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 Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: in line 9, the word “radiation” should be “radial” for better form and grammar. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 2-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding Claim 2, line 5, the term “a rotatable member” is unclear and indefinite as there are many rotatable members in Applicant’s claimed and disclosed invention.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Murakami et al (JP 2013039314 A) in view of Hill (US 7,658,668 B2).
Regarding Claim 1, Murakami teaches
a coin stacking device, i.e., medal stacking apparatus (1, 2) as illustrated in figures 1, 2, 27-30, 35 and 36, comprising:
a main frame, i.e., table (14) and support columns (15), as illustrated in figures 1 and 2, that is formed with an opening, i.e., noting the opening in the plates (16, 17) as illustrated in figure 2;
a coin feeding module, i.e., pusher table (33) that moves medal/coins (M) on field (F) by reciprocation towards the stack, as illustrated in figure 36, that is used to feed a plurality of coins;
a coin storage portion, i.e., the space between plates (16) and (17) as illustrated in figure 2, that is connected to the opening, and provided with an
axial channel, i.e., medal guide (229), as illustrated in figure 28, for example, that is in communication with the opening;
a movable stage, i.e., medal placement table (24), as illustrated in figure 29, that is movably disposed within the axial channel (229);
a coin organizing device, i.e., medal stirring mechanism (10), medal transfer mechanism (11) and medal/coin receiving tray (101) as illustrated in figures 3 and 4, that is located on the main frame (16, 17, 18)
to surround the opening, and configured to synchronously concentrate the coins from the coin feeding module (33) onto the movable stage (24) in a radiation manner through the
opening, as illustrate in figures 1-4, for example, and organize the coins on the movable stage (24) in a ring shape, as seen in figures 1-4, 27, 30, 35 and 36, for example;
an elevating device, i.e., medal raising/lowering mechanism (22) and lifting drive unit (221, 221a-221d), as illustrated in figures 28 and 29, for example, that is connected to the movable stage (24), and elevatably
located on the main frame (16, 17) for elevating the movable stage (24); and
a rotating device, i.e., medal rotation mechanism (23) with rotation drive unit (231), motor (231a, gear (231b) that meshes with gear (24a) of the outer wall of the medal mounting table (24), that is connected to the elevating device (22, 221, 221a-221d), for rotating the
movable stage (24),
wherein the coins (M) are able to be stacked successively into a coin tower (MT) as illustrated in figure 27, for example,
comprising a plurality of coin-stacking layers through repeated operations of the
coin organizing device (10, 11, 101), the elevating device (22, 221, 221a-221d) and the rotating device (23, 231, 231a, 231b, 24a).
Regarding Claim 1, Murakami does not expressly teach a coin feeding module.
Regarding Claim 1, Murakami does not expressly teach, but Hill teaches a coin feeding module, i.e., hopper coin feeder assembly (1) as illustrated in figures 1-7, for example. Note the disc (18) and disc (25) rotate, as illustrated in figure 3, and cause the coins to be singulated through dispensing aperture (10), and then to dispensing chute (11), as illustrated in figure 2, or coin delivering chute (80) as seen in figure 4, for example.
Regarding Claim 1, before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided a coin feeding module as taught by Hill, in Murakami’s coin stacking device for the purpose of feeding coins in a singulated and controlled manner to Murakami’s ring-shaped coin tower. Note that Murakami suggests a coin feeding module, and that in order to create the disclosed coin tower, a coin feeding module must feed coins to said coin stacking device.
Regarding Claim 2, Murakami teaches
wherein the coin organizing device (10, 11, 101), as illustrated in figures 1-6, for example,
further comprises:
a stationary plate, i.e., medal receiving tray (101), as illustrated in figure 3, that is fixedly mounted on the main frame (16-18), and formed with
a first annular hole overlapping with the opening, as seen in figure 3, for example; and
a rotatable member, i.e., rotatable push plate (115), as illustrated in figures 2 2 and 4, comprising an annular frame, i.e., medal transfer path (116, 117) as illustrated in figures 3 and 5, for example, a coin template, i.e., the plate with the six medal holes (102), as illustrated in figure 2, sandwiched between the stationary plate (101) and the annular frame (14a, 116, 117), and fixedly
connected to the annular frame (14a, 116, 117), and a second annular hole located on the
annular frame (14a, 116, 117), noting the holes as shown in figure 4, for example, and collectively forming a coin collecting recess with the coin
template (102) for receiving the coins (M), the coin template (102) that is formed with a plurality
of coin holes located within the coin collecting recess and surrounding the first
annular hole, as seen in figures 2-6,
wherein a hole diameter of each of the coin holes is merely to
accommodate
one of the coins, and the coins are guided to directly fall onto the
stationary plate (101) or (17) by the coin holes so as to jointly surround the first annular hole, as seen in figures 3 and 4, for example.
Regarding Claim 3, Murakami teaches wherein the coin organizing device (10, 11, 101)
further comprises:
a blade layer comprising a plurality of blade pieces, i.e, medal contact members (105), being independent to one
another, as illustrated in figure 3, the blade pieces (105) that are respectively slidably located between the coin
template, i.e., the plate with the six medal holes (102), as illustrated in figure 2, and the stationary plate (101) or (17), and arranged side by side in sequence to
enclose a changeable space that is connected to the axial channel through the
first annular hole, as shown in figures 1-6, for example, wherein the annular frame (14a, 116, 117) is able to move the blade pieces (105), i.e., via stirring motor (103a) and stirring drive gear (103b),
synchronously towards the first annular hole, as seen in figures 2-6,
through the coin template, i.e., the plate with the six medal holes (102), as illustrated in figure 2, such
that the blade pieces (105) narrow the changeable space together,
when the coin template moves the blade pieces (105) synchronously to narrow the
changeable space together, as illustrated in figures 1-6, the blade pieces(105) push the coins on the stationary
plate (101) or (17) from the first annular hole into the axial channel synchronously, as seen in figures 1-6, for example.
Regarding Claim 8, Murakami teaches wherein the elevating device, i.e., medal raising/lowering mechanism (22) and lifting drive unit (221, 221a-221d), as illustrated in figures 28 and 29, for example, comprises:
at least one screw rod, i.e., feed screw (221d) as illustrated in figure 29, that is disposed on the main frame (16, 17, 18), and formed with an
external thread portion, as seen in figure 29, for example;
at least one moving spiral tube, as illustrated in figures 28 and 29, noting the sleeve that is on each feed screw (221d) underneath table (225), that is elevatably sleeved on the at least one
screw rod (221d), and formed with an internal thread portion which is engaged with the
external thread portion, as seen in figures 28 and 29;
a bracket that is fixedly connected to the at least one moving spiral tube for
loading the movable stage, noting that this is at least suggested by the structure as seen in figures 28 and 29 and based upon the smaller holes seen next to the larger holes in table (225) in figure 30, noting that a bracket is a common mechanical structure to attach the sleeve of the screw rod/lead screw to the structure being moved, which in this case, is table (225);
a rotation-angle sensing unit, i.e., upper limit sensor and lower limit sensor (227, 228) that is coupled to one end of the at least one
screw rod (221d) for sensing a rotation angle of the at least one screw rod;
a fourth motor device (221a) that is fixedly mounted on the main frame (16-18), and provided
with a rotating shaft (221b);
a gear wheel (121b, 221b, 231b) that is coaxially connected to the rotating shaft of the fourth
motor device (221a); and
a transmission belt (221c) that is engaged with the gear wheel (121b, 221b, 231b) and the at least one
screw rod (221d),
wherein when the fourth motor device (221a) drives the at least one screw rod (221d) to
rotate in sequence, the at least one moving spiral tube moves the bracket
and
the movable stage (225) to be relatively elevated in the axial channel, as shown in figures 27-29, for example.
Claim(s) 4-6 and 9-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Murakami et al (JP 2013039314 A) in view of Hill (US 7,658,668 B2) and further in view of Lin (CN 210539717 U).
Regarding Claims 4-6 and 9-19, Murakami teaches the system as described above.
Regarding Claim 4, Murakami does not expressly teach wherein the rotatable member further
comprises an arc-shaped rack fixedly located at an outer peripheral surface of
the annular frame being opposite to the second annular hole; and
the coin organizing device comprises a first motor device having a rotating
shaft, and a first gear member coaxially connected to the rotating shaft of
the first motor device to be engaged with the arc-shaped rack,
wherein when the first motor device rotates the annular frame through the
first gear member, the annular frame synchronously slides the blade pieces through
the coin template.
Regarding Claim 4, Murakami does not expressly teach, but Lin teaches wherein the rotatable member, i.e., annual frame (310), as illustrated in figure 2, further
comprises an arc-shaped rack (320), as illustrated in figures 1-3c, fixedly located at an outer peripheral surface of
the annular frame (310) being opposite to the second annular hole (150, 311); and
the coin organizing device, i.e., shielding device (10), comprises a first motor device, i.e., motor device (410) having a rotating
shaft (411) as illustrated in figure 3a, and a first gear member (420) coaxially connected to the rotating shaft (411) of the
first motor device (410) to be engaged with the arc-shaped rack (320),
wherein when the first motor device (410) rotates the annular frame (310) through the first
gear member (420), the annular frame (310) synchronously slides the blade pieces, i.e,. shielding closure assembly (210), through
the coin template, i.e., the annular assembly (140), as illustrated in figure 2, for example.
Regarding Claim 4, before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided wherein the rotatable member further
comprises an arc-shaped rack fixedly located at an outer peripheral surface of
the annular frame being opposite to the second annular hole; and
the coin organizing device comprises a first motor device having a rotating
shaft, and a first gear member coaxially connected to the rotating shaft of
the first motor device to be engaged with the arc-shaped rack,
wherein when the first motor device rotates the annular frame through the
first gear member, the annular frame synchronously slides the blade pieces through
the coin template, as taught by Lin, in Murakami’s coin stacking device for the purpose of feeding coins in a singulated and controlled manner to Murakami’s ring-shaped coin tower using common mechanical components.
Regarding Claim 5, Murakami teaches further comprising:
a plurality of first sensing units, i.e., medal detection sensors (112) as illustrated in figure 2, that are arranged on the stationary plate (101) or (17), and
each of the first sensing units (112) that is directed towards one of the coin holes (102) and
used to sense whether the one of the coin holes (102), i.e., “[t]he medal detection sensor 112 is provided on the lower surface of each medal hole 102 and is used to detect whether or not a medal is inserted into each medal hole 102”, as mentioned in the English Translation of Murakami, is placed with one of the coins (M);
and
a processing unit, i.e., game control unit (3100), as illustrated in figure 37, that is electrically connected to the first sensing units (112), and
the first motor device, i.e., stirring motor (103, 103a),
when the first sensing units (112) respectively determine that the coins (M) are placed
into all of the coin holes (102), respectively, the processing unit (3100) instructs the first
motor device (103, 103a) to operate according to notifications of the first sensing units (112).
Regarding Claim 6, Murakami does not expressly teach, further comprising:
a coin stirring module comprising:
a rotating ring that is rotatably located on the coin organizing device;
a plurality of stirring vanes that are spaced arranged on the rotating ring,
respectively extending into the coin collecting recess, and contacting the
coin template for sweeping the coins in the coin collecting recess to the coin holes;
and
a second motor device that is fixedly mounted on the main frame for
driving the rotating ring and the stirring vanes to rotate.
Regarding Claim 6, Murakami does not expressly teach, but Lin teaches further comprising:
a coin stirring module, i.e., shielding device (10), as illustrated in figures 1-3c, for example, comprising:
a rotating ring that is rotatably located on the coin organizing device, i.e., shielding device (10);
a plurality of stirring vanes, i.e., shielding closure assembly (210) and knee plate (220) as illustrated in figure 2, for example, that are spaced arranged on the rotating ring, i.e., rotating member (300), as illustrated in figure 2,
respectively extending into the coin collecting recess, i.e., through hole (150) as illustrated in figure 4b, and contacting the coin
template (140) for sweeping the coins in the coin collecting recess (150) to the coin holes (142);
and
a second motor device (400, 410) that is fixedly mounted on the main frame (110, 120, 130), as illustrated in figure 2, for
driving the rotating ring (300, 310), as illustrated in figure 2, and the stirring vanes (220, 222) to rotate.
Regarding Claim 9, Murakami teaches wherein the movable stage (225) comprises:
a cylinder (229) that is disposed on the bracket of the elevating device for loading
the coins, as seen in figure 29;
Regarding Claim 9, Murakami does not expressly teach
a rack portion that is fixedly mounted on an outer peripheral surface of the
cylinder; and
the rotating device comprises:
a fifth motor device that is fixedly mounted on the bracket of the elevating
device; and
a gear assembly that is coaxially connected to a rotating shaft of the fifth
motor device, and engaged with the rack portion for rotating the cylinder,
wherein when the fifth motor device drives the cylinder to rotate, the coins are
rotated with the cylinder in the axial channel together.
Regarding Claim 9, Murakami does not expressly teach, but Lin teaches
a rack portion (320) that is fixedly mounted on an outer peripheral surface of the
cylinder (300); and
the rotating device comprises:
a fifth motor device (410) that is fixedly mounted on the bracket of the elevating
device, as taught by Murakami; and
a gear assembly (420) that is coaxially connected to a rotating shaft (411) of the fifth
motor device (410), and engaged with the rack portion (320) for rotating the cylinder (300),
wherein when the fifth motor device (410) drives the cylinder (300) to rotate, as illustrated in figures 2-3c, the coins are
rotated with the cylinder (300) in the axial channel together, as shown in figures 1-4b, for example.
Regarding Claim 9, before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided a rack portion that is fixedly mounted on an outer peripheral surface of the
cylinder; and
the rotating device comprises:
a fifth motor device that is fixedly mounted on the bracket of the elevating
device; and
a gear assembly that is coaxially connected to a rotating shaft of the fifth
motor device, and engaged with the rack portion for rotating the cylinder,
wherein when the fifth motor device drives the cylinder to rotate, the coins are
rotated with the cylinder in the axial channel together, as taught by Lin, in Murakami’s coin stacking device for the purpose of feeding coins in a singulated and controlled manner to Murakami’s ring-shaped coin tower using common mechanical components.
Regarding Claim 10, see the rejection of Claim 5, above.
Regarding Claim 11, see the rejection of Claims 1 and 6, above.
Regarding Claim 12, see the rejection of Claim 2, above.
Regarding Claim 13, see the rejection of Claim 3, above.
Regarding Claim 14, see the rejection of Claim 4, above.
Regarding Claim 15, see the rejection of Claim 5, above.
Regarding Claim 16, see the rejection of Claim 6, above.
Regarding Claim 17, see the rejection of Claim 8, above.
Regarding Claim 18, see the rejection of Claim 9, above.
Regarding Claim 19, see the rejection of Claim 10, above.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Murakami et al (JP 2013039314 A) in view of Hill (US 7,658,668 B2), further in view of Ueno (US 3,777,769) and further in view of Blake et al (US 2015/0302678 A1).
Regarding Claim 7, Murakami teaches the system as described above.
Regarding Claim 7, Murakami does not expressly teach, wherein the coin feeding module
comprises:
a coin feeding track that is fixedly mounted on the main frame for guiding
the coins into the coin collecting recess sequentially;
a coin-feeding sensing unit that is located on the coin feeding track for
counting the coins already moved from the coin feeding track into the coin
collecting recess.
Regarding Claim 7, Murakami does not expressly teach, but Blake teaches wherein the coin feeding module
comprises:
a coin feeding track, i.e., exit channels (661-668) as illustrated in figure 7, that is fixedly mounted on the main frame, as illustrated in figures 5 and 6, for guiding
the coins into the coin collecting recess sequentially, i.e., into coin storage areas (530, 535), as illustrated in figure 8;
a coin-feeding sensing unit that is located on the coin feeding track (661-668) for
counting the coins already moved from the coin feeding track (661-668) into the coin
collecting recess (530, 535), as mentioned at paragraph 122, which states as follows.
[0122] In at least some embodiments, one or more actuators or actuated devices 550, as represented in FIG. 8 and FIG. 10, are utilized within the stationary sorting head and/or outside of the stationary sorting head to control the movement of the coins within the coin processing module or outside of the coin processing module. For example, in some embodiments, coin counting sensors are disposed in each of the coin exit channels (e.g., exit channels 661-668 of FIG. 7) of the sorting head 612 or are disposed just outside the periphery of the sorting head. Alternatively, a single counting sensor can be employed (e.g., discrimination sensor 638 can be utilized as a counting sensor where a valid coin signature is counted as a valid coin of a particular identified denomination). However configured, as coins move past the counting sensor(s), the controller 520 receives a signal from the counting sensor(s) for each valid coin output from the sorting head 612 and adds one to a counter maintained in the physical memory 529 for that particular denomination (or maintained in a remote physical memory (e.g., reference numeral 557 in FIG. 8)).
Emphasis provided.
Regarding Claim 7, before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided wherein the coin feeding module
comprises:
a coin feeding track that is fixedly mounted on the main frame for guiding
the coins into the coin collecting recess sequentially;
a coin-feeding sensing unit that is located on the coin feeding track for
counting the coins already moved from the coin feeding track into the coin
collecting recess, as taught by Blake, in Murakami’s coin stacking device for the purpose of feeding coins in a singulated and controlled manner to Murakami’s ring-shaped coin tower using common mechanical components.
Regarding Claim 7, Murakami does not expressly teach teaches wherein the coin feeding module
comprises:
a coin feeding track that is fixedly mounted on the main frame for guiding
a third motor device that is connected to the main frame so as to output
vibrations for sending the coins into the coin feed track.
Regarding Claim 7, Murakami does not expressly teach, but Ueno teaches wherein the coin feeding module
comprises:
a coin feeding track, i.e., chute (5) as illustrated in figure 2, that is fixedly mounted on the main frame (1, 2) as illustrated in figure 1, for guiding
a third motor device, i.e., vibrator (7), as illustrated in figure 2, that is connected to the main frame (1, 2) so as to output
vibrations for sending the coins into the coin feed track, i.e., chute (5).
Regarding Claim 7, before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided wherein the coin feeding module
comprises:
a coin feeding track that is fixedly mounted on the main frame for guiding
a third motor device that is connected to the main frame so as to output
vibrations for sending the coins into the coin feed track, as taught by Ueno, in Murakami’s coin stacking device for the purpose of feeding coins in a singulated and controlled manner to Murakami’s ring-shaped coin tower using common mechanical components.
Conclusion
Applicant is encouraged to contact the Examiner should there be any questions about this rejection or in an endeavor to explore potential amendments or potential allowable subject matter.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Warner ‘277 is cited as teaching a coin feeding module (150, 154) as illustrated in figures 1 and 7.
Yamano ‘166 is cited as teaching a coin feeding module (12, 18, 19) as illustrated in figures 1-5, for example.
JP ‘433 is cited as teaching a coin stacking device (1) as illustrated in figures 1-10, for example.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JEFFREY ALAN SHAPIRO whose telephone number is (571)272-6943. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday generally between 8:30AM and 6:30PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anita Y Coupe can be reached at 571-270-3614. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JEFFREY A SHAPIRO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619
January 6, 2026