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 20 is objected to because of the following informalities: “a plurality of workpiece-clamping elements” should be corrected as --a plurality of the workpiece-clamping elements--. Appropriate correction is required.
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) 12-15, 17-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Neumann (3,804,397).
Regarding claim 12¸ Neumann (‘397) discloses a workpiece-clamping element (fig2), comprising:
a cylinder 40,42,46 (col.4 lines3,5-6,10);
a lifting rod assembly 48,60 (col.4 lines 11,17, fig2), which is guided in the cylinder 40,42,46 and has
an annular piston 60 (col.4 line17) and
an inner tube 48 (col.4 line11);
a suction plate 102 (col.4 line67) having a workpiece support surface 112 (col.5 line8, fig2), the suction plate 102 being carried by the lifting rod assembly 48,60; and
a pressure chamber (a chamber between the annular piston 60 and an element 46, fig2) delimited by
a cylinder bottom 46 (col.4 line10) of the cylinder 40,42,46 penetrated by the lifting rod assembly 48,60 (fig2),
the lifting rod assembly 48,60, and
a cylinder jacket tube 40 (fig2, col.4 line3) of the cylinder 40,42,46,
wherein the lifting rod assembly 48,60 is mounted at least axially displaceably (abstract) both in the cylinder bottom 48 and in a cylinder head 42 (fig2).
Regarding claim 13¸ Neumann discloses the workpiece-clamping element according to claim 12, wherein the cylinder head 42, the lifting rod assembly 48,60 and the cylinder jacket tube 40 delimit a displacement chamber (fig2).
Regarding claim 14, Neumann discloses the workpiece-clamping element according to claim 12, wherein the lifting rod assembly 48,60 is centered in the cylinder head 42 when the pressure chamber has a maximum volume.
Regarding claim 15, Neumann discloses the workpiece-clamping element according to claim 12, wherein a distance of the workpiece support surface 112 relative to the annular piston 60 is adjustable (figs2,3).
Regarding claim 17, Neumann discloses the workpiece-clamping element according to claim 12, wherein a switching valve 130 (col.5 lines26-27) arranged in a bottom distribution plate 76 (col.4 line33) of the cylinder bottom 46 is connected upstream of the pressure chamber (fig2, operatively and in fluid communication).
Regarding claim 18¸ Neumann discloses the workpiece-clamping element according to claim 12, wherein the lifting rod assembly 48,60 is mounted in the cylinder 40,42,46 by slide bearings 66,68 (col.4 lines24-25).
Regarding claim 19, Neumann discloses the workpiece-clamping element according to claim 12, wherein when the lifting rod assembly 48,60 is in a extended position (fig1, dotted line) of the workpiece-clamping element, a pneumatic connecting between the suction plate 102 and a suction connection is released, and wherein the pneumatic connection is blocked by the lifting rod assembly 48,60 when the lifting rod assembly 48,60 is in a retracted end position of the workpiece-clamping element.
Regarding claim 20, Neumann discloses a workpiece table (fig1), comprising a plurality of the workpiece-clamping elements according to claim 12 (fig1).
Regarding claim 21, Neumann discloses the workpiece table according to claim 20, further comprising at least one carrier plate 12 (col.3 lines30-31) with the plurality of workpiece-clamping elements fastened therein (fig1).
Regarding claim 22, Neumann discloses the workpiece table according to claim 20, wherein each of the plurality of workpiece-clamping elements can be controlled individually (fig1).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 16 is 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The subject matter of the claim(s) could either not be found or was not suggested in the prior art of record. The subject matter of claim 16 not found was a use of a displacement rod protruding the workpiece support surface when the at least one spring energy store is relieved; in combination with the limitations set forth in claim 16 and any of its intervening claims of the instant invention.
None of the prior arts of record considered as a whole, alone or in combination, teaches or renders obvious the allowable subject matter of the instant invention.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Kai et al (US 9,776,329 B2), Samac et al (US 8,469,345 B2), Cho (US 8,136,802 B2), Bumgarner et al (US 8,079,578 B2), Haas et al (6,032,348), Blaimschein (5,457,868), Ross et al (5,364,083), Kitagawa (5,346,193), and Wilken et al (5,143,360) teach similar workpiece-clamping elements, however, none of the prior arts of record considered as a whole, alone or in combination, teaches or renders obvious the allowable subject matter of the instant invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Seahee Hong whose telephone number is (571)270-5778. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 8am-4pm ET.
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/SEAHEE HONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723