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 .
Claims 32-62 are pending.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 3/30/23; 4/16/24; 8/8/24 and 12/26/24 have been considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 43 objected to because of the following informalities: claim 43 depends on claim 31 which is cancelled, for the purposes of continued prosecution it is interpreted as depending on claim 32. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 32, 33, 36, 46, 47, 49-55 and 58 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent No. 10,759,601 to Valinsky et al.
Regarding claim 32, the Valinsky patent teaches a load handling device for a container storage and retrieval system, the container storage and retrieval system including a frame structure 35 configured to store a plurality of rows of containers, the load handling device 200 being configured to be positionable between the frame structure and a workstation and comprising: a first actuating assembly configured to move a container row lengthwise in order to retrieve a container from the container row for delivery to a workstation or add a container from a workstation to the container row. See column 9, lines 63-68 and column 10 in its entirety and all Figs.
Regarding claim 33, the first actuating assembly is configured to move laterally in a first direction (Fig. 10c) in order to engage a container within a container row adjacent to a first end of the load handling device, and in a second opposite direction in order to engage a container from the workstation adjacent to a second opposite end of the load handling device. See Figs. 10a-10g.
Regarding claim 36, the first actuating assembly comprises: a gear arrangement. See Fig. 3b.
Regarding claim 46, in combination with a load handling assembly of a container storage and retrieval system. The term load handling assembly as broadly recited in the claims is interpreted as the load of the containers.
Regarding claim 47 a lifting device engaged with the load handling device, the lifting device being configured to move the load handling device vertically such that the load handling device can access different rows of containers arranged in a vertical column. See column 13, lines 64-68.
Regarding claim 49, the load handling device is configured to move laterally so as to access rows of containers arranged in different vertical columns. See all Figs. and column 13, lines 64-68.
Regarding claim 50, the load handling device is configured to move longitudinally away from or towards the framework structure. This is interpreted as any of the directions as shown in all the Figs.
Regarding claim 51, a first guide way including a cross member for guiding lateral movement of the load handling device and/or a longitudinal member for guiding longitudinal movement of the load handling device. This is interpreted as the track 110.
Regarding claim 52, the lifting device is configured to engage the cross member so as to guide the lateral movement of the load handling device and/or the longitudinal member so as to guide the longitudinal movement of the load handling device.
Regarding claim 53, a second guide way including a cross member for guiding the lateral movement of the load handling device and/or a longitudinal member for guiding the longitudinal movement of the load handling device. See track 110.
Regarding claim 54, a base unit for supporting the lifting device, the base unit being configured to engage the cross member of the second guide way so as to guide the lateral movement of the load handling device and/or the longitudinal member of the second guide way so as to guide the longitudinal movement of the load handling device. See Fig. 3b.
Regarding claim 55, a support frame defining a channel for guiding vertical movement of the load handling device. See all Figs.
Regarding claim 58, the system comprising: a frame structure configured to store a plurality of rows of containers and a workstation; and the load handling assembly. See Fig. 1.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 59-62 are allowed.
Claims 34, 35, 37-42, 44, 45, 48, 56 and 57 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S. Patent No. 5,927,926 to Yagi et al. teaches a carriage system.
U.S. Publication No. 2015/0197397 to Razumov teaches a vertical warehouse.
European Patent No. WO2015/197709 to Lindbo teaches a warehouse system.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUSTIN HOLMES whose telephone number is (571)272-3448. The examiner can normally be reached 10AM-6PM EST M-F.
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/JUSTIN HOLMES/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655