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 .
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-2 and 4-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being unpatentable by Slezak (US 4929012 A).
Regarding claim 1, Slezak discloses a device for gripping a packing section as claimed in claim 1, wherein an insertion device (25) configured to insert at least one packing section for a gas/liquid separation column into a cylindrical casing (S; see Fig. 1), the insertion device comprising a deployment module (150) has a main member centered around a main axis of the insertion device, and a plurality of peripheral members (50) arranged circumferentially and evenly around the main axis each of the peripheral members contributing to forming the support of the gripping device (see Fig. 1), which has the support forming a chassis and retaining means (80, 80’) connected to this support and distributed angularly so as to surround the packing section that is to be gripped (see Fig. 1), at least one of the retaining means having movable shoes (60) respectively intended to be in contact with a peripheral edge of the packing section and a plurality of platforms (26, 27) disposed in at least two stages, each platform bearing articulation means able to interact with a platform of a different stage or one of the movable shoes (see Col. 6, lines 30-50), by bearing a respective one of the retaining means (80, 80’) configured to grip a packing section (see Fig. 1), the deployment module (150) being configured to modify the dimension of the insertion device in order to adjust the position of the retaining means (80, 80’) around the packing section that is to be gripped (see Abstract), by modifying a radial distance between the main member (20) and each of the peripheral members (50; see Abstract).
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Regarding claim 2, Slezak discloses the gripping device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retaining means (80, 80’) are arranged in relation to one another so as to form a circle (see Fig. 1), the said retaining means being evenly distributed angularly (see Fig. 1).
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Regarding claim 4, Slezak discloses the gripping device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each retaining means (80, 80’) has a base platform (21) which is connected to the support of the gripping device and bears an assembly of articulation means (151) able to interact with first additional platforms (133) forming a first stage of platforms of the gripping device (see Col. 12, lines 20-40).
Regarding claim 5, Slezak discloses the gripping device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first additional platforms (133) each have articulation means able to interact respectively with second additional platforms (161), forming a second stage of platforms of the gripping device, or movable shoes (see Col. 11, lines 55-65).
Regarding claim 6, Slezak discloses the gripping device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable shoes (60) are mounted so as to be able to pivot (movable shoes are able to pivot on pivot pin 55) on platforms of one and the same stage of platforms of the gripping device.
Regarding claim 7, Slezak discloses the gripping device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable shoes (60) have a retaining surface which can be inscribed in a straight plane.
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Regarding claim 8, Slezak discloses the gripping device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a motorized system (165) configured to drive the radial movement of the base platform, the motorized system being inserted between the base platform and the support of the gripping device (see Fig. 6; Col. 5, lines 15-20).
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Regarding claim 9, Slezak discloses the gripping device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support has the form of a polygonal frame (see Fig. 1), which has as many sides as the gripping device has retaining means (see Fig. 1), each retaining means being fixed on the inside of the support at a vertex of the polygonal frame (see Fig. 1).
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Regarding claim 10, Slezak discloses a method for inserting at least one packing section for a gas/liquid separation column into a cylindrical casing (S; see Fig. 1), which method is implemented at least partially by an insertion device as claimed in claim 1, the method comprising the steps of: adjusting the radial distance between the main member (20) and the peripheral members (50) of the deployment module (150; see Abstract); gripping a packing section by the retaining means of the insertion device (see Fig. 1 for retaining means gripping a package ‘S’); positioning the packing section at an inlet of the casing (see Fig. 1 for arms moving to grasp/position object); relaxing the grip on the packing section by the retaining means (see Fig. 1 for retaining means in a relaxed position); and pushing the packing section into the casing (see Fig. 1 for arms; can be adjusted/positioned to push a package).
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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 (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 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.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Slezak (US 4929012 A) in view of Leonard (FR 2853641 A1).
Regarding claim 3, Slezak discloses the gripping device as claimed in claim 1.
Slezak fails to disclose wherein the gripping device has six retaining means.
However, Leonard teaches wherein gripping device has six retaining means (7; see Abstract).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to introduce wherein the gripping device has six retaining means on the gripping device of Slezak as taught by Leonard in order to lift and transship all objects (see Page 2, Para. 3).
Conclusion
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, Robert Hodge can be reached at (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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/REHMAN A QURESHI/Examiner, Art Unit 3654
/ROBERT W HODGE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3654