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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 9/24/2024 is being considered by the examiner. However, it is noted that a legible copy of each cited foreign patent document (EP3433054) is missing, therefore, such cited foreign patent document is not been considered.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: “Device for clamping” in line 1 should be corrected as --[[Device]]A device for clamping--. Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 2-10 are objected to because of the following informalities: the preamble, “Device according to claim“ should be corrected as --The device [[Device]] according to claim--. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 4 is objected to because of the following informalities: “according to,” in line 1 should be corrected as --according to[[,]]--.
Claim 10 is objected to because of the following informalities: “along directions” in line 5 should be corrected as --along the directions--. 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 2-3, 6-10 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 2: Claim 2 recites “wherein it comprises” in line 2. However, the term, “it” renders the scope of the claim indefinite. For examination purposes, “wherein it comprises” is interpreted as --[[wherein it comprises]]further comprising--.
Claim 3: Claim 3 recites “said covering and protective casing” in lines 2-3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is noted that claim 2 recites “a covering and protective casing” in lines 2-3. For examination, claim 3 is interpreted to be dependent on claim 2.
Claim 6: Claim 6 recites “wherein it comprises” in line 2. However, the term, “it” renders the scope of the claim indefinite. For examination purposes, “wherein it comprises” is interpreted as --[[wherein it comprises]]further comprising--.
Claim 10: Claim 10 recites “said auxiliary bracket” in lines 4-5 and “said predetermined angle of rotation” in line 7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, “said auxiliary bracket” and “said predetermined angle of rotation” is interpreted as --[[said]]an auxiliary bracket-- and --[[said]]a predetermined angle of rotation--.
Claims 7-9 are rejected as being dependent upon a rejected base claim.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 6-7, and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zanni (US 2019/0030687 A1).
Regarding claim 1, discloses a device (figs1,4) for clamping workpieces P (para[0051]) on machine tools M (para[0051]), comprising:
at least one basic body 19 (para[0072]) fixable to a machine tool M (para[0072]) and provided with a fluid-operated cylinder 2,15 (para[0052],[0068]) containing a fluid under pressure;
at least one stem 4,12,27 (para[0052],[0064],[0079], figs2,4) extending along a main axis A (para[0052], fig4) and is partly inserted into said fluid-operated cylinder 2,15 (fig4) in a sliding manner along said main axis A by thrust of said fluid under pressure (figs4-6), said stem 4,12,27 comprising at least one intermediate portion 12 (fig4, para[0064]) arranged inside said fluid-operated cylinder 2,15 (fig4) and a first end portion 4 (para[0053], fig4) extending out of said fluid-operated cylinder 2,15;
at least one clamping bracket 5 (para[0055]) associated with said first end portion 4 (fig4) of the stem 4,12,27 for clamping a workpiece P to be machined on said machine tool M, said clamping bracket 5 being movable at least between:
a home position (fig5, para[0059], abstract), wherein said clamping bracket 5 is spaced apart from said basic body 19 (fig5); and
a work position (fig7, abstract, para[0059]), wherein said clamping bracket 5 is moved close to said basic body 19 for clamping said workpiece P;
at least a first control assembly (para[0116]) for controlling the attainment of said work position, comprising:
at least a first probe element (a part above valve 45, fig7) associated with said first end portion 4 of said stem 4,12,27; and
at least a first contact sensor 45 (para[0116], fig7) associated with said basic body 19 and adapted to detect the contact with said first probe element in said work position (fig7, para[0116]);
wherein said stem 4,12,27 comprises at least a second end portion 27 (fig4, para[0079]) extending out of said fluid-operated cylinder 2,15 on an opposite side with respect to said first end portion 4 (fig4), and by the fact that said device 1 comprises at least a second control assembly 30 (para[0092]) for controlling the attainment of said home position (fig5), comprising:
at least a second probe element 34 (para[0097]) associated with said second end portion 27 of said stem 4,12,27; and
at least a second contact sensor (para[0096], “one sensing system designed to detect the closing of the insertion mouth 32 and of the feeding duct 29”) associated with said basic body 19 and adapted to detect the contact with said second probe element 34 in said home position (fig5).
Regarding claim 2, Zanni discloses the device according to claim 1, further comprising a covering and protective casing 24 (fig4, para[0078]) of said second control assembly 34, which is associated with said basic body 19 (fig4).
Regarding claim 3¸ Zanni discloses the device according to claim 2, wherein said covering and protective casing 24 comprises a cup-shaped element (fig2) defining an internal volume (fig4), said second probe element 34 being movable inside said internal volume (figs4-7).
Regarding claim 6, Zanni discloses the device according to claim 1, further comprising roto-translation means (para[0064]) positioned between said fluid-operated cylinder 2,15 and said stem 4,12,27 and adapted to split the motion of said stem 4,12,27 into:
at least a first roto-translation stretch (para[0064], “a first step”), wherein said stem 4,12,27 slides along said main axis A and rotates around said main axis A for a predetermined angle of rotation (para[0064]); and
at least a second translation stretch (para[0064], “a second step”), wherein said stem 4,12,27 slides along said main axis A without rotation (para[0064]).
Regarding claim 7, Zanni discloses the device according to claim 6, wherein said roto-translation means comprises:
at least one groove 13 (para[0065]) formed on said stem 4,12,27 (para[0065]) and having a first section substantially helical (para[0066]) and a second section substantially straight (para[0066], “substantially rectilinear direction and parallel to the main line”); and
at least one engagement element 14 (para[0065]) mounted on said fluid-operated cylinder (fig5) and inserted inside said groove 13 in a sliding manner;
the sliding of said engagement element 14 along said first section causing the motion of said stem 4,12,27 along said first stretch and the sliding of said engagement element 14 along said second section thus causing the motion of said stem 4,12,27 along said second stretch (para[0067]).
Regarding claim 9, Zanni discloses the device according to claim 6, wherein said clamping bracket 5 comprises an intermediate position (fig6), wherein said clamping bracket 5 is rotated and moved close to said basic body 19 with respect to said home position as a result of the motion of said stem 4,12,27 along said first stretch, and in said work position said clamping bracket being further moved close to said basic body 19 with respect to said intermediate position as a result of the motion of said stem 4,12,27 along said second stretch.
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) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zanni (US 2019/0030687 A1) in view of Zanni (US 2019/0030686 A1).
Regarding claim 8, Zanni discloses the device according to claim 7, however, does not explicitly disclose a use of elastic offset means. Zanni (‘686) teaches a use of elastic offset means 16 (para[0046], fig2) adapted to push an engagement element 15 (para[0046]) inside a groove 14 (para[0046]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Zanni (‘687) to use elastic offset means, as taught by Zanni (‘686), to make sure the engagement element is remained within a groove.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-5 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.
Claim 10 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include 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 4 not found was a use of at least one probe bracket extending cantilevered from said second end portion; in combination with the limitations set forth in claim 4 and any of its intervening claims of the instant invention.
Claim 10 is dependent on claim 4.
The subject matter of claim 5 not found was a use of an auxiliary bracket extending cantilevered from said first end portion and a probe pin associated with said auxiliary bracket; in combination with the limitations set forth in claim 5 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
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