discloses the system of claim 15.
Cohen as modified by Sinnet and Zhang, specifically Zhang further discloses:
wherein the clamp assembly further comprises a locking member to hold the socket to the plug through the window and lateral cut out [i.e., wedge-shaped clamping block 17; fig. 4].
Regarding claim 17, Cohen in view of Sinnet and Zhang disclose the system of claim 16.
Cohen as modified by Zhang, specifically Zhang further discloses:
wherein the locking member has a wedge shape such that as the locking member is advanced into the lateral cut out, the plug is further advanced into the socket [see fig. 17].
Regarding claim 18, Cohen in view of Sinnet and Zhang disclose the system of claim 17.
Cohen further discloses:
wherein the socket is attached to the end effector, and the plug is attached to the fry basket [i.e., the socket is arranged at a distal end of the robot arm, and the plug is attached to the end effector that is gripping the fry basket].
Claim 31 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cohen (US 20210107724 A1) in view of Sinnet (US 20200139554 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Naslenas (GB 2547286 A).
Regarding claim 31, Cohen in view of Sinnet discloses the system of claim 30.
However, although Cohen discloses sensors for measuring the weight of ingredients in dispensing or receiving vessels [para. 0261] and that the controller operates according to a recipe and sensor input [para. 0195: “All steps are as-commanded by the controller, based on a stored program implementing various algorithms which may include a recipe, sensor input, etc.”], Cohen does not explicitly disclose:
wherein the computer system is programmed and operable control the food transfer station and food dispensing station to add more raw food to the basin if an order or recipe calls for more raw food than was initially dispensed into the basin.
Naslenas, in the same field of endeavor, teaches ingredients added in a metered amounts [p. 17: “The portioning wheel can therefore be 5 actuated to deliver measured amounts onto weighing section 63, so that a measured amount of ingredients can be portioned out for delivery to a cooking vessel 200”], wherein the weight of the ingredients is measured by a weighing station [i.e., weighing section 63; p. 4: “At least one of the ingredient portioning stations may comprise weighing means”].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to modify the system of Cohen, by adding ingredients to the basin while measuring the weight of the added ingredients, as taught by Naslenas, such that the computer system is programmed and operable to control the food transfer station and food dispensing station to add more raw food to the basin if an order or recipe calls for more raw food than was initially dispensed into the basin, since Naslenas teaches that this predictably dispenses the correct amount, thereby allowing for accurate following of a recipe [p. 17: “When the correct amount of ingredients have been measured in the weighing section 63, then an opening such as a flap or "trap door" 66 can be opened automatically to deliver the ingredients to the cooking vessel 200.”].
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.
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/THEODORE J EVANGELISTA/Examiner, Art Unit 3761 /EDWARD F LANDRUM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3761
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