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
Applicant has amended claims 1, 3, 9, 15-16, and 20.
Claim 2 has been cancelled.
Claims 4-5, 7-8, 10-14, and 17-19 remain withdrawn.
Claims 1, 3, 6, 9, 15-16, and 20 are examined below.
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.
Claim 20 is 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.
Claim 20 line 5 recites “shaft body,” which does not make sense. Is this meant to be a separate component from the shaft and from the body? Does this reference the shaft and/or body previously recited? What is being claimed?
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 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.
Claims 1, 15-16, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 5,129,281 (hereinafter “Van Zanten”).
Regarding claim 1 Van Zanten discloses a capstan drive transmission self-tensioning apparatus for automatically tensioning a stretched cable (112/114; col. 4 ll.8-9 “Preferably, the strands 112 and 114 are one continuous strand”) of a capstan drive transmission (e.g. see fig. 1), a first end (114) of said cable (112/114) being affixed on a capstan drum (24) at a first location (L1, see annotated figure 2 below); a second end (112) of the cable (112/114) being coupled to the capstan drive transmission self-tensioning apparatus (T), the capstan drive transmission self-tensioning apparatus (T) comprising:
PNG
media_image1.png
730
1134
media_image1.png
Greyscale
a force providing member (138) coupled to the cable (112/114) and configured to displace said cable (112/114) along a path (at 124) in a first direction (leftward in fig. 2) increasing an effective distance between said first end and said second end of said cable (112/114) thereby increasing a level of tension within said cable (112/114);
a jamming assembly (126/130/132) directly or indirectly coupled to said cable (112/114) and configured to:
allow motion of said cable (112/114) along said path (at 124) in the first direction (leftward in fig. 2) upon the level of tension being below a lower designated level (i.e. spring force; see col. 4 ll. 48-50) by at least a portion (i.e. wire comprising tabs 132; see annotated fig. 2 below) of said jamming assembly (126/130/132) moving (at least partially) rectilinearly within a jamming channel (124) of said drum (24);
PNG
media_image2.png
407
579
media_image2.png
Greyscale
prevent motion (as at 132/126) of said cable (112/114) in a second direction (right in fig. 2) opposite to the first direction (left in fig. 2) along said path (at 124) upon the level of tension being above an upper designated level (i.e. spring force of 138) by said at least one portion (wire comprising tabs 132) of said jamming assembly (at least partially) rotating within said jamming channel (i.e. the ends of tabs 132 pivot about their bending point).
Regarding claim 15 Van Zanten discloses a method for automatically tensioning a cable (112/114) of a capstan drive transmission, a first end of the cable (112/114) being affixed inside a capstan drum (24) at a first location (L1, see annotated figure below), the method comprising the steps of:
PNG
media_image3.png
730
1134
media_image3.png
Greyscale
coupling the cable (112/114) to a force providing member (138) configured to displace the cable (112/114) in a first direction (left in fig. 2) along a path (within 124) thereby increasing an effective distance between the first end and a second end of the cable (112/114) thereby increasing a level of a tension within the cable (112/114);
during operation of the capstan drive transmission, allowing motion of the cable (112/114) along the path (leftward through 124) in the first direction (left in fig. 2) upon the level of tension being below a lower designated level (i.e. when tension is below force of 138, the line moves to the left); and
preventing motion of the cable (112/114) along the path (within 124) in a second direction (rightward in fig. 2) that is opposite to the first direction (left in fig. 2) upon the level of tension being above an upper designated level (i.e. when tension is above the force of 138, the line cannot move due to elements 132).
Regarding claim 16 Van Zanten discloses the above method, and further discloses wherein said coupling the cable (112/114) to the force providing member (138) is further defined as:
coupling the cable (112/114) to a rocker member (130/132) positioned and configured to be moveable along a linear jamming channel (within 124), the force providing member (138) being affixed to an end (right end) of the jamming channel (path within 124) and providing a linear force to the rocker member (130/132) along said jamming channel (within 124);
wherein said allowing motion is further defined as: having the rocker member (130/132) configured to be oriented so as to be movable along the jamming channel (within 124) due to the linear force (i.e. when tension is below force of 138, the line moves to the left), thereby pulling on the cable (112/114) along the path (at 124) in a first direction (left within 124) and increasing the level of tension in the cable (112/114); and
wherein said preventing motion is further defined as: having the rocker member (130/132) configured to be rotated (at least at 132) within the jamming channel (within 124) via the level of tension in the cable to jammingly engage the jamming channel (within 124), thereby preventing the rocker member (130/132) from moving within the jamming channel (i.e. when tension is above the force of 138, the line cannot move due to elements 132).
Regarding claim 20 Van Zanten discloses a self-tensioning capstan drum (24) for transmitting rotational motion from a motor (a motor could turn 82 via a shaft similar to 17; i.e. this is a functional recitation), a shaft (70) of the motor having a cable (112/114) wounded thereto, the drum (24) comprising:
a body (i.e. body of 24) having a substantial circular profile, comprising an aperture (40) at the center thereof configured to rotatably couple said body (of 24) to the shaft (70), [the] body (of 24) further comprising one or more engagement structures (30) along an outer circumference thereof having the cable (112/114) engaged thereon to transfer (made in a manner to transfer; i.e. this is a functional recitation) rotational motion from the motor shaft thereto;
a first anchoring portion (134) configured to receive (at the left end thereof) a fastener (136) for fastening a first end (114) of the cable (112/114) at a first location (within channel 124) on said body (of 24);
a second anchoring portion (134) configured to receive (at the left end thereof) a fastener (136) for fastening a second end (112) of the cable (112/114) at a second location (within channel 124) on said body;
a linear channel (space within 124) defined within said body (of 24);
a force providing member (138) configured to provide a linear force along said linear channel (space within 124);
a rocker (130/132) positioned and configured to be movable along said linear channel (space within 124), said rocker (130/132) coupled to said force providing member (138) to receive the linear force therefrom and further coupled to the cable (112/114) proximate (near) to the second end (112) thereof so as to displace the cable (112/114) and receive therefrom a tilting force due to level of tension in the cable (112/114) (i.e. tension of 112 causes 132 to “tilt” outward to engage 126); and
wherein upon the tilting force being below a lower designated level, said rocker (130/132) being oriented so as to be displaced (i.e. when tension is below force of 138, the line moves to the left) along said linear channel (within 124) due to the linear force, thereby increasing the level of tension in the cable (112/114); and
upon the tilting force increasing above an upper designated level said rocker (130/132) rotating (at least partially) to jammingly engage said linear channel (at 132/126) and prevent the linear force from further increasing the level of tension in the cable (112/114) (i.e. when tension is above the force of 138, the line cannot move due to the ends of elements 132 rotating into the grooves; see fig. 2).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 6, and 9 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant has amended claims 1, 3, 9, 15-16, and 20.
Applicant’s arguments, see page 14 (last full paragraph), filed 03/30/26, with respect to claim 3 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of claim 3 (and its dependents) has been withdrawn.
Applicant's other arguments filed 03/30/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant makes no traversal of the rejections of claim 15 and 20, and has made no substantive amendments thereto. These claims remain rejected for largely the same reasons as previously set forth.
PNG
media_image2.png
407
579
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Applicant argues (page 14) that Van Zanten’s tangs 132 do not “rotate” because they plastically deform. This is not persuasive. The above rejection asserts that the claimed “portion” is met by the wire (see above) bent on element 130, and providing the tabs 132. Due to the geometry of Van Zanten, the ends of the tangs (132) would not deflect appreciably, but rather the deflection would happen at the point of attachment of the wire with the retainer member (130), where the bending moment acting on the tabs (132) is highest (see annotated fig. below). Therefore at least the ends would still qualify as “rotating” per the claim.
PNG
media_image4.png
407
579
media_image4.png
Greyscale
Thus the portion (wire) has one part fixed at 130 which moves rectilinearly in the slot (124) to the left, and another part (the ends of 132) of the portion (wire) also rotates to prevent motion to the right. The wire of Van Zanten meets both limitations. The rejection is maintained.
Applicant argues (page 14) that Van Zanten fails to teach “prevent motion of said cable in a second direction,” the reasoning being that the capstan (24) rotates. This does not make sense. Is Applicant’s capstan drum (instant 800) somehow prevented from rotation? If a capstan doesn’t turn, how is it a capstan? Furthermore, the limitation in question says “prevent motion of said cable in a second direction,” in conjunction with “said jamming channel.” Van Zanten meets these limitations, as outlined above, at least because the ends of 132 rotate to prevent backwards motion of 130 along the length of the channel.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Nathaniel L Adams whose telephone number is (571)272-4830. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4 Pacific Time.
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, Victoria P Augustine can be reached at (313) 446-4858. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/N.L.A/Examiner, Art Unit 3654
/Victoria P Augustine/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3654
Prosecution Insights