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 .
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.
(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) 1-3, 5-9, & 9-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nozaki et al. (EP 0636561 A1, herein after referred to as Nozaki).
Regarding claim 1 Nozaki teaches a moving element for a conveyor system (FIG. 1-3: depicted), the moving element comprising: a body (FIG. 1: 110); at least one canted bearing (FIG. 1: 114U2 or 114D2) configured to abut against a first portion of a first guide rail of the conveyor system (FIG. 1: 121D2 or 121U2); and an articulation mechanism provided to the moving element that allows the at least one canted bearing to rotate so that a line of contact of the at least one canted bearing with the first guide rail remains at 90 degrees to a direction of travel of the at least one canted bearing and parallel to an axis of rotation of the at least one canted bearing (FIG. 1-3: 113 performs this operation).
Regarding claim 7 Nozaki teaches a conveyor system (FIG. 1: depicted) comprising: at least one track section comprising a first guide rail (FIG. 1: 121); at least one moving element comprising: a body (FIG. 1: 110); at least one canted bearing configured to abut against a first portion of a first guide rail of the conveyor system (FIG. 1: 114U2 or 114D2); and an articulation mechanism provided to the moving element that allows the at least one canted bearing to rotate so that a line of contact of the at least one canted bearing with the first guide rail remains at 90 degrees to a direction of travel of the at least one canted bearing and parallel to an axis of rotation of the at least one canted bearing (FIG. 1-3: 113 performs this action).
Regarding claims 2 & 8 Nozaki teaches at least one second bearing attached to the body and configured to abut against a second guide rail of the conveyor system (FIG. 1: other of 112D2 & 114U2 or either of 114D1 & 114U1).
Regarding claims 3 & 9 Nozaki teaches that the articulation mechanism comprises at least one third bearing (FIG. 1: 114U1 or 114D1) configured to abut against a second portion of the first guide rail (FIG. 1: 121U1 or 121D1) and a bearing body connecting the at least one canted bearing and the at least one third bearing such that the bearing body is configured to rotate about an articulation axis (FIG. 1 & 2: 113V1 or 113V2).
Regarding claims 5 & 11 Nozaki teaches that the at least one canted bearing comprises a top canted bearing and a bottom canted bearing and the first portion of the first guide rail comprises a top angled portion and a bottom angled portion wherein the top canted bearing abuts against the top angled portion and the bottom canted bearing abuts against a bottom angled portion (see claim 1, U and D variants).
Regarding claims 6 & 12 Nozaki teaches that the top angled portion, second portion and bottom angled portion of the guide rail form a “V” shaped profile (FIG. 1: depicted).
Regarding claim 13 Nozaki teaches a plurality of the at least one canted bearing arranged in pairs (FIG. 1: 114D2 & 114U2) and a plurality of the articulation mechanism, one for each pair of canted bearings (FIG. 3: 113).
Regarding claim 14 Nozaki teaches that the second bearing and the second guide rail have a flat profile (FIG. 1: 121U2 & 121D2 depicted with flat surfaces interfacing with the bearings).
Regarding claim 15 Nozaki teaches a conveyor system (FIG. 1: depicted) comprising: at least one track section (FIG. 1: 121) comprising: a first guide rail having a shaped profile; and a second guide rail having a flat profile (FIG. 1: 121U2 & 121D2); at least one moving element comprising: a body (FIG. 1: 11); a first set of bearings wherein the first set of bearings comprises: a bearing body attached to the body (FIG. 1-3: 113); at least one canted bearing provided to the bearing body and configured to abut against a first portion of the first guide rail (FIG. 1: 114U2); and at least one central bearing provided to the bearing body and configured to abut against a second portion of the first guide rail (FIG. 1: 114U1); wherein the bearing body is configured to rotate about an articulation axis (FIG. 1: 113V1) allowing the at least one canted bearing and at least one central bearing to maintain contact with the first guide rail as the moving element moves around a corner on the conveyor system (allowed for by structure); and a second set of bearings attached to the body and configured to abut against the second guide rail (FIG. 1: 114D1 abutting 121D1).
Regarding claim 16 Nozaki teaches that the first set of bearings further comprises a second canted bearing arranged opposite to the at least one canted bearing to form a pair of canted bearings with the second canted bearing abutting a third portion of the first guide rail (FIG. 1: 114D2 abutting against 121D2).
Regarding claim 17 Nozaki teaches that the first, second, and third portions of the first guide rail form a “V” shaped profile (FIG. 1: depicted with 121 in a substantially v shape).
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) 4 & 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nozaki et al. (EP 0636561 A1, herein after referred to as Nozaki) in view of Feyrer (DE 102008029275 A1).
Regarding claims 4 & 10 Nozaki does not explicitly teach that the articulating mechanism comprises a trunnion provided to the at least one canted bearing and a trunnion support provided to the moving element wherein a virtual pivot of the trunnion is positioned at a center of contact of the at least one canted bearing with the first guide rail.
However, Feyrer does teach an articulating mechanism comprises a trunnion provided to the at least one canted bearing and a trunnion support provided to the moving element wherein a virtual pivot of the trunnion is positioned at a center of contact of the at least one canted bearing with the first guide rail (FIG. 2: trunnion 47, virtual pivot 35; paragraph 67 teaches moving the virtual pivot to the guide track). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have alternatively included the trunnion and virtual pivot of Feyrer with the conveyor system of Nozaki in order to enhance bearing performance.
Conclusion
Prior art made of record and not replied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. The references noted on the attached PTO 892 teach bearings and rails of interest.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MAXWELL L MESHAKA whose telephone number is (571)272-5693. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 7:30-4:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Paul Dickson can be reached on (571) 272-7742. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MAXWELL L MESHAKA/Examiner, Art Unit 3614
/PAUL N DICKSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3614